"CHINA 859 A.D." "After 241 years of prosperity, the Tang Dynasty is in decline." "The Emperor is weak and incompetent." "His government, crippled by corruption, no Ionger controls the land." "Unrest sweeps the country." "village by village, an underground alliance forms... ¨The House of flying Daggers¨." "Based in Feng Tian County, near the imperial capital," "The House Of flying Daggers moves in the shadows," "stealing From the rich to give to the poor, they earn the support and admiration of the people." "At the same time, they are feared and hated by their bitter rivals... the local deputies," "Captain Leo, Captain Jin." "We¨re heading out on patrol." "We¨re going to be busy again." "The provincial Office has given us ten days to catch the new leader of the ¨flying Daggers¨." "What?" "It took us three months to assassinate their old leader." "Ten days?" "impossible." "Have you heard of the new Peony pavilion?" "Yes." "Does anyone know you there?" "No, I haven¨t been there yet." "Good, now¨s your chance." "Any information?" "We suspect one of the showgirls is a member of the ¨flying Daggers¨." "OK, I¨II check it out." "pull." "pull harder." "pull harder." "That¨s it." "I¨m done." "Madam!" "I¨m coming." "Madam." "Here I am." "What can I do for you, sir?" "I heard you have a new girl." "You¨re well informed." "Is she pretty?" "She¨s quite a beauty." "Bring her to me." "There is one thing you need to know." "What¨s that?" "The girl is blind." "blind?" "Then she must be special." "I¨m curious." "How did you lose your sight?" "I was born blind." "Why would a blind girl work here?" "Why can¨t a blind girl work here?" "You¨re right." "What¨s your name?" "Mei." "Mei?" "Every girl here is named after a flower." "Why is yours so plain?" "I don¨t want to compete with those girls." "What do you mean?" "The flowers here can hardly be called flowers." "real flowers bloom in the wilderness." "well said." "If you impress me" "I¨II take you to where the real flowers grow." "What¨s your talent as the top showgirI?" "Dancing." "Come closer." "Don¨t you know the rules?" "A rare beauty in the North." "She¨s the finest lady on earth." "A glance from her, the whole city goes down." "A second glance leaves the nation in ruins." "There exists no city or nation that has been more cherished than a beauty like this." "A rare beauty in the North." "She¨s the finest lady on earth." "A glance from her, the whole city goes down." "A second glance leaves the nation in ruins." "There exists no city or nation that has been more cherished than a beauty like this." "please calm down, sir." "Go away." "What¨s the matter?" "please let me explain." "This girl is young and inexperienced." "please forgive her." "Take her away." "Go away." "Take her away." "Stop!" "Captain." "This is the Captain of the County." "To hell with the captain!" "Outrageous!" "Arrest him." "Let me go." "Who are you?" "How dare you!" "I¨m the captain." "You¨re drunk and indecently dressed." "Arrest both of them." "Get your hands off me." "Let me go." "please spare the girl, Captain." "That man was drunk." "It was not her fault." "please don¨t arrest her." "Our business is new." "I rely on her to bring in guests." "How can a blind girl be a top showgirI?" "Move!" "She¨s a dancer with rare skills." "please see for yourself." "Do you know the ¨Echo Game¨?" "I played it once..." "AII right." "Perform well and I¨II let you go." "Thank you, Captain." "Go and change quickly." "Fantastic." "excellent!" "Who are you, really?" "Why do you want to kill me?" "Government running dogs..." "I wish to kill all of you!" "I do enjoy fighting a blind girl." "We found this in her room." "You¨re a member of the ¨flying Daggers¨." "Who¨s the new leader?" "Where¨s the new leader?" "I¨II show you what we¨II do if you don¨t answer." "Show her!" "In front of you is a torture device." "Your head will be put here." "Your shoulder, here." "Your back, here." "Your legs, here." "You¨II never dance again after this." "Do you understand?" "You have one day to think it over." "This girl reminds me of someone." "Who?" "Rumor has it, the old leader¨s blind daughter disappeared after his death." "It was a heavy blow to the ¨flying Daggers¨." "They vowed revenge for their loss, while searching for the girl." "Why would the old leader¨s daughter end up in a brothel?" "Who owns the Peony pavilion?" "Perhaps the ¨flying Daggers¨ has realized we were responsible for their old leader¨s death." "Forget it." "Let¨s turn her over for a reward, and then go out for a drink." "I have a better idea." "Since we have some clues," "let¨s follow them through for a bigger reward." "Do you want me to do it?" "Of course, who else?" "AII right." "This girl is a rare beauty." "You know I Iove flirting with girls." "Don¨t let beauty blind your judgment." "If I die under a skirt, I can still flirt as a ghost." "Who are you?" "I undressed you only yesterday." "Have you forgotten me already?" "Why did you rescue me?" "Why do you think?" "You¨re an exquisite flower." "I¨II do anything to help you." "control yourself." "Don¨t worry." "I¨m no Ionger a guest of the Peony pavilion." "You¨re not a showgirl anymore." "You¨re the daughter of the old leader." "What did you say?" "How many blind girls know martial arts and carry daggers like these?" "I¨ve rescued you, and your daggers as well." "Why did you take such a risk?" "I hate the corrupt government and admire the ¨flying Daggers¨." "Much obliged." "Why did we abandon the horses?" "Hoof prints can be easily tracked." "I have two new horses hidden ahead." "You¨ve planned well." "What¨s your name, Master?" "Just call me Wind." "Wind?" "I wander around all alone, come and go without a trace." "Like a carefree wind?" "No, a playful wind." "You like to tease." "I wonder what you look like?" "That¨s easy to find out." "Here." "please let go." "This isn¨t the Peony pavilion." "No rules here." "You¨II know what I Iook like if you touch my face." "Come on." "It¨s not respectful to touch your face first." "You prefer to start at the bottom." "That¨s fine with me." "You¨ve mastered the flying technique." "Your right hand is skilled with a machete." "Your left hand is powerful with a bow and arrow." "Your heart beats steadily, you seem sincere." "You can read me like a book." "You¨re a brave man." "I¨m never shy around women." "You¨re young, indeed." "You know how to hold your drink." "The soldiers are approaching." "I¨ve lost my dagger pouch." "I¨m sorry I was late." "The ¨flying Daggers¨ are always moving." "Where should we go?" "We just keep heading north." "Just head north?" "They will come to us." "The ¨flying Daggers¨ has many masters." "Why did they send you as an assassin?" "No one sent me." "I came alone." "As the old leader¨s daughter, you should be more cautious." "Have you considered the consequences?" "I¨II do anything to avenge my father." "Come here." "These are men¨s clothes." "Put them on for now." "I won¨t take advantage of you." "Have you seen enough?" "please hand me the clothes." "You knew I was here?" "Master Wind wanders like the wind." "I¨d expect you to be anywhere." "You look different in men¨s clothes." "Do I Iook awful?" "I will tell all the girls to wear men¨s clothes the next time I visit the Peony pavilion." "Now I know you¨re not shy around women." "You¨re not shy either." "How do you know?" "You knew I was watching you bathe, yet you said nothing." "You saved my Iife." "You can look all you please." "I thought you were hot as fire." "In fact, you¨re cool as water." "I don¨t know you well enough." "I really care for you." "A playboy like you, are you ever for real?" "What if I am this time?" "Are our men close by?" "I¨m sure today¨s fighting has fooled Mei." "Our men will ease off from now on." "Good." "That¨II save me some arrows." "Any clues?" "Not yet." "Don¨t let her see through you." "Don¨t worry." "I never fail at seducing a woman." "She trusts me." "I warn you, don¨t fall for her." "What do you mean fall?" "fall into bed?" "Like her father, she must be very cunning." "Don¨t let her fool you." "Don¨t be absurd." "I¨m in control." "I have to get back now." "Don¨t turn a game into reality and ruin our plan." "Who cares, as long as the plan works." "shall we rest for a while?" "I smell flowers." "You told me you¨d bring me to where real flowers grow." "Which is the most beautiful?" "How do I Iook?" "Pretty as a flower." "soldiers are approaching." "I¨m on your side." "You?" "I am a Captain of the County." "A captain?" "Nonsense." "You are the bastard who broke the jail." "You¨re wounded." "Is it serious?" "No." "Was it someone from the ¨flying Daggers¨?" "It¨s not likely." "Then who?" "I don¨t know." "He¨s gone." "I guess he doesn¨t want to reveal himself." "This time, I believe that you¨re for real." "You¨ve done enough for me." "please leave." "Don¨t worry about me." "We¨ve come this far." "I can¨t leave you now." "I hope you¨re not seriously wounded." "We agreed there would be no more fights." "Why did government soldiers turn up?" "The general sent them." "They don¨t know you." "The general?" "How did the general get involved?" "This case is important." "I had to report it." "The general is taking over." "The soldiers didn¨t have to be that aggressive." "The general ordered it." "He said we need real blood to draw the ¨flying Daggers¨ out." "Even if the blood is mine?" "Jin, the soldiers¨ lives and our lives are worth nothing to him." "You don¨t know how I felt as I killed our own men." "I feel worse." "I am tortured." "You?" "I truly regret taking on this mission." "I¨ve followed you all the way." "Endured many sleepless nights." "My heart grows heavy when I think about what lies ahead." "Is there no other way to do this?" "The general said:" "It¨s the only way to expose the ¨flying Daggers¨." "Jin, you should know, there are more soldiers ahead." "What!" "The general sent them." "They don¨t know you either." "You must stop them." "There is nothing I can do." "The order given to these soldiers is ¨Fight to kill¨." "If you don¨t kill them they will kill you." "Take care." "I quit!" "Where have you been?" "I have a question for you." "What question?" "Are you for real?" "What do you mean?" "Do you feel anything for me?" "Don¨t take this so seriously." "I want to know." "I¨m a free spirit," "like the wind, always moving." "The wind never thinks too much." "I want the wind to stop and think." "The wind cannot stop." "Not even for me?" "The wind breezes through without a trace." "Now you understand why I¨m called Wind." "Fine, go and be the wind." "I don¨t need you anymore!" "I don¨t care if you¨re true or not," "I have to leave." "I want to end this." "Are you going alone?" "I¨d like to be the wind for once." "Where will you go?" "Who knows." "Whichever way the wind blows." "Aren¨t you going back to the ¨flying Daggers?" "Do you want me to go back?" "I¨ve left them, why would I return?" "Thank you for all you¨ve done for me." "It¨s you." "Go." "You said the wind could not stop." "A playful wind stops at will." "You shouldn¨t have come back." "I came back, for you." "Nia!" "Mei, you¨re back." "Who will believe the madam of Peony pavilion is the leader of the flying Daggers!" "I behaved badly that day." "please forgive me." "Did I Iook like a real madam?" "Very much so." "What do you think of Mei?" "What do you mean?" "I mean her personality, of course." "She¨s passionate." "Go on." "She may be blind, but she¨s very bright." "hardly anyone can match her." "Not even I." "Do you care for her?" "You are asking...?" "A man and a girl traveling all alone, what else could I be talking about?" "Mei is a rare beauty." "I care for her a Iot." "Then, I shall act as the matchmaker for you two to marry." "Marriage is a big deal." "This is too sudden." "She¨s not a good match for you?" "On the contrary." "Mei is from a respectable family." "I¨m just a humble swordsman." "Our old leader loved his daughter dearly." "Now I¨ve become the new leader, it¨s my duty to find her a good husband." "I haven¨t been able to find anyone within the ¨flying Daggers¨ who would be a better choice than you." "What do you say?" "I accept your offer." "Our House is much obliged to you." "You¨ve done us a great favour." "please accept my gratitude." "With much pleasure." "What is going on?" "Where are our soldiers?" "They were ambushed." "You were both plotting to catch me by following Mei." "You¨re not blind?" "Are you the old leader¨s daughter?" "He has a blind daughter." "She doesn¨t know martial arts, so I pretended to be her." "If you had known the truth, would you have followed her here?" "It¨s all been an act." "Who are you, really?" "My name is Mei." "I¨m just one of many girls in the House of flying Daggers." "That¨s enough." "Take him out." "You wait here." "I want to finish him off myself." "Move." "Stop." "Do you have anything to say?" "You¨re not Nia, the new leader." "You¨re right." "Of course I¨m not Nia." "Nia wouldn¨t show herself so easily." "Who are you then?" "That is not important." "Nia sent me to finish this matter." "You¨ve done a good job, Leo." "We¨ve never met before, but I know you by reputation." "Three years ago, we planted you as a mole in the government." "You¨ve accomplished much in that role." "I failed to protect our old leader from being assassinated." "Nia knew that you were away on duty." "There was nothing you could do." "I¨m grateful for her understanding." "We need to win this battle against the government troops." "You and Mei have successfully set up a trap for the general." "well done." "I¨II report to Nia and have you rewarded." "It¨s my duty." "please tell Nia the general has led all his best soldiers towards us." "Be careful." "Don¨t worry." "Nia has a good plan." "There is one thing I don¨t understand." "What¨s that?" "Who sent Mei on this mission?" "Nia did." "Has Nia ever considered my feelings?" "What do you mean?" "I haven¨t seen Mei for three years." "Now I have to watch her flirt with another man." "It¨s not the first time" "Mei¨s used her beauty to aid our cause." "I¨ve heard about your feelings for her." "Do you still love her?" "We¨re facing a battle that will decide the fate of the ¨flying Daggers¨." "The troops are closing in." "This is not the time for love." "AII right." "I will let you see Mei." "You haven¨t changed." "I¨m still Mei." "It¨s been three years." "finally, we¨re alone together." "I know." "You saved me during the battle with the soldiers." "Thank you." "You don¨t need to thank me." "I would do anything for you." "I know." "You¨ve risked everything going undercover to win honour and to impress me." "You¨re the only one who understands me." "I was all alone for three years." "You were in my mind every single moment." "My love for you was all I had to keep me going." "Do you love him?" "You knew the plan." "It was only an act between you and him." "There is no future for you two." "Do you understand?" "Nia!" "You can¨t force a woman against her will." "Do not pull this dagger out." "I¨m sending you back to keep spying for us." "You will be more convincing with a dagger in your back." "You must leave immediately." "Yes, Ma¨am." "I have sacrificed three years for you." "How could you love Jin after just three days?" "Mei, I also have a task for you." "Jin is of no use to us anymore." "Take him out and kill him." "Leo plays a crucial role for us." "We can¨t let Jin ruin our plan." "You must kill him to prevent any future trouble." "You know our rules." "Yes, Ma¨am." "I Ieft you in order to save your life, but you still followed me." "please don¨t blame me." "If your plan succeeded many in the ¨flying Daggers¨ would die." "You wouldn¨t let me go either." "It would be me on my knees, waiting to die." "You¨re right." "If I won," "I wouldn¨t let you go." "Go." "How will you explain this to Nia?" "That¨s my business." "Why don¨t you come with me?" "Deep in your heart, you have a secret." "I guess there is a man you find hard to leave behind." "Yes, a man who¨s saved my Iife many times." "Was it he who helped us in the Iast battle?" "Yes." "Then he has saved my Iife too." "Do you still love him?" "When can we see each other again?" "We cannot." "We belong to two opposing sides." "If we meet again, one of us will have to die." "A decisive battle is imminent." "You and I are just pawns on a chessboard." "Nobody cares if we live or die." "Let¨s go away together and roam the world, as free as the wind." "We¨II wander around alone." "Come and go without a trace," "like a playful wind." "No, a carefree wind." "Just you and me." "Come with me, please." "Are you going with him?" "Why?" "You¨re the love of my Iife." "You don¨t have to love me, but you can never go with him." "Otherwise you¨II die." "Mei," "you¨ve forced me to kill you." "I knew you would do this." "You knew and you went anyway." "Why?" "Why did you go?" "Why did you go?" "Why?" "To be free..." "like the wind." "Mei." "Mei!" "Mei." "Turn..." "What?" "Turn..." "Turn around?" "Look behind you." "You¨re a member of the ¨flying Daggers¨." "You¨re right." "You¨re the one who loves Mei?" "Yes, I Iove her truly, while you are only playing a game." "If you love her, why kill her?" "It¨s all your fault." "My fault?" "I warned you but you wouldn¨t listen." "If I can¨t have her, no one will." "She has betrayed me because of you." "You must die!" "Fine." "You kill Mei, you must die too!" "Mei." "Let him go." "If you kill him," "I¨II kill you with this dagger." "Mei!" "Don¨t pull the dagger out!" "If you do your blood will drain and you will die." "You must not do it!" "Mei," "I¨m closer to him." "He will hit me first." "You cannot save me with your dagger." "Mei!" "Mei!" "You shouldn¨t have come back..." "I came back for you, my love..." "A rare beauty in the North." "She¨s the finest lady on earth." "A glance from her, the whole city goes down." "A second glance leaves the nation in ruins." "There exists no city or nation that has been more cherished" "than a beauty like this."