At the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, the Rebellion of the Eight Princes tears the land apart, while the Five Barbarians' iron hooves trample the Central Plains. As leaders of the Han gentry, the Cui clan of Longxi struggles to preserve the family, pass on its culture, and save the nation amid the chaos.
Cui Xuan, the legitimate heir, bears the century-old glory of the Cui clan of Qinghe. Raised on the family motto “Die for the nation, never yield,” he is torn between love and duty to his country. He loves Lu Wan, daughter of the Lu clan of Fanyang, yet political marriage forces him to wed Wang Yun of the Wang clan of Taiyuan. During their flight, he fights to the death against the Xianbei chieftainess Murong Yun, even as an unexpected bond forms between them.
From the burning of Luoyang to the Yongjia southward migration, from organizing refugee strongholds against the northern tribes to preserving the last sparks of Longxi's culture alone, Cui Xuan's choices reflect the tragic end of the entire gentry class. As the dynasty collapses, only the family remains as their final territory.
After Cui Xuan dies fighting to protect the Han people and their cultural heritage, his son Cui Li carries on the spirit of the Cui family's White Horse Marshal and joins Cui Xuan's three widows in protecting the Han people and their cultural heritage.
It's good to watch, it depicts the powerlessness of that era, but it's also really uncomfortable. The more I watch it, the more tired I am [Petrochemical]