During last days of Eastern Han Dynasty,
Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. Although eight months later,
it was defeated,
already troubled Han Dynasty hadn't rejuvenated itself.
AD 189,
a 14-year old LIU BIAN was crowned Emperor SHAO.
LIU JIN is Imperial relative LIU JIN was appointed general-in-chief.
In order to remove eunuchs power from the palace,
he listened to YUAN SHAO,
and ordered DONG ZHUO to advance towards the capital.
Three Kingdoms, a period lasted over 100 years,
full of chaos and conflicts,
officially started now.
AD 189,
DONG ZHUO ordered the Emperor SHAO to be removed from the throne,
Prince of CHEN LIU, LIU XIE was made new Emperor,
known as Emperor XIAN.
Naming himself the Prime Minister,
DONG ZHUO is now the most powerful man
and offended everyone in the palace.
Therefore, the whole country raised against him.
His Majesty ordered,
everyone show your respect to Prime Minister DONG as he leaves.
Have a nice trip, Mr. Minister.
Meeting adjourned,
Dismiss now
My lord,
it's Minister of Interior NWANG YUN's birthday,
Mr. has arranged banquet at his place,
you're invited.
Did he invite DONG ZHUO?
Alright. Please inform Mr. minister
-that I'll definitely be there. -For sure.
My friend.
Mr. CAO.
I've waited for such a long time.
Haven't you got any message
that you'd like to tell me?
Just now, I saw you
whispered something to everyone.
Why didn't your say something to me?
Am I too unrespectable for you?
Sir.
Did you see?
The people Mr. WANG invited for his birthday banquet
were all former counselors for the previous emperor.
Of course he did.
I believe,
- Mr. WANG's intention is not only...-Mr. YUAN.
Mr. YUAN.
CAO CAO (mans new?
Please excuse me.
OK, please. See you.
We are all colleagues in this court.
But some people
are ashamed to be seen with me.
You really see through everything.
If you sir appreciate me,
I'd like to accompany you,
let's have a walk, OK?
Sure, please.
Please.
Mr. YUAN.
Is it Minister WANG YUN's birthday today?
You have great eye sight,
as well as great hearing ability.
Why did the servant
Minister WANG sent for message
invite all you people
but neglected mention me?
You know
I have a lot of respect to old counselors like you,
especially Minister WANG.
Before answering your question,
I also have something to ask.
Please say it.
Like you said,
Minister WANG is planning a big dinner,
why aren't you invited?
Good question.
In that case, please answer it for me.
I think it's because
everyone invited has something in common,
that they are from prestigious family.
And you all think I'm a low life,
born from eunuch family.
From such background,
I'm too embarrassing to show up in front of you.
You have the courage to say something like this,
I'm very impressed.
But there's other reasons.
You really want to hear everything?
You asked to accompany me.
If you can't say everything to me,
then I don't see the point here.
All right, I'll tell you.
He invited old counselors of the previous emperor.
And they all belong to the royal clique,
with WANG YUN's as their head.
And you think me, CAO CAO
a low self-esteemed thug who sewed the enemy.
Why do you stop?
Please continue.
Why are you low self-esteemed,
and serve the enemy?
Whose thug are you?
Which enemy are you sewing?
The national enemy DONG ZHUO!
Quiet down!
What's the matter, Mr. YUAN?
The national enemy,
I believe that's all you counselors
talking about with hatred and concern.
Now under day light,
in the royal palace of the capital,
why are you afraid to say it?
Isn't this palace holy place for you?
All the royal counselors like you
everyone acts like scared puppies, couldn't utter a word.
Now I really understand
who is respectable and who is not.
My perspective is truly upgraded.
He just sneezed a little bit,
and made everyone of you scared to death.
How dare you...
Welcome. Please come in.
My pleasure. Please.
Please mind your steps.
Milord, please.
Congratulations for your 60th birthday.
- Thank you. Please come in. OK.
Please...
ls everyone here?
My lord,
all invited guests arrived.
Great. Then shut the door and put out the lantern.
Cease the playing band
so that we won't disturb the patrolling thugs.
Yes, sir.
Congratulations to your 60th birthday, Minister WANG.
- Cheers, everyone. Cheers.
real wine.
Allow me.
Open the door, guest is here!
Please...
Milord.
A man claims to be CAO CAO,the General of Military Standards.
He insisted on greeting you though he's not invited.
CAO CAO?
He's being so rude!
Shame on him!
The day DONG ZHUO entered the capital,
CAO CAO went right to his place.
He bowed his knees to him and entertain the man.
He is an embarrass men to us all!
True! At first, he went to DONG every another day.
Now he went twice, both dawn and dusk.
He follows DONG so closely.
He's turned into DONG'S thug.
This man...
is literally DONG'S adopted son.
Minister WANG,
CAO CAO must've come here because of DONG ZHUO,
to probe for DONG.
I believe so. Please send him away, milord.
Send him away!
I agree.
Not necessarily.
In my opinion,
it seemed CAO CAO
wasn't DONG ZHUO's thug.
He wouldn't degenerate so low.
CAO CAO is a person
with higher motivation.
He pretended to be obedient, and prepared himself secretly.
And his real goal
probably very different from the appearance.
Your analysis is very wise, Minister.
And after all,
he said he's here...
to greet my birthday.
How could I send such a guest home.
- Chamberlain.-My lord.
Add a guest place at the end beside the door.
Set a small table and a small set of dishes.
Grant CAO CAO to the banquet.
Yes, sir.
Mr. CAO.
Mr. Minister grants you in.
Then lead me in.
This way please.
Minister WANG,
please allow me to congratulations for your 60th birthday.
Thank you.
Please be seated.
He's not invited, why is he here?
Than ks for the hospitality.
Cheers, everyone.
Cheers...
Cheers.
G real wine!
My fellow ministers, it's not really my birthday today.
Quite contrary, it's the day of my death.
Under the guise of my birthday party,
I invited all of you at my place,
to talk to everyone.
Han Dynasty, which lasted 400 years,
has met now a critical moment.
Lands are being taken. The sun and the moon leave their courses
Temples are being destroyed. National power is held by a thief.
The emperor is held captivity. Both the emperor and officials lost dignity.
The evil DONG ZHUO ravages the court.
And rebels chase for power around the country.
Alas! I weep for the devastation of the rites and regulations.
And DONG ZHUO his nights in the Palace,
defiled the imperial concubines there,and even slept on the Dragon Couch.
He's nothing but a beast!
CAO CAO, what are you laughing at?
I laughed at the absurdity
of an assembly of men
behaving like scared little girls.
Weep as you wish until break of dawn,
can you compass the death of DONG?
How dare you utter such disrespect?
Foolish and incapable as I am,
I will cut off his head immediately,
and hang it at the gate of CHANG LE palace!
Who does he think he is?
- Man! Yes sir!
Send this arrogant CAO CAO (MENG DE) out of my house!
Get up! Out!
Come on!
Wait a minute!
Please listen to me, Mr. Minister.
Just say it.
Though you're a stubborn man,
you have good wine.
A man stubborn like you,
doesn't deserve such good wine.
Such a waste.
Guard him out!
Drag him out!
Such a waste of the wine!
Just leave!
Leave immediately!
What a bunch of foolish men!
General CAO, please wait a minute.
General CAO?
Weird stuff happens.
Am I CAO CAO (MENG DE)? Now I'm General CAO?
My status changed swiftly.
You wanna talk to me?
General CAO, our lord
ordered me to apologize to you deeply.
My lord said that
there're too many people on the banquet.
You shouldn't talk about kill DONG ZHUO there.
So he pretended to be angry
and sent you out.
He was trying to protect you.
Please wait for him in the study.
After guests leave,
my lord will apologize to you by himself.
Sounds like WANG YUN's style.
All right, I'll wait in the study.
But I want the wine,
take me some.
I can't just sit there.
As you wish.
CAO CAO (MENG DE).
I'm sorry to keep you waiting.
I feel very regretted.
Please accept my apology.
Mr. Minister, it's all right.
Have those ministers left already?
Yes, they left.
I couldn't say too much to you in front of the crowd.
Do you really have solution to kill the evil?
Of course.
This way please.
After you.
I can assure you,
neither am I a person who sell his lord for wealth,
nor a person who lies and brags to everyone.
Just now on the dinner,
you all misunderstood me.
I bowed knee to him that thereby I might find an opportunity against him.
HOW?
Mr. Minister.
I have already
won DONG ZHUO's trust.
Although the security measure at his place is very strict,
I can go directly to his close chamber
even without his permission first.
But there's one problem,
DONG ZHUO always wear an armor as his undergarment.
Ordinary swords couldn't hurt him.
Do you remember last spring,
Wu Full tried to assassinate DONG with a sharp dagger.
His sword didn't thrust through his armor,
which led to his failure and the annihilation of his whole family.
Then what is your suggestion?
I heard you have a great sword
with seven precious jewels, bequeathed from your ancestors.
And it can cut through gold and jade. Is it true?
If you can borrow the sword to me,
I'll take it to DONG ZHUO's house,
and went nearby to that devil.
And I'll kill him.
As long as he's killed,
losing leader, his army of the western region will definitely be defeated.
Then the country will get its hope.
Assassinate him at his place?
You will sacrifice your own life?
To remove the big evil of the country,
my own life shouldn't be concerned.
As long as we can take DONG'S head,
and hang it on the doorway of the city,
I'll be memorized by the history.
If I fail,
then the one hung on the doorway,
might be my head.
Even though,
I'm willing to do it.
CAO MENG DE, general CAO.
If you can really thrust the evil to death,
your achievement will be so great that people will never forget.
The destiny of Han dynasty which lasted for 400 years,
at this moment,
is in your hand, CAO CAO (MENG DE).
Then I'm taking the sword.
Wait a minute.
CAO CAO (MENG DE).
You think that's the precious sword?
It isn't?
Just a minute.
The most coveted sword!
But it's so ordinary and plain.
The worth of treasure isn't about its appearance.
Within three days,
it'll be written in history with the blood of the evil shed.
400 years legacy of Han dynasty,
right now, is in your hand, general CAO!
I'm the General of Military Standards CAO CAO, I want to see the minister.
Please come in.
You are not gonna search me
see if I'm armed or not?
To strangers I will,
we trust you, Mr. CAO.
Please.
I apologize for coming too late, minister.
MENG DE, you're here.
Great!
Come on in!
MENG DE, I'd like to introduce someone to you.
This is my adopted son, LU BU,courtesy name FENG XIAN.
He just led my army to the capital from western region of XIZHOU.
You're the famous general LU,
I've heard so much about you.
LU BU was the man among humans, as Red Hare was the horse among horses.
And with your double-eared halberd,
I believe there's no opponent of yours.
LU BU (FENG XIAN), haven't I told you,
CAO CAO (MENG DE) has a tongue with no opponent.
I'm flattered, CAO CAO (MENG DE),
I'm not that good.
CAO CAO (MENG DE),
why are you so late?
I've been waiting for you.
My horse is too weak,
that's why I got late.
Please forgive me.
You're a General of Military Standards.
Why don't you have a good steed?
There's some reason you're not aware of.
There's been a drought since spring.
People in the capital are starving, so are the horses.
My horse almost starves to death.
I won't allow this.
People can starve to death,
but your horse should be well treated.
I have outstanding western region horse here.
LU BU (FENG XIAN),
please select a good horse yourself,
and then give it to CAO CAO (MENG DE).
Yes, sir.
Thank you, general.
Than ks, Mr. Minister.
CAO CAO (MENG DE).
Come here.
Let's have a chat.
CAO CAO (MENG DE), tell me.
Do you know YUAN SHAO, AKA YUAN BEN CHU well?
I knew YUAN SHAO (BEN CHU) since very young,
but my social status is lower than his.
YUAN SHAO is a true bastard.
I should've killed him when I first came to the capital.
I thought he's a celebrity.
So I thought about it twice,
then he escaped the capital.
Who knows,
he raised 18 bands of local officials and warlords,
and launched a campaign against me!
There's no need to be scared.
YUAN SHAO hides in a shallow name, he's no talent.
18 bands of officials and warlords is nothing compared to your army.
Just send general LU BU,
taking 30,000 armored horsemen,
the victory is absolutely yours.
That's for sure!
Besides LU BU,
I also have Ll JUE and GUO SI.
Both of those generals
are very courageous and skillful.
It's as easy as a pie
for them to defeat those 18 bands of army
In my opinion,
the most import factor is you, Mr. minister.
As military leader, better than HAN XIN, as state counselor, you exceed XIAO HE.
In the 400 years of Han dynasty history,
there's nobody like you,
an intelligent capable of all aspects.
CAO CAO (MENG DE).
You always please me with your words.
CAO CAO (MENG DE),
there's something else I'd like to ask.
Please.
I know clearly,
those ministers pretended to be respecting me,
they actually hate my gut.
They'd hang my head Nome the gate oi the shy.
You're close to those ministers.
Please tell me,
after the hearing news of YUAN SHAO's rebellion,
do they act a little bit abnormally?
I didn't notice anything special.
But it was minister WANG's 60th birthday the other night.
All ministers were at his banquet.
I also went there without being invited,
trying to probe some information for you.
But surprisingly,
they just sent me out.
Those ungrateful bastards!
They just enjoy the bounty of government,
and fed themselves fat and greasy.
But they only dare to curse me secretly,
and they'll nothing else against me!
I'd rather cut off their heads
and cook some soup with their meat!
I don't think so, Mr. minister.
Honesty men have sour meat.
Yes, very sour!
Just by thinking about it,
I can't stand it.
LUO YANG city is too hot,
compared to my western hometown.
Haven't you felt? It's far from summer,
I'm almost baked to death.
CAO CAO (MENG DE).
I'll lie down inside for a while.
Watch out, Mr. minister.
Mr. minister.
What are you doing?
Mr. minister.
I got a spectacular treasure,
sword with 7 precious jewels.
I'm thinking,
I don't deserve such valuable sword.
I know you love precious arms.
Yes, sir!
I'd like to give it to you, Mr. minister.
Alright, let me have a look.
It seems like an ordinary sword.
Nothing special.
Why is it so valuable?
Allow me to show you.
I can't believe it!
What a sharp sword!
It's so amazing!
Who deserves such valuable sword?
Only wise lord like you, Mr. minister
is fit to have it.
CAO CAO (MENG DE),
you're so loyal to me.
Thank you very much.
You gave me so much, I don't think I can repay you enough.
CAO CAO (MENG DE).
General LU, what's the matter?
CAO CAO (MENG DE),
you forgot,
the minister asked me to give you a horse.
Check this horse out.
I select this great horse from western region for you.
He's able to run hundreds of miles a day.
Such great horse, it's a waste to let me ride it.
There's no such thing, CAO CAO (MENG DE).
Great horse is for true heroes.
May I have a test ride?
Please.
CAO CAO (MENG DE).
The horse is hot tempered.
You want him obedient?
Then you must behave like a true hero.
Try yell at him loudly.
Giddap!
Godfather.
LU BU (FENG XIAN).
Have you met CAO CAO?
I met him at the front door just now.
I gave him a great steed to him as you asked.
He tried it immediately and ran as if he is crazy.
LU BU (FENG XIAN),
CAO CAO gave me a valuable sword.
Look at it.
There's nothing like it.
It cuts iron like mud.
Just one swing,
look at this mirror.
It's cut in half by the sword.
What a precious sword!
Godfather, may I have a look at it?
real sword!
CAO CAO said, it's called sword with 7 precious jewels.
Sword with 7 precious jewels?
Godfather, I heard that
minister WANG YUN has a sword
of 7 jewels from their ancestors.
Is it this sword?
WANG YUN?
CAO CAO just told me that
he went to WANG YUN's birthday dinner,
and was thrown out by WANG YUN.
Then,
why WANG gave him such valuable family treasure?
Oh no!
CAO CAO was trying to assassinate me!
Godfather, you must've thought too much.
I don't think so.
I can't be too careful for my own life.
Whenever people try to kill me,
I can smell their intention.
Now thinking about it,
CAO CAO was very nervous.
His hands trembled when giving me the sword.
And if he's just giving me the sword,
why he didn't mention this
when he first came in?
And he waited until I fell asleep,
he took out the sword.
If I didn't see the reflection from the mirror,
and I shouted at him,
maybe he'll stab this sword
into my heart.
CAO CAO was seen through by me,
then he pretended to give it to me.
Man!
Mr. minister.
Send CAO CAO for me!
Yes sir!
Giddap!
Who are you? We need to search you!
I'm General of Military Standards CAO CAO.
Mr. minister sent me for an emergency. Back off!
Let me see your pass document.
I'm in a hurry. lf the minister's mission is delayed,
your life will be at stake!
Just back off!
Giddap!
Report!
Mr. minister.
There was a messenger rushed out of the eastern door
with your order.
I'd ask if you really sent this messenger.
Who's the man?
He said he's General of Military Standards CAO CAO.
He's an assassin! He's thug!
He tried to kill me!
Take my order, send 5,000 armored soldiers out of town,
search and arrest CAO CAO!
Yes, sir!
Godfather, please send me.
I'll lead armored horsemen to hunt down CAO CAO.
LU BU (FENG XIAN).
You really like this sword, right?
I won't dare.
I didn't ask you if you dare,
I'm asking if you like it.
Just tell me, do you like it?
I like it.
Then it's you rs.
But I have a demand.
Use this sword,
cut off CAO CAO's head for me!
Yes sir!
Giddap!