Original subtitles

Subtitles by maskmahe

(Han Dynasty, 208 A.D. Summer, Xuchang)

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Yesterday, I proposed a decree

for war against Liu Bei and Sun Quan.

Has Your Majesty approved the decree?

The Prime Minister has just beaten back the Northern Wu Wan.

Our troops and people need respite.

The insurgents Sun and Liu

are ruling their own regimes down South.

They plot against Your Majesty's Court.

If they are not eliminated in time,

Your Majesty's Han Court might well be theirs.

Prime Minister,

please let me consider this further.

How much further must Your Majesty consider?

I have waged wars across the land.

Tens of thousands of soldiers have perished on the battlefields,

all for the sake of the Great Han Empire.

Does Your Majesty still remember your exile?

Which, if any, among your Royal relatives rescued You?

I wonder, to this day,

if I had not eliminated the traitors,

how many more would claim the throne for themselves?

I hereby decree that.

Prime Minister Cao Cao

be commissioned as the Commander of the lmperial Army

and go forth to pacify the South.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Senator Kong Rong wishes to speak.

Liu Bei is Your Majesty's uncle,

and Sun Quan is the third-generation heir to the Dukedom of Wu.

They have no intent to rebel.

Whereas you, Prime Minister,

not only seize all the powers of the state,

but also intend to mobilize the entire army.

There is no justifiable reason for your war!

Though you have solemnly vowed yourself

loyal to His Majesty's Court,

you will not be able to convince everyone!

The next one to put down a rebellion, may not be you, Prime Minister,

but Liu Bei

and Sun Quan!

He is the first sacrifice.

I thank the Prime Minister for this wine!

(The final year of the Han dynasty)

(Eunuchs and court relatives) (struggle for power)

(The country falls into chaos)

(Ambitious Cao Cao seizes the moment)

(to coerce the emperor and) (to control the feudal lords)

(In the year 208 A.D., ) (Cao Cao leads his army South)

(to destroy Liu Bei, ) (a distant relative of the Royal Family)

(and Sun Quan, ruler of the Southland)

Begin.

Form up!

Watch it.

My Lord.

Zilong! My Lord.

You have returned.

Our men made all possible efforts to hold our ground

until the last minute before abandoning the town.

Luckily, most of the peasants have already fled

through the valley.

My Lord!

The two ladies and the Young Master

are still trapped in the village.

My ladies, please be careful.

Don't cry.

General Zhang.

Chief Strategist, how does the situation look?

Cao Cao's pursuing forces are greater than anticipated.

The cavalry vanguard will arrive at any moment.

The Cao cavalry will use

a wedge formation to attack.

We will reflect the light into their eyes to hold them off.

Remember, the refugees need

at least an hour to retreat.

We need a thousand more soldiers

for the second line of defense!

Leave it to me.

Alright.

Forward.

My Lord.

Zhu-ge Liang,

the peasants are moving slowly.

It looks like they will need at least another four hours.

We urgently need a thousand soldiers from here.

Go aid General Zhang.

That way Cao Cao cannot chase them.

The peasants can be left to themselves.

Cao Cao intends to make us surrender.

He will not kill them.

No! As you can see,

the elderly, the women, and the children all need our help.

My Lord,

these peasants are dragging us down.

To succeed, you have to set aside these trivial matters.

These are Han people.

They follow us only to escape from Cao Cao's regime.

If we cannot offer protection to the civilians

then what is the meaning of this war?

I will find Guan Yu.

Go and help my Lord.

Sister!

Quickly! Bring the horse for My Lady.

That looks like Liu Bei's family.

Go get the baby!

My Lady!

General Zhao,

he is my Lord's only flesh and blood.

He must not fall into enemy's hands!

Rest assured, My Lady

I will take you and the young Master to my Lord.

Let's go! Get on the horse!

My Lady, quickly!

My Lady!

My Lady!

General!

My Lady!

Step apart!

Flip the shields!

Attack!

Let's go!

Bailong!

Chief Strategist,

where are our reinforcements?

Who is that man?

Zhao Zilong of Changshan.

Why is there no such a brave warrior under my command?

General Zhao.

Zilong.

Retreat!

We can still fight!

Why are we giving up so easily?

We are greatly outnumbered by the enemy.

If we can't protect the refugees,

our losses will be worse.

Attention!

Protect the refugees!

It's an order!

Brother,

go quickly!

Leave! Protect the refugees!

Zilong, take the Young Master!

Retreat!

Attention, Third Battalion! Hold the line!

Protect the retreating refugees!

Quick!

Charge!

Second battalion, go!

Third battalion, get ready!

My lord.

I brought the Young Master back

but the two ladies already...

Zilong, get up...

Prime Minister!

Liu Bei is vulnerable.

Look, the cowards have all fled.

Dead bodies lie everywhere.

The rest ran for their lives!

There is only one man still fighting.

Surrender, and your life will be spared!

Kneel down...

Do not be so rude!

General Guan Yu,

a wise man chooses his Lord carefully.

Why do you continue to serve Liu Bei?

You still won't kneel!

Protect the Prime Minster! Kill him!

Nobody move!

Prime Minister, why?

If he wanted to kill me, he already would have.

Guan Yu would not stab a man from behind.

Liu Bei has lost many battles,

yet so many talented men remain loyal to him.

One day, they will all serve under my command.

I have suffered a lifetime of failures.

This isn't the worst one.

Cao Cao thinks he holds the Dynasty's fate in his hands.

So long as I live and breathe,

I will fight to end his crimes

against the Han Court.

My Lord, I will go to the state of Wu tonight,

to ask for Sun Quan's support.

Sun Quan?

Against Cao Cao? I wonder if he is strong enough

to fight an enemy as fierce as Cao Cao.

Though Sun Quan is young,

he bears great ambitions within.

For generations, the Sun Clan has ruled the South.

They have the wealth and strength to fight Cao Cao.

Wu needs us just as much as we need Wu.

If our alliance succeeds, and we defeat Cao Cao,

then Cao Cao will definitely retreat back North.

We can then go West and rebuild our forces.

Once we are in control of the West,

Cao Cao will control the North, and Sun Quan, the South.

We will form a power triangle.

This division of power is the only way to stop Cao Cao.

My Lord, please rest assured.

Are you confident you can convince him?

Eat some more.

The road to Wu is long, and you will need energy.

Prime Minister, the surrendered generals,

Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, are here.

These two men are untrustworthy.

Please be cautious.

I trust those who are of use to me.

Greetings, Your Highness!

Rise.

How many ships and men have you brought with you?

We have with us three hundred thousand naval troops

and more than two thousand

battleships and boats of various sizes.

Great!

Now we can be

tigers that swim!

Your Highness, here is our letter of surrender.

General Cai,

I see many grammatical errors here

I hope your military strategies

are not as poor as your command of literature.

I hear you have frequent exchanges

with the State of Wu.

Your Highness,

I have declared war on Wu many times.

These so called exchanges are limited to only this.

No need to explain.

What is this?

This is a map of Wu that I drew

taking great pains to be precise.

General Cai,

you took great pains indeed.

Your Highness,

Liu Bei has fled to Xiakou in defeat.

If he eventually joins forces

with Sun Quan's Wu clan, then I fear that...

Then isn't that in our best interest?

If Sun Quan forms an alliance with Liu Bei,

then he is harbouring a traitor

and rebelling against the Royal Court,

which justifies our war.

Liu Bei, a shoe weaving Royal uncle,

his whole life is a failure.

Sun Quan

is a young upstart with no achievements.

When a loser join forces with a coward,

what can they accomplish?

Though my Lord is young,

he shows wisdom beyond his years.

Speak frankly and don't hold back.

The senior advisors will be your biggest obstacle.

You say we can fight this war? We can't!

Hopefully,

he has some good strategies to use against Cao Cao.

This time around, Cao Cao is determined to fight.

We are gravely outnumbered.

How could we ever hope to fight this war?

We cannot fight!

Greetings, Your Highness.

Mr. Zhu-ge,

I hear that Cao Cao

beat Liu Bei into the mud at Xinye?

The defeat at Xinye was due to my Lord's noble heart.

He did not abandon the thousands of refugees

who followed our troops and slowed down our retreat.

How large is Cao Cao's army?

A ruthless army of eight hundred thousand

is invading from both land and water.

Cao Cao's real target is not to defeat Liu Bei

but to conquer Wu!

Your Highness governs the vast Southland,

and has many extraordinary gentlemen in your court.

If you are determined to oppose Cao Cao's invasion,

then please prepare for war!

My Lord! Do not fight!

When the late Duke was still alive,

he always told me

that nothing is more important

than the peace of Wu's people!

We cannot fight, my Lord.

That's right. To surrender is not so bad.

For the cowardly, in fact, the earlier the better.

That way everyone can stop worrying.

If that is the case,

then why didn't Liu Bei surrender?

Confucius spoke of giving oneself to justice,

and Mencius spoke of sacrificing for righteousness.

Surrendering is not a matter of victory or defeat,

but rather one of virtue!

Cao Cao, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister,

controls the Han Emperor, and fabricates His Majesty's commands.

If he conquers the Southland, he will surely usurp the throne.

If we surrender to Cao Cao, then we would be aiding a tyrant.

Lord Mayor Liu Bei is of His Majesty's Royal Family.

His wisdom is known to the world and respected by the people.

If a noble man, who has been loyal to the Han court all his life,

fails to succeed, then that is fate.

But, how could he surrender to Cao Cao?

That would be

an unbearable shame!

However, it is fine for Your Highness to surrender.

At least, you will be able to keep your life and possessions.

At Cao Cao's mercy,

he may let you remain as the ruler of the Southland.

So why not?

You are saying I am nothing compared to Liu Bei?

No, Your Highness shows an outstanding brilliance

greater than that of most and akin to that of Lord Liu.

Your Highness is capable of ruling the vast Southland.

This alone, is a major advantage over Lord Liu.

My Lord, Mister Zhu-ge has come before you

with a plan for fighting Cao Cao.

It would not hurt to hear him out.

Though my Lord suffered a recent defeat,

we still have Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun,

as well as the Navy that they command with at least ten thousand men.

If we join forces with the elite generals and troops of Wu,

the alliance will strengthen us both.

Although Cao Cao's military outnumbers ours,

more than half of his troops only just surrendered to him

and are not entirely trustworthy.

They have traveled over one hundred miles every day.

They are exhausted.

As the saying goes, a worn spear cannot even penetrate a thin cloth.

Moreover, Northerners are not used to the Southern terrain,

and they have no naval experience.

Their abrupt invasion is destined to result in failure.

You make well reasoned points.

My Lord,

please do not fall into Zhu-ge's traps!

We cannot justify fighting

against Prime Minister Cao, My Lord!

Our alliance with Liu Bei

will only justify Cao Cao's war.

It is better to take Liu Bei captive

and turn him over as a gift to Cao Cao!

No! We shall first fight, then surrender.

So that we leave Cao Cao with a bitter taste.

One hundred thousand against eight hundred thousand!

What kind of a war is this!?

Cowards!

All of you are shameless cowards!

How dare you!

We cannot fight.

Your Highness,

I know you have been concealing your abilities.

The sword had been hidden away for too long.

Now is the time to draw the blade.

My Lord, this Zhu-ge Liang

is determined to drag us into trouble!

Don't! My Lord!

Speak no more!

I have heard this far too many times!

Let me think it through.

Let me think...

How beautiful!

This really is heaven on earth!

Unfortunately, with the arrival of Cao's regime,

all of this beauty will soon turn to ash.

Your words had almost persuaded his Lordship.

For the alliance to happen,

I only need to persuade one other person.

Zhou Yu. Viceroy Zhou.

Exactly!

The Duke regards him as his own older brother.

The Late Duke had also said,

for internal affairs, seek Zhang Zhao.

For foreign affairs, seek Zhou Yu.

He is now encamping at Red Cliff.

He is the right one to seek.

Stop!

Give it to me!

Are you not capable of holding a spear?

There must be power within every stroke!

One more time!

Stab!

Slash!

Strike!

Swing!

Stab!

Slash!

Strike!

Swing!

Mister Zhu-ge, the Viceroy is over there.

Form up!

One other wing.

The Goose Formation.

Not bad.

A pity that it is outdated.

Give it to me.

Your Honor!

You try.

Thank you.

Your Honor!

My family's water buffalo

was stolen from the fields near the barracks.

Some people saw...

Your Honor, this is Mr. Zhu-ge Liang.

Greetings, Viceroy Zhou.

Greetings.

Why carry a fan on a cold day like this?

It helps me remain calm.

It's the one old habit I cannot give up.

You do not look like an anxious person.

This way.

What are you laughing at?

I am not laughing, but appreciating

I am appreciating that these soldiers

know not only how to fight, but also how to appreciate music.

You are knowledgeable in the art of war.

Just a little.

Yet you say my formations are outdated.

No man but you

can hear me from that far away.

I have sharp hearing.

This way.

General Gan, Mister Zhu-ge said

that your formation is outdated.

Are you aware that a bad formation can kill our brothers?

I have never thought of killing my own brothers.

The power of the formations comes from the heart.

There is no such a thing as outdated!

This is...?

This is General Gan Xing.

Pardon me, General Gan.

General Gan and his army,

used to be the most notorious pirates in the South.

You cannot joke around with him.

No problem.

I am impressed by everyone's performance today!

But this elderly gentleman had his buffalo stolen

in the rice fields near the barracks.

Was this done by one of my brothers?

He who did it gave all our brothers a bad name!

Find him!

Who did this despicable thing?

Lu Su, tell me,

what is the penalty according to law?

By law, the penalty is death!

Step forward. Reveal yourselves.

Who did this? Step forward.

I have a way to find them.

Since the buffalo was stolen in the rice fields,

then there must be mud on the shoes of the looters.

Am I correct? Yes!

Attention, Gan Xing Company!

Everyone, run to that tree,

around and back.

Go! Yes!

Quickly! Follow up!

I did not drag those people out today

because I want to give them a second chance.

The Wu army does not tolerate looting!

What we really need

is to stick together.

I have failed

to train my soldiers.

I beg your forgiveness.

I dare not!

I dare not!

These soldiers are difficult to train.

Yet, these soldiers, have great potential.

Things like this happen because of our shortage of supplies.

You gave us half of your wealth to help build this army.

Now, supplies are short again.

So how about giving up the other half?

Whatever you say is fine by me.

Then it's settled.

Your Honor!

Bad news!

I told you

this friend is difficult to deal with.

It's a breech birth!

Hold this.

Luoyue,

hang in there.

My Lady! The pony still hasn't...

Be quiet.

She can't give birth with you being so loud.

It's coming.

Xiao Qiao, what's happening?

A breech birth It will come out soon.

Your Honor, for horses...

Be quiet! Breech births are very rare.

The pony has not come out for two days.

What is happening?

Why is there only one leg?

He can't come out.

What should we do?

The other leg is stuck.

Simply dragging it out will not work.

He is...?

He is Zhu...

He is Zhu-ge Liang, a friend of mine.

Step back a little.

You are knowledgeable in this too?

A little. I helped cows give birth.

Horses should be much the same.

Excuse me, let me try.

The two front hooves need to come out together

for a natural birth.

The pony does not have a name yet.

He was born in the Southland,

so he should have a Southern name.

How about Meng Meng?

Meng Meng?

Meng Meng, stand up!

He can't stand up!

Stand up!

Come on!

Stand up!

I hope we can watch him grow each day.

I want you to promise me,

when he is grown,

not to make him a warhorse.

Viceroy,

Xiao Qiao looks like

she's the proud new mother herself.

Viceroy, time is of the essence.

War or surrender?

Lu Su,

today we are celebrating. Let' s not discuss affairs of state.

Alright,

Since Mr Zhu-ge is learned in music,

why don' t we play a tune together?

I know only... a little.

You know a great deal.

You are only hiding it.

If you two gentlemen can work together,

then that will be a perfect match.

Please.

Thank you, madam.

Thank you, Mr. Zhu-ge.

My husband has not played his qin for a long time.

I, too, have not been so enervated for a long time.

We still haven't discussed the war.

How can we leave?

His answer is within his music.

He will fight this war.

I think you two can be great partners.

His music tells me,

that he needs friends.

Your music tells me

that you need to fight this war.

Prime Minister,

desire and obsession

can also cause of headaches.

Have you not heard that desire makes one young!

This painting must be by Your Highness.

Her name is Xiao Qiao.

When I was young,

her father thought very highly of me.

I saw her only once.

Now, she is the most beautiful woman in the world

and married to Zhou Yu.

After I pacify Wu,

she will be mine.

Gentlemen, you are all here.

Yes, Your Highness!

General Cai, your ships are well built!

Thank you, Your Highness

I have guarded Jingzhou for many years.

With the strength and power of our current navy,

we will surely defeat Wu.

Great! What?

The two generals are saying,

that our ground troops are just for show?

General Xia-hou, while we Northerners are great on horseback,

the Southerners are experts on the water.

To destroy Wu,

we will need the hard work of General Cai and his navy!

Thank you, Your Highness!

General Cai,

What...

is the best food in the South?

River fish is the best food in the South, Your Highness.

Then...

what is the worst thing about the South?

The weather is the worst.

This is the windy season.

The wind can often be unpredictable.

Victory.

Six dragons lead my chariot.

I will ride the wind with the greatest speed,

with all of the feudal lords under my command,

to rule the world with one name.

On land and sea, with forces numbering eight hundred thousand,

I wish to meet Your Highness at the hunt for Wu.

This Cao Cao

really has some nerve.

What does he mean by a hunt for Wu?

Brother, Smile!

We will get through this.

They all want you to smile too.

When father was nineteen,

he was known as the Tiger of the Southland.

When my late brother was twenty-six, he conquered the Southland.

I am now twenty-six,

yet I have done nothing!

It seems that my achievements

will never be able to be compared to theirs.

No matter how hard I try,

those old advisors call me worthless.

Brother?

You came at the right time...

He will not listen or even smile.

My Lord,

What is it?

Cao Cao requests our surrender. See for yourself.

You have not used this for a long time.

Let's go.

He is cunning.

Do you see him?

This beast is watching us.

He is sinister, playing with his prey.

Is he not like Cao Cao?

Though Cao Cao is Prime Minister, he is the real traitor,

always ambushing from the darkness.

In the entire world, not one person likes him.

Brother, what are you afraid of?

There!

To be honest,

I was prepared for war with Cao Cao three years ago.

Cao Cao claims to have an army of eight hundred thousand,

yet many are surrendered troops he cannot trust.

He can actually use only one hundred thousand of them at most.

Our troops have high morale.

We have knowledge of the Yangtze River and greater naval expertise.

Moreover, Cao Cao has no justifiable reason for his war.

But those senior advisors!

They are only concerned about protecting themselves.

You need not listen to them.

Your late brother once told you

that you are a better administrator,

but that he is a better commander.

That made you lose confidence.

But he only said that to make you strive to surpass him.

Tiger!

Help them!

Go quickly.

Get out of here.

Can you walk?

Are you alright?

The beast is over there!

Go.

Do not hesitate anymore.

My decision to fight Cao Cao is final.

If anyone dares mention surrender,

he will end up like this table.

Zhou Yu!

Cheng Pu!

Lu Su!

Ay!

I hereby appoint.

Zhou Yu as the Viceroy in Chief,

Cheng Pu the Lieutenant Viceroy,

and Lu Su as the Consulting Commander.

We will form an alliance with Liu Bei,

to stop Cao Cao's invasion.

Understood!

It seems that war is inevitable.

We cannot stop Cao Cao's invasion.

But maybe this one will prevent future wars.

Just as long as there are no more wars.

Isn't this one just like yours?

You sure know how to replicate my handwriting.

Do you know why I wrote so many 'Ping Ans'?

Ping An' means peace!

So... why so many peaces?

'Ping An' is

a name...

Come,

what do you hear?

Listen carefully.

I have heard rumours

that all the families are leaving Red Cliff.

When...

When will I leave?

I won't let you leave.

I want you to remain by my side.

One more time! Hurry!

General Zhao.

Chief Strategist, you are back!

This is Wu's Viceroy in Chief, Zhou Yu.

Guan! Guan! The ospreys cried

from the sandy river side.

Lovely maiden, modest and fair,

makes a fine match for the gentleman.

We have no food, what good is reading a book?

When you grow up, you will find out

that reading now will give you food later.

Well, let us read one more time.

Great Calligraphy!

Damn!

What do you think you are doing!

I have always admired General Zhang's famous roar.

To defeat Cao Cao, we need men with your temper.

This way please, Viceroy.

My Lord, they are here.

Your journey has been hard.

This is Viceroy Zhou Yu,

Lieutenant Viceroy Cheng Pu,

Consulting Commander Lu Su,

and Veteran General Huang Gai.

Greetings, Lord Mayor Liu.

Gentlemen,

the Duke has helped all of us by sending these troops

I am sincerely thankful.

An alliance is a friendship.

Friends, need not be so formal.

Dare I ask, Your Honor,

how many soldiers do you have under your command?

Thirty-thousand.

Thirty-thousand...

thirty-thousand men, are too few.

Our men are too few?

Your army was defeated by just one blow!

What battles have you won?

Speak up. I only worry we might laugh ourselves to death.

So what?

What's worse than a defeated army?

What is wrong with defeat?

Better to be a loser than a coward.

What are you saying?

I dare you.

Brother, stop.

Brother!

We are not building an alliance.

We are making enemies.

Viceroy Zhou, what is your opinion?

At this time of crisis,

you can still weave straw sandals?

This has been a habit of mine for years.

We have walked a long way wearing these shoes.

Whenever our shoes are worn out,

Big Brother weaves new ones with his own hands.

Exactly.

It really is strong.

I am surprised that such weak strands of grass,

can become so strong after you weaved them together.

You have a noble Lord, and brave generals.

Generals Guan, Zhang and Zhao

are all invincible warriors on the battlefield.

An army high in spirits can fight an enemy ten times its size.

We sons of Wu, must protect our homeland.

We will also do our best

I have only one dream.

A dream for all;

That is for all of us to unite!

United, no one can pull us apart!

I'm here!

Why are you here?

To go to war!

War?

War is no joking matter!

You think that I'm here to joke around?

A woman should share the responsibility

for the rise and fall of the Kingdom.

So should a horse!

Don't go! Come back!

Don't be like my brother!

Talk to me!

She is...?

Our Princess, Sun Shang Xiang

Princess, have you ever been to war?

There is a first time for everything!

After I fought my first war,

I never wished for a second.

I think, if she encounters any Cao troops,

her hands will tremble with fear, as if she were waving

Princess,

I see you better off at home, making your flower weavings.

She seem a very ambitious young lady.

She is a tomboy. She likes fighting.

Her maids are all fully armed.

Who would dare marry her?

What are you doing?

What did you say to my horse!

I told him that his rider

is a scoundrel!

Get up!

Don't pull so hard!

Hey!

Hey!

Turn towards me.

Prime Minister!

Prime Minister,

a messenger from Wu has arrived!

Bring him forth! Yes sir!

This way please.

Did Sun Quan receive my letter?

He did.

What is his reply?

This page is blank. What is the meaning of this?

They intend to fight,

so they did not bother to write a reply.

Have him, beheaded!

Prime Minister,

Liu Bei must have already formed an alliance with Wu,

brazenly opposing the empire.

Who will command their alliance?

Prime Minister, I guess it will be Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu is known not for his military abilities, but his musical talent.

How can such a man lead an army?

Prime Minister, for years,

Zhou Yu has remained our toughest opponent.

Indeed, he is a skilled musician,

but he is an even better naval commander.

We have suffered considerable losses against him.

Please do not underestimate him.

You sure do

give him a lot of credit!

Prime Minister,

there is one other man we cannot underestimate!

Who is it? That is.

Zhu-ge Liang.

To the first hero who sacrificed his life for Wu.

In the battle of Guandu,

Cao Cao cut off the noses of a thousand prisoners of war.

He boxed and returned those noses,

instantly crushing his opponent's morale.

Today,

he beheaded a man of Wu

to crush our morale!

But, we men of Wu are not cowards,

and we are not afraid.

I have been waiting for this day!

I'm here!

What a commotion!

I won't miss tomorrow's battle.

Zilong,

have there been any problems with the allied training?

The two armies have different codes of conduct,

so at the start, there were a few minor conflicts.

But, rest assured, I am training them well.

Zhou Yu likes naval battles?

Generals Cai Mao and Zhang Yun,

I know you cannot wait any longer!

Very well,

you two are to command our navy to set sail down south.

Cai Mao leads a strong navy.

The water current and wind are all to their advantage.

So, we can launch our naval invasion.

Prime Minister, when shall we set out?

Tomorrow, before dawn.

He cannot wait. He will launch the attack tonight.

No,

make it tonight!

Would he take action so hastily?

There is only one word to describe his military tactics. Speed!

In the battle of Xinye, Cao Cao's elite cavalries

rushed one hundred and fifty miles in just three days.

We had no chance to prepare.

He places surrendered troops on the frontline,

while his own trusted army remains in the back.

Cao Hong, Zhang Liao.

You are to lead the naval forces on the second front.

Xia-hou Jun and Wei Ben,

you are to lead the cavalry west

to provide cover for the navy!

If the navy is so powerful,

why would they need us for cover?

Where will their main target be?

Right here!

That is the reason why you camped in Red Cliff.

You have foreseen this.

Yet someone said that my formations are outdated

I have an even more outdated one.

Bagua formation.

It is indeed outdated.

But when used appropriately, it will be very effective.

What are you all talking about?

How can this Bagua formation be used on water?

Once you drop, it sinks!

If they think I will use the navy,

then Zhou Yu and Zhu-ge Liang really are stupid.

General Cai, your navy is only a diversion.

Understood!

Xia-hou Jun and Wei Ben,

take two thousand cavalries by land

and catch them off-guard.

The majority of the Cao force is land infantry.

Would Cao Cao attack by water?

What are you thinking of?

Cao Cao never speaks of his true intentions,

even to his own followers.

Truth and illusion are often disguised as each other.

Cao Cao likes to play this game,

both with friends and with foes.

What are you doing? Putting that land tortoise in water?

Halt!

Reporting!

No signs of the Wu army, within eight miles of the rear hill!

Nor any trace of civilians!

All have fled, except for a tortoise in its shell!

Charge!

There may be an ambush.

Am I afraid of a few young girls?

Shoot!

The enemy has entered the trap.

This Bagua formation is not at all outdated!

Form up!

It's a trap!

I predicted this ambush.

Damn! Now the advantage is theirs.

Kill them.

Get back in formation!

Break through the shields and attack the enemy!

Charge!

Signal the cavalry! Break through their encirclement!

I will kill Zhou Yu for this!

Turn!

Charge!

Attack! Kill them!

Get back in formation!

Hang in there!

Hang in there!

Viceroy!

Come on!

Attack!

Great! This is great!

Get out!

Reporting!

Your Honor,

Cao Cao's fleet is sailing towards Red Cliff.

Prime Minister, our army was defeated!

Our cavalries have never lost a battle.

It is only a slight setback. No need to panic.

They managed to outfox this old fox.

Look,

even though we came a long way on water,

not one allied ship was there to counterattack.

Instead, they ambushed our ground forces.

They were ready for us.

The war against these rebels

shall not be underestimated.

Prime Minister,

since they do not have an adequate naval defense,

let's send out our navy to destroy the allies!

I would rather spend more time

preparing my troops for the naval battle.

Sooner or later, we will get across the river

I am still waiting to carve my poetry onto that cliff.

Right there! Make camp,

right across from Red Cliff.

Victory! Victory!

So many ships.

If we used them as firewood,

it would take a hundred years to burn them all!

How can we beat them?

Cao Cao claimed to have an army of eight hundred thousand.

It looks like he really does.

So what if he has eight hundred thousand troops?

With only one tortoise, we stalled his army.

Exactly!

The delay has taken away their momentum.

What do you think?

Rather than attacking directly with his navy,

Cao Cao tried a rear sneak attack with his cavalry.

He made a mistake.

Now, he will change his tactics

and begin using his navy.

Cao Cao used only two thousand troops, to discover our strengths.

But we know nothing of our enemy.

We can only wait for their next attack.

How is your arrow wound?

Fine. It's only a slight wound

I owe you this one.

Take it easy.

Victory! Victory!

They are cheering for victory too early.

With such a good morale, what is there to fear?

We need good spirits to win this war.

Your Honor!

This medicine will cure the wound very quickly.

Please bear with the pain.

Let me do this.

Let me do something for a wounded soldier.

How does my bandage look?

You wrapped me up like a rice dumpling.

It seems that Cao Cao isn't as fierce as he seems.

He is indeed fierce.

He is a seasoned military commander.

He will do anything within his power to gain victory.

He knows how to command an army,

but he has no friends.

Cao Cao is unlike you.

This toast

is for Viceroy Zhou!

To Viceroy Zhou!

Me too! For Viceroy Zhou!

I hope he can recover soon.

Toast!

We joined forces under pressure

but were successful beyond our wildest dreams.

Our brilliant victory shocked Cao Cao!

Duke,

I have a difficult favor to ask for you.

One hundred thousand refugees

followed us from Xinye City

I have no land on which to settle them.

After defeating Cao Cao,

I would like you to let me use Jingzhou to settle the people.

Jingzhou is the heartland of the Yangtze

and a most valuable strategic location.

How could you?

Only a righteous leader

owns his land.

Indeed,

a righteous leader

may only need a small piece of land.

The Kingdom is vast,

vast enough to shelter all refugees.

But I am only afraid that

once soldiers settle in, they will never leave.

Those in arms are all our own men.

If a Lord is righteous, then all the Kingdom's men are his to lead.

Come,

let's drink up!

Toast!

The princess is a true heroine!

Lord Liu,

my younger sister,

has always admired great gentlemen.

But since she is so fierce,

I have always worried about her marriage,

as it is difficult to seek a suitable gentleman for her.

Brother,

what are you talking about?

If the Liu and Sun families become relatives,

Then it wouldn't matter how we divided the land and men, would it?

The war has just begun.

I...

have never thought of re-marrying,

but...

Brother,

you must be drunk.

What do you take me for?

I have found you a fine match.

What's wrong with that?

Fine.

Then, I will have

a hundred of my armed maids

guarding my door,

and I dare you to step in...

and...

Oh, no.

Big Brother!

Big Brother!

How rude!

Brother!

You have never learned to respect me!

That's strange. What did I do wrong?

Big Brother's acupuncture points are locked.

Brother! Wake up!

Whatever you do, don't kill my pigeons.

Their acupuncture points are different from those of men.

I hope I didn't hurt your Lord.

He wouldn't blame you, even if you hurt him.

Was I outrageously rude?

I think you are unique.

It is the unique ones who are the most misunderstood.

I hate those arranged marriages.

Women are pushed around

like chess pieces.

You are feeding them too much.

They won't be able to fly anymore.

If only I was like them.

You want to... fly?

I have been living in the palace all my life.

It is such a bore.

Your talents exceed those of others,

yet you hide them.

Only you can see them.

I used to go hunting with my brother across the shore.

Back then, the field was full of people dancing and praying.

Now, it has all become dark and mysterious.

Everything has changed now that Cao Cao has come.

Before they come here,

I will go over there

to take a peek

and stir up some trouble.

Take care. The weather has turned cold.

I have served the Prime Minister

for three days already.

Yet, Your Highness still does not know my name.

My name is... Can you serve tea?

I can Do so.

Prime Minister,

we can start the therapy today.

Doctor, what's the matter?

Tea, Your Highness.

Incorrect,

try again.

Tea, Your Highness.

That's the way.

Xiao Qiao,

I have always admired the way you serve tea.

He started this war

all because of a woman?

What are you doing?

I just gave them a bath

and am drying them off.

What if they catch a cold?

How is your wound?

It's fine.

I heard last night was quite entertaining.

Last night's celebration made me realize

that we may becomes enemies tomorrow.

When that day comes,

you and I

will each serve our own sides.

I cannot stand the thought

of a stand-off with you.

I hope it never will happen.

You are a brilliant commander.

Fortunately, you are not on Cao Cao's side.

Otherwise, you will be a big trouble.

You've been looking across the shore for two days now.

What do you see?

I must remain calm.

How about you?

I also need to remain calm.

Cao Cao has no experience in naval affairs.

To cross the river,

he must rely on Cai Mao and Zhang Yun.

They are both Southerners.

They know all the rocks and currents in the river.

If we can eliminate them,

half of the Cao navy will be paralysed.

That... would be rather difficult.

Cao Cao is always very wary of assassins,

just as his followers are wary of his deadly temper.

They have interesting fleet formations.

Every formation has its weakness.

It's only up to us to find it.

That shouldn't be too difficult.

Great!

I never imagined that our soldiers are also great athletes!

This is what I call interesting!

Over all these years we've been on the battlefields,

we were never once defeated.

But like a game of Cuju,

it cannot be exciting when one side always wins!

For the battle of Red Cliff,

we are ready

I want to see how those rebels react

once we throw out the ball!

♪ Shaking the earth, waves hand in hand flow. ♪

♪ No earthly wine can rival the moon's glow. ♪

♪ A smile knows what no words can know. ♪

♪ A passing glance and all is white snow. ♪

♪ Let the mind, not the hands, defend and fight. ♪

♪ Walls of iron cannot stop our might. ♪

♪ This life, not in vain, not in spite. ♪

♪ From every crucible, a phoenix takes flight. ♪

♪ Wipe not our tears. Let them dry on the air. ♪

♪ This war is one our hearts declare. ♪

♪ Victory won with beauty and flair. ♪

♪ Rise together! Even a loss we can bear. ♪

♪ No fear of this long night we share. ♪

♪ Let the cries of war be our song. ♪

♪ No comrade-in-arms shall our memories wrong. ♪

♪ White waves of the Yangtze so long. ♪

♪ Seething, as before, in our hearts so strong. ♪

♪ Why not let the cries of war be our song? ♪

♪ Waves that crack the cliffs shall not be wrong. ♪

♪ Brief voices speak out, from the heart they flow. ♪

♪ No earthly wine can rival the moon's glow. ♪

♪ A smile knows what no words can know. ♪

♪ A passing glance and all is white snow. ♪

♪ Let the mind, not the hands, defend and fight. ♪

♪ Walls of iron cannot stop our might. ♪

♪ This life, not in vain, not in spite. ♪

♪ From every crucible, a phoenix takes flight. ♪

♪ Minds in battle will clash and collide. ♪

♪ In this war that our hearts decide. ♪

♪ Let war bring peace to the world so wide. ♪

♪ Rise up together and battle with pride! ♪

♪ Let no man fear the long night outside. ♪

♪ Let the cries of war be our song. ♪

♪ No comrade-in-arms shall our memories wrong. ♪

♪ White waves of the Yangtze so long. ♪

♪ Seething, as before, in our hearts so strong. ♪

♪ Why not let the cries of war be our song? ♪

♪ Waves that crack the cliffs shall not be wrong. ♪

♪ A moment so fast, where did it fly? ♪

♪ A wine so sweet, let me drink it dry. ♪

♪ A wound meant for my ally. ♪

♪ Is a medal I hold high. ♪

♪ Every joy, every sigh. ♪

♪ Our laugh does belie. ♪

♪ The moon lights the sky. ♪

♪ Let us drink our glasses dry ♪

Subtitles by maskmahe