ep 9 spoilers ahead

1.We open to a beautiful day in the grasslands. Our two leads are alone, together, and Wen is attempting to hunt a goat. Because he misses his target she teases him, leading him to pass the bow and arrow to her. She doesn't do a very good job readying the arrow so he puts his arms around her (!) and his face is so close to hers (!) as he gives directions. She releases the arrow and it hits the goat. She runs up the hill and looks down, and the scene is shot in a way that makes her almost look like a Madonna. He seems to be looking at her as if wanting to comment on how lovely she looks, but he just smiles (if only their lives could be so simple...)

2.A group of what looks like merchants appear. Wen moves closer and the camera zooms in on unique things about them (i think this is to show Wen's assessment of them), he sees they have tattoos, knives, and that they seem ready to attack. He turns back to her and nods his head, and she takes this as a signal to ride off. Next Wen turns into a god of death, performing some truly gravity defying moves (I doubt you could do this in real life but it looks cool; he is so badass)

3.Somehow, she is magically good at shooting arrows because she returns to help him out..

4.Marquis Xi Changshan (he is pro Xiognu) is being completely unhelpful now that news has come that Xiognu troops are attacking the border area. General H makes it known to him that the princess is currently out there, and that Xi should send troops to help her and the commoners, to avoid a diplomatic fiasco. Unfortunately, he adamantly refuses, insisting that he cannot send troops out unless they are to escort the princess. He also explains that General H should stop making things difficult...

5.General H goes to help and makes it clear to everyone that Wusan did not send troops but the Han envoy protecting the Heqin did (this should bolster her image). Meanwhile, Wen and Joeyou were captured and are in cages....General H is looking for her but has described her as a maidservant to the Heqin princess...

6.That night, Han and General Li (Wusan) are attempting to attack a Xiognu camp, but they are completely surrounded in a surprise attack. We learn from Han that this is an attempt by Xiognu to use the Heqin princess as a way to provoke Han (since they hate one another). Because fire arrows are used in this attack, Jieyou and Wen are in danger of burning to death in their cage.

7.This is a very poignant scene as Wen demonstrates his love and devotion to Jieyou as he refuses to leave hers side. Unfortunately, a little girl whom they befriended is killed in front of them during the cross fire, depicting the brutality of war, and giving Jieyou a brutal lesson in what war does. Wen has to physically restrain a hysterical Jieyou who wants to help the dead girl

8.Not long after, an unconscious Jieyou is delivered to General H, who orders him to protect her well. In the company of Feng Lio and A-Tsai, the two women take care of an unconscious Jieyou. She comes to and has a private talk with Feng Liao about her feelings for Wen, which Fen tells her not only does she know, but an idiot would know they care for one another. She also tells her she respects her for being so daring as to elope with the kunmi's brother, but goes on to tell her that a lot of people have a lot of hope that she, as a Han princess, can reduce or end the endless fighting in the border areas of the empire....(after seeing that kid die I think she is 100% less likely to elope)

9.In an intense (an completely unexpected scene) General H confronts Wen. Wen wants to (basically) elope with Jieyou, consequences be damned. But general H makes it clear that she has a greater mission. They get into a fight, and General H deals what looks like a killing blow (remember, Wen still has injuries from earlier) and tosses his body in the river. He returns to the camp and tells Marquis Xi that they encountered Xiognu on the road and they killed him (Xi is horrified at this news because that is the king's favorite brother)

10. Jieyou overhears, and she pulls Han into a tent. In an extremely charged scene (such excellent acting on both their parts!) he tells her he took an arrow in the heart and is dead. General H looks like he is about to attack her (like it looks like he is almost bitter/happy to tell her this news because he might like her or be jealous of Wen) and she starts to laugh and tells him she doesn't believe it. He gives her the dagger, and she looks furious, and nearly kills him, wanting to know how he came back alive (nevermind he is bleeding pretty bad) and he insists that Wen wanted her to have it, to protect herself (he would do that)

11.In a great speech, she tells him that she is the only one going against destiny, that she has always lived for herself and never felt selfish, that her one act of selfishness led to her greatest happiness but also heartbreaking consequences (her acting is so good! her facial expressions are fantastic!)

12.Meanwhile, at the capital of Wusan, Marquis Xi meets with Kunmi and is able to maintain the Kunmi's trust (WTF?) and he also is sure that Wengui is not dead because of his skill. Kunmi will not release news of his death until the body is found and confirmed. He Gu, the Xiognu princess, arrives and in order to appease politics, Kunmi meets her.

13.Meanwhile, Jieyou, demonstrating her remarkable ability to either move on,or more likely, bury her feelings, tells General H that they must move past this and she is not angry at him (probably she knows she needs as many friends as she can get moving forward) (wait till she finds out what he did...)

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