1
Something's wrong! Protect Mr. Feng!
Everyone gets out of the water!
Go out of it, now!
Mr. Feng.
They have brought us the money for ten people.
You can't eat your words and go against the rule.
Shut up!
This is my rule. You just shut your mouth up.
Tell them they can only take one,
or, none of them!
You joined the Huai Army and went to Vietnam but didn't tell me.
You are full-fledged now.
- Uncle. - You are so capable!
Uncle.
Xiangxian is badly hurt.
Let's talk after going back.
If they didn't ask me to save you,
I will never come here to get you back.
Xiangxian.
Xiangxian. Save me.
Save me.
Mr. Feng. Save us!
Save us. Mr. Feng.
Save us.
You...
Stop that. He is Feng Zicai.
He will bring you a lot of money.
Give me money if they want to save them.
Alright. Alright.
Mr. Feng.
They are mercenaries.
They just want money.
They keep these soldiers alive
just for money.
They promised us to release ten people.
How can they break it?
They don't admit it.
I have talked with them many times.
Mr. Feng, how about us withdrawing now?
One.
At least ten.
Ten.
No. That's impossible, just one.
You tell them.
They shouldn't play hardball with us.
Mr. Feng. How about two?
If you nod,
I will talk to them.
That's okay.
Thanks.
Mr. Feng.
I've heard that you're a good man long before.
Please rest assured. I'll try my best.
Mr. Feng. Save us.
Shut up!
Fire!
In the tenth year under the reign of Emperor Guangxu, in the fall of 1884, the Qing Army was defeated in Vietnam and the French Army started to invade Guangxi.
Xiangxian.
Stop writing and painting everyday.
You should lie on the bed.
Your dad has sent people here several times.
He wanted you to go back.
He is missing you.
You'd better have a good rest.
Okay, by your words!
To be honest,
I really don't want to go anywhere.
I just want to stay here with you.
You're so glib-tongued.
You didn't tell us that you joined the army and went to Vietnam.
We felt worried about you.
It's so nice.
How about having a taste?
You are even so attentive when having the soup.
I am attentive to everything.
Yeah. Except me.
Sun Tzu's Art of War
Is there any news from Paris?
Prime Minister Ferry telegraphed you and said that:
"The country respects and admires the victors.
The republic expresses its appreciation to
our excellent officers and soldiers
as well as the honorable generals."
The skin of oriental women
is as smooth as silk,
But China is not like Vietnam.
Right. China is a huge old sleepy lion.
Its teeth are loose and falling.
I am going to pull
the French bridle over its ears by their own methods.
Holly forefounders of China understood
the power of guerrilla war and slaughters 2,000 years ago.
We are going to slaughter villages and dig graves
to take over a district by slaughtering one village.
Let go of me.
Fire.
Now the foreigners
are pushing us so hard.
They are burning, killing and pillaging wantonly.
They dig our ancestral graves.
They just want to
chop off people's attachment to their homeland
and cut off our roots,
and occupy our land forever.
I have resigned from office and come back to my hometown,
but I led a military life and I can't bear their outrage.
I'm willing to get back my soldiers and fight against the enemy.
I'm not sure we can win or not, but we fight with them to death.
Feng Zicai is an experienced general,
and went to Jingbian. He has made outstanding military exploits.
He once acted as the Guangxi Provincial Commander-in-Chief several years.
He is more familiar with the key issues and military situation
than Pan Zhangyuan and Su Yinkui.
He pledges to fight with the foreigners to death
not for an official position or money.
Feng Zicai has been dismissed for a long time
and now he is in Guangxi enjoying his later life.
He is totally grandstanding.
You have your point,
but few people are
grandstanding now.
Your Grace,
we are now negotiating with the French minister.
we can't get into any trouble.
Besides, Feng Zicai is insolent.
I think he can't go to fight for four reasons.
What are they?
He is old now and becomes powerless.
So he can't fight. That's the first reason.
He is not cultivated and lack of strategies.
So he can't fight. That's the second reason.
He has no good or powerful weapons.
So he can't fight. That's the third reason.
His tactics are outdated.
So he can't fight. That's the forth reason.
Xiangxian. You are back.
Dad, I'm back.
Good.
No need.
Is the French army good at fighting?
Before fighting, they always use canons.
People would be killed
or pass out in explosion.
It's hard for us to get close.
And their shooting speed is several times faster than that of ours.
Are you afraid?
No one is not afraid.
You are admirable
when you tell me the truth.
It's a pity that I highly recommended you,
but I failed to get the power back for you.
You can only help Su Yinkui as an assistant of defense affairs
beyond the Pass.
Mr. Peng.
Mr. Li presented four reasons.
I also have four questions, please answer them.
All ears.
I can get back 5,000 soldiers and horses.
But they are lack of training. Can I have more soldiers?
The Guangdong Army must stop the French Army to attack Guangzhou from Shanghai,
so they can't help you.
So I can only deploy 5,000 Huai soldiers for you.
We are not well-equipped and lack of money and army provisions, how...
We have been poorly-equipped for a long time.
We need you to map out a strategy.
About the money and army provisions, I have asked Mr. Pan to take charge.
I believe he will get them to you before long.
I want to know if I can take charge whenever possible.
In case of any troubles,
you can directly report to
the Government House instead of Su Yinkui.
Alright.
Can I behead anyone below the prefecture level and report afterwards?
If you are condemned, I will stand by your side.
I feel so relieved to hear this.
What are you looking at?
Go ahead.
He is really something.
General, Mr. Mai is coming soon.
Mr. Mai is coming.
My lord, who is that man?
Why is he so rude?
Get out of my way.
I don't know you are coming.
Please forgive me.
Please accept my respect.
General.
General. Please stop it.
Alright, Mai.
You lost yourself but still have skills.
It would be a pity for me if I lose my skills.
Here is your place. According to the rules,
you go with me if I win and stay if I lose.
Pan Zhangyuan's 30,000 Huai soldiers ran away in confusion.
Su Yinkui holed up in Pingxiang.
You are just a carpenter and a mountain villager.
How capable do you think you are?
Li Hongzhang said you couldn't fight for four reasons.
You should think about his words.
You talk so much just like a woman.
General. You play tricks on me.
Use your head.
You must totally forget
what I have told you.
I dare not
I just want to test
whether you can lead us or not.
Over there.
Fellow villagers,
the French enemies are invading us now.
They take up our land and kill our people.
As a man, I really can't bear it.
Now, my father Feng Zicai is in charge of the Cui Army.
He will lead our wolf soldiers to drive the French army away.
I hope all of you can fight against them with us.
I express my appreciation here.
General. We have less than 300 recruiters in 7 days.
We even raise the salary today, but it still doesn't work.
I have brought my servants and village guards here.
Together with the former soldiers,
we now have nearly 2,000 people.
Now we have no enough money.
I know. So I sold out my gambling house and shop for clothing materials.
You...
I will get them back after we win.
This is not that simple.
It's hard to say whether we will win or not.
You'd better hedge your bets.
I have seen these refugees three times till now.
Uncle, where are you heading?
We are now recruiting soldiers.
Don't be silly. Just go to the north.
Or it will be too late.
Well, how about your family and land?
Kid, keeping alive is much more important.
All people in the Qizhai Town of Nanping Mountain
have been killed.
The foreign army is so terrifying
as ghosts.
Fellow villager,
the imperial court has ordered General Feng Zicai to fight against the foreigners.
You can stay...
I've heard that.
But he is old now.
He is not as powerful as before.
Yes. Those French enemies have red hair and blue eyes.
It's hard to deal with them.
The Chinese Emperor has declared war.
Brave French soldiers,
You are more noble than the oriental.
You are more deserved to own this land and wealth.
For spreading cultivation,
and for your honor,
let's dismantle that 1,000-year-old house.
Let's move on bravely and kill them all for France.
Let's move on bravely and kill them all for France.
Kill them all!
General.
General.
An order from the high command
asks you to go back to the Liangshan Mountain right now.
It's not a good time to go deep into Guangxi.
Those politicians prefer negotiation
and always ignore the meanings of occupancy.
You mean...
Station in situ. It's an order.
Lieutenant Rangmark leads the Vietnam Army to attack Longlin Town.
The Huai Army guarding there didn't fight and escaped.
The French army has stationed in the town.
How many enemies are there?
Over 300.
Most of them are Vietnam mercenaries.
We'd better make a way to contact Liu Yuandao's Heiqi Army.
If he can give us a hand,
we can make it.
It's said that the Heiqi Army has died over a half
with less than 2,000 soldiers left.
They are now stationed in the Bailin Mountain.
Dad.
The map is so good.
Where did you get it?
I have recorded the landforms alongside before the failure.
Alright. You are really capable.
You are flattering me, Uncle.
You didn't tell me that you followed the Huai Army to Vietnam.
Did you do it for this?
I know
we are going to fight with the French army sooner or later.
They are strangers here.
So I think it may be a good chance.
They are not many in number but well-armed
and brave like beast.
Yeah.
I fought with them before,
they were not as brave as they look.
Dad, I got an idea,
we might team up a Death Squads
to give them a surprising attack.
I think it's not strong enough
like the heavy smoke.
It's once created by dad to
captivate the prey.
It might also captivate the enemy.
Xiangxian,
have some water.
You still walk around with
such a big cut on your clothes.
Take it off.
I'm too easy to care about it.
You're a supervisor,
you cannot dress like that.
Come.
General, these are the orphans
we kept that year.
I have been training them devotedly.
They are not very capable
but loyal for sure.
Brilliant. You have to drill their killing skills.
Try to avoid the enemy's gun, then you can fight.
Of late, the people and soldiers are scared of the enemy,
we badly need a win.
Uncle! Uncle!
Uncle!
Kids,
your dad and I are brothers for dozens of years.
You two should be sound and safe;
Otherwise, I don't how to face him.
Uncle, don't you remember what our dad told us at that time?
He wants us to take care of you
and treat you as our dad.
Kid, how can a girl join the army?
Uncle, you know it,
in our Zhuang Nationality, men and women are equal to fight.
Yi'nan is right.
We're the best hunters in the village
and we get the lay of the land.
It's a rash advance
and too risky.
Are Xiangrong and Xiangxian all going?
If my sons are not going,
how can I get others convinced?
So, we also shall go.
Yi'nan and Xiangxian have been engaged at birth
and we're family members.
It's true.
That year, you saved all of us
in the village from the bandit.
We shall never forget it.
It's time for us to pay back.
We want to go with you!
We want to revenge for our people!
Report!
It's reported that
Feng Zicai wanna lead his men to attack the Longlin Town.
What?
Without permission, he even wanna advance.
Obviously, he just ignores the commander-in-chief.
He is permitted to directly report to
the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces.
But the thing is,
he is too eager for quick success
since the army provisions and weapons are not in place yet.
Yeah. If he fails,
he would put the blame on you and the Huai Army.
And if he wins, he would report to the Governor
and just take the credit.
9 years ago,
my father was dismissed by his impeachment.
He is such a changing man
that you should be careful.
When you get out of the karst cave,
then form up and march into the forest.
The Reserve Force is standing by at the cave mouth
just in case.
Yes, sir.
Hold your breath and dive into the water,
swim dozens of meters with full effort then you can reach the exit.
Got it.
Let's go.
Yes, madam.
Keep following.
Ambush! Attention.
It's indigenous people, kill them.
Fall back. Get out of here.
Get a living one.
Come on.
Come on, kill him.
Kill him.
March on.
General,
North Africa mercenaries encountered enemies
near the Longlin Town.
Captain Longmark was captured and 18 were gone.
Vietnam Army has evacuated from the Longlin Town.
All the roads have their checkpoints.
How did they make it?
It's ambush. The enemy is tough this time.
Feng must be the commander.
Feng Zicai.
He is 67 years old
and has been directing the troops for over 40 years.
As he hated corruption and bribery,
he offended 9 Grand Coordinators and 7 Governors,
then he resigned and secluded.
Really?
He is not an easy guy.
It's said that wolf soldiers in Guangxi are brave and good at fighting,
and Feng Zicai was awarded as the Ever-Victorious General Cui
and led this wolf army.
This ancient title and outdated method
have already faded away in history.
Ruan Yue,
You know Vietnamese and Chinese,
I hope you can
visit this old man for me.
Is it Ok?
Report to the Governor's Palace now,
Su Yinkui devised strategies
and commended the Death Squads
to recapture the Longlin Town
and catch two enemies alive.
What?
It's us who risked our life to fight, but not Su Yinkui!
I want Su Yinkui's Huai Army of 20,000
to advance to the war zone,
then we can find another chance.
Fame and honor are bullshit.
We'd rather have more firearms.
General Pan suggests that:
We should be poised for
chance to fight.
Be poised?
Commander, the Huai Army is the only thing we have.
It means that
gather all the troops and preserve strength.
As for waiting for chance to fight, it's just empty talk.
The reason General Pan told me to stay in the Cui Army is that
besides allocating provisions and funds for troops,
we should have an eye on Feng Zicai
in case of him being supercilious and doing something wrong.
Sir, a letter comes from the Governor.
Read.
It's said that Commander Su Yinkui
is good at seeking for good chance and decisive to attack,
which badly defeated the enemy.
I specially reward you 10 firearms,
1,000 guns and 3,000 teals of silver.
Look, they're black and big in size,
like the black arhats in temple.
Yeah.
Uncle, let me kill him
and avenge for our people.
Give him a weapon,
otherwise he would say we're humiliating him.
If he wins, let him go.
General, it's not 20 years ago.
One-on-one, you cannot win.
If I can defeat him,
at least people can see that
the foreigners are blood and fresh
rather than gods.
I'm the one in charge of the army,
even if I'm killed, I should make the final shot.
No one can come and help.
Here is the rule: Every bullet has its billet.
Freeze!
We are living the same life; let me do it for you.
It's not finished, step back!
Dad!
Foreign invaders can be killed,
they're not gods.
Foreign invaders can be killed, they're not gods.
Fight the invaders and protect our homes.
Xiangxian,
I was informed that recently the Cui Army recruits over 6,000 soldiers.
My Lord,
last battle made people become more confident
then some people came and joint us.
With these two hundred guns,
we can build a gun battalion.
It's true.
We still need more.
You are really brave and
tactical.
Brave only.
The enemy is less than 10,000,
if I can have 30,000,
I won't be defeated like Pan for sure.
General,
since we're serving the imperial court, you'd better not say that.
Flattering is not my style.
We appreciate you to deliver us the provisions and funds on time.
General,
as the governor's order goes,
5,000 Huai soldiers are yours now.
Wu!
Here.
Your soldiers will be directly under General Cui's leadership.
Yes, sir.
General Cui, my honor!
Pleasure!
You come really in need.
Once a war comes,
may I have more troops to deploy?
You also wants to take my men?
No, no.
I just say it for the sake of war.
This gun was represented to me by the Grand Secretary.
Now I'd like to present it to you for fighting the French.
Be careful, it's charged.
Is it proper for me to accept it since I didn't do anything?
Please accept it.
If you take any actions later, please inform me.
Thanks.
Thriving in calamity and perishing in soft living will be a perfect end.
But for me, it's impossible.
I told your brother to take the whole family
together with your aunts to Liuzhou for a while.
If we lose, at least the family can survive
and will not be humiliated by the enemy.
If you're willing to go, just go with them.
Dad,
mum told us to take care of you.
More importantly, you need us in the battle.
We are not leaving.
It's true; father and son should fight together.
We cannot let people criticize that we just risk their sons' lives to
earn our honor.
We got it.
Get on horse.
It's time. Let's march on.
Between the Daqing Mountain and the Fengwei Mountain,
we have to build up a three-meter-high wall
and dig holes under the wall.
This wall names as the First Gate.
Beyond the First Gate,
it's too open to deploy troops.
I think, 1,500 meter backward from the First Gate,
which can be seen as the Second Gate.
Then we can camp between
the First Gate and the Second Gate.
Without pass, no one can come in.
On the slop of the Daqing Mountain, we build fortifications
and set it as the First Defense Line.
Where should we place Su Yinkui?
We have to let them march on for 10 km
and build fortifications outside of the Second Gate.
The Huai Army is far better armed than us,
why let them hold the second line?
Su Yinkui is a good man to cooperate.
If he wins, he takes the fame. If he loses, I'll take the blame.
Now everyone is drawing water to his mill in the official circle.
We have to make him think that it's a good deal,
then his men can march on.
Dad.
Traditional Chinese values aided with modern Western technology.
We should fight with the French invaders but accept their match.
First Gate
Have shit but do fucking work.
Go, step out of the way.
Meals are better in the Huai Army.
They have stable food and dishes.
They earn double than us.
But we're all soldiers,
it's not fair.
Not fair. Not fair.
Bullshit.
Provisions and funds are squeezing,
good to be stuffed.
I'm Ruan Yue, from Vietnam.
I'm doing daily routine things in the French Army.
Sorry to disturb you.
It's okay. Please take a seat.
General Negrier
asked me to bring you a gift.
The French General
wants me to go home and
enjoy my rest life.
General Negrier
admires you very much.
He hopes to exchange Longmark
with twenty captives.
Longmark?
That black captain.
50. 50 is fine.
If only we could have known that two black shits
could save that many soldiers...
Sorry, you're late.
We're late. They're dead.
What?
You stupid oriental people
don't know the rules?
Do you know what is rule?
Soldiers,
get the two tied up.
Yes, sir.
What are you doing?
Respect the emissary, it's a rule.
General,
they don't know what is rule.
Please don't forget
what they did in the Wenyuan Camp.
It's right, leave them to us,
let the enemy exchange them
with the captives.
Alright.
The French are not credible,
but we should act by rules.
Ms. Ruan, excuse me!
Sit down.
Tell the man that
it's impossible for his troops to win.
Mr. Feng, the Qing army is bound to collapse
at the first encounter with the strong French army.
Are you sure that you can win?
Victory is important,
but it's not the only thing that matters.
The Chinese people focus on harmony and peace so much
that we appear timid and overcautious.
It's bearable to be beaten
once or twice.
We may still survive under their knives.
But the French invaders won't show mercy to you because of your cowardliness.
They want to occupy everything.
Vietnam has been occupied, right?
We have no space to retreat
no matter how coward we are.
Please tell the French
that we have no other choice
but to fight desperately.
As the call, so the echo.
Please deliver it
to Negrier.
Sir,
I exchanged two good horses for it.
I'll return a better one to you later.
Thanks.
He sent me a clock,
which is a warn that
I won't have much time left according to Chinese customs.
Feng Zicai is so sophisticated that
he's having defense works built around here.
Sir, that's the only channel
to march into the hinterlands of Guangxi.
We'll encounter more trouble during the attack.
Only the strong-willed party can win victory
in a battle under such conditions.
Do you think the Qing Army
is strong-willed enough?
Dad, I've heard of some gossip about you lately.
The soldiers aren't convinced
because of the unfair treatment.
Food for the Cui Army is obviously worse than that for the Huai Army.
According to my calculation,
food for each battalion per day costs less than seven taels of silver,
which is much less than the standard 15 taels.
There must be something fishy about Wang Jinxi.
Don't talk wildly.
One will be beheaded if he pockets the soldiers' pay.
I don't think that he has the guts to do that in the Cui Army.
Report.
Sir, the Cui Army is fighting with the Huai Army
because of complaining about different treatment.
We're confronted with a formidable enemy,
but internal conflict took place first.
Unreasonable.
That's enough.
They are even younger than our children.
Yeah.
Each of them may die at any time.
Does it hurt?
Sir, please don't be angry.
The Huai Army brought their own food here.
Besides...
Mr. Wu, it's not your fault.
Dear all,
can the cannonballs
recognize the Cui Army from the Huai Army?
You're not convinced because of unfair treatment.
I'm sorry for that.
Sir, Mr. Liu is here.
General.
Mr. Liu,
how much should each solider be paid according to the military pay system?
General,
two taels of silver for each cavalry soldier per month
and 1.5 taels for an infantry.
Each of them can get 18 kilograms of rice per month.
Extra rice will be given to those who fight a battle.
How much have we consumed?
Give me the account book. I want to have a check.
Sir, it's none of my business.
Mr. Wang has halved the amount of rice and pay when it's delivered to me.
I don't have any other choice.
Xiangxian.
Yes.
Take Wang Jinxi here.
Mr. Feng, you can't go inside without permission.
Go away.
Stop. Who allowed you to come in?
Both you and your father have the same bad habit.
Get out.
Mr. Wang, General Feng Zicai wants to talk to you.
Get out.
Let him come to me.
Please don't make it difficult for me.
What do you want?
This way.
You lunatic.
We're both officers. You are not qualified to tie me up.
Let me go.
Mr. Wang,
I should have allowed you to commit suicide
so that you could have a full body left.
However, at the crucial moment,
you must understand.
You...
You lunatic.
What do you want?
In accordance with the laws of the Qing Dynasty,
it's considered corruption to pocket the soldiers' pay.
Once verified, any officer will be executed at once regardless of his rank.
General. General.
Mr. Wang is a senior officer under the commander.
You should hand him over to Mr. Pan.
That's right. Please rethink about it.
Yeah. Please rethink about it.
You lunatic.
You have to ask the imperial court for approval
before you tie up a senior officer like me.
How dare you do it without authorization?
I won't let it go at that.
Mr. Su.
Hold the execution!
Feng Zicai.
I'm here.
How dare you
kill a senior officer without authorization?
It will stop the officers and men from fighting with one heart.
Soldiers.
Tie him up and send him to the Governor's Palace.
Hurry up. Tie him up.
Don't move.
Stop it.
Put your weapons down.
General.
Mr. Su, don't be angry.
Please have a look at it.
The war is near at hand.
I have no other choice but to kill him
to fight the enemy with one heart.
You know the consequence
if it's reported to the imperial court.
Luckily, I didn't see your name on it.
What do you want?
As an assistant in managing the defense,
all I care about is the war.
I hope that your military forces can advance now.
As for this, I really have no time.
Bai Yuliang.
Mr. Su, please forgive me.
It has been a routine for years in the army.
A routine?
You're play with fire if you do it in the Cui Army.
He even dared to criticize Grand Secretary. Not to mention you.
Mr. Su,
I've followed you so many years.
Please help me.
Mr. Feng has given much thought to it.
Mr. Su, thanks a million for forgiving me.
Order the troops to march 10 kilometers
and set up defenses at the Second Gate.
Order the officer in charge of military expenditures to increase the Cui Army's pay
to the same level that the Huai Army enjoys.
All the officers and soldiers are in high spirit once they get paid.
Great. Xiangxian.
Lead the Rifle Battalion to give the enemy camp a surprise attack
and try to rescue the captured soldiers.
Got it. I'm familiar with that place
since I was captured there.
General, according to Mr. Pan,
we only need to defend tenaciously to avoid worsening the situation.
Mr. Wu,
the Huai Army doesn't need to join the operation this time.
Yes, sir.
I feel heartbroken as long as I think of the captured soldiers.
Do your best to destroy the enemy arsenal.
Kill each of them if you have a chance.
Got it.
The arsenal in the Wenyuan County is of great importance for the French invaders.
No matter we succeed or not,
it may make the French invaders to launch an attack.
They'll attack, anyway, even if we don't.
We can weaken the power of their cannons
if their arsenal is bombed.
But they will have supplies.
We can go to Vietnam
and attack their supply line.
I've been thinking about it several days.
We can only seek for opportunities by taking risks.
So, we have to succeed in the surprise attack.
Once we begin to exchange fire,
the soldiers behind go to bomb the arsenal
and the left ones go to rescue the captives in the cells.
The others go to the predetermined places in groups.
Who is that?
The enemy is here.
Kindle a fire.
Hurry up.
Retreat!
What a young man.
They'll pay a price 100 times of it.
Feng Zicai wants a battle.
I'll satisfy him.
Distinguished Prime Minister Jules Ferry and Marshal Briere de l'Isle,
I really appreciate
your approval for attack for the hinterlands of Guangxi,
which means that we're going to
occupy southwestern China
and bring historical glory to France.
As the French invaders attack, the battle front will be extended.
You set out immediately
to ambush their supply line.
Compared with the mountainous overland route, it'll be faster to go by water.
The French invaders is sure to choose the waterway.
They may turn out in full strength.
Try to meet Liu Yuandao.
We'll have a chance to win
if the Black Flag Army attacks them in Lang Son.
Got it. I'll send you a message with my eagle.
Uncle, the Zhuang girls will help
when dealing with water.
Yi'nan.
Uncle, I know what you want to say.
When the war is over,
I'll get married to Xiangxian.
I'll listen to you,
staying at home as a good wife and a good mother.
Xiangrong will be in charge of the operation.
I'll do my best.
Such a big cellar.
I asked you here
because the war is going to begin.
In case...
Stop explaining.
Quick. Follow me.
Sir, the enemies
did try to pass by the underground karst river.
We've beat them back.
That man is smart.
They won't give up
and they'll choose a new position for ambush.
Got it, sir.
The water surface is wider after we cross the forest. And there's no commanding height.
It's hard for us to ambush.
It's pressed for time. We have no other choice.
We'll shoot from both river banks
when the French cargo ship arrives.
Pick several good swimmers
and push the explosives to the ship.
Okay.
Yi'nan, lead the women swimmers
to attack the ship underwater.
Got it.
Menggen, send someone to contact the Black Flag Army
in case the ammunition is transported on land.
Got it.
General,
we're a few days late because of the rough journey.
Luckily the guns are sent here
and no delay is caused in work.
Mr. Su, I appreciate it
on behalf of all men in the Cui Army.
Don't say that.
I'll feel ashamed.
Mr. Mai.
Yes, sir.
Put half the guns in the back forest.
Just in case.
The gun reach is shorter than that of the French invaders'.
If we put them behind...
Cut the crap.
Dig ditches in the back forest as soon as possible
and set up the second defensive line.
Yes, sir.
The French were prepared for it.
Fire.
Brother
Report.
The French invaders arrived at the Zhennan Pass
and began to deploy troops.
Update me anytime.
Yes, sir.
General, it's almost time
for ambush.
Man proposes and God disposes.
We have nowhere to retreat.
Mr. Mai.
Here.
Offer sacrifice to the flag.
Yes, sir.
The French invaders are beasts.
If they come in,
our families will be slaughtered
like animals by them.
We have nowhere to retreat.
What we can do is just to fight desperately
to avoid being humiliated
and to live with dignity.
Our bodies are the last defensive line.
If I fail to insert the board
at the Zhennan Pass,
I'll come back, lying in the coffin.
The wolf-like soldiers have been highly praised in China,
which is attributed to our concerted efforts and desperate fighting.
Avoid being humiliated and expel the French invaders.
We won't be defeated. We're bound to win.
Mr. Mai.
Here.
Defend the battery on the Daqing Mountain to the last second.
Don't let the French invaders come to the highland.
Defend the battery on the Daqing Mountain to the last second.
Don't let the French invaders come to the highland.
Yes, sir.
Feng Xiangxian.
Here.
Lead the Supervision Battalion to supervise at the Second Gate.
Anyone who retreats shall be shot.
Leave it to me. You go out first.
Second Gate
Xiangxian,
will the Supervision Battalion join the battle?
Of course, if it's in a desperate situation.
Mr. Bai is the one who actually supervises.
Order all the soldiers at each pass to be strictly on guard.
Yes, sir.
Fire.
The French cannons are deadly.
Let's run.
Otherwise, we'll all die here.
Run.
Don't run. Get down.
Where did the transport team arrive?
On your order,
they set off one day after the fleet of ships did.
They'll arrive here in two days at least.
Send the Vietnamese to the front
after the bombing.
Let's see if the enemies will have been destroyed after the bombing.
Yes, sir.
Place guns in position and the infantry go into battle.
Get up, everyone.
Place guns in position and the infantry go into battle.
Get up.
Get up as long as you can breathe.
Get up. Quickly.
The infantry go into battle.
Suppress them with gunfire.
We must conquer the Daqing Mountain before it gets dark.
Fire.
Retreat back. Now.
Mr. Feng, please let us pass by.
We cannot stand it anymore.
Guys, go back.
What about the injured?
Let them pass by.
Military orders cannot be disobeyed.
Don't push me.
The French cannons are deadly.
I don't believe that
Mr. Feng will shoot at us.
Go.
Mr. Feng,
it'll be out of control if the gate is opened.
All of us will be beheaded for it.
Shoot.
Mr. Mai,
some guys tried to escape from the peripheral battlefield
and were shot dead by the Supervision Team.
Keep a close watch.
There are so many battlefields around the Daqing Mountain.
I'm afraid that we can't defend all.
Shut up.
Shoot.
Hit out.
Go!
Good job. You prove yourself to be my buddies.
Transmit my order.
Stop pursuing. Enter the blindage.
General,
it seems that we've met a powerful rival.
Transmit my order.
The infantry withdraws. Continue bombing.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Mai,
All the positions around the mountain have been burnt down.
I'm afraid that we can't hang on anymore.
Let's retreat to the First Gate.
Shut up.
General, why are you here?
Is there any news from the Ambush Team?
The cannons are so powerful
that half the soldiers have been killed or injured.
If it doesn't stop, we'll...
How are the guns in the back forest?
They're in perfect condition.
Retreat to the back forest at once
and await opportunities to fight with cold steel.
Yes, sir.
Transmit my order.
Retreat to the back forest.
Now.
Warriors, listen.
Charge forward as fast as you can.
1,000 francs for a dead solider
and 3,000 francs for a dead officer.
Go.
Go.
Fire.
The old dog finally shows its tusks.
The artillery advances and bombs the forest.
Yes, sir.
Go.
Sir,
you'd better retreat to the First Gate.
It's dangerous to stay at the Daqing Mountain.
Stay calm.
Mr. Mo,
order the cavalry of the Supervision Battalion to enter the Second Gate
and join the battle at proper time.
Yes, sir.
Get ready for hand-to-hand combat.
Yes, sir.
Get ready for hand-to-hand combat.
Kill them.
Anyone who retreats shall be killed.
Mr. Su.
Go.
Mr. Feng.
Sir,
the Qing Army is three times as many as ours.
Hand-to-hand combat will consume our military strength.
That may be what Feng Zicai is expecting.
Retreat at once.
Stop attacking.
Yes, sir.
General,
all the guns on the Daqing Mountain have gone up in bombs.
I'm afraid that tomorrow...
Order the soldiers to retreat at night.
Conquering the Daqing Mountain,
the French invaders will arrange heavy artillery on top of it
and the gunfire will cover both the First Gate and the Second Gate.
We have no alternative.
It's better to hide our fists than to show them.
Mr. Su, we still have a chance
if your troops of 20,000 men don't retreat.
We lost 30% of the soldiers today.
If it continues for two days,
we'll have no chance to see the sunrise again.
Put the severely wounded here.
Here. People with minor wounds follow me.
Please. Kill me.
I can't bear it.
You'll survive if you're strong-willed enough.
Sir, I'm dying.
As an orphan,
I've been hoping to call you dad once.
What's your name?
I'm Wei Ashan.
My son,
I remember.
All the people will remember.
Xiangxian, I'm scared.
I want to go home.
Nonsense. Deserting in face of a battle deserves a penalty of death.
Xiangxian,
I have two brothers.
One was killed in bombs in Vietnam
and the other lost his legs.
Stop it.
Xiangxian, my parents have worked in your family the whole life.
Now, they are old.
I don't have any other choice.
Please.
I once saved you in Vietnam.
Let me leave here.
Xiangxian.
How many cannonballs have we left?
We can hang on for one more day in case of intense firepower.
Good.
Order the transport team to arrive here tomorrow
by forced marches day and night.
Yes, sir.
Hongshan Cliff
Stop.
On alert.
It's the Black Flag Army.
Carry them forward.
Heighten the defense works.
Quick.
Catch up.
Hurry up.
Hurry up.
Sir.
Sir, it's Menggen's eagle.
It's empty.
Since the eagle is back,
we'll see the outcome soon.
Report.
We caught a soldier of the Cui Army
who tried to escape from the Second Gate.
We also took the officer who disobeyed the order.
Sir, we'll leave him to you for decision.
Bai Yuliang, what do you want to do?
Let go of Xiangxian.
Sir,
Mr. Feng allowed his trusted follower to desert in face of a battle
by issuing a token to him without authorization.
We found it on him.
This is his confession. Please have a check.
Is that true?
I'm guilty.
Sir, it's my duty to supervise,
but it's your son that disobeyed the military regulations.
I didn't dare to act rashly,
so I take him here and leave him to you for decision.
Dad, please kill me.
It's easy to get killed.
The situation on the battlefield is unpredictable.
We may be defeated anytime.
Xiangxian, you're muddled.
Sir. Sir. Sir.
It's even better to ask Xiangxian to fight to death
on the battlefield.
That's right. Sir, please rethink about it.
General Feng once gave the order that
anyone who retreats shall be killed regardless of his rank.
Mr. Su signed and made his cross on the spot with you.
Dad, I still want to fight the French invaders.
I'll become a ferocious ghost to help you.
Yi'nan, I'm sorry.
How can you avenge a personal wrong in the name of public interests?
Mr. Su,
stop it.
Too many people have died.
Daqing Mountain
Be sure to destroy the Qing Army
even at the cost of
using up all the cannonballs today.
Yes, sir.
Dad,
a 100-year-old cellar of the Zhuang people is located in the karst cave on Xiaoqing Mountain.
We can ignite it as a last resort
to cause forest fire and stop the French invaders.
It'll prevent us from collapsing although it's hard to win.
Sir, all blindage on the third section has been blown down.
Most soldiers of the Bayonet Battalion are buried.
Carry all the hand grenades there
after the bombing.
Yes, sir.
I'll fight them in the front with the Knife Battalion.
The Zhuang Team lies in the ditches on the right.
Mr. Wu, you fight on the left with the Spear Battalion.
The rest two battalions are Reserve Battalion
and Backup Battalion continues to hide in the pinewood.
Each battalion shall not shoot.
We should maintain strength
for hand-to-hand combat.
Yes, sir.
Backup Battalion, remember that
you can't launch an attack
until I give the order.
Yes, sir.
You retreat to the Second Gate
with the Dare-to-Die corps of 300 soldiers.
No, sir. If you stay here, how can we...
If we lose the First Gate,
Su Yinkui may retreat.
He has to rethink about it if you stay at the Second Gate.
We have to prepare for the worst.
Remember. In case of collapse,
you go to the karst cave on Xiaoqing Mountain
and ignite the cellar there.
Understand?
Yes, sir.
Buddy,
this is the last moment.
Bro...
Let's see who are more powerful,
Feng Zicai's wolf-like soldiers
or the French Army?
Order the First Regiment and the Vietnamese Army to attack together.
Be sure to conquer the First Gate.
Yes, sir.
Quick. Bring the grenades here. Quick.
Take the grenades.
Hand them out. Hurry up.
Buddies, take the grenades.
Quick.
Take the grenades.
Quick.
Go.
Throw.
If I try to retreat,
each of you can shoot at me.
Go.
General, we should reinforce them at once.
Hand-to-hand combat is what Feng Zicai is expecting.
Fire.
Our men will be injured in that case.
It's an order. Fire.
Yes, sir.
Fire.
Mr. Su.
Mr. Su,
General Feng Zicai asked me to tell you that
the French invaders have burst into the stone walls
and the First Gate is on the verge of destruction.
He hopes that you can
flank the French battery on the Daqing Mountain
I'll fight in the van.
The Daqing Mountain is easy to hold but hard to attack.
It's out of the gun reach.
We'll collapse entirely if we lose.
It's a predetermined appointment for us to be entrenched at the Second Gate,
where we can defend or retreat.
Besides, Mr. Pan has ordered us
to await an opportunity to retreat.
First Gate
Open all the jars. Hurry up.
Okay. You go out.
The farther, the better.
Go.
No. Mr. Mai, you have to leave here.
Let me ignite.
Get out.
Mr. Mai,
it's you that saved our lives.
Let me repay you.
That's right. Mr. Mai, please leave here.
You're young.
No matter we win or lose,
try your best to live well if you can.
Please. Go.
Otherwise, it'll be too late.
Go.
Forest fire.
Loong. Fiery Loong. My Goodness.
Kill them.
A fiery Loong comes down from the sky.
A fiery Loong comes down from the sky. The French invaders are bound to be defeated.
Launch an attack at once.
Hit out.
The wolf soldiers will fight us at all costs.
Bombard the Second Gate now.
Did you hear me?
We've used up cannonballs.
The transport team is stopped around Hongshan Cliff.
Report.
The Command in Lang Son telegraphed us that
the garrison battalion is surrounded by the Black Flag Army
and on a razor's edge.
General,
let's retreat.
In March 1885, the French Army was defeated and the Qing Army got the chance to cross the Zhennan Pass.
Ruan Yue, let's go.
You have to go with us.
Miss Ruan,
you should know that you have no other choice.
With our victory at Zhennan Pass,
the French are willing to negotiate with us.
We may not benefit if we continue to fight.
Your Grace, you can issue an imperial decree
and order Feng Zicai to retreat to the Zhennan Pass.
Can you guarantee that the French won't invade again
if Feng Zicai retreats?
Your Grace,
the French are bound to agree
as long as we give up Vietnam according to the agreement aforetime.
Dad, adopt Western culture, basing it on Chinese culture as the backbone.
We should fight with the French invaders but accept their match.
The French defeat at the Zhennan Pass paved the way for the collapse of Jules Ferry's administration. Since then, the French Army had never crossed the Zhennan Pass again.
I stand on this land.
The worlds' end spreads to all directions.
Everyone wants to show his loyal heart.
My voice is echoing on our land.
I build up the wall with my blood and flesh.
I will never stop guarding it however big the wave is.
Patriotism shouldn't be only printed on your skin.
My land is just like my name.
We will never give up our own land.
We should guard the land and protect our home.
We will never give it up because it's our great honor to do so.
Everyone should be responsible for rise and fall of the world.
I am willing to defend my country crazily.
Great sons and daughters should go to fight with the enemies.
We will never give up our own land.
We should guard the land and protect our home.
We will never give it up because it's our great honor to do so.
Everyone should be responsible for rise and fall of the world.
In the great harmony, we should shoulder the responsibility.
Loyal people know it clearly in their mind.
We will never give up our own land.
We should guard the land and protect our home.
We will never give it up because it's our great honor to do so.
Everyone should be responsible for rise and fall of the world.
In the great harmony, we should shoulder the responsibility.
Loyal people know it clearly in their mind.