China in the mid-19th century...
the suffering of its people under the corrupt rule of the Qing dynasty
set the stage for the Taiping Rebellion.
During the chaos of the 14 years long civil war,
70 million people died in battle or from starvation...
The casualties equaled the recorded death toll from WWll.
He said...
the day he crawled out from the pile of corpses...
he was a dead man
He also said...
it was an age when death came easy...
but living was hard
All my men died
I alone survived
You were lucky
I played dead
My brothers... more than 1600 men...
fought for three days and nights...
They all died...
The Kui army were inhuman
They only stood behind us and watched
My brothers were slaughtered one after another
No one survived
He met a woman that day
They spent the night in a deserted house
He didn't know if it was the woman or the soup...
that brought him back to life
Where can I find food?
Try the main street
He said...
the first time he met me...
the sky was overcast, like his mood
But I remember clearly...
that it was a glaringly sunny day
Eat your food and let's get going!
Eat and get to work!
Dig in!
You sure know how to fight
I should introduce you to my big brother!
Where are we going?
To rob!
from the rebel army!
He later told me he was outraged...
that bandits like us dared steal from troops
What did we care? Famine is everywhere
We either robbed or died
Ride out!
Kill them!
Seize their leader, hurry!
He saved my life that day...
and taught me a lesson
Strike the head... and the body will fall
Brother Jiang...
Look!
That man gave them to you
They're for generals
Brother Jiang has become a general!
What are you thinking about?
My home
They've returned!
Come with me! We've got food!
I have good news, tonight we feast!
Why are you alone?
I ran away from home
Is that a Yangzhou accent?
You noticed?
How could you tell?
Have you ever heard of Yangzhou Ponies?
You mean pretty young girls who are trained as courtesans...
and sold to rich men?
Yes
But when I turned 15...
and was about to be sold...
a man came and stole me away
He was my childhood playmate
He killed a few people
We went into hiding and he became a bandit
He thought he saved you,
but you were no longer the same peasant girl
He's a good man
Go in peace!
Big brother laid down the rule...
to save seats and wine...
for the brothers who died
Were you a general in the army?
Not anymore
Why did you desert?
Drink up!
My troops and the Kui troops
planned to join forces against the enemy
But they betrayed us
We were outnumbered...
and all my brothers were killed!
There's nothing more important than the love between brothers
That I agree
These days, without brothers...
you can't survive
Wu-Yang, dinner's here
Are the new recruits staying?
No one wants to leave when there's food
Except for Pang, he 's not our kind
I don't know if he's staying or not
Pretty, isn't it?
I snatched it from a dead man
Do you know what this is?
No
It protects you
Did that night really happen?
I waited there for you...
wondering if it was all a dream
If you ran away, why did you come back?
I ran away many times,
had it all thought out
But I always ended up back here
Why did you come back?
You should decide for your own life
Stay here!
"Kui"
Why are you robbing our food?
I dare you to hit me?
Go ahead!
Stop fighting!
I'm old enough to be your grandmother!
Stand back or I'll shoot!
I dare you!
I swear I'll shoot...
Go ahead! Kill me too!
You!
Nobody moves!
Look at me when I speak
You think you can keep the food you robbed?
Consider this as a pay back to your country
Let's go!
If only we had guns... we could fight them!
That's suicide!
I'd rather die than live like this!
Thieves are always on the run
Why not join the army?
Once you're in the army...
you'll receive wages to feed your families
You'll get guns so...
that no one will bully you
This village will finally have peace
We're bandits, will the army take us?
The Kui army is grandiose and powerful
They couldn't care less about us
But Lord Chen's army is desperate for men
He wants to increase his power...
to rival the Kui army
He should welcome us with open arms
Er-Hu, seize this opportunity
Then today's event... will never happen again
Alright!
As bandits...
We have to be the biggest!
You deserted the Ching army,
now you want us to join them? You're a two-faced man
Why shall we trust you?
Take the blood oath!
To be blood brothers, we kill an outsider...
to show our loyalty to the brotherhood
Only the lives of our brothers count
The rest are expendable
I asked him that day
There's no turning back
Are you certain?
He said nothing
Let me...
Masters, what is it?!
What are you bastards doing?!
We were only passing through!
Mercy me... please...
Remember my face...
and take revenge in your next life!
We, Pang Qing-Yun
Zhao Er-Hu
and Jiang Wu-Yang...
join the brotherhood today
We take the blood oath
We pledge our lives
Those who bring us harm...
must die
A brother who harms another brother...
must die
Heaven and earth bear witness...
and strike dead any man who breaks his oath
We share one heart...
He told me later that...
he didn't believe in the pledge
I asked him what he believed in
He said Er-Hu...
and me
Wait! Take these shoes with you
Take care!
Mother may never see you again
Good-bye, ma
Er Hu!
Shi and his men are leaving!
He said that he'd rather die...
than serve the Qing army!
Your entire battalion perished...
in the battle against the Taiping rebels in Hechuan...
and you disappeared for 2 months!
How dare you return now?
My Lord Chan
Lord Jiang sent the Kui army...
to aid us in the battle at the Hechuan
But they left us to fend for ourselves
My men were slaughtered on the battlefield
All your men died...
but you alone survived?
I stayed alive...
just to see you again...
Lord Jiang
How many men do you have?
800
Give me another 800...
and I will capture Shu City within 15 days
Don't jest with me!
10!
I will capture Shu City in 10 days!
Well...
then...
I'll give you 1,500 fine soldiers...
but no wages
We don't need wages;
we get half the spoils once we capture Shu City
Pang Qing-Yun
Name your army "Shan"
Thank you, my lords
You're gambling...
with 800 lives
War is a gamble
I won't gamble
My 1500 men are the last of Lord Chen's army
If we lose them...
my lord will be powerless at the imperial court
Make me an offer!
My army...
will only give you a semblance of multitude
This is your only chance for victory
Otherwise...
you'll forever be at the mercy of the Kui army!
Big brother!
They're all useless
We'll be facing 200 rifles
The odds are against us
To win, we need to attack
Break through their firing line...
Engage them in hand to hand combat
Brothers!
Tell him who's the toughest?
We are!
The enemy will be 300 paces away
Rifles have a range of 200 paces...
arrows have only 100
We'll need a vanguard of 200 men...
to run straight at the firing range
They must not dodge the bullets...
but must use their bodies as shields...
so that our archers...
who run behind them can get within range
Many brothers will die in the process
I'm in!
Who's with me?
Die and your family will receive double your wages!
Live and you receive triple!
Don't you want to be rich?
Where are the real men?!
Come on!
Damn it, count me in!
Me too, I'm in...
Count me in...
me too...
I'm in...
Take Shu City!
Take their money, their food, their women!
Take Shu City!
Take their money, their food, their women!
You're vastly outnumbered...
victory is already ours
Surrender and your life will be spared
Kill them!!!
Fire!
Kill them!!!
Fire!
Kill them!!!
They're dying out there! Let's go!
Shut up and listen!
There's only one commander in a battle!
Kill them!!!
Shoot!
Brother!
Prepare!
Blinders on!
He's using himself to goad me into combat
Go!
Big brother!
Brother...
No! Don't pull that out!
Hold steady!
We're really going to die this time
We're blood brothers!
We die as one!
That's right!
We might as well take a few with us...
as we go down!
Let's go...
Kill them!
It's madness!
800 men manage to upset an army of 5000...
We can win!
We really need a victory badly!
Follow me!
Wu-Yang!
Lord Di...
Pang Qing-Yun must be blessed
Pang...
Fate has brought us together again
How fortunate of you to capture Shu City...
you have made a name for yourself
Pang...
how does 5 more battalions sound?
On top of that...
- Lu Da-Shan... - Sir
will be under your command
Thank you, My Lord
Pang Qing-Yun
Your old friend from the Kui army is waiting for you
He Kui
Sir
Greetings, my lords
It's been a long time, General Pang
lt'll be a reunion of old allies...
with you leading the attack...
and him bringing up the rear
How do we divide the spoils?
Lord Di and...
Lord Chen...
no objections I trust?
I'm afraid he won't be able to keep up!
We'll take Suzhou, and then Nanking!
What are they laughing at?
Nanking is the enemy's capital
To topple Nanking, we must first take Suzhou
Since they have nothing to gain when the war is over...
they won't let us take Suzhou
If we attack, they can't stop us
The Kui army was precisely sent...
to keep an eye on us
They've returned!
Xiao-Wu
Xiao-Wu, Xiao-Wu...
Xiao-Wu's shoes...
Xiao-Wu...
Xiao-Qi?!
Xiao-Qi... my boys...
We were no longer bandits
He said a bandit kills for his own interests
But a hero sacrifices for others
I wanted to be a hero
You've lost weight
Big brother says, we'll only be away for 3 years
I know you've never liked it here
When the war is over...
I'll find us a better place to settle down
Where's Brother Pang?
He's staying outside the village tonight
We'll leave tomorrow morning
Remember...
Winning is all that matters!
Begin!
Kill them!
We're here to take over
Give the men 3 days leave to pillage!
Let them take their money, their food, their women!
You can come out now, the war is over
Come
Come, don't be afraid
Have you eaten?
You hungry?
Let go!
What are you doing?!
Don't just stay there! Give me a hand!
No!
Don't touch me!
Gouzi, I'm leaving!
Let me go...
Brother Pang
- Move! - What is it?
Why am I being arrested?
- Go! - What is it?!
Gather the people for a public execution!
Brother Zhao!
Brother, what's this about?
They raped 2 women
They were given three days of pillage, this was bound to happen!
From this day on, I will not tolerate such conduct under my command!
It's what we've always done
We're soldiers now, not bandits
We must better ourselves or we won't achieve anything!
If we allow this to happen...
we're no better than those Kui bastards!
Today is the day we start setting down some rules!
We've just killed their families!
Now you want to protect them?
By killing our own?
No one will risk their lives fighting for you after this!
Brother...
Listen to me, look at them!
They've learned their lesson
There's no need to kill them, right?
Don't just kneel there!
Say you're sorry!
Big brother, we were wrong, we're so sorry...
Gouzi!
Say it again!
Gouzi, say you're sorry!
Say it!
Come on, Gouzi...
Big brother, we're sorry!
Big brother, they know they're wrong
Have mercy