The Prime Minister ordered that the palace is too important.
Ministers of foreign states couldn't get inside.
His Majesty is sick.
He asked LIU BEI to visit him.
It's late. Come tomorrow.
I'm state uncle.
His Majesty allows me to get in.
Who are you guys?
How dare you stop me? Back off.
Or I'll tell CAO CAO,
and you'll be punished.
Let him in.
State uncle, you're here.
I'm LIU BEI. How are you,empress DONG.
I don't see other royal family members.
His Majesty only asked for you.
Where is His Majesty?How is he feeling?
He is in the bathroom.
Then I'll wait here.
No, he'd like you
to go to the bathroom too.
How can I meet His Majesty in the bathroom?
State uncle,
please go to the bathroom.
Your Majesty.
LIU BEI,
you must feel weird.
Actually CAO CAO's men are everywhere in the palace.
Only in the bathroom, NI can feel safe.
Do you see this position?
It's the real dragon seat of mine.
Only in here,
I can express my true feelings.
Your Majesty,
I...l feel my heart is wrung out!
Don't feel sorry for me.
The situation now
is better than the last a few years.
Do you know
that since I became the emperor,
I was a tool of DONG ZHUO.
At that time,
DONG ZHUO controlled the palace and slept with imperial concubines.
He called himself Imperial Rector, and ruled the whole court.
After DONG ZHUO died,
I was caught by Ll and GUO.
They were cruel like beasts.
And with help of DONG CHENG, father of the empress
I ran out of CHANG'AN.
But then CAO CAO brought me to XU CHANG.
Your Majesty,
I heard that
Prime Minister respects you very much.
Is it true?
That's actually not wrong.
CAO CAO never abuses me.
Every month, every season,
he offers me a lot of valuable clothes and food.
But he rules the whole court.
He decides thing which shall be determined by me.
I'm held in a fancy cage.
He controls the governors in the name of me.
And as long as there's chance,
he will kill me and crown himself.
State uncle,
CAO CAO is not Prime Minister of Han,
he is a rebel of Han.
He is different from DONG ZHUO.
CAO CAO stole the country without people knowing it.
People thought he's a loyal and powerful minister,
whose fame is better than mine.
CAO CAO's tactic is so much more skillful than DONG ZHUO's.
You can see it from his behavior when we went hunting yesterday.
Your Majesty.
Don't worry.
I will kill this devil one day.
Han will be rejuvenated. Your favor will be repayed.
I asked you here to tell you
that I can't do anything in this cage.
Please go out and build hero's regime.
Support the Han royal family and save the people.
Our ancestors' souls will be soothed.
In a period,
I'll send you another secret order.
I take the order.
State uncle.
I'd bow to you.
Your Majesty.
Please don't.
I bow to you
it's not an emperor bow to an official.
It's a nephew bow to his uncle.
You r Majesty.
Please dry your tears before you go out.
There're CAO CAO's men out there.
Please wait up, Imperial Uncle.
Why is that?
Officers from foreign state come to the palace,
must be searched.
How dare you!
You search me? I'll kill you!
If I don't search you,
the Prime Minister will kill me too.
This is my order. Please excuse me.
Honey, here.
Please sew this secret order
into my jade belt.
I'll have a chance to hold ceremony for ancestors outside the palace.
Then I'll give it to a loyal official.
I'll ask him to communicate with heroes all over the country to fight the devil.
Is this man reliable?
Yes.
Who is it?
Your father, DONG CHENG.
Mr. Prime Minister.
The other day after the hunting,
His Majesty caught a cold and got sick.
I know that.
But what's weird is
that he said he's fine now.
And he'll hold ceremony for ancestors in GONG CHEN Pavilion.
And he brought father of the empress DONG CHENG.
Who else did he bring?
He only took DONG CHENG.
They're still in the pavilion.
I suspect something.
So I come here to report to you.
Minister DONG.
Prime Minister CAO.
I heard that His Majesty is holding ceremony for ancestors here.
So I came here to do it with him.
Is His Majesty still there?
His Majesty just finished the ceremony and went back to palace.
I'm leaving too.
Since I'm already here,
and you haven't left,
how about accompanying with me
and finishing the ceremony together?
L...
I'd love to.
Please.
Please, Mr. Prime Minister.
- Minister DONG. N-Yes?
This is a great place
to communicate with both the heavens and the earth.
I can't follow you, Mr. Prime Minister.
His Majesty brought you here,
what secret order did he give you?
Absolutely not.
From he came in, until he left,
he never spoke a word to me.
Really?
Of course.
He just offered me this jade belt.
See? He did speak to you.
And he even gave you something.
I mean,
His Majesty didn't give me any secret order.
So this is it?
Yes.
Could you unbelt it,
and let me have a look?
Yes.
Does it suit me?
Yes.
I think so too.
I think this belt
looks better on me
than on you, Mr. Minister.
Isn't that right?
Yes.
Then, please excuse me
I'd like to have it. You...
May I?
Please take it, Mr. Prime Minister.
You really give it to me?
I am.
You would give it up?
Yes.
I won't steal things other people love.
And especially when this is
something His Majesty gave you.
I'm only an official from foreign state.
I can't have it.
Please take it back.
Than ks. Than ks.
Mr. DONG, what're you doing here?
Imperial Uncle, let's go inside and talk, OK?
This way please.
His Majesty wrote in the blood letter:
Among human relationships, father and son is the most important.
Among all relationships, emperor and his official is the most important.
The devil CAO CAO doesn't respect his emperor and father.
He harms the country
as well as the court.
You're all my best ministers.
Please think of the hardship our ancestors bore in the first years,
and what they gave you
and gather loyal men inside and outside the court
to form an army and terminate the rebel CAO,
and rejuvenate the Han dynasty.
Now I write this letter with my blood.
There's so much more I want say.
There're so many hatred feelings in my heart.
My dear ancestor GAO ZU emperor,
your grandson LIU BEI takes this order.
Imperial Uncle LIU.
What are you doing here, generals?
The Prime Minister asked you to be there immediately.
Please wait, I'll get dressed.
The Prime Minister asked you there
there's no need to get dressed, please.
Alright.
Come on!
LIU BEI is here, I bow to you, Mr. Prime Minister.
You did something huge at your home.
You think I didn't know?
I don't know what do you mean.
Planting vegetables.
You're the Imperial Uncle, as well as a general.
And you plant vegetables like a farmer.
The salary I offered you isn't enough?
No, your men took good care of me.
It's because I have some spare time
and suddenly crave some fresh leek.
So I planted some.
How are those leeks?
They're growing very well.
Then when you harvest them,
please give me some.
I'd like to taste them.
OK. I'm glad to do that.
Come on.
The year before last, when we went fighting YUAN SHU,
it was hot and dry.
Soldiers and officers were very thirsty.
And they couldn't even walk.
Then I got an idea.
I pointed at distant area and shouted
"look, there're a lot of plum trees there!"
Then everyone got cheered up
and they didn't feel thirsty any more.
They ran very fast towards there.
Actually there isn't any plum there.
But the soldiers were lured by them,
and made to the camp in time.
You're a very intelligent man, Mr. Prime Minister.
The story of quenching thirst by thinking plums.
Will become a classic tale
and known to people later.
Mr. Prime Minister,
when I came in just now,
I saw them took a body out.
I asked around and know that
you killed him when you were asleep.
You're a very unusual man.
Even when you sleep, you have one eye open.
LIU BEI (XUAN DE),
you're an honest man.
I'll tell you the truth.
It's not because I like to kill people when I sleep.
I just sleep.
Why would I kill people?
But I'm always alert
if anyone would assassinate me when I sleep.
That's impossible! You think too much.
Why not?
Years ago,
when DONG ZHUO was asleep
I tried to assassinate him.
I can do that, others could do that to me.
So even when I sleep,
I couldn't be careless.
Then how do you prevent that?
I publicly tell people
that I kill people when I sleep.
No one should get close when I sleep.
Otherwise he may die.
My servants don't believe it very much.
That's not good for me.
Then today at noon
I pretended to be sleeping and talking in my dream.
The servant thought I was calling him.
Then he came to me.
I shouted and stabbed him with my sword.
Then I went back to sleep.
When I woke up,
I pretended that NI didn't know anything.
And I acted very sad.
I think right now,
the story that CAO CAO killed someone when he sleeps,
shall be spread very widely.
From now on,
nobody would dare get close to me when I'm asleep.
I see, you were not sleeping.
But everyone else is.
Except for you, Imperial Uncle. Here.
G real wind.
The wind follows the tiger. The cloud follows the dragon.
The heroes of tiger and dragon fly in the sky.
Good poem!
LIU BEI (XUAN DE),
you've been to many places,
and met many people.
You must've seen a lot of real heroes.
Tell me, who's the real hero?
I'm not sure about that.
I'm a very mediocre man.
I can't tell who's hero and who's not.
Just a casual talk. It's OK.
Even you haven't met him,
you must have heard of him.
OK.
YUAN SHU, in South HUAI river, he always wanted to be emperor.
Although he failed to be emperor,
after all he used to dominate a big area.
I think he is a hero.
He lost the battles. He's history.
He doesn't have a long life to live.
I will catch him eventually.
Then YUAN SHAO of He Bei.
He came from a prestigious family and he has great soldiers and supply.
He stays in JI ZHOU, thousand miles away.
And he aims at the country.
He should be hero.
YUAN SHAO is tough on the outside and chicken hearted inside.
He's lack of determination.
He doesn't wanna sacrifice small for big.
And he forsakes morality with the sight of money.
He is not a hero.
There's a man, ranks None of the Eight Talents.
He's famous in the whole country.
LIU JING SHENG should be hero.
LIU BIAO? He's just a fake.
He's far from being a hero.
LIU JI YU of Yl ZHOU,
he should be hero?
LIU ZHANG,
though he's from royal family,
he's only a barking dog Nat the steps.
And another one,
he's very young and strong.
The leader of southern river,
SU BO FU, he must be a hero.
SUN CE earned his name because of his father SUN JIAN.
He's not a hero.
Then...
MA TENG, ZHANG XIU, HAN SUI,
What do you think of them?
They're all foolish men, never achieved anything.
Not worth mentioning at all.
Except them,
I can't think of anyone else that's hero.
Then I'll tell you.
A real hero,
he shall bear great goals,
and outstanding mind.
He knows everything about the universe.
He's aware of everything with the humans.
Very well saying.
Then with such high standard,
is there anyone qualified?
The real heroes
are LIU BEI and CAO CAO!
I'm too flattered.
I can't be compared to you, Mr. Prime Minister.
LIU BEI (XUAN DE),
you think I would make wrong judgement about people?
I list only a few things as example.
Please let me know.
We first met
at YUAN SHAO's alliance camp.
That day, HUA XIONG, great warrior of XI LIANG challenged us.
He killed three front generals of ours.
All governors were shaken.
Your brother GUAN YU.
He killed HUA XIONG by himself
and the wine was still warm.
When he threw
HUA's head onto the floor,
everybody was disturbed.
Only you didn't react even a little bit.
Second one,
when I led 50,000 armored soldiers to attack XU ZHOU,
all governors watched it.
There's no one of them
dare fight for me because of TAO QIAN.
Only you,
took only a few thousand soldiers there.
You know you couldn't win me.
You did something that you shouldn't be doing.
Why'?
Justice and kindness.
For the justice and kindness,
you're willing to sacrifice your life.
You do things people won't do.
The third example.
When YUAN SHU crowned himself,
I went fighting him for His Majesty.
I asked for the governors's help,
nobody came.
When I reached the frontier,
it was you again, waiting for me there.
I never even sent request note to you.
But you came.
Why'?
Because you are descendant of Han royal family.
You hate such rebels the most.
You're right.
LIU BEI (XUAN DE),
I thougt that
justice is justice.
There's nothing else.
Then I realized,
when you use justice and kindness
it's not only about people's feelings.
It's also a sharp weapon to kill.
Isn't your weapon N"Husband and Wife Sword"?
In my opinion,
one of them is called "justice",
the other is called "kindness".
With these two swords,
of course you're a hero.
I'm sorry.
The thunder shook me.
I was scared to death.
Would a hero be scared of thunder?
Thunder came from the heaven.
Nobody isn't afraid of the heavens.
And everything you said
was very scary too.
Do you think I'm right?
Yes, you were right.
But I also have something to ask.
I'd like you to tell me the truth.
Please.
If I'm right,
you tried to kill me for several times.
Why haven't you done that yet?
Good question.
You asked the right question.
Then I'll tell you the truth.
First, I don't want to give you up.
As a hero, one always appreciates another hero.
Second,
though you're a hero,
you have no place to use it.
A hero without a stage
wouldn't do harm to me.
That's why I can treat you well
and talk about heroes with you drinking greengage wine.
Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister.
Come on.
My lord,
I got report.
YUAN SHAO defeated GONGSUN ZAN.
He occupied 7 states of YOU ZHOU in merely 7 days.
He got surrendered soldiers 180,000!
Food supply 300,000.
And abundant battle horses and weapons.
Mr. XUN.
Is GONGSUN ZAN dead or alive?
After GONGSUN ZAN lost the battle,
he built a Yl JING tower.
It's over 30 meters high and very firm and solid.
He kept 60,000 soldiers and 300,000 food supply in it.
He tried to defend himself in it.
But they didn't expect that YUAN SHAO sent his men to digging into the vast earth.
They went through the holes
and got directly into the Yl JING tower.
Then they set huge fire.
GONGSUN ZAN had no way.
He killed his wives,
and killed his children first.
Then he committed suicide.
GONGSUN ZAN was very close to me.
He did me a lot of favor.
I can't believe he died like this.
What a shame! How painful!
GONGSUN ZAN would be defeated by YUAN SHAO.
I anticipated that.
But I didn't know
it came so fast.
I thought even he's not capable,
he could hold until next year.
Everything is determined by God.
You're a very busy man, I should leave.
Just sit tight.
XUN YU,
LIU BEI (XUAN DE) is like my brother.
Say anything in front of him.
My lord,
I did some calculation.
After YUAN SHAO's triumph,
his power is strengthened.
Now he has 600,000 to 700,000 soldiers,
over 1000 officers.
He got the states of JI, QING, YOU and BING,
east to the sea, west to the river.
He gets None third of the country for himself.
And after the big triumph, his momentum is unbeatable.
I'm afraid that
the battle between you and YUAN SHAO
is very close.
Now issue an order,
confer YUAN SHAO in His Majesty's name.
Raise his rank and dukedom.
Give him all the states and lands
to him as a reward.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Prime Minister,
don't you wanna fight with YUAN SHAO?
It's already begun.
Stan from the gesture of my sucking up to YUAN SHAO.
Long live, Your Majesty.
Raise yourselves.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
I have a request.
Grand general YUAN SHAO
with the heavens' power, he led Your Majesty's amry
and eliminated GONGSUN ZAN for the court.
He got 7 states including YOU ZHOU.
The court shall reward him greatly.
Confer him as Protecting commander, offer him 9 great gifts,
and appoint him as great marshal.
You request me to award YUAN SHAO?
I agree.
Report!
You r Majesty,
the rebel YUAN SHU enjoyed very luxurious life on the south of HUAI river.
Most of his officers left him.
We are informed that YUAN SHU would give the Imperial Hereditary Seal to YUAN SHAO.
He asked YUAN SHAO to be crowned.
And he will be a wing man.
He's leading the troops remainded to JI ZHOU
to join YUAN SHAO.
Now YUAN SHU still got the Imperial Seal.
That's not good.
If the brothers of YUAN
join with each other,
their momentum will become larger.
You r Majesty.
Mr. Minister.
I think we should never let them join.
If YUAN SHU goes to YUAN SHAO,
he has to pass XU ZHOU.
And I'm very familiar with that area.
I'd like to lead an army to go,
to repay the court's favor with my life.
Imperial Uncle, your wish is very good.
Mr. Prime Minister, what's your opinion?
It is good.
We surely need to stop YUAN SHU.
But LIU BEI has only a few troops.
I'm afraid he couldn't win YUAN SHU.
Then you may assign him more troops
and let him achieve something for the court.
My minister, LIU BEI is royal descendant.
If we let him arrest YUAN SHU the rebel,
our ancestors' dignity will be shown,
and people will be comforted.
You r Majesty.
Mr. Prime Minister.
You may set me a 15 days limit.
If I can't arrest YUAN SHU in such limit,
I'd like to be punished by martial law.
Imperial Uncle LIU is so loyal.
Mr. Prime Minister, you...
LIU BEI (XUAN DE),
I'll give you 50,000 great soldiers for the war with YUAN SHU.
But these soldiers
shall be controlled by ZHU JIN and LU ZHAO.
They'll help you in the battles.
Take my order, go to XU ZHOU immediately.
Ambush YUAN SHU.
Take him back to this court.
I take this order.
The lord ordered:
we travel 75 kilometers every day.
If anyone causes us lose the opportunity of war, he'll be executed.
Travel 75 kilometers!
Anyone violates this will be executed.
Imperial Uncle LIU.
Why are you here, Mr. DONG?
His Majesty couldn't get out of the palace.
So he sent me to set you off.
His Majesty said,
the reason why he pushed that hard for you to go
is to help you go out and build something big.
The prosperity of Han royal family
will rely on you.
I understand his intention.
And I won't let him down.
His Majesty also said,
from today on,
he will bum incense for you in the palace
and pray that you'll win.
I was blessed by the royal family. I'll repay it with my life.
Mr. CHENG.
I'm here to see Mr. Prime Minister.
It's still early in the morning.
Mr. Prime Minister is still asleep.
Then wake him up immediately.
I have something very important.
Mr. Prime Minister is asleep.
I don't dare.
You...
You are scared if he kills you in his dream, right?
Yes.
Nobody is allowed to get near him.
Then I'll go myself.
Mr. CHENG, be careful.
Open the gate.
The day LIU BEI left the palace,
he went to the south camp and collected the 50,000 soldiers.
Then he rushed to XU ZHOU.
Didn't you hear my words?
LIU BEI left in a big hurry.
I heard you!
He rushed it because he's afraid if anything would change.
LIU BEI is a real hero.
He had great goals.
I suggested you kill him.
You didn't listen to me.
But why did you allow him to leave?
Now you're sending the dragon back to the sea,
letting the tiger go back to the mountain.
Now you let him leave, one day he'll become your big enemy.
Take my order.
Middle general ZHANG LIAO,
side general XU CHU,
lead 500 armored soldiers to chase them.
Take LIU BEI back to the court!
I'll do it right now.