Episode 18 recap: A Mai saved Chang Yu Qing.
Cui Yan was seriously injured, and he knew for sure that the person in front of him was responsible. That person claimed that Cui Yan was talking nonsense, and he told everyone that he would take over the leadership role in the days when Chang Yu Qing was absent. A Mai and Chang Yu Qing were trapped in a cave, and Er Dan found the mark left by A Mai.
Liu San tricked Chang Yu Qing onto a cliff and ambushed him from behind, causing Chang Yu Qing to fall off the cliff. Cui Yan also suffered serious injuries in the fight. Liu San came to report to Vice General Jiang that Chang Yu Qing had fallen off the cliff.
Cui Yan knew that Vice General Jiang was definitely behind this, but Vice General Jiang believed that Cui Yan was delirious due to excessive blood loss. Shortly after, Vice General Jiang announced to others that he would take on the leadership role in Chang Yu Qing's absence. A Mai fell off a bridge while escaping and saw a person not far away.
When A Mai approached, she realized that the person was Chang Yu Qing. A Mai was startled, and she kicked Chang Yu Qing to see if he would react. A Mai was about to leave, but she stopped after a few steps. A Mai took Chang Yu Qing to a cave, and while she was cleaning her arm, Chang Yu Qing woke up.
Chang Yu Qing saw that A Mai was a woman, and A Mai held a knife to his neck. Chang Yu Qing asked why A Mai saved him, and A Mai wanted him to tell her how to leave the mountain. A Mai knew that the Northern Desert Army surrounded the area, and she couldn't escape on her own.
Chang Yu Qing agreed to A Mai's request, and A Mai asked him how she could trust him. Chang Yu Qing told her that a promise is hard to chase down once spoken. A Mai untied the rope binding Chang Yu Qing and he asked for A Mai's name.
A Mai initially didn't want to tell him, but Chang Yu Qing said that they were not generals or soldiers here. A Mai told him that her name was Mai Sui, and he could also call her A Mai. Tang Shao Yi and the others learned that A Mai was missing and searched for her overnight. Er Dan followed them because he knew the kind of mark A Mai would leave.
The next day, Chang Yu Qing asked A Mai why she disguised herself as a man and joined the army. Chang Yu Qing believed that she couldn't have done it just to fight on the front lines. A Mai told him that she did it to kill her enemies. Chang Yu Qing asked who her enemies were, as he might be able to help her.
A Mai asked him how he could help her, as her enemies were also from the Northern Desert.
Chang Yu Qing asked A Mai who that person was and what their name was. A Mai didn't think it would be a big deal to tell him, so she told Chang Yu Qing that her enemy's name was Chen Qi.
Chang Yu Qing suggested that A Mai return to the Northern Desert with him, and he could help her seek revenge. A Mai thought that Chang Yu Qing was just a general in the Northern Desert, while Chen Qi was the marshal. She wasn't a fool to believe that Chang Yu Qing would genuinely help her. However, Chang Yu Qing assured her that he would fulfill his words, even if he couldn't explain it to her right away.
Just as the two of them started walking together, they ran into a group of Northern Desert people. Chang Yu Qing quickly pulled A Mai aside and told her that these people were looking for him. He asked A Mai to wait until he had left the forest and then continue on her own. He informed her that there was a village beneath the forest where she could hide for a while.
A Mai entered a house and as soon as she stepped inside, the elderly woman inside called her "Zhu Zi" (pillar). A Mai tried to explain that she wasn't her son, but the woman didn't listen and insisted that A Mai was Zhu Zi. A Mai had no choice but to address the elderly woman as her mother and mentioned that she was feeling hungry, asking the woman to prepare some food for her.
Chang Yu Qing returned to the camp, and Cui Yan asked him what had happened. Chang Yu Qing told him that he had fallen into an ambush in the mountains and stayed there overnight. Cui Yan asked if he had encountered the southern troops as well. Chang Yu Qing informed him that someone had bribed Liu San, and upon hearing that, Cui Yan immediately suspected Chen Qi.
Chang Yu Qing advised Cui Yan to think carefully and not to make accusations without evidence, as it would only make things worse if Chen Qi heard about it. Tang Shao Yi found A Mai in the farmhouse down the mountain, but at first, he didn't recognize her because she was dressed as a woman. A Mai explained that she didn't intentionally hide it from him, but she had her reasons.
Tang Shao Yi assured her that he already knew and that he had been her big brother all along. Tang Shao Yi brought A Mai back, and Wang Qi and the others were thrilled to see her return safely. Shang Yi Zhi prepared a feast of fish and meat for the Seventh Battalion brothers, and Er Dan was delighted while Wang Qi couldn't share the same joy. He felt that this could be their last meal together before they would soon part ways.
This drama really starts off dumb and I had high hopes, but I ended up disappointed. Despite being the main character, A Mai constantly disregards military discipline and has a narrow mindset, prioritizing personal revenge over the bigger picture.
Doesn't A Mai, coming from a prestigious family and having knowledge of military tactics, understand that defeating the Northern Desert Army could ultimately bring justice for the nation? The show frequently sacrifices the entire army and the overall situation just to showcase the protagonist's compassion and let them be burdened for the sake of a small group of people.
The portrayal of war in this drama is truly childish. The internal conflict within the Northern Desert Army also makes the plot even more lackluster.