Under the veil

From Huangshui River's basin

through deserts, tall mountains and vast seas, I came to China.

To other people, I'm a little bird flying around freely.

But nobody knows that

my mind and spirit are actually trapped inside the body of this free little bird?

When will I be delivered from this wicked curse

so that I can tell you how much I love you, Crown Prince Shing-chi?

Your Royal Highness, it's your turn.

Sze Loi-fung, I have two different moves on my mind.

You're always saying this bird is highly intelligent.

But I don't believe it's smarter than you.

Tutor Hong is taking the offensive.

But I want to give up the defensive and take the offensive too. Do you agree?

It appears you agree that I should make this move...

This is a brilliant move.

It appears Your Royal Highness has spent a lot of time and effort

on improving your chess playing skills these past couple of months.

Fung-sam said before that

a game of chess has numerous Mists and turns

like military strategies and tactics.

That's why Song Tak plays chess so well. His strategy is so obvious.

He used his military power

and sent troops to surround the capital under the pretense of protecting it.

Then he assigned his son Song Lit to station at the border.

Father and son must be up to something.

Your move has placed you in a dead end.

That's why one mustn't get agitated while playing chess.

Otherwise your adversaries will take advantage of that.

If Fung-sam saw this move, I'm sure he would laugh at me.

Your Royal Highness...

This is the sword you wanted.

Nice sword. It's a tribute from the Western Regions.

Legend has it that a brave man used it to kill an angry dragon.

Grand Commandant Song, General Song, General Pong.

Your Royal Highness.

Officer Hong, you're here too?

Yes. General Song, you've returned to the capital?

His Imperial Majesty gave me the Gaochang Sword as a gift.

I couldn't wait to see it.

But these two generals have already brought it here without my permission.

I ordered them to show it to me.

You have a problem with that, General Song?

Your Royal Highness, I heard this sword is really sharp.

I believe General Song is worried that you'd just hurt yourself.

General Pong, you're really a long-serving retainer of the Songs.

You even know what General Song is thinking.

But I've been practicing martial arts these past couple of years.

I won't get hurt so easily.

It appears that Your Royal Highness has practiced a lot these past two years.

Your Royal Highness, since we're here today,

would you allow me the honor of practicing martial arts with you?

Lit, you really don't know your place.

His Royal Highness only practices fancy punches and kicks.

You practice real kung fu to fight and kill the enemy.

What if you hurt the Crown Prince? Can you answer for that?

I've never fought in any battles before.

But the kung fu I practice is not fancy punches and kicks.

Your Royal Highness,

Grand Commandant Song, generals.

Fung-sam.

So it's Master Tuen.

You came to the palace to practice martial arts with His Royal Highness?

General Song must have forgotten that

I've already promoted Fung-sam to the post of Chief Guard.

He's in charge of palace security.

I haven't visited your dad Marquis Tuen in a long time. How is he doing?

He's fine. Thank you for asking, Grand Commandant Song.

Your Royal Highness, I really want to see how well you can fight. Please.

I'm afraid I have to be a killjoy today.

Right. You teach His Royal Highness kung fu.

Are you afraid he'll be a disgrace to you?

Why don't I practice with you then?

We don't practice kung fu to compete.

Besides, His Royal Highness and I have something else to do today.

We're going fishing.

Excuse me.

Your Royal Highness, please.

Goodbye, gentlemen.

Son, you're a kung fu expert already. You need to practice witchcraft too.

You're stationed at the border.

Once the opportunity arises,

that lousy emperor will have to hand over his throne to us.

I've already sent someone to deliver your confidential letter to Liao Kingdom.

I believe it will be delivered to Princess Wanyan very soon.

As long as she and her emperor father

agree to the conditions set out in the letter,

then the prince of Liao will launch an attack.

Our army at the border will work with them. And the mission will be accomplished.

Back then you and Tuen Ching were colleagues.

Three years ago I wanted to marry Tuen So-sze.

But when I sent someone to make the proposal,

I was told that she had smallpox.

Thank God. If she had gotten the disease after we got married,

we'd suffer a loss.

The two tails have finally left.

He sent people to watch us even though we're just fishing here.

Song Tak is really cautious.

That shows that he and his son are up to something.

Just now if you hadn't held me back, I would have taught Song Lit a lesson.

You practiced so hard just for a moment of instant gratification?

Of course not. But you saw it just now.

The father and son were so pompous. They showed me no respect at all.

His Majesty has the throne and Song Tak has military power.

No one wants to make any reckless moves to tip the delicate balance.

Biscuits?

Don't eat that. Go away. Don't eat it. Go away now...

Mentor, someone must be fishing nearby. That's why there's bait to hook us.

You've overlooked something important. Look.

Mentor, those two guys on the shore didn't put a hook on the line. Why?

Carp, look.

He's protected by some golden light.

That guy is the Crown Prince.

It's weird that the guy next to him is dressed like a man,

but has the scent of a woman.

You can’t get rid of your habit of holding your pinkies like that.

I'm off guard when there are no people around.

So-sze, it's been really hard on you to have to dress like a man

and pose as your older brother Fung-sam these past two years.

Shing-chi, why are you saying that? How can you accomplish big things?

Your look and tone are exactly like Tuen Fung-sam's.

What he and I have done these past two years was totally voluntary.

I taught you how to fight the day before yesterday.

You've forgotten everything now?

I'm sorry, Fung-sam. I got distracted.

Do you remember what I told you before?

There must be no distraction in the mind when practicing martial arts.

It's good you remember that.

If you get distracted on the battlefield,

you'll not only lose your life but also the entire country.

Is something bothering you?

Today in the grand assembly hall,

that old fox Song Tak forced Emperor Dad to allow him to increase armaments.

If my conjecture is correct, he's planning a mutiny.

You think so too, Fung-sam?

I just didn't expect you're so well versed in national affairs too.

When I was born, Dad was already over 50 years old.

He's been ruling the country on his own these past 20 years.

There's no one to share his burden.

So that old fox Song Tak has slowly built up military power.

It's so obvious that he's become more and more powerful

because he's the queen's brother.

How would His Majesty fail to notice Song Tak's aggression?

Too bad Song's power in the army is really solid.

We need to get hold of concrete evidence of his treason

so we can finish him off once and for all.

Otherwise the army's morale will be undermined

and the security of the nation will be compromised.

According to the information we have,

Song Tak has been secretly making contact with Liao Kingdom.

Evidence.

Too bad I'm the Crown Prince. My every move is under the spotlight.

Otherwise I could sneak into Liao to find the evidence against Song Tak's treason.

I can do that for you.

Fung-sam, you and I are like brothers.

We meet three to four times a month in the palace.

It'll take a year or two to go to Liao to gather the evidence.

If you suddenly disappear, it will cause suspicion.

If there are two Tuen Fung-sams, no one will find out.

Your Royal Highness, I'm Tuen So-sze.

So-sze? You were just a kid the last time I saw you.

That was five or six years ago already.

A girl does change dramatically.

But why do you look exactly like your older brother?

Why don't you say he has the face of a girl?

Of course I'd say you look like a girl, Fung-sam.

You're the Crown Prince. Whatever you say. So-sze and I look exactly alike.

We both learned Kung fu from Miu Kwo-tin.

While I'm in Liao, So-sze will see you from time to time.

Then no one will notice.

Fung-sam, I treat you like my own brother. I don't worry about owing you.

But So-sze is not married.

If she can’t marry someone because of this, I'll feel so guilty.

Your Royal Highness,

Brother Sam taught me that even though we have a family,

we still can't live in peace without our country.

Let me serve the wise future emperor.

I can't believe you've posed as your brother for two years already.

He's incompetent.

I thought he could get the evidence in a year or so.

That's because Song Tak is highly cautious. So it's been hard to get the evidence.

I'm worried that we'll get busted.

Fung-sam tied a letter to Sze Loi-fung's feet last time.

He said he calls himself Tuen Shui now.

He's already managed to approach the princess of Liao and win her trust.

I believe we'll get the evidence we need very soon.

You cheated. You attacked my face.

Why do women care so much about their looks?

Let me see. Don't worry.

Your face is perfect. You're still so beautiful.

Really?

Miss, you're really tricky.

What do you want?

For you to throw in the towel and call me your mentor.

Mentor.

My good mentee.

I spent less than two years

to learn all the Chinese sword-fighting skills that you've taught me.

Of course I'm a good mentee.

That's because your mentor is good.

You'll never make concessions for me.