[English subtitles are available.]
Guardians of the Ancient Oath
[This story is purely fictional.]
Episode 1
Once upon a time,
when Nine-head wrecked the world,
five gods of Shanhai Realm descended
to battle him.
They sealed him
in Goddess Earth's body
and made a confidential oath
to never reunite
so that Nine-head wouldn’t be revived.
After the fierce battle,
five gods had little power left
to support themselves,
so their souls landed in the human world
but then went missing.
Among all realms,
Yo and Lang, separated by mountains,
were in war constantly.
Unknown forces were also lurking in the dark.
Poor humans were sucked
into this once in a millennium war, too.
Kill!
[Baili Hongxuan Late Duke Pingyuan’s Eldest Son of Yo]
Charge!
Go!
My respects, Your Majesty
and Your Highness.
[Baili Haohe Emperor of Yo]
[Empress Dowager He Empress Dowager of Yo]
All rise.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Hongxuan.
Yes, Your Majesty.
You've been
on the battlefield conquering the east and west
for almost a decade, correct?
It’s my duty, Your Highness.
You're twenty-...
I’m 28, Your Highness.
You’ve been guarding the border for years
and will soon reach 30.
As a decorated general, you’re still single.
That’s my fault.
You've been busy with state affairs.
I’m ought to share you
and Your Majesty's burden.
Hongxuan,
that’s your mistake.
Marriage concerns your lifelong happiness.
As your uncle,
I can’t stay out of it.
Your time shouldn’t be wasted
on my personal matter.
You sound reluctant.
Are you already in love?
No, I’m not.
That’s good.
I’ve chosen someone for you,
Lady Jinyang,
elder sister of the governor of Liaodong.
She’s elegant, kind
and gorgeous.
You two
will make a perfect match.
His Majesty has decided
to promote her to Princess Jinyang
with a handsome salary
and betroth her to you, General Zhengxi,
Baili Hongxuan.
Princess Jinyang
is already on the way as we speak.
I...
I granted her that title
to marry her to you.
Hongxuan,
you have objections?
Thank you, Your Majesty and Your Highness.
Good.
Chiefs of Imperial Clan Affairs
and Ceremonies
will take it from here.
Pick a good day to hold the wedding ceremony.
Yes, Your Highness.
After the wedding,
don’t go back to the battlefield.
What I want the most
is a great-grandson.
Yes.
Congratulations, General!
[Anahoi Son of the King of Lang]
Right on target!
Hit the center!
The center!
[Ming Yefeng General Wanqi of Lang]
The center!
The loss this time
weakened
our morale,
but boosted Yo’s.
[Morahan King of Lang]
Had Ming Yefeng been there,
he would've beaten Baili Hongxuan up.
Anahoi,
you lose,
so you have to give us
the finest wine you have.
I failed to defeat Yo.
I admit to that.
Good.
Thank you
for your wine.
When you win next time,
let’s drink together to celebrate it.
General Wanqi,
it’s still too early to gloat.
Yo is a hard bone.
The Bailies are known to be brave.
General,
would you like to have a bite yourself?
Good idea. That’s fun.
There are other ways to get rid of them.
Excellent!
[Baili Hongshuo Late Duke Pingyuan’s Second Son of Yo]
[Baili Hongyi Late Duke Pingyuan’s Daughter of Yo]
[Duke Pingyuan’s Mansion]
Assassins?
How dare they
break into our mansion!
Brother,
they’re most likely from Lang.
All three of us are always kind to others.
We've made no enemies.
The one who hates our guts
can only be
Lang at the border.
A few months ago,
they lost the battle.
Now, they're seeking revenge.
In this case,
they’re the prime suspect.
Lang poses
a threat to Yo,
and this time,
they tried to kill us all.
Their maliciousness is too obvious.
Brother,
you don’t need
to worry too much.
We’ll hold the fort.
That’s right.
They failed today
and will sure come back.
Rest assured, brother.
I’ll be on alert at all times.
I won’t let Hongyi get hurt.
My respects, Your Highness.
You may rise.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Have a seat.
I’m here to pay respects to Your Highness.
I heard you went to the temple
to pray for me.
I appreciate that.
The war is on between Lang and Yo.
All I could do to help you
was to pray for peace.
You’re sweet, Jinyang.
You have a grateful heart.
Raise your head.
How elegant and gorgeous are you!
Have you
heard about one of our generals,
named Baili Hongxuan?
Baili Hongxuan?
They say he’s brave and battlewise.
Good.
You've reached the age
for marriage.
I’m betrothing you to Hongxuan.
That’s my bliss.
Thank you, Your Highness,
for your care and consideration.
But my family is in decline.
I’m afraid I’m not a good match.
Don’t say that.
The Bailies
are honored to have you.
Jinyang.
Jinyang? Are you alright?
Jinyang is here, too.
My respects, Your Majesty.
Rise.
Greetings, mother.
Rise.
Jinyang.
What did you see?
That was probably
a hallucination.
You might be a bit tired.
His Majesty is here.
You can go back to rest.
A girl, once get married,
will finally have someone to rely on.
Once you two get married,
Hongxuan will have no worries at home
and can devote himself to stabilizing our country.
I can stop worrying, too.
Thank you, Your Highness.
You may leave now.
Good day, Your Highness.
You came on time, my lord.
Four gods will appear with Mars.
The time has come.
We’ve waited for this moment for a thousand years.
Once Goddess Earth is awake,
Nine-head will break free from the seal.
Are you hesitant?
Not at all.
Four gods’ souls have disappeared for a millennium.
Only one god survives.
That’s no fun at all.
Once we take the step,
there’s no coming back.
When Nine-head is out, the world will suffer.
Do you have solutions?
Nine-head is a threat to the world.
That's exactly why
we need the five gods to reunite.
Only they can turn things around.
[Duke Pingyuan’s Mansion]
Young Master,
Liaodong is a big county,
but the former governor has passed away.
What’s left is his son and daughter
who have no connections
in or out of the court.
By giving that girl
an empty title
and marrying her to you,
you won't be able to
marry others from prominent families.
Clearly, Her Highness did this on purpose.
Her worries
are understandable.
My father used to be the Crown Prince
and so did I.
That’s
what she’s concerned about.
To avoid trouble,
I chose to fight on the battlefield for years,
but that still wasn’t enough
to spare her anxiety.
What she did now
isn’t a surprise.
You've been spending years
on pacifying foreign enemies
and bringing peace to our country.
Your marriage with that orphan girl
has also sparked
disagreements among senior officials
in and outside the court.
I know Her Highness is dedicated
to governing Yo,
but the future of our country
depends on the capable.
With the evil beside His Majesty,
Her Highness might be misled, too.
Although His Majesty is a Baili,
he’s young and needs assistance.
In Yo,
giving high ranks to the able
is our tradition.
Young Master,
you need to take the future of Yo
into consideration.
His Majesty has arrived, Young Master.
My respects, Your Majesty.
Hongxuan,
what took you so long?
Hey,
your osmanthus cakes
taste much better.
I’ll bring some
back to the palace.
There are all kinds of foods in the palace.
How come
you favor these cakes?
Those in the palace are always the same.
They look delicate
but lack the taste of home.
You must've had
too many gourmet foods
and now, you fancy homemade meals.
Mock me all you want.
I’m sick of
being the emperor anyway.
You know my mother.
She nags a lot
and always treats me as a kid.
I’m 16 years old.
Others my age
have already got married.
Are you eager to have an empress?
Forget about that.
You're the groom-to-be.
Don’t tease me.
Hongxuan.
Yes.
You don’t
like Princess Jinyang, do you?
Marrying a lady is bliss.
Princess Jinyang is noble
and elegant.
Why wouldn’t I like her?
There are so many young ladies in Ye City,
yet mother picked one
from a remote county
to marry you.
You have no discontent at all?
I’m grateful enough
that Princess Jinyang is willing
to marry a boar like me.
You're indeed a better fit
for the crown.
You must be joking.
I mean it.
Don't be nervous.
My mother
favors the Hes. You know that.
But she’s my mother.
What could I say?
You're different.
You're capable enough
to renew the Bailies.
If you want my position,
I’ll step down immediately.
Don’t worry about the rules.
If I hand over the crown to you,
that’ll be nothing wrong.
You won't be accused of overstepping your bounds
but your sacrifice
will forever be remembered.
Hongxuan.
Do you remember
a few years back,
you said
the same thing to me?
I was only 6.
I don’t know how to be an emperor.
You're the Crown Prince’s son.
When Duke Pingyuan perished,
father meant to make you
his successor,
not me.
Sadly, father left too suddenly
to complete it,
and I ascended the throne by law.
But I don’t deserve it.
I’m only
your young uncle.
You're the Crown Prince's son.
Only you know
how to be an emperor.
If it's OK with you,
I’ll step down immediately.
OK?
No matter
who used to be the Crown Prince,
you inherited the throne
legally.
It’s what the ancestors and the public want.
I dare not break the law
or covet the throne.
I’ll do my best to assist you
to safeguard our country.
I do.
I was just crowned
and knew nothing at all.
I believed
you were more suitable
to be the emperor.
Even till now,
I still believe so.
What kind of person
do you think I am?
I’ve promised
to assist you to take over the reins.
Your Majesty,
we're related by blood.
You’re the legit heir.
I’ll help you rule the country
and I’m sure
you can do it.
[Inn]
When I was about to
leave for Shuchi to visit you,
something unexpected happened,
so I had to invite you here.
By “something unexpected”,
do you mean this?
General Mu Li and General Haozhe?
They planned in secret
to surrender themselves to Yo.
Don’t you know that?
They’re high-ranking officials of Baize.
Even if they made mistakes,
they should be
punished by us.
Let you do it?
Are all of you
going to
pay allegiance to Yo?
I will never
allow that to happen.
What if it’s what Bai Nuo wants?
Leader? Why would he...
Although Baize is far from Shuchi,
you really think
I know nothing at all?
Bai Nuo
inherited the leadership
but he’s never followed
any orders
from Shuchi.
This time,
he even colluded with Yo.
I don’t care why he did that.
Given that he fraternized with the enemy,
I could've
annihilated you by force.
None of us
means to surrender.
You know what,
the king would rather give up your entire tribe
than have you
be occupied by Yo.
I think the same.
What should I do
to protect my clansmen?
I know of a way.
Please enlighten me.
Behead Bai Nuo
and ask all your men
to follow your leadership.
[Duke Pingyuan’s Mansion]
Following heaven’s will, my order is as follows:
confer the title of Marquis Zhenbei
on Duke Pingyuan's eldest son, Baili Hongxuan
for surpassing Lang.
Princess Jinyang of Liaodong
is from a loyal family.
She is elegant and intelligent.
Empress Dowager and I adore her
and have decided to marry her off.
I hereby announce
to marry Jinyang to be Marquis Zhenbei.
The wedding will be held afterwards.
Empress Dowager appreciates
Marquis Zhenbei’s sacrifice
for stabilizing Yo,
so she bestows a silk robe on him.
May they enjoy a happy marriage
and carry on the family line of Baili.
The end.
Here’s the edict, Marquis.
I, Baili Hongxuan,
thank His Majesty.
You may rise, Marquis.
The robe.
Her Highness
ordered tailors and embroiders
to work day and night
to complete it on time.
It represents
her care for you.
She also said
she’d be happy
if you could
wear it
on your wedding day.
But...
I’m grateful for Her Highness’ concern.
I shall take my leave.
Brother...
[Inn]
Bai Nuo has a hundred relatives.
You have thousands of clansmen.
Which side matters more?
General,
you’re smart.
I’m sure you know the answer.
But Bai Nuo
is highly respected.
Most of his relatives are presbyters.
Few will support the coup.
What do you suggest?
In our clan,
there’s only one person
who’s as respected
and even nobler than him,
Yi Jiumo.
Hasn’t he
been missing for a long time?
Yes.
Back then, as the pontifex,
Yi Jiumo strongly disagreed
to have Bai Nuo inherit the leadership.
Then Bai Nuo tried to get rid of him.
He disappeared
in hunting.
Bai Nuo told others
that during hunting,
Yi Jiumo
sensed the calling of the ancestral god,
so he went to Mount Tuxiu to find him.
Truth is,
Yi Jiumo was expelled.
Bai Nuo was heartless
but he dared not
to kill the pontifex assigned by our ancestor.
If we can find Yi Jiumo,
our coup will be legit.
Where is he?
It’s said
that Yi Jiumo
has never left Qianlingpo.
Unfortunately,
I’m unable to find him.
Why?
I’ve canvassed that area in secret.
Qianlingpo
is located between Baize and Li City.
He’s imprisoned
by guards of Li City.
Yo people?
Yes.
If you
can bring him
back to Baize,
then we’ll serve you
wholeheartedly.
Hold on.
Young Master.
[Duke Pingyuan’s Mansion]
Bring it in.
-Yes. -Yes.
Young master.
Please.
[Marquis Zhenbei’s Mansion]
Haohe.
Are you still thinking about Hongxuan’s marriage?
He’s always been loyal
and he’s a royal member.
Although Jinyang is a nice lady,
she’s an orphan from afar,
unlike those from prominent families in town.
Their marriage is a good thing,
yet somehow, I feel guilty
in front of our ancestors.
On top of that,
demoting his title from Duke Pingyuan
to Marquis Zhenbei
is unprecedented.
I feel uncomfortable with it.
Did you hear anything?
Like what?
The sword can kill
and so can words.
Senior officials
are against this marriage.
And it’s written all over their faces.
Do you mean
Hongxuan is unhappy with it, too?
No way.
If he were,
why would he
accept it willingly?
Did you
meet with him a few days ago?
We did.
He was grateful
for the betrothal.
He had no complaints at all
and even swore
to safeguard the state.
Hongxuan is loyal and honest.
I don’t want to suspect anything,
but
you should look
under the surface.
Since I ascended the throne when I was little,
Hongxuan has been
assisting me wholeheartedly
without any complaints.
Back then,
he only just turned 20
yet he had to
fight for our country.
That was admirable.
Mother.
Lang has invaded us repeatedly.
The time and place,
inside and outside,
emperor and officials
all worked well together
so that we can enjoy such prosperity.
Baili Hongxuan is an experienced
and decorated war hero,
who’s highly respected by the public.
Rumor has it that someone believes
Baili Hongxuan
is the legit heir.
Mother, are you saying...
People can change. Your favoritism
to Hongxuan
might not be a good thing.
All men of the Bailies’ get married
in the Red Dear Robe.
That’s a hundred-year-old
tradition.
Yet Her Highness had them
make this silk robe
and asked you to wear it on your wedding day.
What was she thinking?
Red dear is worshiped by Yo.
It also symbolizes
the royal status of the Bailies’.
Although we’re all surnamed Baili,
there’s still a hierarchy.
Hierarchy?
Father was the Crown Prince.
Hadn’t father and grandfather
passes away too early,
who would’ve been
on the top?
Shut it!
Although His Majesty is young,
he’s been crowned.
Don’t say
those disrespectful words again.
Ever since the passing of grandfather,
Her Highness
has been expanding her family’s power
in the name of assisting His Majesty.
The Hes and Bailies
are co-governing the country.
She’s way crossed the line.
Why can’t I say it?
Hongshuo.
Don’t stick out your neck if you want to live.
Control yourself.
You deserve better.
Baili Hongxuan is a household name.
You can marry
any girl in the city.
Her Highness asked you
to marry a girl with nothing but an empty title.
She said that girl’s family is loyal,
but few people are left in her family.
They no longer
have any influence in Liaodong.
Princess Jinyang is a lady.
Marrying her is bliss.
Other things don’t matter.
You haven’t even met her
but you're willing to follow Her Highness’ order.
Is it worth it?
As a Baili,
we can’t always
have our way.
Young Master,
Minister Jiang Hong came to congratulate you.
I’m coming.
Yes.
Hongshuo, don’t bring this up again.