Episode 6
A child destined to be king in a land ruled by a king?
The child is destined to commit hight treason!
He cannot be left to live!
Speak
Is Bu Kiwon telling us the truth?
Was your child indeed born on that day in Ansi?
Why are you silent?
Answer my question!
Yes.
It is my child, Your Excellency.
What?
It is indeed my child, Your Excellency.
Do you know what that falling star portends?
Yes, I know well.
- You know well? - But, Your Excellency.
A queen perhaps, but a king?
It is impossible, Your Excellency.
A queen?
You mean it is not a boy?
It is a girl.
Bu Kiwon
My child can't be the only child born that day in Ansi.
I will inquire into it if you'd like.
We have an important task at hand.
Find out for me
after we have captured the Emperor of Tang.
Relay the news of victory to Ansi.
Genereal Yang will be most pleased.
Ansi Castle
We've almost done collecting the provisions
that Genereal Yeon requested.
And the weapons?
Every armory is fully stocked with swords and arrows, sir.
The time has finally come.
We will be moving out soon.
Conquest of China...
Just the thought of it is overwhelming, sir.
General!
General! General!
General Yeon defeated the Tang Army at Taizi River!
It's a sweeping victory!
I'm told General Dae Jungsang played a vital role, general.
How about Li Shimin?
Did they capture the Emperor of Tang?
They missed him.
Missed him?
I'm told he slipped out of the area
on the night of the battle.
He ran away before the battle ended?
He must've been in quite a hurry.
He won't get very far.
He won't make it out of Liaodong
as long as General Yeon is after him.
Halt!
Any word from the Superior Commander?
No, Your Majesty.
But it will buy us time,
so no news is good news.
Your Majesty,
we will reach Liaodong in three to four days at this place.
Once we cross the river we will be safe.
What?
What happened to General Li Jing and Su Dingfang?
We do not know yet.
Unbelievable...
Illustrious general ofTang Li Jing
was crushed helpless against Yeon Gaesomun!
I will not let Li Shimin escape alive!
Take a look.
There are too many different roads that lead out across Liaodong River.
Which road will he choose?
We don't even know when he left the camp, sir.
It would be unwise to start the pursuit without any leads.
Then what?
Are we to just sit here staring at the map?
Allow me to take the cavalry.
I will cut him off before he gets to Liaodong River.
Take the main force
and lead them northwest along Taizi River.
What if that's not where he is headed?
What will you do if we Li Shimin gets away
because of you?
Then I will surrender my head.
These Pyongyang guys don't like you as it is.
Why do you have to take charge make trouble for yourself?
Pack the raven flags.
The raven flags? But why?
I need the flags to fake our size since we don't have enough men.
- Get moving. - Yes, sir.
He's just a soldier from the countryside.
Listening to him could be disastrous!
Retract the command, sir.
It would be wiser to spread out and look for Li Shimin.
He wouldn't do this if he weren't confident.
Have faith.
He said he would surrender his head if he fails.
Let us watch.
Your Majesty, Were you looking for me?
Bring me some wine.
I don't think I can sleep.
Bring me a strong wine.
Your Majesty, General Li Jing and Su Dingfang are here.
Is this true?
I failed to hear their announcement in deep thought.
Summon them and their men.
I must give them my commendation.
Your Majesty, there're only two of them.
All of the others have died in battle.
Only two of them have survived.
However,
I fear that Yeon Gaesomun might come after us tonight.
General,
it's the Tang Army.
We will cut them off and ambush them.
Ambush?
But we're ridiculously outnumbered!
I've already devised a plan.
Did you place the raven flags?
Don't worry.
They will be visible.
Go back to your positions.
Roll the rocks and bombard them with arrows
but do not show yourselves.
The echo in the mountain will create
an illusion of a massive army.
- Understood? - Yes, sir!
Halt!
What are those? Flags?
Yes, they are.
But flags deep in the woods?
Stop the procession!
It's the three-legged raven!
It's Yeon Gaesomun!
Move back! It's an ambush!
It's an ambush!
Retreat! Retreat!
Halt!
Your Majesty,
we must turn the procession around!
Goguryeo soldiers are everywhere ahead!
How many of them are there?
The raven flags are everywhere in the valley!
The raven flags?
You mean it's Yeon Gaesomun?
That's can't be.
He couldn't possibly a head of us
no matter how fast and elusive he is.
They were unmistakably his flags.
We must get out of here!
Something doesn't add up.
What do you mean?
If it were Yeon,
he would've attacked from the rear instead of cutting us off
so he could trap us in the valley and annihilate us.
We must get out of the valley now, Your Majesty!
Yeon Gaesomun!
He haunts me in my dreams and now this... . !
Repeat!
Did you say that the Tang Army will be coming this way?
Yes.
He said Li Shimin's army will be chased
out to where you are.
''Chased out''?
Did Dae Jungsang use these exact words?
Yes, general.
That is exactly what he said.
That's impossible.
Li Shimin would not turn around
and come back unless he is mad.
He is being chased out here by Dae Jungsang.
The Tang Army is huge.
How could they be chased out by
Dae Jungsang's cavalry of one hundred?
Dae Jungsang would not make up a lie
that would be exposed right away.
Your Excellency, a huge army is headed this way!
- Is this the Tang Army? - Yes, sir.
They bear the Emperor's flag.
Your Excellency!
We will kill every last Tang soldier
that come upon us!
Prepare the troops for battle!
- Yes, Your Excellency! - Prepare for battle!
- Stop the procession! - Stop the procession!
The Goguryeo Army is up ahead!
Stop the procession!
We cannot proceed any further, Your Majesty.
It's a huge army.
They bear the flag of three-legged raven.
The raven flag?
You mean it's Yeon Gaesomun again?
We were tricked.
The army in the woods was a fake.
Your Majesty, we must turn back
and attack the bastards in the woods.
It's a gorge covered on three sides.
We could get trapped
and attacked by Yeon Gaesomun from behind.
But we can't go the other way either.
There's only one alternative.
Cross the lower Liaodong River.
The lower Liaodong River?
Are you taking about Liaoze?
That's right.
I'm talking about Liaoze.
But that's over 1 00 km of deadly swamp land.
We will be better off fighting head on
against Yeon Gaesomun.
We must avoid Yeon Gaesomun at any cost for now!
- But Superior Commander, - Stop!
We will proceed to Liaoze.
If it is a difficult escape,
pursuit will be equally difficult.
We will proceed to Liaoze!
We have no time to wait.
Prepare the troops.
We will proceed to Liaoze!
What?
Li Shimin is headed toward Liaoze?
He has chosen the swamp of death to stay alive!
Whatever happened to the arrogance
he had when he first invaded Goguryeo?
Liaoze is one place that even Sui avoided
when they fled after defeat.
They will not get across alive, Your Excellency.
Amazing! Brilliant!
What do you mean?
Dae Jungsang...
- All of this was his idea. - Yes.
Li Shimin could've gotten away
if it weren't for Dae Jungsang.
That should take care of Li Shimin
so all we have left to do now is redress the grievance of our ancestors.
Yang Manchun of Ansi will soon be joining us.
and soon we will recapture our lost land in China.
We must. It is our destiny!
Ansi Castle
Dalgi: Dae Joyoung's mother
How much longer are we to just trail them?
They are only an arm's length away.
Send out the troop and finish them off, Your Excellency.
Consider this a tiger hunting excursion.
He may have lost his fangs,
but Li Shimin is still a tiger.
A great ferocious tiger at that.
Take a look.
The swamp of death is up ahead.
Slowly and quietly we will lure him in.
We will attack the moment that
Li Shimin sets foot into that swamp.
And we will finish him off in an instant!
We cannot cross the swamp
until Yeon Gaesomun is shaken off of our tail.
What do you mean?
He's just following us without making a move.
He's waiting for us to enter the swamp land.
He will attack the moment we set foot into the swamp?
Yes, Your Majesty.
He wants to annihilate us all at once.
- Yeon Gaesomun... ! - I will stop them.
Allow me to take a detachment, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty will be able to escape
if we hold them back with all our might.
No.
You must be with His Majesty to protect him to the end.
Your Majesty, give me a chance to redeem my honor.
I will stay behind as well and assist the price.
Your Majesty, there is no other alternative.
You will have a small detachment.
It'll have to be a suicide brigade...
I would've died a long time ago
if it weren't for you, Superior Commander.
Three days is all I need.
just hold them back for three days
and I will take His Majesty to safety.
You must cross the Liaoze safely with His Majesty.
Your Excellency!
Your Excellency,
The Tang Army is blocking the path up ahead.
Is it Li Shimin?
There's only a few thousand soldiers.
It looks like a suicide brigade.
A suicide brigade?
They intend to stop me with only a few thousand men?
They're trying to buy time.
Prepare for battle!
I will wipe them out in a single strike!
Prepare for battle!
Halt!
The screaming will not end...
My soldiers are dying... !
Do not look back, Your Majesty.
Keep your eyes forward.
It is truly a dark night...
It breaks my heart
to bury my loyal soldiers in this darkness...
Your Majesty!
It's Liaoze, Your Majesty.
Liaoze is up head!
Liaoze?
Liao Ze
Your Majesty,
we have defied death countless times.
A swamp in Liaodong River is not going to be our demise.
There is no time to hesitate.
Order your soldiers to cross, Your Majesty.
Stop! Do not enter the swamp!
Stop!
- Isn't that Pang Xiaotai? - It is, Your Majesty.
He should be in battle against Yeon Gaesomun... !
Your Majesty, you must stop!
You must not enter the swamp!
What happened?
It's total annihilation.
Yeon Gaesomun wiped us out, Your Majesty!
But barely a day has passed.
You couldn't hold them back for one day?
What happened to the prince?
Where is my nephew?
Yeon Gaesomun... He killed... Li Daozong...
Your Majesty!
No... . !
I shall show mercy only once.
Cut off that man's head and send it to Li Shimin!
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, the banner!
It's the three-legged raven!
It's Yeon Gaesomun!
The Tang Army has taken up position
with Liaoze on their back.
They are waiting for us to attack.
We are in no hurry.
they are doomed whether they advance of retreat.
I am not afraid of death.
but what I do regret is failing to
destroy our archenemy Goguryeo.
We have failed you, Your Majesty.
No, it is my fault.
My lack of virtue is to blame.
Your Majesty, all of your men are prepared to die.
every one of us will gladly walk into death
if it is with you, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty...
Your Majesty,
I, Xue Rengui, will hold back the enemy from here.
Your Majesty must cross the Liaoze.
Even General Li Jing has failed to stop Yeon Gaesomun.
Haven't you seen the most competent men fail
one after another?
You haven't given me one decent soldier to command.
What? How dare you!
How do you plan to hold back the enemy?
- Your Majesty, - Your Majesty,
this man is a greenhorn who
has yet to command a single battle.
Speak.
how do you plan to hold Yeon Gaesomun back?
If I may...
permit me to take your imperial robe.
What? Such unforgivable insolence!
Why?
why do you want my robe?
It is you that Yeon Gaesomun is after.
I will put on your robe and pretend to be you.
I will deceive them and hold them back from here
so Your Majesty may escape safely.
Even the Prince of Jiangxia is dead.
You have seen his head yourself.
Your Majesty,
I joined the army for no other reason
but the regular meals.
A lowly derelict has received undeserved love of the Emperor.
With what could I possibly return the imperial favor?
I did not know how to live my life
but now I know how to die.
I will die for you, Your Majesty.
I will die for the Emperor who gave me a chance
and made my life worth living
if only for a short while.
Give me your permission, Your Majesty.
It is the order of the Emperor.
Come back to me alive.
Your Majesty.
We must destroy Goguryeo
and realize the grand enterprise of unification together.
Your Majesty... !
Your Majesty!
I can see the emperor on the carriage.
He's commanding the troops personally.
It doesn't feel right, sir.
He must know that it is his disadvantage to delay the battle,
but he is delaying the battle himself.
Perharp he's just a afraid.
Li Shimin is not a passive warrior.
Dae Jungsang is right.
It is not like Li Shimin to delay.
What is there to think about?
Let us attack immediately, sir.
General Yang Manchun will soon arrive.
We will wait until then.
Your Excellency,
I will inspect the enemy camp.
You?
Yes, Your Excellency.
What do you think?
Do I look like an emperor?
Yes, Your Majesty!
I became a general overnight,
and now I am the Emperor ofTang!
They could kill me now and I'd die a happy man.
Heck, what more is there to life?
- General! General! - What now?
- Sir, - What is it?
Yeon Gaesomun has sent a messenger!
What? A messenger?
they are crossing the field right now.
What should we do?
Chase the messenger away?
No, no.
How could they know what the Emperor looks like?
I'll meet the messenger while I'm at it.
Jungsang, the Tang Emperor is coming this way.
So much for checking out their camp.
Let's go back.
Wait.
That's... !
That's not the Emperor of Tang!
It's him!
Turn back! Go back to the camp!
Turn back!
That bastards...
What are you waiting for? Go after them!
Get them! Don't let them get away!
Kill them off!
What are you waiting for?
Go after them! Kill them off!
What?
An imposter?
Yes, Your Excellency.
It was one of Emperor's men in disguise.
- And Li Shimin? - He must've fled into Liaoze!
How else could a warrior be in the emperor's clothes?
We've been tricked!
Li Shimin... Li Shimin!
General!
It's the Goguryeo Army!
they are coming at us at a violent speed!
What's the fuss?
It's been three days,
so His Majesty should be safe.
Just go find me a fast steed.
Are you running away?
His Majesty has ordered me to come back alive.
I shouldn't defy his order.
I just hope His Majesty is safe.
Let's go!
Liao Ze...
It is 1 00km of swamp land
at the lower Liaodong River inaccessible by man.
Li Shimin was running away throrugh this swamp of death that
even the Sui Army had avoided after their treacherous defeat.
Yeon Gaesomun's pursuit was
absurdly terrifying to this extent.
Your Excellency,
those that got away entered the swamp land.
They will either freeze or starve to death
even if we don't go after them.
General Yang Manchun is on his way.
We must quickly regroup once he arrives
and press on to China.
General Ji will join General Yang.
Won't you be coming as well, sir?
I am taking an elite force and going into Liaoze.
I can't let Li Shimin get away.
If he is alive, I will kill him,
and if he is dead,
I must see it for myself.
General Dae, you'll come with me.
Dry land! I see dry land!
Dry land is ahead!
Your Majesty,
we are out of the swamp land, Your Majesty!
We made it, Your Majesty!
We have crossed Liaoze!
Muster your strength.
Just a few more miles and we will be in Tang.
Your Majesty!
What are you waiting for?
Hurry up.
Call the physician!
No!
Your Majesty, finally you are awake.
Where am I?
We made it out of Liaoze, Your Majesty.
How long have I been asleep?
Three days, Your Majesty.
Your injury had gotten worse
so we had to dress your wound.
This will soon be over, Your Majesty.
The Crown Prince is in Liucheng.
The Crown Prince?
The Crown Prince has come for me?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, General Xue Rengui has just arrived!
Xue Rengui? Xue Rengui has come back?
Your Majesty!
I have returned, Your Majesty!
You made it...
You came back alive!
You obeyed my order and came back to me alive!
Your Majesty, your face... How come...
How many?
How many have made it back?
Why are you silent?
Have they all died?
Did you come back alone?
I... did not come back alone, Your Majesty.
Then who? Who's with you?
Yeon Gaesomun.
Yeon Gaesomun is crossing Liaoze right now
to come after us.
We must get out of here, Your Majesty!
Yeon Gaesomun that bastard!
Your Majesty!
Your Excellency, Li Shimin has taken flight again.
What?
Liucheng
Battle preparations are complete.
We will destroy the man
who did this to you, Father!
Li Shimin: Emperor ofTang
Where is Yeon Gaesomun?
He has taken up position east of the gates.
General Li Jing is against him,
so he will not be able to escape.
I had only one thing on my mind
on the long journey here.
Revenge...
Paying Yeon Gaesomun back
a hundred fold for the pain he caused me!
Your Majesty!
There are only a few thousand Goguryeo soldiers
that crossed the Liaoze.
It is Your Majesty's turn now to pay them back.
My only regret is not being able to see
How I wish I could see
Yeon Gaesomun begging for his life!
Your Majesty!
It is I, Li Jing.
Why are you here when you should be in position against Yeon Gaesomun?
Liucheng is in danger.
You must quickly leave the city!
Liucheng is Tang territory.
How could it be in danger?
Yang Manchun is coming with a massive army.
What? Yang Manchun?
What do you mean? Yang Manchun?
But Yang Manchun should be in Ansi. Why on earth is he here?
He has joined forces with Yeon Gaesomun.
Yang Manchun and Yeon Gaesomun?
It's a massive army of several hundred thousands.
Several hundred thousands?
How could this be? What is happening?
They are not just here for us.
It is an expeditionary army out to conquer China, Your Majesty!
An expeditionary army?
How dare Goguryeo set its eyes on China!
- Father! - Your Majesty!
Goguryeo Camp
You've traveled a long and difficult road.
My labors are nothing compared to yours, Your Excellency.
The Tang Army in Liucheng has begun to retreat.
Thirty years...
Thirty long years have passed since we stood
before the tomb of King Gwanggaeto
and vowed to conquer China.
Command as to advance.
Let us realize the dream that we cherished
in our hearts for the past thirty years!
Great Emperor Taizong of Tang Li Shimin who is said
to have established the reign of peace known as the Rule of zhenguan...
His ambitious campaign to conquer Goguryeo
ended in wretched defeat,
and that failure brought painful consequences.
Goguryeo's retaliation led to Yeon Gaesomun's conquest of China.
and four years later in AD 649,
Li Shimin would meet his demise.
It is said abscess, nerve disorder
and skin disease resulting from the war
were the root cause of his death.
Li Shimin's last words were
never to invade Goguryeo again.
And so the first invasion of Tang would end
in great victory for Goguryeo.
Goryeo Fort
Take a look.
The Great Wall of China is before our eyes.
Goguryeo's castle stands tall in Chinese soil.
All of the territory outside that wall belongs to Goguryeo.
This Goryeo Fort will be
an eternal testment to that fact, sir.
No, no, please don't address me that way.
You and i are childhood friends.
Thirty years ago
we vowed before the grave of King Gwanggaeto
to reclaim this land.
This is like a dream.
If Goguryeo did not have Yeon Gaesomun
none of this would have been possible.
No.
This was possible because of the great victory in Ansi.
I am proud to have you as a friend.
A child was born in Ansi
on the day that the dirt hill crumbled.
I've deciphered the stars
and this child was born with imperial energy.
Imperial energy...
This child is destined to be a king.
The king that even I, Yeom Gaesomun, have not dared to become.
Do you know who this child is?
If i do, what would you do with the child?
This country does not need another villain of high treason.
This child must be killed of course.
It is said Kings are chosen by the Heavens.
If it is the King of Goguryeo,
even the Heavens need premission of Yeon Gaesomun!
I will not only kill the child but his parents, family,
and even neighbors to aliminate future troubles!
Now tell me. Whose child is it?
I do not know.
Is that the truth?
Then i shal tell you.
It's Dae Jungsang's child!
He may fool the others but he can't fool me.
Dae Jungsang is the father of that child!