Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy Episode 45 Recap
> Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy Recap
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
A blood-soaked Hanzhou messenger arrived at the city gate, declaring that the Tiefen would continuously send challenges until Hanzhou's flag was planted in Tianqi Imperial City. On the city wall, Yu Xinji repeatedly knelt before Muru Hanchuan, requesting to lead troops out to battle. Other city guards also knelt, urging Muru Hanchuan to agree. Though reluctant, Muru Hanchuan consented, opening the city gates for Yu Xinji.
The messenger revealed his name: Helan Tuotuo, a warrior of the Helan Tribe under Tiefen, stating that only Muru Iron Cavalry like Yu Xinji were worthy to know his name. Yu Xinji, admiring Helan Tuotuo's courage, removed his armor to fight naked as a sign of respect. Helan Tuotuo, after painfully pulling out arrows from his body, charged with a great saber.
Yu Xinji struck him down with a sword, but Helan Tuotuo continued to struggle, trying to fight with his saber until his strength failed him. He then knelt, swearing an oath to the sky god Pandata, and took his last breath as Yu Xinji stood behind him with his sword. That night, heavy snow fell.
At the Hanzhou Muru camp, Muru Suo stood alone, enduring the wind and snow with his soldiers, waiting for the vanguard soldiers to return, refusing to seek warmth despite Muru Hanchuan's pleas. Muru Hanchuan worried that the vanguard camp's 150 elite cavalry would be wiped out in Feiyungu. Muru Suo scolded him for boosting the enemy's morale. A dead vanguard soldier was brought back by his warhorse, carrying Hanzhou's repeating crossbows. Muru Suo felt self-reproach for the soldier's death.
Muru Hanchuan saw the repeating crossbows, realizing their sophistication, and believed that someone in the court was colluding with and supporting the Hanzhou rebellion, as Hanzhou alone could not produce such refined weapons. Muru Hanchuan intended to expose Muyun Luan's ambition to Muyun Qin. Muru Suo, however, did not want to cause more trouble. He ordered that upon encountering Hanzhou's repeating crossbow army, troops should retreat to preserve strength.
He also slapped Muru Hanchuan and ordered him to destroy the repeating crossbows and not leak information. Muru Hanchuan, still feeling defiant, questioned his father, highlighting that their 90,000 elite Muru Iron Cavalry could quickly win if allowed to fight together, but the court only permitted 10,000 troops with insufficient provisions, clearly persecuting the Muru clan.
Muru Suo firmly stopped Muru Hanchuan, stating that their mission was to suppress the rebellion for the Muyun clan, and exposing internal matters would put Muyun Qin in a difficult position. Being Muru meant suppressing rebellions for Muyun, no matter the difficulty, without complaint. In the underground Wuyang City, Wisdom King prepared to send Hanjang away.
He reminded Hanjang of their agreement: when Hanjang becomes the human king, he must fulfill the promise to let Sumoguo's Heluo people return to the surface to live and build their homes. The Imperial Seal signified kingship. Hanjang, however, did not want to compete with Muyun Sheng for the throne. He admitted to having lied to Wisdom King and returned to his room, refusing to leave.
Wisdom King revealed that he had learned from a Feather King that Kyushu was about to restart, that everything would begin anew, and that Hanjang and Muyun Sheng were destined to contend for the throne. He also mentioned that his Heluo tribe could create Chenyu arrows, and that the Great Duan Dynasty's trusted Imperial Heavenly Sect was a type of Feather Tribe star calculation.
He told Hanjang that humans occupied the most fertile plains, free from anxiety, while the Five Tribes struggled for survival, which was unfair. Hanjang, understanding the implications of Kyushu restarting ("no destruction, no establishment; no annihilation, no birth"), warned Wisdom King that if the Five Tribes dared to unite and contend with Muyun Sheng for the throne, he would not spare them. Wisdom King laughed at Hanjang's naiveté, asserting that contending with Muyun Sheng was Hanjang's inescapable destiny.
Before Wisdom King could finish speaking, Hanjang intentionally punched him, wanting to be imprisoned to avoid going out and escaping reality. Wisdom King also noted that Hanjang couldn't hide in the underground city forever, as there was a girl waiting for him. Yu Xinji returned from Shangyang Pass to the bamboo house, discovering Muyun Sheng had locked himself in his room, not eating or drinking, concentrating on secret arts.
Yu Xinji, unwilling to let Muyun Sheng waste himself, entered the room and used palace maids to bring food, patiently trying to persuade him. Muyun Sheng stated his unwavering determination to learn secret arts, believing it was the only way to remember Pan Xi forever. He viewed the secret arts as Pan Xi's gift, implying that if the arts endured, Pan Xi would endure.
Yu Xinji, sympathizing with the pain of losing a loved one (using his dead mother's example), urged Muyun Sheng that Pan Xi would not wish to see him harm himself this way. Muyun Sheng asked if Yu Xinji would regret caring for him, given that he vowed revenge and everyone else avoided him. Yu Xinji sincerely advised Muyun Sheng not to misunderstand him, and equally, not to underestimate or misunderstand himself.
In the palace, Muyun Qin visited Empress Nanku Mingyi, and they observed the June snow, which was considered an ill omen. The Empress seized the opportunity to request a general amnesty, including the release of Muyun Heguo, who had been imprisoned for years. However, Muyun Qin led her to Jinningyuan, Muyun Sheng's former palace, which was also the old site of the Nanku Mansion. He distinctly remembered Muyun Sheng's birthday, which also coincided with June snow.
Believing that burning the Stargazing Pavilion was not Muyun Sheng's true intention, Muyun Qin, after Muyun Sheng's several days of confinement, planned to summon Muyun Sheng back to Jinningyuan to reside and accompany the Empress. The Empress vehemently opposed this, citing Muyun Sheng's madness and arguing that Muyun Qin's safety was paramount, outweighing Yinrong's maternal love for Muyun Sheng. In the prison, Yu Xinji interrogated the attendant who tasted the wine at the banquet.
Under torture, the attendant firmly maintained that he had tasted the wine, and it was safe. However, he revealed that Eunuch Qin, the Emperor's personal attendant, had remained in the hall and touched the wine on the crown prince's table after he left. Armed with this crucial clue, Yu Xinji then rushed to Ling Heqing's prison cell. Inside, Ling Heqing was loudly demanding to see the stars.
Yu Xinji confronted him, demanding to know why he had used secret arts to capture Pan Xi, the spirit next to Muyun Sheng. Ling Heqing initially tried to justify his actions by claiming he was protecting Muyun Qin. Yu Xinji, however, retorted with a cold smile, pointing out the clear flaw: Ling Heqing had carved a blood curse on his arm beforehand, demonstrating that the event was premeditated and not a sudden reaction to Muyun Sheng's outburst.
Yu Xinji therefore questioned who had instructed him. Ling Heqing, remembering Muyun Luan's words, feigned madness, claiming he only knew how to read stars and nothing else, refusing to disclose any information to protect the honor of the Imperial Heavenly Sect. Seeing Ling Heqing's unyielding stance, Yu Xinji ceased the interrogation. Before leaving, he ordered all lights removed from Ling Heqing's cell, intending to torture him psychologically.
