Episode 29 recap: Guo Jing mistakenly believed that Huang Rong had died.
Wan Yan Hong Lie was captured, and he felt ashamed of his defeat, but believed he was dying for the great Jin. He questioned Guo Jing, a Song person, for serving Tie Mu Zhen, and directly said that after Tie Mu Zhen destroyed the Jin, he would naturally turn to destroy the Song. Guo Jing told Huang Rong that he had not broken off the engagement, and the Great Khan had ordered him to attack Bianliang first, and then march south to attack Lin'an and destroy the Song.
With the help of Gu Suan, Guo Jing and Huang Rong brought troops and flew into the city of Samarkand, successfully opening the city gates to assist Tie Mu Zhen and his iron cavalry in charging in. When Wan Yan Hong Lie learned the news, it was too late for him to mobilize more troops. After entering the city, Guo Jing initially wanted to chase Wan Yan Hong Lie's remnant troops and capture him, but Huang Rong reminded him that Wan Yan Hong Lie might not be with the remnant troops.
Guo Jing searched among the captured troops in the city and eventually found the hiding Wan Yan Hong Lie. Guo Jing brought Wan Yan Hong Lie before Tie Mu Zhen, and in such a situation, Wan Yan Hong Lie had no words to say.
Tie Mu Zhen handed Wan Yan Hong Lie over to Guo Jing to deal with. Facing Guo Jing's questioning, Wan Yan Hong Lie frankly admitted the fact that he had killed the Guo and Yang families years ago. Guo Jing let Wan Yan Hong Lie understand this grievance, but Wan Yan Hong Lie believed that his current plight was dying for the great Jin, while Guo Jing, a Song person, was serving Tie Mu Zhen. Wan Yan Hong Lie further pointed out that after Tie Mu Zhen destroyed the Jin, he would slaughter the Song, and after warning Guo Jing, Wan Yan Hong Lie committed suicide.
Guo Jing achieved this great merit, and Tie Mu Zhen wanted to reward him. Guo Jing saw that Tie Mu Zhen was going to execute all the captives inside and outside the city, and he couldn't bear it, so he exchanged the reward for the lives of these civilians and captives. Although Tie Mu Zhen was furious, he agreed to Guo Jing's request.
Guo Jing returned to the main camp and found Hua Zheng there. Huang Rong had thought Guo Jing had already broken off the engagement, but she was surprised to learn that Guo Jing had not been able to break it off, and he had exchanged his merits of capturing the city to save the lives of innocent civilians. Disappointed, Huang Rong left angrily. Guo Jing could only bid farewell to Hua Zheng and quickly chase after Huang Rong.
On the way, Guo Jing discovered Ouyang Feng trapped in quicksand. Ouyang Feng lied to Guo Jing about Huang Rong's whereabouts to trick Guo Jing into rescuing him from the quicksand, and then fabricated the lie that Huang Rong had died trapped in the quicksand. Guo Jing mistakenly believed that Huang Rong was dead and vomited blood in grief.
A month later, Tie Mu Zhen wanted to continue attacking the Jin capital of Bianliang. Guo Jing proposed a feint attack on Bianliang, and after the reinforcements from Tongguan arrived, break through the Jin troops. In this way, Bianliang would fall naturally. Guo Jing wanted to go south with his mother to visit his hometown, but Tie Mu Zhen flatly refused, citing the danger of the battlefield.
Li Ping learned of this and believed that Tie Mu Zhen's actions must have another motive. He discovered that Tie Mu Zhen had given Guo Jing and others a secret plan, allowing them to capture Bianliang first, and then march south to attack Lin'an and destroy the Song.
Li Ping knew that this was Tie Mu Zhen's way of using his own life to coerce Guo Jing. Guo Jing was unwilling to collude for personal gain, and decided that night to take his mother back to Lin'an.
On the night Guo Jing was about to leave, he was discovered by Tie Mu Zhen. Guo Jing believed that Tie Mu Zhen had allied with the Song dynasty to attack the Jin, but broke the agreement midway, which he did not consider heroic. However, Tie Mu Zhen did not think he had broken the agreement, and ordered Guo Jing to be punished by military law for disobeying orders and opening the treasure map.
Hua Zheng and Tuolei pleaded for Guo Jing, and Tie Mu Zhen asked Guo Jing to swear allegiance to the Mongols, but Guo Jing firmly refused, unwilling to destroy the Song. Tie Mu Zhen ordered Li Ping to threaten Guo Jing, and Li Ping mentioned that Qiu Chu Ji had named Guo Jing and Yang Kang with the original intention of hoping they would not forget the shame of the Jingkang Incident.
Li Ping did not wish for his son to become a traitor, and told him to do what he wanted and become who he wished to be. Li Ping then committed suicide with a dagger in Guo Jing's arms. Guo Jing buried his mother in the oasis, and Tuolei and Hua Zheng came to bid farewell, knowing they couldn't keep Guo Jing there.
Hua Zheng had secretly told Tie Mu Zhen that Guo Jing was leaving, only hoping to keep him, but inadvertently caused Guo Jing's mother's death. Hua Zheng felt guilty and wanted to atone with his life, but Guo Jing stopped him, not blaming Hua Zheng and thanking them for seeing him off.
Guo Jing returned to Linan, but was attacked by the Song civilians, until Qiu Chu Ji and Ke Zhen E rescued him. Guo Jing was deeply shaken by the deaths of his mother and Huang Rong. Despite training in martial arts, he had failed to protect his closest family and lover. Upholding justice no longer seemed meaningful to him.
Qiu Chu Ji told Guo Jing that all the strategies and weapons in the world could be used for good or evil. Guo Jing no longer wished to fight, wanting to forget his martial arts skills and avoid worldly conflicts. Seeing the demoralized Guo Jing, Qiu Chu Ji was reminded of his own past experiences, similar to Zhou Botong's.
On the street, Guo Jing saw Mu Nian Ci holding a child, and told her that Yang Kang had died. Although estranged from Yang Kang, Mu Nian Ci still grieved. She hoped her child could live an upright life, atoning for Yang Kang's mistakes. Mu Nian Ci asked Guo Jing to name the child, and Guo Jing named him Yang Guo, hoping he could learn from his father's mistakes and improve himself.
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