Subtitles were brought to you by The Rats of Hollow Island Team @Viki
♫ The green mountain is high, the setting sun illuminates ♫
♫ Striding in the path of time, tossed about by wind and rain ♫
♫ Sword and knife, violence and pride ♫
♫ carry out heroic deeds praising the youth ♫
♫ Even if the lofty sentiments only intend for a beauty's admiration ♫
♫ who can stand a hero's tear? ♫
♫ Look at glory and splendor as if they were goose feathers ♫
♫ Look forward, urging the horse with a wild laugh ♫
♫ Feel sworn brotherhood, surpass the skies ♫
♫ On your behalf Stars fall and souls vanish ♫
♫ In this mundane world, the inevitable turmoil of feelings ♫
♫ by a cup of wine can stretch sky-high ♫
♫ Even if the landscape is far away, with a cry, long and loud ♫
♫ the windy clouds where the sword points, will curl up in a surging tide ♫
♫ Even if this is a loneliness of a lifetime, do not remit cruelty ♫
♫ just because of the hot blood flaming in the chest ♫
♫ Make the green mountain bloom, and the old man of the east ♫
♫ will recollect the mist of the floating clouds ♫
[ The Three Heroes and five Gallants ]
Episode 1
Upright Bao, Black Mole Bao!
Shen Biao, you daring little thief.
Seizing the silver of court officials, is an unforgivable crime!
And have the nerve to raid an official such as I.
Do you know that there is a thing called "Law" in the world?
Law?
I'd like to check out
whether your law is so formidable
or I, your master, am more formidable! (Master is used mockingly to indicate one is above you.)
Brothers, whoever takes Bao Zheng's head will be generously rewarded!
Kill!
Lord, lord!
My Lord Bao, let's get away from this place.
Black Mole Bao, stop!
Are you the Great Heihu Stronghold's head, Shen Biao?
Since you have already recognized me as your lord,
I urge you not to come around stirring trouble!
You hindered me, Zhan Zhao, while handling cases
and ambushed on my Master.
How dare you...
Bodyguard Zhan!
Shen Biao is a criminal wanted by the government.
Please finish this battle quickly.
- Just capturing him would be enough. - Order received.
Good, Brother Zhan!
Better destroy his pants!
Good idea!
Zhao Hu, don't run after him anymore.
Careful for an ambush.
Go!
Brother Zhan, are you alright?
These bastard thieves...
dare to use this kind of dirty tricks.
They are dirty bastards themselves.
Sir Bao, sorry for traumatizing you..
Look at Bodyguard Zhan...looks like a cat.
Cat?
Where's the cat?
Master!
Along the way here, I noticed two suspicious persons.
I listened in their talking secretly.
Later I discovered,
they want to use the case of the lost government fund
for harming Master.
Who are these two people?
Their clothes are like commoners',
but from their speech and movement,
they looked a lot like a certain government official's assistants.
I understand now.
Master!
This thing must be dealt and concluded quickly.
But Heihu Stronghold's terrain is full of danger.
Three sides are cliffs. There's only one road leading up or down.
One man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies in here.
From what I see,
let's ask for reinforcements to face them.
Even if they come, we cannot use them well.
I think
that since this Heihu Stronghold has cliffs on three sides,
it serves as their natural protection
but also their deadly weakness.
Let's go!
Wang Chao.
Here.
Ma Han!
- Are you okay? - I'm okay!
Here.
Get up!
- Ah, get up, get up! -
- Hurry and get up! - In a bit, yes, yes, yes.
Subtitles were brought to you by The Rats of Hollow Island Team @Viki
Are you still going to run?
Heard that recently there's a new martial artist in Kaifeng Prefecture.
Replying to Your Majesty,
he is just someone I invited to help me solve a case.
Who is it?
He is Zhan Zhao, nicknamed Flying Bear.
He's from Chang Province, Wu Jin District, Yu Jie County.
Don't think that he's too young,
he has very good martial arts.
People in the martial arts world call him the Southern Hero.
Yet another one from the martial arts world.
Your Majesty.
Even if this person comes from the martial arts world,
he's just, kind and serves the country loyally.
My recently solved case about the Hua Yen Temple's missing woman
and also the case of Heihu Gou stealing government funds
gained a lot from his help.
I've long been hearing about the martial arts world hiding some very skilled individuals,
but I've never seen one.
How about bringing him in tomorrow to see me?
Let him show some moves for me to see.
Your Majesty, you must not...
Like these martial artists,
they're not trained about proper etiquette and they are unruly.
What if they frighten Your Majesty with their barbaric ways?
That...what should we do about that?
With Bao Zheng here,
nothing will happen.
I'll obey your orders.
Presently, Bao Zhen has Zhan Zhao.
How can this Bao Zhen find such a fine soldier?
The truth is,
I still wish for Zhan Zhao to be transferred to the palace.
Better not leave him at Kaifeng Prefecture.
Let's encourage Your Majesty
to give that Zhan an official position.
Think about it.
One Hei criminal is enough to give us a headache.
And now, here comes a good martial artist.
How can we deal with these?
We must think of a plan to separate the two.
Good idea.
We must decrease Bao Zhen's strength.
Enter the palace?
See the Emperor?
Yes.
I won't go.
Really not going?
Not going.
Bodyguard Zhan.
How about this...
leave here right away.
If the Emperor asks, I'll just tell him that you have gone already.
But...
No need to worry.
If the Emperor wants to blame someone,
I will accept all blame.
Master...
Zhan Zhao serving Kaifeng Prefecture, is known by everyone.
If you let me just go like this,
and leave Master to face everything alone, how can that be?
Master...
It's just showing some skills in front of the Emperor.
I'll just go.
Today, in the royal court,
Black Mole Bao requested again
to impeach Pang Yi.
Didn't you assure me
that using the case of the lost government fund will definitely drag Black Mole Bao down
and make him unable to go to Chen Province?
But who would have thought that Zhan Zhao will appear half way
and destroy my whole plan?
Good thing those mountain bandits don't know anything.
Or else who knows what serious consequences could have happened.
I will definitely be extra careful from now on.
It's just...
It's just what?
It's just...
I still cannot be at ease regarding that Zhan Zhao.
That Zhan person, even if he really is that good,
is just some wanderer from some small town.
Even if he is given a black hat (official position),
he'd still only be one of the Emperor's servants...
a pet.
Pet?
Your Majesty, if you want to see a martial arts performance,
when we go out of the palace
let's go to Da Xiang National Temple. There's everything there.
A tight rope walker, a fire spitter,
stone-breaking using the head...
Why did you let someone from the martial arts world come here in the Palace?
Have you seen a tight-rope walker?
I've seen it.
Some hold an umbrella, some hold a long stick.
Stepping and swinging...
Making the viewers quite dizzy.
Do you know the purpose of the long stick that they hold?
This...maybe...
so that when they fall they can use it as support?
Not right...
My brain is really not smart...
I can't think of the reason why they are holding a long stick.
Holding it in their hands is to provide balance.
Once a tight-rope walker loses balance, he will fall.
Balance?
Your Majesty has a decree
to let Zhan Zhao enter the palace.
Let Zhan Zhao enter the palace.
Zhan Zhao is here to present his respects to Your Majesty.
Long live, Your Majesty.
Get up.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Zhan Zhao.
Subject Bao yesterday at court
praised your martial arts a lot.
I asked you come to the palace today
hoping that you can show me all your real skill.
Don't disappoint
me and Lady Pang.
I would not dare.
I'm just afraid that I might offend Your Majesty's sight. (Meaning that his skills are not worthy to be shown in front of the Emperor.)
Subject Bao.
What is the best skill of Zhan Zhao?
Responding to Your Majesty,
it's swordplay.
Grant him sword.
Your Majesty...
I heard that sword dancers with good martial arts
can cause formation of sword spirit as they move.
Forming a shield in front of them
that even splashed water cannot enter.
Don't know if this Zhan hero's kung fu
can get into that stage?
That's easy to prove.
Just ask someone to bring some ink and we'll know when we try splashing him with it.
Good sword skill...
You really have good sword skill.
Zhan Zhao.
Do you still have other skills?
Zhan Zhao, Your Majesty is asking you if you still have some unique skills.
Hurry and show it.
Responding to Your Majesty,
my second good skill is throwing sleeve arrows.
Zhan Zhao, where do you keep your sleeve arrows?
Sleeve arrows are hidden in one's sleeves.
Men! Arrest this traitor!
Arrest him!
What is this for now?
Reporting to Your Majesty,
traitor Zhan Zhao dared to bring hidden weapons into the Palace.
That is a monstrous crime.
I suggest that he be sentenced to beheading right away.
Wait.
Zhan Zhao received a decree to enter the Palace and perform in front of the Emperor.
What's the crime in that?
Performing one's skill does not give the right to bring hidden weapons.
Bringing hidden weapons into the Palace is planning to assassinate the Emperor.
What does a sleeve arrow looks like? I've never seen one.
Look for it!
Reporting to Your Majesty, we didn't find any sleeve arrows.
He's the one who said that it's hidden in his sleeves.
Minister Pang.
You asked me earlier
where sleeve arrows are kept?
But you didn't ask
if my sleeves have any sleeve arrows in them.
What I answered earlier is
that sleeve arrows are hidden within sleeves.
But I didn't say
that my sleeves have sleeve arrows in them.
You...
Eunuch Wang, we just want to ask what's happening inside?
It's quite good.
The Emperor has ordered
that I bring in Zhan Zhao sleeve arrows.
Thank you for your trouble then, Eunuch Wang.
Requesting Your Majesty to inspect the package.
Mister Zhan.
You must be extra careful with this.
Do not disappoint Your Majesty.
Zhan Zhao understands.
Subject Bao.
Sir,
I heard that arrow masters
can hit their target 100 steps away.
I previously heard Zhan Zhao say
that he can put out a candle's flame
20 feet away during nighttime.
But now it's morning and it's very bright.
Your Majesty, I do have an idea.
We can use the wooden target used during archery in the training grounds
and stick white papers on it.
If Your Majesty pleases, draw some dots on the paper
to test his skills.
I agree. This idea is great.
Men!
Go and get a wooden target.
No need to tire the Minister.
I've already prepared it.
Come.
Bring the wooden target.
So you have prepared beforehand...
Master Bao really is a person full of heart. (He is sarcastically being described as having a plan/intention for something.)
Working for Your Majesty, one must not be careless
and also not having too much heart (scheming).
I am just using my heart (doing my job well).
Subtitles were brought to you by The Rats of Hollow Island Team @Viki
Zhan Zhao, I'm sure that you have a total of 3 sleeve arrows earlier in your sleeves.
But how come I only saw you throw two?
Does you keeping the third one means that...
you have some other plan?
Responding to Your Majesty,
Zhan Zhao third skill is jumping skill.
He needs to go to a high place.
Hope that Your Majesty can allow Zhan Zhao
to go up the ceiling and perform it for Your Majesty.
and perform it for Your Majesty.
Nonsense! In a tightly secured palace location, how can one allow...
some commoner just going up the roof or passing through walls?
Minister...
Since I want to enjoy Zhan Zhao's unique skills,
then I should let him perform all his capabilities.
Since Zhan Zhao's skill requires him to be in a high place,
why not just let him go up?
Zhan Zhao.
Your Majesty has ordered
that you show all your skills.
No need to have any concerns.
Yes, Your Majesty!
Such a wonderful and surprising skill...
Wonderful skill...
He's really like a cat.
Right.
Right. He's really like my pet cat.
Zhan Zhao.
Why don't you hurry and thank Your Majesty for his kindness?
Thank me for what kindness?
Your Majesty.
Didn't you just granted Zhan Zhao a while ago to be your pet cat?
But I was just saying that randomly.
Your Majesty.
There's a saying that a king's word is never a joke.
How can matters like granting position be considered as just some random words?
Fine...
That being the case...
Zhan Zhao.
Listen to your grant.
Zhan Zhao,
why aren't you kneeling yet?
I am granting you to become the Imperial Cat
but this is just a code name.
Your real task is
a fourth ranked imperial knight of mine.
Grant him his official clothes.
Zhan Zhao, from now on,
an Emperor's Imperial Cat like you,
should go and catch many mice for Your Majesty.
Zhan Zhao, won't you hurry and thank Your Majesty.
Your Majesty... Zhan Zhao will be bold
to request Your Majesty to take back your order.
You dare Zhan Zhao!
You dare to not follow the Emperor's decree?
Zhan Zhao,
you're just an ordinary town folk.
Suddenly promoting you to a fourth ranked official
is already against the norm.
Are you
disliking Your Majesty's grant to you because it's too low?
Replying to My Lady.
Zhan Zhao is nothing but an unruly town folk.
Ignorant and untrained with etiquette.
My knowledge is not enough for official problems. My fighting skills are not enough to protect the kingdom.
Requesting Your Majesty to withdraw your grants.
Zhan Zhao should just return to Kaifeng Prefecture and just continue to protect Master Bao.
You...
Zhan Zhao.
Do you know that the whole world is the Emperor's territory
and army leaders are the Emperor's subjects?
Your Majesty is giving you a position because he thinks highly of you.
Don't a lowlife like dare not know how to appreciate favors?
I know that my skills are not enough.
I really will not be able to do royal job well.
Zhan Zhao, its not like you don't have the skills.
It's more like you don't want to work for Your Majesty, right?
Even if Zhan Zhao works at Kaifeng Prefecture,
as long as the Royal Family needs me,
I will definitely not stay on the sidelines and will help in any way I can.
Your Majesty.
You should have understood already.
Zhan Zhao is not willing to work for Your Majesty.
But if Master Bao has some problems,
he will definitely do everything he can.
But if he's working for your Majesty, then it's...treated like some other matter.
Right...he only sees Master Bao...
There's no Your Majesty in it...
Your Majesty.
From what I see...
since he doesn't like us...
we should also just stop being self-assuming.
Your Majesty.
Zhan Zhao was born in the wild mountains.
He doesn't know the Imperial Palace's rules.
Let Your Majesty give me some time to teach him well.
Once he learns the right rules and etiquette already,
he will definitely work for Your Majesty.
[Kaifeng Prefecture]
[Wisdom and Fairness]
To ask me, Zhan Zhao, to wear this official uniform all day,
I feel so uncomfortable every time I think about it.
It's my fault.
If not because of my repeated requests to keep Zhan Royal Guard to remain in the Kaifeng Prefecture,
there wouldn't be the trouble we have today.
Master cannot be blamed for this.
After all,
it's still the old scoundrel Pang Ji
and the evil Imperial Concubine trying to set this up.
Their objective
is to weaken the strength of the Kaifeng Prefecture.
However, since the Emperor has already made the request,
he will not withdraw his decision.
If you continue to resist following his order, this may cause you your life.
In my view,
that Zhan Zhao will not accept the offered official position,
even less likely to take on
an obviously humiliating title like "Imperial Cat."
Our Emperor is very wise.
He knows well about a brute like Zhan Zhao.
If he cannot be used by the government,
he will definitely turn into a problem for the government.
If we cannot use him, then we must kill him.
Humble courtier is here to show respect to Your Majesty.
Long Live Your Majesty.
Draft the decree.
Designate Zhan Zhao as the fourth Ranked Imperial Knight
- to serve in the Kaifeng Resience. - As ordered.
Didn't this Zhan Zhao decline to serve as a government official?
I do not accept it!
Make it known!
The imperial court today
is fraught with greed and fraud from the top to the bottom.
The corruption of the governance has reached a critical level.
Just with you, Master, and a minority of ethical officials,
it is very difficult to prop up this shaky situation.
Therefore I need to recruit additional people of high moral character from the martial art world,
to combine the forces within and without the court to counter these greedy and fraudulent officials.
Be rest assured, Master.
Zhan Zhao will do my best to support the Master's plan.
Zhao Hero is willing to do this.
I am very gratified by what you said.
To be honest, it's all because of Master's guidance.
Buddha had a saying: "If it's not me to enter the Hell, then who else?"
As long as it can help Master
to punish more of these corrupted officials
and to produce more benefits for the people,
Zhan Zhao will not hesitate to do everything I can without reservation.
Wang Eunuch arrived.
- Wang Eunuch. - Lord Bao.
Hero Zhan is also here.
Perfect. Bao Zheng and Zhan Zhao are to receive the Imperial Decree.
Courtier Bao Zheng is here to accept the Decree.
Per the royal order of the Heavens, Your Highness decrees that
Zhan Zhao is designated as the 4th Ranked Imperial Knight
to serve at the Kaifeng Prefecture,
to assist the Chief in maintaining the security.
Courtier accepts the Decree and expresses my gratitude.
Long Live the Emperor.
My lords, please rise.
Lord Zhan,
it's fortunate that the Emperor thought it through and offered you this favor.
Whether it's in the Kaifeng Prefecture, or the Imperial Capital,
you are doing your work for our Great Song Dynasty.
Many thanks for Wang Eunuch's guidance.
- Zhan Zhao understands. - It's good that you do.
This shows Lord Zhan is an intelligent person.
It's good to be intelligent.
In this world, only the intelligent and bad people get to live a long life.
If you look at those who passed away early,
aren't they all dumb and good people?
What is it?
Father-in-law,
The Emperor has given Zhan Zhao an official position.
Right in the Kaifeng Prefecture.
He didn't enter the Imperial Palace?
It seems that I have missed this one.
However Father-in-law,
I feel that
Zhan Zhao staying in the Kaifeng Prefecture
could be a positive development.
Master, what Zhan Zhao is concerned about is not being misunderstood by those in the martial art world,
but the title of "Imperial Cat."
That's true.
This title of Imperial Cat sounds indeed rather irksome.
However, since it is given by the Emperor,
there is no reason to change it.
Knight Zhan, please be more tolerant.
There is something Master does not know.
Zhan Zhao is not concerned about personal reputation,
but I know that
in the Jiang Nang Songjiang Prefecture there is a Hollow Island.
You can find a Lu Family Village there. The Chief is named Lu Fang.
He has four sworn brothers in oath.
They use rat as part of their nickname. They are known as "Five Rats at River South" there.
These five people are highly skilled in martial art with unique abilities,
and conduct themselves with fairness, constantly looking to correct injustice they encounter.
They are well recognized for their heroic deeds in the martial art world.
If they are such heroes,
why does Knight Zhan continue to have concerns?
Zhan Zhao is only worried that
this title of Imperial Cat
can cause misunderstanding with these five Rats,
and create some incidents unnecessarily.
Then how do we address this issue?
The best approach
is to allow Zhan Zhao to visit the Hollow Island,
to offer a clear and full explanation to these five Rats.
Can you be successful with your explanation?
I will do my best with sincerity.
Knight Zhan, have you met these five Rats before?
Master,
in this martial art world, many highly skilled experts know each other's name very well,
but may never meet with each other in their whole life.
Then it's likely to be more challenging.
However Zhan Zhao has a less than perfect idea.
Please tell me.
Subtitles were brought to you by The Rats of Hollow Island Team @Viki
♫ How I want to look at you once more ♫
♫ How I want to go back to your side ♫
♫ If ever time will stop at this day ♫
♫ will it be forever? ♫
♫ Even though they say that love is hard to be made into reality ♫
♫ Willing to take a step back to fulfill it ♫
♫ Those compromising words ♫
♫ I’ll keep them for you ♫
♫ You said that rather than crying til ones eyes are red, better to just think and miss me ♫
♫ I’m afraid that yearning cannot cope with the changes of time ♫
♫ Gossips spread for one year ♫
♫ Forever seems like too far away ♫
♫ Rather than looking at your back slowly getting far, better to just think and miss you ♫
♫ Learned to wipe my tears dry after turning around ♫
♫ If there’s a Heaven, then the love, hate, and embrace of the past are rubbed to become ♫
♫ one’s heart’s callus.
♫ You said that rather than crying til ones eyes are red, better to just think and miss me ♫
♫ I’m afraid that yearning cannot cope with the changes of time ♫
♫ Gossips spread for one year ♫
♫ Forever seems like too far away ♫
♫ Rather than looking at your back slowly getting far, better to just think and miss you ♫
♫ Learned to wipe my tears dry after turning around ♫
♫ If there’s a Heaven, then the love, hate, and embrace of the past are rubbed to become ♫
♫ one’s heart’s callus.