Hao men ye yan

---

the once mighty empire of the Tang Dynasty

has fallen into ruin

Rebellion has spread across the land

and its insurgents

have proclaimed their own kingdoms

This is the period known as

the "Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms"

It was an era plagued by widespread turmoil

treachery amongst government officials

and a bitter struggle for power

within the imperial family

Against this backdrop

our story begins

What blessed night is this?

Drifting down the River Qian

What auspicious day is this?

Dreaming beside my prince

A tender affection has blossomed between

the maiden Little Wan

and young Prince Wu Luan

but his father, the Emperor,

marries Little Wan himself

Desperate, Prince Wu Luan disappears

into the Southern heartlands

seeking solace in the art of music and dance

Three years later

Prince Wu Luan's uncle has killed his brother,

the Emperor

and usurped the throne and the Empress

Empress Wan secretly sends her messengers

to warn Prince Wu Luan of the assassination

and urge his return

But she is unaware

the new Emperor has already

dispatched assassins

to prevent Prince Wu Luan's return

Trees live on mountains

and branches live on trees

My heart lives for your heart

but you do not see me...

From her Majesty the Empress

to Prince Wu Luan

Our country has suffered a great loss

Your father, the Emperor, has passed away

Your uncle has usurped the throne

Return at once on receipt of this

Father...

This helmet does not sit well on you

To call Your Emperor "you" is not appropriate

The correct address is "Your Majesty"

It is hard for me to adapt so quickly

Brother-in-law

Indeed this is not a good fit

I shall have a new one made

The kingdom shall not wait

Seal the door

Sister-in-law

The correct address is "Empress"

Your brother should not have trusted you

The death of the late Emperor

had nothing to do with me

Is the Crown Prince still alive?

Sister-in-law seems very concerned

I am his step-mother after all

He is 4 years older than you are

Brother-in-law is familiar with the way

I remove my make-up

Not just your make-up

but also the way you enter your bath

Will brother-in-law let the Prince go free?

Will you let my hand go free?

This theater is under

the Crown Prince's protection

Stay your swords now

Your servant Qing bows before Your Majesty

Your Majesty

Is this the red you had chosen?

Hang it up

This material

was originally intended

for your wedding to the Prince

However

it is now used in my coronation

Why did you run all the way here?

When I was summoned to the inner court

I thought perhaps the Prince had returned

I was just about to ask you

Have you not heard from the Prince?

He never writes to me

Then how do you communicate?

Through dreams

I dream of him every night

And we talk to each other

Did you dream of him last night?

Yes

What did he say to you?

He told me not to eat too much sweets

But then he also said

young girls tend to like sweet things

it is not really a bad habit

I also used to like sweet things

Brother-in-law really knows

how to please a woman

How do I compare with my brother?

The late Emperor was a wise and valiant man

You mean to say

he was not very adept at pleasing you

No...

When he was willing

he could be exceptionally virile

But he was not often willing

Am I right?

The tug between power and love

has tormented past emperors for centuries

You do not seem to be tormented

Before tonight everything was simple

I cared only for my kingdom

But after tonight

when there is you, sister-in-law

what need do I have of a kingdom?

You certainly know how to flatter a woman

I speak from the heart

Why don't you give away the throne

so we can retire to the woods

and live like hermits?

What do you think?

Sister-in-law

do you want me killed?

I was only teasing

If it is my life that you want

you can have it

You can have everything that is mine

Your Highness

My father...

How did he die?

They say that

while he was taking his afternoon nap

he was stung by a scorpion

There are scorpions in the palace?

They say you can find everything in the palace

Who are "they"?

The people who live there

Including her?

She is about to be crowned Empress again

By whom?

Your uncle

the new Emperor

Wu Luan

Yes

You worried me to death

Empress Mother

You sound a little hoarse

Why are you wearing such a strange mask

and a battered old sword case?

What has happened to you?

This is a question

I should be asking you

What have you heard?

Did I come back

to grieve for my father

or to congratulate my step-mother?

Do not use such a cruel tone of voice

against a helpless woman

I have sacrificed more than enough

for you and your father

But

my father's spirit

still wanders restlessly outside the palace gate

Empress Mother

Look into my eyes and tell me

Did my father

really die

from the sting of a scorpion?

Wu Luan

The pain in your eyes

breaks my heart

Don't ask so many questions

Don't think too much

Promise me?

The best way to soothe your father's spirit

is to make sure we are both safe

Especially you

Your Majesty

Forgive me

My shabby clothes

have soiled the Empress' bathrobe

Show me what is inside your sword case

The sword of the Yue Maiden

best suited to close combat

I only use it for paper cutting now

When your father first taught us swordplay

you were always the better pupil

Is this your work?

These are the words of a song from Yue

Can you sing it for me?

It is about a Prince sailing down a stream

and the rowing girl falls in love with him

She sings this song

So it is a love song

No

it is a song about loneliness

You can sing to your young friend Qing

She would not understand

No one can really understand another person

If we did

we would not feel so lonely

When your father allowed you

to pursue the arts

I was against the idea

To me, a man should not be

a lonely musician

a product of warm hills and soft streams

A proper man is a prince

who rules over his kingdom

with strength and courage

That is only your idea of a man,

Empress Mother

But you have responsibilities

They're bestowed upon you

by the heavens above

passed on to you by your ancestors

expected of you by your people

Hasn't my uncle assumed

these responsibilities in me?

He...

His Majesty has commanded me

to greet you here

You have allowed the Prince to slip away

insulting His Majesty with your incompetence

What do you suggest you should do?

We shall offer up our lives as penance

Very good

Your families will be spared

We thank his gracious Majesty for his lenience

Clean the bridge

This palace is falling to ruin

The late Emperor was a thrifty man

but I am not going to suffer the way he did

Pave the ceiling

with flowers in gold leaf

Yes, Your Majesty

May I enquire

should the central pillar be painted in vermilion

or ink black?

Vermilion is the color of blood

and gold represents glory

Which glorious dynasty

has not been forged with blood?

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