Episode 3
A traitor like you does not belong in Goguryeo!
You must die!
Jigwang!
What do you mean by this?
Out the sword down.
You first
He is trying to betray the country
You would let him live?
Only thing he tried to do is to save my parents!
Strike if you wish,
but this man must die!
Traitors won't be forgiven no matter who they are.
You or anyone else!
Who is the traitor?
You're protecting an enemy's agent!
Kill me instead.
I'm fool who can't even protect his own parents.
I don't have an ounce of desire left to live.
So kill me!
My master has done nothing wrong!
I am to be blamed.
Take my life as you intended.
When do they want you to open the gate?
The last day of the month, sir.
I am to open the south gate on the last of the month
and send a signal.
I apologize.
It is not you that I don't trust. It's the times.
Don't take it personally.
Ansi Castle
General Go, you will guard the north gate.
You are directly facing the enemy, so there will be no room for error.
I won't let you down, sir.
Thare're hills to the east, so we must be wary of a raid.
Dae Jungsang will take the east gate
but work closely with the north gate.
On the south, the road is narrow and the moat is deep,
so we can stop a large army with minimum number of men.
Bu Jigwang will take the south gate and also guard the west wall.
Yes, general.
Dolbal, round up civilian help and dig wells around the city.
It is prepare for an assault with fire
so dig as many as you can.
We're up against an army of one million that can surround us layer upon layer.
But if we can just protect the gates,
we can protect the city.
The fate of Ansi is riding on the gates that each of you are protecting.
Do not give the enemy an inch of ground
and protect the city with all your might.
Yes, sir!
South gate, Ansi Castle
Tonight I've turned my back on the two people that brought me into this world.
Di I blame God?
Do I blame the moon?
Give me death...
I must be not forgiven.
Father... Mother... !
I'm sorry. Forgive me.
Master, it is I, Shin Hong.
I took te madam and the baby back.
Thank you. You can go now.
Is there something you want to say?
It's no longer mine. Get rid of it.
But it is an heirloom passed down from generation to generation.
I don't deserve to have it. Get rid of it.
Theye're still alive.
What did you say?
Lord and Madam Bu, they're both alive.
But today is the day that they wanted the gate opened.
I lied.
I lied to eliminate suspicion.
What?
Goguryeo reinforcements will arrive at the south gate in two days.
They are Tang soldiers in disguise of course.
Open the gate and let them in.
All you have to do is to lead them to the north gate.
What are you talking about?
The north gate of Ansi Castle will open in two days.
And we received Goguryeo army uniforms from Bekam.
We will enter Ansi in disguise.
Is the keeper of that gate, our contact?
That's correct, General.
With his guidance,
we will promptly secure the north gate once we are in.
And once the Emperor's flag is raised on the bastion,
we will launch an all-out offensive.
They won't even last an afternoon if the gates are opened for us!
Can we trust this man? who is working for us?
You don't have to worry.
They are still alive,
They are desperately waiting for you to save them, master.
Don't think too much.
Just listen to reason and let fate take its course.
General,
Reporting, sir! Come close.
We have a traitor among us.
It's a letter Son Daeum sent in confidence.
They are desperately waiting for you to save them, master.
Master.
It's tomorrow, master.
Go back. Be prepared
Go back, I said.
Jungsang,
Did you call me?
What is it? Is there something wrong?
Stop what you're doing and guard the south gate starting tonight.
Why?
Keep a close eye on Bu Jigwang, and report immediately
when soldier arrive at the south gate.
Is that understood?
Yes, sir.
Bu Jigwang
South gate, Ansi Castle
State your identity!
We're from Kunan Fort!
We're reinforcements set here to help you defend the castle!
Reinforcements?
We received no report about this!
You must be mistaken.
Ask the keeper of the gate!
Do you know about this, sir?
Was there a report about reinforcements, sir?
General?
Open the gate. Sir?
Open the gate, I said!
Open the gate! Open the gate immediately!
Jungsang!
Jungsang! They're here.
The reinforcements are here at the south gate!
How many of them?
There must be at least one hundred of them.
Assemble the troops and prepare for combat.
Yes, sir!
Deliver this notes to General Dae Jungsang.
Shin Hong
It is Emperor's flag.
Raise it on the bastion once we've secured the north gate.
The Emperor will reward you generously.
You and your family will enjoy the Emperor's grace for generations.
Stop!
What is this about?
General Bu Jigwang wants the letter brought back.
Impossible! He gave me the letter just now.
Don't you know who I am?
Give me the letter!
I do know who you are, but...
I'll return the letter to him myself.
What happened?
Soldier! Soldier!
Please... deliver this letter...
Stay with me, soldier! Stay with me!
Quickly! Take him back to the castle!
Go!
Sir, have a look at this letter. Who is it from?
I thought you should see it first, sir.
This is from Bu Jigwang.
It's addressed to Dae Jungsang
If you should kill me,
take the Emperor's flag from me and raise it a top the north gate.
You will surely defeat the Tang Army if you strike their weakness.
Remember that you can achieve this only if I am killed.
This must be stopped.
I can't let Bu Jigwang die this way!
Find Dae Jungsang!
Tell him that Bu Jgwang must not be killed! Go!
Yes, General!
Attack!
From this moment, I will fight for my parents.
And you will fight for Goguryeo.
This is our regrettable fate, my friend.
You've betrayed your country and betrayed the trust of a friend.
You are no longer my friend!
You're right.
If you fail to stop me, Ansi Castle will crumble.
Why? Why didn't you strike?
Let go of my hand!
Jungsang. . I wanted you to be the one to send me off...
Forgive me.
Goguryeo has many brave men to protect her,
but I'm all that my parents have.
No, Jigwang!
Jigwang!
Stop! Stop the fight!
General bu Jiwang must be saved! It is the Chief Commander's order!
Stop! Stop the fight!
Tang camp
Li Shimin: Emperor of Tang.
Why is there no word from Ansi Castle?
Today is the day, is it not?
Yes, Your Majesty. Today is the day, but...
Your Majesty,
The day is still bright. I bid you to be patient.
Where is the Prince of Jiangxia?
He is standing by with his troops, Your Majesty.
He will soon advance into Ansi Castle.
He can't advance into the castle if the gates do not open!
Someone find out what's going on!
What's the hold up? That's strange
I saw the advance guards entering the south gate with my own eyes.
Then where is the signal, General Pang?
How should i know? Good grief!
Something's gone wrong.
Prepare the troops for battle! Yes, sir.
But the gates are yet to be opened.
The emperor is watching us!
If the gates do not open from the inside we must break it down!
General, the Emperor's flag!
Let's go!
Barbarians of the Tang army are upon us!
If we die, we will be buried here on these soils of Liaodong!
Imagine this land being inhabited in the future not by our descendants
but by the descendants of Tang!
Here will be no peace for us even in death!
We will lament in silence forever under their feet!
The battle starts now!
Defeat is not an option!
We must win, for without victory there is no survival!
Secure the city gate and conquer the castle!
Now!
Look over there, General!
Thieves! How dare you set foot on this city!
That must be Yang Manchun!
Prepare to meet your maker!
Bowmen, attack!
It's a trap! Retreat! All soldiers retreat!
Retreat! All soldiers retreat!
Retreat!
What in heaven's name is happening?
Why would the gates be closed behind them?
Your Majesty, I fear something might have gone wrong.
There Your Majesty! The Emperor's flag is in flames!
Not one soldier must be sent back alive!
Obliterate them!
Not one soldier must be sent back alive!
Obliterate them!
Retreat!
General!
What are you waiting for? Protect the prince!
General! I'm all right!
Quickly! Open the gate!
Retreat! Save yourselves!
I can hear them screaming!
They are screaming for their lives!
Your Majesty, I bid you to be calm. Calm?
How can I be calm when my soldiers are dying?
Over there! They are coming out!
My men are being pursued!
The Goguryeo soldiers are chasing after them!
Your Majesty,
General Li Jing and his men have been called to action.
I bid you not to fear. Look what is happening!
They will be obliterated before Li Jing gets there!
They are all dying!
Hurry!
After them!
Attack!
You again?
Very well. It's do or die!
Rotten knave!
General!
Fight! Fight to the death!
Do not retreat! Fight!
Wipe them out!
We have an opening!
Assist the prince! This way!
After them! Follow me!
Stop the pursuit! Return to the castle!
And let those bastards get away?
There's an army of men coming after us.
If we go out any further, we will be wiped out.
We've won! Return to the castle!
Over there!
Prince Jiangxia and Pang Xiaotai is coming back, Your Majesty!
Who is that man?
Who is the warrior that saved our men from death?
It's a strange looking unfamiliar uniform
a bit like a phantom...
Dismiss the soldiers and assemble the commamders!
And bring that masked men to me as soon he arrives.
Yes, Your Majesty.
It's a sweeping victory, sir! We've won!
Only a few dozen enemy soldiers scurried back alive!
The soldiers morale has soared because we won the first battle.
You did it, sir!
I did nothing...
Bu Jigwang wrote his wishes on this letter.
He is the one who devised the strategy.
He brought victory to Ansi Castle and choose death for himself. .
Where is his body?
It's in the woods, sir.
Bury him on a sunny slope,
and place the flag of Goguryeo instead of a tombstone.
His loyalty must never be forgotten.
Li Shimin : emperor of Tang
Your Majesty,
I have killed your soldiers with my foolish idea.
Show no mercy in my punishment, Your Majesty...
Then I should have your head for this!
Do you abide?
Your Majesty,
The prince of Jiangxia has rendered many commendable services in this war.
Is one mistake worth his life?
Are you suggesting that I overlook this, Superior Commander?
It is true that he acted in haste,
but loyalty was the source of his error.
Show your imperial mercy.
Your Majesty, Superior Commander is right.
Grant mercy to the prince of Jiangxia.
Grant him mercy, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, the masked man has arrived.
Take off your mask.
Take it off now!
What is your name?
My name is Xue Rengui.
Xue Rengui? Permission to speak, Your Majesty.
This is a man that deserted his camp with an enemy prisoner!
He must be punished, Your Majesty.
Is this true?
Answer the question!
Yes, Your Majesty.
Being a hapless lowly peasant, one wretched event led to another and...
You wretched fool!
It is a crime punishable only by death!
So, then why did you return?
Well, Your Majesty.
I enlisted in the army to make a name for myself
but I never got that lucky break.
So my only thought was to get on a horse
and swing my sword to my heart's content before I die...
Explain that hideous outfit.
One, I wanted to frighten the Goguryeo soldiers,
and two, I wanted to make an impression on you, Your Majesty...
Make an impression on me?
Such audacity!
How dare you speak of your ambition in the present circumstance!
No, sir! No!
I am a Khitan of miserably lowly birth.
Now that the emperor has summoned me and spoken my name,
I would die a happy man should you order my death!
I have seen this man's strength.
He bravely jumped into battle, defeated dozens of enemy soldiers
single-handedly, and saved the prince of Jiangxia and his men.
Isn't this amazing courage and strength?
Xue Rengui, was it?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Speak.
How do you wish to be rewarded for your feat?
I will grant you anything you ask, so speak.
Really?
Your Majesty. I wish to be a made a general.
What? A General? Yes, Your Majesty.
I wish to be a general if only for a day, Your Majesty.
How dare you!
You're nothing but a common soldier!
Do you think that anyone can be made a general?
This man is a deserter.
I urge you to punish this man
and demonstrate the strictness of martial law, Your Majesty!
We may have been defeated on our first battle against Ansi, but
Xue Rengui's courage has preserved the fighting spirit of my soldiers.
Even a nameless soldier
can achieve elevated status if his service at war is worthy.
I hear by appoint Xue Rengui as the assault force general.
Prove yourself worthy and set examples for the others to follow.
Your Majesty, your grace is infinite!
Xue Rengui... A general of Khitan origin,
he is the greatest hero that Goguryeo-Tang war has produced.
According to the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms,
he captured the attention of Li Shimin by treading the battlefield
on a stormy day wearing an elaborate costume and mask.
Let us return our attention to Xue Rengui
who won the title of general for his extraordinary display of valor.
He would be become deeply involved not only in the downfall og Goguryeo
but also in the founding of Balhae,
as destined rivalry between Xue and Dae Joyoung plays out.
I can't go any further. I need to catch my breath
We must keep going.
We're sure to be killed if we are captured by either the armies.
We must quickly get out of here!
I don't know what to da. How did it come to this?
Here, let me take the baby.
This way
The earth is shaking! What is this rumbling sound?
A cavalry is passing by.
I guess it's over for Ansi Castle. What do you mean it's over?
The Tang army has begun their attacks.
This way!
Anhak Palace, Pyongyang
It's another sweeping victory!
Ansi Castle has won again!
This is the fifteenth battle
They fought 1 5 times in 1 5 days and won every battle!
Li Shimin is getting trampled!
He should be beating himself about choosing to attack Ansi.
Yes, indeed.
And now he can't turn back or he will be humiliated.
Isn't it about time that we launch an attack an the Tang Navy?
Not yet.
I think now is the perfect time.
Li Shimin wants to leave Ansi but he can't because of his reputation.
If I leave Pyongyang unguarded,
that will give him a perfect excuse to leave Ansi and attack Pyongyang
Yes, you're right!
e patient.
We will destroy the Tang navy and go after Li Shimin
when we know that he can't withdraw his troops from Ansi.
I will make him kneel before me and beg for his life!
One million! We have one million men!
We've suffers consecutive defeat
gainst one small castle with an army of one million man!
We are loosing every battles!
Your Majesty, it is not too late.
I urge you to turn the troops around and advance to Pyongyang.
What are you saying?
Are you suggesting that we give up an Ansi because we can't win?
Tens if thousands of soldiers have already been sacrificed.
Even if we eventually succeed in capturing Ansi,
we will have suffered a considerable loss.
If we back away now,
our defeat would be just as pathetic as that of Sui.
We are not here to conquer Liaodong.
We are here to capture Pyongyang and con queer Goguryeo!
Enough! Stop arguing!
I've fought countless battles, but I have never been so humiliated
I've never encountered a warrior
as brilliant as the lord of Ansi Yang Manchun
Turning your back on a formidable enemy is an admission of defeat.
I will destroy Ansi no matter what the cost!
I will preserve the pride of the Emperor and the command of the Empire!
Your Majesty
If I may speak, I have an idea to capture the castle.
Speak!
There is no army more resistent to siege warfare than the Goguryeo army.
We must draw them out, or this will be a difficult expedition.
Don't hesitate! Just get to the point!
I suggest we build a mountain just outside a castle wall, Your Majesty.
A mountain?
A dirt hill, Your Majesty.
A dirt hill?
If we build a hill higher than the fortress walls,
we can attack them from a higher ground.
The fortress walls will become useless, Your Majesty.
And do you think the Ansi Army will just sit and watch while we do this?
If this forces them to come out of the fortress,
that would be ever better.
It's brilliant idea!
We can build a dirt hill in no time if we put all of the soldiers to work.
A dirt hill... A dirt hill... !
They're pilling dirt in front of the fortress.
There must be tens of thousands of them.
They're up to something.
This doesn't look good, general.
Send out the scouts.
We must find out what they're go to. That's not necessary.
They're building a mountain.
A mountain, sir?
Yes, a dirt hill.
A platform higher than the fortress walls
to reduce Ansi to rubbles...
Then... General!
Li Shimin... He will not give up!
I will end this once and for all.
I'll witness the demise of Yang Manchun and Ansi Castle with my own two eyes.
Li Shimin... Li Shimin...
How dare you!