Miss Shan, didn't you spend the whole night thinking up strategies for Cousin?
Really?
Tell him now.
For Brother Qiong's ears only.
Cousin, let me practice with you.
Good, mace versus spear.
Head.
You're back. Head.
How is it? Head.
The 480,000 taels of tribute silver
will set out from Dengzhou on the 12th day of the Sixth Month.
It will reach Changye Woods in two weeks.
Is the intelligence reliable?
I bribed a communications officer and got it from him.
Good, prepare our men tomorrow,
and go explore Changye Woods.
Make sure you check out the terrain.
Yes, Head.
Where's Master Cheng?
He's practicing his axe routine.
Zhu Neng. Yes.
Let's check on him.
Head, this won't do.
We're robbing the tribute silver soon,
he hasn't even mastered one move.
He's so stupid.
You're stupid.
He's fast asleep.
You're not asleep? No.
How's your axe practice?
Simply superb.
Then why is the axe lying asleep on the ground?
Isn't it superb?
Maybe it really is superb,
how about the robbing of the tribute silver?
Don't worry, once I've perfected the routine,
two moves and the tribute will be ours.
Right...
I...
Leave me alone, let me go back to studying.
Yes...go back to your sleeping.
I mean go back to your book.
Zhu Neng, let's go.
Head, this way...
Just drop dead.
Ru Nan Zhuang
What kind of words are these?
Elder, who are you?
You don't need to know.
I'm here to teach you the axe routine.
This is an amazing axe routine,
it's made up of 64 moves.
Remember them by heart.
Yes.
Full division.
Total sweep.
The big drop.
Two side swings.
Head chop, narrow pick,
Push and look.
Head over heels.
Heavenly jump,
Earth-shattering split.
Three way hack.
Heaven and earth.
Head chop, narrow pick
Ear slice, tendon cut...
Bravo...
Brother...
Buddy, how come you're here?
I was going to bed,
then I heard noises, so I came out.
Brother, that's not right of you.
Your axe routine is simply superb,
why did you hide it from me?
Buddy. Yes?
I had a dream,
a deity came and taught me the routine.
You learned it in your dream?
Yes, he taught me 64 moves. Oh?
Buddy, leave me alone, I need to practice more,
or I'll forget then": all.
Oh...carry on then.
Head chop.
Ear slice.
Narrow pick.
Tendon cut...
Buddy, I've forgot them all.
Forgot them all?
Just three and a half moves remain.
That's quite enough.
Enough?
More than enough to rob the tribute.
Miss Ying, you have to go back.
We travelled non-stop to get here.
If you won't go back, how can we answer to Head Shan?
Indeed.
Yingying, listen to your brother,
go back with Shan Mian and Shan Zhou.
Don't let your brother worry about you, alright?
Shan An died because of me.
You have a tournament coming, with an uncertain outcome.
If I go back just like that,
even if Brother doesn't beat me to death,
I'll die of guilt.
Yingying...
Brother Qiong won't lose in the tournament.
Of course not. He's an adept.
They're no match for him.
Besides, he has your strategies.
Be honest, am I a troublemaker?
Do I always bring people trouble?
You do.
But you also have many good points.
Such as...
Bossy, pushy, petty, willful, rude...
They're not good points.
But you're frank and down-to-earth, quite cute actually.
Go...
Kill...
Wu Kui... Wu Liang...
Welcome Your Honor. At ease.
Your Lordship, the troops are ready.
Give the order and the drill can begin.
Your Lordship, the tournament can begin.
Let it begin.
Your Lordship, your nephew Qin Qiong is an outstanding hero.
His talent should be put to good use.
The tournament is a talent quest.
Maybe Qin Qiong should seek a position through it?
Let him take part in it. What do you think?
Shubao, since Commander Wu is so kind.
Go and show what you've got.
It's my pleasure.
Cousin.
Be careful.
Cousin, be careful! Be careful!
He's on horseback, I'm at a disadvantage.
Dragging this out will increase uncertainty.
Make it swift and quick.
Bravo!
I'm Sun Cheng, Master Qin's mace routine is masterful indeed.
You have my total admiration.
May I have the honor of trying archery with you?
Archery is not my forte.
Competing will put me in danger.
I've heard of General Sun.
You're known as Little Archer God.
You have my admiration.
I'm in no position to compete with you.
The tournament has a rule.
Whoever refuses a challenge will be given 200 strikes of the cane,
the loser 100 strikes.
What kind of a rule is that?
You wicked man.
You want a competition?
I'll take it.
What are you doing?
Wait.
I'll compete with General Sun.
Good.
Back off.
We'll set our own format.
The loser will be given a hundred strokes, you understand?
General Sun, please.
Brother Qin, look.
I'll shoot at the coin from a hundred paces.
The three shots will vary.
The first is called Needle and Thread.
My arrow will pass through the hole without touching the sides.
If a sound is heard, that means I've failed.
The second is called Phoenix Eye.
My arrow will land on the hole before it falls to the ground.
If I miss it or it fails to land, I'll lose.
The third is called Reaching for the Moon.
I'll aim at the string,
and I'll catch the coin before it falls to the ground.
If I miss the string or the coin falls down,
I'll lose.
His format may sound precise,
but it's just showmanship.
Still, it's too tricky for me.
Brother Qin, what do you think?
Let's do it.
Sun Cheng is a talent under me.
His archery is second to none.
Qin Qiong will lose.
He won't escape the hundred strokes.
By ordering the executor to hit him hard...
Luo Yi, prepare your nephew's funeral.
Bravo...
Qin Qiong, you won't escape the hundred strokes.
Bull's eye.
Bravo...
If Shubao loses,
The Wu brothers will demand the hundred strikes.
If they execute it,
Shubao's doomed.
Brother Qin, that's it.
General Sun is Little Archer God indeed.
My total admiration.
You're too kind.
It was just fluke.
I was spared public humiliation.
It's your turn now.
Here, catch.
General Sun must have practiced these three shots countless of times.
There was no way he'd miss them.
Since it's not a fair competition from the start,
I too don't need to be too fair.
Well, Brother Qin? Still figuring out how to do it?
Done.
General Sun, in the battlefield,
your opponents are human beings,
not an inanimate coin waiting for you to shoot at it.
So' may K ask you to be my prop?
Prop? How?
It's simple.
Wait, come on over.
General Sun, just put this on your head.
I'll shoot three arrows at it.
If I miss even one, I lose.
Commander, this can't be done!
What if he misses?
Then I'm dead!
General Sun, you just said we'd set our own format.
You want to go back on your word?
But, Commander...
What was the rule again?
Refusing a challenge gets 200 strikes.
200! Sun Cheng will be beaten to death.
Sun Cheng, what are you waiting for?
Remember,
if Qin Giong dares to shoot you dead,
I'll make sure he pays with his to avenge you.
Commander...
Don't miss the mark.
Don't miss the mark...please, don't miss it.
Commander...
Don't miss it...don't miss it...
Don't miss it...please, don't miss it.
Done.
Bravo...
Brother Qin...
You shot through it.
Well then, let me try three arrows together.
Give me three arrows.
Three arrows?
Wait.
I want to try it blindfolded.
Blindfolded?
Commander...
Where's my bow? Where is it?
Give me my bow.
Here it is.
General Sun, you have to cry out,
or I won't know where you are.
Brother Qin, I'm here...
Good...
Brother Qin...I'm here
Brother Qin...I'm here...
Your right, further, further still...
No...
I'm doomed...right...left...
Further left...
Further still...
General Sun, keep talking, don't stop,
or I won't know where you are.
If I miss, don't blame me.
Brother Qin...I'm here...
Here...aim right, Brother Qin...
No...higher...
aim right...lower...
Higher...
No, higher still...
Further right...
Further left...
Right...
No...
Don't stop...
Right...right...
Too far now...
Commander...
Stop crying, here we go...
I admit defeat...
You...
Brother, what do we do?
I admit defeat...
Come, drum roll for Qin Qiong.
Bravo...
Some people make up rules at will,
but end up shooting themselves in the foot.
The chickens have come home to roost.
Your Lordship.
Commander, what is it?
Qin Shubao is an adept in mace and archery,
I'd like to spar with him too.
Would Your Lordship grant me permission?
You are a commander,
you want to fight with a mere constable?
Isn't that beneath you?
If I lose to him, he can have my commander's seal.
But weapons have no eyes.
Before you two fight,
you must sign a waiver of liability,
to exonerate the other side of subsequent death or injuries. OK?
Paper and brush. Yes.
I, Wu Kui, with Lord Beiping as my witness, hereby sign this waiver of liability.
In this combat, be it death or injuries,
the liability lies with myself,
the other side is released of any indemnities.
Is Brother Qiong in danger?
We can only let things run their course now.
Qin Qiong and Wu Kui have signed the waiver
Regardless of age or rank,
The outcome is one's liability alone,
there is no blaming the other side.
Do you both agree?
Good, let the fight begin.
Brother.
My Weapon.
Come on.
Qin Qiong, why aren't you fighting back?
I owe you the handicaps.
One, as a sign of respect due a commander from a commoner.
Two, to show my gratitude for your referral.
Three, I did cause the death of your son Wu Anfu in our scuffle.
Commander, my dues are paid.
From now on, we're on equal footing.
Qin, spare me the show.
Since my son died in your hands,
you're my mortal foe.
Only one of us will be left standing.
I'll kill you or die trying.
Brother...
Qin Qiong, go away.
Brother...
Qin Qiong...
I must kill you today.
I have to kill you...
Your brother and my cousin fought out of their own free will.
They signed the waiver.
You want to deny that?
You...
Brother...
Cousin, let's go. But...
Brother...
Brother, your horse is a good choice, it fits you to a tee.
Your horse suits you too.
Does your horse have a name yet?
I named it Big Belly Cricket.
It sure looks like a cricket.
Brother, look, we're at the mountain.
Nice place.
There are better ones still.
I'm going to set up a formation in the woods
The Bagua Formation.
If you can't fight them, lure them into the formation.
I can guarantee they won't come out again.
Buddy, your formation is of no use.
I can take care of them with my axe.
Right...it's just to play safe.
Report.
Head, the tribute silver is now on the prefecture highway.
Prefecture highway?
Brother. Yes?
The tribute silver will be here this afternoon.
There are three thousand odd escorts.
The two leaders are:
Silver Spear Luo Fang,
the other is Golden Sword Xue Liang.
From which fortress?
They don't belong to any fortress, they're just petty thieves.
Zhu Neng, go check again. Yes.
Brother, we've been talking about robbing the silver tribute for some time.
When afternoon comes, it's your showtime.
Count on me, Buddy.
You're the leader, you'll call the shots.
Get me the shots
No, it means you'll give the order to ambush.
Buddy, I can really do that?
Of course.
Ambush!
Head, the tribute will be here soon.
Good,
Brother...
Tribute...
Rob them.
Why stop here?
Think about where we just passed through,
it was forested.
Look what's in front of us,
the landscape looks bare.
You mean there may be ambush ahead?
I don't know yet, but to play safe,
we should take another route.
Change route.
The road ahead looks dangerous,
beware of bandits, be on the alert.
Yes.
Head, they changed route.
It renders Bagua Woods useless.
Buddy, let me order them to use the old route.
Be patient.
If they've changed course, they have to pass Changye Woods.
We can intercept them there.
The silver will still fall to us.
Buddy, that's what I was thinking too.
Head is right, it's quite close to our place.
Once we get the silver,
we can immediately take it back.
That's what I think too.
Yes, we were just saying it for you.
Let's not wait, let's go to Changye Woods.
That's what I think too.
Let's go.
Buddy, shoot.
Wait, Brother.
Who are you?
Bandit robbery.
Just you?
Protect the tribute.
Kill...
Buddy, which fortress do they belong to?
Not our fortress?
Absolutely not.
They don't look like local people.
Then let them do the robbing.
Of course not.
Listen to me,
we don't know which fortress they come from,
but their martial artistry shows they're not ordinary people.
Brother, let them kill off one another first
then we'll do the robbing, isn't that better?
Right, let them fight one another first,
then we'll fight them.
Buddy, that's what I think too.
Right...
Brother...
Charge...
We're robbing them now?
Good! Rob them!
Another gang?
I cleared the mountain, I planted the trees.
If you want to pass, leave the dues.
Did I say it right?
Buddy, which fortress are you from?
Dying words...
Charge...