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Guardians of the Ancient Oath
[This story is purely fictional.]
Episode 30
Marquis,
you wrote this letter.
Do I have to keep reading it?
Hongxuan,
is this letter
really written by you?
Your Majesty, he who wants
to beat his dog will easily find his stick.
It’s easy to forge a letter
and put the blame on others.
If I am right,
Official He is really good at this.
Official He,
do you think
you can accuse me of complicity
by a letter from unknown source?
Bring him up.
I think
you know this man, don’t you?
The letter
was found on him.
Your Majesty,
Your Highness,
he is called Tao Shen,
from the famous Taos in Zhuoyang county.
That year,
Duke Pingyuan recaptured the county.
And the Taos sworn that
they would always follow Duke Pingyuan.
Now in Yo,
only Duke Pingyuan’s eldest son,
Baili Hongxuan, can command
the Taos.
Say it.
Did he ask you to send the letter?
Guards! Put him to torture.
Yes.
He Yao!
His Majesty and Her Highness are here.
It’s not your turn
to torture anyone in the Hall.
Even if you get
the thing you want to hear,
that’s from
your torture and threatening.
Aunt, he…
Let me ask you.
Did
Marquis Zhenbei, Baili Hongxuan
ask you to send this letter to Lang?
Ridiculous.
I’m always a free man without restraint.
The Taos
never obey anyone’s order.
And we won’t be controlled by anyone.
If it was not his order,
why did you send this letter to Lang?
In my mind,
there is no power,
but justice.
Mr. He
is used to jump on the bandwagon here.
But he doesn’t know the life
of common people.
But I want to rid the world
of evil.
Nonsense!
You rebel!
How dare he have the audacity
to frame me?
This
is all my fault.
I’m sorry to have brought
Marquis Zhenbei into trouble.
This letter
is forged by me alone
in the name of Marquis.
Since you have nothing
to do with Baili Hongxuan,
why did you send the letter
in his name?
I heard that
Ms. Hongyi is Lang’s clansman,
and she
is loved by the new King of Lang.
So I planned this all alone
to eliminate He Yao
with the help of Lang
to protect Yo’s people
from trouble.
Did you hear it?
This rebel
has admitted that
they were in league with Lang!
I’d rather collude with Lang
than surrender to a courtier.
Anybody
has the right to punish He Yao.
Guards!
Protect His Majesty and Her Highness!
Aunt, watch out!
I’m sorry.
I’ll revenge for you.
Aunt, are you OK?
Did he die?
Yes, he died.
He died.
Please forgive my being careless.
Your Majesty, Your Highness,
sorry to scare you.
I’m fine.
What’s going on?
Your Majesty,
although he had all the charges
on himself,
he didn’t
have the ability
to finish this crime all alone.
Your Majesty, please make clear.
It must have
something to do with Baili Hongxuan.
He Yao! Stop slinging mud at me!
I can’t stand it anymore!
What?
Are you going to kill me
like what you did to him?
Slandering the important official
is a capital crime!
Stop it!
Isn’t it messy enough?
Aunt…
Mother, sorry to scare you.
You have to get
to the bottom of this.
And eliminate all the Taos.
I’ll take your order.
Your Highness,
Although today’s affair
was not my intention,
it was arisen because of me.
I’m willing to be punished.
Punish.
Nobody has
ever done what you did
since Yo was established.
I really don’t know
how I can punish you.
Marquis Zhenbei.
Yes.
You are hiding it so deeply from us.
I always speak without reserve.
I think, Your Highness
is having a huge
misunderstanding.
How dare you!
Stop pretending!
That rebel had said just now.
Your sister is still alive
and she is safe and sound.
She even becomes
the Great Queen of Lang.
Looks like
Mr. He knows well about Lang.
Do you have friends
in Lang
and you often
contact them?
Aunt, he…
Marquis Zhenbei, tell me,
when did you know that
Baili Hongyi is a Lang?
Your Highness,
Baili Hongyi is already dead.
She is still alive!
Admit it!
Your family
has already known the truth.
But all of you keep that from everyone.
That’s right.
You adopted a Lang’s girl
secretly,
and you still say you are not a traitor?
Baili Hongyi,
no,
that Lang’s woman
grew up in your family.
I wonder
how many secrets
of our Yo have been
given away by them
and how many
betrayals they have committed.
He even tried
to marry that woman to me!
Now it makes me scared.
Enough!
Mother,
let me handle this.
I want to talk to Hongxuan alone.
Your Majesty,
you want to interrogate him alone?
I still have questions that
I don’t understand.
I want to ask him clearly.
Don’t you understand?
Baili Hongyi is still alive.
This is the most direct evidence.
Please trust me, mother.
I will find out the truth.
Your Majesty, remember,
treason is of no joke.
Don’t let this go easily.
I won’t let go of the traitor.
And I won’t wrong the innocent one.
I got it.
Aunt, are we leaving like this?
Thank you, mother.
Hongxuan, rise.
I want to hear the truth.
Now mother and He Yao
has left.
Can’t I know the truth?
Your Majesty, you think
what I said just now
was not the truth?
Do you really
want to continue hiding it from me?
I have nothing to hide.
When I knew
that Baili Hongyi didn’t die,
I don’t know if I should be happy
or angry.
But who makes me sad
is you!
How could you have kept a Lang people
in your family for more than ten years?
And I
have been fooled
for so many years.
Why?
I gave you everything.
Why did you collude with Lang?
Your Majesty's remark
is to put me into the Hall of Shame
of colluding with foreign people.
I never did that.
Now there are only the two of us here.
But you still don’t tell me the truth.
I trust you so much,
but you lie to me
and betray me and the Yo
again and again!
I have never betrayed Yo.
What I did
is worthy of conscience.
Everything I did
is for
Baili’s country.
Baili’s country?
It’s my country!
I know that you are
dissatisfied with my mother’s partiality
to He Yao.
But even if you think I’m too young
to protect your family from humiliation,
you can’t collude with Lang
and suppress He Yao with their power.
Don’t you think that
you are betraying Yo?
My loyalty to Your Majesty
can be proved by the time.
Loyalty?
Then what is this?
Baili Hongyi is Lang’s princess,
and you ally with Lang
to keep it a secret.
You don’t admit it,
but you think I won’t know it?
So, in your mind,
I, as a King,
don’t even deserve your trust.
Your Majesty, looks like
you are sure that I colluded with Lang.
What else could it be?
It’s disappointing that Your Majesty
believed the slander.
You also disappointed me.
I tolerated you
and gave you my power.
That’s how you repay me?
Power?
Is it you gave me power
or you can’t leave me at all?
I’m dedicated to Yo
and hope that it will grow more prosperous.
I even would lose my life for Yo.
I risk my life
to serve the country.
Have you ever
considered for me?
You have always been rich and idle man.
Do you know
how hard I’ve worked
for Baili’s family?
In order to take care of your feelings,
I have to bear
everything.
But you just saw my family in trouble
and be framed
and wronged by He Yao and did nothing!
Baili Hongxuan!
What do you want to do?
Let me tell you.
Everything you got
is from me.
Without me,
you are nothing.
Now you committed treason.
It’s a capital crime.
I have never betrayed my country.
I can’t indulge you anymore.
From now on,
you are no longer
the Marquis Zhenbei of Yo,
and no longer my Hongxuan.
I will execute you in public!
Guards!
Yes.
Baili Hongxuan colluded with enemy.
It’s unforgivable.
Imprison him into the dungeon
and execute him someday.
Yes!
If I’m not back
in three hours,
burn the third chapter.
You mean…
There are some things
you’d better not know.
Open the door!
[Marquis Zhenbei's Mansion]
Open the door!
Open the door now!
Step aside.
What are you doing?
Who are you?
What do you want?
Order from His Majesty,
the Marquis Zhenbei’s Mansion will be sealed up now.
Search!
Yes!
Sealed up?
Sir, this…
Go away.
Shut them up.
Sir…
Shut up!
What are you doing?
Step aside!
My Lady…
Princess, please.
Baili Hongxuan betrayed our country.
He will be executed.
[Yiwang Hall]
And all of you will be executed together.
Stop crying!
We should have
the dignity of the Marquis.
People from Marquis’s Mansion
shouldn’t be so spineless!
Don’t you remember
what Marquis told us?
Even if the road ahead is dead,
we should
go on generously
and don't make people laugh at us.
Even if we will die,
we should hold our heads up
and not be looked down upon!
Sir, sir, sir…
You can’t take this.
This is our…
Baili’s family plans to usurp the throne.
It’s treason.
Guards!
Stretch this Red Dear Robe.
Yes!
Sir! Sir!
Please don’t! Sir!
Sir! Please!
Sir!
Mr. He! Mr. He! Mr. He!
Mr. He…
Master…
Princess Jinyang,
Baili Hongxuan is imprisoned in dungeon.
This way, please.
My Lady!
Lady… Lady… Lady…
Lady… Lady…
Lady…
Execute it!
Master said…
He said
we won’t see each other again.
Don’t worry.
Even if that’s so,
I won’t forget you.
And,
we will definitely
meet each other again.
Will we meet again?
Sure.
You’re my Senior Fellow,
and also my friend.
Even if Master doesn’t want to see me again,
I will
go to see you in future.
Then don’t forget that
you said
you will take me to Ye City.
I won’t forget.
If I forget,
I will be… I will be a pig!
Pighead!
Fool.
You always
like to pretend
to be fierce.
But actually you are just a fool in mind.
I’m not stupid.
You are so excellent.
So I will be stupid
every time I see you.
Nut.
It’s your barrack ahead.
I won’t go further.
We part so soon.
Go now.
I will look you behind.
Are you going back alone?
No way.
If master knows it,
he will scold me.
Then what should we do?
Let me walk you back.
You walk me?
Yes.
As a man,
isn’t it my duty
to walk you back?
Fine.
Let’s go.
Your Majesty, it’s Ba Yin.
Come in.
You are always so busy.
I don’t even dare to disturb you.
But you are still here now.
What’s the matter?
I’m here to apologize.
Apologize?
I was jealous
because you were good
at other people.
Actually, as long as I can be by your side,
I will always be happy.
My brother told me
that you should
consider of the future
for Lang.
As your woman,
I shouldn’t
be wayward like before anymore.
It’s good that you know this.
I have a present for you.
Please look
if you like it.
White Root Wingceltis?
Baize’s sacred wood?
The noblest whip
matches the noblest person,
which is also the highest respect
of our Baize people.
I also have a present for you.
For me?
During the expedition to Ermian,
we captured Mo Luo.
This is found
in his treasury.
Luminous Pearl. It’s glittering and clear.
I think it suits you.
So I took it back.
Thank you.
Your brother and warrior of Baize
did a lot to help me become
the Great King.
I remember it all.
I will also remember
your kindness to me.
I have something to report.
I’m leaving first.
Baili Hongxuan will be executed
for treason?
I have checked it.
It’s true.
The date for execution
will be in fifteen days.
Fifteen days?
What about Baili Hongshuo?
Baili Hongshuo is already listed as wanted.
He should still
be in Li City if there’s no accident.
They want to entice Baili Hongshuo.
If he loses his cool
and goes back to Ye City to save him,
I’m afraid he’ll be a sitting duck.
Now
there are rumors in Ye City
which are difficult to distinguish.
It’s said that
Marquis Zhenbei fell in one night.
Everyone there was killed.
It’s really cruel.
Duke Pingyuan’s family owned great honor.
Baili Hongxuan
is the former emperor’s grandson.
It’s a pity that he
ends up like this.
Baili Hongxuan is so devoted
to Yo,
but he is now being excluded
by He Yao like this.
It’s really surprising.
We only need to watch
their internal fight.
They weaken each other.
It’s good to their neighbors
like us, which are separated only by
a strip of water.
Now the Duke Pingyuan’s family lost their power,
and even Baili Hongshuo is wanted.
There is no great general in Yo.
Shall we take this chance to…
It’s not good for me to act as soon
as I take office.
Don’t act rashly in this matter.
Our Lang needs to store up energy.
Sorry for my rudeness.
Don’t tell anyone
about this matter.
We should be careful.
Yes.
Tell our spy to take cover
and deliver the news in time.
I got it.
And,
remember,
don’t let
Li Ruo know this.
Got it.
You may go now.
I’m home.
Why did we get here so soon?
Here you are.
Why do you give me a stick?
Stick?
Idiot.
What did I say wrong again?
Drop it if you don’t want.
I want it. Of course I want.
I like everything you give to me.
Look at this stick.
I can use it to protect myself.
As long as it’s from you,
I’ll like it.
Fool.
This is North Willow.
It will be sent by a friend when they parted.
Oh, I see.
Then…
It should be given from me.
After all, you will go on a long journey.
Here.
Here you are.
Do you know?
The branch I gave you
shouldn’t be broken.
I’ll keep it safe.
Don’t worry.
I will bring it to you to check
the next time we meet.
It’s still early now.
How about
I walk you back now?
You walk me?
OK. OK.
Let’s go.
Use the leaf as flute.
You are really brilliant.
The grassland is wide.
Miss Ba Yin,
why do you always
fight with me for this land?
I’m not fighting with you.
I'm complimenting you on your musical ability,
am I not?
Thanks for your praise.
But it’s not music.
It’s a whistle of hunting.
So, Li Ruo, you still
know how to hunt?
Wait.
I have figured out
these days.
You have Lang’s bloodline.
You and I should be sisters.
And we serve Great King together.
We can be besties.
You don’t like me.
And I don’t like you.
We both know this truth.
Why bother to pretend
to be kind?
I just want to have a private conversation
with you.
I don’t want to hear it.
That’s right.
You are a Lang now.
Even if Baili’s family will be executed,
it has nothing to do with you.
What do you mean?
Baili Hongxuan committed a treason.
He will be executed in public
in fifteen days.
How could it be?
If you don’t believe me,
you can send people to check on it.
But,
the date is after fifteen days.
I’m afraid it will be too late for you to save him
after you send people to check on it.
I’m kind enough to tell you this.
If it’s not me,
His Majesty will never tell you.
You really
need to go back this time.
Don’t get yourself too tired for training.
Take care
of yourself if you meet Lang’s people.
So do you.
If you run into bad guys,
remember to run faster.
I’m a good runner.
Fool.
Xiaotong,
I…
Go ahead if you have
anything to say.
Don’t walk me back again.
I have to tell you
the truth about one thing.
I don’t want to lie to you.
But you will get mad
if you know it.
But I had no choice.
I’m doing this for General.
So I…
What general?
Why are you talking
back and forth?
Just tell me.
I won’t get mad.
Actually, I’m not…
You are not?
What?
Kyah! Kyah! Kyah!
Kyah!
Why are Yulin Guards here?
What?
What happened?
I don’t know.
Then don’t waste time here.
Your job is important.
OK.
I will go check it.
Wait.
Remember what you said.
Remember to miss Master,
and me.
I will.
We will meet again!
Keep my words in mind!
OK!
Kyah!
Kyah! Kyah! Kyah!
Stop! Stop! Stop!
Who are you?
Tian Yuan, censor of Yulin Guards.
I came under His Majesty’s order.
Step aside.
Please wait a second.
I will report to General.
Are you ignoring the Imperial Order?
Step aside now!
Kyah!
Baili Hongshuo!
Come out!
Search for him one by one!
Wait!
I wonder what matter
brings you gentlemen here.
I took the order to arrest criminal Baili Hongshuo.
Guys! Search for him.
Wait!
Sir, please tell us
what happened.
What happened?
It’s already your fortune
that I won’t take you with me.
Go!
Yes.
Go.
Sir,
we didn’t find Baili Hongshuo.
Sir, he is not here as well.
Sir,
there is a wood behind.
Guys!
Once you find him,
take him down.
We just need to keep him alive.
It’s OK to hurt him.
Yes!
So do you!
Once you find him,
take him right away.
Yes.
Ruo,
I went to see you at noon but you were not there.
Where did you go?
I took a walk at Wulu Sea.
What are you reading?
You can read it?
You know.
I don’t know Lang’s characters.
I’ll ask Beast to teach you someday.
How is Yo now?
Still the same.
The border
can’t avoid fights anyway.
But there won’t be a war.
Are they going to fight against us?
In these years,
although Yo is having rest,
they never relaxed their vigilance
towards Lang.
As the emperor is about to be an adult,
some officials are eager to make contributions,
and the contradiction became increasingly apparent.
They are divided into two groups.
At present, they are at loggerheads.
For the coming-of-age
emperor,
it is a very important choice
whether to rely on the patriarchal clan
or the outer relatives.
But for
a wise emperor,
he should know how to make a balance.
Most of the old courtiers don’t want to fight.
So there won’t be a war
in the current situation.
Ruo, don’t worry.
If we will start a war,
I won’t let you
be embarrassed.
So, don’t think
too much
about Yo and the past.
You think
I’m worrying about Yo?
Everything about Yo
is already the past to me.
When I decided to stay in Lang,
anything about Yo
has nothing to do with me.
I just don’t like wars.
And there is another thing
that I want to discuss with you.
Go ahead.
I will promise you
as long as I can do.
Since I have decided to
stay in Lang,
I want to
have a peaceful life here.
But there are always
people of Youwu around me.
They will scare other people.
And I
have no friends here.
And I can’t
follow you every day.
I can’t only
have you in my life.
But…
Let the Youwu people
do something more important.
They don’t dare to do anything to me.
And,
you are already the Great King.
There are many of your confidants.
No one dares to hurt me.
You always like to be free and alone.
That’s a bad habit.
I still have maids.
They are also your people.
If I always have personal privilege
on the grassland,
I will never be able to integrate
into your clan.
Fine.
I will try my best to let them
keep a distance from you.
A distance?
I don’t want anything bad happen to you.
This is my last compromise.
Fine.
Master?
Master!
Finally you come back.
I shouldn’t have let you run about.
Come on, let’s go.
Master,
are we leaving Baili Hongshuo behind?
It’s not like that.
We still have chance to teach him in future.
Let’s leave now.
Come on.
You came in right time.
Pay me the bill now.
My General
won’t owe you money.
Step aside!
No matte who you are,
if you don’t pay…
Make a way!
I won’t let you leave today.
-You know? -I will pay later.
Did you hear me?
General! General!
General!
If you don’t pay,
none of you can leave today!
General! Bad news!
Wake up!
Search carefully!
Don’t miss any corner!
Yes!
General!
Wake up!
General! Wake up!