Guardians of the Ancient Oath Episode 25 Recap
> Guardians of the Ancient Oath Recaps
Despite regaining her memories and understanding her true identity as Li Ruo, a descendant of the Wolf Tribe, Baili Hongyi found herself in a wrenching dilemma. She recalled that her parents were killed because Baili Haoyuan, the You Kingdom general, had refused them entry into the city. Though deeply hurt by this revelation, Baili Hongyi also recognized the severe political repercussions her true identity would bring upon the Baili family.
When Imperial Guards were ordered to capture them, Baili Hongshuo tried to intervene, but Baili Hongyi pleaded for him to be unharmed. Addressing Baili Hongxuan, who worried about her fate, she asserted that from the day her Royal Father saved her, she became a part of the Baili family and thus had no reason to run away, implying she would face the consequences rather than flee.
She then, expressing her weariness with the situation, turned to Ming Yefeng and stated, "Let's go." Knowing the You Wu tribesmen with Ming Yefeng were formidable, Baili Hongxuan ultimately relented and ordered the Imperial Guards to let them go, while Baili Hongshuo desperately called out to her. He watched, heartbroken, as she left with Ming Yefeng, a future with her now seemingly impossible.
After Baili Hongyi's departure, Baili Hongxuan, gravely aware that the Imperial Guards had witnessed her return to the Wolf Tribe, quickly dispatched Tao Shen to escort Baili Hongshuo back to Li City. To conceal the truth and protect the Baili family from accusations of treason, Baili Hongxuan killed all the remaining Imperial Guards who had accompanied him. When Commander Tian Yuan arrived with reinforcements, he found only a scene of carnage and a severely wounded Baili Hongxuan.
Feigning injury, Baili Hongxuan recounted a fabricated story: they had fallen into a Wolf Tribe ambush, where Ming Yefeng kidnapped his sister, Baili Hongyi, threatening her chastity and demanding 5,000 weapons from the Fu Song Unit. When he refused, Baili Hongyi, unable to bear the humiliation, tragically drowned herself in the river. He then dramatically ordered a search for her body, further cementing the false narrative.
Unbeknownst to them, Jin Yang, observing from her cloud-shrouded cottage through a magical mirror, witnessed the entire ordeal. She saw Baili Hongxuan's distress and calculated it as the perfect opportunity to repay his kindness. Acknowledging that Baili Hongxuan's situation would become even more difficult, she resolved to return to his side, confident that with further cultivation, she could control her demon spirit and spiritual energy.
Meanwhile, at the You Kingdom's court, news of Baili Hongyi's alleged death and the ambush sparked a heated debate. General He Yao vehemently advocated for war with the Wolf Tribe, arguing that the kidnapping and the Commandery Princess's death were direct affronts to Great You's authority. He declared that such humiliation could not be endured. However, Prime Minister Pang and other ministers cautioned against rash military action.
They reminded the Emperor and Queen Dowager that Great You’s long-standing peace at the northern border would be shattered, and that Baili Hongyi's sacrifice to prevent war should be honored. They argued that a war would only play into the Wolf Tribe's hands, who likely sought to provoke conflict, and that Great You's resources were not suited for a large-scale northern campaign. Baili Hongxuan, maintaining a stoic silence throughout the debate, subtly conveyed his acceptance of the greater good.
The Emperor, swayed by the arguments for peace and strategic patience, decided against immediate military retaliation. He posthumously honored Baili Hongyi with the title "Jin State Princess" and declared seven days of mourning for all royalty and officials, with a hundred-day ban on festivities across Great You. Baili Hongxuan thanked the Emperor and Queen Dowager for their wisdom and mercy, acknowledging that he had failed to protect his sister.
He reiterated his commitment to the state by declining the Emperor's offer to recall Baili Hongshuo from Li City for the funeral, arguing it would leave the city vulnerable to the cunning Wolf Tribe. Back in the Wolf Tribe, Mola Khan confronted Xili Du, demanding to know why Li Ruo, whom he believed dead, was still alive.
Xili Du admitted that while Princess Na Cheng and her You Kingdom scholar lover had been executed as ordered, their "illegitimate bastard" had survived. Mola Khan, enraged, declared that the unclean bloodline of a sullied Sacred Lady was a betrayal to their ancestors and could not be allowed to exist. Xili Du, eager to atone for his past failure, immediately offered to eliminate Li Ruo. However, Mola Khan had underestimated Ming Yefeng's resolve.
Ming Yefeng, with Li Ruo by his side, boldly marched into Mola Khan's tent, deliberately allowing Li Ruo to walk ahead, a blatant disregard for tradition that drew gasps and outrage from the assembled tribesmen. Li Ruo introduced herself as Princess Na Cheng's daughter and Mola Khan's blood granddaughter.
When Mola Khan ordered her arrest, Ming Yefeng drew his sword, declaring that no one would harm Li Ruo as long as he lived, threatening to kill anyone who dared, even Mola Khan himself. In a tense private confrontation, Ming Yefeng defiantly dismissed the ancestral rules as outdated, asserting that he would protect Li Ruo at all costs.
Mola Khan accused him of challenging tradition despite being raised like a son, but Ming Yefeng calmly retorted with Mola Khan's own teaching: "a true hero understands his situation," implying Mola Khan should now recognize Ming Yefeng's power. Ming Yefeng's unwavering stance for Li Ruo also drew the concern of Ba Yin. She confronted him, expressing worry that his actions were alienating tribal support and risking the position of her brother, the Chief of the Bai Ze Unit.
Ming Yefeng, however, saw through her concerns, accusing her brother of fearing the loss of his own power. He adamantly stated that he needed no advice on how to conduct his affairs and warned both Ba Yin and her brother that anyone who dared to harm Li Ruo, even the King, would face his wrath. Among the Wolf Tribe, only Chou Nu truly understood Ming Yefeng's devotion, or at least offered him unwavering loyalty.
Ming Yefeng confided in Chou Nu that while uniting the prairie was important for the tribe's livelihood, fulfilling his personal vow to protect Li Ruo was his ultimate priority. He explained that having once lost the most important person in his life, he wouldn't allow himself to experience that emptiness again. Chou Nu, whose own world revolved around Ming Yefeng, assured him of his absolute support and loyalty. Meanwhile, Tao Shen escorted Baili Hongshuo to the border of Li City.
He implored the young lord to understand that Baili Hongyi had returned to the Wolf Tribe, and given the animosity between the two nations, any attempt to pursue her would be futile and dangerous. Tao Shen emphasized the dire consequences of rash actions, warning that it could lead to Baili Hongxuan's death and bring ruin to the entire Marquis's manor, which served as a refuge for countless followers and staff.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation and his responsibility to the people of Li City, Baili Hongshuo reluctantly agreed to return home, promising not to cause any further trouble for the manor. At the Marquis's manor, Baili Hongxuan gazed at Baili Hongyi’s memorial tablet, refusing to rest. He touched the empty coffin, mourning not just his adopted sister, but the official death of Baili Hongyi, leaving only Li Ruo, the Wolf Tribe descendant, alive.
He privately vowed to avenge this profound loss against Ming Yefeng, reinforcing his public persona of a grieving brother swallowing blood for the greater good, while harboring a deep-seated determination for retribution.
