Sacrifice (Zhao shi gu er / 赵氏孤儿) (赵氏孤儿)

The army is off to war.

On the march again.

They're off to war again.

You know who's leading the troops?

Sir Tu'an Gu, surely.

No. General Zhao Shuo has taken over.

I was taking his wife's pulse when I heard the news.

She's pretty.

Very pretty.

You took the pulse of Lady Zhuangji?

No way.

It's true.

You saw she's pregnant?

They couldn't work out when she's due. So they called me in.

She shouldn't be riding in a carriage.

It could hurt the baby.

I said I'd treat you when I recovered.

Let's go for a drink.

My wife's due as well. I should stay with her.

After the birth, drinks are on me.

Thank you.

Grand Councillor Zhao Dun!

General Zhao Shuo!

Lady zhuangii!

What's my sister doing here?

A woman of the royal family...

is about to give birth to a Zhao.

Once he's born... I'll be his uncle.

Zhao Dun is Grand Councillor.

His son is off to war...

and will return a hero.

How enviable!

Even I'm envious!

If I'd known...

I'd have married her to you.

Then I'd be jealous of you.

Go to battle, fine.

Why put your heavily pregnant wife...

on show... for the whole town to see.

A woman about to give birth...

seeing her husband off to war

who wouldn't be moved?

And she's the elder sister of the king.

Isn't it really just telling the world...

that the Zhaos are in charge?

Brother-in-law. I've come to see you off.

Zhao Shuo, I can see...

Sister cares more about you than she does about me.

The general is off to war,

and all you do is joke around.

Everyone's saying you should be in command.

The king's sister,

should've been married to you.

You tease.

They forgot my contribution long ago.

When you return, we'll drink to your victory.

I'll prepare the wine.

The Grand Councillor will prepare the wine.

- Sir Tu'an. - Present.

When Zhao Shuo returns victorious, what will you give him?

Felicitations on your imminent fatherhood.

Lady,

you are the most fortunate woman.

Who'd have thought his very first battle would go so well?

Wasn't that your hope?

Why aren't they here yet?

M'Lord...

When General Zhao rode into town,

the town's people thronged to welcome him. They'll be some time.

We've won! We've won!

Grand Councillor!

The Grand Councillor is suggesting...

that M'Lord hurry over there as well.

I'm not going.

Tell Zhao Dun... We shall wait. However late they are.

We have a gift for him.

M'Lord, they're here.

I'll go welcome them.

Good.

There's an assassin! Hurry, protect the Grand Councillor!

Line up!

Take this.

Bravo on your victory, General.

So this is how you reward my son when he returns a victor?

Luckily it only hit my horse's eye.

This is surely a misunderstanding.

We can testify that Sir Tu'an didn't mean it.

Go on, apologize to the Grand Councillor.

I apologise.

That was nothing...

compared to leading the king astray.

It was only your horse.

Zhao Dun couldn't have done that.

This is my punishment.

The talismanic circle painted on his skin...

contains cinnabar and oxblood.

These insects love that smell.

Is this the best method?

What could be better than framing them for the crime?

How can I thank you?

There are 300 in the Zhao clan

you tell me.

You're over forty.

How'd you manage to have a boy?

Don't you get it?

We'd have had one earlier if we could.

That it happened now...

is fate.

Is there some pill? I want one too.

Pill?

Having a boy is just fate.

She was scared she wouldn't give me a boy.

I said don't worry... And whoosh, out he came!

I wasn't wrong, was I?

The next will be a boy too.

Here's your medicine.

That'd be my wife. Take your time.

Three things.

Tell me.

First, I want fish soup.

Easy.

The second?

These names - I don't like any of them.

You don't think any of them...

is good enough for our son.

I'll work on it.

There's one more thing.

Hand out 'birth eggs' to all and sundry and people will laugh at you.

Who doesn't know by now that you've had a son'?

I have a feeling Lady Zhuangji's due.

I've never killed a woman.

Even one with a Zhao child in her belly?

I won't kill Lady Zhuangji.

What about her child?

Do We kill it?

Zhao Dun,

to celebrate our victory,

and congratulate your son,

what wine have you brought?

Five Colour God of State Wine.

It represents the hopes of all your people.

Drink it...

and let it inspire you to

be a wise and virtuous ruler.

It's just wine. What's it got to do with wisdom and virtue?

If I don't drink it it seems I wrong the people.

If I drink but I'm not wise, I wrong the people.

So tell me, should I drink it, or not?

- I won't drink. - Don't drink it then.

You must drink it.

I also have a gift for M'Lord.

It is also to remind M'Lord to be...

a wise and virtuous ruler.

You're conspiring to make me unhappy.

What is this gift of yours?

A Divine Beast of the Western Regions.

Divine Beast?

It's just a dog.

True.

It's a dog.

What's so special about it?

It can tell a patriot from a traitor.

M'Lord,

though the palace is large...

there's no room for an animal.

Such a big place - of course there's room for a dog.

Bring it in for us to see.

Wise indeed!

Don't be angry.

It's just a dog.

Don't be ridiculous!

You don't need a sword...

to deal with a dog.

Take it away.

Take it away.

Felicitations, M'Lord. Lady Zhuangji has given birth.

I'm an uncle.

Is it a boy or a girl?

A boy.

Zhao Shuo, hurry, go to see them.

Felicitations, General,

you're a father at last.

If... your son had lived...

you'd be a granddad by now.

Let's drink!

We want the red one.

Two,

she says stop giving out eggs.

M'Lady, can you guess why she won't let me do this?

Your wife is surely thinking...

that you're a famous doctor.

A bit more reserve is called for.

Hardly.

She just hates giving away so many eggs!

Arrest Zhao Shuo!

The first tribute.

No one else may drink from the king's wine.

The wine's poisoned.

M'Lord!

M'Lord!