Guardians of the Ancient Oath Episode 22 Recap
> Guardians of the Ancient Oath Recap
Baili Hongyi struggled with her fragmented memories of the past, having long forgotten her biological parents' identities, though she clearly remembered her enemies were from the Wolf Tribe. All she knew about the past came from Baili Haoyuan, whom she regarded as her father and staunchly defended against any slander from Ming Yefeng. She made it clear that if she ever discovered the true killer, she would personally exact revenge for her parents.
Ming Yefeng, however, challenged her memories, suggesting that what she believed might merely be what Baili Haoyuan had told her, subtly implying that Baili Haoyuan’s account might not be entirely truthful. He then led her to the border between You Kingdom and the Wolf Tribe, urging her to recall more details.
Meanwhile, at the You Kingdom-Wolf Tribe border, Baili Hongxuan, observing Ming Yefeng's unyielding refusal to negotiate for Baili Hongyi’s return, deduced that Ming Yefeng’s intention was to corner the Baili family and undermine their standing with the court. Despite the mounting pressure, Baili Hongxuan resolved to remain calm and not panic. Unknown to him, Jin Yang was already on her way to Li City. Jin Yang stopped at a teahouse, where she caught the attention of several men.
Upon finding a hidden note inside her flatbread, her expression changed, and she quickly left for a nearby forest. There, she was ambushed and trapped in a Golden Cauldron Cage, causing her to faint. When she awoke, she found herself suspended and unable to move. The men from the teahouse, having recognized her true form as a "Zhen Bird," admitted they intended to sell her for a substantial sum. Jin Yang's pleas for release were ignored.
In a desperate surge of power, she unleashed her full abilities, instantly killing her captors. Horrified by her actions, the men's words about her being a demon echoed in her mind. This brutal act confirmed her deepest fears about her non-human nature, leaving her questioning how she could ever face Baili Hongxuan again. Concurrently, in Shuchi, the Wolf Tribe held its annual spring ceremony, where all clan chiefs were expected to attend.
Ming Yefeng’s absence became a topic of jest among the chiefs, who speculated he was indulging with a new "beauty" from the southern states. Xili Du, a prominent elder, seized the opportunity to question Ming Yefeng’s actions, including his use of the Thousand Mountains Decree to mobilize the You Wu tribesmen and keeping a "man of unknown origin" in his tent, which he called inappropriate.
Another attendee corrected him, stating the "man" was actually a beautiful woman from the south disguised as a man. Xili Du then tried to pressure Ming Yefeng to present the Thousand Mountains Decree to Mola Khan, framing it as a vital step for the Wolf Tribe's unity and strength.
Ming Yefeng, arriving late, apologized for his delay and, with practiced diplomacy, deflected Xili Du’s attempts by expressing his unwavering loyalty to Mola Khan and subtly redirecting the praise back to Xili Du. Mola Khan, deciding to keep the peace, declared that they should only discuss joyful matters on this festive day. Ming Lai and Ba Yin formally greeted Mola Khan.
Ming Lai thanked Mola Khan for his appointment as Chief of the Bai Ze Unit and also expressed gratitude to Ming Yefeng for his support. Ming Yefeng returned the compliment, praising Ming Lai’s leadership as an example for other chiefs. He then raised a toast, expressing his happiness at the unity of the chiefs and wishing for the Wolf Tribe's prosperity. However, Ba Yin, driven by the Bai Ze Unit's deep-seated hatred for the Baili clan, intentionally disrupted the harmony.
She publicly revealed that the woman in Ming Yefeng’s tent was Baili Hongyi, daughter of Baili Haoyuan—a man responsible for the deaths of thousands of Bai Ze tribesmen. Her revelation ignited outrage among the other chiefs, who demanded Hongyi’s immediate death. Ming Yefeng swiftly deployed his You Wu Dark Guards to block them, asserting that revenge against the Baili clan should be settled on the battlefield, not by killing a mere woman, which he deemed unheroic.
The enraged chiefs questioned Ming Yefeng's loyalty, forcing Mola Khan to intervene, forcefully quashing the escalating conflict to prevent bloodshed on such an important day. After dismissing the other chiefs, Mola Khan confronted Ming Yefeng in private. He expressed his disappointment, reminding Ming Yefeng how precarious the trust between the clans was and how easily it could be shattered by his actions, potentially leading to internal strife that the You Kingdom could exploit, causing devastating consequences for the Lang Tribe.
He urged Ming Yefeng to reveal his true intentions for bringing Baili Hongyi back. Ming Yefeng, however, remained cryptic, stating that his actions were aimed at fulfilling a long-standing wish and that he would explain everything when the time was right, but it was not the moment. Mola Khan, frustrated by Ming Yefeng's usual secrecy, warned him against jeopardizing the Wolf Tribe's future and not to disappoint him, ultimately conceding that he could not force Ming Yefeng to speak.
In Li City, Hou Zhengze, still impersonating Baili Hongshuo, was overwhelmed by military affairs. His subordinates pressed him for decisions on tax issues due to a recent flood and concerns about Wolf Tribe spies infiltrating merchant caravans. Flustered and inept, Zhengze deferred to his aides, agreeing to their suggestions without real understanding and frequently claiming fatigue to escape his duties. Mu Qi, noticing Zhengze's uncharacteristic lethargy and indecisiveness, assumed it was due to personal worries.
He inadvertently revealed to Zhengze that Baili Hongyi had been kidnapped from her wedding. Startled by this news, which he had clearly missed in the official reports, Zhengze feigned distress and told Mu Qi to handle all military matters, stating he needed time alone. Later that night, the real Baili Hongshuo, determined to rescue Baili Hongyi, knocked out a guard and slipped away from Li City, heading towards the Wolf Tribe territory.
Meanwhile, Ba Yin confided in her brother, Ming Lai, about her concerns regarding Baili Hongyi. She expressed her fear that Hongyi, unlike other women, posed a significant threat to Ming Yefeng’s standing and their clan's future due to her identity as an enemy’s daughter. Ming Lai advised her to be patient and strategic, reminding her that her marriage to Ming Yefeng was for the Bai Ze Unit.
He urged her to become an indispensable partner and friend to Ming Yefeng, rather than being easily replaced, and to avoid impulsive actions that could jeopardize their clan's future. Ba Yin, still uneasy, promised to heed his advice, knowing she had his support. Back with Ming Yefeng, Baili Hongyi was plagued by another nightmare, reliving the blood-red wasteland. This time, she saw a child Ming Yefeng with a knife, facing a child version of herself.
The scene shifted to an adult Ming Yefeng swinging a sword at her. She woke up in a cold sweat, recalling only that Ming Yefeng was present when her parents died. Ming Yefeng took her to the Dark Deer Sea, a forbidden land of the Wolf Tribe. He told her it was a place she had brought him to many years ago, a place where he had once felt immense excitement.
Now, without her by his side, the extraordinary sight no longer held the same wonder for him. Baili Hongyi, unable to remember, vehemently dismissed his claims as nonsense, refusing to believe his words about their shared past. Even though she couldn't recall the past, the memories hidden deep within her heart made her uncontrollably sad. Looking at Ming Yefeng's face, it suddenly overlapped with his blood-stained appearance as a child, causing her a subconscious moment of panic.
