Original subtitles

The ancient sages said, do not despise the snake for having no horns, for who

is to say it will not become a dragon?

So may one just man become an army.

Nearly a thousand years ago in ancient China, at the time of the Song Dynasty,

there was a cruel and corrupt government.

These men riding are outlaws, heroes.

who have been driven to live in the water margins of Liang Shan Do, far to

the south of the capital city.

Each fights tyranny with a price on his head, in a world very different from our

own.

The story starts in legend even then.

For our heroes, it was said, were perhaps the souls reborn of other,

earlier knights.

Evil Cao Qiu, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards, suborned Wang Lun.

weak and venial leader of fable Liang Shanbo, into betraying his men.

Warned, however, Lin Zhong accused the man, killed him, and sent Wang Lun's

head back to Gao as a warning.

Oh, say does that

star-spangled banner yet wave

Yangshanpo should have fallen to us were you not so incompetent.

I'm terribly sorry, master.

Being sorry is not sufficient.

Listen. Sir?

I'll make sure you remember Yangshanpo forever.

Dark, ram this man.

My lord.

Lord Commander. No, don't do it.

This mark will show you for a criminal till I behead you.

No, not on my face, please.

No! One of you summon Judge Sung Chiang now.

Sung

Chiang,

you're recommended as the most skilled of our investigators.

Oh, you flatter me.

Liang Shan Po is to become your chief concern.

Wang Lun returned as just a head.

Therefore, somehow the secret of my plans for Yang Shan Po were discovered.

There was only one who knew my plans in this connection.

Yen Po Shi, the singer, happens to be the one.

Sung Xiang, you must go and examine her concerning the matter.

With respect, sir, I'm afraid I must refuse.

To decline?

I have given a direct order, Sung. It's your right to order me.

However, concerning this Liang Shan Po, I know nothing. Liang Shan Po is hardly

any sort of secret to us.

Very well, then.

You will go to Yan Po Shi and question her.

I shall give you a warning.

The lady is extremely attractive.

Now go.

Who else should I investigate, or am I dismissed?

Only when you die.

No one else can use you.

Our virtuous judge believes he's investigating the woman.

In truth, it is exactly the opposite.

Sir Sung Chang.

No need to tell me all the ladies in the city know of you.

Please do enter.

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Your Honor.

I give you my word that I never shall again.

I'm here on official business.

No, stop it. No, stop that.

I can't. I can't help myself.

Oh, no. Oh, yes. You've tickled me from your senses.

I left it.

The letter. A letter in it from Chao Kai at the Lan Xiaobo.

Names of friends.

Inns controlled by Lan Xiaobo.

I could be disaster.

Wake up. Wake up. I left a bag here.

I was having a lovely dream. Don't wake me up.

I must have it.

You're dreaming now, Sung Chang.

Where is it?

I'm afraid I lost it.

What will you do then?

Going to arrest me, Your Honor, and charge me with stealing your bag?

I haven't suggested you stole it.

Ah, but I have, though I'm not a bandit from Liangshanpo.

Please talk quietly. What if someone should hear you?

Liangshanpo.

to Liang Shampo, and you're one of them. You're a bandit too.

Please. Kao Chun would pay me well for that.

I could be rich for all the days of my life.

I beg of you.

Please.

Give it back to me.

I'll pay any price for it.

You'll pay any price, would you?

They say it's better to sew rags as a wife than wear silk as a concubine.

Huh? So marry me.

What a whore you are.

Torn by remorse, Sung Chiang, by nature a law-abiding man, contemplates giving

himself up.

But that would endanger Liang Shanpo.

Cao Chu's plots have made of me a criminal now.

Like so many others, I must flee.

Sung Chiang has run away.

He can only go to Linchung at Liangshanpo.

Yes, sir.

He killed the girl. That proves that he was in league with the bandits.

So you, Koshu, go after him and bring him back.

Yes, sir.

All over the empire, Sung Chiang's picture and description appeared,

offering a huge reward.

The branded police chief set out to dog his footsteps with two old friends of

ours. Come on, you two!

And Sung Chiang's been captured?

He'll be rewarded with all the wine, women, and meat that you need. Oh, we

don't really like drinking, and women are bad for our health.

Women and wine and meat would only spoil us for our mother's home cooking.

Sung Chiang knows he will be followed, but the remorse which pursues him is

worse than any policeman.

Goats. Sir, why can't we have a rest? We can't rest!

Come on!

You had a rest yesterday.

Going to be nasty. Nasty?

We've got a killer to catch.

So nasty, we won't come with you. What?

The more we wrestle, the harder and farther he gets ahead.

Nobody's taking this seriously.

Not too seriously, no, sir.

But it's good to be out in the fresh air.

Orange! If you're nasty, we won't come with you.

All right.

There's no other way.

But who can remain still at the moment for action?

They have seen an inn. And it's controlled by Liang Shanbo, as

so many are.

Nothing won't let us eat anything decent.

I knew I shouldn't have let them wander off on their own.

Oh, just look at that. Even my teeth are hungry.

What a lovely smell of sweet and sour.

And at such an inn are men from Liangshanbo.

Hey, you grey idiots look like the law.

What a charming sense of humour.

Fat fools, oafs, idiots. Drunk and louts. Just look at them swirl down that

wine. Now isn't that fascinating, the way each area has its own customs or

not. You're a friendly pair, aren't you?

Aren't you? Now listen.

To really welcome you, we're going to beat you up, all right?

You hit so hard, but that's the way to do it. Oi, you two, what

do you say to a fight?

We really know that you're police. And if we win, we make you tell what you're

doing here, what you want, and which poor devil you're chasing.

There's this theory.

Damn your theory. You just get on with it. A theory that a man called Sung

Chang came this way.

Sung Chang, huh? The judge, yeah.

Came and went on his way to Shanghai.

Oh, no. Oh, that terrible man is governor there. And what we're going to

do there, we're going to bring him in for trial.

What? That's what you think?

Because we're going to rescue him. And you'd better cool off.

Yield to overcome, bend and become straight, wrote the great sage.

Empty and be filled, wear out to become renewed.

Have little and gain, have much and you will only be confused.

Therefore, truly wise men embrace the Tao and all may take example from them.

The ancients said, yield and overcome.

Is this an empty saying?

Be really whole and all things must come to you.

Lin Chong, it is said that Sung Chang has killed a singer named Yen Po Shi.

Kao Chu believes he has fled to Henghai.

There, the cruel governor will hunt down Sung Chiang and arrest him.

Kao Chu is now after Sung Chiang.

Lin Chung!

Wu Sun Yang, I've got to help. I owe my life to him. May I come with you?

No. I must go alone.

It's not woman's work.

Lin Chung!

I take great exception to that.

Even so?

I shan't stay here.

I can ride like you and fight like you.

Lin Chong!

Sung Chang!

It's Sung Chang!

Oh, stop him!

You said we shouldn't stop. I have found berries.

Ling Chong!

Ling Chong!

What's the matter?

Soko! Binchu!

Binchu!

Soko!

Sung Chiang is not fleeing aimlessly.

He has a destination and a friend.

The chivalrous Lord Chai Chin has no wife and thus spends very much of his

time practicing the martial arts, presently with Lee Kuei, a simple-minded

giant called Black Whirlwind.

Master, the governor is torturing peasants, beating and drowning them for

not paying taxes.

You're the ones who did it!

You're the ones who did it!

I know that!

I know that! I know that!

I know that! I know that! I know that!

I know that!

Rescue!

Rescue!

Well-named is the simple black whirlwind as his deadly axes clear a path for Lord

Chai Chin.

Chai Chin!

These are just peasants who refuse to pay taxes.

Governor, how can they pay taxes to you, which are doubled in one year?

You could just as well ask them to die.

This will stop.

Or I'll be forced to intervene.

So weird.

I've the law on my side.

Rush, have you heard?

Terrible news!

The soldiers, the soldiers took your ox, your beautiful black ox.

Ah, governor, I greet you.

Chief of police in the metropolis.

These two are my men.

Ah, good day to you.

Well, what do you want?

Assistance, sir.

Kao Chu believes a certain ex-judge, Sung Chang, he killed a woman, has fled

pursuit into your district. I request your help, governor.

What do you think I can do about it? He does.

Sung Chang has an old colleague in this district.

A school friend of his youth called Lord Chai Chin. What?

Chai Chin?

You want?

Well?

Dirty spy, prepare to die. I am not here to arrest you.

Like yourself, I am a fugitive.

Who's knocking?

I'm knocking. Lee Kuei.

My lord, it's him.

I'm sorry, sir. I brought someone.

It's Sung Chiang.

Chai Chin, my lord.

I'm so sorry to impose.

Good to see you.

My little pet. There he is.

Oh, I see.

I... I couldn't understand how a man of honor like Sung Chiang... Thank you for

explaining. You are truly kind, Chai Ching.

And I apologize for imposing on a very dear friend.

That's what friends are for.

Mother, may I introduce my friend, Sung Chiang.

You've often heard me speak of him, haven't you?

Sung Chiang, you are welcome to our house. You overwhelm me with kindness.

Nonsense. You do as much for me. The streets are full of your picture. But

you'll be safe here.

Sung Chang and Li Kuei are hiding in Chai Chin's house. A reward as usual.

Oh,

now, not another word out of you.

It looks lovely.

Oh, my lady, it's too fine for me. Thank you so much.

Look,

Li Kuei, your old mother, does it suit me?

Very smart it makes you look.

Almost as good as my ox.

They're on their way here now.

Hurry and go and tell the master.

Yes, I'm off.

Oh, master, master.

My lord, excuse me.

The soldiers are coming.

Chai Chin, don't hinder us.

We're going to search your house.

Never.

I'm Chai Chin, direct descendant of the Taochoo emperors, and not answerable to

you. Just a moment.

Read this.

I'm no provincial.

This is an order sealed by Kao Chu, the supreme commander of the imperial

guards. You too.

All of you.

We never use it. That's why it's kept locked.

Oh, rubbish!

Ah,

you want to watch out, man?

Nellie killed us. We were only taking a nap, huh?

Well,

we got these two anyway.

What's going on?

Nothing, nothing at all. Just getting on with the search.

Lord Chai Chin, I found nothing.

But that doesn't mean there was nothing here to take away.

Who are you?

Oh, I think I can tell you the truth.

Lian Shan Po men, we are.

Lian Shan Po?

Be quiet!

Help! The wood!

Help!

My lord! My lord!

It's Li Kui's old mother. They've taken her.

Taken his mother?

We know that Chai Chin is hiding these runaways somewhere.

Well, if need be, I will burn them out.

No, Governor.

No need of anything so drastic.

I've got Chai Chin's mother.

We'll put her up on the castle wall.

And then let's see, huh?

Let's see Chai Chin's much-vaunted chivalry.

No, it's not Chai Chin's mother.

Curse the crone!

Ah, so richly dressed, I thought she was a lady.

Policeman, listen.

I have an idea.

You do.

Anyway, let us make use of this woman.

Tie her up on the wall of the castle and we'll see if T'Chin comes to rescue her.

Chai Chin can cut these ropes.

The simple price is Sung Cheng and Li Kuei.

Only when Chai Chin gives them up can she be released.

That's a real dirty trick.

Do you think Chai Chin's really hiding these runaways?

Hey, that's really Li Kuei's mother.

Oh, he's right.

I recognize her. Anyway, someone should tell Chai Chin about it at once. Let's

go. Come on.

Silence!

These are the conditions of your governor.

Chai Chin either has to come or this old woman hangs here until she dies.

If only I hadn't given her my old clothes.

I had only the best intentions.

I'll kill them with my bare hands.

Come back.

Were it as simple as that, we wouldn't be sitting here now.

Yes, I know, but please tell me what I can do. You can do nothing.

Chai Xin, no.

I know what you're thinking of doing.

But if anyone surrenders to them, it can only be myself.

After all, I'm responsible for this.

Chai Chin, let us never forget that I am a murderer. And you must not put

yourself in danger.

Already you've done more than enough.

I must forbid it.

My old friend, there's one solution.

It's me they're really after.

Chai Chin has come. Alone? Or with Sung Chan?

Quite alone.

And he is unarmed.

Then it has worked.

Chai Chin's coming.

No, my lord.

It's a trap.

You mustn't go. It's a trap. Please.

My lord, it's a trap.

So you did come.

Release the old woman at once.

Sun Qian, still you do not deliver him.

I came quite alone.

So, keep your word.

Yes, I will do that.

Zhaixing, are you ready to stand hostage for them all?

Yes, I am.

Do you want to die?

I'll kill you now if anyone moves. If anyone moves!

Give orders.

Release Wang Sheng.

Reduce the taxes.

Or will you die on this sword?

I'll do as you say.

Good.

Now go and announce it.

Still? Yes.

Still.

I'd enjoy killing him. Let us through.

So where your sneaking sympathies belong, he is our hostage.

You can exchange him for the two killers.

Deliver them up to me, and we'll let him go.

Another thing.

Sai Shin's lands, all his properties are forfeit to me.

Everything forfeit? Silence!

If you say what heaven is your lord, just the same.

So there'll be no more gifts from him.

Well, you know what to do.

The exchange will be arranged to take place beside the

shallow river, the river of the dead.

I'm deeply grateful.

It was nothing.

We'll meet again one day.

Yes.

Sun Qian, a hero. You should have asked him to join the outlaws.

I did.

It's no easy matter for a judge to become an outlaw.

He'll join.

And he sees that it is... it is the only way.

Li Kui, now.

Lin Chong.

Another one.

Simple-minded, though always loyal.

He's called Li Kui.

Yan Changpo is his only chance of safety.

Ha!

If I can't keep pets, I'll be an ox.

So ended the battle of the shallow river of the dead,

and Kao again is thwarted by force.

Yet the sages said, yield and overcome.

Is this an empty saying?

The singer is silent now.

See you soon.

See you soon.

It's not tomorrow