Listen to my order, Golden Tiger Guards.
Sir...
Bring me their heads. Go.
Yes, sir.
Yuwen Chengdou?
General.
Who sent you?
Everything we do is for your benefit.
I asked you, who sent you. You won't talk?
Will you talk? Who sent you? Will you talk?
They're just acting according to orders. Spare them.
We won't tell you who sent us even if you kill us, General.
Listen to my order, Golden Tiger Guards.
Sir.
Kill that woman.
Yes, sir.
Please spare my life, General.
K trusted you so much. You betrayed me?
I didn't mean to be disloyal. But I had no choice.
General, I'll talk...
There's no danger now. You're free to leave.
Go as far away as possible.
Leave.
Let's go. Thank you.
Commander-in-chief, we've been waiting at Tong Pass for seven days.
Given the distance between Beiping Prefecture and Tong Pass,
you could have arrived in three days.
What happened on the way that caused such a long delay?
You have no idea what happened.
We had to take the mountain trails from Beiping Prefecture to Tong Pass.
We ran into floods too. The journey was tough.
That's why we were delayed several days.
I see. But I heard that Your Lordship
stayed at the Shanxi border for three days for no apparent reason. Why?
What do you mean?
Please don't be mad, Deputy Luo.
By order of Sire, we have to go to Nanyang City to kill Wu Yunzhao.
If the Commander-in-chief is slack causing a delay
and Wu Yunzhao manages to escape, we will fail Sire.
The reputation of the invincible Luo's army will be tainted too.
Will the Commander-in-chief please set the priority?
General Ma is so conscientious. How can I be slack?
Cheng'er, pass my order to depart for Nanyang right away.
Yes, father.
Good. Goodbye then.
Pass my order. We'll camp here.
Commander-in-chief, it's still early. It's not time to rest yet.
Why are we camping here now?
You don't understand, General Ma. I haven't gone to war in years.
Now I have to travel around the clock. I can't take the physical hardship.
I need rest.
Then let's camp. I hope you'll get well soon.
Pass my order, we'll camp here.
Nanyang government office.
Brother Yunzhao, I hear that you live well in Nangyang Pass.
So I came to visit you. I've brought you some gifts.
What's this?
I used to love to gamble. I was thrown out of the house by uncle.
He called me a loser. But look. I'm a rich man now, right?
What do you do for a living now?
My uncle Wu Jianzhang is Lord Zhongxiao. He's an old lord. But now I'm a lord too.
How come I didn't hear that you were made a lord?
Who says I'm a lord in Sui?
What kind of lord are you then?
I'm my own lord. I'm a bandit head now.
What? A bandit head? Why are you a bandit head now?
Back when I left Chang'an, I wandered around.
I had spent all the money you and Aunt gave me.
When I passed by Tuoluo Camp, someone came downhill to rob me.
I was angry. I knocked them down with just a few moves.
The bandit head thought I was a good kung fu fighter.
So he asked me to be their head. Tuoluo Camp is thriving now.
Will you heed my advice please?
Shoot
Don't be a bandit head anymore. Run a decent business.
If running a decent business could feed my family,
who would want to risk his life to be a bandit?
Also, lousy officials are in power now.
The money you earn can't satisfy them at all.
I hate those corrupt officials most.
Look, this chest of gold and silver is what they got from the people.
Those corrupt officials should be killed
by having their flesh cut off from their bones.
I don't even want to keep their bones.
But we Wu's have been officials for generations.
We're loyal to Sire. How can we do this?
How can you answer to Sire and the teachings of Father?
Let me give you my advice. Look who's in charge now.
The honest officials get killed. The bad officials are in charge.
What's the use of pledging allegiance to such a government?
You...
Why don't you come to the mountain with me?
You can eat well every day. You can enjoy life there.
Shut up. Don't set up His Lordship if you're his brother.
Mao Fang' get out...
Since you say that, I won't try to persuade anymore.
Thanks but no thanks for your offer. I won't take any of these gifts.
Take it back.
Fine. I understand. You're the good guy. I'm the bad guy.
We go different ways. But I'll be upfront.
It's hard to guess your fortune as an official in the government.
If you're in trouble one day, you must come to Tuoluo Camp.
I, Wu Tianci, only have you as my brother.
Good boy.
You're still worried about Brother Tianci?
Yes. I'm worried about him. There's no security being a bandit head.
Everyone's aspiration is different. Perhaps he'll understand someday.
Right.
Come...Give me a smile...
He's smiling...
Come on. Time to sleep.
Go to sleep, son.
Come on. Put on the blanket.
That's it.
My Lord, a man from Lord Beiping has come to see you.
Take him to the sitting room. I'll come right over.
Yes, My Lord.
Be good.
Go to sleep... Honey, I need to go meet the guy.
What? All 135 members of my family were executed?
His Lordship sent me here to tell you the news.
You must leave.
Did you really see Sire kill my dad in front of the officials?
It's absolutely true. My condolences.
My Lord, time is running out. You must flee.
We Wu's are loyal to Sui.
My father Lord Zhongxiao is a founding father of the country.
How could this happen to him? This is nonsense.
My Lord, time's running out. It'll be too late soon.
Nonsense. You thinkl'll take the bait? Who sent you here?
Do you want to incite me to start a rebellion?
My Lord, I'm really Lord Beiping's Liaison Officer Zhang Gongjin.
How dare you!
Fine. I'll send someone to the capital immediately to make an enquiry.
If what you said is not true, I will kill you immediately.
My Lord. Guards.
Yes, My Lord.
Take this man into custody.
My Lord, time's running out.
Go. My Lord...
This is impossible.
We'll camp here. We'll get there by tomorrow morning.
From here to there...
General, General Ma wants to see you.
Send him in. Yes, sir.
General.
At ease. What is it?
Commander-in-chief, we need to act fast.
We stop every 30 miles. We camp every 40 miles.
There are several hundred miles from here to Nanyang.
There'll be a delay of several days if we carry on this way.
I'm afraid our mission will be affected.
It's hard to account for this to the government.
General Ma, I want to go faster too to get victory sooner.
But I've got the flu. I really can't go that fast.
Since you're sick and unable to go fast,
why don't I go first and hurry to Nanyang as soon as possible
or Wu Yunzhao might be alerted and flee.
General Ma is really loyal and brave.
OK. I'll dispatch two battalions to go with you first.
Once I've recovered, I'll head for Nanyang right away.
Thank you, Commander-in-chief. I'll hit the road right away.
Dad, is it OK to assign the soldiers to him?
He's not Wu Yunzhao's match. If he loses, I won't spare him.
General.
What is it?
We've walked all day and night.
The soldiers can't take it physically.
Please give the order to camp now so they can rest.
That's crap.
There was such a long delay already because of Luo Yi.
If we don't catch up now, when will we arrive at Nanyang?
Besides, I haven't had any rest either.
Pass my order. Whoever complains again will be killed.
Yes, General. Let's carry on.
Yes, Sir.
North Gate.
Those up there listen up.
I'm the Rebellion Suppression Pioneer Ma Shumou. Open the gate right away.
Ma Shumou, you're a Court General. Why aren't you guarding the Imperial city?
Why have you come to Nanyang?
What do you know?
Wu Jianzhang offended Sire. He committed a serious crime.
According to the law, all his extended families must be executed too.
Sire ordered me to come here to catch his son. Open the gate now.
Ma Shumou?
Right. He's yelling outside the gate. He said His Lordship offended Sire.
Sire ordered him to come here to kill you.
That's impossible.
Ma Shumou is Yuwen Huaji's henchmen. We Wu's are at odds with the Yuwen's.
He must have come for something else.
He must know Nanyang is far away from Chang'an.
So he's lying about it to make me start a rebellion.
Then he can arrest and punish me.
But what the messenger said matches what Ma Shumou said.
If Ma Shumou sent that guy here and we acted impulsively, we'd be tricked.
My Lord.
This can't be happening.
My Lord.
This is impossible.
My father is one of the nine founding fathers of the country.
Even the late emperor respected him so much.
This is absolutely impossible.
But it's a new era now.
Fine. Let's go meet Ma Shumou. See why he's come here.
If he's telling the truth,
I'll go see Sire and ask him to clarify this.
My Lord, I'm afraid he hasn't come with a kind intention.
My Lord.
Who changed this flag?
My Lord, we know what happened in the government.
Although we are officers of Sui, we can still tell right from wrong.
We are willing to start a rebellion under your leadership
to avenge Lord Zhongxiao and the Wu's.
Traitor Wu Yunzhao,
come out quickly to get killed or else I'll kill everyone in Nanyang City.
Then you can join your family sooner.
Open the gate.
Ma Shumou, I haven't offended you. Why have you brought your soldiers here?
Traitor Wu Yunzhao, Sire had just ascended to the throne.
Your father scolded him in court.
He even attempted to assassinate Sire.
Sire has already given the order to kill everyone in your family.
You didn't go to the capital to surrender. You even started a rebellion here.
Now get off your horse and prepare to die.
Ma Shumou, are you telling me the truth?
Sire ordered me to kill you. Why would that be false?
The main force will be here soon.
Who's the commander of the main force?
Lord Beiping.
Stay calm. Don't withdraw. Come back.
General Wu has wounded General Ma. I'll report this.
Traitor Wu Yunzhao,
once the main force gets here, I will kill everyone in Nanyang City.
This is bad, Mom.
Son, you got in trouble again?
Not me but Marquis Nanyang.
Didn't you go to Nanyang City to buy goods? Did you see Marquis Nanyang?
No, I couldn't get in.
The government had sent troops there to besiege the city.
Marquis Nanyang is honest and just. He loves his people.
How could he get into such trouble?
How will there be anymore good guys in the government now?
I heard Lord Zhongxiao yelled at the assembly,
so the lousy emperor Yang Guang got mad.
He ordered that everyone in the Wu family be killed.
Mom, Marquis Nanyang is the only one alive now. Mom...
Son, we wouldn't be talking here if not for Marquis Nanyang.
We mustn't forget his grace.
Zhu Can, why did you cut the pine trees at someone's ancestral tomb?
My Lord, I make a living as a woodcutter.
It's been snowing these past couple of days.
I couldn't go to the mountain.
My mom was cold, hungry and sick at home.
I didn't have money to buy medicine for her.
I saw several pine trees in the woods.
So I cut them and took them to the drugstore
to trade for some medicine for my mom.
Who would observe the law if everyone acted like you?
I didn't cut the trees for nothing.
When I get money after the New Year,
I will buy eight pine trees and give them back to him.
My Lord, I will keep my promise. Just let me go, OK?
I need to go home and prepare medicine for my mom.
Stop. The trial isn't over yet. On your knees.
If I had known it would be so troublesome, I wouldn't have come.
My Lord, Zhu Can is poor. Look. He doesn't have any money at all.
How can you repay me?
Zhu Can, you cut his trees. What's your defense?
My Lord, our parents raised us. But my parents are different from yours.
You're a marquis.
When your parents call the servants, a dozen people will come to serve you.
My situation is different.
When my parents call out, who will come to us? Debt collectors!
How dare you talk nonsense!
Mao Fang..Carry on.
I can't cut wood to buy medicine. I don't even have food.
My mom's sick and hungry. As her child, can I not get her a doctor?
After the doctor gave me the prescription,
I didn't have money for the medicine. Can I just watch my mom die?
If I didn't cut the trees for some money, how could I buy medicine for my morn?
If she died, who would bring her back to me?
I cut the trees.
When I get money next year, I will pay him damages then, My Lord.
Wang Er, how much are the eight pine trees of yours worth?
I can sell them for fifteen taels.
Zhu Can, how much did you need to buy the medicine?
The cost was two taels and four maces.
Why did you cut eight pine trees then?
The drugstore shopkeeper charged me 15 taels.
Summon the shopkeeper of San He Tang Drugstore.
Summon the shopkeeper.
Go...On your knees.
My Lord.
How dare you! Why did you charge him 15 taels?
My Lord, I'm guilty.
Since you know you're guilty, I'll punish you.
From now on, when Zhu Can goes to buy medicine again,
you are not allowed to charge him anything.
Yes, My Lord.
Great. Next time when I go buy medicine, you mustn't charge me any fee.
Don't worry. His Lordship has made the order.
From now on, I'll give you deer antlers, ginseng, musk
and whatever medicinal herbs you want.
Thank you, My Lord.
Wang Er, how much does it cost to grow those eight pine trees?
Around 20 taels.
Clerk. Yes.
Go get me 20 taels. Yes, My Lord.
Wang Er, use these 20 taels to buy trees. Thank you.
Shopkeeper, you may leave.
Yes. Much obliged, My Lord.
Zhu Can, don't cut wood in the mountains anymore.
I will give you some money. Run a petty business to make a living.
What do you think?
That's really great. Our village needs a grocery store.
I'll sell needles and thread, oil, salt and sauces.
The villagers won't need to go to the
market six miles away to buy those things.
Thank you, My Lord.
OK. How much capital do you need?
Eight to ten taels will suffice, My Lord.
Clerk.
Yes.
Go get him 50 taels.
Yes.
Thank you, My Lord.
Zhu Can, use the money as capital to set up a grocery store.
Run the business well.
If you fail to do so and suffer a loss, I will punish you severely.
My Lord, you're my savior. I will do anything to return your favor.
Take this. It's a gift from His Lordship.
Thank you, My Lord.
Now that His Lordship is in trouble. We can't just sit back.
Son, you must figure out a way quickly. We don't have money. But we know kung fu.
I'm sure we can help our savior.
Don't worry, Mom. I would even give up my life to save His Lordship.
Zhang Gongjin didn't come back.
Did Yunzhao doubt Zhang Gongjin and lock him up?
That's possible.
But wouldn't he find out the truth once Ma Shumou got there?
Ma Shumou was worried
we'd warn Wu Yunzhao so he could flee.
This time he's done us a big favor.
General...Ma Shumou was defeated. He's come back.
He wants to come see you.
Send him in.
Yes, Sir.
Commander.
General Ma, you volunteered to be the spearhead.
You must be victorious.
It would be great if you've caught that traitor Wu Yunzhao.
Commander, I just got to Nanyang City. I didn't even have time to set up camp yet.
Then Wu Yunzhao came out to fight me. He's really brave. He defeated me.
I was wounded in the back. I nearly died. I was totally defeated. Please punish me.
Ma Shumou, are you a friend of Wu Yunzhao?
Why do you say so? How would I be Wu Yunzhao's friend?
You're not? This is crap. You tricked me.
You wanted to warn Wu Yunzhao
so that when I get to Nanyang, he would have fled already.
Ma Shumou, Sire will execute you.
Commander-in-chief, I dare not do that.
Ma Shumou, according to Sui's law, you've committed treason.
You should be executed. Guards.
Sir...
Take Ma Shumou out and execute him.
Yes, Sir.
Would Commander-in-chief reconsider this please?
General Ma is highly recommended by the Prime Minister.
How can you execute him so easily?
Do you have any respect for the Prime Minister?
Zhang Daxin, I go to war by Sire's order. What is Yuwen Huaji's status?
Zhang Daxin, you have committed contempt against me.
You even conspired with Ma Shumou to help the enemy.
That's a capital of fence too. Guards.
Sir...
Drag him out and execute him as well.
Commander-in-chief, please have mercy.
Wait. Father, the troops haven't arrived at Nanyang yet.
If we kill two generals now, it will bring us bad luck.
Please reconsider.
Fine. I'll listen to my son. I'll spare both your lives.
Thank you, Commander-in-chief.
But if you make trouble again, I will execute you.
Thank you Commander-in-chief for sparing my life.
Thank you, Commander-in-chief.
Ma Shumou, you were defeated.
This has tainted the reputation of the Sui army.
I can spare your life. But you will still be punished.
You will be caned 50 times.
Zhang Daxin, you've committed contempt against me.
You will be caned 30 times. Drag them out of the tent.
Yes, Sir.
Commander-in-chief...
It really hurts. Gently please.
I will put on the medicine for you right away. Just hang in there.
General, I haven't put on the medicine for you yet.
Why not? You want the pain to kill me?
OK.
General, the Commander-in-chief has given the order to depart now.
What? Luo Yi, you are my enemy.
Prime Minister's House.
Dad, why do you want to see me so urgently?
The problems in the palace are solved now.
But Marquis Nanyang Wu Yunzhao can really fight.
Lord Beiping Luo Yi won't use his best endeavor to take him out.
Ma Shumou can't do anything by himself.
Take your soldiers to Nanyang Pass and back up Ma Shumou.
Remember to kill Wu Yunzhao.
Yes, Father.
My Lord, the enemies are outside. What's your solution?
Let me think about it after I see Uncle Luo tomorrow.
I arrived at Nanyang Pass three days ago. I tried to convince Wu Yunzhao to leave.
He didn't believe me.
He released me only after Ma Shumou came.
Did he leave?
I told him to, but he wouldn't listen to me.
He said in face of our troops, not all his soldiers could flee.
He's afraid the people in the city will get hurt.
So he wants to wait till Your Lordship arrives.
I will fight him outside the gate tomorrow. I'll ask what his plans are.
It's lucky that Ma Shumou hasn't gotten well yet.
We can avoid his henchmen. There'll be a chance.
Father, I'll go to the battle with you tomorrow.
I will restrain Ma Shumou's henchmen at the back.
Good.
Uncle Luo, I'm wearing armor. I can't get off the horse to bow to you.
Yunzhao, Sui has treated you Wu's well.
But you want to start a rebellion. I'm here to take your life.
Why didn't you leave? The city's defense is weak.
Once we launch an offensive, the consequences will be dire.
I understand your goodwill.
But I was afraid the people of Nanyang might get hurt.
So I waited for you came.
Don't worry. I'll do my best to protect the people in Nanyang.
Go get read. I will let you leave when the time's right.
But people will get suspicious if you let me leave.
You're the only descendant left of the Wu's.
I must keep you alive even at the cost of my life.
But...
No more but's. Do you have backup? How many soldiers do you have in the city?
3,000.
That's enough. I'll give you a day. Prepare food and hay.
Get ready to break out any minute.
OK.
Commander-in-chief,I've already gotten well. I want to know the progress of the battle.
It's not over yet.
Commander-in-chief, I hear Deputy Luo is a young hero.
Why don't you ask him to fight Wu Yunzhao? See who's better with the spear?
I don't know who's better with the spear.
I just know that when you fought with him the other day,
you were stabbed in two moves and hit till you vomited blood in three moves.
You nearly fell off your horse.
Luo Cheng.
General Ma, since you're so enthusiastic about using a spear
and you were defeated by Wu Yunzhao a couple of days ago,
why don't you grab this chance to win
so everyone in the troops won't laugh at you for being a lousy fighter.
Lou Yi works against me in every respect.
General, good news.
What good news?
Tianbao General will arrive soon. He sent someone ahead to report to us.
We'll definitely catch Wu Yunzhao now.
Good.
What did you say?
Yuwen Chengdu is already camped three miles outside Nanyang Pass?
It's true. He'll come see you later.
Go probe some more.
Yes, sir.
Now that Yuwen Chengdu has come, it won't be so easy to break out.
I can't believe this old Yuwen Huaji had a plan B.
Commander-in-chief, Tianbao General has come to help us.
Here comes Tianbao General.
Yuwen Chengdu, Greeting Commander.