Your Honor, have some water.
Thanks.
Father!
Cheng?
Father, the Sui reign managed to survive this onslaught,
but it's on its last gasp.
Why don't you come to Wagang with me?
I'll pick up Mother and Brother later.
Then our family will be together again.
Don't bother.
The country's in turmoil now, there's no safe haven.
Be it Beiping or Wagang, it makes no difference.
Besides, I have to take care of the people of Beiping.
I can't leave them to their own.
Cheng, when you insisted on going to Wagang,
I could see your determination to bring an enlightened reign.
But I was worried you're still young,
and may not tell the sham from the genuine.
You can see, though Sui is on its last gasp,
I still don't see an enlightened ruler in the horizon.
Cheng, whatever happens, set your sights further.
Father, you are right.
But we won't have peace until Sui is overthrown.
It's getting dark, you should set out.
I'm not a worthy son.
Father, please give Mother my apologies.
Cheng, you must be careful.
Father, take care.
I long to return, but cannot go,
now I am stuck with spring.
Chirpy birds urge me to drink, to the mirth of the plum blossom.
Come, drink with me.
I wonder who will chop off this fine head of mine.
Sire, what nonsense.
Come on, Sire is just joking.
Weal and woe, they come in cycles, what's there to bemoan?
I think Sire is tired.
Maybe we should retire
so Sire can go to bed early.
Wait.
Wait...
I dreamt of the lovely Jiangnan, the Liao Conquest was not my design.
The memory will always be vibrant, when I bid it goodbye this year.
Maybe it's what Emperor Wu of Han said:
After the ecstasy, oh, it's only sorrow.
You may all go. Yes.
May I be excused?
Sire, the rebels were expelled,
but we too have suffered heavy casualties.
Many of our generals were killed.
Sire, we must prepare for the return of the rebels,
their assassination attempts and raids.
That's why I've ordered my son Chengdu to reorganize the imperial guards.
Linghu Xingda is named commander of Golden Dragon Guards,
for round the clock protection of Sire.
Golden Dragon Guards...
Lord Beiping turned a blind eye to his son's treasonous acts.
Luo Cheng has gone over to the rebels,
he stole the formation plan,
and caused the death of Twin Spear Ding Yanping.
He helped the rebels break the formation.
It's a capital crime.
Luo Yi claimed to be ill and stayed in the villa.
Lord Beiping has flouted the law and lied to Sire.
If he's allowed to return to Beiping alive,
it would be an embarrassment to Sui.
You are right.
Permit me to go to Beiping with Chengdu and take his command for Sire.
Linghu Xingda. Yes.
Summon Hong Man.
Sire, General Hong Man died in battle.
Get me Han Qinhu
Sire, Han Qinhu has retired.
Get out.
Sire, the villa is not safe.
To ensure your safety, I cannot leave my position.
Give my order,
we'll camp here and set out again tomorrow.
Yes.
This is the Lord's order,
set camp for the night here.
We'll set out again tomorrow. Yes.
Luo Yi you traitor.
You colluded with the rebels in the Brass Standard Formation.
You have betrayed Sui.
Dismount and surrender for your crime.
You two evil courtiers,
you formed cliques and undermined the court.
You're scourges on the people.
I must do justice for the people.
Sire has sent a team to go after your son.
I'm sure he's in Hades already.
If you won't surrender,
then let me send you to meet him.
Kill...
Bai Xiandao, rush back and tell Lady Luo and the others to run.
Yes.
Good!
Cousin... Yes?
I need to go back to Beiping.
Just go.
House of Beiping
Song...
Song, just go...
Go, or it'll be too late.
Lady Luo, your son Luo Cheng colluded with bandits.
He betrayed Sui, nine branches of his kin must die.
You think you can get away?
Honorable Yuwen, I'm the only Luo here.
You can do whatever you like with me.
Please let the servants and maids go.
They are not Luo's.
They shouldn't be implicated.
Whoever lives in the House of Beiping is a Luo.
Kill them all, take no prisoners.
Kill...
Stop...
Let my mother go, or he'll die.
Song, run, don't bother with me...
You're a mother to me,
I won't leave you behind.
Let her go.
Song...
Kill...
Father, the Beiping military token is here.
Good!
Don't underestimate that Luo Cheng.
Is everything ready?
Your Honor,
everything is as you said.
Good, let's go back to Yangzhou.
Yes.
Chengdu, well done.
You brought me up well.
House of Beiping
Mother...
Master Cheng, you're back...
Cheng, you're back...
I've prepared you your favorite dishes.
Come on...
Mother...
Come on...
Mother...
Cheng, not a moment too soon.
Let's spar...come on...
Come on...
Song...
Mother, Father, Song...
Father, Mother...
You don't want me anymore?
You all don't want me anymore?
I failed you...
Report.
Report. Your Honor, wanted man Luo Cheng's been caught.
Well done! Give my order, watch him closely.
Take him to Yangzhou right away.
Yes.
Chengdu, we got rid of Luo Yi, took back his military control
and captured Luo Cheng alive.
Heaven is smiling on the Yuwen family.
Great Wall guards give direction to vassal chiefs bringing their tributes.
Foggy is Mount Tianshan, morning sun shines on the expansive land.
The troops in peaceful times, spread the reign to frontiers afar.
Upon our victorious return, credit where credit is due.
Father, isn't that one of Sire's poems?
Back then he wrote it to tease Chen Shubao
about his obliviousness to his state's imminent doom.
He was later given a title
so he'd live like a puppet.
Isn't Yang Guang facing the same fate?
Why are you looking at me like that?
Don't you know what our next step is?
Brass Standard Formation's been broken?
Father, as you expected,
though the Brass Standard Formation's been broken,
Yang Guang is still alive.
Rebel leaders like Lizong and Wang Fu are dead.
Wagang suffered heavy casualties and is greatly weakened.
That's the reason I didn't take part in the breaking of the formation
I knew the seal was a bait.
Yang Guang was fully prepared for their attack.
I heard Lord Mount died in the battle as well.
Yang Guang's military strength is greatly diminished.
Is it time for our military move?
I have been biding time for years,
it's about time I made a move.
Xianniang, call up our men,
We're going to Yangzhou.
Yes, Father!
Report.
Your Honor, five miles ahead,
Yuwen Huaji and his men are taking Luo Cheng to Yanzhou.
Yang Guang does move fast.
Lord Beiping showed disloyalty in the Brass Standard Formation,
he had the House of Beiping exterminated.
He even caught Luo Cheng.
Father, I hear he's a spear adept,
and he has joined Wagang.
How come he got caught?
We don't have to care about that for the time being.
What we should do is find a way to get him out.
Father, why should we?
These are chaotic times,
rebel leaders were greatly weakened in the Brass Standard Formation attack.
Sui is on its last gasp.
It's time to redraw the spheres of influence.
Father, you mean...
Sweetie, what does one need to take the country?
Strategies and strength.
Right, we can't do without either.
We have no lack of strategies,
but we are in need of capable men.
From now on, whoever has more talent has the greater chance of success.
But Father, how can we be sure that by rescuing Luo Cheng,
he will work for us?
Maybe not immediately,
but we must set our sights far.
Luo Cheng is different from those bandits.
Wagang is too small a pond for him.
We will have a chance to recruit him in the future.
Father, let me take a team to rescue him.
Be careful.
Who is it?
Let Luo Cheng go
or don't blame me for being ruthless.
Kill...
Luo Cheng...look at me, Luo Cheng...
Cousin, you've been through a lot.
Father...
Heroes, greetings.
Lord Xiaming, at your service.
So it's Generalissimo Qin Qiong.
That's me.
At your service.
It's not convenient to talk here,
could I invite you and your Wagang heroes to my tent?
Sure.
Good. Come on.
Wagang heroes always take the initiative.
Like the assassination of Yang Guang at Mount Xiping,
or the Brass Standard Formation challenge in Mount Zijin.
You're the leader but you still led in the charge.
You have my total admiration.
Lord Xiaming, there's something I don't understand,
could you enlighten me?
Brother Shan, please go ahead.
Yang Lin sent invitations to all rebel leaders
to go to the Brass Standard Formation challenge.
We waited for a long time,
but you never showed up.
Were you not invited?
I got the invitation.
Then why didn't you go?
To be honest, I was ill,
I couldn't go to battle.
Though I have my daughter Xianniang,
she's still young, she can't lead troops to battle yet.
That's why I missed it.
Lord Xiaming, you sure know when to fall ill.
You picked the right time to fall ill.
I rushed there as soon as I got well.
But it was too late. The formation was broken.
Right, we got the news halfway.
When I heard that the formation was broken,
it filled me with regret.
But I heard that the tyrant Yang Guang is still alive,
so I kept going-
I intend to go to Yangzhou to kill him.
Good, we're going there to settle the score with him.
Brother Ji, maybe we shouldn't let Lord Xiaming go,
in case he falls ill again.
My brother and the others had just gotten back to Wagang
when we heard about what happened to the House of Beiping.
We rushed over at once.
Luo Cheng, have you gone mute?
Say something.
Luo Cheng, if you want revenge, I'll go with you.
If you don't want to live, I'll die with you
But you have to say it.
Miss Shan, you're here too?
Miss Dou, what is it?
Nothing.
I noticed Deputy Luo suffered a shoulder injury,
I brought him some plaster.
Deputy Luo, my condolences.
My father has joined forces with Wagang.
We're going to Yangzhou to kill Yang Guang.
Deputy Luo, you can have your revenge then.
Miss Dou, thank you for your concern.
I'll kill Yang Guang with my own hands
to avenge the House of Beiping.
Don't call me Deputy again,
just Luo Cheng will do.
Alright, Luo Cheng.
I'll leave you to yourself.
Take care.
Gao'er... Mother...
Sire, the courtiers are waiting,
please go back for the audience.
The two banks are in bloom, Viburnum flower boughs are far from bare.
Sire...
Sire, I'm scared...
Sire's leaving.
My dear courtiers, so you're no longer my friends?
Why this cold reception?
What have I done wrong?
Sire...
Where were you when I encountered the Turkic in my northern conquest?
Where were you when I conquered Chen and brought one rule to the land?
Since my ascension to the throne,
I've improved waterworks, built the Great Wall and developed Luoyang.
I built the Grand Canal to link north and the south
I promoted Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and set the imperial exam system.
I expelled the Turkic aggressors,
I promoted communication with the western frontier.
I sent envoys overseas,
I promoted the interchange of cultures.
Vassals bring us tribute.
When I ascended the throne,
I promised it would be the grandest reign ever.
I have made good on my promise.
Now you're pushing my back against the wall.
Tell me, what have I done to deserve this?