Episode Summary
He Rufei's plot to kill He Yan is foiled, leading him to conspire with Xu Pinting by revealing He Yan's gender. Meanwhile, He Yan and Xiao Jue's bond deepens as he reveals he has secretly cared for her for years, culminating in a heartfelt kiss. At a royal banquet, He Yan publicly defeats the fake He Rufei in a duel. When Xu Pinting exposes He Yan as a woman, it's revealed that Xiao Jue had already secured a royal pardon, turning his enemies' political attacks toward himself.
Spoiler Alert
Legend of the Female General Ep. 29: The Truth Comes Out
So, things get seriously intense in this episode. It kicks off with He Rufei, the imposter, hiding in the shadows, ready to assassinate He Yan. But just as he's about to make his move, Chu Zhao and Xu Pinting randomly bump into He Yan, forcing him to call it off. This chance meeting sparks Xu Pinting's suspicion; she feels like she's seen He Yan before, maybe in a painting, and starts to get wary.
He Rufei, ever the schemer, notices that Chu Zhao has a bit of a crush on He Yan. He decides to use this to his advantage by manipulating Xu Pinting. He drops a massive bombshell on her: He Yan is actually a woman, and the Emperor, who just granted her the title of Wu'an Lang, has no idea.
Meanwhile, we get a really sweet scene that shows just how deep Xiao Jue's feelings for He Yan run. Yan He is visiting Xiao Jue when He Yan shows up. Xiao Jue immediately pours her a drink and, when she mentions she's cold, he gets up without a second thought to grab a coat for her. Yan He teases him, pointing out that he’s only ever shown this kind of special treatment to two people: the "He Rufei" from their school days (who was secretly He Yan) and the He Yan of today.
Yan He then tells He Yan something that makes everything click into place. Back at Xianchang Hall, Xiao Jue was the one secretly guiding her sword practice and leaving a spare thumb ring for her when she forgot hers for archery class. He Yan, who always thought these were just happy accidents, is stunned to learn it was Xiao Jue helping her in secret all along.
When Xiao Jue returns with the coat, she asks him why he helped her back then. Instead of just answering, he pulls out a pouch and shows her the inside lining, where a moon is embroidered. She once whispered to him that she liked the moon, but felt the moon didn't know. This small, hidden gesture proves he heard her and has cared for a long time. It’s a huge moment for them. They finally confess their feelings for each other, and He Yan, caught up in the moment, kisses him. They share a beautiful, passionate kiss under the moonlight.
But the drama doesn't stop. He Rufei is furious that his assassination plot failed and wants to try again, but his ally, Xu Jingfu, shuts him down, warning that it's too risky to try anything so close to the Emperor.
At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, He Yan and Xiao Jue arrive together and run right into the fake He Rufei. He Yan can't resist poking the bear and her words get under his skin, making the imposter visibly furious. There's also a tense moment with Yang Mingzhi's father, who glares at Xiao Jue like he's the enemy. Xiao Jue explains to He Yan that the man is too upright and was manipulated by Xu Jingfu, turning him against the Xiao family.
The Emperor calls He Yan forward, praising her as Wu'an Lang for her humility. He then asks a tricky question: why did she impersonate General Feihong and not some other general? Her answer is clever and satisfies him. Seizing the opportunity, He Yan challenges the fake He Rufei to a friendly duel. The fake is terrified, and Xu Jingfu tries to make excuses for him, but the Emperor thinks it’s a great idea for some entertainment.
What no one knows is that the night before, Xiao Jue gave He Yan the Qinglang Sword—the actual sword of General Feihong.Seeing the new Wu'an Lang holding the legendary general's sword raises a lot of eyebrows.
The duel is a joke. He Yan is clearly superior and defeats the imposter with ease. Xu Jingfu quickly steps in, claiming "General Feihong" is still suffering from an old war injury from a battle in Huayuan. Regardless, the fake He Rufei is utterly humiliated.
Just when you think it's over, Xu Pinting makes her move. She stays behind as the other women leave and publicly declares that He Yan is a woman. But the ultimate plot twist comes from Xiao Jue. He already told the Emperor everything, trading his own military achievements to secure a pardon for He Yan for hiding her identity. The Emperor agrees not to pursue the matter, but this just shifts the target. Xu Jingfu and his allies, furious at being outmaneuvered, now have their sights set directly on Xiao Jue.
