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Guardians of the Ancient Oath
[This story is purely fictional.]
Episode 25
Hongyi!
Yulin Guards, on my command！
Aye!
Catch them!
Yes!
Hongxuan!
If I run away,
what will the Baili family suffer?
You’re adopted.
You don’t need to
sacrifice yourself for us.
What did you do?
Baili Hongshuo, what the hell are you doing?
Hongshuo! Hongshuo!
Let go of him!
Stop!
Stop fighting!
Hongshuo.
Stop fighting! Be gentle!
-Let go of me! -Stop!
What?
Now you think
I’m not one of your families?
Since the day
Father saved me,
I’ve been one of the Baili family.
I know you care for me.
But as one of our family,
how can I run away?
Don’t underestimate them.
Marquis. It’s not that easy
to catch us.
I’m exhausted.
Let’s go.
Let them go.
Hongyi.
Will you miss me?
If I miss you,
I’ll come to you.
Hongxuan.
She…
Tao Shen.
Send Hongshuo back to Li City.
Yes.
Let’s go.
Thank you for coming in time.
It’s my duty to
figure out who kidnapped Lady Hongyi.
Unfortunately, we are too weak
to catch the kidnappers.
Thank you, Mr. Zuo.
But Mr. Tian…
Don’t worry, Marquis.
Tian Yuan is on his way with the troops.
Highest censors like you
are well-informed and resourceful.
You really impress me.
His Majesty
asked me to rescue Lady Hongyi.
I don’t dare to slack off.
Rescue Lady Hongyi?
How can we rescue her now?
Marquis, we…
Mr. Zuo.
What do you think of this?
It was unexpected.
Why is Miss Baili
suddenly one of the Lang people?
Yeah.
Why is she
suddenly one of the Lang people?
Marquis, what happened?
It’s Lang.
We fell into Lang’s trap.
Lang?
Lang people
kidnapped my younger sister,
just to threaten us.
We tried to save her,
only to fall into their trap.
My sister…
She drowned herself in the river,
in case she might be humiliated.
Go search along the river for Miss Baili.
Maybe she’s still alive.
Aye!
I do remember
what happened today.
I’ll make Lang people
pay the blood price!
Why is Hongyi a Lang girl?
Hongxuan must be very sad.
Sadness
isn’t the worst feeling
in this world.
But Hongyi has left.
What will Hongxuan do?
Since you decide not to go back to his mansion,
I guess,
Baili Hongxuan
will live a harder life.
I’m determined to go back.
Purple Bird.
I knew you would go back.
You’ve never changed.
Your still love him
so much.
But…
Don’t worry.
As long as you practice more,
you will be able to
restrain the demon power in you
and even master
your own power.
Maybe…
it’s time for you to return the favor.
I should be helping Hongxuan.
The Great King
killed my parents, didn’t he?
Yes.
And they wanted to kill me.
When I’m with you,
no one will hurt you.
[Marquis Zhenbei's Mansion]
Finally, you’re back.
Thank you for the days.
Is everything all right at home?
Everything is fine.
Your Majesty.
Ava tribe
sent us two hundred cattle and sheep,
ten boxes of jewelry and…
Report!
Come in!
Your Majesty.
What happened?
The woman from Yo…
How dare they.
You are…
Who are you?
Li Ruo, the daughter of Princess Na Cheng.
Your granddaughter.
Somebody!
Here!
Take her down!
Aye!
In the past,
I failed to save Princess Na Cheng.
But now, when I’m here,
no one can hurt Li Ruo.
If anyone dares,
I’ll kill him.
Our clan
never permits a daughter of a traitor.
Ming Yefeng!
What? You want a fight, too?
Ming Yefeng, come with me.
Take her back for some rest.
Aye.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Ming Yefeng.
Do you know what you’re doing?
I always know
what I am doing.
Na Cheng gave birth to that vile girl,
which was against our ancestral rule.
Her dirty blood
will bring endless trouble to our clan.
Such improper ancestral rules
should have been abolished.
Should have been abolished?
How daring!
Since I brought her back,
I will spare no effort to protect her.
You stayed dormant for years,
just to protect her?
We should replace set rules with new ones.
It’s time to abolish
stale ancestral rules.
Ming Yefeng.
I treat you as if you were my own son.
Now you’ve grown strong.
You dare to rebel against the rules
and disrespect me?
Don’t you?
I respect you as my father.
If you can stay
in peace with me,
I’ll respect you.
If you want to be the Great King,
you need my permission.
Don’t be too proud.
I don’t think
you will cause destruction to both of us.
You once taught me to
submit to circumstances.
I keep that in mind.
And that’s what for you now.
I know
you can hardly accept it now.
But what’s done is done.
Don’t think too much.
We’ll take time
to settle the rest.
Whatever happens,
I will protect you.
I’m exhausted.
Tell me if you need anything.
Hongxuan.
What the hell has happened?
Explain to me.
Sorry, Your Majesty.
I failed to protect my own sister.
Hongyi was kidnapped
by the Lang guy, Ming Yefeng.
He threatened
to exchange Hongyi
for 5,000 weapons from Fusong.
5,000 weapons?
They’re enough
to equipment the whole cavalry in Shuchi.
I refused.
But Ming Yefeng threatened…
Threatened what?
He threatened me
with Hongyi’s chastity and life.
How dared he!
Baili Hongyi is a princess of our country.
Humiliating her
means disrespecting me!
Calm down.
Let him finish it.
I led my servants and Yulin Guards
to fight desperately with him.
To stop me from being humiliated,
Hongyi drowned herself
in the river.
How come?
Drowned herself?
What happened?
Sorry, Your Majesty.
When I arrived,
Zuo Gong and his men were dead.
Lady Hongyi…
had drowned herself.
Losers!
How was that possible?
Not long ago,
Hongyi just drank and talked with me.
Marquis Zhenbei.
Did you see her drowning herself?
Yes, I did.
Where’s her body?
The guards and I searched along the river,
but haven’t found her body yet.
General.
What’s up?
My brother is worried about
what happened today.
What made him worried?
You did a desperate move.
Don’t you fear to lose the support?
Does he fear he would lose support
or he would lose Baize?
Baize is
the purest tribe of Lang.
We adore heroes most.
You’re always the strongest hero
in my heart.
That’s why my brother and I
always support you
with determination.
But today,
you argued with His Majesty
for that woman.
Have you thought of the consequences?
Consequences?
Your brother is worried
if he will lose his power
as the leader of Baize.
What you did today
really worried us.
You have no right to
teach me how to behave.
All you need to know is
whatever happens in Shuchi,
I’ll give you
what I promised you
as long as you’re loyal to me.
But General…
Not buts.
You and your brother are clever.
But I still have to remind you.
If anyone dares to hurt Li Ruo,
I’ll never let him go!
Even it’s the Great King.
Get out.
Get out!
Below the cliff lies the stream.
Maybe she was washed away.
Your Majesty, Your Highness.
I think
Lang people dared to
kidnap our princess
and threaten us,
which means they’re disrespecting you.
I suggest sending troops to Shuchi
and fight for justice.
Lang has been coveting our country.
In recent years,
we’ve been recuperating
for the sake of harmony,
instead of fighting the north.
Unexpectedly, Lang people have
growing ambitions!
Instead of being invaded,
why don’t we go north and fight them?
So that they’ll know
our country
isn’t a pushover!
You’re right.
We always take revenge!
Hongyi is our princess.
Lang people kidnapped her first
and then forced her to die.
We’ll never let them go!
He Yao, on my command…
Your Highness. Your Majesty.
May I say something?
You still have doubts
on the dispatch?
Lady Hongyi is dead.
I know you must be
very sad about that.
But once we start a war,
the north of Yo
will soon lose the peace
that has been maintained hard for years.
You are wrong.
Could our county
just be humiliated by Lang?
I don’t mean that.
Over the past century,
many lords have been fighting for supremacy.
Our country has been stable for years,
just because we pacify Lang
in the north,
make peace with allies in the south,
and form an alliance with the Western Regions.
We pocket the insult
for lasting prosperity.
Instructed by Your Majesty
and Your Highness,
Lady Hongyi cared for national interest.
She drowned herself,
just because she didn’t want our country
to be stuck in wars.
If we get more people in misery
just for her,
it’s against her will.
She won’t rest in peace,
even if in the heaven.
Your Majesty. Your Highness.
I think
he makes some sense.
Lang people kidnapped Lady Hongyi
on the wedding day,
for weapons of Fusong,
and also for staring a war
on the sly.
If we dispatch troops
without careful consideration,
we’ll just fall into
their trap.
Over the century since we were founded,
we have never been humiliated like that.
We can’t bear it anymore!
Time and provisions will be wasted.
We can hardly afford that.
Please think carefully about it
and don’t waste the efforts
Lady Hongyi had done.
My Lord.
Lady Hongyi died for our country
just because of Lang.
If we don’t fight them,
I’m afraid
Lang people will go even further.
With due respect,
Lady Hongyi
was brought up by Duke Pingyuan.
But she isn’t the direct line of
the royal family.
What Lang people did
is shameful.
And we will certainly take revenge
on her death.
But starting a war rashly
isn’t the wise way.
Please think carefully about it!
Didn’t you tell me
she was killed?
Princess Na Cheng and the man from Yo
were killed.
But their daughter is still alive!
I’m sorry, Your Majesty.
The Saintess was filthy.
Her daughter
was a disrespect to ancestral god.
Clean bloodline brings longevity.
I don’t dare to forget.
Clean bloodline brings longevity.
Filthy girl
turns up in the grassland,
showing our revolt
against ancestral god.
Your Majesty.
We should have plans for your future.
We mustn’t keep her alive.
Please give me a chance
to make up for my mistake.
Beast.
General.
Come with me.
They all make some sense.
Your Majesty.
You shall make the decision.
I see, Mother.
Hongxuan.
What do you think?
I will take your order,
Your Majesty and Your Highness.
Lady Baili Hongyi
sacrificed her life,
showing her loyalty to our country.
I’ll make her Princess Jingguo.
All nobilities and ministers,
regardless of their rank,
shall mourn for Princess Jingguo for seven days.
Within a hundred days,
and within our country,
no one shall have parties,
celebrations
or religious service.
Thank you, Your Majesty, on behalf of Hongyi.
I failed to protect my sister
and brought shame on our country.
Please punish me, Your Highness.
Everything happened
because of Lang people.
Hongxuan,
don’t blame yourself.
It’s wise of you, Your Majesty.
I’m really grateful.
If we start a war
in mourning for Princess Jingguo,
that’s disrespecting her.
Hongxuan.
You may go back home and
take care of her funeral.
When the mourning period ends,
I’ll let Lang people pay the price.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
What’s wrong?
Just tell me.
I don’t dare to.
It’s OK.
Why?
Is this
what you always want to do?
I’ve made myself clear
in the Great King’s camp.
Is this
more important than integrating the grassland?
Integrating the grassland matters a lot.
It concerns
the life of millions of our clansmen.
But to me,
realizing my own wish
matters the most.
So…
she’s more important than anyone else?
To me, yes.
I think you can understand me.
Because we’ve both lost
someone important.
It makes you feel that
the whole world becomes meaningless.
In my heart,
nothing or no one matters
more than you.
I don’t want to lose you.
Beast.
I hope you can understand me.
I’ll always listen to you.
Youngest Master.
Miss Baili is back to Lang.
Don’t talk nonsense!
At this moment,
we’re at daggers drawn with Lang.
Even if you go back
and find her,
she won’t see you,
considering her temper.
What’s done is done.
We can never
go back to the past.
You must know it clearly.
You won’t help anything,
even if you go find her in Lang.
If you’re impulsive,
your brother may die.
If He Yao manages to
find a flaw in us,
your whole family
will be destroyed.
This can be very serious.
Please think carefully about it.
Youngest Master.
This is the dependency of Li City.
People of Li City
are waiting for you.
You can’t get Li City in a mess!
Don’t make a plan carefully
before the tumult subsides.
Youngest Master.
Duke Pingyuan’s Mansion
isn’t only for you and your brother.
It’s also a shelter for
subordinates and disciples.
If you lose it,
all their fates
will be changed.
Tao Shen.
Tell my brother that
I’m going back to Li City.
I won’t make any trouble.
[Great Zhou Princess Jingguo Baili Hongyi]
I’m not from Yo.
Nor am I
a real member of your family.
I’ll never see you again.
[Great Zhou Princess Jingguo Baili Hongyi]
Marquis.
It’s getting dark.
Go and have some rest.
Leave me alone.
I want to spend more time
with Hongyi.
Do you remember the necklace?
It’s not an ordinary one.
It’s made of teeth of white tiger,
the sacred beast of Lang.
It’s a gift
from my mother.
I manage to clearly remember that
the general
who refused to accept us
was Baili Haoyuan.
Over so many years,
he kept me with him,
raising me
and lying to me.
Were they nice to me,
because they felt guilty,
or because they feared I would take revenge
when I knew the truth?
Marquis. Here comes His Majesty.
[Marquis Zhenbei's Mansion]
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Stand up.
Hongyi isn’t a real member of
our family.
But over so many years,
we’ve taken her as one of us.
What you said this morning
sacrificed your family for our nation.
But I know.
Hongxuan, you must be
feeling very bad.
Whenever there’s a chance,
I will avenge Hongyi!
Thank you, Your Majesty,
on behalf of my sister.
You and Hongshuo care for your sister.
Bring Hongshuo back
to attend Hongyi’s funeral.
Your Majesty.
I don’t think we should do that.
Why?
The Great King of Lang
must have approved of
what Ming Yefeng did.
He kidnapped Hongyi for weapons,
just to start a war on purpose.
If we call back the commanding general
for Hongyi,
Li City will be unguarded.
I’m afraid
we’ll fall into Lang’s trap.
Shall I send He Yao instead?
How can any general
at a border town
shirk his responsibility to someone else,
just for family stuff?
You trust Hongshuo.
He shall never do that.
But…
As one of the Baili family, we are bound to
sacrifice for the nation.
I think
Hongshuo will understand.
OK.
We’ll do it your way.
The dead don’t come back.
I’m sorry for your loss.
[Great Zhou Princess Jingguo Baili Hongyi]
Unload the weapons.
OK.
Wretch!
Who are you cursing?
You, of course!
Get out!
Who do you mean?
Greetings, general.
I’m asking you!
The wretch, of course.
You always defend her.
But in my heart,
I never bear a wretch like her!
Ming Yefeng!
You’re spared today.
But keep that in mind.
She is one of us.
From now on,
respect her in the way you respect me.
Understand?
Yes.
Understand?
Yes!
-Yes! -Yes!
Ruo, let me take a walk with you.
Not interested.
One of your old friends has come.
Still not interested?
An old friend?
General, it’s getting cold today.
Soldiers warm themselves at the fire.
I’ve sent a team for the patrol,
in case of catching fire.
General.
So much ice here.
Go get someone
to remove the ice.
Yes.
What if our soldiers
slipped and fell?
General. We just
received the provisions from the court.
Would you like to
write a memorial to the throne for gratitude?
Memorial to the throne?
Draft it.
General.
That’s for His Majesty.
I…
Just draft it.
Trust yourself.
OK. After I draft it,
I’ll show you.
General.
You’ve been distracted.
And you care much less
for military affairs.
Do I?
I’ve never seen you
neglect things like this.
General,
are you getting close to
some psychics?
Psychics?
Yes.
General, we’re soldiers.
We stick to integrity and courage.
We adore the honor and loyalty.
Do you mean…
Master Ji Qiu?
Yes.
Commander Mu.
You’re wrong!
How can my master
be so-called
a psychic?
He’s the disciple of
Immortal Yan Jisheng.
He’s not a psychic!
Recently,
he has been teaching me
the way of heaven.
We make compensation for the poor guys.
The way of human isn’t.
They make compensation for the rich guys.
Look at me!
General!
I’m going for the patrol! Go!
Go!