Original subtitles

I must not die in the Qing Dynasty!

I want to go back to Hong Kong!

You let the Qing soldiers go!

Traitors get stabbed 3 times, leaving 6 holes.

You have a big heart, Brother Yi.

Po-tsai, swallow the grudges you have!

Good!

Come...drink up!

Yes...

Drink up, come on!

Thanks!

Thank you!

One of yours?

Come back!

Come back!

Don't let her get away!

Keep drinking!

Cheers!

How can you let that wench get away?

A wench with a gun!

How should we cook it?

Steam!

We'll go this way. You go that way!

Yes!

Stupid thing! She's running around!

Did you find her?

No, we've looked everywhere!

Does she have wings?

Heroes' Den is encircled by the sea.

She can't go anywhere.

We've even searched all the Red Flag ships.

What about Wong Yi's ship?

We came to claim our share and now we're going home empty handed.

Remember the deal we had a few days ago?

We captured a dozen ladies.

Some of them are really palatable.

One was young, with fair and silky skin.

Let's hurry on board!

Swell!

Hurry up, Master Yi is waiting!

The foreign girl?

Who is it?

You were peeping?

No! No?

Who's there?

Who's there?

MY phone! I get a signal?

(Sis)

Sis...

Who are you? Never mind!

You must be a spy!

You're scantily clothed.

That means I should not let you go to waste? Good!

Hello, Sis? Hello? Sis...

Who's in there? Let's find out!

Where's my phone?

Let's go!

Who pushed me into the water?

This is not a fair fight!

My phone...sis!

It's that perverts fault!

Sick pervert...

Stop calling me a pervert! Call me Master Po

After all, I saved your life.

You're such a pervert and a curse!

I must arrest you!

Hey, I'm talking to you!

The sun is so bright! Such peace and quiet!

Completely wiped out, Commander!

(Fok Yee-tai, Admiral)

Say that again! Wiped out?

Over 100 men on the Jing Hai died in the line of duty.

Only Hon Yung made it back to the camp alive.

He's severely injured.

It took tens of thousands taels of silver to build the Jing Hai.

It's gone now that Cheung Po-tsai took command of the ship.

Why didn't that loser Hon Yung die with his crew?

He had a lot of nerve to return to base!

Hon Yung, you're such a loser!

I deserve to die for losing my ship and crew

I let you down and can only repay your kindness in the next life.

I fell for the pirates' ruse

and took Scholar Suen's words.

They feigned their surrender,

I deserve to die...

But those pirates were so fierce!

I fought with all my might and killed many

before I could break away and report back to you.

Or else I couldn't die in peace.

Die? Your stupid life is worthless!

His Majesty had high hopes for our expedition.

I had to report to him in 3 days.

Look what you have done!

Think this is over when you're dead?

What can I tell His Majesty?

We can use the same old trick.

Nobody knows the pirates.

I'll send men to the fishing villages along the Guangdong coast,

arrest 100 fishermen and tell people they are pirates.

Then you can escort them to the capital and earn merit.

You expect me to lie to His Majesty?

I wouldn't dare! Forgive me for this nonsense!

But that's not a bad idea!

You're most wise!

Is it too much to arrest so many people?

His Majesty sent me here to take out the pirates.

Millions of taels of silver was spent over the past 3 years.

The money poured out like water and

yet I still enjoy my clout within the Court.

If I had no support in the Court,

how could I be the Admiral of the Guangdong Navy?

How could I be so forgetful?

I almost forgot Lady Yim is your...

I'll lead the troops to capture the fishermen right away.

I won't let word get out!

If you want to kill yourself, chop off your head.

Hanging yourself is a woman's doing!

Beat him...

Get up...

Hey!

(Siu-fu, The Brute)

Fixing the match is such a good idea.

First you pretend to let me beat you,

so people will bet heavily on me.

Then you show your true colours.

How much did you bet on me?

I won 30 taels of silver.

We'll split 50/50. I've made 15 taels.

Did I agree to split?

Are you rich?

What about your fiancee?

With my 15 taels, you'll have enough to buy back her indenture.

You mean...

She doesn't have to work as a maid anymore?

I don't know how to thank you!

Hypocrite! Did you really serve in the Guangdong Navy?

Yes!

You're such a sissy! Aren't you ashamed?

It's just water! You're the same!

The Guangdong Navy is making a victorious return to the capital.

I heard they captured many pirates.

That's amazing!

Yes!

Admiral Fok is back. He has caught many pirates!

It's the people's good fortune Admiral Fok is fair and strict.

Thank you, Admiral Fok!

Bravo, Admiral Fok!

Move it...

Let me go, I'm innocent...

I'm innocent!

I'm innocent!

Why did you arrest us? We're innocent...

We're innocent, Admiral Fok!

We didn't kill anyone!

We're innocent!

Innocent? Shut up!

How can pirates be innocent?

You didn't claim to be innocent when you were killing and robbing

or when you were raping and pillaging!

All criminals claim to be innocent.

Whip them until they shut up!

These people are not pirates!

Fok Yee-tai was probably defeated by the real pirates,

and so he arrested innocent fishermen as substitutes

so that he could claim his merit.

How unfair!

You served under him.

What happened to you when you tried to expose him?

Because I was acting alone with no support. So I was driven to a dead end.

That's what happens to those who want to be a hero but lack the ability.

I came to Beijing looking for a lifesaver.

Did you find him?

I heard Prince Man-ho is untouchable.

He doesn't care about rank,

or whether you're royalty,

as long as he has evidence...

He's strict and merciless!

You have heard of him too?

Too bad I haven't met him,

or else Fok Yee-tai wouldn't have been able to carry on with his evildoing.

Peace at last! Thank you, Admiral Fok...

Admiral Fok...

You did us a huge favour by capturing the pirates!

Admiral Fok is fair...

How can we face the people and His Majesty if we don't eliminate you?

You're God-sent...

Admiral Fok is fair...

What are you doing?

I'll punish him if Heaven won't!

You? You're counting on me to bury you?

Don't start any trouble.

Buy back your fiancee's indenture first.

Meet me at the boxing club in 3 days.

I'll get going-

Your Highness...

Sit down and have some tea.

Forgive me for my indiscretion!

Did you do as I said?

I joined 8 other Censors and wrote to His Majesty.

We'll knock him down for sure.

Alright. I'll punish you if Heaven won't!

Milady, I've brought the fragrant dew.

(Lady Yim, the calculative beauty)

This is perfume sent thousands of miles from France.

Don't be so ignorant!

(Tung-suet, exploiter of power)

Yes, Milady!

They say this is a gift for His Majesty from the French ambassador

and cannot be bought.

His Majesty must be very fond of you!

Long live Your Majesty!

(Emperor Jiaqing)

On account of Your Majesty's bounty,

I was able to wipe out the pirates.

Half were dead and I brought the rest back to Beijing,

awaiting Your Majesty's final decision.

The crew of the Jing Hai have done their duty.

They crashed into the pirate ship

and sacrificed themselves to sink the pirate ship.

I earnestly request

that Your Majesty grant them 10,000 taels of silver as death gratuity,

so that I can distribute the money to the crew's families.

10,000 taels? You have embezzled enough of the navy's provisions over the years.

You expect me to give you another 10,000 taels,

so that you can steal money from the dead?

I have done no such thing, Sire!

No? Take a good look at this!

Please don't let courtiers with evil intent frame the innocent, Sire!

Innocent? Show him the memorials!

Aye!

Admiral, this is a joint impeachment by 8 Censors against you.

His Majesty wants you to take a good look!

(Lai Gong-Gong, Director of the Imperial Household)

Your Majesty!

I sent you to take out the pirates,

not only did you embezzle the provisions,

but you also claimed credit for passing off fishermen as pirates.

Forgive me, Your Majesty!

Foreign cargo ships were robbed repeatedly,

Ambassador Smith of England has filed a written complaint to me,

about our inability to protect foreigners!

This is simply humiliating!

I deserve punishment, Your Majesty!

Your incompetence in exterminating the pirates

has allowed them to trample Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi,

leaving behind refugees everywhere

and the provincial Governors crying for help.

I deserve to die, Your Majesty!

You can’t absolve yourself from the blame!

Pass my order...

Here comes Lady Yim.

Greetings, Your Majesty!

I have state business to attend to!

I know you work very hard.

That's why I've prepared red birds nest for you as a tonic.

I put in a lot of effort to double-boil it. Drink it while it's hot.

Fok Yee-tai, how could you...

His Majesty sent you to Guangdong,

you should do your best to exterminate the pirates.

Why did you go searching for red bird's nest in Southeast Asia for His Majesty?

I know His Majesty works very hard,

I'm only trying to be of service...

So what if you brought him a tonic?

You enraged him with your incompetence!

Your painstaking effort has been wasted.

Thunder and rain are part of His Majesty's bounty.

I'm sorry! I'll do my best to exterminate the pirates

and serve you the best I can.

Please give me another chance.

Fok Yee-tai is a fool,

but he's a faithful dog nonetheless.

The red bird's nest he brought in, has also been prepared for the Crown Prince.

I heard he has been coughing all night.

Red bird's nest can nourish his lungs and liver.

On account of his sincerity, please give him another chance.

Do some serious retrospection!

His Majesty is leaving...

Thank you, Your Majesty!

Thank you, Lady Yim!

(Yuqing Palace)

Take Lady Yim's red bird's nest day and night,

and you'll soon get well.

I'm sorry, Father!

(Crown Prince Man-hau)

I'm sorry you've had to worry about me.

I'm counting on you to take over the throne.

You're the Crown Prince, but your health is...

May Heaven bless His Highness,

so he can soon share Your Majesty's troubles

I hope so.

Uncle, were you scared?

Thank you for pleading on my behalf, Milady.

Or else I'd be dead by now.

Uncle, you have been in enough trouble these past few years.

I had to risk my life to intercede each time

I know, we're family.

There are others in the Fok clan who are good with the pen and can lead an army.

Only I managed to become a noble consort.

I keep putting in a good word for you with His Majesty.

Do you know why?

I am eternally grateful! I will forever serve you, Milady!

We're family, Uncle!

Shall I tell Tung-suet to make you red birds nest to calm your nerves?

I'm not worthy, Milady!

Most people in the Court go with the flow.

I have earned His Majesty's favour.

No one would have the audacity to provoke us.

Except him, again!

Your Highnesses!

(Prince Man-ho, god of eloquence)

(Prince Man-jinn)

Father summoned all the princes.

You suppose it's about the birthday banquet?

This is a gathering of the powers. We're going into battle!

Still have a hangover, Man-sing?

The ladies of Man Fa Lau took turns to toast me.

All those beauties!

You had such a good time.

Wait till Father smells the wine on you and see your hangover.

Yes?

(Prince Man-hong)

Can you loan me 2,000 taels?

You lost again?

(Prince Man-leung)

Don't ask me.

Fok Yee-tai always brings a lot of silver to the palace to bribe us.

Didn't you get any?

Fok Yee-tai is in trouble.

He has been bitten by a mad dog.

Man-ho strikes again!

(Prince Man-chong)

Fok Yee-tai is out of luck!

Because Man-ho is a mad dog!

(Prince Man-sing)

Man-ho likes to bite.

Lady Yim has earned Father's favour.

Man-ho must be after something.

You must all be careful.

Be careful of what? Brothers, what are you talking about?

You're late! What happened to your face?

I was bitten by a mad dog!

Are you kidding, Man-ho?

If you don't go looking for trouble, people would be counting their blessings.

Who would give you any trouble?

Not openly, they wouldn't!

But there are gutless dogs,

and sneaky dogs who bite behind someone's back.

I can't take precautions for those!

Man-jing, you must be careful!

I will!

Man-ho!

What are you talking about?

You have no respect for your elders!

Don't be upset! You think I meant you?

His Majesty the Emperor!

Greetings, Father!

At ease!

The pirates in the Guangdong waters are leaving the people in misery.

As my sons, what solutions do you have?

If the entire state work in unison, I'm sure we'll prevail.

Father, war is about momentum.

We outnumber them, we can't lose.

We either let them surrender or wipe them out.

Each option has their pros and cons.

We must discuss them in detail.

Such empty talk!

Father, you must have an idea of how to beat them.

I'm willing to follow your lead and learn from you.

Spare me your flattery!

Man-ho, what do you say?

Morale is the key in any punitive expedition.

Fok Yee-tai has been defeated repeatedly

and caused great casualties.

Yet he had the audacity to claim credit.

He must be severely punished to set things straight.

Or we'd never be able to beat the pirates.

Under the leadership of a minion like him, no one would be willing to fight!

What do you think, Man-hau?

Father...

Anyone else?

Father! Talk to me!

Fok Yee-tai is a lousy commander.

He spent years trying to wipe out the pirates but failed.

I'm not asking you about Fok Yee-tai.

Will deal with him later.

Right!

We have not been able to wipe out the pirates

because whenever they run into the Guangdong Navy,

they'd flee into Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi.

Because of the limits of his jurisdiction,

the commander cannot carry out his mission in another province.

That's how we've allowed the pirates to get out of hand.

Finally, someone is making sense.

That's why we must succeed in one go.

The commander must have jurisdiction over Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi.

Jurisdiction over 3 provinces?

Your Majesty, though I know little about state affairs,

only one person has had jurisdiction over several provinces so far in our history

Who?

A powerful minister under Emperor Yongzheng.

You mean Nian Geng-yao?

Please reconsider, Father!

I'm afraid someone has an ulterior motive.

You must reconsider, Father!

Someone may appear to go after Fok Yee-tai

when in fact he wants command of the army.

Please reconsider, Father!

Please reconsider, Father!

Ulterior motive? Well said!

There's no defence for a trumped up charge.

Man-hong, you're actually a good choice for the commander position.

But you can't possibly contradict yourself.

You said someone is using this as an excuse to take control of the army.

Then I can’t possibly put you on the spot.

You...

Why don't you take the job, Man-leung?

You're a gambling man.

Take a gamble with Father's 100,000 men.

Winner takes all!

What about you, Man-sing?

You have old flames in every brothel in the capital,

you won't need soldiers, send these women to seduce the pirates.

Let's not forget we have another more suitable candidate.

Man-chong, you're good at trimming your sails to the wind,

you're the ideal choice to command a fleet.

That's enough! You humiliate your brothers

just to tell me how capable you are?

Such cleverness is useless!

Have you no regard for your brothers?

Father, good advice grate upon the ear.

If I was wrong about what I said,

feel free to reprimand or punish me.

But state affairs is not a child's game.

You...

Father, don't be upset!

Man-ho is only trying to help.

Man-ho, I'll give you 100,000 soldiers and jurisdiction over 3 provinces.

I want you to finish them once and for all!

I'm willing to sign a military order.

I'll be solely responsible if anything should go wrong

and I'm willing to be punished.

You must get well soon, my son

and guard your Crown Prince position.

His Majesty is leaving...

Father!

Where is he? We're supposed to meet today.

Without his help,

you'll never have enough to buy back my indenture.

He has done us such a huge favour,

how could you not know his name?

I asked him many times, but he wouldn't tell me.

He kept saying he didn't expect anything in return.

Sir! Siu-fu!

I've brought my wife!

You're all dressed up today!

How dare you!

You have good taste!

Your wife is beautiful and intelligent.

But what a shame...a fresh flower on a heap of cow dung!

Now that you got her back, be nice to her.

I will.

Have you seen the announcement?

Someone went after Fok Yee-tai.

He was demoted and had his salary withheld for 3 years.

I got my sweet revenge!

They say it was Prince Man-he's doing.

He's the one who exposed Fok Yee-tai?

Thanks to Siu-fu's detailed report, I managed to knock down Fok Yee-tai.

You took care of him?

You're Prince Man-ho?

That's right! He's my brother, Prince Man-ho

I can never repay your kindness.

I'm willing to slave for you...

No...my descendants will serve you for the rest of their lives.

That's an overstatement! Please get up!

There's no need to make such a pledge.

If you want to repay me, do something for me

Anything, you name it!

Come to Guangdong with me.

You'll get your old job back and help me take out the pirates.

Beat him.

You're saying the Guangdong Navy under Fok Yee-tai is complete trash?

That's why I don't see why you're willing to take on such a thankless task.

You're a prince, you should enjoy the easy life of comfort and luxury.

Because I'm a miserable wretch.

Why else would I let you beat me up at the boxing club?

I didn't know you're a prince.

And I have such a big fist...

You often come home black-and-blue

because you come here for fist fights?

Don't tell Mother!

Get up...

Good job! Our turn...

Again? How would I dare fight you now?

Why not? It's not the first time!

Please forgive me!

I simply can't bear the responsibility of hurting you again.

I like getting a beating from you!

(Prince's Mansion)

That was quite a ferocious kick!

Really?

Yes! You must teach me!

Sure!

Your Highnesses, Lady Shun is here.

Please ensure my sons are safe.

Don't let anything bad happen to them.

(Lady Shun, pin in hiding)

Your Highness!

Mother! Mother!

Man-ho, I heard you're in trouble again.

He's not, Mother.

He convinced Father to let him exterminate the pirates in Guangdong.

It's a good chance to earn merit.

You're standing out again?

Have some tea, Mother!

I know you're proud and have high ambitions

and refuse to be second to anyone.

You volunteered to handle flood control in Yunnan,

to take out bandits in the northwest and to bust corruption in Zhejiang.

And you have done a good job on every single mission.

But your Father has never shown you much approval.

Your effort has proven futile.

Why must you stand out again?

Sometimes I wonder what I have done.

Why does Father hate me?

The harder you work, the more beating and scolding you get.

Please don't blame your Father!

Of course not! Thunder and rain are part of his bounty.

I only wish I was not born into royalty.

If you knew that, you should lay low and bide your time.

If you live your life as a happy-go-lucky prince,

I'd have less to worry about.

You want me to be like Man-leung and Man-sing

and hang out in brothels and casinos all day long?

I refuse to be a loafer like them.