Episode Summary
He Yan and Xiao Jue's relationship deepens as they get engaged during a romantic night at the Lantern Festival. However, a heartbroken and jealous Chu Zhao reports his concerns to the Emperor about two powerful generals marrying. This leads to the Emperor giving Xiao Jue an ultimatum: he can marry He Yan, but one of them must surrender their military command, leaving Xiao Jue with an impossible choice.
Spoiler Alert
Legend of the Female General: Episode 34 Recap
Episode 34 of Legend of the Female General begins with things feeling a little tense. Even though Great Wei has made peace with the Wutuo clan, He Yan thinks they can't let their guard down. She knows the Wutuo can be tricky and believes they need to keep their defenses strong.
On a lighter note, love is in the air for some. Li Kuang is heading back to Rundu, and He Yan plans to see him off. Meanwhile, Cheng Lisu finally gets the courage to confess his feelings to Song Taotao, giving her a beautiful Hehuan wooden hairpin and asking her to marry him. She happily says yes! It isn't long before their wedding invitations arrive at the Xiao mansion, which leads to some playful teasing for Xiao Jue about when he's going to finally marry He Yan.
Speaking of which, He Yan and Xiao Jue take a little trip down memory lane to Xianchang Hall. The loquat tree is still there, and it reminds He Yan of a time she was locked up and starving, and someone secretly brought her a bag of loquats. Xiao Jue finally admits it was him. They even run into their old teacher, who is now gray-haired. He jokes that his best student, Xiao Jue, was stolen away by his worst student, He Yan (who was disguised as a boy back then). Xiao Jue jumps in to defend her, saying he fell for her first and points out that she's now Great Wei's first female general.
Later, during the Lantern Festival in Yaojing, which is way more lively than the Water God Festival back in Jiyang, the two are out on a date. When they see someone making sugar paintings, Xiao Jue remembers how Chu Zhao used to show off the one He Yan gave him. So, when He Yan asks if he wants one, he flat-out says no. She quickly figures out he's just jealous, so she playfully coaxes him and makes him his own sugar painting—a much bigger one than Chu Zhao's.
They bump into Yan He and his wife and decide to solve some lantern riddles together. He Yan, being sharp as ever, solves one and wins a gorgeous lantern for Xiao Jue. As they're eating sweet rice balls later, He Yan feels like her luck is almost too good to be true. A quick glimpse of Fei Nu, Xiao Jue's attendant, makes her realize this whole perfect night was planned. Xiao Jue then picks a beautiful flower, tells her how he feels, and they share a kiss under a fiery red tree, promising to spend the rest of their lives together.
But not everyone is happy. We see Chu Zhao at home, staring at the old sugar painting He Yan gave him. It's so brittle that it shatters with just a little pressure, which feels like a bad sign. His heart was already broken after he saw He Yan and Xiao Jue kissing under a plum tree at the festival. Fueled by his heartbreak, he goes to the Emperor with a warning: letting General Fengyun (He Yan) and General Feihong (Xiao Jue) marry is a terrible idea. Why? Because they both command huge armies. The Emperor's face immediately darkens.
Back at the Xiao mansion, He Yan and Xiao Jue are happily planning their future on a rooftop. He's already hired the best seamstress in the capital to make her wedding dress. The whole household is buzzing with wedding preparations. But just as He Yan is measuring Xiao Jue for his wedding clothes, a royal summons arrives. Xiao Jue has to go to the palace right away.
There, he walks into a trap. Chu Zhao is with the Emperor and boldly asks for He Yan's hand in marriage. Xiao Jue immediately shuts him down, saying he and He Yan are about to be married. The Emperor, however, says that while he doesn't want to break them up, he agrees with Chu Zhao. Two of the nation's most powerful generals cannot be family. He gives Xiao Jue an impossible choice: if he insists on marrying He Yan, one of them must give up their Tiger Tally, the symbol of their military command. Xiao Jue is stunned and has until the next day to decide. On his way out of the palace, he punches Chu Zhao, who argues that he's not wrong. An emperor's greatest fear is a subject becoming too powerful, and all that military might in one family is a threat.
The episode ends with Xiao Jue completely torn. As his maid Yingxiang notes, He Yan and Chu Zhao are like fire and ice. Xiao Jue doesn't want to be the one to clip He Yan's wings and stop her from being a general, but he also fought so hard to restore the honor and power of the Xiao Family Army. He's stuck between his love and his legacy.
