The Legend of Xiao Chuo Episode 1 Recap
> The Legend of Xiao Chuo Recap
The Khitan people, whose name signifies ice-iron, have long inhabited the vast steppe, striving for resilience as ice-iron. They have herded horses and sheep, braved snow and storms, and etched their legends into history. The narrative commences in the twenty-seventh year of Tonghe, at Yanyun Terrace in Youzhou City, where Emperor Shizong Yelü Ruan defied tradition by appointing Empress Zhen, a lady from the South, as his Empress.
This act underscored his resolve to emulate the Han system, yet he failed to perceive the deepening opposition from the old nobility to his reforms. The ensuing bloody sacrifice irrevocably altered the destinies of all involved. Eighteen years later, the rich steppe echoed with laughter. Among the vibrant scene stood Xiao Yanyan, a confident young woman in the prime of her youth.
As the youngest daughter of Prime Minister Xiao Siwen and the Princess of Yan, she was deeply beloved by her parents and two older sisters, fostering an optimistic and passionate spirit that refused to yield. To demonstrate that Khitan women could be as capable as men, she engaged in a wrestling match with Molugu, the son of Yelü Hugu of the Six Divisions, who was her suitor.
Yanyan moved with grace and agility, using her cunning to outwit Molugu's brute strength, ultimately tossing him to the ground and earning cheers from the onlookers. She declared that she needed the best horse on the steppe to prove her point, and Molugu, having lost, was obligated to give her his horse. Meanwhile, at the Liao army camp in Youzhou City, Han Derang, son of Changle Palace Envoy Han Kuangsi, was rigorously training soldiers.
A striking figure with dark eyebrows, he observed his men taming new military horses. Suddenly, a runaway warhorse charged wildly towards Han Derang. Displaying remarkable skill, Han Derang swiftly brought the spirited horse under control. Observing its dark body and white hooves, reminiscent of dark clouds resting upon mountain snow, he named the horse "Cloud Snow." With the horse came a letter from his old friend Yelv Xian, also known as Mingyi, in Shangjing, urging his immediate return.
Han Derang recalled his youth, where he was bullied by Molugu's group for his humble status as a family slave, until Mingyi, then Prince Yelv Xian, intervened, proclaiming that the Liao people were all equal regardless of status. Mingyi became Han Derang's only true friend, and he fondly remembered their promise of lifelong friendship. Xiao Yanyan soon encountered Han Derang on the street.
Captivated by Cloud Snow, she devised a ploy, feigning that his horse had startled hers, and demanded his horse as compensation. Despite Han Derang's warnings that the horse was too spirited for her to handle, Yanyan remained undeterred. She boldly offered ten taels of silver for the horse, asserting that no horse on the steppe was beyond her control. Without hesitation, she mounted Cloud Snow, but the horse's fierce nature proved too much.
It galloped wildly through the streets, overturning stalls, and eventually charging into an execution ground. Mistaken for someone attempting to disrupt the execution, Xiao Yanyan was nearly apprehended. Han Derang arrived just in time, shielding her and explaining that the horse had merely been startled. Xiao Yanyan then revealed her identity as the daughter of Prime Minister Xiao Siwen, saving Han Derang from arrest by claiming he was her family's horseman.
Leaving the execution ground, Han Derang returned the ten taels of silver, refusing to sell Cloud Snow. Xiao Yanyan, however, insisted on having the horse. With keen observation, she deduced that Han Derang was a guard from the South, unauthorized to be in the capital without his official pass, suggesting he might have a secret. Han Derang smiled, acknowledging her sharp insight, and finally conceded, gifting her Cloud Snow.
Elsewhere on the steppe, Prime Minister Xiao Siwen's second daughter, Xiao Wuguli, was engrossed in a riddle game with other noblewomen, with golden hairpins as stakes. When one girl lost but refused to yield her hairpin, Wuguli moved to seize it, resulting in a scuffle. Their eldest sister, Xiao Hunian, intervened.
She first instructed Wuguli to return the hairpin, then, with her profound knowledge and elegant demeanor, she skillfully presented a riddle and its answer (wind), earning respect for the Xiao family's wisdom and resolving the dispute honorably, without taking any prizes. She reminded her sisters to be mindful of their conduct to avoid trouble for their family, whose father was a high-ranking official.
At the royal palace in Shangjing, Yelv Xian, also known as Mingyi, joyfully reunited with Han Derang after many years. Mingyi recounted the Mount Xianggu incident, where Yelv Jing exploited the Chage rebellion to usurp his father, Emperor Shizong's, throne. He confided that he had endured years of hardship, living only for the day of his revenge. Now with Han Derang back, he believed his vengeance was within reach.
To achieve his goal, Mingyi needed an identity to approach the center of power and secure the support of the Empress's clan. He instructed Han Derang to win the upcoming archery competition to become the leader of the Royal Clan Troops. Before the competition, he gave Han Derang a jade pendant, a relic of the late Emperor, to present to an important person he wished to meet, signifying his intention for Xiao Siwen to make a crucial choice for Liao.
The three Xiao sisters gathered by a tree for a traditional sacrifice ritual. Xiao Yanyan proudly spoke of her newly acquired Cloud Snow, boasting of its worth and her plans to make a grand showing at the archery competition. While Wuguli focused her prayers on a blissful marriage, Yanyan abandoned her own prayers, expressing a desire for women to be independent.
She admired Empress Dowager Shulü, who married Emperor Abaoji at fourteen and began handling state affairs, wishing to be brave and lead armies herself, rather than living a boring life confined to everyday routines. She questioned why women couldn't participate in the archery competition, a crucial event for selecting military generals.
Meanwhile, at Imperial Uncle Yelv Lihu's mansion, he stressed to his son, Yelv Xiyin, the importance of winning the archery competition to secure military power, a vital step in their ambitions to regain control. He also sought to enlist Xiao Siwen's aid during the Spring Hunting. Back at the Xiao mansion, Xiao Siwen burned a letter and strictly instructed his three daughters not to leave the house freely during the upcoming Spring Hunting, especially not to attend the archery competition.
He sternly singled out Yanyan for her boyish, troublemaking ways. A palace envoy then announced a visitor, mentioning "Mount Xianggu," which visibly unnerved Xiao Siwen. He immediately dismissed his daughters. As they left, Xiao Yanyan encountered Han Derang in the courtyard, mistaking his visit for an attempt to reclaim Cloud Snow. She confronted him loudly, but Han Derang merely smiled and returned her ten taels of silver, reiterating his refusal to sell the horse.
Han Derang then met with Xiao Siwen and presented the jade pendant. Seeing it, Xiao Siwen was transported back to the bloody sacrifice many years ago. Emperor Shizong Yelü Ruan, despite Lord Wuzhi's counsel, had stubbornly pushed for the Han system, leading to the Mount Xianggu incident. Han Derang challenged Xiao Siwen, urging him to again choose a future for Liao, reminding him of his courage during the Chage rebellion.
Their solemn discussion was interrupted by Xiao Yanyan, who burst in and pulled Han Derang away. She offered to return Cloud Snow after the archery competition, acknowledging her initial "taking of what others loved." Han Derang, amused by her affection for the horse, confirmed it was her gift.
He then subtly advised her that if anyone inquired about his visit, she should claim he came to the Xiao mansion merely to demand money for the horse, ensuring the safety of both her and her family. He also asked her to take good care of Cloud Snow, to which she enthusiastically agreed.
