Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Page #7

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EXT. TENT - DAY

Jen quietly walks out and stands sadly in the early morning

light.

End of flashback.

INT. JEN'S ROOM - NIGHT

LO:

Wherever I went, someone always

recognized me. I really tried.

Later, I heard you came to Peking.

I was afraid I'd never see you

again. So I came. I can't let you

marry.

Jen is about to respond when a servant's voice is heard from

outside the door.

JEN:

(whispering)

Go.

LO:

Jen...

JEN:

(through her tears)

Don't ever come back.

Lo hovers at the window frame.

LO:

So it's over?

Jen pauses.

JEN:

Yes.

Lo thrusts a small object in her hand.

He lifts his legs through the window, and drops out of

sight, just as Jen's door is opened from the hall.

MAID:

We heard noises.

JEN:

It was just a cat.

The maid pauses, then dutifully exits, closing the door.

Jen opens up her palm; gasping, she sees the comb that Lo

has given her.

EXT. WEDDING PROCESSION - DAY

The noise and color of a wedding procession. A marching

band heralds the occasion, as throngs of onlookers fight to

get a glimpse of the groom, Gou Jun Pei, who trots by on a

handsome white horse.

INT. WEDDING CARRIAGE - DAY

Jen's head is completely covered in red cloth, as she rides

silently in the bride's carriage.

EXT. BALCONY OVERLOOKING WEDDING PROCESSION - DAY

Li and Yu watch the festivities from a balcony of the city

gate.

YU:

You think Jade Fox will show up?

LI:

She's out there, but I doubt she'll

show herself. We'll keep our eyes

open. Sooner or later, she'll come

for the girl.

INT. WEDDING CARRIAGE - DAY

A small arrow flies into the carriage. Jen calmly lifts the

red cloth from her face and pulls the arrow out of the

panelling inside the carriage.

We hear Lo's voice from outside the carriage, but Jen

doesn't seem to notice.

LO:

(v.o.)

Jen! Come with me! You're mine!

Lo runs wildly into the crowd.

LO:

Come with me to the desert! Jen!

Come with me to Xin Jiang!

The guards surround Lo, but he escapes.

EXT. BEIJING STREET - DAY

Lo leaps and lands right in front of Li Mu Bai, his fingers

pressed against Lo's neck. Yu comes running around the

corner and sees them.

LI:

Where is Jade Fox?

Yu jumps in and pushes Li away.

YU:

(to Lo)

Come with me! Hurry!

INT. CITY OUTSKIRTS - DAY

Lo sits dejectedly, having told his story to Yu and Li, who

look him over.

YU:

(to Lo)

You thought she'd give it all up

and go back West with you?

LO:

She's mine.

LI:

Either way, you are no good to her

dead. With the Gou and Yu clans

hunting you, you'll soon be in

their hands.

LO:

I don't care anymore.

LI:

If you truly loved her, you wouldn't

say that.

YU:

Don't you want to see her again.

LI:

All right. I'll write you an

introduction. Take it to Wudan.

Wait there for news from me.

LO:

All right.

EXT. TE COMPOUND - NIGHT

Yu and Li enter, as other men and women race through the

compound, a sense of panic in the air. Yu gives Li a look.

Li shrugs.

INT. TE'S HALL - NIGHT

A crowd, including Li and Yu, stand by as Te opens the empty

sword case, his voice rising.

SIR TE:

When will this end? They take it,

they put it back, they take it

again. My home is turning into a

warehouse.

Bo bursts into the hall, bows to Te.

TE:

Speak!

BO:

Jen has run away! Gou found the

wedding chamber empty. Governor Yu

requests your assistance. You know

the Giang Hu underworld. He wants

to find her, and keep her from harm.

LI:

Sir Te, leave this to us. Don't

worry.

INT. TEA STALL - DAY

Jen arrives at the tea stall. She places her sword on the

table, which catches the attention of a couple of Giang Hu

martial arts characters sitting nearby.

WAITRESS:

What can I serve you?

As the waitress turns to leave, Jen grabs her by the arm.

JEN:

The cup is dirty.

The flustered waitress apologizes and takes the cup away.

The men approach Jen.

GANGSTER A:

Hello. What is your name?

JEN:

(without lifting her eyes)

Long.

GANGSTER B:

It's young Master Long. My

apologies. I'm Iron Eagle Sung and

this is my brother in arms, Flying

Cougar Li Yun. What brings you to

Huai An, and where are you headed,

Master Long?

JEN:

Anywhere there's action.

The two men exchange glances.

GANGSTER A:

In that case, perhaps we could be

of assistance.

JEN:

Don't bother.

GANGSTER A:

You don't seem to understand.

JEN:

So what if I don't?

GANGSTER B:

We have ways of helping you

understand.

The two pull out their weapons which are immediately chopped

into scraps by Jen.

GANGSTER A:

(stunned)

Are you related to Li Mu Bai?

JEN:

He is my defeated foe!

EXT. WOODS - DAY

Li and Yu pass a cup back and forth as Bo tends to the

horses in the background.

YU:

Have some tea.

As Yu passes the cup to Li, their fingers touch.

Embarrassed, Li pulls back.

LI:

Shu Lien... The things we touch

have no permanence. My master

would say... there is nothing we

can hold on to in this world. Only

by letting go can we truly possess

what is real.

YU:

Not everything is an illusion. My

hand... wasn't that real?

LI:

Your hand, rough and callused from

machete practice... All this time,

I've never had the courage to touch

it.

Li takes Yu's hand and presses it to his face.

LI:

Giang Hu is a world of tigers and

dragons, full of corruption... I

tried sincerely to give it up but I

have brought us only trouble.

YU:

To repress one's feelings only

makes them stronger.

LI:

You're right, but I don't know what

to do. I want to be with you...

just like this. It gives me a

sense of peace.

Li Mu Bai smiles.

INT. STAR RESTAURANT - DAY

Jen walks upstairs. A waiter greets her.

WAITER:

Please follow me.

JEN:

I want a clean room.

WAITER:

We have plenty. Your order?

Jen again sets her sword on the table as she sits down.

JEN:

Steamed whole cod, bite-size

meatballs, a little starchy, but

keep the sauce light, shark fin

soup, mixed vegetables, and some

warm wine.

WAITER:

(dazed)

I have to order from a bigger

restaurant.

JEN:

Hurry then.

The waiter gauges Jen for an instant before bouncing off to

place the orders. Jen checks her pouch and sees there's not

much money left.

A large group of Giang Hu characters enters. They survey

the restaurant and quickly find Jen upstairs.

GIANG HU A:

That's him.

MI BIAO:

I am Iron Arm Mi. I heard a true

master has arrived. I have come to

seek a lesson.

Jen ignores him.

MI BIAO:

(bristles)

You asked for it!

Mi charges and attacks Jen, who is still sitting sipping tea.

Jen barely lifts a finger and disposes of Mi with a poke at

a sensitive pressure point. This provokes a reaction from

the other men.

JEN:

What kind of Iron Arm are you?

FLYING MACHETE CHANG

You have amazing technique! I am

Flying Machete. Are you related to

Southern Crane?

JEN:

Southern Duck? I don't eat anything

with two feet. Who could remember

such long-winded names?

GOU JUN SIHUNG:

Li Mu Bai is your defeated foe, and

you don't know his master, Southern

Crane?

JEN:

Who are you?

GOU JUN SIHUNG:

I'm Shining Phoenix Mountain Gou.

JEN:

(furious)

Gou? I hate that name. It makes

me puke! Too bad you're named Gou.

You'll be the first to feel my

sword today.

Jen leaps up and dives into battle. The men all use

different kinds of weapons, but they all succumb to the

powerful Green Destiny.

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