Episode Summary
Trapped and outnumbered in the besieged Pa Yi City, Zichuan Xiu and Si Yilin face a dire situation against the forces of the Divine Emperor. Their brother, Di Lin, executes a daring rescue by using his prized war falcons to airdrop supplies before personally flying into the city. Reunited, the three brothers win a costly battle, prompting Di Lin to propose peace talks as their only viable long-term strategy. Believing the war is based on the false rumor of Princess Kadan's death, they decide to return her to the Northern Tribe. Di Lin returns to the capital to negotiate with Commander Zichuan Canxing, proposing to return Kadan and cede territory in exchange for a decade of peace to rebuild Zichuan's strength, leading to a tense confrontation.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 2 Recap & Spoilers: A Desperate Gamble
Following his reconnaissance mission, Zichuan Xiu briefs Si Yilin on the enemy's movements. The arrival of the formidable Divine Emperor has put them on edge. Xiu can't resist teasing Yilin about Princess Kadan of the Northern Tribe, and Yilin admits he still thinks of her. The situation feels hopeless; not only is a reunion impossible, but tomorrow he is slated to fight Kadan's own father in battle. When Yilin turns the tables and asks who Xiu misses, Xiu deflects with his usual bravado, joking that his list is too long to name. Yilin sees through the act, knowing his friend is hiding his true feelings.
Meanwhile, the Divine Emperor and his general, Yun Qianxue, are strategizing, confident that Di Lin cannot have simply vanished. But Di Lin has a daring plan. He intends to use his prized war falcons—his "treasures"—to airdrop grain into the besieged Pa Yi City. His subordinate protests, warning that they could lose the entire flock, but Di Lin is resolute. His brothers are trapped in that city, and he will stop at nothing to save them.
As the Northern Tribe begins their assault on Pa Yi, the sky fills with hundreds of war falcons. Inside the walls, Zichuan Xiu erupts in joy, instantly recognizing Di Lin's signature force. The Divine Emperor orders his archers to shoot them down, but a significant number of falcons break through the barrage to deliver the precious supplies. In a stunning display, Di Lin himself, equipped with a set of flight wings, soars through the air and lands within the city walls. Yun Qianxue's order to fire comes a second too late. The three brothers—Di Lin, Zichuan Xiu, and Si Yilin—are finally reunited, ready to face their enemies together.
With the tide turning, Di Lin unleashes his falcons' most deadly capability. On his command, they snatch pouches of gunpowder and dive-bomb the enemy ranks, sowing chaos and terror. The attack secures a decisive victory for the brothers, but it comes at a great cost: more than half of the war falcons are lost. As Xiu heaps praise on Di Lin (mostly in an attempt to get a ride on the flying contraption himself), a somber Si Yilin worries about the inevitable next attack. Di Lin agrees, his main concern being the 300,000-strong army still surrounding them. He knows the enemy won't give up easily and proposes a radical idea: peace talks. The timing isn't right, but he has a plan to make it happen.
Crushed by his defeat, Yun Qianxue asks the Divine Emperor to sentence him to death for his failure. The Divine Emperor refuses, ordering him to live on and continue the fight against the three Zichuan brothers.
Later, Xiu and Di Lin analyze the political situation. They theorize that the Divine Emperor is using the false rumor of Kadan's death as a pretext for this war—a way to appear justified in his invasion. They suspect someone is deliberately concealing the truth that Kadan is alive. Their conclusion is clear: returning Kadan to the Northern Tribe is the only path to peace. They present the idea to Si Yilin, and Di Lin assures him that if he still wishes to fight, they will stand by him. Deeply moved, Yilin embraces his brothers, agreeing that he cannot become "the sinner of Zichuan." He consents to the plan, asking only that they ensure Kadan's safety.
Returning to the capital, Di Lin’s attempt to retrieve Kadan is blocked by a hostile Luo Minghai and his men. The tense standoff is broken by the arrival of Li Qing, who bears a summons from the Commander. Luo Minghai is forced to stand down. Back at the front, the siege on Pa Yi City rages on. After ten grueling days of non-stop combat, Si Yilin realizes the enemy is intent on winning through a brutal war of attrition.
Di Lin is brought before the Commander, Zichuan Canxing. Finding him having his hair attended to, Di Lin dismisses the servant and takes the comb himself. As he tends to the Commander, he lays bare the grim reality at Pa Yi: supplies will only last another ten days, they have lost over half their forces, and the Divine Emperor is personally leading the enemy. He warns that not just the city, but all of Zichuan is on the brink of disaster.
Fearing Zichuan's doom is at hand, Canxing listens as Di Lin makes his case for peace. He presents two conditions. The first is to return Princess Kadan, allowing her to mediate the conflict. Canxing agrees this is a logical step. But the second condition makes him draw his sword in rage: Di Lin proposes ceding jurisdiction over the 23 Far Prefectures.
Facing the blade, Di Lin passionately defends his strategy. He argues that Zichuan is too weak to survive a prolonged war; fighting on would lead to certain destruction within three years. Ceding territory, however painful, would buy them ten years of peace—a decade to rest, rebuild, and grow strong. He invokes the classic strategy of enduring humiliation to nurse a grievance, promising that once Zichuan is powerful again, they can reclaim all that was lost and build a prosperous future for their people, including Zichuan Ning.
