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Guardians of the Ancient Oath
[This story is purely frictional.]
Episode 26
Chenfu.
I’ve known my family
background,
but my attitude to you won’t change.
Make way.
Wait for me, brother.
Wait for me.
Ruo. Are you OK?
Does it hurt?
What do you say?
It’s all my fault.
I’m sorry.
Here. Take this.
Why didn’t you wait for me?
Because you can catch up with me
someday.
I still dislike you.
How will you
not dislike me?
I don’t dislike you.
I like you the most.
General.
Great King summons you to his camp.
OK. I know.
Haohe.
Are you upset for
Princess Jingguo?
Hongyi is about my age.
And we grew up together.
I can clearly recall
all the memories about her.
I even betrothed her not long ago.
That should be a happy event.
Unexpectedly,
it comes to this end.
Moreover,
considering the interests of country,
revenge isn’t appropriate.
I’m really upset.
Son, it’s too early to be sad.
How so?
No corpse is found yet.
It’s unconvincing.
All Yulin Guards
on the stop who witnessed it
were dead, right?
Mother, you mean...
Hongyi didn’t die.
No.
Hadn’t she died,
why did Hongxuan say so?
Before the wedding,
Marquis Zhenbei begged you, right?
Please withdraw
Hongyi’s marriage.
Yes, he did.
He said
he didn’t want Hongyi to marry He Yao.
If he lied to me
for he didn’t want Hongyi
to marry He Yao,
he’s guilty of deception.
Without evidence,
I dare not make a conclusion.
However,
do you remember
how to make good tea?
Add tea powder when water boils and bubbles.
When water boils like fountain,
with scum on the surface,
ladle it out.
At last,
when the water waves,
pour the scum into the pot to produce essence.
When the essence is even, the tea is done.
Mother.
Your tea isn’t good enough yet.
Tea and water,
water and fire, fire and timing,
only they perfectly match
can the tea be perfect.
What Baili Hongxuan said
is like the tea
you made.
It seems perfect.
When you taste it carefully,
it isn’t that flawless.
Mother, you mean...
It is as simple as making tea.
You must be patient.
Princess Jingguo’s funeral will be held,
yet you should send more men
to look for her corpse.
She died for the country.
A proper funeral is necessary.
If her corpse was swept by current,
we shall look for it carefully
downstream.
Your Majesty. You ask for me?
Read it.
Ermian rebelled?
At Beginning of Spring,
Mo Luo, the leader of Ermian,
proposed to me
to postpone their annual tribute.
Ermian
has required that
for four times.
I didn’t approve it.
Unexpectedly,
he killed
the taxman I sent.
Your Majesty.
Do you want me to put down the rebel?
Yes.
Ermian has been plotting long
to rebel.
I assign you to suppress the rebellion.
Let the disobedient tribes see
the consequence
of rebellion.
Are you reluctant?
Ermian is a small tribe.
A low-ranking commander will do.
Ermian, located in mountainous area,
has the advantage of terrain.
Others are inexperienced.
I don’t think they can make it.
But now
I can’t leave Shuchi.
All the Shuchi
is already in your hand.
May you tell me
the reason you can’t leave?
You’re kidding, Your Majesty.
You are still alive.
How can Shuchi be in my hand?
I won’t argue with you.
I’ve told you all my words.
It’s your duty
to put down Ermian’s rebellion.
Do not reject it.
It’s my duty indeed.
I may do it,
but I have a request,
Your Majesty.
After I succeed,
I wish Your Majesty could still
remember the Chosen One said by Pontifex.
Are you talking to His Majesty?
Only His Majesty
and Prime Minister here.
If not His Majesty,
was I chatting with you?
Are you threatening me?
I dare not.
I’m reminding Your Majesty that
you are old.
Too many things are in your mind.
You tend to forget.
Ming Yefeng.
You are more and more capable.
You’re flattering me, Your Majesty.
I’m not that capable.
Since Your Majesty praised me,
How can I let you down
for the sake of your cultivation these years?
I wish you would
live up to my efforts to cultivate you
these years.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I only hope you can
keep your promise.
After I suppress Ermian’s rebellion
and return,
please tell the clansmen,
as per Ancestral God’s will,
that I’m the Chosen One.
OK.
As long as you go
and put down the rebellion,
I’ll offer everything you deserve.
General.
Go to the drill ground with me.
Yes.
All set?
Yes, it’s ready.
Waiting for your order.
It’s his own choice,
having nothing to do with others.
Do it.
Yes.
Go.
Next.
Get prepared to go to Ermian.
Yes.
Are they Baize’s soldiers?
Yes.
Leader Ming Lai’s soldiers
are all valiant.
Are they Wuluolan’s soldiers?
Yes. They are strong,
but less flexible.
More time is needed.
Take our own soldiers to go to Ermian.
Got it.
Give Mo Luo as quickly as you can
personally.
Yes.
General.
General Wanqi is busy with deploying forces.
Are you also mediating, father?
Suppressing Ermian
is the first priority this year.
Ermian is a small tribe.
How come General Wanqi has to
go himself?
Doesn’t he believe me,
the General Qiantong?
This matter
has nothing to do with you.
Stay in Shuchi lately.
Don’t go anywhere.
Understand?
I know what you will do.
Father. You always say
it’s for Lang’s good.
Is it really for Lang?
Of course.
I suffered displacement
when I was young,
all because of Lang’s civil strife.
It didn’t end until the tribes allied
years ago,
so that there is no war
and peace is possible.
It’s all because we have
an iron-fist Great King.
Yes.
Great King is wise,
but he is old.
Who on the prairie now
can match Great King back then?
Ming Yefeng shall die,
but if he dies,
Lang will be a mess again.
Ming Yefeng must die.
Father.
You are not considering for Lang’s future.
Yes, it is for Lang’s future.
With pure blood, the clan long lives.
That’s ancestral motto.
Ming Yefeng violated the ancestral motto.
He will lead Lang
to the abyss beyond redemption.
That witch has lived
over 20 years.
If Lang would be annihilated,
it’d have been hundreds of times.
How can you
be so irresponsible?
The daughter
of the filthy woman
must die.
Father.
I wish Great King and you could
consider for Lang in the long run.
Now it isn’t the unenlightened age
thousands years ago.
A rumor
ruins a general.
That is what endangers Lang.
Say no more.
Great King has made the decision.
Remember.
Stay in Shuchi
these days.
Do not go anywhere.
Understand?
Yes.
Mu Qi.
What’s going on?
How come only two guards here?
Well...
Are Zhenbei
so poor?
What if there were bandits?
[Baili]
Only two guard the gate?
General. It was
arranged by you in person.
You said only two guards
each shift.
We shall deploy more soldiers
to Li City’s ramparts.
We shall guard the public,
not the barracks.
Did you forget it?
I ever said so?
Hmm.
Oh, right. Mu Qi.
Besides the patrol,
training is also a top priority.
Let’s go training.
General.
I have another thing to report.
Look. In winter,
the training is
mainly focused on physical power
and stamina.
The spring is coming.
I want to arrange some tactics training,
namely, the tactical cooperation between
different units.
So...
Tactics?
Yes.
That’s good.
War is a country’s top priority.
It concerns the fate of people and country.
It shall not be ignored.
I also think our soldiers...
Of course,
both tactics and cooperation are important.
Agree?
Yes. I can’t agree more.
Great minds
think alike.
Great minds think alike.
He’s gone finally.
What is gone, General?
No, nothing.
All is gone.
It’s late.
I count on you for the patrol.
Yes.
I’m tired. I’m going back to rest.
OK.
Come on.
General
has been so weird lately.
Great, General.
You are back finally.
Commander Mu
won’t follow me around anymore.
General. You have no idea
how tired I was
after you left.
I had to deal with
Commander Mu’s questions,
soldiers’ training,
and also military affairs.
Now I understand
being a general isn’t easy at all.
General. You are
incredible.
You govern Li City
so well.
When I did your job,
I couldn’t lose your face either. Right?
My pressure is so big...
Out.
General. Bai Yi...
No.
Ms. Hongyi was really taken away by you?
Once I heard of it,
I knew it must be you.
Scram.
You are tired.
How about I guard here,
or outside?
Get back.
Ge... General.
Clothes.
[Yiwang Hall]
[Great Zhou Princess Jingguo Baili Hongyi]
Marquis.
Jinyang.
This afternoon,
Grand Commandant, Grandee Secretary,
Prime Ministers will come to condole.
Ceremony Master, Chief of Palace Administration,
Chief of Guards, Minister Coachman, Foreign Minister, etc.,
will also come.
You may take care of it.
I see.
Hongyi grew up
with Marquis.
I believe she can sense
your sorrow.
[Great Zhou Princess Jingguo Baili Hongyi]
In the Heaven, she must be
reluctant to
let you grieve for her.
Jinyang. Thank you
for dealing with
the affairs in mansion for me.
Anything else?
Since I was married
to you,
I’ve made up my mind
to know about you and love you
all my lifetime.
Marquis.
I can’t bear
you shoulder all these
heavy responsibilities alone.
As the mistress
of the mansion,
I shall also do my part for its fate.
I’ll go through thick and thin with the mansion.
I hope you
not to bear the sorrow alone.
Whatever happens,
you have me.
I’m from an official family.
I know a thing or two about the affairs.
I’m not that useless.
I’m willing to
share your worries.
What do you mean on earth?
Please don’t be too sad.
You serve the court,
and shall be meticulous, considerate
and dedicated.
Although I’m not capable,
I’d like to be your listener.
I only wish you could be safe and sound this life.
Nothing
more.
Thank you, Jinyang.
If nothing else,
you may leave.
How come he hasn’t come?
Xiaotong.
Has my disciple come?
Don’t worry, master.
He must be on the way.
Ah.
He must be busy with
military business today.
Yes. He must be
delayed by military affairs.
Master. I’m going to ask for him.
Go ahead. Come back early.
[Marquis Zhenbei’s Mansion]
Hongyi.
Mr. He.
Young Master.
You’ve been handling the domestic affairs.
Thank you.
That’s all I can do
for Ms. Hongyi.
When Ms. Hongyi
just came here,
she was tall like this.
I can’t believe...
I can’t believe I, an old man,
have to attend her funeral.
Do you remember
the scene when she just came?
[Marquis Zhenbei’s Mansion]
Of course.
Back then, your father and mother
went to Li City.
And they brought
a little girl back.
She’s skinny with dark skin,
but she was
a smart girl.
Have you ever heard of
her family background?
Your father said
he saved her when patrolling
outside Li City.
He took her back to General’s Mansion.
Your mother
wanted to have a girl.
At the sight of the little girl,
she fancied her.
And then she adopted her.
What else did my father say?
I remember
Ms. Hongyi used to have nightmares
when she just came.
She dreamed the Langs were hunting her.
Your father said
the prairie was stroked by draught.
Tons of Langs were forced to go south,
living by robbery.
Maybe Ms. Baili saw
her related parents
were killed by Langs.
Frightened
and grieved,
she lost her memory,
and was haunted
by these horrible memories
in dreams.
The necklace on Hongyi’s neck...
That tiger-tooth necklace
was the only thing
she took back
from Li City.
She always kept it with her.
I remember
when Ms. Hongyi just came,
she took off the necklace once
and forgot to wear it,
so she was sick for half a month.
Even imperial physician said she wouldn’t survive.
Your mother was anxious
and invited a witch from Prophecy Bureau
to do magic.
The reason turned out to be that
the necklace was away from her too long.
I remember
the witch from Prophecy Bureau
said
her life and soul are bound to the necklace.
From then on,
your mother ordered that
Ms. Hongyi’s necklace
shall never be taken off
by anyone.
Her life and soul are bound to the necklace?
It isn’t ordinary necklace,
but a tooth of Lang’s sacred beast,
white tiger.
It’s a gift from
my mother.
Hongyi.
That’s why you chose
to return to the prairie?
[Great Zhou Princess Jingguo Baili Hongyi]
Who?
Xiaotong. What brings you here?
Who are you?
I ask for Baili Hongshuo.
You can’t go in now.
Why can’t I
go in?
General isn’t in a good mood.
Don’t bother him.
Not in a good mood?
Then I must go in.
Xiaotong.
Baili Hongshuo.
Xiaotong.
Are you unhappy?
Can you tell me why?
Xiaotong.
You can’t go in.
Baili Hongshuo.
Ms. Qiu. Ms. Qiu.
You can’t go in.
If you are unhappy,
you can tell me.
Ms. Qiu. Don’t go in.
Get away.
Baili Hongshuo.
Ms. Qiu.
Why are you ignoring me?
I thought you were sleeping.
Didn’t you promise me
to capture birds
in the wood tonight?
That bird only appears at night.
Let’s go.
Ms. Qiu. General is resting.
Don’t bother him.
None of your business.
Baili Hongshuo. What’s wrong with you?
Tell me if anything
I can help you.
I told you
not to keep things yourself.
You will feel bad.
What’s going on?
Look at you.
You still have this bad habit.
Can’t you listen to my advice?
If you don’t go,
I’ll use my ultimate skill.
Don’t.
Ms. Qiu. It’s late.
You may go back first.
Alright?
Who are you?
You let me leave,
so I have to leave?
Get out.
Excuse me?
I said you two get out.
How can you talk to your senior like that?
Are you mad?
Ms. Qiu. Ms. Qiu.
I climbed trees and walls
to come here.
Leave, Ms. Qiu.
What are you doing?
Ms. Qiu.
Baili Hongshuo. Get out!
Ms. Qiu.
Get out!
Be quiet.
If others hear it,
they’ll make fun of us.
Ms. Qiu. Something
happened in General’s family.
He’s in bad mood.
Don’t blame him.
You may come to him
when he gets better.
Or he may go to you.
What happened in his family?
Well...
I can’t tell you.
Fine.
I’ll ask him myself.
Baili Hongshuo.
Come to me when you feel better.
And master. He is waiting for you.
I’m leaving.
Young Master. This bow
was Ms. Hongyi’s favorite
when she’s a kid.
Can I keep it?
She’s dead.
No need to keep it.
Our relationship
is done here.
Baili Hongxuan is impressive.
He can cut off
the kinship with her sister
without any hesitation.
Marquis shall be hardhearted.
I thought
he will get depressed
due to it.
Unexpectedly,
he can cope with it calmly
in the point of future.
What do you mean?
The adopted daughter of Duke Pingyuan
turns out to be Lang’s princess.
If this news flies,
how will Marquis’ Mansion and your marquis
be implicated?
Marquis didn’t know the truth before.
Treachery and collusion with enemy
will result in the massacre of family.
Given this felony,
will the court consider
Baili Hongxuan’s ignorance
to it?
His Majesty is wise and insightful.
He will treasure marquis’s
loyalty.
Really?
Do you have any idea?
It’s all fated by Heaven.
Just do
what you are supposed to.
Baili Hongxuan
will be a better self,
so will you.
One day he will find that
the one he needs most at his side
is you.
Take a sip. Warm yourself.
Don’t drink too much. You’ll get drunk.
General.
The snowstorm is heavy ahead.
The road is already collapsed.
If we proceed,
accidents may occur.
The longer we are delayed,
the more time the rebels will have
to get prepared.
I’m worried, too.
If we are found by
Ermian’s scouts,
it will be passive for us.
The snowstorm
doesn’t seem to stop soon.
Tell scouts in the front
to hide carefully.
Do not expose the trace.
Yes.
Give orders. Make camps on site.
General’s order. Make camps on site.
Commander Mu.
I’ll see General.
Commander. Not today.
Tell General I have urgency to report.
General doesn’t feel well today.
OK.
You. Come with me.
Hou Zhengze.
Have you been
deceiving us?
Commander Mu. What are you talking about?
Let me ask you.
General is depressed
by that matter,
and believes in evil magic.
As his bodyguard,
why don’t you advise him?
Commander Mu.
I don’t know anything.
You are his bodyguard.
Don’t you know?
I’m his servant and guard.
I do whatever
he orders me to.
Fine.
Do you know
what happened
in General’s family?
Something happened in his family?
You don’t seem to know it.
Look.
Lady Hongyi died?
His Majesty conferred
her as Princess Jingguo.
General and she were very close.
He
must grieve a lot.
These days
must be hard for General.
As the deputy general,
I didn’t assist him and shoulder it,
and even scolded him.
It’s my negligence of duty.
And you, Hou Zhengze.
You are General’s bodyguard.
Why didn’t you tell me
in time?
At lease I could’ve dealt with
some military affairs,
rather than all Zhenbei’s affairs
are delayed now.
Hou Zhengze. Do you know your guilt?
Forget it.
Remember.
Be sure to
take good care of him these days.
And
don’t let General act impulsively,
lest
the entire Zhenbei’s army is affected.
Yes.
Alright. Leave.
Lady Hongyi died.
His Majesty conferred her
as Princess Jingguo.
General.
General Baili.
Bai Yi.