Mulan Legend (2020) Movie Script
In 424 A.D.,
the Rouran led its cavalry
to storm Yunzhong City
at Northern Wei's border.
Northern Wei's new emperor
had just ascended the throne,
and the dynasty had yet to find stability.
They could only hope to contain the Rouran
by allying with the Northern Liang
through a diplomatic marriage.
PRINCESS PINGYANG'S MARRIAGE LETTER
There's something in the sand!
What is it?
- Quick!
- Protect the Princess!
- Protect the Princess!
- Retreat!
What is this?
Everybody, stop!
Turn around!
Protect the Princess!
What is that?
Chakan,
the north is plagued by snow.
If we successfully capture the Princess,
the Rouran will be in a position
to negotiate with the Great Wei.
Then my tribe's herdsmen
will have plenty
of provisions for the winter.
You and I shall share this glory.
I never ask for glory.
I only hope to help you
fulfill your ambition!
- Good!
- Brothers, attack!
Charge!
Save the Princess! Quickly!
WEI
Ergou, how long do you think
Leader can keep it a secret?
You know what she is capable of.
If she were to marry in the future,
she might be the one
who wears the pants in the relationship.
It's possible.
General, the bridal procession
is already 20 li out!
Wait.
General Hua is changing
and preparing to greet the Princess.
- That's right.
- You cannot...
General, I...
Leader?
Attention, everyone from Dagou Squad!
- Yes!
- Yes!
Quickly prepare the light cavalry
and fetch the Princess with me.
- Understood!
- Understood!
MULAN LEGEND
Princess!
Wei's reinforcements have arrived!
Kill them!
Charge!
Ergou, go!
Protect the Princess!
Chakan!
Princess, quick!
Northeast! Eyes!
Princess.
Wang Kaishan!
Don't mind me! Save the Princess!
The Princess was taken hostage
by the Rouran.
Any hope the Great Wei had
for an alliance with Northern Liang
has instantly evaporated.
Now, the Rouran will not hold back.
The citizens of Great Wei
will never know peace!
Hua Mulan, as the general in-charge,
you failed to protect your charge!
An unpardonable crime!
By law, you shall be beheaded!
A flogging of 50 lashes for everyone else!
- Leader!
- Leader!
I, Wang Kaishan,
am willing to die with General Hua!
Silence!
Enough with your nonsense!
Please forgive them, sir.
I failed to protect my charge.
I have nothing to say.
I accept my punishment.
I was a real bastard
back when I was roaming the desert.
I was lucky to be defeated by the general
who was kind enough to spare my life
and give me a chance to redeem myself.
I owe my life to the general!
I will follow the general to death!
Me too!
Ever since General Hua
shared food with me,
I have recognized her as my leader.
My leader is about to report
to the netherworld.
As one of her men,
I need to scout the way first.
I don't want to die.
But I don't fear death.
Just like our Dagou Squad's slogan,
"There is no turning back."
General Hua isn't the only one
who failed to protect our charge.
I, Li Ergou, will take responsibility too!
They don't deserve to die!
Show mercy, sir!
- Pardon their death!
- Outrageous!
Nobody escapes military discipline!
Are you all trying to rebel?
Show mercy, sir!
Pardon their death penalty!
All of you, stand up!
You...
- You!
- Reporting!
You all...
Rouran has delivered a negotiation letter.
Leave!
"Great Wei must cede ten cities.
Provide a contract
in exchange for the Princess.
Otherwise, collect the Princess's body
in two days.
For each day without a contract,
ten people shall be executed.
Mian Ertu."
Someone release them.
The Emperor will not agree
to the humiliation of ceding territory.
Hua Mulan.
Yes, sir!
It's time for you to redeem yourself.
You have two days
to rescue the Princess
without losing any territory.
If you fail,
all of you will be executed,
including your families!
Do you accept this order?
I do!
Now, Great Wei's cities
are being destroyed by the Rouran.
The Great Wei's Princess
is being held captive by the Rouran.
Great Wei's territory
will soon become the Rouran's pastures.
Since peace is no longer possible,
there's only one option left.
I will not hesitate
to risk my life
to save the Princess.
Good!
Organize the rescue quickly.
I will report to the Emperor immediately
and request military support.
Please grant me a special privilege.
I request sole authority
over mission planning
and member selection of the rescue team.
No one else is to interfere.
What did you say?
Excellent.
Impenetrable.
You built Yunzhong City.
Isn't it impenetrable?
How come the Rouran army
broke through so easily?
There must be a traitor!
General Ye and his soldiers
have all died in battle.
Only you survived.
You must be the traitor!
Nice kick!
That felt good!
My city is ruined again.
You underlings are so weak.
You'll have to try harder to kill me.
That was barely a tickle!
Damn reckless jerk. Beat him up!
Stop!
DECREE
- General Hua.
- General Hua.
Leave!
Murong Di.
Are you all right?
I'm great.
Can't you see?
I won't die.
You're always like this.
You choose to suffer alone no matter
how much your heart aches.
I'm running out of time.
- I came to...
- Say no more.
I know why you're here.
For General Hua
to condescend to visit the dungeon,
something must have happened.
If it's not about me,
then it must have something
to do with Yunzhong City.
You were supposed
to welcome the Princess today,
but you suddenly showed up here.
Something must have happened to her.
It can only be that
she was carried off
to Yunzhong City by the Rouran.
But I've been sentenced to death.
I cannot leave here alive.
You were holding a medallion
bestowed by the Emperor.
I'm guessing
you want to recruit me
to help you save her.
The reward is granting me a pardon
for my death penalty.
Am I right?
Since you know everything,
are you in?
Let's go.
My eyes!
Hold on, everyone.
I need a moment for my eyes to adjust.
Don't chase me!
Don't stop me if you take me as a friend!
That's why I have to stop you!
Do you think I don't know
what you're thinking?
You want to be a hero
and avenge General Ye on your own!
When did you become so naive?
When I got humiliated
and was sent to the dungeons.
I'm worthless as a man
if I don't avenge him!
You renegade!
Not only are you a traitor,
but you also want to be a deserter!
Traitors ought to die!
That's right! Don't let him get away!
Ergou, do you think
he can defeat our leader?
He's very cunning.
I don't trust him.
Baozi, I'm betting 50 taels
that he will definitely lose.
Sure.
Excellent! Great fight!
- Think about it!
- Good fight!
Why did General Ye save you alone?
Pay up.
Once you figure it out,
come with me to save the Princess!
Couldn't we just have talked?
Why did you have to hit me?
Mian Ertu will position many archers
in the towers
along the walls of Yunzhong City.
Those areas have a wide field of view
and are located upwind,
which can double the arrows' range.
If I'm right,
there's a water source in the city,
judging from all the cooking's smoke.
The city is on a back slope.
A great place for hiding soldiers.
The northeast side
of Yunzhong City will be unguarded.
It may seem weak,
but can actually be very dangerous.
Their strategy is to lure enemies there.
Additional fortifications
just inside the walls
will trap anyone who scales them.
Yunzhong City is a strategic fortress
at the junction of the three kingdoms.
It has been ravaged by war.
So when I was building this city,
I studied many ancient warfare records.
If not for the traitor,
Yunzhong City would've been impenetrable.
If you're right,
there's only one choice left.
That means Mian Ertu has to release
the Princess himself.
What was the point of saving you
if you have nothing to contribute?
Baozi, let him go.
It will only benefit us
to learn about Yunzhong City's defense.
You must know a way into the city
or General Ye would not
have risked his life to save you.
Feel free to speak.
When I was designing the city,
I created a secret passageway
to have the option to sneak up on
and ambush the attackers outside.
Based on the Rouran army's defense,
this is the only way
we can get into the city.
But...
Quickly, go!
- General Ye!
- Go!
General Ye!
General Ye!
General Ye!
General Ye!
Once the stone door is in place,
it cannot be opened.
We would have to blow it up.
From what I know,
there is an expert in explosives.
Unfortunately, he's dead.
Therefore,
our main task is to collect intel on
where we can find explosives
and where the Princess is imprisoned.
From what I know,
there is only one place in the desert
where we can do that.
The Underworld Domain.
- The Underworld Domain?
- The Underworld Domain?
During the Han Dynasty,
trades along the Silk Road
were booming like never before.
One of the trading towns
mysteriously disappeared overnight
and became the desert's unsolved mystery.
In reality,
the town sank due to a landslide
and was buried by a sandstorm.
It was later discovered
and turned into a black market.
It was named the Underworld Domain.
It moves with the quicksand,
and its location is
constantly changing.
Hence, it comes and goes
without leaving any trace.
One can only infer its location
by observing the sun and moon.
The sun has begun to set.
Darkness is falling in the east.
The air is cloaked
in mystery and suspense.
The Underworld Domain
should be here.
There's nothing here.
It's already half-past seven.
If...
Quiet.
The northeast trigram, Gen,
heralds the Flying Serpent.
All is determined by the stars.
What's happening?
Is this the legendary Underworld Domain?
Yes.
Let's go.
A married couple ruled
the Underworld Domain.
They were called
the Black and White Fiends.
They came to the desert
after being displaced by the war
and learned to profit off the conflict.
They took in all the war refugees
and controlled all illicit trades
on the border.
They have spies in every
kingdom's army.
Please give us some food.
They have access to all kinds of intel.
In the Underworld Domain,
there is only one rule.
You can get anything you want
as long as you can pay the price.
This is the Ghost Road,
a place for trading arms and intel.
Apart from the traders,
all the people who live here
are unpleasant.
I'll give a cheaper price
if you buy more.
Look.
They are bounty hunters.
They are unaffiliated
and operate independently.
As long as you can pay,
you can buy anything here,
including human lives.
Everyone here has
a hostile look in their eyes.
We shouldn't stay for long
or we might get into trouble.
Relax.
We're much safer here than aboveground.
Anyone who causes trouble
on Black and White Fiends' turf
will be sent to hell.
I stole this from the official's house,
but accidentally killed the official.
You know the price.
Pay up.
Hey, you killed an official
and caused me a lot of trouble.
Lower the price.
Bastard!
Do you not know the law around here?
Be careful or I will kill you!
Quan Feishe.
The guide of the Underworld Domain.
Hey.
Take me to the explosives section.
Follow me.
This is it. Take your time.
Are there any explosives
for sale here?
Unfortunately,
what you want is unavailable here.
Please leave.
Soldiers of Great Wei
haven't improved at all.
Well?
Do you want to take it
by force or deception?
No wonder you lost your city
and the war.
I...
Please forgive us if we have offended you.
Let me see your gun.
We are urgently in need of explosives.
I hope you can help.
Hua Mulan?
Seems like it.
Mian Ertu put up a bounty
of 10,000 taels for her head.
If we make a move here
and the Black and White Fiends find out,
I am afraid...
We're talking about 10,000 taels of gold.
It's worth the risk.
To tell you the truth,
I do have explosives here.
They are for sale,
but I just won't sell them
to the soldiers of Great Wei.
- You...
- Hua Mulan!
Although death may be the cost of greed,
your life is worth 10,000 taels of gold.
Kill her and we'll share the bounty.
Everyone will get a share!
You must be tired of living
to make a move
on the Black and White Fiends' turf.
Black and White Fiends?
Who do they think they are?
Attack!
Calm down!
You are scaring everyone
with your weapon.
Put it down.
I will have her head.
Not even God can save her.
I will kill anyone who gets in my way!
You're killing someone?
Xiaobai!
Baby, you have to protect me.
So that means
you want to anger me.
You are all dead meat!
Even I am not safe
when she flies into a rage.
You're on your own.
- I'm out of here.
- Don't get in our way.
Otherwise, I will kill you too!
Attack!
I haven't killed in a while.
I think I threw out my back.
Idiot! Come help me!
Come over here!
Great work, Xiaobai.
Great work, Xiaobai.
Your hair is messy.
Baby, look.
Even your face is dirty.
Don't move.
I am Hua Mulan.
Thank you for your help.
So you are Hua Mulan.
Hua Mulan?
Now it's time for our business.
Come with me.
The person who sells explosives
has a calloused hand.
He must have been a soldier before.
There must be a reason
for him to hate Wei soldiers so much.
Moreover,
he looks a lot like someone.
What are you laughing about?
Black and White Fiends,
we came here to buy explosives
and find intel on where
Princess Pingyang is imprisoned.
We will have to see
whether you can afford the price!
Hua Mulan,
you walked in here on your own!
There must be some misunderstanding.
I haven't met you two before.
You don't know us,
but we've been thinking about you.
We can talk this out
if there is a problem.
Five years ago,
a group of desert bandits
wiped out Baiyun Village
and killed my mother.
It took us five years to find them.
We skinned and gutted them
and turned them into human jerky.
However,
one slipped through our fingers.
He had left behind the outlaw life
and luckily escaped his reckoning.
We later learned
that this person named Guo Shanjiao
has been recruited into your squad.
What I want
is his life!
We don't have this person
in our troops.
You can check the register.
You're not afraid
because Guo Shanjiao has
gone back to using his real name.
No one knows what it is!
Information about the Princess
is Rouran's top secret.
Only I know it.
According to Underworld Domain's rule,
there is a price for every transaction.
I'm only asking for one name.
This is quite a bargain for you.
I admit
he is one of my people.
However, he only took part
in the looting.
He had nothing to do
with your mother's death.
He also has changed his ways
for a long time.
- I'm begging you...
- The name!
I want the name now!
I will be a disgrace to my family
if I don't take revenge.
An apology must be sincere.
I will repay my brother's debts for him!
- Leader!
- General!
Don't be hasty.
We can still negotiate.
We have nothing more to talk about.
You will get neither explosives
nor information.
Leave!
YUNZHONG CITY
I don't like killing,
but rules must be followed!
It is just about midnight.
One day has passed
with no contract from Great Wei!
Ten people will be executed!
Let's go!
Reporting!
Mian Ertu just killed ten civilians
at Yunzhong City.
The merciless bastard.
He really did it.
Midnight has passed.
We only have one day left.
I am the person you are looking for.
- Wang Kaishan!
- Wang Kaishan!
What are you saying?
General, we are running out of time.
Without any concrete information,
we cannot save the Princess!
I am but one person.
I am not worth the lives of Yunzhong
City's thousands of citizens.
My real name is Wang Kaishan.
When I was a desert bandit,
I was known as Guo Shanjiao!
Guo Shanjiao,
it sure took us a long time to find you!
None of you shall leave today!
You need to go through me first
to get to my brother!
Even if we are to die in battle,
we will not leave a brother behind!
I do not know any Guo Shanjiao.
I only know that he is a good man
who is saving the Princess with us!
I will never abandon a brother!
General!
Saving the Princess
and reclaiming our territory
are what every one of us wishes for!
We cannot die here!
Wang Kaishan! Stand up!
- Wang Kaishan!
- Wang Kaishan!
General.
I have said this before.
An eye for an eye,
a tooth for a tooth.
You gave me this life.
Now it is time for me to repay my debts.
General.
I have been fighting my whole life.
But I have never betrayed anyone.
You are the only one I respect, General.
End my life quickly.
General!
Wang Kaishan,
you are a true man.
I will serve
as your soldier in the next life!
Wang Kaishan!
Wang Kaishan!
I have given you
what you want.
It is your turn!
You once told me
that this name tag
is the cleanest thing on you.
If you were to die in battle,
you want me
to give it to your parents.
Although you were not filial
to your parents,
you have been loyal to your kingdom.
WANG KAISHAN OF WEI
Do you know what this is?
I only know that
one military name tag can be
exchanged for five buckets of rice.
Those are highly sought-after
in Rouran and Northern Liang!
Give it to me!
You don't understand what this is!
After a war,
corpses litter the battlefield!
It is gruesome!
We can only identify the bodies
from these name tags!
Their bodies can't be returned
to their homeland
and can only be buried
or burned on the spot.
Only these name tags
can be brought back home,
so their families
can build tombs for them.
These heroic men
who used their lives
to protect their kingdom
are buried in a foreign land.
These small tags are all that are left!
Even if I were to die today,
I will protect it
and bring it back to his home
for his family to remember him by!
Come on! Come and take it!
Come!
Hua Mulan, are you all right?
General Hua is loyal and empathetic.
You're not like other Wei generals.
Perhaps I can help you
with the explosives.
I wonder
if you have ever heard of this person?
The master of explosives, Lu Pingsheng.
WANHUAYAN
Many years ago,
our armies were surrounded by the Rouran.
Reinforcements never arrived.
I led 300 of my soldiers
and desperately fought back
for five days and nights.
In the end, they all fell
one by one.
Everyone died.
Afterward, I learned
that there were never any reinforcements.
The general used us as pawns
to buy him more time to retreat.
I can understand why.
But I still hate them.
Those were the lives of my 300 brothers!
From then on,
I have thought of myself
as someone who had died in a war.
Since I got here,
I have lived like an undead.
I thought about killing myself.
But how can I do that?
If I were to die,
no one will ever remember
the names of my 300 brothers!
And no one will know
that these 300 brothers had fought
honorably for this kingdom!
Others may not understand your pain.
But I do.
General Ye and the city's soldiers died
in the battle in Yunzhong City.
I was the only one who survived.
I shed blood for Great Wei,
but everyone called me a traitor!
A lapdog! A murderer!
Sometimes,
living is harder than dying.
Then why do you still risk your life
fighting for the kingdom?
General Ye risked his life to save me
just so that I can break into
the city I built one day
and avenge them.
This is the reason I live.
And you?
You shouldn't hide underground.
For your brothers and for yourself,
walk out of here.
Let others remember
your names, contributions,
and that tragic war.
Death is not scary.
What is scary is
when no one remembers you.
That is when you are truly dead.
My 300 brothers
have accompanied me while I ate
and while I slept.
LU PINGSHENG OF WEI
I, Lu Pingsheng,
have never forgotten that I am a soldier.
I am a soldier of Great Wei!
Today,
I will lend you a helping hand.
MEMORIAL TABLET OF
DEAR FRIEND CHAKAN
Chakan.
You and I
have fought many dangerous wars
in this desert.
We only wished to save our people
from the cold and hunger in the winter.
They shouldn't have
to risk their lives for something to eat.
We are about to succeed.
But you are buried in a foreign land.
I will take Hua Mulan's head
and turn it into a drinking cup.
I will fill it with liquor
as an offering to you.
I will avenge you.
General.
Lock the Princess up in the attic.
Guard her yourselves.
- Understood!
- Understood!
Move!
We have been waiting all morning.
Only 12 hours are left.
When will the information arrive?
"Attic"?
The Princess is locked up in the attic.
Lieutenant Wang died for this.
This could be a one-way trip for us.
How do we know if this intel is true?
You idiot, what do you mean by that?
It means we don't trust you.
How can you prove the intel is true?
Because this intel
was sent by my brother
at the risk of his life!
Are you saying the spy in the city
is your own brother?
Mian Ertu is a wary and crafty person.
All the spies I sent to Rouran
have died by his hand.
It took my brother three years
to become his closest aide.
If it weren't a promise to him,
I would've never used him.
Now that he has leaked
such top-secret information,
his identity will be exposed.
One of my men has died for this.
I don't want anyone else to die in vain.
Baisha, what is your brother's name?
If you trust us,
we will save him once we are
in the city.
Living in the Underworld Domain,
I am used to deceit and cruelty.
You are the first
to be empathetic and loyal.
However, this will be a dangerous trip.
You will be distracted
from your main mission
if you try to save my brother.
The two of us will go with you
and fetch him ourselves.
In that case,
we are all in the same boat.
From now on,
we'll let bygones be bygones
and work together.
This is our rescue plan.
Does anyone have objections?
- No.
- No.
Good.
There is still time before we set out.
Get as much rest as you can.
This operation is extremely dangerous.
I hope
everyone can return safely.
Ergou,
what do you want to do
after rescuing the Princess?
Me?
I just want to prove that
I, Li Ergou,
am the best archer in the desert!
Your foot!
Baozi, what about you?
I bet you just want
to eat pork and fennel buns.
You are correct!
My best friend knows me so well!
Leader,
since we are about to depart,
how about a treat for us?
I just want to eat something.
All right!
How about I make you
a verbal steamed meat bun?
The filling contains
equal parts of fat and lean meat.
- Equal parts of fat and lean.
- It is minced with lush green fennel.
Then I will add
gravy jellies made from pork rinds.
After stirring thoroughly,
the filling is ready.
I fill the dough wrapper,
shape it into a bun,
and put it in a steamer on medium heat
for half an hour.
Once you open the lid,
the buns are steaming hot
and look soft and fluffy.
Every tiny bun
is white and plump
just like little snowballs.
Take a bite.
The aroma and juice
instantly fill your mouth.
I would be in heaven
if I could eat meat buns every day!
What are you doing?
Move!
Why are you all drooling too?
She made this bun for me!
Nobody else can have it!
Lu Pingsheng, what about you?
Today, my brothers and I
will return to the battlefield.
I exist
if the tag exists.
Then what if the tag is gone?
Then it might be time
for me to leave the world as well.
If that day ever comes,
I ask General Hua
to take me and my brothers
back to our hometown.
You have my word.
I just wish that
this world will no longer need
the Underworld Domain.
What are you looking at?
She means that
the Underworld Domain was created
due to troubled times.
The better our underground business is,
the more the people are suffering.
I sure hope that one day,
we can bring our business aboveground.
We want to openly do our business
on the surface!
Right, Xiaobai?
What about you? Share your wish too.
Me?
After finishing the job,
I want to have a nice, long sleep.
I will marry an ordinary woman,
live a normal life,
and have a son and a daughter.
Isn't that nice?
What about you, pal?
What do I want to do?
I do not have any wishes.
It is time.
Let's go.
Hey, cripple.
Can these small cans
blow up the stone door?
Hey.
Don't fool around.
Time is almost up! Are you done yet?
Almost! All right, done!
It's ready!
At midnight,
there will be thunder.
The thunder can mask
the sound of the explosion.
That is the best time to infiltrate.
Let's go.
It really worked!
The Princess is imprisoned in
an attic deep within the city.
There will be soldiers on watch
in the sentry towers along the way.
After infiltrating, we split into four.
First,
Li Ergou will be our vanguard.
He will be in charge of eliminating
the soldiers in the sentry towers
so that we can remain undetected.
Next will be Lu Pingsheng.
After entering the city,
head to the west side
and burn down the Rouran's stable.
Create chaos
to divert the enemy's attention
and buy us some time.
Fire! Quick! Help put out the fire!
The stable is on fire!
- Put out the fire! Quick!
- Quick!
- Quick!
- Get some water!
The third group will be
Murong Di and Baozi.
Go straight to the attic's entrance
and assassinate the guards.
Make sure that the Princess
and I can retreat safely.
Lastly,
I will infiltrate from the rear
to rescue the Princess.
The Black and White Fiends
will rescue their brother.
At four past midnight,
night will turn into day.
The Underworld Domain will move
with the sand to the city's entrance.
Therefore, we only have four hours.
Everyone must return
to the city gate before time is up,
enter the Underworld Domain,
and complete the mission.
We can't find our brother anywhere.
Something must have happened!
- General Hua!
- On guard!
You are not the Princess!
- Mulan!
- General Hua.
She's an imposter!
This is a trap!
Hua Mulan.
Be on guard!
Hua Mulan,
I know you won't surrender so easily.
That is why
I set up this trap to welcome you.
I originally had nothing against you.
You were just following orders.
But you killed my friend Chakan!
We now have a blood feud!
I will take your head
as an offering to him!
Still, I have to thank you
for helping me find the spy
on my side!
- Baisha!
- Xiaojiu!
I am coming for you!
Baisha!
Mian Ertu!
Name your price!
Let him go!
I will give you
all the money I have saved!
I can even work for you!
Baisha! Heifeng!
I failed my mission.
You're in this predicament
because I fell for their trap!
Do not beg him! He won't let me live!
Get out of here! Don't worry about me!
Xiaojiu!
- Xiaojiu!
- Xiaojiu!
There has always been
only one ending for traitors.
And that is death!
Hua Mulan, don't you agree with me?
Mian Ertu, do not hurt him!
I am willing to exchange
my life for his.
Please do not hurt him!
- Xiaojiu!
- And my life as well!
One at a time.
Leave, Baisha!
Xiaojiu!
No!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
I'm going to kill you!
Retreat! Quick!
Xiaojiu is dead!
We will avenge him.
But we must regroup first.
Listen, Xiaobai.
Listen to me, Xiaobai.
Mian Ertu, your life is mine!
Since you miss him so much,
I shall grant your wish!
Kill them!
- Charge!
- Charge!
- Go!
- Quick! Go!
Damn it!
We have to leave in two hours,
but we don't even know
where the Princess is.
We lost so many people
only to get fake information.
You're bleeding.
Let me help you.
You are a woman?
My leader may be a woman,
but she's just as strong as a man.
I may be a woman,
but I am also a soldier.
Help me clean the wound.
You are a woman.
Why did you enlist in the army?
Conscription was inevitable
due to the never-ending wars.
Leader's father is an elderly man.
So she enlisted in his place.
General Hua is a heroine.
My brother died a wrongful death.
I will make Mian Ertu pay
even at the cost of my own life!
I will go with you!
For now, we have to find out
where the real princess is hidden.
Do you two have any other clues?
I understand now!
This is where the Princess
is actually hidden!
DUNGEON
DUNGEON
Wei soldiers have infiltrated the city.
General Mian Ertu ordered me
to check on the Princess.
Open the door.
By General's order,
nobody shall enter
without the secret code.
The wolf howls.
Be alert! Wei soldiers are here!
Protect the Princess!
We will deal with them! Let's go!
Open it!
Princess!
Is she all right?
Reporting!
We have eliminated
the Wei soldiers outside.
I apologize for frightening Your Highness.
You two, take care of the body.
I will kill you if the General finds out
about this incident.
- Understood!
- Understood!
Your Highness, please go back inside.
Let's go!
Quick!
We have checked.
There are no Rouran soldiers around.
Your Highness,
I apologize for frightening you.
Rise.
Your Highness, I am Hua Mulan.
I am here to rescue you.
Please change into this.
In a moment, our people will create chaos.
At that time, hide behind the door.
No one will notice you.
- Is she all right?
- Stand at the rear.
Lastly, someone will shoot your back.
Just feign death.
Our men will escort you out.
What about you?
I will pretend to be you
to buy you some time.
If all goes as planned,
Mian Ertu will come and check on you.
Perhaps that will be
my best chance to kill him.
Those Wei soldiers did not
get close to the Princess, did they?
We have guarded the door closely.
Wei soldiers did not get through.
Open the door.
Princess, are you hoping
that the Wei soldiers will rescue you?
Do you still refuse to talk to me?
I know.
Your father, Tuoba Tao,
looks down on the Rouran.
He openly ridicules us as weaklings.
The people of Wei
view us as tiny bugs.
But don't you forget.
Bugs are the most resilient creatures!
Humans
could never exterminate bugs!
But you people are bugs that "eat" people.
Rouran has looted
and invaded us year after year.
Great Wei is littered with corpses.
Many orphans and widows have shed tears.
Can you still call it an act of justice?
We live in the harsh tundra of the north.
We have no permanent abode
or a constant source of food.
Many herdsmen
simply do not survive the winter.
We fought desperately and gained
a tiny bit of supplies from you.
We lost more people
to war than starvation!
Who would want to go to war?
I also hope that the war will end one day.
I want to give my people
to have ample food
and clothing like the Wei!
Only by seizing Wei's lands
can my aspirations be realized.
Do you think a kingdom
can be obtained by stealing?
The Emperor has a high aim.
He wishes to unify
the north and the south.
Then why can't it be the Rouran
that accomplishes that?
We have different perspectives.
It's hard to tell who is right or wrong.
Princess, run!
Chase them!
Are you all right, Your Highness?
Yes.
Let's go.
- Quick! There they are!
- Hurry!
- Follow them!
- Don't move!
- Is everyone all right?
- Let's go!
Go!
It's almost time!
Retreat according to the original plan!
- Master Lu!
- Master Lu!
- Master Lu!
- Lu Pingsheng!
Are you all right?
Don't mind me. Go quickly.
I am severely wounded.
I don't want to hold you back.
Go now!
- We leave together!
- Yes!
- I will carry you. Come.
- Come on!
None of you are leaving!
I will fight all of you!
Come!
Come on!
General Mian Ertu!
I am Lu Pingsheng.
I surrender to you!
Lu Pingsheng!
Let go of me!
Lu Pingsheng.
I have already died once.
Lu Pingsheng!
Let go of me!
I do not want to die again.
Bastard!
Hua Mulan is right here.
You have her outnumbered.
She won't be able to escape.
I only beg you to spare me.
Please spare me!
Hua Mulan, do you see that?
He is a swine of the Great Wei!
Do you think you people
deserve to own this fertile land
and enjoy a life of abundance?
Hua Mulan!
Bring us home!
Then what if the tag is gone?
LU PINGSHENG OF WEI
Then it might be time
for me to leave the world as well.
- Master Lu!
- Lu Pingsheng!
Master Lu!
- Chase them!
- Go!
- Quick!
- Run!
- Get them!
- Chase them!
- Don't let them get away!
- Chase them! Quickly!
That Rouran soldier has been marking
our position with fire arrows.
We have to eliminate him to escape.
Leader, I will deal with him.
Ergou,
come back alive.
Relax.
I am the best archer in the desert.
I will not lose to a Rouran.
- Let's go!
- Let's go!
I am the best archer in the desert!
Go or it will be too late!
Let's get out quickly!
Go!
Come on!
Baozi, the soldiers are coming.
Come through!
- Leader, you leave first!
- Baozi!
When you return,
I will let you eat meat buns every day!
Go!
Come!
None shall pass through this gate today!
You fool.
You have been abandoned!
Hua Mulan is a fool as well
for letting an idiot like you
watch her back because you'll die!
There is so little rice!
How can it be enough?
My dad said that
if someone shares food
with me in the army,
that man should become my leader!
From now on, you are my leader!
Leader!
Leader!
I don't care if you insult me.
But I won't let you
insult my leader!
Baozi!
Mulan, let's go!
Go!
Quickly!
Stop!
- Stop there!
- Stop!
Chase them!
It is four o'clock sharp.
The entrance will open.
Get ready!
Hurry!
- Run!
- Run!
Let go of me!
Hua Mulan!
Don't you stand for righteousness?
Why are you being such a coward now?
Come and save them!
Save them!
Mian Ertu!
- I...
- Hua Mulan!
- Go!
- Protect the Princess and go!
You must survive to defend
thousands of Great Wei citizens!
She's right! Go!
- Hua Mulan, think of the big picture!
- Go!
Go!
Go!
They're coming! Go!
Go!
I only want Hua Mulan's life!
If you know better, then move aside!
Don't try to be a hero!
What needs to be done
must be done!
You killed my brother.
You will pay for taking his life!
You killed my friend.
I will definitely kill you today!
If you want my life,
then come and take it!
I gave you a choice.
But if you wish to die,
I will gladly allow it!
No!
No!
No!
No!
Run!
Run. Go.
Go!
The Underworld Domain is about to cave in.
We need to get out of here now!
Let's go!
Honey.
I...
I told you.
You haven't bullied me enough yet.
Even if we reach
the netherworld,
I still want you to bully me.
In this life,
you are only allowed to bully me.
And in the next life as well.
Baby, you have to protect me.
You haven't bullied me enough yet.
Even in the netherworld,
we will be a happy ghost couple.
Come on.
Your Highness.
Your Highness!
- Let's go!
- Go!
Hua Mulan!
Go with the Princess.
Leave Mian Ertu to me!
We leave together!
My life is worthless.
Bringing the Princess back will save
thousands of Great Wei people!
- No!
- Go now!
- Go!
- Let's go.
Your Highness.
Your Highness,
someone will pick you up halfway.
Go on ahead.
You and your men are loyal and brave.
I will be sure to let the Emperor know.
Why did you come back?
I said I will lift your death sentence,
so I must bring you back alive.
Hua Mulan,
you killed my friend
and ruined my plans!
I will never forgive you.
I will bring you to hell with me!
Hua Mulan!
Hua Mulan!
Murong Di!
Murong Di, stay with me.
Talk to me!
Mulan,
once you reclaim Yunzhong City,
lay me down to rest there.
I want to sleep comfortably
in the land of Great Wei, my homeland.
You built the city.
Reclaim it yourself!
Don't be lazy, leaving the task to me!
I had an entire team.
One by one, all of you have left,
leaving me all alone.
How do you expect me
to bear this pain?
How?
I wish I were the one who died instead.
The Hua Mulan I know
is no ordinary woman.
You can definitely bear it.
One day,
you will carry our stories
and be remembered by history.
Live on, Hua Mulan.
Murong Di.
Murong Di!
Murong Di!
After finishing the job,
I want to have a nice, long sleep.
I will marry an ordinary woman,
live a normal life,
and have a son and a daughter.
Isn't that nice?
I hope that one day
we can bring
the Underworld Domain aboveground
and openly do our business on the surface!
I just wish that
this world will no longer need
the Underworld Domain.
I would be in heaven
if I could eat meat buns every day!
I just want to prove that
I, Li Ergou,
am the best archer in the desert!
If that day ever comes,
I ask General Hua
to take me and my brothers
back to our hometown.
Reclaiming our territory
and saving the Princess
are what every one of us wishes for!
the Rouran led its cavalry
to storm Yunzhong City
at Northern Wei's border.
Northern Wei's new emperor
had just ascended the throne,
and the dynasty had yet to find stability.
They could only hope to contain the Rouran
by allying with the Northern Liang
through a diplomatic marriage.
PRINCESS PINGYANG'S MARRIAGE LETTER
There's something in the sand!
What is it?
- Quick!
- Protect the Princess!
- Protect the Princess!
- Retreat!
What is this?
Everybody, stop!
Turn around!
Protect the Princess!
What is that?
Chakan,
the north is plagued by snow.
If we successfully capture the Princess,
the Rouran will be in a position
to negotiate with the Great Wei.
Then my tribe's herdsmen
will have plenty
of provisions for the winter.
You and I shall share this glory.
I never ask for glory.
I only hope to help you
fulfill your ambition!
- Good!
- Brothers, attack!
Charge!
Save the Princess! Quickly!
WEI
Ergou, how long do you think
Leader can keep it a secret?
You know what she is capable of.
If she were to marry in the future,
she might be the one
who wears the pants in the relationship.
It's possible.
General, the bridal procession
is already 20 li out!
Wait.
General Hua is changing
and preparing to greet the Princess.
- That's right.
- You cannot...
General, I...
Leader?
Attention, everyone from Dagou Squad!
- Yes!
- Yes!
Quickly prepare the light cavalry
and fetch the Princess with me.
- Understood!
- Understood!
MULAN LEGEND
Princess!
Wei's reinforcements have arrived!
Kill them!
Charge!
Ergou, go!
Protect the Princess!
Chakan!
Princess, quick!
Northeast! Eyes!
Princess.
Wang Kaishan!
Don't mind me! Save the Princess!
The Princess was taken hostage
by the Rouran.
Any hope the Great Wei had
for an alliance with Northern Liang
has instantly evaporated.
Now, the Rouran will not hold back.
The citizens of Great Wei
will never know peace!
Hua Mulan, as the general in-charge,
you failed to protect your charge!
An unpardonable crime!
By law, you shall be beheaded!
A flogging of 50 lashes for everyone else!
- Leader!
- Leader!
I, Wang Kaishan,
am willing to die with General Hua!
Silence!
Enough with your nonsense!
Please forgive them, sir.
I failed to protect my charge.
I have nothing to say.
I accept my punishment.
I was a real bastard
back when I was roaming the desert.
I was lucky to be defeated by the general
who was kind enough to spare my life
and give me a chance to redeem myself.
I owe my life to the general!
I will follow the general to death!
Me too!
Ever since General Hua
shared food with me,
I have recognized her as my leader.
My leader is about to report
to the netherworld.
As one of her men,
I need to scout the way first.
I don't want to die.
But I don't fear death.
Just like our Dagou Squad's slogan,
"There is no turning back."
General Hua isn't the only one
who failed to protect our charge.
I, Li Ergou, will take responsibility too!
They don't deserve to die!
Show mercy, sir!
- Pardon their death!
- Outrageous!
Nobody escapes military discipline!
Are you all trying to rebel?
Show mercy, sir!
Pardon their death penalty!
All of you, stand up!
You...
- You!
- Reporting!
You all...
Rouran has delivered a negotiation letter.
Leave!
"Great Wei must cede ten cities.
Provide a contract
in exchange for the Princess.
Otherwise, collect the Princess's body
in two days.
For each day without a contract,
ten people shall be executed.
Mian Ertu."
Someone release them.
The Emperor will not agree
to the humiliation of ceding territory.
Hua Mulan.
Yes, sir!
It's time for you to redeem yourself.
You have two days
to rescue the Princess
without losing any territory.
If you fail,
all of you will be executed,
including your families!
Do you accept this order?
I do!
Now, Great Wei's cities
are being destroyed by the Rouran.
The Great Wei's Princess
is being held captive by the Rouran.
Great Wei's territory
will soon become the Rouran's pastures.
Since peace is no longer possible,
there's only one option left.
I will not hesitate
to risk my life
to save the Princess.
Good!
Organize the rescue quickly.
I will report to the Emperor immediately
and request military support.
Please grant me a special privilege.
I request sole authority
over mission planning
and member selection of the rescue team.
No one else is to interfere.
What did you say?
Excellent.
Impenetrable.
You built Yunzhong City.
Isn't it impenetrable?
How come the Rouran army
broke through so easily?
There must be a traitor!
General Ye and his soldiers
have all died in battle.
Only you survived.
You must be the traitor!
Nice kick!
That felt good!
My city is ruined again.
You underlings are so weak.
You'll have to try harder to kill me.
That was barely a tickle!
Damn reckless jerk. Beat him up!
Stop!
DECREE
- General Hua.
- General Hua.
Leave!
Murong Di.
Are you all right?
I'm great.
Can't you see?
I won't die.
You're always like this.
You choose to suffer alone no matter
how much your heart aches.
I'm running out of time.
- I came to...
- Say no more.
I know why you're here.
For General Hua
to condescend to visit the dungeon,
something must have happened.
If it's not about me,
then it must have something
to do with Yunzhong City.
You were supposed
to welcome the Princess today,
but you suddenly showed up here.
Something must have happened to her.
It can only be that
she was carried off
to Yunzhong City by the Rouran.
But I've been sentenced to death.
I cannot leave here alive.
You were holding a medallion
bestowed by the Emperor.
I'm guessing
you want to recruit me
to help you save her.
The reward is granting me a pardon
for my death penalty.
Am I right?
Since you know everything,
are you in?
Let's go.
My eyes!
Hold on, everyone.
I need a moment for my eyes to adjust.
Don't chase me!
Don't stop me if you take me as a friend!
That's why I have to stop you!
Do you think I don't know
what you're thinking?
You want to be a hero
and avenge General Ye on your own!
When did you become so naive?
When I got humiliated
and was sent to the dungeons.
I'm worthless as a man
if I don't avenge him!
You renegade!
Not only are you a traitor,
but you also want to be a deserter!
Traitors ought to die!
That's right! Don't let him get away!
Ergou, do you think
he can defeat our leader?
He's very cunning.
I don't trust him.
Baozi, I'm betting 50 taels
that he will definitely lose.
Sure.
Excellent! Great fight!
- Think about it!
- Good fight!
Why did General Ye save you alone?
Pay up.
Once you figure it out,
come with me to save the Princess!
Couldn't we just have talked?
Why did you have to hit me?
Mian Ertu will position many archers
in the towers
along the walls of Yunzhong City.
Those areas have a wide field of view
and are located upwind,
which can double the arrows' range.
If I'm right,
there's a water source in the city,
judging from all the cooking's smoke.
The city is on a back slope.
A great place for hiding soldiers.
The northeast side
of Yunzhong City will be unguarded.
It may seem weak,
but can actually be very dangerous.
Their strategy is to lure enemies there.
Additional fortifications
just inside the walls
will trap anyone who scales them.
Yunzhong City is a strategic fortress
at the junction of the three kingdoms.
It has been ravaged by war.
So when I was building this city,
I studied many ancient warfare records.
If not for the traitor,
Yunzhong City would've been impenetrable.
If you're right,
there's only one choice left.
That means Mian Ertu has to release
the Princess himself.
What was the point of saving you
if you have nothing to contribute?
Baozi, let him go.
It will only benefit us
to learn about Yunzhong City's defense.
You must know a way into the city
or General Ye would not
have risked his life to save you.
Feel free to speak.
When I was designing the city,
I created a secret passageway
to have the option to sneak up on
and ambush the attackers outside.
Based on the Rouran army's defense,
this is the only way
we can get into the city.
But...
Quickly, go!
- General Ye!
- Go!
General Ye!
General Ye!
General Ye!
General Ye!
Once the stone door is in place,
it cannot be opened.
We would have to blow it up.
From what I know,
there is an expert in explosives.
Unfortunately, he's dead.
Therefore,
our main task is to collect intel on
where we can find explosives
and where the Princess is imprisoned.
From what I know,
there is only one place in the desert
where we can do that.
The Underworld Domain.
- The Underworld Domain?
- The Underworld Domain?
During the Han Dynasty,
trades along the Silk Road
were booming like never before.
One of the trading towns
mysteriously disappeared overnight
and became the desert's unsolved mystery.
In reality,
the town sank due to a landslide
and was buried by a sandstorm.
It was later discovered
and turned into a black market.
It was named the Underworld Domain.
It moves with the quicksand,
and its location is
constantly changing.
Hence, it comes and goes
without leaving any trace.
One can only infer its location
by observing the sun and moon.
The sun has begun to set.
Darkness is falling in the east.
The air is cloaked
in mystery and suspense.
The Underworld Domain
should be here.
There's nothing here.
It's already half-past seven.
If...
Quiet.
The northeast trigram, Gen,
heralds the Flying Serpent.
All is determined by the stars.
What's happening?
Is this the legendary Underworld Domain?
Yes.
Let's go.
A married couple ruled
the Underworld Domain.
They were called
the Black and White Fiends.
They came to the desert
after being displaced by the war
and learned to profit off the conflict.
They took in all the war refugees
and controlled all illicit trades
on the border.
They have spies in every
kingdom's army.
Please give us some food.
They have access to all kinds of intel.
In the Underworld Domain,
there is only one rule.
You can get anything you want
as long as you can pay the price.
This is the Ghost Road,
a place for trading arms and intel.
Apart from the traders,
all the people who live here
are unpleasant.
I'll give a cheaper price
if you buy more.
Look.
They are bounty hunters.
They are unaffiliated
and operate independently.
As long as you can pay,
you can buy anything here,
including human lives.
Everyone here has
a hostile look in their eyes.
We shouldn't stay for long
or we might get into trouble.
Relax.
We're much safer here than aboveground.
Anyone who causes trouble
on Black and White Fiends' turf
will be sent to hell.
I stole this from the official's house,
but accidentally killed the official.
You know the price.
Pay up.
Hey, you killed an official
and caused me a lot of trouble.
Lower the price.
Bastard!
Do you not know the law around here?
Be careful or I will kill you!
Quan Feishe.
The guide of the Underworld Domain.
Hey.
Take me to the explosives section.
Follow me.
This is it. Take your time.
Are there any explosives
for sale here?
Unfortunately,
what you want is unavailable here.
Please leave.
Soldiers of Great Wei
haven't improved at all.
Well?
Do you want to take it
by force or deception?
No wonder you lost your city
and the war.
I...
Please forgive us if we have offended you.
Let me see your gun.
We are urgently in need of explosives.
I hope you can help.
Hua Mulan?
Seems like it.
Mian Ertu put up a bounty
of 10,000 taels for her head.
If we make a move here
and the Black and White Fiends find out,
I am afraid...
We're talking about 10,000 taels of gold.
It's worth the risk.
To tell you the truth,
I do have explosives here.
They are for sale,
but I just won't sell them
to the soldiers of Great Wei.
- You...
- Hua Mulan!
Although death may be the cost of greed,
your life is worth 10,000 taels of gold.
Kill her and we'll share the bounty.
Everyone will get a share!
You must be tired of living
to make a move
on the Black and White Fiends' turf.
Black and White Fiends?
Who do they think they are?
Attack!
Calm down!
You are scaring everyone
with your weapon.
Put it down.
I will have her head.
Not even God can save her.
I will kill anyone who gets in my way!
You're killing someone?
Xiaobai!
Baby, you have to protect me.
So that means
you want to anger me.
You are all dead meat!
Even I am not safe
when she flies into a rage.
You're on your own.
- I'm out of here.
- Don't get in our way.
Otherwise, I will kill you too!
Attack!
I haven't killed in a while.
I think I threw out my back.
Idiot! Come help me!
Come over here!
Great work, Xiaobai.
Great work, Xiaobai.
Your hair is messy.
Baby, look.
Even your face is dirty.
Don't move.
I am Hua Mulan.
Thank you for your help.
So you are Hua Mulan.
Hua Mulan?
Now it's time for our business.
Come with me.
The person who sells explosives
has a calloused hand.
He must have been a soldier before.
There must be a reason
for him to hate Wei soldiers so much.
Moreover,
he looks a lot like someone.
What are you laughing about?
Black and White Fiends,
we came here to buy explosives
and find intel on where
Princess Pingyang is imprisoned.
We will have to see
whether you can afford the price!
Hua Mulan,
you walked in here on your own!
There must be some misunderstanding.
I haven't met you two before.
You don't know us,
but we've been thinking about you.
We can talk this out
if there is a problem.
Five years ago,
a group of desert bandits
wiped out Baiyun Village
and killed my mother.
It took us five years to find them.
We skinned and gutted them
and turned them into human jerky.
However,
one slipped through our fingers.
He had left behind the outlaw life
and luckily escaped his reckoning.
We later learned
that this person named Guo Shanjiao
has been recruited into your squad.
What I want
is his life!
We don't have this person
in our troops.
You can check the register.
You're not afraid
because Guo Shanjiao has
gone back to using his real name.
No one knows what it is!
Information about the Princess
is Rouran's top secret.
Only I know it.
According to Underworld Domain's rule,
there is a price for every transaction.
I'm only asking for one name.
This is quite a bargain for you.
I admit
he is one of my people.
However, he only took part
in the looting.
He had nothing to do
with your mother's death.
He also has changed his ways
for a long time.
- I'm begging you...
- The name!
I want the name now!
I will be a disgrace to my family
if I don't take revenge.
An apology must be sincere.
I will repay my brother's debts for him!
- Leader!
- General!
Don't be hasty.
We can still negotiate.
We have nothing more to talk about.
You will get neither explosives
nor information.
Leave!
YUNZHONG CITY
I don't like killing,
but rules must be followed!
It is just about midnight.
One day has passed
with no contract from Great Wei!
Ten people will be executed!
Let's go!
Reporting!
Mian Ertu just killed ten civilians
at Yunzhong City.
The merciless bastard.
He really did it.
Midnight has passed.
We only have one day left.
I am the person you are looking for.
- Wang Kaishan!
- Wang Kaishan!
What are you saying?
General, we are running out of time.
Without any concrete information,
we cannot save the Princess!
I am but one person.
I am not worth the lives of Yunzhong
City's thousands of citizens.
My real name is Wang Kaishan.
When I was a desert bandit,
I was known as Guo Shanjiao!
Guo Shanjiao,
it sure took us a long time to find you!
None of you shall leave today!
You need to go through me first
to get to my brother!
Even if we are to die in battle,
we will not leave a brother behind!
I do not know any Guo Shanjiao.
I only know that he is a good man
who is saving the Princess with us!
I will never abandon a brother!
General!
Saving the Princess
and reclaiming our territory
are what every one of us wishes for!
We cannot die here!
Wang Kaishan! Stand up!
- Wang Kaishan!
- Wang Kaishan!
General.
I have said this before.
An eye for an eye,
a tooth for a tooth.
You gave me this life.
Now it is time for me to repay my debts.
General.
I have been fighting my whole life.
But I have never betrayed anyone.
You are the only one I respect, General.
End my life quickly.
General!
Wang Kaishan,
you are a true man.
I will serve
as your soldier in the next life!
Wang Kaishan!
Wang Kaishan!
I have given you
what you want.
It is your turn!
You once told me
that this name tag
is the cleanest thing on you.
If you were to die in battle,
you want me
to give it to your parents.
Although you were not filial
to your parents,
you have been loyal to your kingdom.
WANG KAISHAN OF WEI
Do you know what this is?
I only know that
one military name tag can be
exchanged for five buckets of rice.
Those are highly sought-after
in Rouran and Northern Liang!
Give it to me!
You don't understand what this is!
After a war,
corpses litter the battlefield!
It is gruesome!
We can only identify the bodies
from these name tags!
Their bodies can't be returned
to their homeland
and can only be buried
or burned on the spot.
Only these name tags
can be brought back home,
so their families
can build tombs for them.
These heroic men
who used their lives
to protect their kingdom
are buried in a foreign land.
These small tags are all that are left!
Even if I were to die today,
I will protect it
and bring it back to his home
for his family to remember him by!
Come on! Come and take it!
Come!
Hua Mulan, are you all right?
General Hua is loyal and empathetic.
You're not like other Wei generals.
Perhaps I can help you
with the explosives.
I wonder
if you have ever heard of this person?
The master of explosives, Lu Pingsheng.
WANHUAYAN
Many years ago,
our armies were surrounded by the Rouran.
Reinforcements never arrived.
I led 300 of my soldiers
and desperately fought back
for five days and nights.
In the end, they all fell
one by one.
Everyone died.
Afterward, I learned
that there were never any reinforcements.
The general used us as pawns
to buy him more time to retreat.
I can understand why.
But I still hate them.
Those were the lives of my 300 brothers!
From then on,
I have thought of myself
as someone who had died in a war.
Since I got here,
I have lived like an undead.
I thought about killing myself.
But how can I do that?
If I were to die,
no one will ever remember
the names of my 300 brothers!
And no one will know
that these 300 brothers had fought
honorably for this kingdom!
Others may not understand your pain.
But I do.
General Ye and the city's soldiers died
in the battle in Yunzhong City.
I was the only one who survived.
I shed blood for Great Wei,
but everyone called me a traitor!
A lapdog! A murderer!
Sometimes,
living is harder than dying.
Then why do you still risk your life
fighting for the kingdom?
General Ye risked his life to save me
just so that I can break into
the city I built one day
and avenge them.
This is the reason I live.
And you?
You shouldn't hide underground.
For your brothers and for yourself,
walk out of here.
Let others remember
your names, contributions,
and that tragic war.
Death is not scary.
What is scary is
when no one remembers you.
That is when you are truly dead.
My 300 brothers
have accompanied me while I ate
and while I slept.
LU PINGSHENG OF WEI
I, Lu Pingsheng,
have never forgotten that I am a soldier.
I am a soldier of Great Wei!
Today,
I will lend you a helping hand.
MEMORIAL TABLET OF
DEAR FRIEND CHAKAN
Chakan.
You and I
have fought many dangerous wars
in this desert.
We only wished to save our people
from the cold and hunger in the winter.
They shouldn't have
to risk their lives for something to eat.
We are about to succeed.
But you are buried in a foreign land.
I will take Hua Mulan's head
and turn it into a drinking cup.
I will fill it with liquor
as an offering to you.
I will avenge you.
General.
Lock the Princess up in the attic.
Guard her yourselves.
- Understood!
- Understood!
Move!
We have been waiting all morning.
Only 12 hours are left.
When will the information arrive?
"Attic"?
The Princess is locked up in the attic.
Lieutenant Wang died for this.
This could be a one-way trip for us.
How do we know if this intel is true?
You idiot, what do you mean by that?
It means we don't trust you.
How can you prove the intel is true?
Because this intel
was sent by my brother
at the risk of his life!
Are you saying the spy in the city
is your own brother?
Mian Ertu is a wary and crafty person.
All the spies I sent to Rouran
have died by his hand.
It took my brother three years
to become his closest aide.
If it weren't a promise to him,
I would've never used him.
Now that he has leaked
such top-secret information,
his identity will be exposed.
One of my men has died for this.
I don't want anyone else to die in vain.
Baisha, what is your brother's name?
If you trust us,
we will save him once we are
in the city.
Living in the Underworld Domain,
I am used to deceit and cruelty.
You are the first
to be empathetic and loyal.
However, this will be a dangerous trip.
You will be distracted
from your main mission
if you try to save my brother.
The two of us will go with you
and fetch him ourselves.
In that case,
we are all in the same boat.
From now on,
we'll let bygones be bygones
and work together.
This is our rescue plan.
Does anyone have objections?
- No.
- No.
Good.
There is still time before we set out.
Get as much rest as you can.
This operation is extremely dangerous.
I hope
everyone can return safely.
Ergou,
what do you want to do
after rescuing the Princess?
Me?
I just want to prove that
I, Li Ergou,
am the best archer in the desert!
Your foot!
Baozi, what about you?
I bet you just want
to eat pork and fennel buns.
You are correct!
My best friend knows me so well!
Leader,
since we are about to depart,
how about a treat for us?
I just want to eat something.
All right!
How about I make you
a verbal steamed meat bun?
The filling contains
equal parts of fat and lean meat.
- Equal parts of fat and lean.
- It is minced with lush green fennel.
Then I will add
gravy jellies made from pork rinds.
After stirring thoroughly,
the filling is ready.
I fill the dough wrapper,
shape it into a bun,
and put it in a steamer on medium heat
for half an hour.
Once you open the lid,
the buns are steaming hot
and look soft and fluffy.
Every tiny bun
is white and plump
just like little snowballs.
Take a bite.
The aroma and juice
instantly fill your mouth.
I would be in heaven
if I could eat meat buns every day!
What are you doing?
Move!
Why are you all drooling too?
She made this bun for me!
Nobody else can have it!
Lu Pingsheng, what about you?
Today, my brothers and I
will return to the battlefield.
I exist
if the tag exists.
Then what if the tag is gone?
Then it might be time
for me to leave the world as well.
If that day ever comes,
I ask General Hua
to take me and my brothers
back to our hometown.
You have my word.
I just wish that
this world will no longer need
the Underworld Domain.
What are you looking at?
She means that
the Underworld Domain was created
due to troubled times.
The better our underground business is,
the more the people are suffering.
I sure hope that one day,
we can bring our business aboveground.
We want to openly do our business
on the surface!
Right, Xiaobai?
What about you? Share your wish too.
Me?
After finishing the job,
I want to have a nice, long sleep.
I will marry an ordinary woman,
live a normal life,
and have a son and a daughter.
Isn't that nice?
What about you, pal?
What do I want to do?
I do not have any wishes.
It is time.
Let's go.
Hey, cripple.
Can these small cans
blow up the stone door?
Hey.
Don't fool around.
Time is almost up! Are you done yet?
Almost! All right, done!
It's ready!
At midnight,
there will be thunder.
The thunder can mask
the sound of the explosion.
That is the best time to infiltrate.
Let's go.
It really worked!
The Princess is imprisoned in
an attic deep within the city.
There will be soldiers on watch
in the sentry towers along the way.
After infiltrating, we split into four.
First,
Li Ergou will be our vanguard.
He will be in charge of eliminating
the soldiers in the sentry towers
so that we can remain undetected.
Next will be Lu Pingsheng.
After entering the city,
head to the west side
and burn down the Rouran's stable.
Create chaos
to divert the enemy's attention
and buy us some time.
Fire! Quick! Help put out the fire!
The stable is on fire!
- Put out the fire! Quick!
- Quick!
- Quick!
- Get some water!
The third group will be
Murong Di and Baozi.
Go straight to the attic's entrance
and assassinate the guards.
Make sure that the Princess
and I can retreat safely.
Lastly,
I will infiltrate from the rear
to rescue the Princess.
The Black and White Fiends
will rescue their brother.
At four past midnight,
night will turn into day.
The Underworld Domain will move
with the sand to the city's entrance.
Therefore, we only have four hours.
Everyone must return
to the city gate before time is up,
enter the Underworld Domain,
and complete the mission.
We can't find our brother anywhere.
Something must have happened!
- General Hua!
- On guard!
You are not the Princess!
- Mulan!
- General Hua.
She's an imposter!
This is a trap!
Hua Mulan.
Be on guard!
Hua Mulan,
I know you won't surrender so easily.
That is why
I set up this trap to welcome you.
I originally had nothing against you.
You were just following orders.
But you killed my friend Chakan!
We now have a blood feud!
I will take your head
as an offering to him!
Still, I have to thank you
for helping me find the spy
on my side!
- Baisha!
- Xiaojiu!
I am coming for you!
Baisha!
Mian Ertu!
Name your price!
Let him go!
I will give you
all the money I have saved!
I can even work for you!
Baisha! Heifeng!
I failed my mission.
You're in this predicament
because I fell for their trap!
Do not beg him! He won't let me live!
Get out of here! Don't worry about me!
Xiaojiu!
- Xiaojiu!
- Xiaojiu!
There has always been
only one ending for traitors.
And that is death!
Hua Mulan, don't you agree with me?
Mian Ertu, do not hurt him!
I am willing to exchange
my life for his.
Please do not hurt him!
- Xiaojiu!
- And my life as well!
One at a time.
Leave, Baisha!
Xiaojiu!
No!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
Xiaojiu!
I'm going to kill you!
Retreat! Quick!
Xiaojiu is dead!
We will avenge him.
But we must regroup first.
Listen, Xiaobai.
Listen to me, Xiaobai.
Mian Ertu, your life is mine!
Since you miss him so much,
I shall grant your wish!
Kill them!
- Charge!
- Charge!
- Go!
- Quick! Go!
Damn it!
We have to leave in two hours,
but we don't even know
where the Princess is.
We lost so many people
only to get fake information.
You're bleeding.
Let me help you.
You are a woman?
My leader may be a woman,
but she's just as strong as a man.
I may be a woman,
but I am also a soldier.
Help me clean the wound.
You are a woman.
Why did you enlist in the army?
Conscription was inevitable
due to the never-ending wars.
Leader's father is an elderly man.
So she enlisted in his place.
General Hua is a heroine.
My brother died a wrongful death.
I will make Mian Ertu pay
even at the cost of my own life!
I will go with you!
For now, we have to find out
where the real princess is hidden.
Do you two have any other clues?
I understand now!
This is where the Princess
is actually hidden!
DUNGEON
DUNGEON
Wei soldiers have infiltrated the city.
General Mian Ertu ordered me
to check on the Princess.
Open the door.
By General's order,
nobody shall enter
without the secret code.
The wolf howls.
Be alert! Wei soldiers are here!
Protect the Princess!
We will deal with them! Let's go!
Open it!
Princess!
Is she all right?
Reporting!
We have eliminated
the Wei soldiers outside.
I apologize for frightening Your Highness.
You two, take care of the body.
I will kill you if the General finds out
about this incident.
- Understood!
- Understood!
Your Highness, please go back inside.
Let's go!
Quick!
We have checked.
There are no Rouran soldiers around.
Your Highness,
I apologize for frightening you.
Rise.
Your Highness, I am Hua Mulan.
I am here to rescue you.
Please change into this.
In a moment, our people will create chaos.
At that time, hide behind the door.
No one will notice you.
- Is she all right?
- Stand at the rear.
Lastly, someone will shoot your back.
Just feign death.
Our men will escort you out.
What about you?
I will pretend to be you
to buy you some time.
If all goes as planned,
Mian Ertu will come and check on you.
Perhaps that will be
my best chance to kill him.
Those Wei soldiers did not
get close to the Princess, did they?
We have guarded the door closely.
Wei soldiers did not get through.
Open the door.
Princess, are you hoping
that the Wei soldiers will rescue you?
Do you still refuse to talk to me?
I know.
Your father, Tuoba Tao,
looks down on the Rouran.
He openly ridicules us as weaklings.
The people of Wei
view us as tiny bugs.
But don't you forget.
Bugs are the most resilient creatures!
Humans
could never exterminate bugs!
But you people are bugs that "eat" people.
Rouran has looted
and invaded us year after year.
Great Wei is littered with corpses.
Many orphans and widows have shed tears.
Can you still call it an act of justice?
We live in the harsh tundra of the north.
We have no permanent abode
or a constant source of food.
Many herdsmen
simply do not survive the winter.
We fought desperately and gained
a tiny bit of supplies from you.
We lost more people
to war than starvation!
Who would want to go to war?
I also hope that the war will end one day.
I want to give my people
to have ample food
and clothing like the Wei!
Only by seizing Wei's lands
can my aspirations be realized.
Do you think a kingdom
can be obtained by stealing?
The Emperor has a high aim.
He wishes to unify
the north and the south.
Then why can't it be the Rouran
that accomplishes that?
We have different perspectives.
It's hard to tell who is right or wrong.
Princess, run!
Chase them!
Are you all right, Your Highness?
Yes.
Let's go.
- Quick! There they are!
- Hurry!
- Follow them!
- Don't move!
- Is everyone all right?
- Let's go!
Go!
It's almost time!
Retreat according to the original plan!
- Master Lu!
- Master Lu!
- Master Lu!
- Lu Pingsheng!
Are you all right?
Don't mind me. Go quickly.
I am severely wounded.
I don't want to hold you back.
Go now!
- We leave together!
- Yes!
- I will carry you. Come.
- Come on!
None of you are leaving!
I will fight all of you!
Come!
Come on!
General Mian Ertu!
I am Lu Pingsheng.
I surrender to you!
Lu Pingsheng!
Let go of me!
Lu Pingsheng.
I have already died once.
Lu Pingsheng!
Let go of me!
I do not want to die again.
Bastard!
Hua Mulan is right here.
You have her outnumbered.
She won't be able to escape.
I only beg you to spare me.
Please spare me!
Hua Mulan, do you see that?
He is a swine of the Great Wei!
Do you think you people
deserve to own this fertile land
and enjoy a life of abundance?
Hua Mulan!
Bring us home!
Then what if the tag is gone?
LU PINGSHENG OF WEI
Then it might be time
for me to leave the world as well.
- Master Lu!
- Lu Pingsheng!
Master Lu!
- Chase them!
- Go!
- Quick!
- Run!
- Get them!
- Chase them!
- Don't let them get away!
- Chase them! Quickly!
That Rouran soldier has been marking
our position with fire arrows.
We have to eliminate him to escape.
Leader, I will deal with him.
Ergou,
come back alive.
Relax.
I am the best archer in the desert.
I will not lose to a Rouran.
- Let's go!
- Let's go!
I am the best archer in the desert!
Go or it will be too late!
Let's get out quickly!
Go!
Come on!
Baozi, the soldiers are coming.
Come through!
- Leader, you leave first!
- Baozi!
When you return,
I will let you eat meat buns every day!
Go!
Come!
None shall pass through this gate today!
You fool.
You have been abandoned!
Hua Mulan is a fool as well
for letting an idiot like you
watch her back because you'll die!
There is so little rice!
How can it be enough?
My dad said that
if someone shares food
with me in the army,
that man should become my leader!
From now on, you are my leader!
Leader!
Leader!
I don't care if you insult me.
But I won't let you
insult my leader!
Baozi!
Mulan, let's go!
Go!
Quickly!
Stop!
- Stop there!
- Stop!
Chase them!
It is four o'clock sharp.
The entrance will open.
Get ready!
Hurry!
- Run!
- Run!
Let go of me!
Hua Mulan!
Don't you stand for righteousness?
Why are you being such a coward now?
Come and save them!
Save them!
Mian Ertu!
- I...
- Hua Mulan!
- Go!
- Protect the Princess and go!
You must survive to defend
thousands of Great Wei citizens!
She's right! Go!
- Hua Mulan, think of the big picture!
- Go!
Go!
Go!
They're coming! Go!
Go!
I only want Hua Mulan's life!
If you know better, then move aside!
Don't try to be a hero!
What needs to be done
must be done!
You killed my brother.
You will pay for taking his life!
You killed my friend.
I will definitely kill you today!
If you want my life,
then come and take it!
I gave you a choice.
But if you wish to die,
I will gladly allow it!
No!
No!
No!
No!
Run!
Run. Go.
Go!
The Underworld Domain is about to cave in.
We need to get out of here now!
Let's go!
Honey.
I...
I told you.
You haven't bullied me enough yet.
Even if we reach
the netherworld,
I still want you to bully me.
In this life,
you are only allowed to bully me.
And in the next life as well.
Baby, you have to protect me.
You haven't bullied me enough yet.
Even in the netherworld,
we will be a happy ghost couple.
Come on.
Your Highness.
Your Highness!
- Let's go!
- Go!
Hua Mulan!
Go with the Princess.
Leave Mian Ertu to me!
We leave together!
My life is worthless.
Bringing the Princess back will save
thousands of Great Wei people!
- No!
- Go now!
- Go!
- Let's go.
Your Highness.
Your Highness,
someone will pick you up halfway.
Go on ahead.
You and your men are loyal and brave.
I will be sure to let the Emperor know.
Why did you come back?
I said I will lift your death sentence,
so I must bring you back alive.
Hua Mulan,
you killed my friend
and ruined my plans!
I will never forgive you.
I will bring you to hell with me!
Hua Mulan!
Hua Mulan!
Murong Di!
Murong Di, stay with me.
Talk to me!
Mulan,
once you reclaim Yunzhong City,
lay me down to rest there.
I want to sleep comfortably
in the land of Great Wei, my homeland.
You built the city.
Reclaim it yourself!
Don't be lazy, leaving the task to me!
I had an entire team.
One by one, all of you have left,
leaving me all alone.
How do you expect me
to bear this pain?
How?
I wish I were the one who died instead.
The Hua Mulan I know
is no ordinary woman.
You can definitely bear it.
One day,
you will carry our stories
and be remembered by history.
Live on, Hua Mulan.
Murong Di.
Murong Di!
Murong Di!
After finishing the job,
I want to have a nice, long sleep.
I will marry an ordinary woman,
live a normal life,
and have a son and a daughter.
Isn't that nice?
I hope that one day
we can bring
the Underworld Domain aboveground
and openly do our business on the surface!
I just wish that
this world will no longer need
the Underworld Domain.
I would be in heaven
if I could eat meat buns every day!
I just want to prove that
I, Li Ergou,
am the best archer in the desert!
If that day ever comes,
I ask General Hua
to take me and my brothers
back to our hometown.
Reclaiming our territory
and saving the Princess
are what every one of us wishes for!