The wine tastes great.
Master said
the wine
will bring you back.
Master? You have a master?
Yes.
Master said
you hurt his neck
badly.
He always says sorry
to his poor neck
Impossible!
I’ve never been to Zhaoge.
How could I?
Anyway,
I think he’s indeed a master.
He is.
He’s a master of lazybones.
I’ve been with him for months.
The only thing I learned is “no”.
Nothing else.
And he sent me to you.
I got it.
What’s it?
Give me your fist.
Got it?
Yes.
One fist fights alone,
two fists are the brotherhood.
Yes.
Two disciples are brothers
Brothers learn together
and help each other
That’s why he said no.
Actually, on my way here
I figured out
what a man he is.
He seems dull
but is of great wisdom.
Bro. Wu,
why do you
deadly hate Zhaoge?
It’s a city of the evil
and of the kind-hearted.
You didn’t explain. Why?
It’s empty?
Yes. It is.
Look. It’s master.
Come on.
Bite it.
Just bite it.
Bite it.
I don’t see a hood or bait.
Will a fish bite it?
The ancient saying goes
the willing fish rises to the line.
The key is the willing, not the hook.
I didn’t hook you,
and you come to me.
Master.
Who are you?
I’m Wu Ji.
Are you?
Yes, I am.
Whatever.
Wu Ji is just a name.
Keep in mind
I’ve asked you the question.
Question 2
Why does Wu Ji
call me master?
You’re not my student.
Well,
didn’t you sent Yang Jian
to bring me here?
I did send him
But
I didn’t take
any of you as my student
I never did
A teacher for a day, a father for a lifetime.
It’s a matter of solemnity,
isn’t it?
Yes.
Master,
we will
do the kowtow rite now,
shall we?
It’s not the right place.
Anyway
I am down and out,
too ashamed
to care about the rites.
Do as you like.
Up to wife
and up to disciples
It’s my fate. I give in.
May the heaven and divinity witness,
beside this river and Chaoge City,
Yang Jian
Wu Ji
takes Jiang Ziya as my master.
Master,
is that your magic?
I did not do it.
I’m fishing.
Do I have the time?
Why can’t we bend down?
It is your hearts
that prevent
Why? Why is that?
Yang Jian,
what do you want?
Your heart
is taken by your sister Daji.
That’s not an ambition.
You don’t deserve the discipleship.
Isn’t it right?
Saving my sister
is the most important
in my life.
I agree.
And why can’t I?
Wu Ji
smiles all the day
as if he’s
on the top of the world.
Actually
you are tasting all pains.
Find out where
your pains come from,
or you don’t deserve the discipleship.
What shall we do, then?
Face east and west,
sit cross-legged and meditate
till you find the answer.
Go, now.
I can’t help.
East!
East, east.
East.
Feel the pain?
That’s it.
Can’t take it?
That’s it.
Can’t fight?
That’s it.
This is not the end.
There will be more.
You have to take them all,
then you’ll be purified,
and the pains will be gone,
and you’ll get there.
Your Grace.
Huang and Yang want to meet you.
Bring them in.
Yes.
Your Highness, come in, please.
Your Grace.
Evils are in the palace.
Nonsense!
Girls were killed in the palace.
I know that.
Your Grace.
The point is
it happens every three days.
Nine girls were killed
in
Su Daji has been in the palace.
just for twenty-seven days。
Yes.
The girls were killed
without bleeding.
And
they died in weird smile.
Lady Han.
Yes.
Your Grace. It’s more terrifying.
At the nights the girls were killed
the lute was sounded.
We looked towards the sound
but found nobody.
Each time when the lute was played,
girls were terrified because
they didn’t know who’d be the next.
The terror is more
killing than death.
Your Grace.
We have to handle this,
or we’ll be the next.
It’ll be me,
or sis. Huang,
or
you, my Queen!
I care more
about the palace.
What’s it?
It’s a magic ware
from Mr. Du.
Your Grace, you have a plan!
Yes.
I know a monster exists in the palace,
but not sure
who it is.
I don’t know
whether it goes to the King.
Daji.
Daji is the monster.
Prove it.
You saw her bite?
Or you saw her
play lute at night?
No.
That’s suspicion.
But,
we have to do something
to stop the monster.
Tomorrow morning
I’ll go to the King.
Master,
why are we here?
Yeah.
You’ve been in meditation
for seven days and nights.
The world
will be changed
as your will goes.
Seven days and nights!
Master.
We’ll find the right place
for the rites,
shall we?
Men are ruled by the earth,
earth by the heaven,
and heaven by the nature.
The nature
is supreme.
Why not do them
in the nature?
Got it.
Jiang Ziya reports to the Primus.
I hereby take Yang Jian and Wu Ji as my disciples,
and ask for your approval.
Repeat every word
you hear from me.
Yes.
Master, please be heard.
To purify the chaos
in the lands of the immortals,
men and monster,
To purify the chaos
in the lands of the immortals,
men and monster,
the three of us
swear to uphold the heavenly right,
the three of us
swear to uphold the heavenly right,
to perform the good,
and to observe the virtue.
Should I tell a lie,
I may take all punishments.
Should I tell a lie,
I may take all punishments.
Kowtow.
Your Majesty.
Coming.
Your Majesty, you got drunk again.
Yesterday, not today.
What’s it, my Queen?
Your Majesty.
There’s a monster in the palace.
Nonsense!
I am the King!
A King dispels
all monsters.
I
care about your safety.
I must let you know.
Go ahead.
Girls are dying
in the palace.
Girls are dying?
Tell the interior
to bring more girls
to the palace.
But,
at the nights they died,
strange sound
of lute was heard.
And
the girls died
with happy smiles.
It’s terrifying
that it seems
there is a rule.
A girl dies every three days.
As of the night before yesterday,
nine girls were killed.
It was twenty-seven days.
Your Majesty,
Lady Su’s been in the palace
for twenty-seven days.
You mean Daji is a monster?
I’m talking about the girls.
I didn’t say she is.
Your Majesty,
I’m a mortal woman.
I don’t know who the monster is.
But this is vital.
I’m obligated to ask you
to do something.
In the vastness of the world,
you’re the only one
with piercing eyes.
You’re the only one
to know where the monster is.
Am I right, Your Majesty?
Yes.
Your Majesty,
Imperial Astronomer
Mr. Du
warned me
of monster in the palace.
And
he gave me the peach sword.
He said the sword
has great power
when touching the monster.
Does such a little thing
have power?
You believe it, my Queen?
I’m not sure.
But Mr. Du said
in this world,
things of great power
are usually small,
like
a ring, a cup,
a piece of tree leaf or a drop of tear.
That old man
frightened you.
Maybe.
But Your Majesty,
the dead girls are more
frightening than his words.
Am I right,
Your Majesty?
Yes.
But
there is no evident.
That’s rumor.
Indeed.
Whatever order you give,
I’ll do it.
Where are the bodies?
Imperial Astronomy.
I’d have a look.
Please,
Your Majesty.
The girls’ bodies
have something in common.
They died
without bleeding,
and
with weird smile.
Pale faces, blue lips.
And, Your Majesty,
look at here.
They have in their hands
something valuable
but did not belong to them,
like pearl, bracelet, and rouge.
Damn it.
They stole my treasures.
Your Majesty.
I’ve checked it.
They are not from the palace.
That’s the lute.
Sounds familiar.
Is it the sound of the monster?
It is,
but not the time.
The lute
plays in midnight.
While now…
Why is it?
I have no idea.
Neither I.
Guess.
Your Majesty.
How could I make a guess
as will?
My Quean.
How
dare it doing this
in my palace!
It’s a challenge to my dignity,
to the heaven,
and must be punished.
Whoever you are,
I’ll get you.
Your Majesty,
in this case,
the Queen
has to perform her authority.
Please bring Lady Su here,
bring her to Mr. Du.
Why Daji?
Your Majesty,
because the girls died
since she
came to the palace.
Many of the girls
believe she is the monster.
The rumor spreads
around her.
It’s getting out of control.
Su has your favor
and you give her high rank.
She’d set a sample
for the concubines.
Your Majesty,
The tall tree sees storm first.
I have belief in her
as you do.
I shall not allow
the rumor to spread
and her name be stained.
She has to
stand out
against the rumor,
and I shall penalize
those who tell the rumor.
Your Majesty,
please bring her.
Bring Su to Kunming Palace.
Also
bring Uncle Bigan
and Prince Wucheng.
Yes.
Well done, Your Grace.
That’s smart.
Mr. Du,
can you make it?
Please be assured.
Anything else…
Anything else I can do?
Bring the peach sword.
We’ll be home soon.
Remember,
on practicing
out of town, I have the say.
Got it.
While on life
at home, she does.
Master fears nothing
but wife’s mop.
Every house has a head.
My wife is the head.
named Ma and gives orders.
The vice head is my daughter,
named Lanying and gives orders.
Master,
you’re not the head
and I understand that.
Why the vice
is your daughter,
not you?
If you slight her
for she’s a woman,
you’ll be sorry for that.
She’s silly, hot and pretty.
Do not test her.
Why?
Maybe
she makes you find her
an ant’s toe.
I’m so sorry, master.
Hey, you. What’re you looking for?
Mom,
dad is gone and left no message.
It’s been seven days and nights.
Where is he?
Dare he come home,
I’ll give him a good lesson.
Mom, if dad comes home,
please don’t
brush him.
Alright, I won’t.
I’ll chop him.
Mom, it is dad.
Is Bro. Yang Jian
with him?
Give me.
Dad.
Look at you.
Where have you been?
Where?
Who is he?
I’m…
Lanying, he’s my disciple.
Another?
What’re you looking at?
Say hello.
This is my head.
Hello, madam.
And this is the vice.
Didn’t I tell you
to do something?
Sell the noodle.
Where is it?
Sold.
Money?
A long story.
Then save it.
Is the old man
your master?
Yes.
What did he teach you?
Not yet.
Away for days
and back with two rubbish.
You damn old.
Honey, I can explain.
Well, you two
wait me out of town,
out of town.
Mom. Master.
Get off me.
How dare you!
Stop there.
Stop, you damn old.
What have you done out there?
I’ll beat you cripple.
Again?
I’ll beat you cripple. Cry?
Your Grace.
What’s it?
The King wants you.
Why? It’s late.
A banquet.
Tell the King
I’ll make up first.
What else?
Mr. Du said
if Her Grace said
she was sleeping,
save the makeup
and come now.
Now?
Yes.
Why is Du there?
I don’t know.
Why does he want me now?
I don’t know.
Is she coming?
Wait.
Isn’t it a banquet?
I don’t hear the music.
I don’t know.
A king owns all mortal fortune,
and the King
does not have my gourd.
Your Majesty, Daji is here.
Head up.
Your Majesty,
how can I serve you?
I…
I don’t know.
Daji,
Your Majesty!
Am I the son of heaven?
Why can I
see it through?
My Queen, you know why?
My respect, Your Grace.
Su
I have a gift for you,
a small wood sword.
A sword?
Your Grace, why is that?
This is a peach sword
that dispels evils.
Nice looking.
What’s happening?
Why?
You feel bad?
She feels pain.
Your Majesty.
She feels pain,
burnt by flame.
Daji,
come and get your gift.
Come over.
Since you don’t want to come,
I will
give it to you.
Take it.
Your Grace,
what are you doing?
I am
giving you a gift.
What are you looking at?
Take it.
She’s in fear.
Your Majesty.
You’ve seen it.
Daji is a monster.
No.
I’m not a monster.
Then take the sword,
or
you’re a monster.
Take it.
The sword
looks beautiful in my hands.
Thank you, Your Grace.
I said Daji is not a monster.
You always wrong her.
Yes, Your Majesty, she is.
Why?
Because I smell monster
in her.
Your Majesty,
I swear
to the lives of my family,
she is a monster,
if
I was wrong,
execute me on the spot.
Since Mr. Du said so,
stab me with the sword.
Do it.
The Queen
said that
the sword dispels evils.
Mr. Du believes I’m a monster,
then do it.
Watch it.
The peach sword from heaven,
blessed with spells,
kills all evils and demons.
Hold, Mr. Du.
The Spell!
Evils, monster, demons,
Shape be revealed!
What the…
What…
What’s going on?
Seems she is a monster.
What happened?
Is she dead?
She’s up!
She’s everything fine.
How interesting.
It was just for fun.
Mr. Du,
you thought I was dead?
Being blamed as a monster,
is awful!
Anyway,
Your Grace,
it makes you happy.
The Queen of China
believes
the wizard’s fallacies.
That’s heart breaking.
I’ve heard of
the palace jealousy
and I didn’t believe.
Today it happened to me
and almost got me killed.
Maybe
it was a mistake.
Your Majesty,
Daji wants to love you
for centuries, for millenniums.
I didn’t expect
a sword came to my heart.
Your Majesty, Daji,
Du Yuanxian the Imperial Astronomer
failed to take the monster.
I feel ashamed.
I swore
to the lives of my family
and I keep my word.
But before my death,
I must let you know
she…
she is a monster.
I didn’t take her
not because of the sword.
The monster has strong power,
too strong
to be defeated.
Du Yuanxian,
you’re still framing her.
That’s an offense to my dignity.
Your Majesty,
I’d ask a favor of Mr. Du.
What?
Mr. Du
was right.
There must be a monster in the palace
because
girls are dying.
Are you
defending him?
Mr. Du wronged me,
but there is a monster.
So
how will I punish him?
Mr. Du stabbed me
with the sword.
I suggest
he stabbed himself
with the same sword,
and we are even.
Daji, how kind you are!
Old man,
Take it up and stab.
No.
Your Majesty.
Take it.
Your Majesty.
Mr. Du.
How come Mr. Du
is a monster?
He’s a monster.
I can’t believe it.
Your Majesty.
The truth is
Mr. Du is the monster.
That’s unbelievable! Yeah.