Why are you binding me? Why?
Move! Hurry!
Damn it. Liu Ji, what’s wrong?
Go.
Liu Ji, why are they tying me up in the middle of the night?
What’s wrong?
Yong Chi, what have you been up to these past few days?
I...
I’m training your warriors for you!
Bullshit!
Think before you answer.
Anything you might have to tell us?
Just get to the point, My Lord.
-Can you stop beating about the bush? -Hold your tongue.
You can't run wild like you did back in Dongyueting.
Answer the question respectfully.
I’m asking you,
have you let down the civilians of Pei County?
I did not let them down.
I've not let you down, I've not let our men down!
Did you rape a woman?
Oh, just that?
Sure I did. But who hasn’t?
-Haven’t you? Hasn’t he? What about them? -But you raped her!
Yes, I raped her. But it’s better that way.
Yong Chi,
do you realize you’ve committed a capital offense?
Capital offense.
-Capital offense? -Right. With what you've done,
how can we stay on in Pei County?
-You're executing me? Because of that? -Yes. Yes.
Your death will deter others.
Unlucky indeed.
Tomorrow, you’ll be beheaded.
Liu Ji, are you serious?
-You’re going to execute me? -Yes!
Execution.
You’ve wanted to kill me for a long time!
Now you’re using this excuse to get rid of me. This is bullshit!
Take him away.
-Untie me. -Come. Come on!
-Liu Ji! -Move!
You’re executing me just because I raped a woman?
Let’s go. Come on.
You’ve always wanted to get rid of me! Bullshit!
Yong Chi,
do you know your crime?
Yong Chi,
you dirty bastard!
Are you crazy?
How could you do such an awful thing?
Don’t you realize that you disrespected these people?
You raped a woman and disgraced our military discipline.
Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?
As a man, I don’t fear death.
I have nothing to say now.
Okay, then you’re still a man.
My fellows, Yong Chi committed an unforgivable crime.
Today, you all bear witness as we behead him to appease your indignation.
-Fan Kuai. -Yes.
Do it.
Spare him! Spare him!
He didn’t rape me! I wanted him to do it!
He didn’t rape me! I wanted him!
That hussy! You shameless little bitch!
He didn’t rape me.
He didn’t rape me. I was a willing party!
-Get out of here. -I wanted him to!
I don’t need your sympathy.
Madam.
What you said... is that the truth?
Everything I said is the truth. Please make the right decision!
My Lord, my late husband’s family treat me like dirt.
Since my husband's death, I've been living worse than an animal.
-I love the assistant general-- -All right, that’s enough.
Please forgive him. Forgive him.
Forgive him!
Yong Chi, we must uphold military law.
You should be beheaded.
But since this lady says you didn’t rape her,
I can spare your life. But I can’t just let you off.
We must maintain discipline.
-Cao Can! -Yes.
Fifty lashes.
Fifty lashes!
Harder!
Don’t whip him! Don’t whip him anymore!
Don't whip him!
Stop it, don't whip him!
Yong Chi!
Respected elders, fellow countrymen,
I spared his life
so that he might, someday,
find a way to repay you.
I propose that his life be spared for now.
-Yong Chi. -Moreover,
people of Pei, listen up!
From now on, if any of my men
trouble you or anyone else, report to me,
and I, Liu Ji, shall punish him severely. You have my word!
Good!
Carry him away like the swine he is.
Take him away.
Yong Chi.
Close the gate!
From now on,
no one is allowed to exit this gate without my permission!
Don’t let civilians see you again.
We can do everything right here in this yard!
Let me make this clear. Offending one civilian
brings harm to all of us!
If civilians fear any one of us,
that means they fear us all!
It’s true that our food provisions are not enough.
But the civilians don’t have enough food either!
Remember this, we must never shit where we eat.
I repeat, you will be executed if you kill or cause hurt to others.
You'll be beheaded if you cause trouble, steal, or disobey military rules.
-Do you hear me? -We hear you!
Back to work!
-Back to work! -Back to work!
Brother Xiao,
now that we're clear about Yong Chi's immoral deed,
we know that neither of them were forced. Therefore, they should be forgiven.
Yet Ji whipped Yong Chi before the whole town,
which satisfies the civilians, but our men don’t feel the same way.
If you were Ji, what would you do?
Huh? That didn't cross my mind at all.
Do you think he’s still the same rascal he's always been?
The Liu Ji you know, he may seem rough around the edges,
but he has never faltered when the going gets tough.
In times of crisis, he can always find a way out.
He knows there is no perfect solution.
He just has to keep the balance.
Isn’t that the sort of man we should be following?
Now that we’ve accepted him as our leader,
our fates are closely tied to his.
His success is our success.
His failure is our demise.
So we need to unite together and stand by him, and stand strong.
We must be wary of what we say behind his back.
I see.
Thanks for reminding me.
But I still have a question.
Yes?
Yong Chi is a fuse waiting to blow.
He was humiliated. There’s no way he’ll let that go.
So you’re saying...?
I can get rid of him... discreetly.
Never.
Ji wouldn’t agree.
Wipe that thought from your mind.
I just think,
with men like ours, letting them out of the yard will only harm the civilians.
This is the only solution I can find.
You're right, it’s the only way.
My Lord,
we’re stationed in Pei County.
Inevitably, we will disturb the civilians one way or another.
Only by confining our warriors can we be certain that there’ll be no harassments.
It is the only way.
Another thing. Do you think the way I handled Yong Chi is appropriate?
Punishing him as a warning to the others will have its effect.
It is an effective way to win civilian support.
But some of our men may not feel quite so pleased about it.
Also...
considering what sort of man Yong Chi is,
I seriously doubt he’ll just let it go.
I’m well aware of that. I never actually intended to execute him.
But I do think he can useful in future.
Didn't you tell me it was just a few bandits?
When did they become 100,000 soldiers? Where did the 100,000 men come from?
100,000 soldiers?
Your Majesty, I have something to discuss.
Who is this?
Prefect Zhang Han.
Speak.
Your Majesty, as far as I know,
it’s not 100,000 warriors...
but 200,000 warriors.
They've almost reached Hangu Pass,
and are currently making camp in Xidi.
Your Majesty, come on.
Slowly now.
-Your Majesty... -Hold it.
Be careful.
Speak. Go on.
Your Majesty, insurgents in the east are running rampant.
This is unavoidable.
If I may, I think we've ended up in this situation
because recent executions eliminated ministers who dared speak the truth.
The civil and military ministers who remain are concerned only with survival.
They dare not report the truth to you.
It seems likely a disaster will soon befall us.
Our people are in great panic.
Each and every person in Xianyang feels great danger looming.
I think it’s finally time to tell you the truth.
Zhang Han, how dare you?
Who are you to criticize our leader? Don't you know your place?
I dare not.
Your Majesty, what I’ve said is true.
Since the uprisings began,
our revenue has greatly decreased.
There is no peace, turmoil grips the land.
I’ve recorded it all in my tax registry. If you read it, you will see clearly.
With things as bad as they are now, could you lead the army?
Premier, I’m only responsible for tax collection.
Leading the army is not my responsibility.
You're aware of this.
But you said just now that we're in trouble.
On the one hand, you worry His Majesty. On the other, you don’t want to help.
What's your real intention here?
Premier,
this is an issue of great importance.
I feel there are more qualified men in the Imperial Court.
We can select from among them.
Then tell us, who are they?
I think General Wang Li is the best choice.
He’s too far away. He’s stationed in the frontier area.
He could never reach us here in time to help.
I think General Li Hao could also undertake the mission.
You call yourself an official!
Didn’t you know he died of illness last year?
Then I’m afraid this will be difficult.
Your Majesty, there is another man. It's General Wu Tian.
Don’t bring him up. He lost his mind last year.
He’s still blathering in a cell.
Premier.
Does this mean... we have no general to lead our army?
Don’t worry, Your Majesty.
I’m sure Zhang Han will have another idea.
Hurry.
Your Majesty, I know what to do.
Your Majesty,
in my view, Zhou Wen is a reckless man.
He doesn’t grasp the rules of war.
He's stationed outside of Hangu Pass,
but he doesn’t consolidate his warriors together.
Zhou Wen’s army is made up of a real motley crew.
For one thing, they covet the vices of war.
For another, each is wary of the others. It's all about gain and loss.
His army can’t unify and coordinate its ranks on the left and right.
It is my opinion, if we send a group of elite soldiers
to attack his camp and arrest him, his army will naturally disperse,
and Xianyang will be safe.
Easier said than done. Where do we get these elite soldiers?
You're right, Premier. Yes.
It’s too late to enlist soldiers from prefectures and counties.
But we could consider this.
In Lishan, we have 100,000 laborers.
Most of them are criminals, bad men committed of awful crimes.
But they are guarded by the powerful warriors left by General Meng Tian.
Therefore, we could enlist those 100,000 laborers and Mengtian’s soldiers
into our camp. Our strength will thus be greatly improved.
Your Majesty, I ask you to issue an edict to absolve the criminals.
Absolve the criminals?
That'll reduce the state to chaos!
Premier, that is not the case.
In my opinion, we should not only absolve the criminals,
but grant them rewards or official titles.
Your Majesty,
we have no other choice. Please make your decision.
Hey, Premier...
-how should we... -I’ll follow you, Your Majesty.
-But... -Your Majesty, our empire is in danger.
This is the only way. On the field of death, we can fight to live.
Zhang Han,
I’ll send you to do it.
I hereby decree to absolve all the criminals in Lishan.
Make the arrangements for Zhang Han.
Yes, but why should we marry off Princess Chenxi to him?
This would give him kinship to the noble family.
If he wins the war,
he... he may be even more arrogant.
His parents passed away. His two brothers are off defending the frontier.
He has no ties, and for the moment he eludes our grasp.
But once he marries the princess,
while he’ll be far from the palace,
the princess will be right here with us.
I doubt he’d dare be too arrogant.
The premier is far-sighted indeed.
Princess Chenxi will be a hostage.
No need to put it like that!
This...
this new robe...
truly is... a work of art.
Premier, the princess sent this, for your collection.
Oh? Really? Open it.
Find me the best silver thread in the land.
I've got to try this on.
Yes, sir.
Quite a shrewd princess!
We must be mindful of her.
-Yes. -Yes.
Zhao Gao asked the emperor to marry us?
Then why are you so forlorn?
Princess,
I’m quite familiar with Zhao Gao’s ways.
He wants to use you as a hostage so that he can manipulate me.
That way, your safety
will be closely linked to my actions and decisions.
Since I was child, I’ve always been an obedient girl,
staying in the palace, knowing nothing of what happens outside.
Whether during the late emperor’s reign or after, my life remains the same.
That was, until you came to see me.
I suddenly found courage in this heart of mine.
I’m happy I can do something for you.
My safety is tied closely to yours now.
I have no objection.
But, Princess, don’t you realize
that if you marry a man like me,
who’s off fighting all year round,
you’ll be confined to the palace?
If something untoward happens to me,
you will also lose your life.
We don’t care about death, let alone safety.
In Zhao Gao’s eyes, our marriage is nothing but a political ploy.
His pettiness brings dishonor to my love.
It’s my honor to win your love. But I’m only a military official.
Although I admire you deeply,
you are but a bright star in the sky...
watching over from afar, never getting close.
It was never my expectation
that my little request
would lead me to my most heartfelt desire.
On the other hand,
I’ve led you into a precarious and fraught situation.
Our fates are unpredictable.
I don’t know whether to be happy or sad.
Rise, General.
You saved my life that year.
Every time I think of Bolangsha, I'll think of you.
You saved my life,
and all I said was, “Thank you.”
I think the Heavens know what we’re trying to do.
So let me return this great favor.
I hope we can keep each other company from now on.
The emperor decrees that Princess Chenxi be married to Zhang Han.
Zhang Han is appointed general.
He'll lead 100,000 warriors to suppress the uprisings,
wipe out insurgents at any cost, and restore our lost lands.
Faster! Faster!
Hurry up! Go! Hurry up! Go!
Faster!
General Zhang Han is coming!
Kneel down!
Why have you been sentenced?
I killed a man.
-How many? -One.
-And you? -Three. I beheaded them all.
-Was that enough for you? -Yes, enough for this life and the next.
No. Far from enough.
I come with a Decree of Absolution
from the second emperor.
You are all absolved of your crimes,
and relieved of your labor duties.
You are ordered to join my army,
to fight insurgents in Xianyang.
On the battlefield, killing a man can absolve your crime.
Kill two and your merit will be recorded.
Kill three or more men,
and your clan will be freed from slavery.
-We're not going to die! -We are saved!
We are saved! We're not going to die!
We're not going to die! We are saved!
Who is he? Why are you hanging him?
He's an assassin.
He wounded a guard. By right, he should be executed.
Take him down.
It’s... it’s against the law.
Take him down. He’s dead, yet still he's hanging here?
-Bury him. -Yes, sir.
Stop!
Let him go.
What’s your name?
Ying Bu.
Did you hear everything I said just now?
What of it? In this world,
I have no relatives, no friends. Life or death makes no difference to me.
You don’t fear death?
Good. Admirable.
But we all die sooner or later.
Why are you in such a hurry?
You’re a criminal now.
You shouldn’t face your maker in this state. It won’t look good.
I’ll give you 2,000 men.
You lead them in my charge to attack the insurgents.
Will you do it?
Will I be paid?
Okay then. If there’s money, I’m your man.
Good.
You're just the kind of man we need.
My Lord, take good care of yourself.
When you're cold, I will be cold.
When you’re tired, I will be tired.
Your sadness is my sadness,
and while you're missing me, I, too, am missing you.
Do what you must. I’ll wait for your return.
When you return, we can live a simple life like every common couple.
-It’s a very sad defeat. -Right. Many of our men died.
If we go on fighting like this, we’ll have no more food.
Yeah.
Mr. Xiao, you’re still awake.
My Lord, you’ve heard what’s going on.
Continuing like this isn’t going to work.
Indeed. If war doesn’t kill us, starvation will.
What should we do?
This strict discipline can only work for a limited time.
An empty stomach is the greatest challenge to a man’s loyalty.
You're right.
My Lord, we may have no choice but to fight this battle.
How can a routed army and a beaten general engage in battle?
Well, we shouldn’t fight on the same scale as in Huling.
We must fight proactively.
Divide our men into small groups, attack only soldiers carrying provisions.
Only when we engage proactively, and win a war,
can the civilians here understand
that we have not only the ability to guard them,
but also to defeat invaders.
When we win, we’ll have food.
We can hand out food to civilians.
Then they will see that we do not rob their food,
but in fact provide for them.
This way, we can strengthen our military forces in Pei County.
I see what you mean, Mr. Xiao.
Our purpose is food, and war gets us food.
Right.
Okay.
Get Cao Can, Zhou Bo, and Xiahou Ying to lead a hundred or so warriors each
to raid the military stores tomorrow and steal Qin provisions.
If they can succeed in their attacks, go for it.
If they’re outnumbered, retreat and try again. Is that what you meant?
Yes.
And be sure to tell them
that we can’t afford any casualties.
We mustn’t take the enemy head on.
I’ll make the arrangements right now.
-We’ll move tomorrow. -Right.
Stop!
Right.
Go.
Kill!
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Come on! Hurry up!
Hurry! Bring the provisions!
-Hurry! -Close the gate.
Hurry! Hurry!
Hurry!
Hurry! Hurry!
Hurry!
My Lord, we robbed a great quantity of provisions.
Yes.
Our men were very happy when they heard that we had food to eat.
Excellent.
Though I think we should give some provisions
to the local civilians.
Excellent.
And we should not only rob their provisions,
we should also take some prisoners. Especially the officers.
Got it.
We can rob provisions. But why do we need to take their officers?
Mr. Xiao, we will have to confront some powerful enemies.
We should get a better picture...
of what’s going on with the government troops.
Please, General.
My Lord.
Ying Bu.
As a leader, you fought bravely. You’ve been very helpful in this victory.
Give it here.
-What? -My payment.
You promised.
What’s the hurry? Men of honor needn’t worry about poverty.
When you kill Chen Sheng, I’ll give you 10,000 ingots.
If I kill you, Chen Sheng will give me 10,000 ingots.
Ying Bu contributed greatly to the victory.
The emperor rewards him with six thousand tons of grain,
makes him a marquis of the highest rank, with a fiefdom of 1,000 families.
The next day, while most of the warriors were asleep,
Ying Bu deserted with his men.
He was clear that the future of Qin was uncertain.
Shortly thereafter, he went to seek shelter in Xiang Liang’s camp.
Thank you. Where’s the emperor?
Any word from General Zhang Han?
-Yes. -Good news or bad news?
-Good news. -Then you should tell the premier.
Where can I find him?
He's supervising the executions in Wumen.
Subtitle translation by Li Ling Yang