Original subtitles

A miIitary mystery that has Iasted for 2000 years

Twelve years after Gaozu of Han's death¤

the grand tutor Liu Xuan took his students

to the site of the Hongmen Banquet

to look at the place where Gaozu outwitted Xiang Yu.

Emperor Gaozu had a great reputation and authority

His civiI officiaIs were aII very taIented

His miIitary officiaIs were aII heroes

Look! Why are there are no characters on these tabIets?

That's odd

Start preparing for the memoriaI ceremony

Don't Worry about those tabIets. Let's go

Gaozu cornered Xiang Yu With a cIever pIan

He mobiIized his forces to Xianyang Which Was unparaIIeIed in the WorId

by ambushing Xiang Yu on aII sides in the end

Gaozu thoroughIy beat Xiang Yu

and forced him to commit suicide by the Wujiang River...

Tutor? Whose memoriaI tabIets are these?

How dare you raise such a impertinent question WhiIe I'm taIking!

Hurry up! Are the sacrificiaI offerings for the ceremony ready yet?

Yes, sir

Tutor, where shouId Emperor Gaozu sit?

This is the resuIt of not paying attention in my cIass

The monarch shouId face south

Xiang Yu used to caII himseIf the monarch back in the day

So he sureIy faces south

Then Gaozu couId onIy face north,

since it was impossibIe to sit next to Xiang Yu

Come here now and prepare to bow down. Hurry up

Your majesty Gaozu, we are here to saIute you

A ghost!

I don't mean to meddIe

It's just that I saw you paying tribute to the wrong direction

So I feeI I have to...

Oh, you're a human being

Who are you? You don't think Gaozu shouId face north?

This is the memoriaI tabIet for Gaozu

Sir! Then whose memoriaI tabIets are those behind Gaozu's?

They are the most important peopIe in Gaozu's Iife

Then why are there no names on the tabIets?

Right

If possibIe, Emperor Gaozu wouId Iove to inscribe their names on them

- Whose tabIet is that, opposite? - No one other than Xiang Yu

Why did Gaozu make a tabIet for the biggest enemy in his Iife?

That's nonsense!

The story of Liu and Xiang shouId begin with the first time they met

The first Qin Emperor planned to conduct the imperial court that day

Since he gained independence through violence,

and since people were angry with his tyranny,

the troops guarding him were extraordinarily vigilant

Xiang Yu and his people pretended to be Qin officials

and were prepared to assassinate the Qin Emperor

Let's act

My Iord...

Who are they?

There's no time to Iose now

Who are these others?

Protect his majesty!

- Who is he? - Take the assassins!

Fire!

Your Majesty!

Retreat!

Even though the assassination attempt had failed,

Liu and Xiang formed an insurgent army together

If King Huai of Chu hadn't sown discord between them,

they might never have become enemies

King Huai of Chu was just a temporary king

How couId he manipuIate Liu and Xiang?

As head of the insurgent army,

King Huai knew that Liu and Xiang were quite ambitious

Once Qin was defeated,

he wouId be useIess and be eIiminated by them

So he quickIy sought heIp from the three goddesses of war

Goddess, pIease advise me how best to save my country

Even though Xiang and Liu are fighting against Qin together now,

their powers have been fuIIy deveIoped

They wiII both sureIy covet the Qin imperiaI seaI

I offer a stratagem that benefits us in both situations

You couId issue a decree:

"Whoever takes the Qin capitaI Xianyang wiII be Lord of Qin"

They wiII compete for that position so you may benefit from their infighting

Three days after issuing the decree, Xiang and Liu jointIy defeat the Qin army

GeneraI Xiang Bo is here!

Jin Hu has aIready taken 1 00,000 reinforcements to outfIank us

They have set off and wiII be here within three hours

If we're outfIanked at the front and back, we wiII definiteIy Iose

We have to take Chengyang before they come. Otherwise...

GeneraI Liu Bang wiII be here any minute

Long Ju, pass my orders to him

Xiang Yu has thousands of soIdiers. Why are we the spearhead?

Fan Kuai, we are aIIies and there's no difference between us

Xiao He, why do we have to obey Xiang Yu?

Xiahou Ying, he is the Ieader of our army

He must have a reason to make us the spearhead

You don't need to go if you are afraid

My Lord, I'm not afraid at aII

But I don't know about this one on my right!

Fan Kuai, you've nearIy died many times anyway

What is the oath of our insurgent army, brothers?

Defeat the tyrannicaI Qin, save the peopIe!

Where shaII we go after the war?

Back to our hometown!

- What wiII we do when we return home? - Drink our IocaI brew!

Fire!

- Xiang Zhuang, do it for me - Yes

Surround them!

Liu Bang is seeking death by coming here

Why hasn't Xiang Yu sent any reinforcements?

ObviousIy, Xiang Yu wants us to die

- Why don't you send out troops? - I'm waiting for one person

He may controI the order, but we controI the war. Retreat!

Retreat!

They're trying to escape!

GeneraI Jin Hu is here!

The person I'm waiting for is finaIIy here

Check the rear

Damn it! It's a trap!

We're ambushed!

GeneraI, Iook!

- Lord Xiang - Go back!

Have you heard of King of Huai's decree?

Whoever enters Xianyang first wiII be Lord of Qin?

I've heard about it

Zhang Han Ieads the Iast troop of Qin's army

He's preparing to traveI overnight to Xianyang to provide assistance

Therefore I sent out my troops immediateIy to prevent this

Once we beat them, Xianyang wiII surrender

And it wouId be simpIe to obtain the imperiaI seaI

The forces are enormous, and this battIe wiII be dangerous

So I need someone to take Yuji home

Who do you trust to do this?

You

Peng City Two years previousIy

Madam?

Yuji, we are running Iate! Hurry up!

Flowers blossom in the misty rain

A spring breeze blows through the little building

My home is another world

There's always an umbrella waiting for you

These are all scenes of my hometown

- A wild wind comes... - Stop!

- Sir... - How dare you!

Singing a Chu song in front of Qin officiaIs!

Sir...

Yuji...

Sir, Chu has been defeated by Qin

And Chu's peopIe have become peopIe of Qin

Why shouIdn't a song of Chu become a song of Qin?

Flowers blossom in the misty rain

A spring breeze blows through the little building

My home is another world

You sing this song very weII

I'm aIso from Chu

WeII... if you say you are a civiIian of Qin,

I demand that you take your cIothes off

Then we wiII know whether you are a Qin or a Chu

or whether you onIy have Chu in your heart

If you don't take off your cIothes, I wiII kiII this man!

- Strip! - Take off your cIothes quickIy!

Carry on! Strip!

Why?

I don't want you to get invoIved

Do you Iike me?

Take your cIothes off now, or I wiII kiII him!

Do you want to be with me?

Yes, I do

You're pIaying with fire!

Hero, it's me!

Why don't we become sworn brothers today?

Take care of your sister-in-Iaw for me!

What is it?

Why are you so quiet?

Someone has angered you?

My Iord, Xiang Yu asked you to send Yuji home

It's cIear that Xiang Yu pIans to stop you from contending for Xianyang

Xiang Yu is the Ieader of our army

He shouId be Lord Qin

This is a worId affair! Why does he have to be the Iord?

My Iord, a true man Iiving in a time of great changes

shouId make prompt decisions

It is King Huai of Chu's decree

It wiII be too Iate to regret when the opportunity passes

Xiao He, how couId you be on their side?

I thought you knew me

- My Iord, I know you the best - What do you know about me?

You...

You have changed

When I foIIowed you and Ieft home, I toId you once,

that no matter what you said I wouId beIieve in you

You promised to overthrow Qin and save the peopIe

Have you forgotten your promise?

If you have truIy forgotten the promise, pIease kiII me now!

My Iord, you are underestimating yourseIf

The country expects your benevoIence and cIemency

If peopIe are suffering because of Xiang Yu,

wouId you sit and do nothing about it?

The soIdiers have foIIowed you for many years

AII they want is power and infIuence, and to Ieave their names in history

If they knew that you don't aspire to win the throne,

the soIdiers may Iose moraIe and our years of effort wouId be wasted

Brothers, it's my fauIt

I promise to win Xianyang and fight for justice

I wiII bring peace to the common peopIe

Great, my Iord!

Yuji, do you know how to ride a horse?

Ride a horse?

Why are we changing directions?

This route is much safer

Have you ever thought why Lord Xiang asked me to send you home?

He wants you to keep me safe

I wiII never Ieave the woman that I Iove,

as I know I couId take the best care of her

It's a bIessing to be abIe to trust others

But sometimes things do change and you can't controI it

Yuji...

Leave her aIone!

It's Liu Bang. Take whatever you want. There are some horses...

This is in revenge for aII the dead Qin soIdiers!

- My Iute - Don't give chase

We'II soon be there. Hurry!

Brothers, we have arrived in Xianyang!

We are in Xianyang! We are in Xianyang!

Xianyang!

My Iord, our army wiII enter Xianyang soon!

My Iord!

Liu Bang and his foIIowers, in order to send Yuji home,

have taken the city of Xianyang!

He has onIy severaI thousand soIdiers. How couId he take the city?

Your majesty

I assume you do not understand my reason for asking you to surrender

That's because I respect you,

and I admire your majesty's Iove for the peopIe

UnfortunateIy, your days are over

Our army, Iead by Xiang Yu, is so huge and the soIdiers are so fierce,

that there's nothing they cannot conquer

We have conquered most of the country

Xianyang is the onIy city Ieft in your Qin Empire

You're stiII protecting this city against us

Do you want to further deepen the First Qin Emperor's sins?

Traitor! How dare you consider our Emperor a coward!

Our reinforcements wiII soon arrive! Take down these traitors!

GeneraI Yin, stop!

GeneraI Yin, if reinforcements were going to arrive,

wouId you be taIking to us now?

They've aIready been annihiIated by Xiang Yu

You can't hide this significant information from his Majesty

Your majesty, I've compIeted my task

Lord Xiang wiII be here any moment

I'II return to report to him now

GeneraI, wait!

Where's Yuji?

She's...with Liu Bang

Long Ju, inform Yafu immediateIy

He is to meet me on the way to Xianyang,

and heIp me take Xianyang back

Yes, my Iord

Liu Bang...

Liu Bang, do you want to be the Emperor?

Who wouIdn't want to?

Do you think I can become the Emperor?

Ladies and gentIemen, come and have a Iook

We have prepared the Weiqi boards

PIace yours bets now. My master aIone wiII pIay against ten peopIe

Of course, if we Iose, we'II pay ten to one!

If you've got the guts, come and bet now!

The best Weiqi pIayer is Fan Zeng, Xiang Yu's miIitary adviser

But this person is aIso briIIiant. He can controI ten games at once

It's amazing!

Don't miss your chance, pIace your bets!

FoIks, it's rather easy to beat them aII

I just pIan to make them Iose at the same time

Right, the first five games to go eight and nine

Yes, Master

You Iose again. Thanks

How is that possibIe? It is obvious we'II win. Let's go

The other five games, fIat seven and eight

Oh! My god!

Master, we've won a Iot

Sir, I'm Xiao He. May I know your name?

I've heard so much about you

My name is Zhang Liang

Zhang, you are the descendant of Han State's eminent famiIy

I am so Iucky to have you to assist me

Thank you so much

Did I ever say that I wouId assist you?

Right! It is my fauIt, I made such rash arrangements

I don't know how to treat inteIIectuaIs correctIy

I apoIogise on behaIf of my Iord

If you want my assistance,

I need to know GeneraI Liu's ambition

My onIy wish is to save the country and heIp its peopIe

Is GeneraI Liu treating me Iike some three-year-oId chiId?

Taking Xianyang city wouId never save the country and heIp its peopIe

Maybe the opposite...

The decree stating the first to enter Xianyang wouId be the Lord of Qin

was King Huai's ruse to take advantage of you and Xiang Yu

You have aIready put the peopIe of Xianyang in danger of massacre

But how dare Xiang Yu disobey King Huai's order?

King Huai is onIy the puppet king of Xiang's famiIy

But aren't aII eight vassaIs serving King Huai?

None of them wouId offend Xiang Yu for GeneraI Liu

I can cIose the gates of Xianyang

There's no way we'II Iose to Xiang Yu!

Fighting against his 400,000 soIdiers is Iike throwing eggs against rocks!

Liu Bang's onIy wish is to advocate justice

and to save the common peopIe from danger

PIease teII me the way to save them for the sake of the peopIe

I do have a soIution,

but I don't know if you wiII embrace it or ignore it

I wiII do whatever you say to save the peopIe

You must Ieave here immediateIy

If you return this city to Xiang Yu,

Xiang may be happy and spare the peopIe's Iives

- Xiang Yu's Iackey! - Stop

Yes, my Iord

Brothers...

Don't you think Zhang is right?

Whoever wants to prove he's wrong, I'II kiII him immediateIy

Do we have any other ideas how to save Xianyang?

Xiao He and Fan Kuai, return the seaI to Xiang tomorrow

- I'II wiII then Ieave Xianyang - My Iord, pIease reconsider!

Anyone vioIating this order wiII be executed!

You deserve your reputation

You have the benevoIence of sages and the magnanimity of emperors

What I said just now was to test you

It's about peopIe's Iives. I had no choice but to do this

Aren't you one of the men sent by Xiang Yu?

Xiang Yu is repIacing Qin's tyranny with his own

If he becomes emperor, the peopIe wiII suffer a great deaI

Xiang Yu is about to surround and attack Xianyang

Do you have any soIution?

Put aII the treasures away

Post a royaI decree to Iet the worId know

that you're onIy taking Xianyang temporariIy

And Xiang Yu wiII soon come to sIaughter the peopIe of the city

Xiang Yu wiII massacre the peopIe of this city!

- Massacre? - He'II kiII everyone in the city

- What shaII we do? - Let's protect our city to the death!

Then we gather the common peopIe,

and together with a miIitary force we can protect Xianyang

The common peopIe?

This is a tactic to buy time

Xiang Yu's miIitary adviser Fan Zeng is a master of the art of war

If he sees the peopIe guarding the city, he wiII stop Xiang Yu from attacking

I have a trusted friend working for Xiang Yu

who wiII send me information

I aIso have six great warriors

Let me introduce them to you

Stop!

Yafu!

Yu, I have found out

that Liu Bang has invited the peopIe to guard Xianyang

If we attack the city,

he wiII gain the peopIe's support by fighting against the Chu

But if we do not attack,

Liu Bang wiII have Xianyang's geographicaI advantage

This is a very good tactic

It's devised by Zhang Liang

Liu has aIso issued a decree

that aII the Qin's treasure wiII be given to the peopIe

There's onIy one reason for him to keep his hands off the treasure

He has a greater ambition. He wants to be the emperor

You have grown up, my son

Now that Liu Bang cIaims he's taking Xianyang temporariIy,

we can set up a trap

We can invite him to a banquet in Xianyang,

and then ask him to hand over the seaI of Qin

We can assassinate him on the spot. It'II be a good strategy

If we kiII Liu Bang,

how do we expIain it to King Huai of Chu?

I haven't considered that...

We couId send somebody to assassinate King Huai of Chu first,

and cIaim it was Liu who murdered him because he wants to be emperor

Then we can justify our attack as revenge for King Huai

You said you hadn't considered this?

I stiII recaII the deIicious braised fish in Xianyang

I shouId eat more before Iosing aII my teeth! This is the best pIan!

- Assassin! - Protect his majesty!

Xiahou Ying!

Drink?

Fan Kuai!

Xiahou Ying!

- You're both quite skiIfuI - Stop!

Who is Zhang Liang?

Fan Zeng has depIoyed an army

Three days Iater, no one can escape from Xianyang

Xiang Yu wiII set a meeting with GeneraI Liu

The pIace stiII remains a secret, so you cannot be prepared

Clearly, he wants to kill his lord

On the day of Xiang's arrivaI at Xianyang,

your friend wiII meet you at Zhanshen

You shouId know the pIace when Xiang Yu meets with Liu Bang

I found out that King Huai wiII rehearse the throne ceremony

And Fan Zeng has aIready sent someone to assassinate him,

and then bIame GeneraI Liu for it

Since they want to kiII King Huai of Chu,

we couId rescue him and ask for a medaIIion to spare our Iives

Han Xin, as you aIready know Xiang Yu's assassination pIan,

I'II entrust you to accompIish this important task

I used to serve Xiang Yu, but he doesn't appreciate me

This time I wiII heIp you

But I deserve something after this

We have a deaI

- How can you guarantee your promise? - How dare you!

The destiny of aII peopIe wiII be decided

at the meeting between myseIf and Xiang Yu

But the resuIt Iies in the hands of three persons

The first person is my adviser Zhang Liang

Second is Xiang Yu's Fan Zeng

And the third one is you, GeneraI Han

If I were to betray you, it wouId mean betrayaI of aII my generaIs,

betrayaI of my soIdiers, and of the whoIe worId, GeneraI Han

Do you stiII need my guarantee?

We have great miIitary strength. Why not attack the city right now?

Yu, I've toId you many times,

you must see the essence of everything

What you need to take is not the city aIone,

but the support of its peopIe

The one you must defeat is not Liu Bang aIone,

but aIso yourseIf

Yafu, you have been with me since I was young,

you have aIways advised me in soIving any difficuIties

I'm not worried so Iong as you are with me

It seems that I have spoiIed you

Does it mean that I have to retire so you can reaIIy grow up?

Did GeneraI Liu say why he wants to see me?

No, my Iady

- What a pity! - Why?

AIthough these Iutes are vaIuabIe,

it makes me miss my oId Iute more

Yes!

My Iute! How did you find it?

Thank you!

I heard that Lord Xiang is coming to Xianyang

Xiang Yu and I have set up a meeting

Do you know the cost of the banquet?

Thank you, Xiang Bo, for heIping me

You don't need to thank your sworn friend

My onIy wish is that, after conquering the vioIent Qin,

both Xiang Yu and Liu Bang may survive

They compIement each other, for the good of the peopIe

Have you found out the pIace for tomorrow's meeting yet?

It's at the Hongmen PaIace

They'II be in charge of hiding weapons in the Hongmen PaIace

Time is running out. PIease go back and heIp GeneraI Liu

Oh, no...

CounseIIor, the fIag feII for no reason!

It's Kun Gua on the upper sixth section. It is an iII omen

Somebody wiII assassinate us tonight

Warriors reside in Qian whiIe inteIIectuaIs reside in Kun

The assassin is coming after me

Fan's wisdom is better than mine

If we can eIiminate him, we can defeat Xiang Yu without a fight

We shouId focus and take the initiative to attack

I reaIIy want to meet this Zhang Liang

Send out my order that there's no need for a guard tonight,

so as not to aIert the assassins

I wiII stay here and meet the visitor myseIf

I've just cooked some noodIes. You've eaten nothing aII night, my Iord

You must eat something, sir

Lord, the bearded man hasn't returned yet

Something bad must've occurred

We've heard nothing about Han Xin's rescue of King Huai

What shouId we do?

My Iord...

You must endure humiIiation to secure the bigger prize

The more advantages Xiang Yu owns,

the more IikeIy he wiII be consumed with pride

We shouId take this opportunity to tempt him to make a mistake

My Iord!

Lord Xiang's envoy asks Lord Liu to attend the banquet now

AII your miIitary forces must stay in the city and await orders

- Xiao He... - My Lord

The resuIt of this meeting is uncertain

You shouId take my seaI... if anYThing bad happens

Make yourseIf the Iord, and start the undertaking again

My Iord!

AII soIdiers, kneeI!

My Iord, you're bIessed by the gods

And I wiII guard Xianyang tiII my Iast breath

- I wouId rather die than surrender! - Never surrender!

Xiao He, thank you

Very good

Great!

Protect his majesty!

- The kiIIers were sent from Xiang Yu! - Liu Bang sent me to rescue you

- Who are you? - I'm Han Xin

Wait!

AII guests at the Hongmen Banquet are required to surrender their weapons

Liu Bang is here to meet Lord Xiang

Why do you betray me?

I dare not betray you

"Whoever enters Xianyang first wiII be the Lord Qin"

That is King Huai's decree

We have been in wars for many years

Who doesn't want to settIe down and Iead a peacefuI Iife?

If you do not agree, we wiII return the city to you

Where is the royaI seaI of Qin?

And where's Yuji?

She is important to Your Highness,

so I dare not treat her careIessIy

My men are taking good care of her

Liu Bang...

Who is the ruIer over today's worId?

Of course it's you, sir

Do you know the mistake you've made?

Yes, I do

Since Liu Bang knows his mistake,

he shouId, according to miIitary protocoI, offer his bIood,

and worship heaven, earth and man to apoIogise

Yes, my Iord

Your heaIth, my Iord

PIease be seated, GeneraI Liu. We'II taIk Iater

Thank you, your highness

Which one of you is Zhang Liang?

I am Zhang Liang. It's an honour to meet you

PIease be seated

Zhang has been assisting GeneraI Liu these Iast few days

Your attack and defence are good, your advance and retreat are correct

Since we have the same vision,

I have some thoughts to share with you

It has been 26 years since Qin beat Chu

However, the nature has its own order and everything is repeated

Now, Qin is beaten by Chu again

We shouId aIso observe and impIement the wiII of the gods

Since Zhang is so diIigent and cIever,

why do you have to go through this troubIe,

and act against the wiII of the gods?

Thank you for your advice

Yi said, "There are good and bad times

"Sometimes we act, sometimes we don't

"The winner may Iose, good things may turn bad"

Thus, the ways of heaven are a mystery,

and Iife is Iike pIaying a game of chess

At today's Hongmen banquet,

both sides seek to restore harmonious reIations

I've heard you are an exceIIent pIayer of Weiqi

WouId you mind pIaying a Weiqi game against me?

Then we can Iearn whether heaven's wiII is certain or uncertain?

If Zhang Liang Ioses, I wiII send Yuji back myseIf,

and I wiII apoIogise to you, Iord

Zhang Liang...

I have to ask you again...

Do we seriousIy have to pIay against each other?

I'd be honoured to pIay against you

Very weII

I Iost my eyesight four years ago

If you wish to pIay, you must do so with your eyes bIindfoIded

There are 361 pieces in Weiqi

How can one memorize them aII by heart?

Today, I have finaIIy met a worthy opponent

Let us pIay severaI rounds!

OnIy our bravest warriors can pIace the Weiqi pieces for you two

Long Ju, teII Zhang your achievements

Let's see if you are quaIified to serve for Zhang

I haven't made any great achievements yet

But over the past four years, in fifty-six battIes, I won them aII

In the BattIe of Chengyang,

I kiIIed and buried 200,000 Qin soIdiers in just one night

During the four years serving my Iord,

I won aII forty-two battIes,

and persuaded 200,000 Qin soIdiers to surrender

We conquered the capitaI of Qin without kiIIing anyone

Very good. Zhang Liang, you are a young hero

WhiIe I am oId and bIind

Therefore, I deserve the first move

You are a master of Weiqi, so I shouId make the first move

It is you who suggested pIaying today, so you are the host

As the guest, I shouId take the first move

Today the host of the Hongmen Banquet is Lord Xiang

My Iord and I are aII guests

We shouId therefore make the first move

He who makes the first move takes the advantage

We can't miss this opportunity

May I make a boId suggestion? Long Ju, we can make a wager first

If you can guess correctIy how many fingers I have,

your side can take the first move. Do you dare to bet?

Ten!

You Iose, Fan Kuai

Liu Bang, now that our foIIowers are competing,

as their Ieaders, we shouId make a wager too

Though I don't know who instigated it,

this man actuaIIy dared to assassin CounseIIor Fan

As we are hosting the Hongmen Banquet in Qin territory today,

I wiII bet the five punishments of Qin with you

According to the five punishments of Qin,

it incIudes cutting off the face, cutting off the ears,

cutting off the fingers, cutting off the head

and IastIy...cutting the prisoner into mince

If Zhang Liang Ioses one round, I wiII carry out one punishment

Now the worId is in great chaos and peopIe's Iives are miserabIe

As you have said, we shouId observe and impIement the wiII of heaven

For the first round, I wiII go four into four...

...creating a dangerous situation,

then I wiII go fIat-four in the second round

For the third round, I wiII go three-five

And up six-five for the fourth round

This is karma. I hope peace wiII come to the worId

I'II go up eight-four for the fifth round

Wars and kiIIing are inevitabIe and acceptabIe in a worId of chaos

I'II go up four-three for the first round

If we Iove the peopIe, we shouId attack

Then four-four for the second round

Wars are appIicabIe to end wars

Up four-three for the third round

FIat four-four for the fourth round

No one Iikes wars

We use war to win obedience

I wiII keep beating you untiI you are convinced

The fifth round, same as the fourth: fIat four-four

Fan Zeng's skiII is profound

Zhang Liang's game is fuII of kiIIing motives

I used four different strategies in each round

He noticed them aII at once

I'm stiII thinking how he wiII pIay the fifth round

HopefuIIy, Han Xin wiII arrive soon

I can beat him once I know his pIan

This round I wiII go up five-six

Two into two

FIat eight-three

Zhang Liang is buying time

FIat eight-six

Go up four-three

Into eight-four

Go up seven-two

FIat six-three

Into five-eight

FIat two-two for the second round

Troops are vaIued for their quaIities not for how Iong they can Iast

I'II use fIat eight-six to win your first round

Commanding troops shouId be fast as wind, strong as fire

I'II go down eight-ten to win the second round

Into eight-eight

Xiang Zhuang...

Let me perform a sword dance to spice up the Hongmen Banquet

It's not interesting aIone. Let me perform it with you

Go up three-four

Xiang Zhuang, your sword skiIIs have improved

Get away!

Zhang Liang, I have beaten you in the third round by up nine-four

You've aIso been cornered in the fourth round

Let's fight!

My Iord!

Yu, kiII Liu Bang now!

Watch out, Iord!

I said earIier... there is onIy one winner on the battIefieId

Today, the gods brought us together,

which means onIy one of us can survive

Don't bIame me, Liu Bang

My Iord

Stop!

King Huai of Chu's decree!

His majesty spares Liu Bang's Iife

Liu Bang must Ieave Xianyang and return to Hanzhong

King Huai has invited eight vassaIs to Xianyang

to ceIebrate Lord Xiang becoming ruIer of Xianyang

Yafu!

Zhang Liang sent peopIe to kiII my counseIIor

You must kiII him

Then we can caII it even, and I'II Iet you go

- I can't do that! - Today, I win. You Iose

Xiang Zhuang

My Iord! PIease, don't!

Act

My Iord...

You are making a grave mistake

Liu Bang, you do know how to survive

We have Iost our counseIIor. What shouId we do?

CounseIIor said that we have to tempt Xiang Yu

to a big mistake in order to win

I thought we'd aIready Iost to Xiang Yu

The game is not over yet

The reaI Hongmen Banquet has finaIIy begun

Do you know the reason why Liu Bang kept you beside him?

He was using you as a bargaining chip

I aIways choose to beIieve in others

Just Iike you said you Iiked me when we first met

Even though Liu Bang overstepped his authority,

he brought me my Iute back

I was thinking I couId sing Chu songs to you again

If you stiII have trust in me

Sir...

Yu, Zhang has recovered his wounds

Do you think it's appropriate for him to attend our meeting?

I couId Ieave if it's inconvenient

Wait!

Zhang has chosen the right Iord to serve

I sincereIy appreciate your heIp

Now the war is over and your highness is the owner of Qin PaIace,

it is onIy you to bIame if this opportunity is missed

You shouId take the supremacy now. What are you waiting for?

The worId has just settIed down,

and we don't have a good reason to cIaim the throne

Besides, the eight vassaIs wouId refuse to obey

We stiII need to wait for the right timing

If the vassaIs disobey, why can't I send troops to fight against them?

Liu Bang has become Lord of Hanzhong. His next moves are uncertain

If he strikes us by surprise whiIe our army is away,

we can't fight on two fronts, and we'II Iose

Based on Lord Xiang's miIitary force, we can divide the troops

Since Zhang is so knowIedgeabIe,

how couId one conquer the worId on his own?

Why do you give us such an incompIete pIan?

I do have a pIan

Since Liu Bang has conceded his aIIegiance to you,

you couId order him to invade the vassaIs

Then you couId use the vassaI's heIp to kiII Liu Bang,

and become the Emperor

Do you stiII think this is an incompIete pIan?

WeIcome to the messenger from Chu

Since Lord Xiang asks us to send the army,

how can we disobey him?

Xiao He, it's not easy for me to be here

PIease stay at Hanzhong. We'II be a good host

- Present the feast! - Yes, sir!

He's the messenger sent by Lord Xiang

- Treat him weII - Yes, GeneraI!

Serve the dishes now

Fan Kuai! Why are you serving the best food?

He's Lord Xiang's envoy, we shouId serve the best

If he'd been sent by Fan Zeng, of course it wouId be aII right

He has saved my Iord in numerous situations

However this envoy is sent by Lord Xiang

There's no need to waste our best food. Put it away

We couIdn't fuIIy trust the envoy

What does Zhang think?

We shouId test Fan Zeng again so as not to bIame the wrong man

CounseIIor...

Our scout has reported that Liu Bang is preparing his army

I think we shouId make a pre-emptive attack to spare future troubIes

After aII, Liu Bang has a speciaI amnesty from King Huai

We need to find an excuse to kiII Liu Bang

King Huai of Chu is aIways troubIe

- Why don't we kiII him first? - KiII King Huai?

Didn't you ask me to kiII King Huai during the Hongmen Banquet?

Yu...

Times have changed

Times have indeed changed

CounseIIor!

Has your IoyaIty to the Xiang famiIy changed too?

You are making a grave error

Lord Xiang wants to see you, sir

My Iord

You and your famiIy have aIways treated me with utmost respect

And you have Iistened to my opinions

That's aII a counseIIor couId ask for

The fact that you want to see me today

means that you stiII hoId dear our reIationship

That's enough for me

That's enough

AII good things in Iife...

...must come to an end

I want to give you some advice before I take my Ieave

If you experience danger,

or if you think of me in the future,

open this and Iook inside

Yafu!

Sir...

Zhang Liang, you are here

I knew you'd come

I don't have much time

My apoIogies

I have pushed too far this time

Zhang Liang

You have made a briIIiant move this time

I recognised that you had speciaI quaIities,

when we met during the Hongmen Banquet

I can teII you now...

...you are just Iike the me when I was young

Don't feeI bad for me

I've been waiting for an opponent Iike you my whoIe Iife

Enemies are Iike the two sides of a mirror

Just Iike Xiang Yu and Liu Bang,

Or just Iike you and me

Don't waste any more time

Let's finish the fifth game of Weiqi

Sir... Sir?

Sir...

Zhang Liang, there's a kind of chess game...

"May l, Zhang Liang, a survivor of Han, present to my Lord

"that the general should be able to distinguish people's qualities

"before he learns the art of war

"Counsellor Fan Zeng has served three generations of the Xiang family,

"but he was discarded like a homeless dog

"We all feel bitterly disappointed by this

"Good birds choose the best trees to rest

"l will return to Liu Bang's camp

"l trust you will make your decisions with care, so as not to die alone"

Get the army and horses ready. Let's act now!

Yes, my Iord!

My Iord... Liu Bang is presentIy at Hanzhong

But even if he has Zhang Liang to assist him,

he won't be a threat to us if we don't act rashIy

Xiang Bo!

I know you are kind

If I don't eIiminate Liu today, he wiII eventuaIIy kiII me one day

It was aII meant to happen at the Hongmen Banquet

OnIy one couId survive between Liu Bang and me

What if King Huai stops us again?

GeneraI Han...

My Iord

Xiang Yu has kiIIed King Huai of Chu

AII the peopIe despise him

The eight vassaIs wouId Iike to heIp me suppress him. GeneraI Han...

How many soIdiers can my Iord muster at most?

Less than 1 00,000

Then how can you controI the eight vassaIs?

How about you?

For me, the more the merrier

Upon compIetion of the mission, I demand what I deserve

It seems Iike I have underestimated Liu Bang

I know I can't stop you from fighting

But I'II accompany you when you go to war

Don't pursue him!

The eight vassaIs have arrived

It'II be too Iate if you don't Ieave now!

How dare you try to stop me!

PIease don't go, my Iord!

What's this pIace before us?

It's the Wu River. And there's Wu City

My Iord...

Your Iadyship

This is Liu Bang's secret order

He has ordered the aIIies to attack tomorrow

He has persuaded me not to make this unnecessary sacrifice

You've surrendered to Liu Bang?

I just want peace in the worId and between Xiang Yu and Liu Bang

There's nothing I can do now

It's meaningIess to stay in this war

Success or faiIure aII depends on attitude

There's onIy you, Yuji, who can persuade Xiang Yu to Ieave

I deepIy regret...

...that I haven't heId your hand Iike this more often

We couId start again

Yuji

We have reached the end

Look at this Iand

It wiII be fuII of Liu Bang's army very soon

I have asked Xiang Bo to take you to a pIace of safety

A pIace where no one can find you, not even me

But you promised I couId stay with you

I think...

...you shouId have a second chance to choose

They are here

Prepare to fight!

This song couId destroy the moraIe of Xiang Yu's army

HopefuIIy we can win the battIe without taking any more Iives

- What are you doing? - I want to go home

If you do that, you wiII have faiIed Lord Xiang

Don't Ieave! This is the moment when Lord Xiang need us most!

- I want to go home - Go home! Go home!

Anyone who tries to escape now... wiII be executed!

Stop!

You've foIIowed me for many years

Even though I'm your Iord...

...you are aII Iike brothers to me

Today, we are surrounded by enemies

None of you owe me

It is I that owe you

PIease remember...

...you wiII aIways be my brothers

Take care

I bid you aII...fareweII

Yafu, you have been with me since l was young

You have aIways guided me,

heIped me with difficuIt decisions

Xiang Yu, does this mean I have to retire,

so you can reaIIy grow up?

No one can enter

I had a dream on the way here

I dreamt of a white-haired coupIe sitting cIose to each other

I envied them and so I waIked cIoser to find out who they were

Then I reaIised I knew them

It was you and me

I want us to spend our Iives together

I don't want to drag you into this...

Just Iike when we first met

I didn't want you to get invoIved

Liu Bang must send his envoy to persuade us to surrender

Wait untiI they are at ease. Then we shaII start fighting

Liu Bang!

Xiang Yu, I've been waiting to teII you myseIf...

You are right. OnIy one of us can be aIIowed to survive

I wiII survive

Not you

Both the worId and the nation wiII be mine

Xiang Yu, we used to be sworn brothers

If you admit defeat today,

I shaII Iet you return to Jiangdong

- KiII them! - Xiang Zhuang...

Xiang Zhuang!

My Iord!

PIease Iend me your sword

I am the onIy one who can kiII him and Iet him rest in peace

I Iied to him

- Yuji! - We'II never be separated again

Do you want to be with me?

I do

My Iord, we found this in the camp

l've persuaded Han Xin to surrender

lt is hoped that my lord will last for a while

Wait until for Han Xin's reinforcements to arrive and save us

After winning the battle,

l have promised to Han Xin, Zhang Liang and others

that they will divide the nation and share its wealth

l await your orders and hope that you will take my advice

Xiang Yu, this is the onIy way I couId pIay the game

CongratuIations to Lord Qi on taking the seaI!

Xiao He!

There's a game where both sides suffer losses

Get away! GeneraI Fan cannot proceed

Where were you aII when I fought with your majesty?

Stop!

- My Iord, I... - I know what you want to ask

They pIan to kiII me

If I don't kiII them, they'II kiII me

I have to do this

I...I stiII want...to say it

I haven't seen you for a Iong time

I know something is wrong and I am concerned for you

Therefore I have come to see you

When I Ieft home with you to fight in the war,

I said that I wouId beIieve in whatever you said

But...I'm not a weII-educated man

What you've said and done today...

...it has reaIIy confused me!

I am the emperor now

I can give you whatever you want

You are the emperor? Can you remove your imperiaI robe?

- Can you do this for me? - Stop!

We promised to heIp you in achieving this goaI

Now... Now I'm not usefuI to you anymore

Now I'm not usefuI to you anymore

You promised us that we couId have drinks at home after the war

Do you stiII remember?

My Iord, Fan Kuai has to...

...take his Ieave!

Sir, couId you teII us exactIy who you are?

I'm just someone who Iikes to pIay Weiqi

Once I had a cIose friend

He hired me to pIay against another Weiqi master

Then l realised my real opponent was my close friend

l won't see my physician again

I thought you were dead

I'm aIive because I needed to see you

I want to ask you...

...is that the resuIt you were expecting?

AII these years, I've been scared each and every day

I feeI everything they say is a pIot against me

AII the food they give me is poisoned

Your majesty, after your death,

which prince wiII succeed you?

l remember Yuji asked me a question once

Do you know the cost of the banquet?

I know that going to the Hongmen Banquet

means I need my wits about me in trying to trick the other side

Whoever vioIates the order wiII be executed

The cost is that you'II Iose the capacity to trust anyone

In Hongmen PaIace,

I have aIready buiIt monuments devoid of written characters

in memory of those who died because of me

Zhang Liang...

I have no one to trust now

Zhang Liang...

WiII you do me one Iast favour?

Now that everything is preordained,

it is unnecessary to be stubborn and obdurate

Things are hard to predict, but you can't confuse right and wrong

Today, I must do one Iast thing for Yuji

- Yuji! - My Iord

Thank you for Iistening

The Hongmen Banquet is finaIIy over

I shaII Ieave now

Sir, where are you going?

I'II need to find another master with whom to pIay Weiqi

And see if a win-win situation is possibIe

Zhang Liang!

I must ask you once again

Do we seriousIy have to pIay against each other?