Seven Swords (七劍 / Qi jian) (七劍)

A Film Workshop Co Ltd Production

Is it an avalanche?

No.

It is a herd of horses galloping.

A Tsui Hark Film

Adapted from

by Liang Yu Sheng

Seven Swords

The Imperial Edict has decreed

The practice of Martial Arts is outlawed

Anyone who violates it

Will be punished by decapitation

We don't know each other.

Why do you want to kill us all?

For a simple reason.

The Emperor's order is to kill all martial arts practitioners.

Every head counts for a reward.

Shut Up!

The order also said that

if we surrender our weapons

The punishment would be milder.

The Emperor has to suppress all possible rebellion.

Death is the mildest punishment.

What about the aged?

And the children?

Three hundred pieces of silver per head.

You're worth even more

How much can we make from this deal?

Up to now, we've taken 173

33 are worth 1,000 pieces of silver

The others at 300 each

A total of 66,000 pieces of silver.

I have to raise my prices

The targets get fewer and fewer.

"I am about to go out of business"

The next target is...

Same old way

If you know their names, put them on the plaques.

Otherwise, just put whatever you like

What happened?

Where are the plaques?

I just put them on

The death-row plaques have been stolen!

Find him!

Is it him again?

Do you want him dead or alive?

Interesting!

Did you see that?

What do you mean?

This person is good at martial arts.

But he does not want to hurt anyone.

Look.

Little lady, have you seen an injured man?

Looks like you've been trained in fighting.

Is this man after you?

Quick! You go.

He is greedy.

He won't let any one of us go free.

Isn't that Yuanying?

What are you doing?

Water! Bandage!

I have some bandages here.

Yi Town is under attack. They are getting near.

What did he say?

What are these?

Death-row plaques from the bodies.

With the prisoners' names and offenses.

Not only martial arts practitioners,

but innocent people are also executed.

Go away!

Dad

They are Fire-wind's army.

Only three hundred miles away from here.

They will be here soon.

You have to run for your lives.

Or you will all become names on plaques.

Someone from our village is on these.

That's Hua's father!

Hua, Stop it!

Get up.

Dongluo

Bastard

You are here for no good.

You don't remember me? But I remember you!

Twenty years ago,

You tortured me at the Ministry of Punishment.

You remember what you did?

Of course you don't remember me.

My name is Qiu Dongluo.

Yuanyin?

He saved my life. I don't know what he did before.

This man was an executioner in the previous dynasty,

Specializing in murdering revolutionaries.

Fire-wind was his subordinate.

Look at these!

They left me with these scars.

They tortured me at the Ministry of Punishment.

He is spreading false information.

Don't fall for it.

- Kill him. - The Ministry of Punishment...

something from the previous dynasty.

When I was young.

I killed so many

Now I want to repay my sins by saving lives...

You press on the wound. Let me dress it.

Throw him out of the village!

No way!

We can't send him back

to Fire-wind.

What do you have in mind then?

Let's just get it over with, kill him!

The way he tortured Dongluo...

let's do the same to him.

Just hang him out in the sun for three days.

He'll confess!

We need to find out the truth before we execute him.

Tie him up!

Han.

Lock him up in the stable. Keep an eye on him!

Han

You go back and guard the man.

Interrogate him after dark.

He came with bad intentions.

Probably about the Imperial Edict.

What edict?

To kill all martial arts practitioners?

This government is even more brutal than the bandits.

Don't listen to rumors.

Righteousness exists in Heaven and on Earth.

Merging into all life forms.

Teacher is gone.

You have to take a stand.

This matter is in your hands

What can I say? This is out of my control.

What can I do?

The rope is ready

And someone will be hung.

No one is going to speak up for him!

Ask Han for help.

He will listen to you.

We grew up together

You don't like killing, do you?

I was told to keep guard.

You ask me to let him go?

Do you realize how much trouble I will get into?

Evil deeds deserve retribution.

And good deeds deserve gratitude.

Exactly!

Exactly!

I'm trying to show gratitude where it's due.

Is this gratitude to you?

Then forget I spoke.

You save him and I get blamed?

You think it's fair to me?

I'll just tell it this way.

That I tricked you by saying that Fang needed you urgently.

And I saved him while you were away.

Nonsense

Who will believe that I am so easily tricked by you?

If I said that Fang is in danger, wouldn't you go?

Her father is the Chief. Who would believe that story?

Let me say something.

Saving a life is more important.

Tell others that it is my idea.

I'll probably get a beating. No big deal.

Fang, I can't...

Like you said, my father is the Chief.

They won't be too harsh on me.

Han, how about this.

Let us put him onto the carriage.

Then, you take him away.

Here's your favorite kind of jerky.

Be back before dawn, OK?

You'd feel bad knowing that I'm here taking the blame.

I'll miss you, Fang.

Two days ago.

We were about to...

At a time like this, that's all you can think about!

Are we leaving or not.

Or do you two need to finish off your business first?

I'll be waiting for you.

Dad

Get... help... Have to... get help...

Don't worry.

We've just left Martial Village. You're safe.

No

Take everyone.

Fire-wind will come... people will die...

There's the harvest. We can't leave now.

Without food, we'll die anyway.

Three hundred pieces of silver per head.

They won't even spare the children.

What do you think we should do?

We have to go to Mount Heaven... For help

Mount Heaven?

Mount Heaven.

503 pounds of fried wheat.

80 pounds of dried fruit.

360 catties of dried beef.

7 carts of yellow corn.