"China in the mid-19th century -- the suffering of its people under the corrupt rule of the Qing dynasty set the stage for the Taiping Rebellion." "During the chaos of the 14 years long civil war, 70 million people died in battle or from starvation..." "The casualties equaled the recorded death toll from WWII." "He said... the day he crawled out from the pile of corpses... he was a dead man." "He also said... it was an age when death came easy... but living was hard." "All my men died." "I alone survived." "You were lucky." "I played dead." "My brothers... more than 1600 men... fought for three days and nights..." "They all died..." "The Kui army were inhuman." "They only stood behind us and watched." "My brothers were slaughtered one after another." "No one survived." "He met a woman that day." "They spent the night in a deserted house." "He didn't know if it was the woman or the soup... that brought him back to life." "Where can I find food?" "Try the main street." "He said... the first time he met me... the sky was overcast, like his mood." "But I remember clearly... that it was a glaringly sunny day." "Eat your food and let's get going!" "Eat and get to work!" "Dig in!" "You sure know how to fight." "I should introduce you to my big brother!" "Where are we going?" "To rob!" "From the rebel army!" "He later told me he was outraged... that bandits like us dared steal from troops." "What did we care?" "Famine is everywhere." "We either robbed or died." "Ride out!" "Kill them!" "Seize their leader, hurry!" "He saved my life that day... and taught me a lesson." "Strike the head... and the body will fall." "Brother Jiang..." "Look!" "That man gave them to you." "They're for generals." "Brother Jiang has become a general!" "Brother Jiang has become a general!" "What are you thinking about?" "My home." "They've returned!" "Come with me!" "We've got food!" "I have good news, tonight we feast!" "Why are you alone?" "I ran away from home." "Is that a Yangzhou accent?" "You noticed?" "How could you tell?" "Have you ever heard of Yangzhou Ponies?" "You mean pretty young girls who are trained as courtesans... and sold to rich men?" "Yes." "But when I turned 15... and was about to be sold... a man came and stole me away." "He was my childhood playmate." "He killed a few people." "We went into hiding and he became a bandit." "He thought he saved you, but you were no longer the same peasant girl." "He's a good man." "Go in peace!" "Go in peace!" "Big brother laid down the rule... to save seats and wine... for the brothers who died." "Were you a general in the army?" "Not anymore." "Why did you desert?" "Drink up!" "My troops and the Kui troops." "planned to join forces against the enemy." "But they betrayed us." "We were outnumbered... and all my brothers were killed!" "There's nothing more important than the love between brothers." "That I agree." "These days, without brothers... you can't survive." "Wu-Yang, dinner's here." "Are the new recruits staying?" "No one wants to leave when there's food." "Except for Pang, he's not our kind." "I don't know if he's staying or not." "Pretty, isn't it?" "I snatched it from a dead man." "Do you know what this is?" "No." "It protects you." "Did that night really happen?" "I waited there for you... wondering if it was all a dream." "If you ran away, why did you come back?" "I ran away many times, had it all thought out." "But I always ended up back here." "Why did you come back?" "You should decide for your own life." "Stay here!" ""Kui"." "Why are you robbing our food?" "I dare you to hit me?" "Go ahead!" "Stop fighting!" "I'm old enough to be your grandmother!" "Stand back or I'll shoot!" "I dare you!" "I swear I'll shoot..." "Go ahead!" "Kill me too!" "You!" "Nobody moves!" "Look at me when I speak." "You think you can keep the food you robbed?" "Consider this as a pay back to your country." "Let's go!" "If only we had guns... we could fight them!" "That's suicide!" "I'd rather die than live like this!" "Thieves are always on the run." "Why not join the army?" "Once you're in the army... you'll receive wages to feed your families." "You'll get guns so... that no one will bully you." "This village will finally have peace." "We're bandits, will the army take us?" "The Kui army is grandiose and powerful." "They couldn't care less about us." "But Lord Chen's army is desperate for men." "He wants to increase his power... to rival the Kui army." "He should welcome us with open arms." "Er-Hu , use this opportunity" "Then today's event... will never happen again." "Alright!" "As bandits..." "We have to be the biggest!" "You deserted the Qing army, now you want us to join them?" "You're a two-faced man." "Why shall we trust you?" "Take the blood oath!" "To be blood brothers, we kill an outsider... to show our loyalty to the brotherhood." "Only the lives of our brothers count." "The rest are expendable." "I asked him that day." "There's no turning back." "Are you certain?" "He said nothing." "Let me..." "Masters, what is it?" "!" "What are you bastards doing?" "!" "What did we do wrong?" "..." "We were only passing through!" "Have mercy on me... please..." "Remember my face... and take revenge in your next life!" "We, Pang Qing-Yun," "Zhao Er-Hu, and Jiang Wu-Yang... join the brotherhood today." "We take the blood oath." "We pledge our lives." "Those who bring us harm... must die." "A brother who harms another brother... must die." "Heaven and earth bear witness... and strike dead any man who breaks his oath." "We share one heart..." "He told me later that... he didn't believe in the pledge." "I asked him what he believed in." "He said Er-Hu... and me." "Wait!" "Take these shoes with you." "Take care!" "Mother may never see you again." "Good-bye, ma." "Er Hu!" "Shi and his men are leaving!" "He said that he'd rather die... than serve the Qing army!" "Your entire battalion perished... in the battle against the Taiping rebels in Hechuan... and you disappeared for 2 months!" "How dare you return now?" "My Lord Chan." "Lord Jiang sent the Kui army... to aid us in the battle at the Hechuan." "But they left us to fend for ourselves." "My men were slaughtered on the battlefield." "All your men died... but you alone survived?" "I stayed alive... just to see you again..." "Lord Jiang." "How many men do you have?" "800." "Give me another 800... and I will capture Shu City within 15 days." "Don't jest with me!" "10!" "I will capture Shu City in 10 days !" "Well... then..." "I'll give you 1,500 fine soldiers... but no wages." "We don't need wages;" "we get half the spoils once we capture Shu City." "Pang Qing-Yun." "Name your army "Shan"." "Thank you, my lords." "You're gambling... with 800 lives." "War is a gamble." "I won't gamble." "My 1500 men are the last of Lord Chen's army." "If we lose them... my lord will be powerless at the imperial court." "Make me an offer!" "My army... will only give you a semblance of multitude." "This is your only chance for victory." "Otherwise... you'll forever be at the mercy of the Kui army!" "Big brother!" "They're all useless." "We'll be facing 200 rifles." "The odds are against us." "To win, we need to attack." "Break through their firing line..." "Engage them in hand to hand combat." "Brothers!" "Tell him who's the toughest?" "We are!" "The enemy will be 300 paces away." "Rifles have a range of 200 paces... arrows have only 100." "We'll need a vanguard of 200 men... to run straight at the firing range." "They must not dodge the bullets... but must use their bodies as shields... so that our archers... who run behind them can get within range." "Many brothers will die in the process." "I'm in!" "Who's with me?" "Die and your family will receive double your wages!" "Live and you receive triple!" "Don't you want to be rich?" "Where are the real men?" "!" "Come on!" "Damn it, count me in!" "Me too, I'm in..." "Count me in... me too... I'm in..." "Take Shu City!" "Take their money, their food, their women!" "Take Shu City!" "Take their money, their food, their women!" "Take their money, their food, their women!" "Take their money, their food, their women!" "You're vastly outnumbered... victory is already ours." "Surrender and your life will be spared." "Kill them!" "Fire!" "Kill them!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "Kill them!" "They're dying out there!" "Let's go!" "Shut up and listen!" "There's only one commander in a battle!" "Kill them!" "Shoot!" "Shoot!" "Brother!" "Brother!" "Prepare!" "Blinders on!" "He's using himself to goad me into combat." "Go!" "Big brother!" "Brother..." "No!" "Don't pull that out!" "Hold steady!" "We're really going to die this time." "We're blood brothers!" "We die as one!" "That's right!" "We might as well take a few with us... as we go down!" "Let's go..." "Kill them!" "It's madness!" "800 men manage to upset an army of 5000..." "We can win!" "We really need a victory badly!" "Follow me!" "Wu-Yang!" "Wu-Yang!" "Lord Di..." "Pang Qing-Yun must be blessed." "Pang..." "Fate has brought us together again." "How fortunate of you to capture Shu City... you have made a name for yourself." "Pang... how does 5 more battalions sound?" "On top of that..." "Lu Da-Shan..." "Sir will be under your command." "Thank you, My Lord." "Pang Qing-Yun." "Your old friend from the Kui army is waiting for you." "He Kui." "Sir." "Greetings, my lords." "It's been a long time, General Pang." "It'll be a reunion of old allies... with you leading the attack... and him bringing up the rear." "How do we divide the spoils?" "Lord Di and..." "Lord Chen... no objections I trust?" "I'm afraid he won't be able to keep up!" "We'll take Suzhou, and then Nanking!" "What are they laughing at?" "Nanking is the enemy's capital." "To topple Nanking, we must first take Suzhou." "Since they have nothing to gain when the war is over... they won't let us take Suzhou." "If we attack, they can't stop us." "The Kui army was precisely sent... to keep an eye on us." "They've returned!" "Xiao-Wu" "Xiao-Wu, Xiao-Wu..." "Xiao-Wu's shoes..." "Xiao-Wu..." "Xiao-Qi?" "!" "Xiao-Qi... my boys..." "We were no longer bandits." "He said a bandit kills for his own interests." "But a hero sacrifices for others." "I wanted to be a hero." "You've lost weight." "Big brother says, we'll only be away for 3 years." "I know you've never liked it here." "When the war is over... I'll find us a better place to settle down." "Where's Brother Pang?" "He's staying outside the village tonight." "We'll leave tomorrow morning." "Remember..." "Winning is all that matters!" "Begin!" "Kill them!" "We're here to take over." "Give the men 3 days leave to pillage!" "Let them take money, food and women!" "You can come out now, the war is over." "Come." "Come, don't be afraid." "Have you eaten?" "Have you eaten?" "You hungry?" "Let go!" "What are you doing?" "!" "Don't just stay there!" "Give me a hand!" "No!" "..." "Don't touch me!" "..." "Gouzi, I'm leaving!" "Let me go..." "Brother Pang." "Move!" "What is it?" "Why am I being arrested?" "Go!" "What is it?" "!" "Gather the people for a public execution!" "Brother Zhao!" "Brother, what's this about?" "They raped 2 women." "They were given three days of pillage, this was bound to happen!" "From this day on, I will not tolerate such conduct under my command!" "It's what we've always done." "We're soldiers now, not bandits." "We must better ourselves or we won't achieve anything!" "If we allow this to happen... we're no better than those Kui bastards!" "Today is the day we start setting down some rules!" "We've just killed their families!" "Now you want to protect them?" "By killing our own?" "No one will risk their lives fighting for you after this!" "Brother..." "Listen to me, look at them!" "They've learned their lesson." "There's no need to kill them, right?" "Don't just kneel there!" "Say you're sorry!" "Big brother, we were wrong, we're so sorry..." "Gouzi!" "Say it again!" "Gouzi, say you're sorry!" "Say it!" "Come on, Gouzi..." "Big brother, we're sorry!" "Big brother, they know they're wrong." "Have mercy." "When I was still a civil servant... I saw a soldier... beating a peasant on the street until the man was covered with his own blood." "There was no reason for it... except that the man was poor." "But the poor man never retaliated." "He accepted it as part of his lot in life." "I promised myself that day... I would never allow... something like that to happen again!" "You joined the army... because you don't want to be bullied." "Let me tell you." "not only you but everyone... men and women alike should be free from oppression!" "That's what we're fighting for!" "That day... he finally revealed his dream for the future." "He said... he waited because he was afraid we wouldn't understand." "But I did." "Stop!" "Don't you touch my men!" "Back off!" "Brother..." "Please..." "Who do you owe your lives to?" "Who?" "!" "Big brother!" "What will you tell my mother?" "Closes your eyes." "I'll be quick." "Brother Jiang..." "What will you tell my mother?" "Don't tell my mother!" "How I wish I could sacrifice my life for this future of his." "I used to think... we only kill to survive." "Now I see that... we must also kill in order to do good." "We must end this war in 3 months." "We must take Suzhou!" "Look!" "The abandoned!" "You're behaving like Pang, too ambitious." "Thinks he can take Suzhou with a few thousand men?" "I'm worried for you, Lord Chen" "With no supplies or reinforcements..." "He's dead for sure!" "There's a fine line between winning and losing." "If I add the right piece... here." "Pang might just climb to the top... with his next victory." "Do you think I'd let Pang return to the fold?" "Leaving him stranded... benefits everyone." ""Suzhou City, One Year Later"" "What's keeping all of you?" "!" "Come get me now or I'll break your legs!" "Suzhou is at an impasse;" "both sides will starve to death." "The Kui army are waiting to swoop like vultures!" "How much longer can you afford to gamble?" "Butcher sing me a song." "I heard that... there is a man named Jesus." "Each day at noon..." "He gives the Taiping general Huang in Suzhou... 5 loaves of bread and 2 fat pigs." "He would then divide the food casually... and somehow he feeds all 5000 people..." "Everyone is fed." "Their bread never runs out." "And new piglets are being born everyday." "Sit down!" "Sit down!" "I'll steal into the city and kill Huang." "Those who tried never came back." "I won't put more lives at risk." "I'll go ask Lord Di... for food and weapons." "But we've defied their orders by attacking Suzhou." "I'm still of some use to them." "Please leave now." "Give me provisions and I'll seize Suzhou!" "My men may die in battles but not from hunger!" "Please, I beg you!" "My lord says he didn't know Suzhou was at war." "To the Kui army!" "We can't go begging to them!" "Then I will go alone!" "Let's go!" "Quick!" "Hurry..." "Take my hand!" "They tried to steal into the city;" "they all said there was food inside." "I must go in for myself." "Give me provisions and weapons... I'll make you a deal." "I don't need that " "Suzhou is already mine." "I'm talking about..." "Nanking." "My men do the fighting and the dying!" "All you have to do is stand behind us." "We divide Nanking between us;" "we enter the city together... unless you want to be under." "the power of those three old men forever." "We must capture Nanking... before the Kui army arrives to take credit." "But we only have 10 days' supplies." "We act quickly" "We capture Suzhou within 2 days!" "The heavens are good to me... sending you to me tonight." "It can protect you." "If you don't see a red flare by dawn from inside the city... my men will take you to safety." "Tell big brother and Wu-Yang that..." "Er-Hu wanted to be a hero." "General Pang is back!" "..." "Sir, the provisions have arrived!" "General Zhao has entered the city." "He said if we see a red flare by dawn... it means he has succeeded." "My friend, did you bring the goods?" "They say we have food in the city." "But we may start eating each other soon." "I promised they would be clothed and fed... and could go home within 3 years." "It's been 5 years now..." "We attack at dawn." "Lian." "I like to study different faces... but I haven't seen a new face... since Suzhou came under siege a year ago." "I hear the opium dealer is a new face" "but I don't use opium anymore - it only eases the pain." "My wife's grave is just outside the city in the woods." "I long to see her... but can't." "Do you know what it's like to be a prisoner?" "Suzhou has become one big prison..." "I can't get out... you can't get in either... unless..." "I let you in." "Remember Shi?" "You joined the Qing army, he followed me." "Hurry!" "Sir... it's past dawn" "Prepare the horses." "Escort Lady Zhao away." "Er-hu said that... he wanted to be a hero." "If I survive, I will... marry you." "4,000 soldiers are outside crazed with starvation." "If you kill me... you will all die in a blood bath." "I too have 4,000 men." "They'll defend every inch of the city... to their last drop of blood." "Stand down." "Lay down your arms." "Please surrender!" "11 years ago... I closed my business and sold everything... to join the Taiping rebellion." "From that day on... the word "surrender"... no longer existed for me!" "As long as I live... the people of Suzhou City... will never be free." "Spare my soldiers..." "let them go home." "Don't make the civilians suffer." "May you... go in peace!" "Get ready!" "Er-Hu..." "Er-Hu...!" "Zhao Er-Hu!" "I want to see Zhao Er-Hu!" "We want bread!" "Bread!" "..." "Are we going to conscript them?" "They will never agree." "There are 4,000 captives." "How much of our food will you give them?" "Brother..." "They surrendered only because..." "I promised to let them live." "The city's granaries are empty, and... we have only a 10-day-supply of food." "We must save it for Nanking." "Nanking?" "Are we attacking Nanking?" "The Kui army decamped yesterday;" "they will attack Nanking at any moment." "I can't read!" "Just tell me where the supplies are from?" "Where?" "!" "The Kui army." "How could you make a deal with He Kui?" "!" "These solders will never join our army." "If we attack Nanking..." "Suzhou will be defenseless." "Can you leave the city in their hands?" " Listen to me!" " No, you listen!" "These soldiers are our enemies." "We want bread!" "Bread!" "..." "Open the stores!" "Give me what I need." "No!" "Pang Qing-Yun!" "I knew you were a liar!" "This bread... was meant for our brothers." "But you want to give half to the captives... and then the other half to the civilians." "Our brothers have fought for 9 months... and starved for 9 months!" "You tell me..." "Who should get this bread, them or us?" "I don't care!" "Give them food!" "Now!" "Let them eat." "It's their last meal" "But I promised to spare their lives!" "Winning is all that matters in war!" "A man who breaks his word is a beast!" "Brother..." "He's right." "Move!" "He's right" "Get out of the way!" "He's right." "Let me go!" "..." "Let me go!" "I promised to spare their lives!" "Archers!" "Quiet!" "Don't kill them!" "Again!" "Again!" "Again!" "Again!" "Don't kill them!" "Don't kill them!" "Again!" "Again!" "Again!" "From that day on..." "Er-Hu never said another word to me." "It hurts, but... big brother was right." "Let's go home!" "Who's with me?" "Er-Hu, you can't go." "We still have to take Nanking." "What for?" "To kill more defenseless people?" "They were soldiers." "They surrendered!" "They were still soldiers!" "Do you remember what you said to us?" "You said everyone deserves... to be free even the poor!" "What have you done now?" "You have ordered right here... the massacre of 4,000 poor people?" "!" "You know that?" "!" "Only the poor are willing to go to war!" "Which one of us weren't poor!" "Those men were soldiers." "Soldiers are prepared to die." "But the millions in Nanking are just civilians." "If He Kui reaches them first, they're dead!" "I need your help to take Nanking." "Please don't go." "If you go, it will be mutiny." "The Shan brothers will turn on each other!" "Think about the consequences!" "Don't force my hand!" "I'll kill anyone who touches Er-Hu!" "Brother, you must not leave." "If you leave now... ours pledge will be broken" "Er-Hu!" "The Kui army has already left." "We must leave now or we'll be too late!" "I promise you... after Nanking... there'll be peace." "One day you'll see that... my decisions today were right." "Fine." "I'll be watching you in Nanking." "If you're right, I'll kneel before you." "But if you're wrong, I'll kill you." "Let's go!" "We..." "Zhao Er-Hu..." "Pang Qing-Yun..." "Jiang Wu-Yang... three brothers as one..." "Attack!" "Victory is ours, Nanking is ours!" "Long live the Empress Dowager!" "One month after the capture of Nanking." "Go in peace." "We swore an oath... to remain loyal to the Shan regiment." "As long as there is hunger, oppression... and injustice... the Shan regiment will fight!" "Dole out the wages!" "Zhang Wen-Fang, 5 taels." "Wang Xiao-San..." "Er-Hu, what are you doing?" "!" "The money belongs to the imperial coffers!" "We agreed to take Nanking and give half of the spoils to our men." "If you won't do it!" "I will!" "Remember!" "The Shan regiment has only one leader!" "And that's General Pang!" "Show him your gratitude!" "Thank you General!" "Again!" "Thank you General!" "Back to the wages..." "Wang Xiao-San, 3 taels 4 mace." "Wang Long, 4 taels" "My lord." "He needed your help to take Nanking." "Now you're at his mercy." "I will kill him eventually!" "You're always a step behind" "The Empress is making him Governor of Jiangsu." "So what?" "He Kiu, even I can't help you this time." "We just need to get Zhao Er-Hu on our side... and Pang's downfall is ensured!" "Zhao Er-Hu..." "Pang Qing-Yun..." "Jiang Wu-Yang... three brothers as one..." "Drink up!" "Heaven and earth be our witnesses." "We take a blood oath, pledge our lives." "We were born apart but die as one." "Loyalty through good times... and bad." "General Zhao, you did the fighting." "but he took the credit." "How can you live with that?" "So what?" "This opera is about brotherhood." "He's your brother, yet he had you in chains?" "He forced you to break your word and made a fool out of you." "Make him pay." "If we join forces and Nanking can be ours." "Give it some thought." "General He is only thinking of your future." "Come over here!" "Revenge is sweet!" "Shallow wounds heal... but deep wounds fester." "General Zhao, take your time to think it over." "General He." "You must be wondering... how long it takes to get from the gates to here?" "I had the same thought the first time... I stood outside the palace gates." "By the time I reached this far... my hair had already turned gray it took me 30 years." "Now I'm too old to walk." "Li Lianying." "The Empress said your youth is an asset;" "you will serve us for a long time." "The Empress also said." "Pang should be commended for the capture of Nanking." "He will receive the Golden Robes." "and appointed Governor of Jiangsu!" "Show your gratitude!" "Your servant Pang requests that... the people of Jiangsu be exempt from 3 years of taxes to recover from the war." "Request granted!" "Thank you your Highness." "You're responsible for the Suzhou massacre... yet you saved the people of Nanking." "Lord Pang, you're surely adaptable." "The Empress favors Lord Pang because he does not belong to any fractions." "Nanking may be yours," "But you've offended Lord Jiang and He Kui along the way." "Now, without allies... how long do you think you'll last?" "Lord Pang, I checked the lunar calendar." "The 8th day of the 4th month... will be the most auspicious time for your inauguration ...and for all." "Before you can do good..." "Lord Pang, you must look after yourself!" "You must look after yourself." "I must leave now, My lords." "The unrest has subsided, but the local militias wield too much power." "Lord Pang, the Empress is concerned." "The Shan regiment will be the first to disband." "Good!" "Once you sever your old ties... you can devote yourself to your duties as governor." "Your brother Zhao Er-Hu threatened to desert the army in Suzhou." "He almost created... a mutiny there." "In Nanking, he doled out funds meant for the royal coffers." "Does he own your regiment?" "!" "Be careful, my lord!" "I've walked on thin ice my whole life." "Do you think I can safely cross over?" "You're awake." "Yes, I am." "Perhaps they're right." "Nanking... doesn't need someone like me." "I want to go home." "Will you come with me?" "I don't need this anymore." "What is it?" "Bad news, my lord!" "He Kui plans to assassinate Lord Pang!" "It's nothing." "General Zhao." "Big brother!" "General Zhao." "Big brother!" "General Zhao." "Where's he?" "Lord Pang has not returned from the imperial court." "Decided?" "Then I'm off." "General Jiang." "General Jiang." "Who are they?" "Guards sent by the imperial court." "Cover that table with the red cloth." "Move these vases as well." "Hurry!" "Brother Wu Yang You have guests coming?" "General Pang has invited General Zhao to dine." "They've reconciled!" "Is big brother home?" "He should return by the afternoon... why have they replaced all the guards?" "General Zhao, wait!" "Sir..." "We received news that..." "He Kui plans to assassinate Lord Pang." "He must not return to the city now he asked you to meet him at Jianpu." "Tell Wu-Yang to bring the others and meet us there." "Wu-Yang." "Where's Er-Hu?" "He... went to see Brother Pang." "You're up to something!" "What's with all those new guards?" "You're going to kill Er-Hu... all because of Lian?" "!" "Have you forgotten our pledge?" "!" "When will Er-Hu arrive?" "Tell me when!" "Nightfall..." "He'll be here by nightfall." "Wait for me!" "You scared me." "Lian, I'm here to say goodbye." "Are you leaving?" "No, you are." "But where to?" "I'm waiting for Er-Hu... I've just prepared dinner." "Big brother is going to kill Er-Hu over you." "No, it can't be!" "Come down here." "No." "I have to finish draping this frame." "Have you ever seen such beautiful fabric?" "I haven't seen one in years." "I saw the red one in a shop yesterday... but I also wanted the green one." "I asked Er-Hu what to do" "He said... green for this year and red for the next." "I'll be 29 next year." "I lived through 14 years of war... didn't starve to death or get killed." "I've been lucky!" "I still have to hang the red curtain next year." "I still have to hang the red curtain next year." "Come down!" "You wouldn't kill me..." "I won't let you!" "It wasn't easy for me to survive!" "Why must you kill me?" "If I don't kill you... how will I save Er-Hu?" "Can you really save him by killing me?" "I don't know... but it's all I can do." "I watched you grow up." "You wouldn't do it..." "You won't!" "I know you can't kill me..." "You wouldn't do it..." "Anyone who harms our brothers..." "You can't kill me!" "must be... killed!" "5 years ago... 108 men left their village to join the army... risking their lives for a little food." "They were the first to join the Shan army" "The three of us were their leaders." "Today, I found a good place to free you" "I told you... there will come a day when you'll see that I was right." "Each year at this time, I'll drink with you." "I'll tell you what I've done in the past year." "I just returned from the palace." "The people of Jiangsu have been... spared from taxes for 3 years." "Next year, I promise... no one will go hungry." "You'll understand eventually that Xiao-Qi and Gouzi... didn't die in vain... and the massacre of the 4000 captives... was necessary." "And you..." "You..." "You will not die in vain." "You defied my orders in Suzhou." "I could have killed you then, but I couldn't do it." "But now it's the imperial court... that wants you dead." "He Kui!" "What choice do I have?" "Come out here!" "My brother... go in peace." "Brother..." "Brother..." "Big brother, you don't need to kill Er-Hu!" "Brother!" "Brother!" "you don't need to kill Er-Hu!" "Lian is dead!" "You don't have to kill Er-Hu!" "Lian is already dead... no reason to kill Er-Hu now!" "Brother!" "Lian is dead!" "The gods bless this day." "Joining the ranks of those that went before... a great servant to the empire." "To lead by example and serve his people." "The inauguration of Pang Qing-Yun as Governor of Jiangsu will take place... at noon on this day, the 8th of the 4th month." "A fence needs three pillars." "It's not the same without Lord Jiang here." "A quarter to 12." "Stand down!" "A brother who harms another brother... must die!" "A brother who harms another brother must die." "It's time." "Don't push me!" "A brother who harms another brother... must die!" "Wu-Yang!" "I beg you stop!" "A brother who harms another brother must die." "Pang Qing-Yun!" "Pang has talent but doesn't know how things work." "Nanking is of vital importance to the peace of the country." "The Empress would never entrust it to an outsider." "Pity... such is life." "Noon is here!" "Salute cannons, fire!" "Honor our pledge... now!" "I, Jiang Wu-Yang, killed Pang Qing-Yun!" "At that moment..." "My mind went back to the day we took the blood oath." "We are born apart but we shall die as one." "Our origins are different... but our hearts act as one." "In good times and bad...in life and in death." "We honor our pledge." "With Heaven and earth as our witness." "We shall live and die as blood brothers..." "Governor of Jiangsu, Pang Qing-Yun... was assassinated on the 26th of July, 1870." "His assassin Jiang Wu-Yang was executed 2 months later."