Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[Episode 15]

[Listen, all of you out there.]

[There are no thieves here.]

[The palace guards are here by order.]

[Stay out of this.]

[Step aside.]

Lies.

You've seen it yourselves...

during our stake-out.

If the palace guards are here by order,

why are they sneaking around in plain clothes?

They must be thieves in disguise.

-Lord Lu. -[All of you in there,]

you broke into a private property.

You must be robbers.

How dare you pretend to be palace guards?

What audacity!

Fire the arrows.

Listen, all of you out there.

I am Lu Si Ying, leader of the Palace Guards.

I am coming out now.

Open the door.

-Yes. -Yes.

Who is the official in charge?

I am Lu Si Ying.

This is my badge.

You are indeed Lord Lu.

Lord Lu,

this is a misunderstanding.

So it's you, Lord Liu.

I know you and Huo family are friends.

No way is this a misunderstanding.

Lord Lu,

you must be joking.

Huo En Di died a few years ago.

The neighbours said this mansion is haunted.

I received a report today...

saying that bandits are in town,

bent on pillaging and plundering.

If I didn't try to stop it,

I wouldn't be doing my job.

I've borrowed government troops from 30 miles away,

but instead of bandits,

we found you, Lord Lu.

Lord Lu,

why are you dressed like this?

[Huo Residence]

Enough questions!

My guards are injured.

We need treatment immediately.

Yes.

Guards,

take a look inside.

-Yes. -Yes.

[Didn't Huo Yuan Jia come back to Tianjin by himself?]

[No.]

[He came back with his mother, wife, children and many others.]

[Where do they stay?]

[At the same old place,]

[the house you led us to during the raid.]

[He's very brave.]

[He's not afraid of the spirit of Huo En Di.]

[Tell our brothers...]

[to dress in plain clothes tonight,]

[I want to kill them!]

Lord Liu,

please help my master.

You must uphold justice for the Huo family.

Stand up, my lord.

Stand up.

Mr. Nong,

I was going to help at first.

The government signed an agreement with the westerners.

No troops shall be stationed within 10 km of Tianjin.

I don't have any troops on hand.

My lord,

I have a fellow villager who works in an army camp 15 km from here.

We can ask him for help.

The imperial army fighting against palace guards?

That's not going to fly.

You worry too much.

The government has pardoned Yuan Jia.

Lu Si Ying is only out for vengeance.

He wouldn't wear official clothes.

Only bandits enter private property at night.

Rallying troops to protect Tianjin's safety...

is something the imperial government can get behind.

He killed innocent people indiscriminately two years ago.

He was afraid I'd stand in his way,

He kidnapped me.

I've been holding this grudge for two years.

We'll beat him at his own game this time.

Since the Boxer Rebellion,

there had been no government office in Tianjin.

But now, the local office has been set up...

and I have been reinstated.

I won't allow Lu Si Ying...

to wreak havoc in the name of the imperial government.

[Land God Temple]

How did it go?

Mr. Nong's brilliant strategy worked.

Ying Si has been dealt with.

How I wish I was there.

I could've taken his life with a dart.

What did you say?

When did you learn to use concealed weapons?

No, Brother Zhen Sheng,

I didn't.

I was only trying it with Sha Yan for fun.

Don't tell Master.

Mr. Nong.

How did it go, Mr. Nong?

Mrs. Huo,

you can go home with Yuan Jia's mother and the children.

After what happened last night,

your home is safe.

Thank you, Mr. Nong.

What about...

Yuan Jia?

When can you rescue him?

As for that,

I am still thinking.

Don't you worry.

Perhaps when Lady Sha comes back from Dong'guang with the testimonial,

it'd be easier.

[Dong'guang District Office]

Brother, that was quick.

You sent a pigeon post. I assume it's urgent.

Let's go.

He thinks too highly of himself.

You shouldn't help people like him.

Don't say that about my master.

What did you say?

Huo Yuan Jia is now your master?

Yes.

Are you crazy?

My master is the Hero of Tianjin and a great martial artist.

He's better than Big Sword Wang Wu.

What's wrong with being his student?

Don't you want to marry Huo Yuan Jia?

Now that he's your master, how are you going to marry him?

Mrs. Huo is an extraordinary woman.

No one compares to her.

I...

I was too naive.

Let's talk business.

Any news from Tianjin?

Yes.

Huo Yuan Jia has been arrested.

That's good.

But it wasn't Lord Lu who arrested him.

He was captured by the westerners.

What's the difference?

Lord Lu is on good terms with the westerners.

Lord Lu can get anything done through them.

I can sit back and relax.

Huo Yuan Jia...

is doomed.

I feel relieved.

The last batch of opium...

had cost me many years' worth of savings.

To think I'd make a killing from it,

give a cut to the higher-ups,

have them put in a good word for me to the Empress Dowager,

and receive a promotion.

But thanks to Huo Yuan Jia, everything is ruined.

All right, you may go now.

With him gone,

I can finally sleep at night.

Yes.

Who are you?

You dare to assassinate an official?

You're questioning me?

You think you are so big?

Sister.

Please let me go.

That's more like it.

Come down, Sister.

The magistrate knows he's licked.

Please forgive me.

Please forgive me, young lady.

I've heard everything you told your men just now.

Don't try to weasel your way out.

Of course not... I wouldn't dare...

I didn't mean to harm Huo Yuan Jia.

When your opium was burnt,

you lost your money and your promotion.

That's why you framed my master.

Write down your confession now,

or I'll strangle you to death.

No,

it's not like that.

I acted on official orders.

Don't you deny it.

Acted by order?

By whose order?

A high-ranking official wanted you to frame Huo Yuan Jia?

Yes,

high-ranking official from the capital.

[Where's the high-ranking official?]

[He's inside.]

[Xue Xue, magistrate of Dong'guang, at your service, my lord.]

Leader of palace guards Lu Si Ying,

you're a disgrace to the martial world.

Master went into hiding in Dong'guang,

living off the land in the valley...

just to avoid Ying Si.

For an imperial government official,

he's downright unscrupulous.

You sound surprised.

Have you forgotten?

Our parents were killed by those officials.

Those crooks would do anything.

They deserve to die.

I am not that kind of person.

Please spare my life. Let me go.

If you want me to spare your life, tell me the truth.

Yes.

Yes, all right.

[I am Xue Xue,]

[magistrate of Dong'guang District, Hejian Prefecture.]

[Since taking office, I've served my district with integrity...]

[for the past 20 years.]

[The Boxer Rebellion caused fear amongst the officials and the people.]

[While many officials abandoned their post,]

[I amassed money and commodities in preparation for the worst.]

[I labelled opium as official goods...]

[and had it smuggled to Shouyang for personal gain,]

[all the while using Huo Yuan Jia as the scapegoat.]

[Upon his return to Tianjin,]

[I forged seditious poems and famous paintings...]

[to frame him once again.]

[I am but a man of letters.]

[I was blinded by Hu Liu...]

[and threatened by Lu Si Ying.]

[Looking back at my actions fills me with deep regret.]

[I implore your honour to heed my confession...]

[and clear Master Huo's name.]

[I swear that this statement is nothing but the truth.]

[Signed, Xue Xue.]

Put your thumbprint.

Thank you for not killing me.

I am truly repentant for what I've done.

If necessary, I'm willing to come along to Tianjin...

to secure Huo Yuan Jia's release.

You've given your confession and seem genuinely sorry.

I'll spare your life.

Thank you, thank you!

Let's go, Brother.

Guards, arrest the bandits.

Don't let them run away.

Quick!

Xue Xue, you scoundrel!

These bandits are lawless.

They forced me to write a confession letter.

Kill them at all costs!

Restore order to the country!

Kill them.

Why did you kill him?

No point keeping a crooked official alive.

You fool!

Now that he's dead, his testimony is useless.

Guards, come quick.

The magistrate has been assassinated.

Guards,

-catch the murderer. -Let's go.

Guards!

Guards!

Quick.

What?

I saw that you're a seasoned fighter. A girl fighter, even.

I thought you were scrupulous enough for the task.

-But you... -Mr. Nong,

My sister feels guilty enough. Stop blaming her.

Brother Sha,

if that's how you feel,

please take your sister and leave Tianjin.

Why?

We have just arrived and you want us to leave immediately?

The assassination of Dong'guang's magistrate will be reported.

If you are seen in Tianjin,

you'll implicate Yuan Jia.

If that happens,

even the most powerful person in the country can't save him.

I'm not leaving.

You're not leaving?

You should've known better.

You shouldn't have stayed with Yuan Jia.

You even brought your brother here.

Do you really want Huo Yuan Jia and his family dead?

What did you say?

Chief, don't take it too seriously,

He's just concerned about my master.

Don't worry, Mr. Nong.

I made a mistake.

I'll rescue master even if it means sacrificing my life.

You didn't do anything wrong.

The official was cunning.

You killed him by mistake. It's not your fault.

If I were you, I might not even get his confession.

If you ask me,

what's done is done. Let's go all the way.

Since Chief Sha is here,

you make the call.

We'll follow you.

Let's break into prison and fight our way out of Tianjin.

We'll go back to Shishanli Mound...

and live our lives in comfort...

and total freedom.

Mrs. Huo, we've failed in our mission.

Please forgive us.

Please don't feel bad.

You have risked your lives to obtain this confession letter.

It wasn't easy.

We are grateful to you.

Sister.

Yan Zi,

don't blame yourself.

It was a big job for someone your age.

There's bound to be mistakes.

Besides, Xue Xue was cunning.

If I knew martial arts, maybe I'd have killed him, too.

However, Mr. Nong is right.

Once news of Xue Xue's assassination reaches Tianjin,

both of you will be in danger.

I can't leave, Sister.

Master is still in prison.

Rest assured,

we'll come up with something.

Mr. Nong is very capable.

He'll be able to rescue Yuan Jia.

Sha Yan,

Mrs. Huo is right.

Think of your brother.

He has his brethren at Shishanli Mound.

We can't keep him in Tianjin where its dangerous.

Sister,

do you really want me to say it?

We are bandits.

We have killed a man.

We are of no help if we stay.

We might even implicate Yuan Jia's family.

Goodbye.

I will send her off.

Ah Fa, send them off on my behalf.

I was harsh to them.

Please apologise to them for me.

Yes, Uncle.

Madam, I know you have a big heart.

The Sha siblings are not to be blamed.

The confession is useless as Xue Xue is dead.

It's harder to rescue Master now.

Yes.

Bertrand the French Consul is a tough nut to crack.

I wonder...

what he really wants?

Mr. Bertrand.

Excellent.

Good, Mr. Bertrand.

Nice one.

Good.

Excellent, Mr. Bertrand.

Excellent.

When I asked you to fight me, you refused.

When I gave you food, you turned your nose up at it.

Did you know...

your meal is identical to mine?

Thank you for your hospitality.

But I am innocent.

Please let me go.

Why are you in such a hurry?

Do you miss your wife?

That's no problem.

-Chang De Li. -Yes.

Did you find Huo Yuan Jia's address?

Yes, I found it.

Good.

Bring his wife here,

-so that he lives with ease. -Yes.

You fiend!

Why did you lock me up, Bertrand?

You were caught by the police.

An 11-year-old boy was murdered.

You are a suspect.

Xiao Wu is my disciple.

He was killed by Lu Si Ying,

in the French Concession, no less!

Why don't you shoot him to death?

Why interrogate me?

About that...

Although I hate that guy,

he is an imperial official nonetheless.

So, the westerner bullies the weak and fears the strong.

You are afraid of government officials,

but you'll capture peasants like me.

He...

You Chinese have a saying,

"to bite the hand that feeds you."

Has it occurred to you...

that were you not in here...

but outside of the French Concession,

what would happen to you?

Your Chinese boxing skills may be impressive,

but can you beat the palace guards?

They have guns.

They've bought terrifying weapons from us.

Open the gate.

Mr. Bertrand,

please.

Stand further away.

Mr. Bertrand,

please be careful.

I know. Stay further away.

All right, further away.

Further away.

Huo Yuan Jia, I admire you.

You should know that.

Thank you,

but I only want to be free.

Please let me go.

Come with me to France.

What?

If you miss your wife,

bring her along,

together with your mother and relatives.

I don't understand what you mean.

You are a great Chinese boxer.

But over here,

your talent is not a gift,

but a dangerous curse.

It would be different in Paris.

It's the capital of the world.

All the world's aristocrats and elites are there.

They love music,

theatre,

and competition,

especially boxing competition.

I'll make you a superstar in Paris.

Nobody would expect,

a Chinese man like you to be such an excellent boxer.

And you are good looking.

I'm sure the noble women will love you.

Please do not insult my integrity.

I'm not.

It's for your own good.

You are a rebel to them.

Lu Si Ying has the evidence to prove it.

The minute you step out of here...

you will be arrested...

and sentence to death.

I am saving you.

Don't you want to thank me?

Go to Paris with me.

Become a French national.

You can come back a few years later.

By that time, Lu Si Ying will have to look up to you...

and address you as "my lord".

I am a Chinese.

Even if I die unjustly,

my body shall lay buried in China.

I'll not leave my country just to survive.

Yuan Jia's name must be cleared.

[Confession]

Xue Xue may be dead,

but the imperial government can't ignore his confession.

I am going to the capital to appeal to the emperor.

Sister,

please take care of Dong Jue.

When will you be back?

The soonest in ten days,

latest in two weeks.

What should I do if he's hungry?

Please boil some congee for him.

What if he wouldn't eat?

When he's hungry, he will eat naturally.

Sister.

Sister.

Must you go?

I must.

As long as there is hope,

I must try.

Sister,

I am not as capable as you.

Don't cry, Sister.

Especially not in front of mother.

[Honourable and Guileless]

Madam, why don't I go instead?

It's a tough journey. You might not be able to stand it.

Besides, if you leave now,

Dong Jue will go hungry without your milk.

You can't go.

This house needs a man.

Madam,

I can't be the man of the house.

Zhen Sheng,

Ying Si is a cruel man.

He'll come to kill us anytime.

You must take up the responsibility.

The safety of grandmother and the children...

are now in your hands.

Madam,

if Brother Zhen Sheng can't go,

I'll go in your place.

Have you forgotten about me?

Give me Xue Xue's confession...

and I'll take it to the Forbidden City.

Zhen Sheng,

take care of your younger brothers.

Especially Gao Qi.

Don't let him leave the house.

Yes.

Madam.

What is wrong with me?

Your master has been wrongly accused.

We don't want any more trouble.

You master told me before...

that you are smart, but you won't hesitate to kill,

and are prone to trouble.

That's why I can't allow you to go out.

Madam, I won't get into trouble.

It's safer for me to go to the capital.

It's obvious that you're a trained fighter.

Your demeanour is very telling.

They are looking for Xue Xue's assassin.

If they catch you and indict you, you'll lose your head.

How could I face Yuan Jia, then?

Listen to me,

stay at home.

Help Zhen Sheng to take care of grandmother and the children.

But...

who will drive you?

I've asked Da You to prepare the carriage.

Da You.

We can't afford to have any more trouble.

Be careful.

Take care of Mrs. Huo.

The capital is dangerous. Be extremely careful.

Don't act stupidly.

If anything happens to Mrs. Huo,

I won't forgive you.

Don't worry, Brother Zhen Sheng and Brother Gao Qi.

Come on.

It's been two days and my neck still feels broken.

I want him to die a painful death.

Only then will I feel better.

As long as Huo Yuan Jia is living,

I, Lu Si Ying, will never sleep or eat well.

Lu Si Ying has been staying in Tianjin,

waiting to strike.

Mrs. Huo went to the capital,

as if she could ask the government to rescue Huo Yuan Jia.

Nong Jing Sun talks big,

but he's all bark and no bite.

If we rely on him,

Huo Yuan Jia will definitely die in the westerners' prison.

To avoid any trouble,

we must rescue Yuan Jia the soonest possible.

Otherwise, he'll be in danger.

Given the circumstances,

we can only target Bertrand...

with everything we've got.

Welcome.

I am Wang Da Liao.

Are you the ones that invited me?

Yes.

I don't think we've met.

What do you want?

I hear you're a man who can get anything done.

I would like to be your friend.

I like this.

As my name suggests,

I am here to solve your problem.

Tell me your problem.

There's nothing I can't do in Tianjin.

Let's go upstairs.

-You smell good. -Let's go in.

You are a beauty.

Lord Lu,

I feel bad letting you pick up the bill.

Let me know if there's anything I can do for you.

Step aside.

Come here, brother.

All right.

What I mean is,

Huo Yuan Jia...

What if I ask you to kill him for me?

Lord Lu, I can't do that.

I am just an interpreter.

Get out, all of you!

Be gone.

I know you have dealings with the French.

If you don't obey me,

I'll break your neck.

[Kiessling]

Consul,

we have prepared the main course specially for you.

Ah Fa,

serve the main course.

A nephew...

and his uncle.

You make it look so mysterious.

I am curious about the dish.

The colour is nice.

The title deed you brought...

aren't worth this much.

You are well informed.

Those title deeds may not count for much,

but our sincerity in becoming your friends is without question.

Now,

are you happy?

I am very happy.

When can you release him?

Release him?

I can't do that.

You are too greedy.

You don't understand, young man.

These gold bars are enough to redeem Huo Yuan Jia.

The problem is,

I haven't had enough boxing practice.

Boxing?

I wanted Huo Yuan Jia to go to Paris with me,

he refused to.

I was very disappointed.

But out of admiration for his Chinese boxing skills,

I held my peace.

In the prison,

he is getting special treatment.

I want keep Huo Yuan Jia for another month.

When I release him a month later,

I'll accept your gold bars.

How about that?

I would like to spend the month...

learning boxing from him.

Consul,

ever since Huo Yuan Jia went to prison,

his family has been very worried.

Especially his mother.

Her eyes had almost gone blind from crying.

You are a reasonable man.

You don't want to see a tragic outcome, do you?

Well,

why don't you release Huo Yuan Jia?

I can drive you to his house everyday to practise boxing.

How about that?

You have no negotiation power.

I am doing this for his own good.

He's an excellent boxer...

and I don't want him dead.

Consul,

I don't quite understand you.

You have one month...

to buy off someone more powerful than Lu Si Ying in the imperial government.

Otherwise, when Huo Yuan Jia leaves the French Concession,

he'll be executed.

That'll be the real tragedy.

I should get going.

I like this dish very much.

I shall taste it again in a month's time.

Don't go yet.

I want to see my master.

Master?

You are his disciple?

You know boxing, too?

Ah Fa,

don't be rude.

[Kiessling]

Your Chinese boxing is good.

I can bring you to see Huo Yuan Jia,

but you two must fight in front of me.

The master mustn't go easy on his student...

and vice versa.

I love a good fight.

Just like last time.

Follow me.

He's over there.

Master.

Can you open the gate and let us talk?

No way.

Wang Da Liao only told me to let you see him.

He didn't say to let you in.

Different deals.

That's more like it.

Are you all right, Master?

Why are you here?

This is not the place to talk. Let's go out.

-Let's go. -No.

I can't leave.

I understand.

-I'll get rid of your shackles. -Hold on.

I can't leave the prison with you.

What do you mean?

This is jailbreak.

If I leave, I'll be indicted.

This is the westerners' prison.

They are full of dirty tricks.

If you stay here,

you may die anytime.

I am innocent.

I am imprisoned because of Lu Si Ying.

He conspired with Dong'guang magistrate Xue Xue to frame me.

My disciples already know of my plight.

I'm guessing...

Liu Zhen Sheng is well on his way to Dong'guang to collect evidence.

When the government learns the truth,

they'll negotiate with the westerners.

I can walk out from here with my name cleared, then.

Brother Zhen Sheng didn't go to Dong'guang.

I went instead.

You?

Master,

I am sorry.

I killed Xue Xue accidentally.

His confession...

is useless now.

You killed an imperial government official?

Sha Yan,

didn't Brother Zhen Sheng tell you about the rules?

[Sister Sha Yan,]

[you must remember the rules.]

[The three virtues and four transgressions of the Huo sect.]

[First virtue, martial ethics.]

[Always be kind and compassionate.]

[Second virtue, martial spirit.]

[Strengthen your mind and body.]

[Third virtue, martial resolve.]

[Serve your country the best you can.]

[The four transgressions.]

[First, do not sell out your country.]

[Second, do not fight without a cause.]

[Third, do not commit treachery or adultery.]

[Forth, do not kill.]

[I know.]

[I won't kill good people.]

[You mustn't kill the bad, either.]

[Master said it's the job of the government to punish criminals.]

[If we use our abilities to kill,]

[our sin will be compounded...]

[until we are not able to turn back.]

I do not allow my disciples to kill.

If you have killed before you join my sect, I can ignore that.

But if you break the rules after you've entered my sect,

you're no longer my disciple.

Master.

Huo Yuan Jia, my sister was reckless,

She blames herself every day.

What's done is done.

It's no use scolding her now.

Do you think she really wants you to be her master?

She likes you. She wants to be with you.

Don't give me a bad name.

I am no longer related to you.

Fine, if that's what you want.

When you are out, you can kill me for all I care.

But now, we must escape. Let's go!

No.

It is important to clear my name.

I can't leave with you.

Does it sully your name to be rescued by bandits?

If you say so.

I'm not leaving.

You!

Brother, he woke up.

Don't kill him.

Step aside.

Run, quick.

He's more familiar with the prison's layout.

You can't catch up.

Take my advice. Leave immediately.

What about you?

I must stay here...

and wait for the government to clear my name.

Master.

I've killed Xue Xue.

I've ruined your plan.

It's all my fault.

But it might be a blessing in disguise.

Think about it, Master.

Your father,

your brother,

the twenty odd members of your family,

were they not killed by the government?

The man who killed Xiao Wu...

and put you in jail...

is also an imperial government official.

If you trust them,

you'll be dead soon.

Ying Si is spiteful and rotten to the core.

He doesn't represent the entire government.

Quick, leave.

Once the patrol finds help, you won't be able to leave.

Master.

Don't call me master anymore.

Take care of yourself.