[English subtitles are available.]
Guardians of the Ancient Oath
[This story is purely fictional.]
Episode 7
Wanxi. You may leave.
Yes, Madam.
Duke.
Don’t you still believe me?
It’s so weird.
How could I believe it?
I know it’s weird.
You doubt me for some reason.
I have no complaints.
But Duke,
I never meant to harm you.
Keep the status quo
until I figure it out.
Duke.
I’ve seen demons
come in and out
the residence since little,
yet they had their own life
without harm to humans.
That was in Liaodong,
not necessarily in Ye City.
You said she came to protect you,
yet she accessed the Palace.
How can I feel relieved?
You might have been used by her.
Now that you don’t know anything,
don’t bring it up
to anyone else.
There has been enough gossips
in the Mansion.
I don’t want more troubles.
Eat something.
Cool.
We’ve given him
another unforgettable memory
in his lifetime.
Hey, your moves
impressed me just now,
much better than you practiced
at home.
Of course.
Hongxuan praised me every time.
Save it.
Your moves
are as slow as turtles.
You... You know how hard it is
to get the water?
We overturned your bucket.
We’ll help you get another bucket
of water.
Don’t worry.
Another bucket?
Li City is short of water.
Water is expensive. Don’t you know?
I’m sorry, Madam.
Can you tell us
why Ye City
lacks water?
Water is limited for everyone each day.
Poor people like us
have to save up for days
to afford one bucket of water.
Water in Li City is always sufficient.
How come it lacks water now?
The lack of water in Li City
happens this year.
It’s said...
What?
There are demons outside the city,
so we’re too afraid to get water there.
All people in the city
fetch water from the well at the east of city,
with soldiers guarding it.
One family
can only get one bucket of water every day.
You have to pay to get more.
I’m sorry, Madam.
Let’s have a look.
Come. Next.
One bucket of water for one family.
We even don’t know
Li City lacks water.
Li City is an important military fort.
It should’ve been reported
to the court long ago.
Sir.
My child is ill.
I need some water to save him.
Please help me.
If I help you,
what about others?
Leave now.
Sir, I beg you.
I have no more money
to buy water.
Just one more bucket, alright?
I ever worked
for twenty years for the water project here.
The canals
and wells are all built by us.
Cut it out.
Let him leave.
You are...
Left Cavalry Commander under Marquis Zhenbei,
Baili Hongshuo.
I didn’t know you come.
Sorry.
What’s going on here?
It’s ordered by the General.
Li City lacks water.
The quota for each family
is only one bucket of water.
If not enough,
they have to buy water there in line.
One tael of silver for one bucket of water.
Water is a daily necessity.
One tael for one bucket of water,
it’s too expensive, isn’t it?
You don’t know, Sir.
It isn’t
about the money,
but the limited water supply.
The General means
to advocate people save water.
Sir.
General Ming Lai
shot the rabbit’s eye
with one arrow.
I admit his skill is better than mine.
I’m happy for him.
Sir.
Yu Jin’s studied archery
from you since little.
That’s just fluke for me.
You’ll both have my award.
Sir.
You were a well-known marksman
on the grassland in Shuchi before.
Today we’re lucky
to hunt with you.
Could we have the honor
to see your skill again?
Shall we have a spar?
I’m extremely honored.
The one who shoots the deer first wins.
Agree.
Sir.
I’ll go first.
Hongyi. What are you going to do?
Water is a daily necessity.
Obviously, He Yao
is hoarding water privately.
I’m going to reason with him.
Will you go to He Yao?
You go then.
I will.
Will you go with me...
Fine. I’ll go with you.
Let's go.
But you have to promise me
not to act rashly
until we figure it out.
I promise. Is that OK?
Let's go.
You mobilized armies secretly.
Ming Lai.
Do you think I'm blind?
I dare not.
Sir, you are wise and meticulous.
I just
didn’t mean to disturb you.
General.
That’s chicanery.
Let’s see
how you’ll explain at the clan assembly.
But I didn’t expect
Yu Jin could be deluded by you.
I won’t surrender to Yo.
Soldiers.
Yes.
Wolf wins the game when the shepherds quarrel.
How can I rule Baize
so many years
without using some schemes?
Let go of my brother.
Wait for me here.
Mr. Chen. Tell me.
How to move next?
Your Majesty, you’re joking.
I know nothing about it.
Your Majesty. Take a break.
Have some ginger tea.
No.
Put it far away.
Put it there.
Yes.
Uncle.
You... Are you alright?
I practiced martial arts too hard
and got injured.
Please be careful next time.
Hongshuo.
Weren’t you drinking just now?
What
disturbed your pleasure?
Why did you come here?
I went to the well at the east of city.
What?
Don’t you have enough water in barracks?
Not like that. I just hung around
and found Li City lacks water
and soldiers sell water at high prices.
So,
I’d like to ask
if the lack of water
will affect the defense
of the city.
You mean...
I mean nothing.
Uncle, don’t get me wrong.
Business is necessary,
but it would be bad
if the lack of water
causes unrest among the people.
Hongshuo. You just came here,
and don’t know the situation.
I’m loaded.
How could I make dirty money
by this way?
Water supply
is the top priority of Li City.
I’m also very anxious.
So, you didn’t hoard water on purpose.
Selling water at high price is not for the sale,
but to limit the usage,
so that people can save water.
Am I right?
Why does Li City lack water?
The water source of Li City
is at the Qianling Lake on the mountain.
One year ago,
demons came to the Qianling Lake.
Demons?
Yes, demons.
They block the water supply
for their cultivation.
So...
We shouldn’t believe that kind of rumor.
I didn’t believe it either.
I thought it was northern barbarian tribes
that blocked the water supply.
I sent men to check it many times,
yet no one has returned.
I heard the elders said
there were demons in the world.
I’ve always wanted to see.
Uncle.
How capable are these demons?
If you don’t believe me,
go to ask others.
Commander Baili.
We are not the match
of the demons.
To protect Li City, the General
has tried
all kinds of ways
he can think of.
Commander Baili.
Please consider the General’s difficulty.
If I send troops to eliminate the demons,
that will be
a protracted war.
By that time,
if Lang
takes the opportunity to invade us,
not to mention Li City,
even Ye City and the entire Yo
will be in danger.
It seems I can do nothing
for Li City.
There are Lang and demons here.
I’d better go back.
Uncle. After I go back,
I’ll count on you
to handle these affairs in Li City.
His Majesty sent me here to guard it.
It’s my duty to worry about it.
You've only been here
a few days. Stay some more days and have fun.
No, thanks.
I’m afraid you are annoyed
by me.
Farewell.
God day, Uncle.
Take care.
Let’s go to Tayun House
to see whether they’ve found out who it was.
Why are you walking so fast?
What are you going to do?
Catch demons.
Demons? What demons?
Tell me.
I’ll tell you later.
Everybody.
Ming Lai and his sister
meant to assassinate me.
If Xiao Shiqi didn’t come in time,
they might’ve succeeded.
I came to all the elders
so that you can witness it.
Ba Yin.
You’d better think twice before talking.
Ba Yin.
You may show the evidence
to all the elders here.
Let us see
the true color
of the leader in front of us.
You are just struggling desperately.
Traitors shall be beheaded as per clan rules.
There will be a conclusion whether right or wrong.
You are so anxious.
Are you afraid
we expose your dirty deeds?
Everyone.
Bai Nuo colluded with He Yao of Li City
and intended to surrender to Yo long ago.
We, the descendants of Lang,
will never surrender.
The Great King of Shuchi
has seen through
Bai Nuo’s betrayal long ago,
and sent armies coming here.
If Bai Nuo isn’t captured,
Baize will be doomed.
Ba Yin.
What’s your evidence to prove
leader’s betrayal?
This is
the surrender letter sent by Bai Nuo to Yo,
the evidence he colluded with He Yao,
the General of Li City.
The water source of Li City
is at the Qianling Lake on the mountain.
One year ago,
demons came to the Qianling Lake.
They are green-faced and fanged,
with pus on face,
green light glowing in eyes.
Demons
usually appear
in groups.
They feed on human.
Their strikes are very strange.
Ordinary people
are not their match at all.
They have a skill
which can bewitch humans
and let people
come to them obediently.
They eat human
with their claws.
The sound of crushing bones
is like the freezing gale
blowing on your skin in winter.
When the soldiers are bitten,
their bones rattles horribly,
making your scalp tingle.
Mu Qi.
Commander.
When I patrolled in the city,
I found Li City lacks water.
People has a quota for water,
only one bucket of water
for each family every day.
Li City is an important military fort.
The army and the people shall be united.
From today on,
all the people in the barracks
shall save water.
Except water for cooking and drinking,
no one shall waste water.
No one is allowed to bathe without permission.
Yes.
I... I’m leaving.
Elders.
Don’t listen to her nonsense.
I, Bai Nuo,
have no intention to surrender at all.
Obviously, the letters
were forged by them.
Ming Lai and his sister are wicked.
Do not be fooled by them.
How dare you defend yourself?
Descendants of Lang will never surrender to Yo.
The elders will tell if these letters
are real or not.
But Ming Lai and his sister offend the superiors
and form cliques in the clan.
That’s an indisputable fact.
Lang
has no treacherous subjects like them.
You...
Who is treacherous?
You elders seem to be confused.
General Wanqi.
I heard it’s lively at Baize today.
How can I miss it?
Baize is in a remote area.
General.
You came here from thousands of miles away.
I don’t think
you are here just for fun.
I come here by order of the Great King.
Let me be blunt.
As long as you
reiterate your loyalty to the Great King,
a war can be avoided.
I’ve taken a cavalry of 5,000
and garrisoned three miles away.
If anyone
still determine to surrender to Yo,
I’m afraid Baize will be wiped out
from Lang’s map.
Of course, so will Yo.
Baize will definitely
not support those who surrender to Yo.
Really?
Elder.
You’d rather believe Bai Nuo’s sophistry
than believing the evidence.
General Wanqi.
It’s an internal affair in Baize.
We will surely figure out
who is
the traitor.
General. Please do not interfere.
I didn’t mean to interfere,
yet your decision today
concerns with the fate of the entire Lang.
I’m waiting for the result on behalf of the Great King.
General. Do you think
Baili Hongshuo
will believe
the story of demons?
Even if he doesn’t believe it,
I’m sure
he can do nothing for it.
It’s said Commander Baili
ordered all soldiers
to save water,
and no one is allowed to bathe without permission.
That seems quite reasonable.
Fine. Let it be.
I’d like to see
how capable the Youngest Master
of Duke Pingyuan is.
Will he go upstream to open the water source?
That’s a good thing even if he goes.
I’m just afraid
he isn’t capable to do it,
and afraid he won’t come back again.
Go get more liquor.
Yes.
Mr. Wan He
Back then, my father
asked you to assist me.
Do not
only listen to his version.
Ming Lai. How did you
get this letter
with your sister?
As the General of Baize,
It’s my duty
to protect all the people of the clan.
I have my own way to get it.
Though you are the General of Baize,
the soldiers of Baize
are not your servants.
What
is your so-called way?
Elder Wan He.
What are you doubting?
This letter is of great importance.
If the origin is unknown,
we might
be fooled by others.
As the General of Baize, Ming Lai
has the right
to investigate the doubt first.
As per the rules of Baize,
when the leader is guilty,
clansmen shall apply to Elders for impeachment.
The Elders shall appoint someone
to investigate it thoroughly.
However, Ming Lai conducted investigation himself.
I wonder if the evidence
acquired by Ming Lai and his sister
in violation of clan rules
is credible.
A staff is quickly found to beat a dog with.
If you
slander us by it,
I have to believe
you can’t tell right from wrong.
You...
Ming Lai’s personal ambition is well-known.
Hadn’t I seen through his scheme,
I, as the leader,
could’ve been killed by him.
Now,
his scheme is self-evident.
Will you
still support this traitor?
You are slandering
me and my sister.
I feel very sad
for the future of Baize.
I have nothing else to say.
However,
it’s said
the Elders have an agreement.
If someone
can kill Duke Pingyuan and his descendants,
he will be the leader of Baize.
You two are
the veterans of Zhenbei force,
and familiar with Li City.
I’m going to the Qianling Lake
at the east of city.
What do you think?
Commander. Frankly,
I was
a soldier under General He before.
It’s said Ao Wolf
is a fierce beast left from ancient times.
Even deities can’t subdue it.
It looks like
a ghost from the Hell,
green-faced and fanged,
as tall as two men.
Its skin is like
the bark.
Enough.
How dare you reduce our own courage
and boost others’ morale?
I don’t believe
there’s demons in the world.
I’m not afraid of them.
Commander.
Let’s go to adventure it.
Now that the demons are so horrible,
let’s not talk about it.
Just tell me
how to go to Qianling Lake.
Set off from the east of the city.
Go eastward 10 kilometers
and pass by a mountain.
Then follow the path for hunters
and go eastward.
The Qianling Lake is ahead.
Commander.
General He even sent men many times,
but no one returned.
Don’t let out the conversation today.
You two leave first.
Yes.
Commander. Let me go with you.
Someone is needed in the barrack.
You stay.
I count on you
during my leave.
But...
It’s more convenient for me to go alone.
Too many people will be a burden.
Yes. Be careful, Commander.
Leader.
You come here in person today.
That’s a great honor for me.
It's unexpected and urgent.
General. I have to bother you.
In Baize,
Ming Lai and his sister suspect me.
And they
have gotten
conclusive evidence.
If it’s exposed,
both of us will be implicated.
If it’s exposed,
the consequence is catastrophic.
Our future will be ruined.
So, no mistake is allowed.
That’s why I come here in person
to tell you.
OK. I’ll take care of it carefully.
Will the water supply thing outside the city
be affected?
General.
Are you doubting
my capability?
I’m just reminding you.
No worries, General He.
We’ve been cooperating for years.
The water source isn’t a big deal.
No need to doubt my capability
to handle it.
General, rest assured.
That’s my promise to you.
I’ll spare no effort
to keep my word.
I’ll take my leave.
Bai Nuo’s surrender
has come to light
in front of the elders.
Now
there’s no turning back.
General, be calm.
We thought the exposure
of Bai Nuo’s surrender letters
is enough
to waver his position in Baize
and get him spurned by clansmen.
Unexpectedly,
though the Baizes saw the evidence,
they didn’t believe it
and still defended him.
Bai Nuo’s trust in the Baize
seems to be out of my image.
In that situation...
I’m sorry for your suffering.
We have no way to turn back now.
We’d better take the initiative.
General Ming Lai,
don’t act rashly.
Given the current situation,
killing Bai Nuo
is a guilt of rebellion.
As per the rules of Baize,
all the related clansmen
will be executed.
I don’t think
you want to implicate clansmen.
I, Ming Yefeng,
don’t want to see that happens either.
Tell me.
What should I do now?
General Ming Lai.
Just wait for good news.
You said
only the support of the elders is granted,
can someone be the legit ruler
of Baize.
The top priority is
to find Yi Jiumo
and reveal Bai Nuo’s scheme
to banish the pontifex back then.
By that time,
you will surely get support from others.
Do you have his news?
Don’t worry. I have a plan.
We may also
have to go to Li City
to check out.
It won’t take too long
to find Yi Jiumo.
Now that you have a plan,
I’ll follow all your arrangements.
Your wish
is my order.
I swear to Heaven to kill Bai Nuo.
Good.
I promise
you won’t be disappointed.
You have fun alone
to capture demons.
Why don’t you take me along?
Do you really think it was caused by demons?
We’ll know when see it.
Get the horse. Let’s go.
Here we are.
Next
we’ll walk without horse.
Let's go.
Hold on.
What?
You always want Lihun Sword
forged by Fusong, don’t you?
What about you then?
I have you with me.
I’ll bite them to protect you.
Hongyi.
I thought it was something big.
Just some bugs.
The trees are smears with honey
and the honey
lures the bugs here.
The honey
is smeared in human shape.
It was rumored as demons.
Just child’s play.
Hongyi!
Get out!
Hongshuo!
Hongyi!
Hongyi, hurry and leave.
Hongyi.
Hongshuo.
Hongyi.
What’s going on?
Hongshuo.
Hongyi.
Hongyi. It’s me.
Hongyi.
What happened to me?
We are hallucinating.
It’s Herb Shao.
I read it in a book.
This herb is shaped like barley,
glowing blue, and can charm people.
It must be someone
who leads us here
to get us hallucinating.
Someone must be watching us.
Boss. Is it them?
Yes, it is.
Kill them.
The Yoes are indeed cunning.
The Langs!
So, the so-called demons
are the Langs’ tricks.
Do you think Herb Shao
can fool us?
Now that you have seen everything,
you can’t leave
from here.
Perhaps the flood in Li City
was also your deed.
We don't have to
explain these
to two dying people.
Kill them.
Hongyi.
How come you have this portrait?
I won’t say a word.
Kill me as you please.
Take them back first.
It’s thousand miles away.
Do you have confidence
in the Water Control Skill?
We won’t know the result until try it.
Will it be a mistake again?
It’s easier
compared with fire control.
To start the game,
sacrifice is inevitable.
As long as the millennium plan
can be realized,
this sacrifice
is nothing at all.
It won’t be too long.
Then
I’ll take my leave.
It’s a long way ahead.
I’d better leave early.
Behave yourself.
Where are we going now?
Now that we capture the demons,
we’ll find out
the reason why Li City
lacks water the next.
Tell us. How do you
block the water supply?
Swallow it.
What did you feed me?
That's a secret drug of Yo,
Baixiangzi.
If you leave
without antidote,
you’ll die of bleeding.
Blocking water supply
isn’t that simple.
Say it!
How did you block it?
You trick me to tell you?
I don’t believe you.
You are doubting
our secret drug, aren’t you?
Save it. Hongyi.
Let’s handle
the water problem ourselves.
As for the demon,
when the drug effects
and he feels the unbearable itch all over,
his skin ulcerating,
and dying of bleeding,
he won’t play demons again.
What the unbearable itching
and skin ulcers?
That's not serious enough.
Baixiangzi of Yo is fined
from thousands of exotic flowers
and herbs.
The one poisoned
only feels itchy at first,
but then
it will turn into tingle.
The tingle will slowly
spread all over your body.
You’re unable
to scratch.
It’s itchy and painful,
like tens of thousands of bugs
bite your body
and crawl in your organs.
The one poisoned
will scratch
and break their skin
and then
their muscles,
their heart taken out at last.
Finally,
they’ll die of bleeding.
Death
is also a relief for them.
Most people can’t make it.