The Legend of the Condor Heroes Episode 1 Recap
> The Legend of the Condor Heroes Recap
On a snowy night in Niu Village, Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin, sworn brothers, shared drinks, reminiscing about the assassination of General Yue Fei sixty years prior on the 29th of January, 1142. They expressed deep admiration for the general and their own aspirations to serve the country faithfully. Their wives, Li Ping and Bao Xiruo, both visibly pregnant, soon joined them, carefully tidying up the broken bowls from the brothers' impassioned toasts.
Each wife insisted on handling the chores, mindful of the other's pregnancy. A Taoist priest approached their home, his light footsteps leaving no trace in the snow. Impressed by his martial arts, the brothers invited him in for warm wine. The Taoist, observing their own hidden skills, initially suspected them of ill intent. Their cautious exchange escalated into a brief skirmish. When the Taoist opened his bag, a human head fell out.
Mistaking him for a killer, the brothers fought, only for the Taoist to recognize the "Back Thrust of Yang Clan Spear" in Yang Tiexin's moves. Identifying himself as Qiu Chuji, he explained that the head belonged to Wang Daoqian, a traitor. The brothers, descendants of patriots themselves—Yang Tiexin from General Yang Zaixin and Guo Xiaotian from Guo Sheng of Mount Liangshan—quickly clarified their identities and expressed their profound respect for Qiu Chuji's heroic deeds against the Jin invaders.
Just as they were about to retreat inside, a group of Jin soldiers appeared, pursuing Qiu Chuji. He instructed the brothers to stay indoors, assuring them he would handle the attackers alone. True to his word, Qiu Chuji swiftly eliminated the Jin soldiers. Returning to the house, the brothers earnestly requested Qiu Chuji to stay for a few days and teach them martial arts. Qiu Chuji agreed and was introduced to Li Ping and Bao Xiruo.
Upon learning of their pregnancies, he gifted them two daggers, on which he carved the names Guo Jing and Yang Kang, hoping the children would remember the Jingkang Incident and grow up to serve their country. The four adults joyfully declared that if both children were boys, they would become sworn brothers; if girls, they would be sisters; and if one was a boy and the other a girl, they would marry.
They exchanged the daggers as tokens of this pact. Later that night, Bao Xiruo heard a noise and discovered an injured man, struck by an arrow, in their straw shed. Despite her initial fear, she was moved by his plea for help and carefully extracted the arrow, applied medicine, and provided care. She knew her husband would kill him if he found out, but also recognized him as an enemy of Taoist Qiu, leaving her conflicted.
The next morning, when Yang Tiexin decided to look for iron in the lumber room, Bao Xiruo rushed to accompany him, fearing the injured man would be discovered. To her relief, the man had vanished. Three months passed. Suddenly, a troop of government soldiers stormed Niu Village, led by an officer named Duan Tiande. They loudly declared Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin to be rebels and threatened to burn down the village if they didn't surrender.
Believing themselves innocent, the brothers initially intended to go with the soldiers to clarify the misunderstanding and demanded to know their crime. Duan Tiande haughtily refused to provide a reason and instead ordered the capture of their wives as accomplices for harboring the "rebels." This forced the brothers to resist. A brutal fight erupted, and the brothers attempted to escape on horseback with their wives.
During the escape, Guo Xiaotian was shot with an arrow and died defending Yang Tiexin, entrusting his wife and unborn child to his brother's care. Yang Tiexin desperately tried to save both Li Ping and Bao Xiruo. He managed to reach Bao Xiruo first, urging her to hide while he went for Li Ping, promising to reunite later.
Bao Xiruo, heartbroken, begged him not to leave her alone, reminding him of their vow never to part and the baby's need for a father. Yang Tiexin, however, insisted she protect their child, expressing hope for their eventual reunion if fate allowed. He then rescued Li Ping, but they were quickly surrounded by a barrage of arrows. Yang Tiexin sustained multiple wounds and was pushed off a cliff. Li Ping was captured by Duan Tiande's men.
Meanwhile, Bao Xiruo, still fleeing the chaos, was unexpectedly rescued by the same injured man she had helped three months prior. Days later, Qiu Chuji rode back through Niu Village, aghast to see Guo Xiaotian's body displayed as a rebel. Realizing his presence had brought calamity upon the two families, he furiously questioned the soldiers, killing several before extracting Duan Tiande's name as the orchestrator.
Bao Xiruo awoke in an inn in Jiaxing, where her rescuer, introducing himself as Yan Lie, informed her that Yang Tiexin had been killed by the soldiers. Overcome with grief, she struggled to accept the news. Yan Lie had instructed the innkeeper to believe they were married to avoid suspicion, and from a doctor, he learned of her pregnancy. Meanwhile, Qiu Chuji pursued Duan Tiande.
Duan Tiande, bringing Li Ping with him, sought refuge in Fahua Temple with his uncle, Abbot Jiaomu, feigning piety and distress. Qiu Chuji confronted Jiaomu, demanding Duan Tiande. After a tense exchange, Jiaomu requested three days before handing over Duan Tiande, proposing they meet at Zuixian Tavern. As a powerful demonstration, Qiu Chuji moved a massive bronze tripod from the temple, signifying his resolve. Back at the inn, Wanyan Honglie discovered his money had been stolen.
He was then visited by the local official of Jiaxing, Gai Yuncong, who groveled before him. From her upstairs, Bao Xiruo overheard a guard reveal Yan Lie's true identity: Wanyan Honglie, the Sixth Prince of Jin. Recalling Yang Tiexin’s intense hatred for the Jin, she resolved to avenge her husband. Confronting him with a dagger, she declared her intention to kill him.
Wanyan Honglie, however, calmly stated that he was indeed Jin, but it was a Song official who had killed Yang Tiexin. He then appealed to her to live for the sake of her unborn child, who carried Yang Tiexin's bloodline and would need to seek revenge for its father. Overwhelmed by her grief and the thought of her child, Bao Xiruo helplessly gave up on killing him.
