Guardians of the Ancient Oath Episode 12 Recap
> Guardians of the Ancient Oath Recap
Baili Hongyi cherished the freedom of the prairie, confessing she hadn't felt so free in a long time. However, with Baili Hongxuan's arrival, she knew her stay was coming to an end. Baili Hongshuo, reluctant to part, asked if she would miss him. He teased her about asking for more letters, but she replied that she would come to see him if she missed him, and he promised to wait.
They sealed their promise with a pinky swear, a childish gesture Baili Hongshuo playfully chided her for. From a vantage point, Ming Yefeng observed Baili Hongyi and Baili Hongshuo's farewell. Having confirmed Baili Hongyi's identity as Xiao Ruo, he ordered Chou Nu to monitor her every move, along with Baili Hongxuan, emphasizing that everything must be reported. This surveillance seemed to be more about protection than mere observation.
Inside his tent, Ming Yefeng asked Ba Yin if she had a message from Ming Lai. Instead of replying verbally, Ba Yin drew a blade, revealing herself not as a messenger but an assassin. Ming Yefeng remarked that he liked a pretty assassin. Ba Yin then declared her intention to marry him, stating it was for both the Bai Ze Unit and herself.
Acknowledging his reputation for having many women, she asserted that she did not wish to be easily replaced. Ming Yefeng, complimenting her youth, beauty, and spirited demeanor, then accepted her proposal. Ba Yin expressed her hope that he would one day return her affection. Before her departure, Baili Hongyi gave extensive instructions to Hou Zhengze on how to care for Baili Hongshuo.
She told him not to let Baili Hongshuo act impulsively, drink alcohol as it makes him rash, and to ensure he stays warm at night by adding burning charcoal and extra blankets. After their goodbyes, Baili Hongshuo sent Baili Hongxuan and Baili Hongyi on their way, urging his brother to be wise about something he had given him. He Yao then suddenly ambushed the departing siblings.
Baili Hongxuan confronted He Yao, questioning his sanity, while He Yao declared his intent to kill them all. Baili Hongxuan was shocked by He Yao's significantly improved swordsmanship and was severely wounded, spitting blood. Baili Hongyi rushed to her injured brother's side. Even with Baili Hongshuo and Baili Hongyi fighting alongside him, they were no match for He Yao, whose martial arts had dramatically improved.
He Yao expressed his deep resentment towards Baili Hongshuo, feeling he had been tolerating him for too long. When Baili Hongshuo struck him with a sword, He Yao vanished into yellow dust, only to reappear in the air, then easily subdued all three siblings. Just as He Yao was about to strike Baili Hongshuo, An Tingfeng, a Demon Hunter Baili Hongxuan had met before, appeared and effortlessly overpowered He Yao.
An Tingfeng explained that He Yao was not a demon but was being manipulated by one, having sold ten years of his life due to his intense hatred for the three Baili siblings. After An Tingfeng purged the demonic energy, He Yao fell unconscious. An Tingfeng then elaborated on the existence of demons, gods, and the ancient Jian Tree, explaining that while gods and humans were once connected, the tree was severed, separating their realms.
Demons, he explained, can be anything from nature and can take human form with enough cultivation. He warned Baili Hongxuan that "catastrophe follows when Yayu appears" and that the person Baili Hongxuan saw in his manor was a demon. He then challenged Baili Hongxuan, asking why he, a man of great intelligence, had such trouble believing in demons despite having seen one himself. He suggested they might become allies one day and then departed.
Witnessing these inexplicable events, Baili Hongxuan finally had to concede the existence of demons. Confronting a now-awake He Yao, Baili Hongshuo detailed He Yao's collusion with the Wolf Tribe, including faking mountain demons to cut off water at Qianling Lake and poisoning the supply to target Baili Hongshuo. He revealed that He Yao's private letters with Bai Nuo, the Chief of Bai Ze Unit, were already on their way to the Censorate in Ye City.
He Yao, initially denying the accusations as baseless framing, expressed shock at how Baili Hongshuo knew so much. Baili Hongshuo admonished He Yao for his disregard for the law and his ancestors, driven by excessive ambition and greed, despite his privileged status as a royal relative. He Yao, however, boasted that as long as his aunt was the Empress Dowager, he would remain untouchable.
Baili Hongshuo countered that the evidence was too overwhelming for even the Empress Dowager to protect him this time, and then ordered He Yao to be escorted back to his manor. With He Yao showing no signs of repentance, Baili Hongshuo decided to send the incriminating letters to the Censorate immediately. As Baili Hongshuo rode off, Baili Hongyi expressed deep concern for his safety.
Baili Hongxuan noted her increasing concern for Baili Hongshuo, a change from her childhood tendency to follow him. Baili Hongyi defended herself, saying Baili Hongshuo was not just "someone else" and that he often followed her. Chou Nu reported to Ming Yefeng that Baili Hongxuan and Baili Hongyi had left Li City but were ambushed by He Yao. Ming Yefeng initially dismissed He Yao, believing he was too incompetent to defeat Baili Hongxuan or even Baili Hongyi.
However, when Chou Nu revealed that He Yao's martial arts had dramatically improved and that even the three Baili siblings together couldn't defeat him, and that a demon hunter had intervened, Ming Yefeng showed a moment of palpable tension, particularly when he asked if Baili Hongyi was injured. This confirmed his unusual concern for her.
In the King Mola Khan's tent within the Wolf Tribe's Shu Chi domain, Ming Yefeng's newly wedded wife, Ba Yin, delivered a letter from Yi Jiumo. She gracefully expressed her comfort and liking for Shu Chi, her husband's hometown, and conveyed Yi Jiumo's personal instruction to deliver the letter to the King.
Mola Khan was delighted to learn that Priest Yi Jiumo had decided to participate in the annual ancestral ritual, noting that Yi Jiumo, the designated priest, would bring great fortune and prestige. He immediately commanded that Yi Jiumo would preside over the ritual, and all other priests of Shu Chi were to obey Yi Jiumo's orders, underscoring Yi Jiumo's significant influence, which extended far beyond the Bai Ze Unit. Ba Yin thanked the King for recognizing her tribe's loyalty.
Upon returning to the Marquis' manor in Ye City, Baili Hongxuan first inquired about the household from Uncle He, then went to see Jin Yang. Their interaction was formal and distant. Jin Yang, who appeared thinner with dark circles under her eyes, told him she had been anxiously awaiting his return and had prepared tea.
She confirmed that her recent visit to the palace was routine and that the Empress Dowager had only expressed concern for her well-being in Baili Hongxuan's absence. Although Baili Hongxuan still harbored some distrust towards Jin Yang, his words showed a subtle shift. While he still inquired about her conversation with the Empress Dowager, his tone was less cold.
He then entrusted her with the responsibility of managing household affairs, including preparing winter clothing for everyone in the manor, advising her to seek guidance from Uncle He who had served the Marquis' manor for decades. He informed her he would be busy with official matters and would be in his study late, so she shouldn't wait for him.
