Original subtitles

Taiwan Provincial Film Studio

Starring Sylvia Peng, Jiang Hou Jen, and Shih Chun

FIRST LIFE

Between the 14th and 17th centuries,

during the Ming Dynasty,

the imperial court had

the Brocade Guard and the Eastern Depot.

Lu Zhenyi, seen here, was tasked with arresting and judging

criminals targeted by imperial edicts.

Extremely skilled with the sword,

he was considered eccentric

but was highly intelligent.

He was feared like lightning by the people

as well as by the empire's officials.

Faced with the violence exerted

armed rebellions had broken out

all over the empire.

The most significant of them was led by Feng Rui

Her father, who led the Censorate

was famous for his integrity.

Unjustly implicated

he was beheaded along with his entire family.

Such an act could not go without consequences.

Huaiyuan Inn

Make way! Make way!

Let them through!

My respects, commander.

No one informed me of your arrival!

Apologies for the unworthy welcome!

Stand up.

Thank you, commander.

Forgive me, commander,

Would you accept to be accommodated in the east wing?

Why?

The residence is occupied by Miss Han, daughter of the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi...

- I will make my rounds - ... and by her escort officer,

Sir Wang, superintendent of Guangdong.

I see.

Commander...

I am here on the orders of Ma Shun,

the commander-in-chief of the Brocade Guard,

to bring Miss Han back to the capital, for their wedding.

I know.

May I ask

when we will leave, commander?

You are not going.

But I have been assigned to accompany Miss Han to the capital.

Sir Wang,

follow the orders of the commander.

Miss,

it's just that...

Sir Wang,

please leave us.

Very well.

Gather your men and return to Canton immediately!

Very well.

Xiaoyu follows me wherever I go.

If necessary, feel free to give him your instructions.

How could I dare?

He has been in my service for over ten years.

He is mute.

You are engaged to Feng Rui, aren't you?

I was.

That is no longer the case.

Feng Rui is the leader of the rebels!

He ambushed you the day before yesterday.

How do you know?

He told me.

He came last night.

Here?

Yes.

He wanted to take me with him.

And?

I told him...

...that I would not go with him.

So?

I can't believe

that Miss Han is really willing to marry

that assassin Ma Shun!

Who knows?

She is the daughter of a high-ranking official.

I can't imagine her marrying a fugitive like me!

Her father already has a huge army.

Certainly, giving his daughter to a rebel must not please him,

but why would he marry her to the commander-in-chief of the Guard?

In my opinion,

there is something fishy going on.

I presume you know

that Feng Rui's entire family was executed

as a result of a plot orchestrated by Ma Shun.

The sentence was validated by imperial decree.

Has your father

officially broken off your engagement?

He returned the marriage contract to Feng Rui

with a letter announcing

that all ties between the Han and Feng families were now severed.

We will never have any contact again.

Did Feng Rui take back the item he had given you as a pledge?

What item?

A rarity that the Feng family would pass down from generation to generation.

"The Sword of Fish Entrails" with which Zhuan Zhu assassinated King Liao of Wu [in the 6th century BC].

It is indeed in my hands.

Would it be possible for you to show it to me?

Yes.

But not right now.

Let others take care of what's happening outside.

Stay here and take a look at this famous sword.

Stop!

Lu Zhenyi,

between the sword and me,

you will have to choose!

I expected this.

You were plotting something.

Xiaoyu!

You intended to use the sword

to kill Ma Shun on your wedding night.

With your father, you would have become famous throughout the Empire!

You're joking!

If I intended to kill him,

I wouldn't need a sword.

Twenty grams of arsenic would do the trick.

Go!

Lu Zhenyi was a perceptive man.

He knew that Feng Rui's men

would try to capture Han Xuemei.

That's why he created a diversion

by having his men escort an empty sedan chair to the capital.

His troops fought off the rebels when they attacked.

But after the battle was over,

he killed his own men, every last one of them.

Why would he do such a thing?

Come share my meal.

Neither Miss Han nor I

will share your meal!

Wait.

You will have to share your meals with me for the rest of your life.

What?

I'll tell you frankly:

I won't take you to the capital.

Where are we going then?

Somewhere far from here,

away from the troubles of this world.

Are you going to betray Ma Shun?

You're free to see it that way.

Yesterday, Lu Zhenyi killed all his men!

Why?

No idea, he must be crazy.

I doubt it.

He's not taking you to the capital.

Do you really want to follow him away from everything?

Madame Zhang!

How are you?

Commander!

I'm fine, thanks to you!

Where are you, come quickly!

The commander is here.

I saw, I saw.

Hello commander.

How are you, Zhang?

Very well, thanks to you!

How many of you are there this time?

There are only four of us.

Prepare a hearty meal for us.

Okay.

We cook very roughly in the countryside.

It's very good.

Eat well.

There will be less to eat in the mountains.

What are we going to do there?

We're going to live there.

Commander, you can share my room with the mute.

The ladies will take the beds outside.

No, no.

We will sleep outside.

I told you!

The toilets are over there.

Oh yes, I forgot.

Come closer.

You surely understood,

we wanted to escape.

Xiaoyu, go keep watch over there.

Let's sit here and talk.

Okay.

Stay here and keep watch.

I am the daughter of Han Yong,

the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi.

If you help me escape,

he will reward you generously.

I am promised to Ma Shun, the commander-in-chief of the Brocade Guard.

But as long as the commander and the mute are around,

it will be impossible for you to escape!

Are you in the service of Lu Zhenyi?

No, no!

But they come to torment me at my place.

Torment?

How to say...

This is where they interrogate their prisoners.

Commander Lu is grateful to me for it.

At the end of each session, he gives me twenty taels of silver.

That's enough to feed my wife and me for six months.

I heard that they inflict tortures

of extreme cruelty.

Yes, that's true!

They brand them with a hot iron,

they pull out their nails,

they flay them alive!

Last time, a prisoner tried to escape.

It didn't take long for the mute to catch him!

They broke each of his fingers one by one.

Go to sleep.

Miss, for your toilette.

Very well.

Thank you.

Are you sure you can eliminate him?

No.

Then why are you here?

I came to get you.

I already told you,

I won't come with you.

You'd rather go with him to the capital?

That's none of your business.

Just tell me if you admit

that we have been promised to each other since childhood.

Didn't you read the letter my father sent you?

It's to save his own skin

that your father agreed to marry you to that assassin Ma Shun.

Are you really going to accept that without saying a word?

Are you a man or not?

What are you fussing about like a woman?

Let's go!

Don't harm Han Xuemei!

Let's go, quickly!

Run away, quickly!

Put Miss Han down.

Go!

Miss Han, what would you do in my place?

Kill him.

Kill him, and I'll kill myself immediately.

When do you plan to come back?

Soon.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I can't take it anymore!

We're almost there.

Where are you taking me, in the end?

Right here.

What is this place?

The place where my master lives.

Who is your master?

Have you heard of the wise Lu Zizhen?

Isn't he the man whose head

is worth a fortune?

He was an imperial censor, an incorruptible man.

He now lives in seclusion.

He is the leader of the rebellion.

I heard that he was a good friend of your father.

Master!

Master, it's me, Lu Zhenyi!

Lu Zhenyi?

Master!

Zhenyi!

It's you!

Master!

Get up!

What are you doing here?

I came to see you.

How are you?

Getting worse and worse.

I feel that my end is near.

Your end...

Don't joke about that!

This is Miss Han.

You know her father.

He is your old friend Han Yong, the governor!

Oh!

Nice to meet you, Mr. Lu.

What a pleasure!

With your father, we were both received in the imperial exams the same year!

He has been climbing the ranks ever since!

Please have a seat.

And him, who is he?

He is a former Japanese pirate

who entered my service after surrendering.

He is mute.

He is someone very reliable.

I see, a Japanese friend then.

Please sit down.

You must be tired after such a long journey.

I'm fine.

Master,

Why did you break the ladders and cut the ropes?

Ma Shun's men are getting closer.

I had to take defensive measures.

Look,

look at this.

This is the latest wanted poster from the Court with my head on it.

Wanted: Lu Zizhen

High reward.

Reward amount: 50,000 gold taels.

Dead or alive: 100,000 gold taels.

I even heard that a secret imperial edict was issued.

Civil or military, the officer who delivers me to the Court

will be made the Marquis of Wuyi.

They are deluding themselves!

No one will be able to find you here.

I wouldn't bet my head on it.

You found me, didn't you?

Come on, Master, it's not the first time I've come here.

Nothing more normal!

And our Japanese friend...

He too will find the way here.

What, him?

He can be trusted.

Of course, of course.

Even if...

that remains to be proven.

Don't they say that the lure of gain can change a man?

Yes, yes, that's absolutely true.

Master,

I need to tell him a few words.

Alright, go ahead.

Have something to eat.

Thank you.

What do you think of him?

I was mistaken about him.

I mistook him for an unscrupulous commander of the Guard

when he was actually your informant at the Court.

It's hard to be sure.

[In Japanese] Scoundrel!

Master, imagine:

if I marry her

and her father joins us,

that will give us 20,000 more men.

I will talk to him about it.

I believe

that Lu Zhenyi intends to deliver me,

to claim the reward,

then marry you and take command of your father's troops.

But then... What am I going to do?

Don't turn around.

Pretend to accept his proposal.

That's impossible.

Without that, we won't be able to escape his clutches.

Follow in my footsteps.

To your health!

Listen to me carefully,

this is the happiest day of your life.

I have an important gift for you.

Guess what it is.

It's my old white-haired head,

I'm giving it to Miss Han.

Master!

How can you say that!

But yes!

Master Lu's head is worth 50,000 taels of gold.

That's just what I need for my dowry.

I also have a gift for you.

It's the list of all the rebel camps

and the passwords to contact them.

Here.

I will take care of it.

I raise my glass to the new leader of the rebellion.

I drank the glass of poisoned alcohol,

I'm going to die, that's for sure.

If I hadn't drunk it, he would have killed me anyway.

I hope he rubs his eyes!

If he does,

it won't be long before he becomes blind.

Not a sound.

In a moment, he won't see anything, neither my notebook, nor your sword.

Master Lu.

Master Lu.

Master Lu!

Go...

Go...

Xuemei!

Feng Rui!

Xuemei!

SECOND LIFE

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam.

Happiness and long life to you.

What's more normal between neighbors?

Thank you.

Get lost!

Who are you talking to like that?

To you! Get out of here!

Who do you think you are?

Once again.

Breathe in!

Once again.

Don't cry.

It's okay, it's okay.

Put more energy into it!

You lazy bum, you'll see!

That's enough, stop torturing these children!

With what they eat, where do you expect them to find strength?

It's time to make a decision, Huatang.

If we can't make it, what's the point of continuing?

Hello Yunan.

The lender didn't want it?

I told him:

"It's an imperial robe, can't you see that it's valuable?"

He just replied to me:

"So what, we're in the Republic now."

"Emperors are a thing of the past."

"No one wears this kind of robe anymore."

He didn't want to hear anything.

Yunan... Did you pawn your gold ring?

It will allow us to hold on for a few more days.

We can't drag everyone down with us.

If we can't make it anymore, why insist on continuing?

We have to face the facts:

we have to disband the troupe.

Disband the troupe?

We can't do that!

What would happen next?

Everyone will go their own way.

Those who are not recruited by another troupe

will find another job.

We've all been doing this job since we were little.

It's the only one we know, how can we change it?

Just before he died,

your father entrusted me with the troupe, and you too.

He made me promise to take care of you.

If I let the troupe disappear,

I wouldn't be worthy of him,

I wouldn't be worthy of you.

Huatang, don't worry about me.

I'll try to find new performance dates.

What's the point? No one comes to see us perform.

I have so much strength that I can move mountains, no one can match me.

...what can I do?

Oh my king,

why didn't you slit your throat on the banks of the Wu River?

We're going from defeat to defeat.

We don't have a single piece of meat left to eat!

Your Majesty, don't you know?

We're all vegetarians!

Some of you are older than me.

If my words were to offend you, I apologize in advance.

Some of you have been in the troupe for nearly twenty years.

As you know, our troupe is going through a difficult time.

If you have any complaints, you should address them to me.

You have the right to think that I'm incapable, good for nothing.

If you're ready to face the difficulties, we'll face them together.

Otherwise, I won't hold you back, you can leave.

Boss, stay and have a bowl of noodles.

No thanks. I'm not hungry.

I'd like to have a word with you.

Listen, the meals will be paid for

as well as the rooms.

Don't worry, not a penny will be missing.

I'm not here to ask you for money,

or threaten to kick you out

but to tell you that in our city

there's a young man from a good family, Mr. Ma.

His ancestors were high-ranking officials at the Court.

Since the death of his father,

his mother has been managing their affairs.

They're a philanthropic family.

I just saw people lining up for food.

Wouldn't that be in front of their place?

Yes, that's right.

They distribute food like that every year.

You should go see this young Mr. Ma.

He doesn't leave anyone in distress.

Please.

Which one of you is the leader of the troupe?

It's me, Miao Huatang.

My name is Ma Jingbai.

Apologies for the reception.

It's nothing.

Mr. Ma,

let me introduce you

my young colleague Meng Hualing.

And this is our senior, Xiao Yunan.

It's an honour to meet you, Mr. Ma.

The honour is all mine.

Mr. Ma...

Miss Meng, haven't we met before?

That's what I was going to ask you.

Let me think...

Where could we have seen each other?

Mr. Ma,

haven't you seen her on stage?

No.

My mother is elderly,

I rarely go out

and rarely go to see operas.

Mr. Miao, your face is also familiar to me.

Oh?

I think I understand.

You are so friendly

that one feels like they've known you forever.

Yes, that's exactly it, forever.

Please have a seat.

Very well.

I understand that you would like to perform in our city, is that correct?

Since our arrival,

we have heard a lot about your generosity.

As the saying goes,

gentlemen like to surround themselves with artists.

That's why we have come

to ask for your support.

Miss Meng,

What kind of role do you play?

Roles of innocent young women.

Osmanthe Theater [Shanghai]

The Fourth Son Visits His Mother. With Meng Hualing and Miao Huatang.

I, Princess Jieting, kneel in the dust and pray to the Heavens.

Deities, I respectfully greet you and ask you to listen to me.

If I reveal anything about him,

that I be hanged high and dry

and that my corpse be cut into pieces.

My, my! You're going all out!

The Wild Horse with the Red Mane starring Meng Hualing and Miao Huatang

We come from very different countries.

I come to the palace to see you for the second time,

my queen,

my prince.

The Peak of the Universe starring Meng Hualing

This distressing king turns his back on justice,

he loses the support of his people.

He! He listens to slander

and belittles men of worth,

leading the country to ruin.

Bravo!

What a success!

This is our third performance.

On the first night, the theater was three-quarters full.

Yesterday, it was sold out.

And today, even better!

There were even people standing in the back.

I'm telling you, we'll have a full house for a month!

That's for sure!

We owe all of this to your efforts!

You're exaggerating!

Yunan,

what if tomorrow we perform

"The Emperor's Robe Beaten" play?

The Emperor's Robe?

Luckily, I didn't pawn it!

Thank Mr. Ma on our behalf again.

It's thanks to him that the audience has been so large these days.

That's right.

But it's also due to the quality of your performances.

Sorry.

Miss Meng will be ready in a moment.

It's nothing.

Why does Mr. Ma only invite Hualing to dinner?

He could invite us too!

Are you jealous?

Maybe you should consider in your next life

playing the roles of young girls instead of bandits!

You're right.

Have you seen what you look like?

Yunan, I'm going.

Don't come back too late.

Okay.

There are fifty of us in the troupe.

Our last performances didn't earn us anything!

Sorry for keeping you waiting, Mr. Tian.

It's nothing.

I'll go straight to the inn afterwards.

Don't come back too late.

Understood.

Miss Meng, aren't you tired?

No.

But you sang all evening!

In our profession, we only fear the absence of an audience.

I could perform until exhaustion and die with a smile as long as there is an audience.

So you love it that much?

You have to be on stage to understand it.

Have you ever come to see an opera before?

Yes,

but to tell the truth, I never stayed until the end.

In that case, why did you come three nights in a row?

I didn't come for the opera, but for you.

As long as you're on stage,

I will continue to come.

Every night until I leave?

That won't be enough.

Hualing,

we must have known each other in a previous life,

but not long enough.

So we meet again in this life.

Well, this time, you will see me as much as you want.

Until I'm old, until my death.

Don't say things like that.

Mr. Ma, do you realize how admirable you are?

No need to call me "Mr."

Being well-born doesn't make me an admirable man.

You misunderstood me.

Before crossing your path, our troupe barely had enough to eat.

And now we have full houses three nights in a row.

Isn't that admirable of you?

What eloquence!

Have a drink!

I don't drink,

I have to take care of my voice.

Well, since you insist.

Is everything okay?

Hualing still hasn't come back?

I'll wait for her a little longer.

She loses track of time when she goes out.

Who is in the office?

Everything is lit up!

Master is receiving someone.

It's a woman, too!

Go see what they're doing.

Okay.

You're talking nonsense!

Either you've had too much to drink

or you're lying.

It's the truth.

Have you really been waiting for me for a long time?

Yes.

How did you know I would come?

The first time I saw you,

that's what I thought:

"I've been waiting for this girl for a long time."

Let me tell you something.

That's exactly what I thought too:

"Why didn't I meet you earlier?"

Sir...

What's the matter?

Madam sent me.

It's late.

You should escort your guest.

I have to go.

It's getting late.

I'll walk you home.

If you do what pleases me,

I will go to the palace and speak to the king about you.

Oh, Fei Lishi!

I hope you don't take me for an easy girl.

I swear before Heaven that I have never behaved like this before.

I've had too much to drink.

Why aren't you saying anything?

Don't leave.

I have to go home, it's late.

That's not what I mean.

Don't leave when the troupe leaves the city.

Stay with me.

Otherwise, I will follow you!

Wherever you go, I will follow you.

Hualing, is that you?

Yes, I just got back.

Mr. Ma,

Thank you for accompanying her at such a late hour.

It's nothing out of the ordinary.

Thanks to your support, we had a full house for three consecutive nights.

I thank you for that.

It's nothing.

I would like to invite all of you to have a meal one of these days.

That's very kind of you.

That's really fancy!

You can tell they have the means!

Mr. Ma is really kind!

Thank you.

A cup of tea?

Thank you.

Shouldn't we go and greet your mother?

My mother spends her days meditating and praying to Buddha.

We would disturb her more than anything.

Mr. Ma,

as the senior member of the troupe,

allow me to thank you

on behalf of all of us.

These past two weeks have...

Mr. Xiao,

It seems that in your profession, there is sometimes excessive courtesy.

Shall we dispense with these formalities, shall we?

Your performances are excellent, it's only natural that you have a full house

and that your business is thriving!

That's true.

The credit goes to the founder of the troupe.

This helmet is different from the ones we wear on stage.

It looks much heavier!

Of course, it's an antique!

Absolutely, it's an antique.

It belonged to one of my ancestors,

who was a general during the Ming Dynasty.

This helmet?

I would like to show you something else.

Okay.

What could it be?

Bravo!

Bravo!

Do you know the expression "to cut metal like water"?

There, it was wood.

It pierces metal just as well.

Imagine a blow struck at a man!

We could try it on you!

No thanks, try it on yourself instead!

I'll do it again.

Xiaojuan… Xiaojuan!

Who did my son invite?

What are they making noise for?

It's the Beijing Opera troupe.

It is said that with this sword

that Zhuan Zhu killed King Liao during the Warring States period,

the sword of the fish guts?

Most likely.

We pass it down in our family from generation to generation.

May I take a closer look at it?

Sure.

What a gem!

A true family treasure.

Why does this sword look so scary?

It has killed a lot.

No doubt.

Thank you.

Tian, is the banquet ready?

Yes, it's been ready for a while.

Why didn't you say so?

You're making our guests wait!

That's true.

Please.

This way.

After you.

Let's go.

Mom!

I haven't even left yet!

How dare you!

Come here.

You really have no shame!

Well done!

I'm going.

Okay, see you tomorrow.

My beard.

Are you going out again tonight?

Yes, I'm finished.

You shouldn't go to Mr. Ma's every night.

People will gossip.

What do I care?

I forbid you to go there!

So it bothers you?

Yes, it does.

It's not proper,

you go out every night

and come back in the middle of the night.

Show some restraint!

I'm going whether you like it or not!

Wait a minute!

I'm going to catch you, you'll see!

Hey, scram, you little rascals.

Miss Meng, you must be tired.

What's going on?

I'm upset.

Because of whom?

Huatang.

He acts like a little boss.

"Don't do this, don't do that."

I've had enough of him!

Don't pay attention to what he says.

Mother...

Mother, aren't you sleeping?

Who is it?

Mother, it's Miss Meng.

She is...

She is what?

I am a singer.

My name is Meng Hualing.

Good evening, madam.

I don't care if you're a singer or a acrobat.

Knowing that you're staying here as a guest,

I won't say anything more.

Go back home.

Mother, I wanted to tell you...

Tell her to come in.

Okay.

You can go rest.

I'll walk her back.

It's not necessary.

Ask Tian to do it.

Hualing!

Jingbai! Stay here!

What audacity!

You're disobeying your own mother!

Yunan, cheers.

Cheers.

You're coming home early today!

What was that commotion about?

Speaking to me like that in front of everyone?

Do you think you can do whatever you want?

Are you acting like a little boss?

What?

Are you looking for a fight?

Do you think...

That's enough.

Keep calm.

Did you eat, Hualing?

Do you want a bowl of noodles?

I'm not hungry.

I'm too upset.

Do you think you're in the right?

What did I do wrong?

I haven't said anything yet and you...

What did I do?

Stop arguing.

I forbade you from going there!

Stop it!

Do you think you can impress me?

What's wrong with you?

You're like brother and sister.

You grew up together.

Haven't you always been kind to her?

Go, talk to her and make up.

You've never seen me as the leader of the troupe.

And I've never acted like one towards you.

I've always treated you well,

always protected you,

and even pampered you at times.

I even let you choose the plays we perform, don't I?

Tonight, I raised my voice a little.

I am a singer, I have a powerful voice!

We have two more performances left.

In three days, we'll be gone

and all of this will be behind us.

Huatang,

and what if I decided to stay?

Are you saying that out of anger?

I'm speaking honestly to you.

For that seducer Ma Jingbai?

He's not like that.

Do you really think he wants that?

That's what he told me.

What did he tell you?

He asked me to stay.

Or else, he'll follow me.

But his mother is old.

It would be better if I stayed.

And the troupe?

I'm not responsible for that.

How will we manage without you?

You know as well as I do,

you can easily do without me.

You'll find someone to replace me.

No one will ever be able to replace you.

We won't be able to continue without you.

How will I manage without you?

I'm not just talking about the performances.

You understand me, I'm sure of it.

You're 21 years old.

When I joined the troupe, you were only one year old.

I took care of you at your mother's request.

I can't believe that someone other than me could be promised to you.

Not even this Ma Jingbai!

I prayed and burned incense in vain!

How can you show yourself to be so unworthy of the Ma family?

I don't understand.

How could you fall under the spell of this singer?

Mother, it's not like that.

How could you fall in love with a singer?

What she does doesn't matter to me.

You've lost your mind!

I'm completely clear-headed.

Have you forgotten that you're already engaged

and that the date of your marriage to the daughter of the Gao family is already set?

You'd rather marry a singer than a girl from a good family?

What am I going to say to the Gao family?

I'll go apologize to them

and cancel the contract.

No one in this family has ever acted so shamefully!

Shame eventually fades away.

It's my life we're talking about!

I see that you're just doing as you please!

You're so determined to marry this singer

that you don't even listen to your mother anymore!

Please, mother, give us your blessing!

That's out of the question.

Tian, bring me the stick.

Madam, you...

Did you hear?

Who?

I deserve to be punished.

I failed in filial piety

by provoking your anger like this.

Acknowledge your mistake.

If you don't,

if you persist in your waywardness,

you will be beaten, driven out of this house

and forever banished from the Ma family!

Tian, give me the stick.

Spare yourself this trouble,

I'll do it myself.

Sir!

Give it to me!

Madam, tell him to stop!

Please, madam, tell him to stop!

Go! Go!

Stay to heal your wounds, and then go!

Thank you for your understanding.

He is inside.

Thank you.

Jingbai!

Did you really do this to yourself?

Who else would have hit so hard?

Why did you do that?

I am just a simple singer.

I did it because I lost my mind.

I love you so much that I do anything.

I am already engaged to someone else.

I will cancel the marriage contract.

Stop acting like a fool!

Have you really lost your mind?

Who said we had to get married?

Who is asking you to cancel your marriage?

I just want to stay close to you.

What do I care about a higher rank?

I could become your servant, what do you say?

No!

There is no room for two women in my heart.

Hualing, as soon as I recover from my injuries,

I will leave this house.

I will have nothing left.

You will have me.

You will have me too.

After tonight's performance,

we will only have tomorrow's left.

I will be there tomorrow night.

It's not reasonable in your condition.

Don't worry.

I don't want to miss your last performance.

You will quit opera after this.

We will have to convince Huatang.

He doesn't want to let me go.

But after what you've done for me, I'm ready for anything.

He loves you.

How do you know?

How can I not see it?

We have known each other for twenty years,

but he only confessed it to me last night.

He can't believe that I could be promised to someone other than him.

You had never realized it?

He has always shown kindness towards me,

but wasn't that normal between us?

My father had asked him to take care of me.

The twenty years spent with him have less flavor for me than the twenty days with you.

That's what I feel deep inside me.

What are you doing?

In exchange for what I take from him,

I will give him a jewel that belongs to me.

So he is willing to give me this family treasure in return?

Will you let me go now?

It can't be otherwise.

Tomorrow will be my last performance.

After that, I will quit opera.

Jingbai has been kicked out of his home.

I am ready to live difficult days by his side.

You want a divorce? We will divorce.

You want to marry Zhang Wenyuan?

Well, marry him!

My fingerprints on the documents?

I will put them on.

I agree to your three requests.

And still, you don't want to give me back my letter!

You've gone too far!

You dare to hit me?

Yan Poxi, you harpy, are you threatening me?

What's stopping me, Song Jiang?

Give me back that letter!

And if I refuse?

If you refuse...

I will...

You... You're going to insult me?

What's the point of insulting you?

No, no... I'm not going to insult you.

You... You're going to hurt me?

What's the point of hurting you?

No, no... I'm not going to hurt you.

You're not going to hurt me

or insult me, right?

Aren't you planning instead

to kill me with a knife?

I will give it back to you!

I will give it back to you!

Mother!

Let go of me!

Stop!

Drop that sword!

Take him away!

Hualing!

Hualing!

Hualing!

Hualing!

Hualing!

Hualing!

Hualing!

THIRD LIFE

Go, it's your turn!

Come on, come on, come and rehearse!

Do you think the audience will appreciate this kind of performance where we're going?

We're going to perform "Sanlang saisi vivant" for them

and "The Knight of Yunzhou".

These are classics, they will be more interested.

Attention, listen to me!

[Banner] Art meets the countryside

We're hitting the road tomorrow.

Bring warm clothes.

It's windy over there.

Awan!

Awan!

Qiusheng!

The next two days are going to be busy.

The ceremony is in two days.

Already?

It's been a long time since I rehearsed.

We can't afford to cancel.

It would be great if, at the end, you climb the knife ladder.

No one does it better than you.

Dear friends!

We are a contemporary dance troupe from Taipei.

We will be performing "The Knight of Yunzhou"

and "Sanlang saisi vivant" in your city!

We will perform in front of the temple the day after tomorrow.

The show will be free.

We hope you will come in large numbers!

Come on, let's move forward!

What's the point of carrying a shrine like that?

Wait!

Qiusheng, look!

A Taiwanese opera troupe!

Taiwanese opera? Not at all!

You're talking nonsense!

We are a dance troupe.

Dancing in feathered costumes?

You're the ones with feathers!

Unbelievable!

I hate them!

Stop it!

Don't get upset, miss.

They're just joking.

I think I've seen him somewhere before.

Her face looks familiar.

One, two, one, two...

One, two, three, four...

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...

One, two, three...

Why do you always take seven steps?

It's the "Seven Stars" step.

It would make a great dance with a few small changes.

Qiusheng!

Qiusheng!

Awan!

Come, the meal is ready!

My brother is calling me, I have to go.

Where do you think you're going?

Do you think you can escape from me?

Qiusheng.

How can you use the ceremonial sword to kill a chicken?

You have no respect for anything!

Look at the caramelized pork stew that I've prepared for you.

By eating the same thing every day,

fish and shrimp, we can't even stand the sight of them anymore.

We'll be able to make a good chicken broth.

It will give us strength.

Come eat.

I miss your cooking when I'm at sea.

Eat well then.

Aren't you eating?

I've already eaten.

Eat well.

By the way, Atian is looking for someone to go to Taipei with him.

His father opened a large craft shop.

They need sculptors.

No way!

You know I made a wish for you!

You can't just leave like that.

I would worry too much about you if you left.

When we make more money with our sanctuary, you won't even need to go fishing anymore.

You can't stay here!

Hey, stop that!

Do you hear me?

Why?

I leave for a moment and you set up this scene

right in front of the temple, it's bad luck!

Take it down!

No one is going to take anything down!

Leave us alone!

Take all of this down!

What are you doing?

Get out!

- What are you doing! - Get out!

That's enough, stop shouting!

We need to make a good impression.

And you, you seize every opportunity to fight!

Here, take a cigarette.

I don't smoke.

They're kids, sorry.

We won't have time to find another place.

Is it possible to solve this problem in another way?

You need the priest's permission.

Your scene is blocking the gods' view of the sea.

It could bring bad luck to the fishermen.

I told you so.

Maybe you could do us a favour?

As a token of our gratitude.

What are you doing?

Are you trying to buy me?

You're looking down on me!

By disrespecting me,

you're disrespecting the gods!

Do you think the gods are interested in money?

Boss,

Don't bother.

Performing in this town would be a waste!

What's the point of subjecting ourselves to this?

We won't dance here? So what?

Let's go back to Taipei!

Hey, wait!

Can't you talk to your brother?

What's the matter?

How do you do that?

The gods possess me.

Which gods? Have you seen them before?

To tell the truth, no.

But my brother says he has seen them before.

And do you believe him?

He is a priest.

Everyone believes what he says.

How did you become a medium?

When I was little, I often fell ill.

My brother swore before the gods

that I would become a medium

if they granted me their protection.

It seems like your brother decides everything for you.

You do everything he tells you!

You are a medium because he wanted it.

Do you ever think for yourself?

I don't understand you.

You let your brother do whatever he wants with you!

You can't say that.

After our parents' death, we had to help each other.

He fed and clothed me.

He took care of me more than himself.

Nevertheless, you have never seen any gods.

Why believe him in that case?

Around here, many believe in these deities

without having seen them.

Of course.

Just because I don't believe in them doesn't mean you have to think like me.

But don't be so superstitious!

If sailors had to rely only on their talismans,

what would weather forecasts be for?

In case of a storm, they would just have to shout:

"Gods, save us!"

Do you think that would work?

Why put your future in someone else's hands?

Especially someone you've never seen!

Help!

But what are you waiting for!

Go help her, quickly!

- I can't swim! - She's going to drown!

You're going to catch a cold with this wind.

I'm used to it.

And then I can go home and change.

Your body is covered in marks.

It comes from the blows during the trance.

Doesn't it hurt when you hit yourself?

When I'm in a trance, I'm not aware of anything.

Why don't you take better care of yourself?

Do you feel how warm my hands are?

How warm my body is?

That is real.

The world of the gods is illusory.

Stop being a medium.

Come with me to Taipei.

Qiusheng!

It's late, you should already be home.

He's not a child anymore!

What I say to my brother is none of your business!

Come!

You treat him as if he were your son!

If you really cared about him, you would let him live his life.

You would let him do what he loves.

Think about his future!

He could get married, start a family.

You can't keep him locked up!

You just arrived

and you think you can sow discord between us?

Do you know that to better take care of my brother, I remained single!

That's not a reason

for him to remain single too!

He knows how to sculpt,

he can make a living anywhere.

While you, you only have your sanctuary.

What would you do elsewhere?

You're holding your brother back

out of fear of being alone.

You're just selfish!

Don't listen to her, come!

- You... - But...

She does contemporary dance,

he is a medium,

they have absolutely nothing in common!

Liangyu,

Manfen is depressed enough as it is!

Can't you leave her alone for a while?

Of course, love at first sight exists.

But there are too many things that separate you.

This is the first time we've come here.

Everything here feels fresh and new to us.

We bring our own way of dancing with us.

Maybe we can take a bit of the rustic simplicity of these people with us?

But we must not confuse what this novelty inspires in us

with love!

You've only known him for a few days!

Yet I feel like I've known him for years,

like an old friend.

I'm worried about him, I want to help him.

Hey, Qiusheng!

What are you doing here?

I wanted to see you.

Me too.

Qiusheng, I promise I won't argue with your brother anymore.

I just want to help you convince him

to let you go to Taipei.

You won't be alone there, that's where I live.

He doesn't have to worry.

He's a priest.

He will never abandon his faith in the deities.

Our island may be small,

but it has over a hundred temples and shrines.

You, on the other hand, don't believe,

but here, almost everyone believes.

Their belief prevents them from doing harm.

The gods do no harm to humans.

Why harm them?

Fine.

I won't challenge your brother's beliefs anymore.

But starting today, you stop being a medium!

I can't stand seeing you shirtless,

in that attire,

trembling with convulsions.

But today's ceremony means a lot to my brother!

Listen, you have a choice.

It's either this ceremony or me.

Awan!

You want to cast a spell on her?

Stop!

Let him do it,

we'll see if I die!

You don't know his powers!

That's enough!

He can burn my jacket,

but nothing will happen to me!

If I die, don't take revenge on him!

If I don't die,

you come with me to Taipei!

The show is about to start.

Come on, Qiusheng, let's go!

Don't leave!

The ceremony is about to start!

Qiusheng!

Mr. Yang, Lu Manfen asked me to keep you company.

She's dancing in "Sanlang Captured Alive."

Isn't it Qiusheng who should climb the knife ladder and not Awan?

Where did Qiusheng go?

Why isn't he here?

Only he can climb the ladder!

Will Awan make it?

Qiusheng! Qiusheng!

Something happened to your brother! Hurry!

Qiusheng!

Qiusheng!

Awan!

Qiusheng! Qiusheng!

Awan! My brother!

Qiusheng!

Come on, let's go.

Faster!

The boat is about to leave!

I know, I know.

Goodbye!

Taiwan-Penghu Ferry

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, side,

One, two, three, four, one, two, one, two,

One, two, three, four, five, slowing down

One, two, three, four, two, two, three, four,

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, face!

Two, two, three, four, five, six, seven, backwards!

One, two, three, four, five...

Face!

That's not quite the right position.

Am I too low?

Did you like it?

Very good, you did well.

That's all for today.

Rehearsal is over, are you coming?

Don't you want to leave with me?

My brother just died.

Leaving now

would be lacking in humanity.

I prefer to stay here.

That's what he would have wanted.

I'll wait for you on the platform.

I hope you'll come before the boat leaves.

FOURTH LIFE...

Subtitles: Frédéric Dalléas