Qin Dynasty Epic (2020): Season 1, Episode 53 - Episode #1.53 - full transcript
=Qin Dynasty Epic=
=Episode 53=
When a man feasts on the beef shank,
he eats the meat first.
(General of Qin, Wang Jian)
Then he breaks the bone.
Finally, he drinks the marrow.
(Qin's Minister of Justice, Li Si)
(Qin's Minister of Justice, Li Si)
Han, Zhao and Wei
are the beef shank's meat,
bone and marrow.
(King of Qin, Zheng)
It is fine to obtain the marrow first.
But you cannot find the marrow
before cutting the meat
and breaking the bone.
Besides, Zhao is a flat land
surrounded by enemies.
The Zhao people are no less fierce
than the Qin people.
Zhao defeated the Xiongnu in the north,
invaded Yan in the east,
deterred Han and Wei in the south,
and battled Qin in the west.
Although Zhao suffered heavy losses
in the Battle of Changping,
it repeatedly stopped
the Qin army from entering Handan.
Now Qin intends to war against Zhao
to destroy Zhao,
possibly with the help of Yan.
But even if the other four states
do not help Zhao,
Qin will lose most of its strength
in destroying Zhao.
Qin will need time
to replenish its strength
before it could go on to destroy
the other states of Shandong.
Your Majesty.
I think
the great Qin should destroy Han first.
(Lord Changping of Qin, Mi Qi)
Get rid of the biggest trouble
and seize the important Central Plains.
It will be conducive
to destroying the other five states.
I think
the Minister of Justice's advice
is good for the state.
(Prime Minister of Qin, Kui Zhuang)
Your Majesty,
(General of Qin, Wang Ben)
I disagree with the Minister of Justice.
Shut up.
Help me out.
Roll it slowly. Roll it slowly.
Make the fire bigger.
The army needs a quick victory,
not a long battle, General.
If the Qin army tires
from a drawn-out battle
and loses its fighting spirit,
the other states
will seize the opportunity to act.
By then,
no matter how good our plan is
or how brilliant our tactics are,
we will not be able to turn the tables.
If the great Qin attacks Zhao,
it will be a long battle for certain.
His Majesty is resolved to
destroy the states and rule the world,
not to conquer cities
and seize territories.
What His Majesty meant today
was the great Qin
must focus on its great cause
instead of the seizure
or loss of a few cities.
If the enemy is greedy,
tempt it with benefits.
If the enemy is chaotic, attack it.
If the enemy is strong,
guard against it.
If the enemy is powerful,
keep away from it.
I agree with the Minister of Justice.
We should test our strength on Han first
(Lord Weiyang of Qin, Ying Xi)
on our way to the east.
If His Majesty ordered me
to seize some commanderies
for the great Qin,
I would agree
with Lord Weiyang
and the Minister of Justice.
(Top General of Qin, Huan Yi)
Now the great Qin
(General of Qin, Meng Wu)
aims to level the six states.
We should defeat
the stronger state first.
Destroy Zhao
and the six states will lose their arms.
Destroy Han
and the six states
will lose their fingers.
Which state is more important?
-It is clear as day. -General.
If the great Qin and Zhao
engage in a drawn-out battle,
the six states will have a chance
to unite against Qin.
Lord Weiyang.
If we want to destroy Zhao,
the Qin officers and soldiers
must fight the Zhao army hard,
and His Majesty
must make plans with you
in the court.
Top General is right.
Zhao is weak
not because its officers are brainless
or its soldiers are cowardice,
but because
the King of Zhao
is senseless and conceited
(General of Qin, Li Xin)
and the officials find no common ground.
Yes.
We just need to create conditions
for the King of Zhao
to become more overbearing,
sow discord
between the officials of Zhao,
bribe the King of Zhao's
trusted subordinates,
disintegrate the army of Zhao,
and win over the people of Zhao.
Zhao may be powerful,
but we still can destroy it first.
According to you,
it would take a lot of
arrangements and time
to destroy Zhao.
Destroying Han would be faster.
We could awe the world this way.
Minister of Justice,
I cannot justify
a war against Han.
But I have every reason
to attack Zhao.
When His Majesty was little
and lived in Handan
with the Queen Dowager,
the Zhao people bullied them.
It is our reason to attack Zhao.
The six states will have nothing to say.
General.
I said
you could speak frankly today.
Those who plan before a battle
usually win the battle.
Those who do not plan before a battle
usually lose the battle.
I already know
your distinct opinions.
But it is late now.
We shall talk some other day.
Yes.
(Xianyang, Capital of Qin)
Father.
Father.
Sir.
Lord Changping and Lord Weiyang
came to visit you.
Did you notice something
during yesterday's discussion
at Lantian Battalion?
Enlighten me, Lord Changping.
There was an argument about
if we should attack Han or Zhao.
Lord Weiyang and I
are not worried about the disagreement.
We are worried about
His Majesty's choice.
If His Majesty
rashly decides to attack Zhao
out of hatred of the Zhao people,
trouble might occur
for the great Qin.
To attack Han or to attack Zhao.
It is a tough choice
for His Majesty.
We should put His Majesty's worries
to rest first.
Have you gotten any good ideas?
Before Duke of Wenxin
set off for his fief, he told me
the Queen Dowager should be taken back
for His Majesty's sake
and for the great Qin
to unify the states.
If His Majesty and the Queen Dowager
never see each other again,
he will come off as unfilial
and give the six states
an excuse to fight Qin.
I think
the great Qin's top priority
is to meet national
and personal interests
by taking the Queen Dowager back.
From what I know about His Majesty,
he won't take our advice
if we go to him rashly.
Instead, we will reach a deadlock.
Let us sound him out.
When the time is right,
we will find a suitable person
to advise him.
(Longtai Palace, Handan, Zhao)
(King Daoxiang of Zhao, Zhao Yan)
I cannot believe
I let Ying Zheng deceive me.
I got no foreigner.
Dun Ruo the wimp
even fled to Xianyang.
Damn you, Ying Zheng.
You contained my army
and used the opportunity
to seize three Wei regions.
Ying Zheng.
(Queen of Zhao)
What is wrong?
Who enraged you?
Ying Zheng of Qin.
I must dispatch troops to attack Qin.
It is the King of Qin again.
He can make you
so furious?
You do not understand.
Ying Zheng is a man of means.
He holds the Mi family,
the imperial family and the foreigners
in Qin in check.
I...
I will never
defeat Ying Zheng.
All men
do is fighting and killing.
In my opinion,
we should not fight when we can talk.
It is a woman's opinion.
Do not look down on women.
Anything men can do,
women can do too.
I have a plan
that can make the King of Qin
come to Handan
and kneel to beg for your mercy
without dispatching any troops.
Since you do not believe me,
I will not tell you my plan.
Wait.
Dear.
Speak up.
You want to know?
Yes.
Then promise me one thing.
You must never visit the brothel again.
Alright.
I promise
to never step
into a brothel again in my life
if your plan can subdue Ying Zheng.
Now tell me.
What is your plan?
I heard
the King of Qin
imprisoned the Queen Dowager of Qin
in Yongcheng.
It is true.
The Queen Dowager of Qin
is a native of Zhao.
You may send people
to take her to Handan.
Then the King of Qin
will fear you.
I am impressed.
You are much wiser
than Guo Kai.
Your Majesty, you are always busy with work,
yet you managed to spend time
with Fusu today.
Look how happy he is.
I remember
that he could only crawl on the bed
last year when we attacked Wei.
(Madam Mi Hua of Qin)
He is crying. He is crying.
Look how cheerful he is.
He even cries loudly.
When he is one year older,
he will start to receive an education.
Won't it be rushing him?
He is my eldest son.
(Son of Qin's King Zheng, Fusu)
He will grow up
into the ruler of the world
and the protector of the people.
He must not slack off.
I also started to receive
an education at age three.
I remember Mr. Shen Yue
teaching me how to read
and how to fight with a sword.
Your Majesty.
The envoy from Chu
has offered a variety of Chu brocade
of luxurious colors.
I wish to make some outfits for you.
What colors do you like?
Li Qiu always handles the affairs
related to my clothing.
Talk to her.
Yes.
Are we done?
The officials are waiting for me
to discuss affairs.
Hua,
(Madam Li Qiu of Qin)
the black one is lavish
and the red one is refreshing.
Which one is better?
The black one.
It suits His Majesty better.
I think the red one is also nice.
The Queen Dowager
used to take charge of
the spring clothing manufacture.
She picked the color red
for His Majesty.
The Queen Dowager loved the color red
and His Majesty was filial.
So he did as she wished.
But the color black
actually suits His Majesty better.
He should...
Are you done or not?
I already said
no one must mention the Queen Dowager
in front of me.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Zhao Gao,
tell my two wives
to send some of the Chu brocade
to Yongcheng.
(Zhao Gao)
Yes.
His Majesty is here.
I pay my respects to you, Your Majesty.
Spare the formality.
I summoned you here
to talk about destroying
states of Han, Zhao and Wei,
to decide if we should
destroy Han or Zhao first.
I want to hear
your detailed plans.
Your Majesty,
I would like to
present my plan against Han.
Speak up.
If we want to destroy Han,
we must stop the other five states
from aiding Han.
The states able to aid Han
include
Qi,
Chu
and Zhao.
The Qi people seek benefits.
The great Qin
can increase trade with Qi
and give money and goods
to the Qi people.
Then the great Qin can attack Han
and Qi will not dispatch troops
to protect its own interests.
In Chu's case, the ruler is
young and the people have qualms.
The King of Chu and his officials
suspect one another.
The aristocratic families
have constant conflicts of interests.
We may attack Han,
and even if Chu dispatches troops,
we will not fear them.
We can use certain means to
turn the Chu people against one another
and make sure
they are too busy to aid Han.
Only Zhao
will feel threatened
by our action against Han
and dispatch troops to help Han.
But
if Zhao helps Han,
our army will have to fight two sides.
We might return without success.
The Qin army
will fight two sides
if we attack Han.
But it is the same for Zhao.
His Majesty just needs to write a letter
to Ji City.
Then the Yan people
will attack and seize Handan
as the Zhao army aids Han.
For the Zhao people,
the trouble in Xinzheng
is not as important
as the peril that Handan is in.
Follow this plan
and we will destroy Han.
Your Majesty.
I...
I would like to
present my plan against Zhao.
Speak up.
The outcome of the war against Zhao
does not depend
on the clashes between the two armies.
It depends
on the difference
in the two states' strength.
My plan
boils down to one word:
stall.
Your Majesty.
The great Qin has large tracts
of fertile land in Guanzhong
and the richly endowed Sichuan.
Our army has abundant provisions.
Meanwhile, Zhao's land
is barren
and Zhao's imperial family
and aristocratic families
are exploitative.
Zhao's army will run out of provisions.
If our army is to fight the Zhao army,
the battle should not take place
in the open field.
We should confront the Zhao army
and wait for the opportunity to act
and eliminate Zhao's troops.
If we are to attack and destroy Handan,
I think
we should take three routes to attack.
For the northern route,
we pass by Taiyuan Commandery
and put pressure on Yunzhong,
so that Li Mu's border troops
will not retreat.
For the middle route,
we set off from Shangdang
(Handan)
and pass by Taihang to attack Handan.
For the southern route,
(Dong Commandery)
we attack Southern Zhao
from Dong Commandery.
(Handan)
This way,
we block Zhao's
paths to Han,
Wei and Chu.
By taking these three routes,
we will seize Handan
and destroy Zhao.
-Brilliant.
-Brilliant. Brilliant.
Your plan is really detailed.
But if Li Mu
leaves Yunzhong for Handan,
the war against Zhao
might fall into a stalemate.
While Qin and Zhao fight fiercely,
the other states might
launch a surprise attack on Hangu
and put Xianyang in peril.
Military affairs
revolve around the art of deception.
The situation on the battlefield
changes rapidly.
I can only lay out
a roughly made strategic plan.
If we are
to discuss the offensive
and defensive tactics,
I will have to make another plan
according to the situation
on the battlefield.
Li Si, Wang Jian,
elaborate on
your plans about military provisions
for a war against Han or Zhao.
Your Majesty.
If we are resolved
to destroy Zhao,
I think
we must
have four hundred thousand troops
and enough provisions
to sustain the troops for three years.
Moreover,
we should set up granaries in
Dong Commandery and Taiyuan Commandery.
(Longtai Palace, Handan, Zhao)
Your Majesty.
I sent these two people to Qin
half a year ago
and spent a lot of money.
But...
(Prime Minister of Zhao, Guo Kai)
You two,
tell His Majesty the truth.
Your Majesty,
we hovered in Yongcheng for a long time.
But the Qin palace was heavily guarded.
We could not find a chance to act.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Queen Dowager of Qin was imprisoned
in the depth of the palace.
We could not meet her
and the Qin people
almost blew our cover.
Useless men.
Get out.
Get out.
Get out.
Your Majesty.
Take it easy, Your Majesty.
I will send other people to Qin.
No.
I want you
to go there.
Find a way
to sneak Zhao Ji
to Handan for me.
I...
Your Majesty.
I am the Prime Minister of Zhao.
I help you handle government affairs
every day and night.
Now you want me to go there
for this trifling matter...
Is it a trifling matter?
I would go there if I could.
Is it a trifling matter?
Is it?
Do you know
Zhao Yi has been accusing you
of fiddling with the bounty
on the foreigner from Qin.
Your Majesty,
Zhao Yi has ulterior motives.
He wants to eliminate your helpers.
He wants his followers to be promoted.
Of course I know that.
Since you work for me,
you should show me you are capable.
You have a way with women.
You can fool the Queen.
Then you must be able to fool Zhao Ji.
Find a way
to sneak Zhao Ji
to Handan for me.
Stop.
Come here.
Is any of you from Qi?
Sir, I came from Jimo.
Can you speak the language of Linzi?
You will talk to the Qin people later.
Alright?
Alright.
Leave it to me, sir.
Let us go.
(Hangu Pass, Qin)
(Hangu Pass)
Officer,
the vehicles are loaded with
salt and iron from Qi.
We need to rush to Xianyang
to deliver the goods.
Deliver the goods?
Check the goods.
(Hangu Pass)
Go through the goods carefully.
Centurion,
we are in a rush.
Let us in first, please.
Get in.
(Hangu Pass)
Hurry up. Hurry up.
(Guo Kai did not know)
(Chen Chi, the foreigner from Qin
who gave him a present in Handan,)
(would return to Qin, become an official,)
(and set up a checkpoint here.)
Salt and iron from Qi?
Yes.
Open the goods for a check.
Chen Chi!
(Envoy of Qi, Mao Jiao)
(Official of Qin, Chen Chi)
I have been looking for you.
How did the Qi people offend you?
Sir,
you are an envoy sent by the King of Qi,
not a Qi merchant
doing business in Xianyang.
Twenty vehicles of Qi silk
were sold here
for one thousand and five hundred gold.
But you only paid
one thousand and four hundred gold.
You took advantage of the Qi people.
Half a vehicle of Qi silk was damaged.
I handled the matter fairly.
I am not at fault.
The goods traveled
over one thousand kilometers
from Linzi to Xianyang
and weathered wind and rain.
The damage to the goods
was inevitable.
You must
pay the one-hundred-gold balance today
or come with me into the palace
and have a debate
in front of the King of Qin.
Cut it out.
You are not leaving!
I have said all that I should say.
I have no time to debate with you.
You are not leaving, Chen Chi.
Have a debate with me
in front of the King of Qin.
-Let go.
-Chen Chi!
Chen Chi, you are not leaving!
Stop, Chen Chi!
Jiao.
Minister of Justice.
Li Si.
Watch your mouth!
How dare you call the Minister of Justice
by his full name?
It is fine.
Jiao.
It has been over ten years
since we parted ways in Jixia.
I did not expect to meet you here.
I have not seen you for so many years.
I failed to recognize you.
Forgive me.
Si,
since you are Qin's Minister of Justice,
please help me on this matter.
Well,
who offended you?
Mr. Mao Jiao had a dispute
with Sir Chen Chi
regarding the payment on the Qi silk.
You are dismissed.
Jiao,
how much money is left out?
One hundred gold.
Si,
the other five states
have been jealous of the Qi-Qin trade.
If we fall out
for merely one hundred gold,
other states will
take advantage of our situation.
Because of this matter,
Chen Chi has hassled me for days.
Where is the dignity
of the great Qin?
I do not wish to interfere in a matter
of merely one hundred gold.
Si,
small steps are taken
to travel a long way
and small streams converge
to form a river.
It seems to be a matter
of merely one hundred gold.
But it concerns the friendly
and mutually beneficial relationship
between Qi and Qin.
You use the things taught by our teacher
to do business.
Sorry to bother you.
But I hope you will
handle my dispute with Chen Chi fairly.
Jiao.
One hundred gold is too small an amount.
I hope to make
a great deal with you.
How much do you think
the position of Guest Minister of Qin
is worth?
(Tavern in Yongcheng)
Sir.
He is here.
Pal.
This is our employer.
Our employer runs a business
in every state.
Pal.
Nice to meet you.
Spare the formality.
Come. Sit down.
Come on. Pour wine for him.
Why did you
invite me here?
To tell the truth,
pal.
I am from Handan, Zhao.
When I was little,
I lived on the same street
as the Queen Dowager of Qin.
Yes.
Our Queen Dowager
is also a native of Handan.
My family was poor when I was little.
The Queen Dowager's family gave us alms.
I would never forget her great kindness.
Now
my business flourishes.
But I have failed to find a chance
to repay the Queen Dowager.
I have always
felt bad about it.
I see.
Pal,
I know
you are popular and well-connected
in the palace.
Will you take me into the palace,
so I can meet with the Queen Dowager?
Well,
I do not think so.
The Qin law is strict and clear.
People who enter the palace
without permission
is punishable by decapitation.
I see.
How is the Queen Dowager
doing in the palace?
Forget it.
Ever since Lao Ai made trouble...
His Majesty ordered his two wives
to send brocade to Yongcheng.
It is a good thing.
It looks like His Majesty
has relented a little.
It goes without saying that
His Majesty misses the Queen Dowager.
But if we point it out,
things will get tricky.
Twenty-seven people have been killed.
Nobody in the court
dares to drive His Majesty up the wall.
If nobody dares to do it, I will do it.
His Majesty might reject
the imperial family's request,
but he will not
kill a member of the imperial family.
You must not do it, Lord Weiyang.
Once you make a request
and His Majesty rejects it,
we will have no room for maneuver.
This plan will not work.
That plan will not work.
Are we just going to give up
bringing the Queen Dowager back?
Leave this matter to me.
(Pastry Shop in Yongcheng)
Sir. Sir.
Sir, sir.
Wake up, sir.
Stop yelling.
You disturbed my rest.
The Queen Dowager of Qin is in our shop.
(Guo Kai made attempts
to enter Dazheng Palace in vain.)
(So he opened)
(a Handan pastry shop)
(near the palace)
(to conceal his identity)
(and wait for an opportunity.)
Look.
There.
Fool.
You think any older woman
from the palace
is the Queen Dowager?
This is obviously
just an ordinary female official.
Get lost.
Yes.
The pastries here are delicious.
Take some pastries back to the palace.
Yes.
I have replied to the memorials
that you submitted.
Pass the memorials
to relevant government offices.
Have you gotten anything else
to talk about?
Your Majesty,
Mao Jiao, the envoy from Qi,
entered Qin recently.
He got into a dispute with Chen Chi,
the Grand Master of the Seventh Order.
Mao Jiao wishes to
have an audience with you
and tell you the details
of travel and trade between Qin and Qi.
What's the dispute between Mao Jiao
and Chen Chi about?
One hundred gold.
Lord Changping,
the Junior and Senior Prime Ministers,
Minister of Justice,
Censor and Guest Ministers,
you cannot even handle a dispute
about one hundred gold.
Your Majesty,
the envoy from Qi
wishes to meet with you
to see if the great Qin is sincere
in building a friendly and mutually
beneficial relationship with Qi.
I think
you may see him, Your Majesty.
Summon him.
Mao Jiao, the envoy from Qi, is summoned
for an audience with His Majesty.
I pay my respects to you,
King of Qin.
I have heard about the dispute
between you and Chen Chi.
Qin and Qi
have been on good terms
for tens of years.
After I started to
handle government affairs independently,
I sent my Chief Minister
to pay respect to the King of Qi.
The mutually beneficial trade
between Qin and Qi
should not be hampered.
For the dispute about one hundred gold,
I have decided to
pay the Qi people the exact amount
with the palace's funds.
From now on,
the Qi people and the Qin people
must determine the details of a deal
in written form when doing business.
There should be no more dispute.
On behalf of the Qi merchants,
I express their gratitude to you.
I appreciate Qin's effort
to trade with and befriend Qi.
You have shown me kindness.
It is time for me to repay you.
As an upright man,
I have a piece of advice for you.
What is it?
It is about the Queen Dowager.
I have killed twenty-seven Qin officials
who talked to me
about the Queen Dowager.
Mao Jiao,
you should know
it could get you killed.
I heard
there were twenty-eight mansions
in the sky.
I came here today
for the twenty-eighth death.
Set fire and install a cauldron
down the steps of Zhangtai Palace.
Cook him.
Wait.
I am going to die
anyway.
Your Majesty,
do you dare to let me
speak from my heart?
I actually am interested in hearing
from a man who will die soon.
A loyal official does not say words
of obedience.
A wise king does not
punish an upright man.
If a king errs
and an official stays silent,
then the official betrays the king.
If an official gives advice
and a king does not listen,
then the king fails the official.
Now you
are going against reason
without knowing it.
If I offer good advice that sounds harsh
and you refuse to listen,
then I am afraid Qin is in peril.
Have you tasked yourself with
unifying the world?
You keep on
saying you would
unify the world,
but you do not know that
the world despises you
for imprisoning your mother
and killing your younger brothers.
You may cook me today.
I will be known as someone
who shows his loyalty
by offering heartfelt advice to a king
and you will lose favor with the people.
I will not lose anything
and you will not gain anything.
I have finished.
Please cook me.
Your wish is granted.
I beg you
to pardon Mao Jiao.
Li Si,
you just do not know when to stop.
Do you really think
I will not kill you?
I am risking my life
to advise you for your sake
and for Qin to unify the world.
You were born in turbulent times.
At a tender age,
you wandered in an enemy state
and suffered all kinds of
embarrassment and humiliation.
You overcame difficulties and obstacles
before coming back to Qin.
You lived through hardships
to quell the revolt,
take back power
and ascend the throne.
Now the people
look eagerly at the west,
hoping you will end the turbulence
that has lasted
for over five hundred years.
The great Qin
is feared by the dukes
and you are worshiped
by the common people
due to the widespread reputation
you earned for yourself
as a king who works hard,
loves his subjects,
respects virtuous people
and cherishes talents.
If you kill Mao Jiao,
it will be proof that
you kill loyal officials.
If you give the Queen Dowager
the cold shoulder,
you will earn yourself
a bad name as an unfilial son
and your good reputation will be gone.
The people will waver over
whether to support you.
If you pardon Mao Jiao
and bring the Queen Dowager back,
the world
will admire you
for your tolerance.
Your Majesty,
you need the people's support
to succeed
in unifying the world.
I have finished.
You may deal with me.
Mao Jiao!
You want me to kill you,
so you will be known as someone
who shows his loyalty
by offering heartfelt advice to a king
and I will be known
as someone who is neither
benevolent nor filial!
I am not letting you have your way!
Get him down!
Your Majesty!
Since you would not listen to me,
I have to die!
Put his clothes back on him!
Yes.
Take him away!
He must not die!
Yes!
Your Majesty!
Take him away.
Your Majesty!
Please cook me!
Please throw me into the cauldron!
Go.
-Your Majesty!
-Bring his clothes.
Li Si.
Yes.
If you come up with a plan
and let another man tell me
instead of telling me yourself again...
Then I will be thrown into the cauldron.
♪I remember the cold wind last night♪
♪Look at the world♪
♪It's boundless and vast♪
♪Each year is sad and very tumultuous♪
♪Military exercises at the plateaus♪
Horses drinking by the Yangtze River♪
♪Communicating the unification
of the country♪
♪Brandishing the safety of the world♪
♪The land was given to officials
for 500 years♪
♪lives flourished and decayed♪
♪Ruined structures, sorrows,
heroes' tears♪
♪I must have great ambition♪
♪In the vast mountains and rivers♪
♪The weather keeps changing♪
♪Bring peace to the world,
build a new universe♪
♪Be like the sun and the moon♪
♪Armed for battle♪
♪The soldiers are unstoppable♪
♪A land consumed by war♪
♪The beginning of the king's law♪
♪Follow the footsteps of
our ancestors and martyrs♪
♪A great nation's
iron-willed representative♪
=Episode 53=
When a man feasts on the beef shank,
he eats the meat first.
(General of Qin, Wang Jian)
Then he breaks the bone.
Finally, he drinks the marrow.
(Qin's Minister of Justice, Li Si)
(Qin's Minister of Justice, Li Si)
Han, Zhao and Wei
are the beef shank's meat,
bone and marrow.
(King of Qin, Zheng)
It is fine to obtain the marrow first.
But you cannot find the marrow
before cutting the meat
and breaking the bone.
Besides, Zhao is a flat land
surrounded by enemies.
The Zhao people are no less fierce
than the Qin people.
Zhao defeated the Xiongnu in the north,
invaded Yan in the east,
deterred Han and Wei in the south,
and battled Qin in the west.
Although Zhao suffered heavy losses
in the Battle of Changping,
it repeatedly stopped
the Qin army from entering Handan.
Now Qin intends to war against Zhao
to destroy Zhao,
possibly with the help of Yan.
But even if the other four states
do not help Zhao,
Qin will lose most of its strength
in destroying Zhao.
Qin will need time
to replenish its strength
before it could go on to destroy
the other states of Shandong.
Your Majesty.
I think
the great Qin should destroy Han first.
(Lord Changping of Qin, Mi Qi)
Get rid of the biggest trouble
and seize the important Central Plains.
It will be conducive
to destroying the other five states.
I think
the Minister of Justice's advice
is good for the state.
(Prime Minister of Qin, Kui Zhuang)
Your Majesty,
(General of Qin, Wang Ben)
I disagree with the Minister of Justice.
Shut up.
Help me out.
Roll it slowly. Roll it slowly.
Make the fire bigger.
The army needs a quick victory,
not a long battle, General.
If the Qin army tires
from a drawn-out battle
and loses its fighting spirit,
the other states
will seize the opportunity to act.
By then,
no matter how good our plan is
or how brilliant our tactics are,
we will not be able to turn the tables.
If the great Qin attacks Zhao,
it will be a long battle for certain.
His Majesty is resolved to
destroy the states and rule the world,
not to conquer cities
and seize territories.
What His Majesty meant today
was the great Qin
must focus on its great cause
instead of the seizure
or loss of a few cities.
If the enemy is greedy,
tempt it with benefits.
If the enemy is chaotic, attack it.
If the enemy is strong,
guard against it.
If the enemy is powerful,
keep away from it.
I agree with the Minister of Justice.
We should test our strength on Han first
(Lord Weiyang of Qin, Ying Xi)
on our way to the east.
If His Majesty ordered me
to seize some commanderies
for the great Qin,
I would agree
with Lord Weiyang
and the Minister of Justice.
(Top General of Qin, Huan Yi)
Now the great Qin
(General of Qin, Meng Wu)
aims to level the six states.
We should defeat
the stronger state first.
Destroy Zhao
and the six states will lose their arms.
Destroy Han
and the six states
will lose their fingers.
Which state is more important?
-It is clear as day. -General.
If the great Qin and Zhao
engage in a drawn-out battle,
the six states will have a chance
to unite against Qin.
Lord Weiyang.
If we want to destroy Zhao,
the Qin officers and soldiers
must fight the Zhao army hard,
and His Majesty
must make plans with you
in the court.
Top General is right.
Zhao is weak
not because its officers are brainless
or its soldiers are cowardice,
but because
the King of Zhao
is senseless and conceited
(General of Qin, Li Xin)
and the officials find no common ground.
Yes.
We just need to create conditions
for the King of Zhao
to become more overbearing,
sow discord
between the officials of Zhao,
bribe the King of Zhao's
trusted subordinates,
disintegrate the army of Zhao,
and win over the people of Zhao.
Zhao may be powerful,
but we still can destroy it first.
According to you,
it would take a lot of
arrangements and time
to destroy Zhao.
Destroying Han would be faster.
We could awe the world this way.
Minister of Justice,
I cannot justify
a war against Han.
But I have every reason
to attack Zhao.
When His Majesty was little
and lived in Handan
with the Queen Dowager,
the Zhao people bullied them.
It is our reason to attack Zhao.
The six states will have nothing to say.
General.
I said
you could speak frankly today.
Those who plan before a battle
usually win the battle.
Those who do not plan before a battle
usually lose the battle.
I already know
your distinct opinions.
But it is late now.
We shall talk some other day.
Yes.
(Xianyang, Capital of Qin)
Father.
Father.
Sir.
Lord Changping and Lord Weiyang
came to visit you.
Did you notice something
during yesterday's discussion
at Lantian Battalion?
Enlighten me, Lord Changping.
There was an argument about
if we should attack Han or Zhao.
Lord Weiyang and I
are not worried about the disagreement.
We are worried about
His Majesty's choice.
If His Majesty
rashly decides to attack Zhao
out of hatred of the Zhao people,
trouble might occur
for the great Qin.
To attack Han or to attack Zhao.
It is a tough choice
for His Majesty.
We should put His Majesty's worries
to rest first.
Have you gotten any good ideas?
Before Duke of Wenxin
set off for his fief, he told me
the Queen Dowager should be taken back
for His Majesty's sake
and for the great Qin
to unify the states.
If His Majesty and the Queen Dowager
never see each other again,
he will come off as unfilial
and give the six states
an excuse to fight Qin.
I think
the great Qin's top priority
is to meet national
and personal interests
by taking the Queen Dowager back.
From what I know about His Majesty,
he won't take our advice
if we go to him rashly.
Instead, we will reach a deadlock.
Let us sound him out.
When the time is right,
we will find a suitable person
to advise him.
(Longtai Palace, Handan, Zhao)
(King Daoxiang of Zhao, Zhao Yan)
I cannot believe
I let Ying Zheng deceive me.
I got no foreigner.
Dun Ruo the wimp
even fled to Xianyang.
Damn you, Ying Zheng.
You contained my army
and used the opportunity
to seize three Wei regions.
Ying Zheng.
(Queen of Zhao)
What is wrong?
Who enraged you?
Ying Zheng of Qin.
I must dispatch troops to attack Qin.
It is the King of Qin again.
He can make you
so furious?
You do not understand.
Ying Zheng is a man of means.
He holds the Mi family,
the imperial family and the foreigners
in Qin in check.
I...
I will never
defeat Ying Zheng.
All men
do is fighting and killing.
In my opinion,
we should not fight when we can talk.
It is a woman's opinion.
Do not look down on women.
Anything men can do,
women can do too.
I have a plan
that can make the King of Qin
come to Handan
and kneel to beg for your mercy
without dispatching any troops.
Since you do not believe me,
I will not tell you my plan.
Wait.
Dear.
Speak up.
You want to know?
Yes.
Then promise me one thing.
You must never visit the brothel again.
Alright.
I promise
to never step
into a brothel again in my life
if your plan can subdue Ying Zheng.
Now tell me.
What is your plan?
I heard
the King of Qin
imprisoned the Queen Dowager of Qin
in Yongcheng.
It is true.
The Queen Dowager of Qin
is a native of Zhao.
You may send people
to take her to Handan.
Then the King of Qin
will fear you.
I am impressed.
You are much wiser
than Guo Kai.
Your Majesty, you are always busy with work,
yet you managed to spend time
with Fusu today.
Look how happy he is.
I remember
that he could only crawl on the bed
last year when we attacked Wei.
(Madam Mi Hua of Qin)
He is crying. He is crying.
Look how cheerful he is.
He even cries loudly.
When he is one year older,
he will start to receive an education.
Won't it be rushing him?
He is my eldest son.
(Son of Qin's King Zheng, Fusu)
He will grow up
into the ruler of the world
and the protector of the people.
He must not slack off.
I also started to receive
an education at age three.
I remember Mr. Shen Yue
teaching me how to read
and how to fight with a sword.
Your Majesty.
The envoy from Chu
has offered a variety of Chu brocade
of luxurious colors.
I wish to make some outfits for you.
What colors do you like?
Li Qiu always handles the affairs
related to my clothing.
Talk to her.
Yes.
Are we done?
The officials are waiting for me
to discuss affairs.
Hua,
(Madam Li Qiu of Qin)
the black one is lavish
and the red one is refreshing.
Which one is better?
The black one.
It suits His Majesty better.
I think the red one is also nice.
The Queen Dowager
used to take charge of
the spring clothing manufacture.
She picked the color red
for His Majesty.
The Queen Dowager loved the color red
and His Majesty was filial.
So he did as she wished.
But the color black
actually suits His Majesty better.
He should...
Are you done or not?
I already said
no one must mention the Queen Dowager
in front of me.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Zhao Gao,
tell my two wives
to send some of the Chu brocade
to Yongcheng.
(Zhao Gao)
Yes.
His Majesty is here.
I pay my respects to you, Your Majesty.
Spare the formality.
I summoned you here
to talk about destroying
states of Han, Zhao and Wei,
to decide if we should
destroy Han or Zhao first.
I want to hear
your detailed plans.
Your Majesty,
I would like to
present my plan against Han.
Speak up.
If we want to destroy Han,
we must stop the other five states
from aiding Han.
The states able to aid Han
include
Qi,
Chu
and Zhao.
The Qi people seek benefits.
The great Qin
can increase trade with Qi
and give money and goods
to the Qi people.
Then the great Qin can attack Han
and Qi will not dispatch troops
to protect its own interests.
In Chu's case, the ruler is
young and the people have qualms.
The King of Chu and his officials
suspect one another.
The aristocratic families
have constant conflicts of interests.
We may attack Han,
and even if Chu dispatches troops,
we will not fear them.
We can use certain means to
turn the Chu people against one another
and make sure
they are too busy to aid Han.
Only Zhao
will feel threatened
by our action against Han
and dispatch troops to help Han.
But
if Zhao helps Han,
our army will have to fight two sides.
We might return without success.
The Qin army
will fight two sides
if we attack Han.
But it is the same for Zhao.
His Majesty just needs to write a letter
to Ji City.
Then the Yan people
will attack and seize Handan
as the Zhao army aids Han.
For the Zhao people,
the trouble in Xinzheng
is not as important
as the peril that Handan is in.
Follow this plan
and we will destroy Han.
Your Majesty.
I...
I would like to
present my plan against Zhao.
Speak up.
The outcome of the war against Zhao
does not depend
on the clashes between the two armies.
It depends
on the difference
in the two states' strength.
My plan
boils down to one word:
stall.
Your Majesty.
The great Qin has large tracts
of fertile land in Guanzhong
and the richly endowed Sichuan.
Our army has abundant provisions.
Meanwhile, Zhao's land
is barren
and Zhao's imperial family
and aristocratic families
are exploitative.
Zhao's army will run out of provisions.
If our army is to fight the Zhao army,
the battle should not take place
in the open field.
We should confront the Zhao army
and wait for the opportunity to act
and eliminate Zhao's troops.
If we are to attack and destroy Handan,
I think
we should take three routes to attack.
For the northern route,
we pass by Taiyuan Commandery
and put pressure on Yunzhong,
so that Li Mu's border troops
will not retreat.
For the middle route,
we set off from Shangdang
(Handan)
and pass by Taihang to attack Handan.
For the southern route,
(Dong Commandery)
we attack Southern Zhao
from Dong Commandery.
(Handan)
This way,
we block Zhao's
paths to Han,
Wei and Chu.
By taking these three routes,
we will seize Handan
and destroy Zhao.
-Brilliant.
-Brilliant. Brilliant.
Your plan is really detailed.
But if Li Mu
leaves Yunzhong for Handan,
the war against Zhao
might fall into a stalemate.
While Qin and Zhao fight fiercely,
the other states might
launch a surprise attack on Hangu
and put Xianyang in peril.
Military affairs
revolve around the art of deception.
The situation on the battlefield
changes rapidly.
I can only lay out
a roughly made strategic plan.
If we are
to discuss the offensive
and defensive tactics,
I will have to make another plan
according to the situation
on the battlefield.
Li Si, Wang Jian,
elaborate on
your plans about military provisions
for a war against Han or Zhao.
Your Majesty.
If we are resolved
to destroy Zhao,
I think
we must
have four hundred thousand troops
and enough provisions
to sustain the troops for three years.
Moreover,
we should set up granaries in
Dong Commandery and Taiyuan Commandery.
(Longtai Palace, Handan, Zhao)
Your Majesty.
I sent these two people to Qin
half a year ago
and spent a lot of money.
But...
(Prime Minister of Zhao, Guo Kai)
You two,
tell His Majesty the truth.
Your Majesty,
we hovered in Yongcheng for a long time.
But the Qin palace was heavily guarded.
We could not find a chance to act.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Queen Dowager of Qin was imprisoned
in the depth of the palace.
We could not meet her
and the Qin people
almost blew our cover.
Useless men.
Get out.
Get out.
Get out.
Your Majesty.
Take it easy, Your Majesty.
I will send other people to Qin.
No.
I want you
to go there.
Find a way
to sneak Zhao Ji
to Handan for me.
I...
Your Majesty.
I am the Prime Minister of Zhao.
I help you handle government affairs
every day and night.
Now you want me to go there
for this trifling matter...
Is it a trifling matter?
I would go there if I could.
Is it a trifling matter?
Is it?
Do you know
Zhao Yi has been accusing you
of fiddling with the bounty
on the foreigner from Qin.
Your Majesty,
Zhao Yi has ulterior motives.
He wants to eliminate your helpers.
He wants his followers to be promoted.
Of course I know that.
Since you work for me,
you should show me you are capable.
You have a way with women.
You can fool the Queen.
Then you must be able to fool Zhao Ji.
Find a way
to sneak Zhao Ji
to Handan for me.
Stop.
Come here.
Is any of you from Qi?
Sir, I came from Jimo.
Can you speak the language of Linzi?
You will talk to the Qin people later.
Alright?
Alright.
Leave it to me, sir.
Let us go.
(Hangu Pass, Qin)
(Hangu Pass)
Officer,
the vehicles are loaded with
salt and iron from Qi.
We need to rush to Xianyang
to deliver the goods.
Deliver the goods?
Check the goods.
(Hangu Pass)
Go through the goods carefully.
Centurion,
we are in a rush.
Let us in first, please.
Get in.
(Hangu Pass)
Hurry up. Hurry up.
(Guo Kai did not know)
(Chen Chi, the foreigner from Qin
who gave him a present in Handan,)
(would return to Qin, become an official,)
(and set up a checkpoint here.)
Salt and iron from Qi?
Yes.
Open the goods for a check.
Chen Chi!
(Envoy of Qi, Mao Jiao)
(Official of Qin, Chen Chi)
I have been looking for you.
How did the Qi people offend you?
Sir,
you are an envoy sent by the King of Qi,
not a Qi merchant
doing business in Xianyang.
Twenty vehicles of Qi silk
were sold here
for one thousand and five hundred gold.
But you only paid
one thousand and four hundred gold.
You took advantage of the Qi people.
Half a vehicle of Qi silk was damaged.
I handled the matter fairly.
I am not at fault.
The goods traveled
over one thousand kilometers
from Linzi to Xianyang
and weathered wind and rain.
The damage to the goods
was inevitable.
You must
pay the one-hundred-gold balance today
or come with me into the palace
and have a debate
in front of the King of Qin.
Cut it out.
You are not leaving!
I have said all that I should say.
I have no time to debate with you.
You are not leaving, Chen Chi.
Have a debate with me
in front of the King of Qin.
-Let go.
-Chen Chi!
Chen Chi, you are not leaving!
Stop, Chen Chi!
Jiao.
Minister of Justice.
Li Si.
Watch your mouth!
How dare you call the Minister of Justice
by his full name?
It is fine.
Jiao.
It has been over ten years
since we parted ways in Jixia.
I did not expect to meet you here.
I have not seen you for so many years.
I failed to recognize you.
Forgive me.
Si,
since you are Qin's Minister of Justice,
please help me on this matter.
Well,
who offended you?
Mr. Mao Jiao had a dispute
with Sir Chen Chi
regarding the payment on the Qi silk.
You are dismissed.
Jiao,
how much money is left out?
One hundred gold.
Si,
the other five states
have been jealous of the Qi-Qin trade.
If we fall out
for merely one hundred gold,
other states will
take advantage of our situation.
Because of this matter,
Chen Chi has hassled me for days.
Where is the dignity
of the great Qin?
I do not wish to interfere in a matter
of merely one hundred gold.
Si,
small steps are taken
to travel a long way
and small streams converge
to form a river.
It seems to be a matter
of merely one hundred gold.
But it concerns the friendly
and mutually beneficial relationship
between Qi and Qin.
You use the things taught by our teacher
to do business.
Sorry to bother you.
But I hope you will
handle my dispute with Chen Chi fairly.
Jiao.
One hundred gold is too small an amount.
I hope to make
a great deal with you.
How much do you think
the position of Guest Minister of Qin
is worth?
(Tavern in Yongcheng)
Sir.
He is here.
Pal.
This is our employer.
Our employer runs a business
in every state.
Pal.
Nice to meet you.
Spare the formality.
Come. Sit down.
Come on. Pour wine for him.
Why did you
invite me here?
To tell the truth,
pal.
I am from Handan, Zhao.
When I was little,
I lived on the same street
as the Queen Dowager of Qin.
Yes.
Our Queen Dowager
is also a native of Handan.
My family was poor when I was little.
The Queen Dowager's family gave us alms.
I would never forget her great kindness.
Now
my business flourishes.
But I have failed to find a chance
to repay the Queen Dowager.
I have always
felt bad about it.
I see.
Pal,
I know
you are popular and well-connected
in the palace.
Will you take me into the palace,
so I can meet with the Queen Dowager?
Well,
I do not think so.
The Qin law is strict and clear.
People who enter the palace
without permission
is punishable by decapitation.
I see.
How is the Queen Dowager
doing in the palace?
Forget it.
Ever since Lao Ai made trouble...
His Majesty ordered his two wives
to send brocade to Yongcheng.
It is a good thing.
It looks like His Majesty
has relented a little.
It goes without saying that
His Majesty misses the Queen Dowager.
But if we point it out,
things will get tricky.
Twenty-seven people have been killed.
Nobody in the court
dares to drive His Majesty up the wall.
If nobody dares to do it, I will do it.
His Majesty might reject
the imperial family's request,
but he will not
kill a member of the imperial family.
You must not do it, Lord Weiyang.
Once you make a request
and His Majesty rejects it,
we will have no room for maneuver.
This plan will not work.
That plan will not work.
Are we just going to give up
bringing the Queen Dowager back?
Leave this matter to me.
(Pastry Shop in Yongcheng)
Sir. Sir.
Sir, sir.
Wake up, sir.
Stop yelling.
You disturbed my rest.
The Queen Dowager of Qin is in our shop.
(Guo Kai made attempts
to enter Dazheng Palace in vain.)
(So he opened)
(a Handan pastry shop)
(near the palace)
(to conceal his identity)
(and wait for an opportunity.)
Look.
There.
Fool.
You think any older woman
from the palace
is the Queen Dowager?
This is obviously
just an ordinary female official.
Get lost.
Yes.
The pastries here are delicious.
Take some pastries back to the palace.
Yes.
I have replied to the memorials
that you submitted.
Pass the memorials
to relevant government offices.
Have you gotten anything else
to talk about?
Your Majesty,
Mao Jiao, the envoy from Qi,
entered Qin recently.
He got into a dispute with Chen Chi,
the Grand Master of the Seventh Order.
Mao Jiao wishes to
have an audience with you
and tell you the details
of travel and trade between Qin and Qi.
What's the dispute between Mao Jiao
and Chen Chi about?
One hundred gold.
Lord Changping,
the Junior and Senior Prime Ministers,
Minister of Justice,
Censor and Guest Ministers,
you cannot even handle a dispute
about one hundred gold.
Your Majesty,
the envoy from Qi
wishes to meet with you
to see if the great Qin is sincere
in building a friendly and mutually
beneficial relationship with Qi.
I think
you may see him, Your Majesty.
Summon him.
Mao Jiao, the envoy from Qi, is summoned
for an audience with His Majesty.
I pay my respects to you,
King of Qin.
I have heard about the dispute
between you and Chen Chi.
Qin and Qi
have been on good terms
for tens of years.
After I started to
handle government affairs independently,
I sent my Chief Minister
to pay respect to the King of Qi.
The mutually beneficial trade
between Qin and Qi
should not be hampered.
For the dispute about one hundred gold,
I have decided to
pay the Qi people the exact amount
with the palace's funds.
From now on,
the Qi people and the Qin people
must determine the details of a deal
in written form when doing business.
There should be no more dispute.
On behalf of the Qi merchants,
I express their gratitude to you.
I appreciate Qin's effort
to trade with and befriend Qi.
You have shown me kindness.
It is time for me to repay you.
As an upright man,
I have a piece of advice for you.
What is it?
It is about the Queen Dowager.
I have killed twenty-seven Qin officials
who talked to me
about the Queen Dowager.
Mao Jiao,
you should know
it could get you killed.
I heard
there were twenty-eight mansions
in the sky.
I came here today
for the twenty-eighth death.
Set fire and install a cauldron
down the steps of Zhangtai Palace.
Cook him.
Wait.
I am going to die
anyway.
Your Majesty,
do you dare to let me
speak from my heart?
I actually am interested in hearing
from a man who will die soon.
A loyal official does not say words
of obedience.
A wise king does not
punish an upright man.
If a king errs
and an official stays silent,
then the official betrays the king.
If an official gives advice
and a king does not listen,
then the king fails the official.
Now you
are going against reason
without knowing it.
If I offer good advice that sounds harsh
and you refuse to listen,
then I am afraid Qin is in peril.
Have you tasked yourself with
unifying the world?
You keep on
saying you would
unify the world,
but you do not know that
the world despises you
for imprisoning your mother
and killing your younger brothers.
You may cook me today.
I will be known as someone
who shows his loyalty
by offering heartfelt advice to a king
and you will lose favor with the people.
I will not lose anything
and you will not gain anything.
I have finished.
Please cook me.
Your wish is granted.
I beg you
to pardon Mao Jiao.
Li Si,
you just do not know when to stop.
Do you really think
I will not kill you?
I am risking my life
to advise you for your sake
and for Qin to unify the world.
You were born in turbulent times.
At a tender age,
you wandered in an enemy state
and suffered all kinds of
embarrassment and humiliation.
You overcame difficulties and obstacles
before coming back to Qin.
You lived through hardships
to quell the revolt,
take back power
and ascend the throne.
Now the people
look eagerly at the west,
hoping you will end the turbulence
that has lasted
for over five hundred years.
The great Qin
is feared by the dukes
and you are worshiped
by the common people
due to the widespread reputation
you earned for yourself
as a king who works hard,
loves his subjects,
respects virtuous people
and cherishes talents.
If you kill Mao Jiao,
it will be proof that
you kill loyal officials.
If you give the Queen Dowager
the cold shoulder,
you will earn yourself
a bad name as an unfilial son
and your good reputation will be gone.
The people will waver over
whether to support you.
If you pardon Mao Jiao
and bring the Queen Dowager back,
the world
will admire you
for your tolerance.
Your Majesty,
you need the people's support
to succeed
in unifying the world.
I have finished.
You may deal with me.
Mao Jiao!
You want me to kill you,
so you will be known as someone
who shows his loyalty
by offering heartfelt advice to a king
and I will be known
as someone who is neither
benevolent nor filial!
I am not letting you have your way!
Get him down!
Your Majesty!
Since you would not listen to me,
I have to die!
Put his clothes back on him!
Yes.
Take him away!
He must not die!
Yes!
Your Majesty!
Take him away.
Your Majesty!
Please cook me!
Please throw me into the cauldron!
Go.
-Your Majesty!
-Bring his clothes.
Li Si.
Yes.
If you come up with a plan
and let another man tell me
instead of telling me yourself again...
Then I will be thrown into the cauldron.
♪I remember the cold wind last night♪
♪Look at the world♪
♪It's boundless and vast♪
♪Each year is sad and very tumultuous♪
♪Military exercises at the plateaus♪
Horses drinking by the Yangtze River♪
♪Communicating the unification
of the country♪
♪Brandishing the safety of the world♪
♪The land was given to officials
for 500 years♪
♪lives flourished and decayed♪
♪Ruined structures, sorrows,
heroes' tears♪
♪I must have great ambition♪
♪In the vast mountains and rivers♪
♪The weather keeps changing♪
♪Bring peace to the world,
build a new universe♪
♪Be like the sun and the moon♪
♪Armed for battle♪
♪The soldiers are unstoppable♪
♪A land consumed by war♪
♪The beginning of the king's law♪
♪Follow the footsteps of
our ancestors and martyrs♪
♪A great nation's
iron-willed representative♪