Eternal Brotherhood Season 2 Episode 1 Recap, Plot

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> Eternal Brotherhood Season 2 Recap

On the vast land of Xichuan, the major families are deeply entangled in power struggles. Among them, the Zichuan family and the Northern Tribe have been engaged in years of evenly matched warfare. As a child, the orphan Zichuan Xiu was adopted by Zichuan Yuanxing, an elder of the Zichuan family.

He formed a close childhood bond with the family's heir, Zichuan Ning, and also became sworn brothers with Di Lin, the Minister of Military and Legal Affairs, and Si Yilin, commander of the Palace Guards. The three pledged to protect the peace of Zichuan together. After being assigned to the frontlines for many years, Zichuan Xiu returned to the imperial capital following numerous military victories, only to find the family already beset with crises.

Internally, the ambitious Yang Minghua was plotting rebellion, while externally, the Northern Tribe stirred unrest at the borders. Zichuan Xiu joined forces with Di Lin and Si Yilin to suppress Yang Minghua's rebellion and successfully defended the imperial capital. However, the resurgence of border conflicts could not be halted. Yang Minghua’s subordinate Lei Hong colluded with the Northern Tribe and formally launched an attack on Zichuan, capturing the final line of defense—Payi City.

Zichuan Xiu and Si Yilin rushed to Payi City, retook the city, and seriously injured the enemy general, dealing a heavy blow to the Northern Tribe. Nevertheless, the Northern Tribe sent Lei Hong once again, leading a massive army to besiege Payi City. Due to a food shortage within the city, casualties mounted. Zichuan Xiu and Si Yilin could only lead a handful of soldiers in a desperate stand.

At this critical moment, Di Lin, ordered to reinforce the city, led troops to Payi. The three brothers were reunited and resolved to fight to the death together to defend Zichuan. Ma Wei brought news of Zichuan Xiu to Zichuan Ning. Although there was no trace of Zichuan Xiu and Si Yilin at the frontlines, the orderly state of the abandoned camp suggested they had left voluntarily, not due to danger.

Ma Wei initially thought this news would shake Zichuan Ning, but she appeared calm and composed. In fact, years of Zichuan Xiu’s deployments, with frequent reports of danger and disappearance, had hardened Zichuan Ning. In the past, Zichuan Xiu went alone, but now with Si Yilin, she felt more at ease. Ma Wei, who had prepared a distraction activity in advance for Zichuan Ning, realized it was unnecessary. Zichuan Ning, upon hearing this, proactively asked about the activity.

It turned out Ma Wei had prepared a few horses for a ride. Remembering her beloved horse was gone, Zichuan Ning agreed to go. On the mountain trail where they rode, Zichuan Ning felt a sense of déjà vu. Ma Wei recalled that they had met here as children and that the greenery on both sides of the trail was planted because of a comment Zichuan Ning made back then.

Zichuan Ning remembered nearly falling at the time and being helped by a young boy—who turned out to be Ma Wei. Zichuan Ning mentioned how she once asked Zichuan Xiu to teach her horseback riding, but he refused. Later, after she learned it herself and challenged him, she surprisingly won. But both she and Ma Wei knew that Zichuan Xiu had let her win. Ma Wei proposed they race horses when Zichuan Xiu returned.

In Payi City, some deserters appeared—shockingly, they were from the Xiu Battalion. This surprised Zichuan Xiu, who didn’t believe it and led a search outside the city. In the mountain forest, he found Li Nong, Mao Cai, and A Ze—the three brothers who, due to lack of food, had come to hunt wild game, not to desert. Zichuan Xiu worried this might be a trap laid by the enemy to lure them out for hunting.

In the enemy camp, the commander Yun Qianxue learned that someone had gone hunting east of the city and understood the situation. He deliberately sent pursuers—not to kill them all, but to wound A Ze and break their morale. Upon returning, Zichuan Xiu harshly scolded the three for risking their lives over food and for failing to recognize the enemy's trap. However, he couldn’t bear to punish them severely and instead sentenced them to three days without food.

A Ze, upon hearing this, would rather die. Zichuan Xiu didn’t actually carry out the punishment and gave them a chance to redeem themselves. Zichuan Xiu then taught everyone a technique that would help them feel less hungry and resist the enemy. Everyone was surprised such a useful method was being taught only now. The so-called technique was deep breathing. Zichuan Xiu had Luo Jie join in, and soon the entire group was practicing the “breath cultivation” method.

This was merely a strategy to stabilize morale while waiting for an opportunity. Suddenly, Yun Qianxue’s grain transport unit was ambushed, with heads thrown into the Hui River. Yun Qianxue realized Di Lin had arrived and was attempting to cut off communication between him and the city. Di Lin arrived with his men outside Payi City and assessed the terrain. He discovered Yun Qianxue had the city tightly surrounded, making entry extremely difficult. He could only wait for a chance.

Watching the birds circling above the battlefield, Yun Qianxue lamented the calamity of war, wondering how many more lives would be lost in the conflict between the two armies. To help everyone hold on, Zichuan Xiu had no choice but to slaughter warhorses to feed the soldiers. After persuasion, Qi He drank a bowl of soup—it was the first time he had tasted salt since arriving in Payi City.

Si Yilin came up with a plan to break through the enemy lines by attacking Yun Qianxue, creating a path for the others to escape. But Zichuan Xiu disagreed, believing it wasn’t a good idea. He had faith that everything would be resolved once Di Lin arrived. Di Lin would not abandon them—just like when they were children, fighting off villains together. The two believed that as long as Di Lin knew their situation, he would come.

But Si Yilin worried that such an impenetrable encirclement would be hard for Di Lin to breach. Upon hearing from the sentries that there was an enemy camp nearby, Zichuan Xiu donned a previously seized enemy uniform and infiltrated the enemy ranks to steal some drying cured meat. By chance, he overheard a discussion that the Divine Emperor was coming to personally oversee the battle, and the soldiers speculated it might be to reprimand Yun Qianxue for his ineffective assault.

The Divine Emperor suddenly arrived and scolded Yun Qianxue for his failure. Yun Qianxue explained that the delay was due to Di Lin’s arrival and acknowledged Di Lin’s military prowess. However, the prince, eager to claim credit, dismissed Di Lin as no real threat. Yun Qianxue still insisted that Di Lin must not be underestimated. He privately inquired about the number of troops the Divine Emperor had brought and promised to take Si Yilin’s head the next day. These words were overheard by Zichuan Xiu.

Episode 2 Recap

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