Bound By a Promise (2025) Movie Script
Xiang
Did you catch any fish?
Look! I got one!
You've trampled all the rice seedlings
Now we'll go hungry again.
We'll have fish soup tonight!
Come on!
Shisan!
Hurry! Go back now!
Something's wrong at your place!
-Fu!
-Chenfu!
Stop!
Are you alright?
-Father!
-Chen Fu!
Master Wu, what are you doing?
You owe the Zhao's money.
Three months overdue, no interest paid.
This is just a warning.
If you still don't pay
I will burn your house down.
How dare you!
Master Wu!
Fu.
Master Wu.
Move!
Out of my way!
Father!
So you are still a cripple.
I will give you three days.
If you still can't pay
Your wife and daughter will
be sent to the Zhao manor
as slaves.
And you will leave Jiulong Town forever!
I'm not afraid of you!
Yun Niang!
Yun Niang.
If you don't have the money in three days
You and the girl will
become Zhao manor's slaves.
Let's go!
Mother!
Wife and daughter sold as slaves.
Yunniang!
Go.
Father.
Let's just use the old one for now
and make a new pair when we have money.
How much do we still owe?
I paid..
I paid some of it.
Otherwise, how would we buy feeds and seeds
and medicine for Chen Xiang.
Keep the family fed or pay the debt
I... I had to make a choice.
You should have discussed it with me.
Yunniang.
Don't worry. I'll find a way.
Leave everything to me.
Fu, what are you doing?
-What are you doing with..
-Mum!
Do not stop me.
Fu.
What are you trying to do?!
Fu.
Fu!
Brother Su!
Brother!
If you scare my butterflies away again
it won't be ink that runs
down your neck, but blood.
Zhao Jiulang's gold and silver
Can that buy back my butterflies?
You once said
ill-gotten wealth is fair to take.
A cart full of gold and silver.
Zhao Jiulang hired
the top road guards
from Mianzhou to escort it.
Hu Liu and Ye Lizi are leading the team.
Equipped with crossbows.
You, go home.
Go home?
Go back and just watch
my sister get tied up to pay the debt?
You are scared of Zhao Jiulang!
I am not scared!
I want them to know.
The Chens are not all cowards.
Who are you calling a coward?
You, Chen Shisan.
I will never be like you.
Fu!
You stop right there!
Papa.
Papa.
Papa.
With that little wit of yours
Going there would get you killed.
This blade
was not made for that.
Stand alert.
Only wild dogs hide and
never show their faces.
Papa.
It is the White-Robed Bandit.
Brothers
Let's fight our way out together!
Looks like they all served in the army.
All tough fighters.
Hu Liu.
I know you were a soldier from Longyou.
Drop your blade, and I will spare you.
Having more men doesn't guarantee victory.
So many of them,
the White-Robed Bandit could be in danger.
Not necessarily.
He is pretending to
be weak to lure them in,
then wipe them out once they gather.
Let's go home.
Hurry up, move!
OK.
Go!
Don't come here.
Such a good blade.
Papa.
This gold is enough to pay off our debts.
Who said we are using this to pay debts?
Brother, the cart is full of gold!
Take it.
Give me back my blade.
I paid for it,
so the blade is mine,
unless you have got
the guts to take it back.
This blade means everything to me.
Father.
Please, return it to me.
This is General Gao's sword.
You, a crippled farmer.
What use do you have for it?
Help me.
Save me.
Take me to Zhao Jiulang.
You wil be well reward.
Papa.
Should we have him?
What time is it?
It is mid-afternoon.
Perhaps the road guards got delayed.
Hu Liu from Mianzhou,
Ten taels higher.
A well-known name in the underworld.
Reporting, Master.
The gold and silver were robbed
by the White-Robed Bandit'e men.
Where did it happen?
At Jiulong Mountain.
Master,
Who exactly is this
White-Robed Bandit?
A bandit chief who writes poetry.
They say Zhao Jiulang
also runs overseas business,
selling Kunlun slaves to
the nobles of Chang'An.
His mansion is filled with treasures.
This bit of silver
is hardly worth mentioning.
Brilliant.
Draw the tiger from its den.
Brother.
What about the Zhao family?
Shall we kill them?
Let them go.
I never kill unarmed people.
He... He's...
Papa.
That gold is enough to pay off our debts.
That gold is not us.
It was given to us by
the White-Robed Bandit.
He took the blade.
Remember
Never take ill-gotten wealth.
Better to thirst than
drink from a thief's spring.
I should have sent you
to a school long ago.
Was it you who tipped off
the White-Robed Bandit.
No, it was not me.
Stop!
He has nothing to do with this.
He saved me.
It was you who saved him.
Master Zhao.
The money I owe you
could you give me a few more days of grace?
Chen Shisan.
I gave you my best field.
Yet you still can't even pay the interest.
Jiu lang.
What I owe you.
I will not short you a single coin.
Well.
I'll give you five more days.
If you still don't pay,
your wife and daughters will be enslaved
for three years.
A debt is a debt.
I, Chen Shisan, will
never break my promise.
I will be waiting.
Hu Liu.
What happened?
It's the White-Robed Bandit.
He's extremely skillful.
This time.
I... I really got outmatched this time.
Reporting, Master.
The gold and silver have been robbed.
It was done by the
White-Robed Bandit's men.
Where's the swordsman
who delivered the message?
This isn't good.
Let us part ways for now.
Life is as short as morning dew.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Brother, dear brother.
If another good job comes up.
Same signal as before.
The Yellow River rises far into the clouds,
A lonely fortress stands
amid towering mountains.
Why should the Qiang
flute grieve for the willow?
The White-Robed Bandit is no ordinary man.
Extremely skilled.
Stay cautious and not act rashly.
Brothers.
You two head to the back door.
Brother Jiu.
Take men to the east wall.
There are cliffs to the west.
He surely cannot escape.
Zhao Jiulang.
What are you doing?
Commander Zhang.
I am afraid you are short on men.
With such a big show of force.
Aren't you afraid of scaring him off?
If you play the pipa like this,
the meaning would be different.
That's it.
Singing "Liangzhou Ci"
is like drinking ice and chewing snow.
What you swallow chills you to the core.
Yet you breathe out
turns into clouds and mist.
Su Huan.
None of you move.
Outside the window lies cliffs.
Jump, if you are not afraid to die.
Jump?
Your blood shall feed my arrow first.
Commander Zhang.
We can always catch them again.
But my life must be saved first.
Chen Shisan.
Where is my blade?
General Gao's Longyou troops.
Is especially good at climbing
walls and scaling walls.
The cliffs outside the
window can't stop you.
Where is my blade?
Your money, return
it to its rightful owner.
Guards!
Take him back to Bulinag Well.
I have questions for him first.
That can wait.
Take him away.
Move.
Chen Shisan.
Although you saved my life today.
But business is business.
What you owe me, has to be repaid.
A debt must be repaid.
The fifteen taels will be returned in full.
Good.
A lonely fortress stands amid mountains of
ten thousand fathoms.
Why should the Qiang
flute mourn the willows?
Official letter from the Imperial Court.
Su Huan is charged with treason.
It ordered us to escort him to Baima Pass.
Where the garrison officer
will deliver him to Chang'An
for judgment and execution
by the Ministry of Justice.
To Baima Pass.
Three days' journey.
The roads are treacherous
and crawling with bandits.
Escorting him there
would be like walking into a tiger's jaws.
You could let me go now
to get some money from my men in exchange.
Otherwise.
My own men will come to get me.
A solitary city.
We have to do it quickly.
Post a notice
Offer a large reward to recruit swordsmen.
Step aside.
I want to feel the sun.
Yes.
Jiulang.
The Imperial Court issued a
notice to recruit swordsmen.
To escort Su Huan to Baima Pass.
Baima Pass.
Su Huan is a wanted
criminal of the Imperial Court.
Escorted by the Prefecture's
Warden of Miscreants.
I'm afraid.
Take two men to find Zhang Wei.
Tell him.
We offer help with no charge.
Help him with no charge?
Only in this way can make Su Huanto talk.
And reveal where the treasure is.
Then find a chance.
Kill Su Hwan.
Fifteen taels.
Fifteen taels.
Papa I want to go.
Nonsense.
Papa.
Go home.
No, I won't.
This money is enough
for us to pay off our debts.
Papa.
What debt?
Go home now.
What are you doing here.
I'm here to answer the call.
Answer the call?
Just him.
This requires signing a
life-and-death agreement.
You have a wife and children.
Think twice.
Sign.
Why risk your life?
Repaying debts.
Pay back.
You taking the bait?
You are a liability
reckless enough to die!
I was crippled in the war.
Got a few acres of land
settled as a farmer.
But with the drought
it has been hard to survive.
I was once a soldier from Longyou as well.
Fine.
Count him in.
Cripple.
You are taking advantage of me.
Sign your name and press your fingerprint.
Zhang Wei.
You even hired a cripple?
So?
Your master didn't tell you
his ability?
You.
Well.
Jiulang asked me to bring
two people to help you.
Free.
Okay.
You'd better listen and follow orders.
Of-course.
Let's go.
Count me in!
What are you doing here?
Papa, I want to go.
Stay out of adults' business.
Go home.
I'm not going back.
Go.
I want to go, Papa.
Go back! Go!
Papa.
GO!
Brother.
The trip to Baima Pass
is extremely dangerous.
What insights you can offer?
As the Warden of Miscreants.
Yet you asking me?
Warden of Miscreants, you say.
The authorities just press scoundrels
into forced labor, that's all.
I'm nothing but a petty leader.
In the eyes of the superiors,
we are just ants.
To be sent to die at anytime.
Do you have a shield?
Here is some dry food
and a change of clothes.
You didn't discuss with me, again.
It takes about six days to return.
When I come back.
The debt with Zhao Jiulang will be settled.
Do you know he is a big thief?
Don't worry, I know what I am doing.
You know?
You have never had a sense.
Fu.
Papa.
You have grown up.
Take care of your mother and your sister.
Papa.
Good-Bye.
Bye-Bye.
Papa.
Father.
Be careful.
Wait for Papa to come back
and take you to catch fish.
Set off.
Papa, be careful.
My Papa will be back in six days.
If I had a wife and daughter like yours.
I would never take this path of no return.
Su Huan.
You are already on the road of no return.
All this for fifteen taels of silver?
Fine, throw your life away.
Your wife and child
will still end up as Zhao Jiulang's feast?
Raise silkworms for the silk they spin
When the leaves are
gone, the worms grow old
The basket lies empty
before the barren woods
To whom can this sorrow be told?
If one woman cannot weave
Thousands will suffer the cold
When one man fails to rise,
the world is full of hardship.
Misfortune needs no great cause
nor is fortune granted
to those who rush before.
Who doesn't know how to recite poems?
Exactly!
Those who ruin the mood
deserves a bad death!
Stop worrying about whether I will die!
Let me give you a poem instead.
I ride my horse through the hills
Flowers blooming everywhere
I pick a few at random
Bring them home to my wife
A fine poem! Truly fine!
Well done!
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
Zhao Jiulang has piles
of gold and fine food
And you dog!
Why are you eating dog food here?
You!
You wait here!
Here. Drink some water.
Eat
Look.
If you take a quick step forward
A single, clean strike
It will relieve your anger
right then and there.
Your blade has tasted blood before.
Why fear him now?
What kind of man are you, really?
Skilled, yet you swallow your pride.
The fire can be seen for miles
Are you trying to make sure
the bandits can find us?
Xiong Wu!
You take the first watch.
We have more men.
How about we take the
second half of the night?
Please, Commander Zhang
The men are exhausted.
I can't sleep anyway.
You take the first watch.
We will take over for the
second half of the night.
Come with me. Now.
Keep quiet.
Move.
Speak.
Where did my boss hide the gold?
Not talking, huh?
Guess you are asking for a beating.
Once this fool dies,
the other two will will behave.
Oh no!
Get into the reeds!
Shields up! Now!
How do we save Brother Su?
Horses can't enter the marshes.
Dismount! Get him back!
Get down!
Kill!
Close in!
Break!
Form up!
Lingnan Short-handled axes.
What did your whistle mean just now?
This is our rule.
One handles of one's own trouble.
Don't drag your brothers into it.
Yesterday's battle
I know you used the back-to-back method.
Shield bearers, spear men, crossbowmen.
Even your formation are well ordered.
I've used these on the battlefield.
Back then I persuaded Geshu Huang
to rebel out of Lingnan.
To beat many with few.
That's what I call real battle,
long sabers and crossbows,
Swords and banners,
and thundering warhorses.
Laughing on the battlefield.
You have never been to a real battlefield.
You say I haven't been to the battlefield?
How did I end up as a rebel
if I never been to a war?
A rabble, oppressing
and harming the people.
Lingnan rebels.
Sre nothing but petty villains.
People like you
cannot stand a real tough battle at all
Scoundrel.
Cripple.
Along the way.
Some want to save me,
and some want me dead.
I have driven off those who would save me.
And as for those who want me dead
Each one is a living devils.
I would like to see
how a cripple like you
survives a real, hard fight
Shopkeeper
Cut me five pounds of beef
And some dry food.
No problem.
Ask the fellow to feed the horse
Right away! Right away!
Thank you.
Brother
How should we arrange our lodging tonight?
Three rooms
But we will only actually stay in one
Change rooms every two hours
A cunning rabbit has three dens
Who are they?
People who want to kill him
The room is too small to move around
To prevent the enemy from wearing us down,
I will lead a troop first
Charge out to attract their attention.
Secure Su Huan with iron chain
Wait for my order
You take him and run first
I will form up and meet the enemy
Understood.
Everyone
If you are seeking wealth
go elsewhere
We do not seek wealth
Only Su Huan's head
He is a criminal wanted
by the imperial court
To be taken to Chang 'An for trial
He is our enemy
Only death by our blades will do
Just the few of you
I am afraid you won't
be able to pull that off.
Break through!
Cripple this tough fight
are you already at your limit?
If you are unable to pay the debts
Your wife and daughter
were enslaved for three years
The cripple is unlikely to come back
Cripple
There are only two men left
Thanks to your foresight
It's almost dawn
One day's journey left.
The sonner we get to
Baima Pass, the better.
Move on.
Cripple.
You have got such great skills
How could you just be
willing to be a farmer?
You know I am a friend
of General Geshu Huang,
Although he failed in his rebel
But his former
subordinates are still around
Now the world is in chaos
and the people live in misery.
The people are being exploited.
Yet the court turns a blind eye
And you stay and farm in peace,
aren't you suffering the same fate?
I have seized gold and
silver to raise an army.
Soon, heroes will rise from every corner.
Once I united with
with General Geshu Huang's old troops
join as one
why don't you
all of you
Come with me
Let's achieve great things together then.
Chen Shisan
with your skills
Why not rise up and fight?
Slay your way through the land,
and claim wealth and glory!
Sharpening blades in Longyou,
blood on the yellow sands.
Laying down armor in Qinchuan,
the scent of green grain in the air.
As a soldier of the Tang Dynasty
we fight when called,
to protect our land and people.
Return as folk when the battle is done,
to farm and read, to live in peace.
This so-called great wealth you speak of
will mean how many innocent people dead?
And destroy the Tang's
golden age to irreparable ruin?
The whole country is in
chaos, and people suffering.
Don't move
Put down the weapons
Otherwise
I slit his throat.
Then I will send him to his grave
Stop!
Get the key and unlock the chain
Quick
Chen Fu
Good boy
Really stubborn
Next arrow
will be head
I told you to stay home
take care of your mother and your sister
Who let you come?
Go back.
No!
If I were gone
At least your mother has you left
But if you are gone, who else she have?
She still have Chenxiang, doesn't she
I worry more about you
than my mother and sister.
Has your son seen your skills?
If not now, when will you teach him?
Let your family know their Papa's worth
What a waste
to throw away a life like this!
Fu
The way ahead is the most terrifying
It is not my men
nor my enemies
But Zhao Jiulang
Step aside
Boy
Have you ever been to Chang 'An?
He has nothing to say to you
Go
You should broaden your horizons
at this age.
How pity to have such a father
This life is beyond hope
My father served in
the Divine Strategy Army
at Daming Palace
ressigned to Longyou later
Fu
Do not talk to him
Let's go
It's raining
The Yellow River rises far into the clouds
A lonely fortress stands
amid towering mountains.
Zhao Jiulang
What are you doing?
Commander Zhang
I would like to make a deal with you.
I am taking Su Huan with me
He's stolen countless treasures from me
If you do me a favor today
I can give you 30 percent of it
30%
That sounds like a pretty big sum
He's a wanted criminal
of the imperial court
He must be escorted to Baima Pass
As for your money
The Longyou Army has a rule
We would rather die of thirst
than drink from a robber's spring
So there is no room for negotiation
No bargaining
Step aside
Draw the sword
Gather
Since there's no room for negotiation
Don't blame me for being impolite.
Keep Su Huan alive
Others
Kill them all
Roger that
Stay close to me
Okay
When did you learn to use a blade?
While carrying water
Hold the blade tightly in your hand
Your eyes should be faster than the blade
I see
Papa
They ran away.
Kill them all!
You bring nothing but misfortune.
Every time I run into
you, bad luck follows.
Chen Shisan saved my life
Let him off this time
There are only two ways out of the valley
We have to search separately
We have been searching so long
maybe we should call it off.
As a soldier of Longyou
we keep our promise and see it through.
Stay sharp.
Keep seaching.
Alright.
A promise made,
a promise kept.
Fu
Remember this.
Some battles must be won
But in others.
Surviving is what matters most.
Papa
How do I tell the difference?
When you fight for yourself,
you must win.
When you fight for others,
survival is the top priority.
Father,
Then we must find the White-Robed Bandit.
Stay strong.
We will surely find him
Go
Su Huan
I'm Cui Jing from Shannan.
You know my way of doing things.
Tell me where you have hidden the gold and
silver treasures now.
I will keep you alive
They said that Shannan Cui Jing
is more troublesome than a ghost
You are just as ruthless
as the King of Hell!
These past few days
I have barely escaped death time and again
I never thought I'd end
up in your clutches today
You want gold and silver treasures?
What a pity!
I gave them all to my brothers.
I guess it's almost all spent
This is called taking from the people
And using it for the people, you get that?
Forget the money
Cut him to pieces!
Go out and take a look
How did that cripple even find this place?
Leader
Kill them!
You fool!
How many lives do you
think you have to throw away?
Chen Shisan
I know you
I have seen what you can do along the way
For fifteen taels of silver?
It's not worth it.
I am not in this for the silver.
Me?
I am after the money, you want the man
Let's take what we need
Call a truce.
You take the man,
Consider it me doing a good deed
Then we go our separate ways.
What do you say?
Brother Su Huan
Sorry
Go
Fu
Stay with me.
We are almost at Baima Pass.
Hold on.
Sorry for dragging your son into this.
Only five miles left
You must send him to..
To Baima Pass
I..
I trust you
You have my word.
Fu
Keep your eyes open, do not sleep
We are almost at Baima Pass
There are physicians there.
Only three miles left.
Tell me.. Was this journey worth it?
Why don't you stop here?
I will give you a thousand taels
If I take that silver from you,
how am I supposed to explain it to others?
Say that you got from me
And then?
Tell the others
that I got good luck from you?
You don't need to say anything,
No one else has to know.
Fu is watching
He will understand.
Fu may be young,
but he knows right from wrong.
Cripple.
Why are you so stubborn?
Don't forget your wife and daughter.
I am a soldier
You are a bandit
I learned six words back in Longyou,
A promise made, a promise kept.
If everyone obeys morality
and keeps promises,
there will be no chaos in the world
Su Huan
Your poem is well-written
I still remember
the one you wrote in the mulberry woods.
When a woman cannot weave,
ten thousand men will feel the cold.
When a man finds no purpose,
the whole realm becomes
a harder road to walk.
Someday when people read your poems
what will they say you were like?
While you were in Lingnan
did you murder the
innocents to claim the credit?
To claim credit for their deaths?
You incited rebellion.
When the people refused
to supply provisions,
you let troops to steal the grain.
How many innocent people did you slaughter?
You made yourself chief of bandits,
made a living by robbing,
but only enriches yourself and your men.
How many have died
escorting you?
And you think you can
buy me off with money,
to let me release you
Your standards are so low,
yet you dream of rebellion.
Ridiculous!
You!
What kind of man are you, anyway?
Didn't you say,
Handle your own troubles?
I told them
If I haven't returned in three days,
come to Baima Pass to find me.
Only three miles left,
I will give you a fair fight.
I will stay my hand.
Only four of my men will step forward.
If you can still get through this,
I will go to Baima Pass myself
and turn myself in.
Can I have your word?
You have my word.
How brave,
Cripple!
I shall compose a poem for you.
A swordsman once roamed Qin,
his blade like snow, his blood like sand.
Now there is Chen Shisan of Jiulong,
a man of his word,
riding to the world's end.
The world knows no lasting evil,
lives bloom and fade like flowers.
For one promise kept in blood,
Chen of Jiulong rides to Baima Pass.
Papa!
NO!
Chen Shisan!
Chen Shisan!
Chen Shisan!
This so-called great wealth you speak of
will mean how many innocent people dead?
And destroy the Tang's golden age
to irreparable ruin?
The whole country is in
chaos, and people suffering.
If everyone obeys morality
and keeps promises,
there will be no chaos in the world.
As a soldier of Longyou
Your father's blade,
hold tight.
Let's go to Baima Pass.
Look! I've caught a fish!
We'll have fish soup tonight!
Did you catch any fish?
Look! I got one!
You've trampled all the rice seedlings
Now we'll go hungry again.
We'll have fish soup tonight!
Come on!
Shisan!
Hurry! Go back now!
Something's wrong at your place!
-Fu!
-Chenfu!
Stop!
Are you alright?
-Father!
-Chen Fu!
Master Wu, what are you doing?
You owe the Zhao's money.
Three months overdue, no interest paid.
This is just a warning.
If you still don't pay
I will burn your house down.
How dare you!
Master Wu!
Fu.
Master Wu.
Move!
Out of my way!
Father!
So you are still a cripple.
I will give you three days.
If you still can't pay
Your wife and daughter will
be sent to the Zhao manor
as slaves.
And you will leave Jiulong Town forever!
I'm not afraid of you!
Yun Niang!
Yun Niang.
If you don't have the money in three days
You and the girl will
become Zhao manor's slaves.
Let's go!
Mother!
Wife and daughter sold as slaves.
Yunniang!
Go.
Father.
Let's just use the old one for now
and make a new pair when we have money.
How much do we still owe?
I paid..
I paid some of it.
Otherwise, how would we buy feeds and seeds
and medicine for Chen Xiang.
Keep the family fed or pay the debt
I... I had to make a choice.
You should have discussed it with me.
Yunniang.
Don't worry. I'll find a way.
Leave everything to me.
Fu, what are you doing?
-What are you doing with..
-Mum!
Do not stop me.
Fu.
What are you trying to do?!
Fu.
Fu!
Brother Su!
Brother!
If you scare my butterflies away again
it won't be ink that runs
down your neck, but blood.
Zhao Jiulang's gold and silver
Can that buy back my butterflies?
You once said
ill-gotten wealth is fair to take.
A cart full of gold and silver.
Zhao Jiulang hired
the top road guards
from Mianzhou to escort it.
Hu Liu and Ye Lizi are leading the team.
Equipped with crossbows.
You, go home.
Go home?
Go back and just watch
my sister get tied up to pay the debt?
You are scared of Zhao Jiulang!
I am not scared!
I want them to know.
The Chens are not all cowards.
Who are you calling a coward?
You, Chen Shisan.
I will never be like you.
Fu!
You stop right there!
Papa.
Papa.
Papa.
With that little wit of yours
Going there would get you killed.
This blade
was not made for that.
Stand alert.
Only wild dogs hide and
never show their faces.
Papa.
It is the White-Robed Bandit.
Brothers
Let's fight our way out together!
Looks like they all served in the army.
All tough fighters.
Hu Liu.
I know you were a soldier from Longyou.
Drop your blade, and I will spare you.
Having more men doesn't guarantee victory.
So many of them,
the White-Robed Bandit could be in danger.
Not necessarily.
He is pretending to
be weak to lure them in,
then wipe them out once they gather.
Let's go home.
Hurry up, move!
OK.
Go!
Don't come here.
Such a good blade.
Papa.
This gold is enough to pay off our debts.
Who said we are using this to pay debts?
Brother, the cart is full of gold!
Take it.
Give me back my blade.
I paid for it,
so the blade is mine,
unless you have got
the guts to take it back.
This blade means everything to me.
Father.
Please, return it to me.
This is General Gao's sword.
You, a crippled farmer.
What use do you have for it?
Help me.
Save me.
Take me to Zhao Jiulang.
You wil be well reward.
Papa.
Should we have him?
What time is it?
It is mid-afternoon.
Perhaps the road guards got delayed.
Hu Liu from Mianzhou,
Ten taels higher.
A well-known name in the underworld.
Reporting, Master.
The gold and silver were robbed
by the White-Robed Bandit'e men.
Where did it happen?
At Jiulong Mountain.
Master,
Who exactly is this
White-Robed Bandit?
A bandit chief who writes poetry.
They say Zhao Jiulang
also runs overseas business,
selling Kunlun slaves to
the nobles of Chang'An.
His mansion is filled with treasures.
This bit of silver
is hardly worth mentioning.
Brilliant.
Draw the tiger from its den.
Brother.
What about the Zhao family?
Shall we kill them?
Let them go.
I never kill unarmed people.
He... He's...
Papa.
That gold is enough to pay off our debts.
That gold is not us.
It was given to us by
the White-Robed Bandit.
He took the blade.
Remember
Never take ill-gotten wealth.
Better to thirst than
drink from a thief's spring.
I should have sent you
to a school long ago.
Was it you who tipped off
the White-Robed Bandit.
No, it was not me.
Stop!
He has nothing to do with this.
He saved me.
It was you who saved him.
Master Zhao.
The money I owe you
could you give me a few more days of grace?
Chen Shisan.
I gave you my best field.
Yet you still can't even pay the interest.
Jiu lang.
What I owe you.
I will not short you a single coin.
Well.
I'll give you five more days.
If you still don't pay,
your wife and daughters will be enslaved
for three years.
A debt is a debt.
I, Chen Shisan, will
never break my promise.
I will be waiting.
Hu Liu.
What happened?
It's the White-Robed Bandit.
He's extremely skillful.
This time.
I... I really got outmatched this time.
Reporting, Master.
The gold and silver have been robbed.
It was done by the
White-Robed Bandit's men.
Where's the swordsman
who delivered the message?
This isn't good.
Let us part ways for now.
Life is as short as morning dew.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Brother, dear brother.
If another good job comes up.
Same signal as before.
The Yellow River rises far into the clouds,
A lonely fortress stands
amid towering mountains.
Why should the Qiang
flute grieve for the willow?
The White-Robed Bandit is no ordinary man.
Extremely skilled.
Stay cautious and not act rashly.
Brothers.
You two head to the back door.
Brother Jiu.
Take men to the east wall.
There are cliffs to the west.
He surely cannot escape.
Zhao Jiulang.
What are you doing?
Commander Zhang.
I am afraid you are short on men.
With such a big show of force.
Aren't you afraid of scaring him off?
If you play the pipa like this,
the meaning would be different.
That's it.
Singing "Liangzhou Ci"
is like drinking ice and chewing snow.
What you swallow chills you to the core.
Yet you breathe out
turns into clouds and mist.
Su Huan.
None of you move.
Outside the window lies cliffs.
Jump, if you are not afraid to die.
Jump?
Your blood shall feed my arrow first.
Commander Zhang.
We can always catch them again.
But my life must be saved first.
Chen Shisan.
Where is my blade?
General Gao's Longyou troops.
Is especially good at climbing
walls and scaling walls.
The cliffs outside the
window can't stop you.
Where is my blade?
Your money, return
it to its rightful owner.
Guards!
Take him back to Bulinag Well.
I have questions for him first.
That can wait.
Take him away.
Move.
Chen Shisan.
Although you saved my life today.
But business is business.
What you owe me, has to be repaid.
A debt must be repaid.
The fifteen taels will be returned in full.
Good.
A lonely fortress stands amid mountains of
ten thousand fathoms.
Why should the Qiang
flute mourn the willows?
Official letter from the Imperial Court.
Su Huan is charged with treason.
It ordered us to escort him to Baima Pass.
Where the garrison officer
will deliver him to Chang'An
for judgment and execution
by the Ministry of Justice.
To Baima Pass.
Three days' journey.
The roads are treacherous
and crawling with bandits.
Escorting him there
would be like walking into a tiger's jaws.
You could let me go now
to get some money from my men in exchange.
Otherwise.
My own men will come to get me.
A solitary city.
We have to do it quickly.
Post a notice
Offer a large reward to recruit swordsmen.
Step aside.
I want to feel the sun.
Yes.
Jiulang.
The Imperial Court issued a
notice to recruit swordsmen.
To escort Su Huan to Baima Pass.
Baima Pass.
Su Huan is a wanted
criminal of the Imperial Court.
Escorted by the Prefecture's
Warden of Miscreants.
I'm afraid.
Take two men to find Zhang Wei.
Tell him.
We offer help with no charge.
Help him with no charge?
Only in this way can make Su Huanto talk.
And reveal where the treasure is.
Then find a chance.
Kill Su Hwan.
Fifteen taels.
Fifteen taels.
Papa I want to go.
Nonsense.
Papa.
Go home.
No, I won't.
This money is enough
for us to pay off our debts.
Papa.
What debt?
Go home now.
What are you doing here.
I'm here to answer the call.
Answer the call?
Just him.
This requires signing a
life-and-death agreement.
You have a wife and children.
Think twice.
Sign.
Why risk your life?
Repaying debts.
Pay back.
You taking the bait?
You are a liability
reckless enough to die!
I was crippled in the war.
Got a few acres of land
settled as a farmer.
But with the drought
it has been hard to survive.
I was once a soldier from Longyou as well.
Fine.
Count him in.
Cripple.
You are taking advantage of me.
Sign your name and press your fingerprint.
Zhang Wei.
You even hired a cripple?
So?
Your master didn't tell you
his ability?
You.
Well.
Jiulang asked me to bring
two people to help you.
Free.
Okay.
You'd better listen and follow orders.
Of-course.
Let's go.
Count me in!
What are you doing here?
Papa, I want to go.
Stay out of adults' business.
Go home.
I'm not going back.
Go.
I want to go, Papa.
Go back! Go!
Papa.
GO!
Brother.
The trip to Baima Pass
is extremely dangerous.
What insights you can offer?
As the Warden of Miscreants.
Yet you asking me?
Warden of Miscreants, you say.
The authorities just press scoundrels
into forced labor, that's all.
I'm nothing but a petty leader.
In the eyes of the superiors,
we are just ants.
To be sent to die at anytime.
Do you have a shield?
Here is some dry food
and a change of clothes.
You didn't discuss with me, again.
It takes about six days to return.
When I come back.
The debt with Zhao Jiulang will be settled.
Do you know he is a big thief?
Don't worry, I know what I am doing.
You know?
You have never had a sense.
Fu.
Papa.
You have grown up.
Take care of your mother and your sister.
Papa.
Good-Bye.
Bye-Bye.
Papa.
Father.
Be careful.
Wait for Papa to come back
and take you to catch fish.
Set off.
Papa, be careful.
My Papa will be back in six days.
If I had a wife and daughter like yours.
I would never take this path of no return.
Su Huan.
You are already on the road of no return.
All this for fifteen taels of silver?
Fine, throw your life away.
Your wife and child
will still end up as Zhao Jiulang's feast?
Raise silkworms for the silk they spin
When the leaves are
gone, the worms grow old
The basket lies empty
before the barren woods
To whom can this sorrow be told?
If one woman cannot weave
Thousands will suffer the cold
When one man fails to rise,
the world is full of hardship.
Misfortune needs no great cause
nor is fortune granted
to those who rush before.
Who doesn't know how to recite poems?
Exactly!
Those who ruin the mood
deserves a bad death!
Stop worrying about whether I will die!
Let me give you a poem instead.
I ride my horse through the hills
Flowers blooming everywhere
I pick a few at random
Bring them home to my wife
A fine poem! Truly fine!
Well done!
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
Zhao Jiulang has piles
of gold and fine food
And you dog!
Why are you eating dog food here?
You!
You wait here!
Here. Drink some water.
Eat
Look.
If you take a quick step forward
A single, clean strike
It will relieve your anger
right then and there.
Your blade has tasted blood before.
Why fear him now?
What kind of man are you, really?
Skilled, yet you swallow your pride.
The fire can be seen for miles
Are you trying to make sure
the bandits can find us?
Xiong Wu!
You take the first watch.
We have more men.
How about we take the
second half of the night?
Please, Commander Zhang
The men are exhausted.
I can't sleep anyway.
You take the first watch.
We will take over for the
second half of the night.
Come with me. Now.
Keep quiet.
Move.
Speak.
Where did my boss hide the gold?
Not talking, huh?
Guess you are asking for a beating.
Once this fool dies,
the other two will will behave.
Oh no!
Get into the reeds!
Shields up! Now!
How do we save Brother Su?
Horses can't enter the marshes.
Dismount! Get him back!
Get down!
Kill!
Close in!
Break!
Form up!
Lingnan Short-handled axes.
What did your whistle mean just now?
This is our rule.
One handles of one's own trouble.
Don't drag your brothers into it.
Yesterday's battle
I know you used the back-to-back method.
Shield bearers, spear men, crossbowmen.
Even your formation are well ordered.
I've used these on the battlefield.
Back then I persuaded Geshu Huang
to rebel out of Lingnan.
To beat many with few.
That's what I call real battle,
long sabers and crossbows,
Swords and banners,
and thundering warhorses.
Laughing on the battlefield.
You have never been to a real battlefield.
You say I haven't been to the battlefield?
How did I end up as a rebel
if I never been to a war?
A rabble, oppressing
and harming the people.
Lingnan rebels.
Sre nothing but petty villains.
People like you
cannot stand a real tough battle at all
Scoundrel.
Cripple.
Along the way.
Some want to save me,
and some want me dead.
I have driven off those who would save me.
And as for those who want me dead
Each one is a living devils.
I would like to see
how a cripple like you
survives a real, hard fight
Shopkeeper
Cut me five pounds of beef
And some dry food.
No problem.
Ask the fellow to feed the horse
Right away! Right away!
Thank you.
Brother
How should we arrange our lodging tonight?
Three rooms
But we will only actually stay in one
Change rooms every two hours
A cunning rabbit has three dens
Who are they?
People who want to kill him
The room is too small to move around
To prevent the enemy from wearing us down,
I will lead a troop first
Charge out to attract their attention.
Secure Su Huan with iron chain
Wait for my order
You take him and run first
I will form up and meet the enemy
Understood.
Everyone
If you are seeking wealth
go elsewhere
We do not seek wealth
Only Su Huan's head
He is a criminal wanted
by the imperial court
To be taken to Chang 'An for trial
He is our enemy
Only death by our blades will do
Just the few of you
I am afraid you won't
be able to pull that off.
Break through!
Cripple this tough fight
are you already at your limit?
If you are unable to pay the debts
Your wife and daughter
were enslaved for three years
The cripple is unlikely to come back
Cripple
There are only two men left
Thanks to your foresight
It's almost dawn
One day's journey left.
The sonner we get to
Baima Pass, the better.
Move on.
Cripple.
You have got such great skills
How could you just be
willing to be a farmer?
You know I am a friend
of General Geshu Huang,
Although he failed in his rebel
But his former
subordinates are still around
Now the world is in chaos
and the people live in misery.
The people are being exploited.
Yet the court turns a blind eye
And you stay and farm in peace,
aren't you suffering the same fate?
I have seized gold and
silver to raise an army.
Soon, heroes will rise from every corner.
Once I united with
with General Geshu Huang's old troops
join as one
why don't you
all of you
Come with me
Let's achieve great things together then.
Chen Shisan
with your skills
Why not rise up and fight?
Slay your way through the land,
and claim wealth and glory!
Sharpening blades in Longyou,
blood on the yellow sands.
Laying down armor in Qinchuan,
the scent of green grain in the air.
As a soldier of the Tang Dynasty
we fight when called,
to protect our land and people.
Return as folk when the battle is done,
to farm and read, to live in peace.
This so-called great wealth you speak of
will mean how many innocent people dead?
And destroy the Tang's
golden age to irreparable ruin?
The whole country is in
chaos, and people suffering.
Don't move
Put down the weapons
Otherwise
I slit his throat.
Then I will send him to his grave
Stop!
Get the key and unlock the chain
Quick
Chen Fu
Good boy
Really stubborn
Next arrow
will be head
I told you to stay home
take care of your mother and your sister
Who let you come?
Go back.
No!
If I were gone
At least your mother has you left
But if you are gone, who else she have?
She still have Chenxiang, doesn't she
I worry more about you
than my mother and sister.
Has your son seen your skills?
If not now, when will you teach him?
Let your family know their Papa's worth
What a waste
to throw away a life like this!
Fu
The way ahead is the most terrifying
It is not my men
nor my enemies
But Zhao Jiulang
Step aside
Boy
Have you ever been to Chang 'An?
He has nothing to say to you
Go
You should broaden your horizons
at this age.
How pity to have such a father
This life is beyond hope
My father served in
the Divine Strategy Army
at Daming Palace
ressigned to Longyou later
Fu
Do not talk to him
Let's go
It's raining
The Yellow River rises far into the clouds
A lonely fortress stands
amid towering mountains.
Zhao Jiulang
What are you doing?
Commander Zhang
I would like to make a deal with you.
I am taking Su Huan with me
He's stolen countless treasures from me
If you do me a favor today
I can give you 30 percent of it
30%
That sounds like a pretty big sum
He's a wanted criminal
of the imperial court
He must be escorted to Baima Pass
As for your money
The Longyou Army has a rule
We would rather die of thirst
than drink from a robber's spring
So there is no room for negotiation
No bargaining
Step aside
Draw the sword
Gather
Since there's no room for negotiation
Don't blame me for being impolite.
Keep Su Huan alive
Others
Kill them all
Roger that
Stay close to me
Okay
When did you learn to use a blade?
While carrying water
Hold the blade tightly in your hand
Your eyes should be faster than the blade
I see
Papa
They ran away.
Kill them all!
You bring nothing but misfortune.
Every time I run into
you, bad luck follows.
Chen Shisan saved my life
Let him off this time
There are only two ways out of the valley
We have to search separately
We have been searching so long
maybe we should call it off.
As a soldier of Longyou
we keep our promise and see it through.
Stay sharp.
Keep seaching.
Alright.
A promise made,
a promise kept.
Fu
Remember this.
Some battles must be won
But in others.
Surviving is what matters most.
Papa
How do I tell the difference?
When you fight for yourself,
you must win.
When you fight for others,
survival is the top priority.
Father,
Then we must find the White-Robed Bandit.
Stay strong.
We will surely find him
Go
Su Huan
I'm Cui Jing from Shannan.
You know my way of doing things.
Tell me where you have hidden the gold and
silver treasures now.
I will keep you alive
They said that Shannan Cui Jing
is more troublesome than a ghost
You are just as ruthless
as the King of Hell!
These past few days
I have barely escaped death time and again
I never thought I'd end
up in your clutches today
You want gold and silver treasures?
What a pity!
I gave them all to my brothers.
I guess it's almost all spent
This is called taking from the people
And using it for the people, you get that?
Forget the money
Cut him to pieces!
Go out and take a look
How did that cripple even find this place?
Leader
Kill them!
You fool!
How many lives do you
think you have to throw away?
Chen Shisan
I know you
I have seen what you can do along the way
For fifteen taels of silver?
It's not worth it.
I am not in this for the silver.
Me?
I am after the money, you want the man
Let's take what we need
Call a truce.
You take the man,
Consider it me doing a good deed
Then we go our separate ways.
What do you say?
Brother Su Huan
Sorry
Go
Fu
Stay with me.
We are almost at Baima Pass.
Hold on.
Sorry for dragging your son into this.
Only five miles left
You must send him to..
To Baima Pass
I..
I trust you
You have my word.
Fu
Keep your eyes open, do not sleep
We are almost at Baima Pass
There are physicians there.
Only three miles left.
Tell me.. Was this journey worth it?
Why don't you stop here?
I will give you a thousand taels
If I take that silver from you,
how am I supposed to explain it to others?
Say that you got from me
And then?
Tell the others
that I got good luck from you?
You don't need to say anything,
No one else has to know.
Fu is watching
He will understand.
Fu may be young,
but he knows right from wrong.
Cripple.
Why are you so stubborn?
Don't forget your wife and daughter.
I am a soldier
You are a bandit
I learned six words back in Longyou,
A promise made, a promise kept.
If everyone obeys morality
and keeps promises,
there will be no chaos in the world
Su Huan
Your poem is well-written
I still remember
the one you wrote in the mulberry woods.
When a woman cannot weave,
ten thousand men will feel the cold.
When a man finds no purpose,
the whole realm becomes
a harder road to walk.
Someday when people read your poems
what will they say you were like?
While you were in Lingnan
did you murder the
innocents to claim the credit?
To claim credit for their deaths?
You incited rebellion.
When the people refused
to supply provisions,
you let troops to steal the grain.
How many innocent people did you slaughter?
You made yourself chief of bandits,
made a living by robbing,
but only enriches yourself and your men.
How many have died
escorting you?
And you think you can
buy me off with money,
to let me release you
Your standards are so low,
yet you dream of rebellion.
Ridiculous!
You!
What kind of man are you, anyway?
Didn't you say,
Handle your own troubles?
I told them
If I haven't returned in three days,
come to Baima Pass to find me.
Only three miles left,
I will give you a fair fight.
I will stay my hand.
Only four of my men will step forward.
If you can still get through this,
I will go to Baima Pass myself
and turn myself in.
Can I have your word?
You have my word.
How brave,
Cripple!
I shall compose a poem for you.
A swordsman once roamed Qin,
his blade like snow, his blood like sand.
Now there is Chen Shisan of Jiulong,
a man of his word,
riding to the world's end.
The world knows no lasting evil,
lives bloom and fade like flowers.
For one promise kept in blood,
Chen of Jiulong rides to Baima Pass.
Papa!
NO!
Chen Shisan!
Chen Shisan!
Chen Shisan!
This so-called great wealth you speak of
will mean how many innocent people dead?
And destroy the Tang's golden age
to irreparable ruin?
The whole country is in
chaos, and people suffering.
If everyone obeys morality
and keeps promises,
there will be no chaos in the world.
As a soldier of Longyou
Your father's blade,
hold tight.
Let's go to Baima Pass.
Look! I've caught a fish!
We'll have fish soup tonight!