General and I (孤芳不自赏, Gū Fāng Bú Zì Shǎng, roughly "A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated") is a 2017 Chinese historical romance series starring Wallace Chung and Angelababy. It's based on the novel of the same name by Feng Nong.
Prince He Xia is betrayed by the King of Yan and forced to flee for his life. His maidservant Bai Ping Ting acts as a decoy to draw away his pursuers. She's injured and rescued by Chu Bei Jie, a general of the Jin Kingdom. Bai Ping Ting and Chu Bei Jie fall in love, although they're on opposing sides. Meanwhile, He Xia tries to avenge his parents, and he blames Chu Bei Jie for their deaths.
It can be watched on YouTube
with English subtitles.
Contains examples of:
- All Love Is Unrequited:
- He Xia loves Bai Ping Ting, but she doesn't return his feelings. Later he marries Yao Tian, who he doesn't love but who loves him.
- Consort Zhang is Sima Hong's concubine, but she loves Chu Bei Jie. He loves Bai Ping Ting instead.
- Lady Thirteen also falls in love with Chu Bei Jie, who's still in love with Bai Ping Ting.
- And This Is for...: He Xia says this when kicking Chu Bei Jie.He Xia: I'll kick you for Ping Ting's sake. [kicks Bei Jie] This second kick is for my parents. [kicks him again]
- Anguished Declaration of Love: Consort Zhang makes one to Chu Bei Jie. It doesn't work.
- Arranged Marriage: Consort Zhang's father made her marry Sima Hong. It's an unhappy marriage to say the least.
- Awesome Moment of Crowning: Chu Bei Jie and Bai Ping Ting get one in the final episode.
- Battle Couple: Chu Bei Jie and Bai Ping Ting plan together, fight together, and eventually rule together.
- Battle in the Rain: In episode sixty-one the battle between Chu Bei Jie's and He Xia's soldiers takes place during a storm.
- Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Even when seriously injured, Bai Ping Ting rarely looks worse than slightly disheveled.
- Better Manhandle the Murder Weapon: Chu Bei Jie finds several corpses and a bloody sword. Naturally, he picks up the sword. When the authorities arrive they assume he's the murderer.
- The Big Damn Kiss: Between Chu Bei Jie and Bai Ping Ting in episode thirteen.
- Blood from the Mouth: Shows up frequently when characters are injured or killed.
- Cain and Abel: Chu Bei Jie and Sima Hong are half-brothers, but that doesn't stop Sima Hong torturing Chu Bei Jie.
- Cassandra Truth: He Xia insists that the King of Yan is conspiring against him with Chu Bei Jie. He's right, but no one believes him.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Chu Bei Jie and Bai Ping Ting first met as children, and they fall in love when they're reunited.
- Cold-Blooded Torture:
- Sima Hong has Dong Zhuo tortured to make him reveal why Bai Ping Ting is so important.
- Later Chu Bei Jie is also tortured on Sima Hong's orders.
- Combat Hand Fan: Chu Bei Jie uses a fan as a weapon in one of his fights with He Xia.
- Dating Catwoman: Bai Ping Ting and Chu Bei Jie are on opposite sides of a war, and frequently fighting against each other. This doesn't stop them falling in love and getting married.
- Death Faked for You: Sima Hong pretends to execute Bai Ping Ting so he can hand her over to the King of Yan.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight:
- Ping Ting dies in Bei Jie's arms. Or so Sima Hong and his retinue think. Turns out she survived.
- Yao Tian dies in He Xia's arms.
- Disney Villain Death: He Xia gets pushed off a tower... and lands on a spear.
- Driven to Suicide:
- He Xia's mother kills herself when she thinks Chu Bei Jie has killed her husband.
- Chu Bei Jie's mother was forced to commit suicide or her son wouldn't have been allowed to grow up in the palace.
- Chancellor Zhang kills himself after his schemes fail.
- Consort Zhang kills herself after her plot is revealed and she's made a prisoner in the palace.
- Yao Tian poisons herself after He Xia seizes her throne.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Played with. Chancellor Zhang is a treacherous plotter who forced his daughter to marry Sima Hong, but at the same time he does care for her. He's clearly devastated when she refuses to escape the palace after his plans go wrong.
- Fake Pregnancy: Consort Zhang pretends to be pregnant because she hopes Sima Hong will make her queen.
- Gorgeous Period Dress: All over the place, on almost every female character and some of the male ones too. Highlights include Ping Ting's pink hanfu◊, these costumes◊, Yao Tian's costumes, and Bei Jie and Ping Ting's coronation outfits◊.
- Heroic Bastard: Chu Bei Jie is Sima Hong's illegitimate half-brother.
- Hunting "Accident": Consort Zhang plans for Sima Hong to have one.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice:
- Lu Ke dies like this, and later so do Murong Su and the Queen of Yan. He Xia is responsible for all three deaths.
- He Xia himself dies after falling onto a spear.
- Interrupted Suicide: Yang Feng tries to hang herself. Bai Ping Ting arrives just in time to stop her.
- Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: Lady Thirteen fights a group of soldiers while wearing a long dress.
- Killer Outfit: Bai Ping Ting attempts to kill Chu Bei Jie by soaking one of his outfits in poison.
- Lady of War: Bai Ping Ting is rarely seen in anything but long, flowing dresses. Doesn't stop her fighting when she needs to.
- Laughing Mad: Consort Zhang laughs when she reveals she killed the queen.
- Love Ruins the Realm: Yao Tian's love for He Xia leads to her own death and the downfall of her kingdom.
- Missed Him by That Much: Bai Ping Ting and Chu Bei Jie are so close they can see each other. If either had happened to be looking at the right moment, a lot of misunderstandings could have been cleared up.
- My Secret Pregnancy: Bai Ping Ting has to hide her pregnancy while a prisoner in Bai Lan because it would put her and her child's life in danger if it was found out.
- One-Woman Wail: An eerie, mournful wail is heard at the start of the first episode.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Sima Hong and his queen outlive their two sons, who are murdered to frame Chu Bei Jie.
- Reports of My Death Were Greatly Exaggerated:
- Chu Bei Jie is believed dead. Turns out he's alive. But Bai Ping Ting doesn't learn this until she's given a rival army information that could help them defeat him.
- Later, Bai Ping Ting is believed dead. Yang Feng and Ze Yin have a funeral and a memorial made for her. Unknown to them or Chu Bei Jie, she's still alive.
- Romantic False Lead: He Xia is in love with Bai Ping Ting at the start of the series, and asks to marry her. It doesn't work out.
- Succession Crisis: He Xia tries to start one by putting Sima Hong in a coma and poisoning his heirs.
- Snow Means Death: It starts to snow when Bei Jie apparently kills Ping Ting.
- Sweet Polly Oliver: Bai Ping Ting disguises herself as a man to sneak into Jiao Yan Casino.
- Thanatos Gambit: He Xia's father kills himself, knowing his death will motivate He Xia to take revenge on Chu Bei Jie.
- Undying Loyalty: Dong Zhuo, for He Xia. Even after an argument with He Xia, Dong Zhuo gets ready to go with him on a dangerous mission without even being asked.
- Viking Funeral: Sima Hong's body is put on a raft, and Chu Bei Jie sets it on fire with a burning arrow.
- Water Source Tampering: Bai Ping Ting has a water supply poisoned to defeat Chu Bei Jie.
- We Used to Be Friends: He Xia and Bai Ping Ting were friends at the start of the series. Before too long they've become enemies.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Consort Zhang cuts her own arm then claims Chu Bei Jie injured her.
- Xanatos Speed Chess: Bai Ping Ting and Chu Bei Jie excel at it, usually against each other.
- The war against Liang is full of examples. Bai Ping Ting and the army of Liang encamp at the top of a mountain, while Chu Bei Jie and his army are at the bottom of it. Bai Ping Ting orders the soldiers to poison the water. Chu Bei Jie guessed she'd do that, and ordered his soldiers not to touch it. The only undefended way up the mountain is a dangerous abandoned bridge. Chu Bei Jie decides to use it. Bai Ping Ting suspects he'll try it and takes steps to prevent it.
- You Are Number 6: The owner of Jiao Yan Casino is always called "Lady Thirteen"; her real name isn't revealed.
