General and I (Ep 9-12): Thoughts, Review, Caps, and Everything in between

People watch dramas for different reasons.  I watch dramas because most of the time I like the leads. No amount of bad press or bad reviews would sway me away. Now whether I finish them is another story. I do watch a lot of dramas. I just don’t finish them and often time I opted out to read recaps instead. The last drama I fully finished was (if you follow my post at all on this blog, you won’t be surprised) … that’s right, “My Sunshine.”  That was like 2 years ago. So, you can be for sure that I’ll finish this one from beginning to end and it’s all ‘Thanks’ to Wallace. Don’t expect me to do the same for Wallace’s next 2 modern dramas as I don’t find the 2 leading actresses compatible with him. 😛 

By this far into the drama, I have long separated the novel version from the drama adaptation. Trust me, novel fans, you will be at peace if you let that thought sink in too. General and I decided to take a different approach and build addition and/or different arch storylines for all the main characters, just as Peanuts said—one can watch the drama with a different mindset with surprises. I find myself enjoying the mature relationship between the two main leads and all secondary characters having their own sympathetic background story.

My approach here will be different from that of Peanuts’s post.  I just wanted to pinpoint the scenes I like and some of the main points from each episodes. Above all, I  wanted to make some beautiful GIFs dedicated to this drama.

 Anybody else loves the featured photo for this post as much as I do? Aaah… his happy face brightened up my day!

Episode 9

He gave her peace. A peace that was never for her, but because she wanted it. New realizations are now discovered and a new path is the only way out.

• The King of Yan took back the 15 copper mines, since CBJ interrupted his plan to get PT. CBJ made a grand
  entrance to retrieve the 15 copper mines. He said in exchange for PT, he will promise 5 years of peace with them. So nobody loses in this game according to CBJ.

• HX’s distrust of PT is evident. The guards outside her room were said to protect her, but she was no longer allowed outside.
• CBJ was also good at making flute music out of a leave. He must be close by as PT could hear him play a familiar tune she once remembered as a child.
• Peanuts: Wallace started learning how to make flute music out of a leave when he was young. Do you know which drama? If I am not mistaken, it was in Feng Chen Wu Die, broadcast in 2001.

• Finally, PT couldn’t take it anymore and decided to move out. HX used his last straw and promised to marry PT in front of his parent’s grave (hoping to keep her by his side as she was the last bit of his past that represented his once perfect life).
• PT declined HX’s proposal: “I can’t forget him.”

• We were now finally introduced to Princess YaoTian of the Bai Lan state. She seemed like a smart one too and making some sort of deal with the King of Jin.

Episode 10: 

• A banquet was held to celebrate CBJ’s personal effort to convince King of Yan to “exchange 15 copper mines for 5 years of peace.” Now the shift is to attack the Liang state instead as they’ve been pressuring them outside the borders. Princess YaoTian of Bai Lan, a smaller state with no threats at the moment to the Jin state, agreed to let them bypass through the Bia Lan state (a smoother route).

• The King’s illness is starting to creep out. CBJ was suspicious and took one of his gold pills. The queen confirmed though that the King did feel better after taking the pill; hence, BJ let the issue slide.
• Princess YaoTian, you are giving too much trust to HX.
• Hearing that the King planned to gift CBJ a wife after returning from war, the consort got jealous and managed to seek a private moment with CBJ (using PT as an excuse).

Consort: Take a good look at me, am I not as beautiful as she is?
BJ sighs heavily and stares at her for 1 second…
BJ: Farewell?
LOL! Desperate moments led to desperate manners and there’s more.

• So according to the consort, CBJ and her were childhood sweethearts. The King became weary that the great general, CBJ, may have too much power (especially with the help of her father). She was forced to be his consort as a result.

Consort: Have you ever loved me?
CBJ: I love only Bai Ping Ting (Although CBJ’s expression tells another story. He could have liked her, just not to PT’s level.)
Not getting through to CBJ, she bursts out.
Consort: You are but a pathetic man. You’re just like me. You can never have the one you love! (Wrong, their love is just starting :P)
Consort: I shall make you pay twice the price for insulting me today. (umm…missy you did this to yourself.)

Won: I really love this scene. You have to watch it live. I swear, I have chills running down my back plus the spooky music was a perfect blend. CBJ’s opponent must be very scared.

• We get a very furious CBJ being bothered by the news that PT was heading towards the Liang state too and the King of Jin was trying to get her kill. (Well, if BCJ didn’t want to go to war with the Liang state, he is now. )

• The bandit who was trying to kill PT, told her it was an order from CBJ. She broke down in disbelief and was willing to die if that was the case. (Where’s the smart PT?  … It must have been the alcohol she drank earlier.)
• PT’s best friend Yang Feng (YF), who was the wife of Ze Yin (ZY) general of the Liang state, came to her rescue. (They are so adorable.)
• Our leading lady was no longer hiding her feelings anymore, she told YF she’s in love with their enemy CBJ. (Their relationship is adorable…I’m all in for sisterhood!)

Won: Don’t worry PingTing, he’s coming for you very soon.

Episode 11

• The war between Jin and Liang was on the verge of breaking out. CBJ was anxious to know the whereabouts of PT.
• YF was also worried about ZY. She asked PT, “Should a war break out, who will win?  Ze Yin or Chu Bei Jie?” PT did not give YF a definite answer and only responded that she was not familiar with ZY’s skills. The answer was clear. YF got it all and tears welled up in her eyes. She was struggling to keep both her friend and husband safe from the impending war (not wanting PT involvement, yet, wanting her husband safe).

• YF held back her tears and reassured herself, “I know very well just how capable my husband is. He will surely win the battle. He promised me.”
• As if not stressed enough, after a few days later, YF finally received a letter from ZY stating, “Should I die in this battle, you are to wed another.” (This breaks my heart.)

• PT found out YF was 2 months pregnant, with all the more reasons for PT to get involved. YF was more devastated now that the 2 most important people in her life are at war. (Too much stress …what’s a girl to do?)
• CBJ and his army has now entered the Liang state and wow it was such a beautiful city. It reminds me of ancient Egypt.
• So what was BPT’s plan? She has a poison formula undetectable that will put any person in a coma for 10 days. The King of Jin was to be poisoned and CBJ will have no choice but to retreat. The abrupt war left the King of Liang with no other plans but to defend; hence, he was willing to bargain with PT.
• PT finally reached ZY’s army base and gave him the hard slap he deserves for sending that awful letter.
• She used CBJ’s same words to teach him a valuable lesson,“How can a man who can’t even protect his own wife be qualified to protect his own nation?”

• We get a nice fighting sequence between CBJ and ZY. Although ZY lost the one-on-one battle with CBJ after 10 strikes, his team won as CBJ has to retreat back after being lured into the Dense Forest.

Won: Poor thing 😥 I really hope the horse wasn’t harmed  or anything.)

• Again, there’s no such thing as a losing battle to CBJ, if his opponent is none other than his own BPT who has been planning all those tactics. (The look on his face when he found out she’s safe …that smile… my heart must have skipped a beat).

BJ: There’s a saying that goes, “Have a taste of your own medicine.” I’m going to use that to strike back. 

Won: One of the best used quotes in dramaland..like..literally, CBJ is going to have his army make juice out of them and drink them.

• So apparently it was HX’s team who had been the one causing all the misunderstandings between Jin and Liang. HX and the Princess had a good heart to heart talk. (HX can actually fly in this drama. These 2 are so compatible, it’s too bad HX’s intention was never clear, hence I can’t enjoy their interaction.)

Episode 12:   Lots of OTP’s Moments

Won: How could it be possible that a drama could have some of the best and worst GCI usages? I’m disappointed one moment and then I see these beautiful shots.

• Who is the spy from the King of Liang to help them to poison the King of Jin? The consort’s father (wow, shocker!)
• When CBJ was lured into the Dense Forest, he found out that it was full of poisonous bees. The leaves there can be used as the antidote to bee stings. Hence, by consuming those leaves, it will prevent the soldiers from being stung by bees. He intended to release those bees directly towards Liang’s base and then attacking them.

• Unfortunately, the equally smart PT already figured out his plan. PT played the zither while using herself to defend the attack and CBJ was left without an option but to cancel his plan of releasing those bees . PT will be the first to be poisoned. He can’t even get mad at her anymore. (The melody PT is playing is quite soothing, I would like the full version please!)

Awesome quote from Chu BeiJie:

“When you managed to make me retreat, you also announced to the world my ultimate weakness. After this battle, everyone will know whom CBJ truly loves. No matter what happens, I’d never sacrifice BPT. “

• As the Liang army already left the place, leaving only PT to defend herself against BJ and his army. CBJ decided to personally send her back to her Liang army.

• On the other hand, she was reluctant to leave him once they reached their destination.

PT: I just can’t read your mind
BJ: You have my heart all to yourself. It depends on whether you will walk in to take a look. (swoon) See? You won’t even look. Yet, you complained that you don’t know what I’m thinking.

Won: We understand the feeling Ping Ting? LOL!

We get a lot of ongoing planning tactics between CBJ and PT trying to outsmart each other. It’s quite interesting how knowledgeable people are, always a step ahead when it comes to their subject matter.

The good thing about General and I is that you can watch it now with English subtitleson DramaFever. Go there to support the drama, so that we can get more of Wallace’s other dramas subbed too.  😉