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Wu Zixu fell foul of Wu's king
He was accredited to Qi
Did
Fucha want Qi's king
to get rid of Wu Zixu?
Wu Zixu knew his life was at stake
Why did he send all his family
to Qi?
It means
Wu Zixu knew Qi's king wouldn't hurt him and
Qi's king would took him in
Should we make an issue out of it?
0fficer, a letter for you
Can't you see I'm busy?
A letter from officer Fan Li
Wu Zixu actually came back from Qi, Your Majesty
He didn't come to see you
when he came back
My speculation is right
He wants to rebel
Don't make rash statement
When he is here,
I will ask him to explain
Your Majesty, premier has arrived
Invite him in Yes
Please go in, officer
Your Majesty
I was accredited to Qi. I came to report to you
I heard you came back yesterday
You wouldn't have come if I hadn't invited you
Please forgive me
I caught a cold on my way back...
How did Qi's king respond to the treaty?
He gave us his full support
It is his reply
Last night
I had a dream
4 men standing back to back
They scattered in all directions
Then I saw 2 men facing each other
The one facing north attacked the one facing south
Courtiers,
what do you think?
Was it a good omen or a bad one?
Congratulations, Your Majesty
Though it looked like
inferiors defied superiors,
a courtier defied the king,
I think
it was a good omen
of obtaining hegemony
A good omen
What do you think, premier?
Your Majesty
4 men scattered in all directions
It means separation
The one facing north attacked the one facing south
It means inferiors hurt superiors
A courtier killed the king
If you take no notice of the warning,
your life and our nation will be at stake
You are cursing me
The courtier killed the king. The courtier
is Bopi,
is Goujian
People scattered in all directions
They are our nation,
your family
What an ill omen
You whipped a dead body
How dare you talk about assassination of the king
The courtier is Wu Zixu
You are right
I whipped a dead body
but he brutally
killed my father and brother
I hated his guts
so I got my revenge cruelly
Now
Goujian is the old me
Every moment when he was a slave in Wu
he nourished his hate
He wants to get revenge. He is sharpening his knife
Your Majesty, you
are enjoying yourself beside your tomb
I regret it
I regret that
I didn't see Goujian being destroyed
I repent
I repent I helped you ascend the throne
I didn't expect you to be so stupid
You sent your family to Qi, didn't you?
They had new names
You colluded with Qi
You betrayed me and our nation
I was wrong about you
You are right
I sent my family to Qi
Why should I let my family
die in a nation
which is doomed to destruction?
You old villain
You are courting death
Father
I will kill you Don't, Father
Father. Go home, premier
Father
Premier was outspoken. He offended you
but he is loyal to you
You and he always argue
but you always make up
Don't be angry, Father
You can deal with him when you are calm
I am calm
I can tolerate his insults
He sent his family away
He is disloyal
He forced me to kill him
You can't, Father
Get up
Father
Get lost
Your Highness
Guards, help the prince out
Who are you mourning, premier?
I'm mourning Wu
I'm crying for Wu
I'm crying for the late king
I'm crying for myself
I have
a lifetime of frustrations
I will tell you
my story today
I, Wu Zixu,
my name is Yuan
I came from Chu
My father, Wu She, was Chu's courtier
Chu's king believed false accusations,
he killed my father
He also killed my brother, Zishang
I fled because I refused to be wrongly accused
I was as scared as a stray cur
They pursued me
When I reached Shaoguan
I was so agitated my hair
turned white overnight
When I reached Wu, I was out of danger
I drew my sword and sang
A shining sword brings the breeze
My singing shakes the air
Yuan...
you have thrown off the yoke
Everyone knows your story
I heard of it too
Today you told me yourself
I am still moved
Let me go on
The late king recruited men of wisdom and valor
He was famous as a man of benevolence and righteousness
He summoned me because I was both brave and wise
He asked me how to rule the nation
I told him to build cities, to strengthen defense,
to stock up on food and to recruit troops
He trusted me and appointed me an important position
He employed me,
Bai Xi and Sun Wu
Chu was conquered finally
Chu's king, Ping was dead then
I had to avenge my father's death. I excavated his tomb
I whipped his body 300 times. I dug his eyes out
People condemned me
I answered them
The day was nearly over but the road was long
I went against the wishes of the people
I fought for
the enthronement of Duke Fucha
He got close to villains after his enthronement
He appointed Bopi as minister. He listened to Bopi's advice
He didn't listen to me
He wrongly accused me of treason
I am loyal to him but I ended up like this
What a sad life
What a sorrowful life
What a frustrated life
Please leave Wu now
Where can I go?
Chu is no longer my homeland
All over the world
there isn't a place for me
I will escort you to Qi at the risk of my life
They say people are snobbish
You stay with me at this time
I am gratified
0fficer,
let's go
Look,
you really made me sentimental
I won't go
I am old
I can't go anywhere
Why, officer?
Bopi Yes
Give the sword
to premier Wu
Your Majesty, it...
Do I make myself clear?
Clear...
Yes...
Shulou Sword
Good
What a good sword
Bopi,
you must be smug
0fficer,
if you had known your present situation,
you shouldn't have been like that then
Now?
Then?
Let me tell you what happened then
At first
Sun Wu and I helped the king
defeat the vain Chu
I let Sun Wu get all the credit
but he refused
He resigned as Field Marshal
He retired to mountains to write tactics
He was gifted. I asked him
why he wouldn't help the king
to obtain hegemony
He said hegemony would end
His tactics would
stay forever
To be with a gifted courtier
My heart was like the sea
Nothing I can't accomplish
And you, Bopi,
you were a nobody, a villain
You obtained your position
by scheme and favor
Your past, present and future
is a life of a rat
I believe you can have the happiness
and glory of a rat
But you are just a rat after all
I
made a resolution to help Wu obtain hegemony
Because of this impractical resolution
I have worked with a rat
This dark night will go down in history
Years later
when people talk about loyalists
who died senselessly for their king
My name will be mentioned
Gongsun Xiong,
I have to ask a favor of you
Please tell me
After I died,
dig out my eyes. Hang them on Snake Gate
Let me see Goujian and his army
charge in Gusu
Wrap my body in fish skin
Throw it into the sea
Let me follow the tide
I will come back to see
the destruction of Wu
Heaven
Heaven
The late king didn't enthrone Fucha
I fought for it
Fucha was enthroned
It turns out
Wu, the great nation,
will be ruined by me
The late king in heaven
Where are you?
I'm coming
Premier
Premier
0fficer Fan,
something important happened in Wu
What happened?
Wu Zixu died
Died?
What a pity
Pity?
He hurt our king and courtiers
You almost died because of him
It is a good thing he died
Why do you pity him?
He was Yue's enemy
He was Wu's loyal courtier
Though Bopi is Yue's friend,
he is a traitor to Wu
A loyal courtier died a tragic death
but a traitor lives in comfort
How can these unfair events
happen repeatedly?
Because Wu's king is wrong,
he can't tell right from wrong
0fficer Wen
don't say Wu's king is wrong. It is a fickly world
A loyalist couldn't die a natural death
A villain will be condemned by history
but he can enjoy wealth now
We can only follow our conscience
We can't expect any results
Wu Zixu's death
touched me deeply
It made me know what reality is
In one's life
rise and fall happens in a flash
I know his death
tell us
Way of Heaven is going to reverse
Way of Heaven is going to reverse
but we should let Fucha see it little by little
0fficer Fan,
I want to ask you something
What will you do
after Yue has got its revenge?
After the revenge
I will retire to mountains
Why?
Don't you want to help Yue's king to obtain hegemony?
We do what we should do
We leave when it is done
Don't take it to heart
I want to write a rhyme
Get someone to send it to Wu secretly
Let every kid in Gusu city
learn it within a month
Father
You, come here
Sit down
Where have you been?
I was in the backyard
I heard a cicada
I went to have a look
The cicada was singing happily
It didn't know a mantis was near
The mantis
was approaching it
The mantis wanted to catch and eat it
The mantis focused on it
The mantis didn't know a siskin was there
The siskin wanted to peck the mantis
The siskin focused on the mantis
It didn't know
I was going to shoot it
I focused on the siskin
I didn't notice the hole
so I fell into it
You laugh at me
Think of the advantages
but neglect the aftermath
The stupidest
Something is stupider
Lu followed Zhou's rite
and doctrine of Confucius. They didn't provoke other nations
Qi attacked Lu without cause
Qi thought they could capture Lu
They didn't know our army
would attack them
0ur nation defeated Qi twice
0ur nation earned unprecedented prestige
We don't know Yue's king
will send warriors
to annihilate our nation and destroy our palace
This is
the stupidest thing
It was Wu Zixu's thought
I'm tired of hearing it
You mentioned it again
Listen, one more word,
I will disown you
Tell me who taught you
It was my idea
A loyal courtier died
Fucha saw Wu Zixu's body
He said,
I want to know
your talents now you are dead
Then he hung Wu Zixu's head on the city gate
He threw Wu Zixu's body into the river
People were scared
They retrieved the body
and buried it in Wu Hill
Who is Wu's premier now?
Bopi
Bopi?
He had his wish fulfilled
Fucha planned to take Yue as his manor
This is his edict, Your Majesty
We can't take this
Wu Zixu is dead
Wu is not that scary
Xishi
A defamatory rhyme
has been bothering me lately
I will play a tune to cheer you up
Good
Your Majesty...
Wait for me, Xishi
Find out anything about the rhyme?
The kids sing it, Your Majesty
I know the kids sing it
but who taught them?
We caught some kids
They said a kid in red taught them
They didn't know where he came from
or where he went
Catch
all the kids
who sing the rhyme
Yes
Your Majesty,
why will you
catch the kids?
She is right
Almost all kids in Gusu sing the rhyme
Actually everything is lively in spring
and sad in autumn
It is Way of Heaven
Like your happiness and sadness, Your Majesty
What is your concern?
You have a point. Then...
I will let it go. Go away...
Gongsun Xiong Yes
Where is the navy?
Your Majesty,
30,000 sailors
are stationed in Han City
They can help you advance
They can defend the capital
We have sufficient provisions
We are awaiting your order
*** Sunluo Yes
What is the arrangement of the defense of the capital?
Your Majesty, my 20,000 troops
10,000 are inside
10,000 are stationed outside the city
We can attack and defend
The capital is closely guarded
Bopi Yes
How did you arrange your troops?
Your Majesty, my 50,000 troops
20,000 are stationed at Qi's border
We keep a close watch on Qi's movements
30,000 will follow you to Huangchi
Jin will be terrified of our strength
Good
Father
Father Get up
Why are you here?
Please take me with you
I will go to Huangchi with you
I have arranged a post for you
Stay here and guard the capital
0fficer *** will assist you
Listen to his advice
But
officer *** can guard the capital, can't he?
You promised
you will take me
to see the world if there is a chance
Your Highness, seeing the world is important
but guarding the capital is important too
The king entrusted you with the heavy responsibility
because he trusts you
It's a test of your ability
You should know that
0fficer Bopi,
guarding the capital is so important
Why don't you
change places with officer ***?
If you make the request,
Father will grant it
Your Highness,
I always serve the king
If the king goes to Huangchi,
I will be worried
I think
you are worried about your merits
Enough...
Premier,
the prince is not a kid
How could you fool him?
I dare not...
My decision is final
Listen
After my departure,
the prince and officer ***
will handle all affairs
You should assist them
No mistake is allowed Yes
Now let's
consider the problem of Yue
Yue?
What is the problem of Yue?
Everything is arranged
We neglected
our rear
If Yue attacks us
like before,
we will fall short of success
I have thought of it
I will ask Goujian to go to battle with me
It is a surefire plan
You are brilliant...
Enough... Send an edict to Goujian
Ask him to lead his army here within 10 days
If they don't come,
I will conquer him first
Yes
We are in trouble again
Wu asked us to go to Huangchi to root for them
Courtiers, I want to ask you
if we should go
or not
I think it is the right time, Your Majesty
We should make the move
Your Majesty,
I think we should stay put
We won't go to Huangchi alliance
In 10 days to a month
we will see the result
We will decide what to do then
0fficer Yiyong,
did you forget our national disgrace?
The land belongs to Yue
The people belong to Yue
Your Majesty, give the order
0fficers are awaiting your order in the camp
To fight a hopeless battle You...
General Zhu,
did you forget our experience?
Even the Emperor gives way to him
We are a small nation. If we provoke him,
we are courting death, aren't we?
Your Majesty, Yiyong words
will cause harm to our nation, our people and our opportunity
Quiet
Let the king decide
You may go now
Yes