Relic of an Emissary

Brocade Guards Captain NGO SIU-FUNG and his team arrive at the Fu's Mansion for the arrest the criminals of the Lam Yuk Case as ordered by the emperor. FU SIU-KIU, daughter of MASTER FU, is rude to them. FUNG has no choice but makes MASTER FU turn in the criminals by force. Meanwhile, a man from a foreign tribe appears from nowhere trying to take away the son of one of the criminals. FUNG chases him, whose target turns out to be the boy's jade pendent. The man is MA SAM-PO, PRINCE YIN CHU TAI's counselor. TAI intends to give the pendent to LADY SHUK so as to please his emperor father, CHU YUEN-CHEUNG. CHU WAN-MAN, the Crown Prince, is not happy that the FUs are involved. He requests Lieutenant YIM TSUN to release KIU. TAI objects. The matter is brought to CHEUNG. PRINCESS WING-YEUNG performs magic at LADY SHUK's birthday banquet. LADY SHUK enjoys it very much. CHEUNG praises TAI for the pendant. CHU KUEN, LADY SHUK's son PRINCE NING, jeers at TAI. FUNG escorts PRINCE TSUN to look for a renowned doctor. Not sooner has their boat departed than it explodes.

The ship sinks. CHEUNG falls ill after PRINCE TSUN's body has been found. MAN is traveling to the south. TAI finds this inappropriate, as the emperor is still on the danger list. PRINCE NING is jealous that CHEUNG thinks so highly of MAN. He makes it clear he will follow TAI's lead. PRINCE PIN does not agree with him though, hinting TAI has to do with PRINCE TSUN's accident. OLD MAN MOK, who runs an inn, rescues FUNG. He thinks FUNG has suffered from a memory loss. FUNG saves MAN, who disguised as a commoner, by chance. MAN invites FUNG to travel with him; FUNG declines him politely. FUNG runs into WONG CHI-CHING. When he learns that MAN and FONG HAU-YU, the grand tutor, have been kidnapped, he decides to go to their rescue. He is investigating his own background at a tattoo shop when a brocade guard attacks him. The brocade guard cross-examines him about the death of PRINCE TSUN and tortures him. Then YIM TSUN appears. He tells FUNG who he is and arranges the resumption of his duty. On the other hand, he asks CHUNG-LEUNG to keep a close eye on FUNG.

CHEUNG has a private talk with TAI. He would like to know whether TAI has anything to do with the death of PRINCE TSUN. TAI keeps his mouth shut. And when CHEUNG tells him to swear he will never covet his throne, he refuses to do as told. CHING plans to send more guards to MAN's protection but he only wants one who is good at martial arts. YU recommends FUNG. YEUNG would like to patch up TAI and MAN. She invites them to a dance show on Willow Court, which is a red boat. PRINCE NING, who comes uninvited, tries his best to sow discord between TAI and MAN. YEUNG blames him. After taking a drink as a punishment, he tells SUM TSIN-SAM, owner of the boat, to put on a dance. FUNG notices that SAM has got the same eagle tattoo as his. TO goes hunting. TO-HIN stops him. The news of CHEUNG's death comes just when TAI and PO have found out about the truth.

CHING and other officials quarrel over the crowning of MAN. In the meantime, LADY SHUK reveals that CHEUNG had passed his will to REVEREND TSZ-HOI. REVEREND TSZ-HOI is dead. CHEUNG's will is nowhere to be found. It is decided that the news of CHEUNG's death be kept confidential for the time being. Meanwhile, PO and FUNG are to search for the lost will and the monk who has stolen it. YEUNG enters CHEUNG's room with the help of LI KING-LUNG, governor of left garrison, and learns about her father's death. FUNG and PO go to the Willow Court for investigation. When they enter SAM's room, they are surprised to see a monk trying to kill SAM. The monk has an accident and dies. YIK-SUET, the most popular courtesan, also has an eagle tattoo but FUNG cannot remember having slept with her. PRNICE NING has transferred troops to the capital. When TAI asks him about this, he reveals that MAN is going to take CHING's advice and to ascend the throne earlier.

TAI and his men enter the Eastern Palace by force. MAN calms him down, telling him to wait for one more day as agreed. TAI turns to HIN, who gives him some advice as well as the hour, date, month and year of another person's birth. PO and FUNG arrive at the temple at the same time to learn more about Reverend TSZ-HOI from the abbot. The hint Reverend TSZ-HOI gave before he died provides them with some clue. PO has found the lost will. The stealing monk refuses to give out the name of the mastermind no matter how hard FUNG pushes him. Instead, he bites his tongue to kill himself. PO and FUNG fight over the will. NGAI CHUN has been attacked. The will has gone missing. MAN is very worried. CHING is certain PO has taken the will. He suggests to LUNG that the soldiers should be encamped outside the palace so that MAN can ascend the throne rest assured. PRINCE NING sends the will to TAI's palace, dropping a hint that he may take the opportunity to amend its content. TAI gathers the princes together. YU, who is MAN's teacher, reads out the content of the will.

YU declares MAN the new emperor. Startled, PRINCE NING nevertheless joins other princes in claiming they will give MAN full support. In fact, PRINCE NING could not be more disappointed that TAI has failed to amend CHEUNG's will. He is so furious that he decides he might burn it as well. TAI puts forwards a series of new policies. YU and other official are surprised by his sudden enthusiasm. The princes go to court as usual. MAN is pleased. The princes suggest promoting CHING, but MAN does not agree with their idea. LADY SHUK tells MAN she would like to bury herself live with CHEUNG. PRINCE NING asks her to think twice. No matter how hard she tries, YEUNG is unable to stop LADY SHUK from killing herself. PRINCE NING hopes that MAN would bury LADY SHUK with CHEUNG as she had wished. TAI finds her death suspicious. MAN tells FUNG to look into the matter. YEUNG is horrified to learn that she has killed LADY SHUK accidentally.

YEUNG believes she has killed LADY SHUK by accident. She runs into FUNG on her way to PO. Later, she confesses everything to PRINCE NING, who suggests her hiding in the villa for the time being. YEUNG and TIM-YEE leave the palace dressed as men but they fall into the hands of slave traffic dealers not soon afterwards. SAM saves her when the guards are inspecting her boat. PO is caught red-handed when he is investigating at PRINCE NING's palace. Fortunately, TAI supports him. TAI demands that MAN allow PO to inspect LADY SHUK's body again. SAM teaches YEUNG to bake sweet potatoes and needlework when she is being grounded. FUNG and TSUN look for YEUNG at Willow Court. SAM tells them she has bought YEUNG from a traffic dealer. TSUN offers to pay her a good price, but she sets YEUNG free. FUNG runs after YEUNG. He reminds her to be careful but she does not listen.

FUNG is severely injured in saving YEUNG. The two rest in a cave. TAI and PO discover that someone had broken into LADY SHU's bedroom before she died. YEUNG has been in a coma for three days. PO is worried. When she finally comes round, it is his safety that she cares about. TAI visits LADY UNG, who has suffered from a memory loss. He tries to help her cover her memory but to no avail. SUET and YEUNG take food to FUNG at the same time as if by agreement. FUNG gives YEUNG a bamboo flute that can be turned into a secret weapon as a token of thanks. He also teaches her self-defense. Now that PO is so trusted by TAI, FUNG encourages him to run after YEUNG. The truth, however, is not as simple as that and it is something PO cannot reveal at the moment. FUNG meets SUET at Willow Court. He is deeply impressed by the singing skills of YUE-SO, who is new to the boat.

FUNG is ordered to check out about SO. It is found out that she is not LUK YUEN-TING, the daughter of the criminal involved in the Lam Yuk Case. MAN decides to reverse the verdict on the LUKS. SO jumps into a river to end her life after being humiliated by a customer. SAM saves her. She tells her how she has lost her twin sister so as to cheer her up. PRINCE NING has a crush on SO and would like to take her on a boat ride. FUNG goes up to her rescue. To thank him, SO agrees to see MAN. FUNG asks SAM whether they are old friends. As PRINCE NING has found out, MAN has left the palace in the company of FUNG, and that he is now at the Willow Court. PO confirms that SO is TING, whose father is involved in the Lam Yuk Case.

CHING has found the files for the Lam Yuk Case. He is surprised that over ten thousand people are involved, many of which have admitted guilty. Now that TING's real identity has come to light, MAN assigns FUNG to protect her. Although FUNG refuses to hand over TING to CHUN, she agrees to go to the Brocade Guards Headquarters with CHUN. The Brocade Guards Headquarters sentences TING to an execution. TAI explains to MAN why PRINCE NING has been trying so hard to prevent him from reversing the verdict. He also blames MAN for failing to understand his late father. FUNG is going to the prison to save TING. He runs into PO on the way. The two have a fight. TING is dead. MAN is heartbroken. He is convinced TAI has to do with the incident. PO cannot understand why TAI has to cover up the truth of TING's death.

FUNG discovers that TSUN had insisted on assigning the mission of escorting PRINCE TSUN to him. He wonders who TSUN is. Now that the political situation is rather stable, TAI would like to return to his territory. MAN talks him into staying with an excuse. It is not that he respects TAI though, for he intends to greatly reduce the number of feudatory states. As requested by TAI PO authenticates banknotes and traces the source of fake banknotes. PO sends a Mongol to prison, who he finds suspicious. FUNG discovers that TSUN has a very close relationship with SAM. TAI sends LADY UNG to a monastery. HIN advises him to leave the capital as soon as possible. PRINCE PAK would like to return to his territory to spend more time with his wife and children. TAI promises to talk to MAN.

SAM meets with LAM TAI-FU of Black Mountain on her own. TAI appreciates her cleverness and courage and wants to find out more about her mysterious background. PO sets CHAN TSAT, the main suspect of the fake banknote case, free in order to draw out the mastermind. TAI and his men surround Black Mountain. FU is bombed to death accidentally, while SAM and TAI are trapped in a cave. YEUNG asks FUNG why he is avoiding her. He confesses having killed PRINCE TSUN. GAOWA is injured when she is trying to take away the body of her father. PO saves her. PAK and PRINCE NING chill out together. TAI accuses PAK of failing to keep his promise and leave the capital. Meanwhile, TSUN has come for the arrest of PAK. TAI tells PO everything after learning that the latter has betrayed him. Realizing the trouble he has caused, he requests that TAI grants him the privilege of suicide.

TAI wants to kill PO. YEUNG covers PO with her body. TAI spares his life in the end. TAI lets PO go, but he prefers to stay. FUNG hands in his resignation to MAN, who claims that he trusts FUNG. LI SHING, the cook with a scar on the face, follows FUNG. He asks FUNG to pay him the money for killing PRINCE TSUN. YEUNG is very upset about FUNG. With a view to showing her what kind of person FUNG is, LUNG takes her to follow FUNG and SHING. FUNG arrives at Yuet Loi Inn, where SHING is severely injured. FUNG takes out a letter from a concealed drawer in the room. He is taken by surprise that his new target is MAN. Meanwhile, LUNG breaks into the room suddenly.

FUNG puts YEUNG under hostage. After he has got rid of LUNG, he tells her to return to the palace. She, however, refuses to leave. LUNG tells MAN FUNG is responsible for the death of PRINCE TSUN. MAN believes there is some misunderstanding and so tells him to look into the matter further. FUNG returns to the capital. After passing YEUNG to PO, he goes to the Brocade Guards Headquarters with CHUN. CHUN tortures FUNG. FUNG claims he is innocent when MAN shows up. MAN gives TAI two days to prove FUNG's innocence. PO and TAI have found some clues. SAM invites TAI to her boat. PO and YEUNG visit the fishing village again, where they learn about the truth at last. They hurry to the execution ground with what they have found. FUNG treats YEUNG and PO to a meal. PO tells him to thank TAI instead.

FUNG presents KIU with a music instrument and apologizes to her for destroying her family. He also promises to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with her. MAN and TSUN intend to promote FUNG to Prefect, which is CHUN's position. FUNG declines their kindness though. People from the previous dynasty are planning a rebellion on the border. TAI volunteers to subjugate the rebels. MAN does not like the idea and suggests each feudal prince to lend five thousand troops and horses to LUNG instead. The feudal princes offer to resign so as to avoid a military power cut. MAN has no choice but to take back his decision. TAI understands that his relationship with MAN will never be the same from that moment on. TAI is sad to hear the truth. Meanwhile, SAM has come to return the jade pendent he has left behind. She listens to him talk about his troubles, and they sleep together. FUNG and YEUNG have had a good time at the Mid-Autumn Festival. When he returns to the headquarters, he is shocked to learn that KIU has been raped.

Filled with remorse, FUNG swears to find out the person who has humiliated KIU. LEUNG is dead drunk. FUNG interrogates him. YEE-WAH, TAI's concubine, is pregnant. He therefore wants to go home to her company. To his disappointment, she is already on the way to the capital under MAN's arrangement. PO has found the birth record of the imperial family. The pages regarding to TAI's birth are missing. TAI believes there is something suspicious about his identity. FUNG manages to draw out the man who raped KIU but the man puts KIU under duress. TAI chills out at Willow Court. His eccentricity scares SUET and she turns to SAM for help. MAN's scout reports to him TAI's frequent visits to the brothel. MAN finds it incomprehensible that TAI enjoys being whipped. On the other hand, TAI is surprised to learn that WAH is already in the palace.

WAH's brother TSU FAI-CHO tells her about TAI's frequent visits to the Willow Court. She reveals her husband's love for being whipped in times of troubles. PO tells TAI one of the princes has been demoted to common people for no apparent reason. He also worries about WAH. TAI, however, thinks he worries too much. In fact, TAI cares for nothing now except for the secret of attaining immortality. YEUNG learns by chance that TO has died. FUNG concludes that he was killed in one stab, which only a kung fu expert can manage. The memory of childhood flashes through FUNG's mind as he plays the flute. He returns to the fishing village, and is astonished to learn that it has been slaughtered and is now known as the Ghost Valley. Later, he tells PO his encounter with the "Headless General". YEUNG demands to go for a look with them. FUNG and YEUNG are rendered unconscious, while PO is nowhere to be found.

It turns out everything is a show put up by the villagers. PO fully comprehends their motive though. FUNG digs out the things he buried as a kid. WAH's health is getting worse. She feels heavy-hearted all the time too. YAN-WAI gives her a beewax bracelet, which is believed to bring peace and health to the person who wears it. WAH refuses to take it and falls. TAI throws blood and passes out when he learns about WAH's miscarriage. The imperial doctor says that TAI is out of his mind due to the loss of his son. SAM has been keeping an eye on TAI. She reports what she has found to MAN. MAN decides to let TAI return to Beiping, but CHING and the others think he should kill TAI instead. FUNG tries to find out the truth of the slaughter from TAI's record but fails. He vents his disappointment at YEUNG. SAM misses TAI. Her reflection in the mirror refuses to act as her body double anymore.

CHOR-CHOR, dressed as SAM, visits FUNG. She is surprised to find that he and KIU are so intimate. FUNG asks SUET why she claims to be his former girlfriend. She then tells him how SAM has asked her to do her a favor. TAI brings along his dog to the winter ceremony. What is more, he lets it defecate everywhere. MAN orders TAI to return to Beiping. CHING instructs LUNG to arrange TAI's assassination on hearing this. FUNG gets TAI's schedule with YEUNG's help. He is certain TAI has altered the content. TAI and WAH take a shortcut when they are leaving the capital. FUNG steps in their way. TAI reveals that someone had used his name to kill the people in the fishing village. He also reminds FUNG that neither MAN nor TSUN is his boss. Before he finishes, he tells FUNG to find the answer in the Ghost Valley.

FUNG runs into YIM-YIM in the Ghost Valley, who he used to play with as a child. He remembers who his boss is at last. WAH has been having nightmares since her miscarriage. TAI is remorseful. TAI gets back to Beiping at last. He is astonished to hear that his troops in the capital have been transferred a couple of times and that his mansion is being monitored. Ordered by MAN, KOT SHING brings a doctor to TAI's house. FUNG reports the truth of TING's death to MAN. MAN tries to sound WAI out to see whether she knows anything about it. On the other hand, he blames TSUN for TING's death and assigns FUNG to replace his place as Lieutenant. TAI shows SHING his newly built farm, claiming he and his wife enjoy farming and playing with their son more than anything else. TAI mistakes CHOR for SAM on the mountain. CHOR faints in his arm.

CHOR thanks TAI the first thing she comes around. She also asks him about SAM. FUNG goes to the Willow Court to see whether its new owner, YIK-SUET, knows where SAM is. He and YIM exchange what they have found. MAN wants to divorce WAI. CHING and other officials stop him. YEUNG also talks to MAN, hoping he would change his mind. As they talk, he reveals FUNG has reiterated he is no more than a friend of hers. YEUNG makes a beeline for FUNG to see if he really meant it. PO discovers that GAOWA is following him. He cannot believe it that she helped HIN fight off the assassin. They become sword brother and sister and study astrology together. WAH and TAI are reconciled thanks to CHOR's help. WAH suggests that they become sworn sisters. TAI throws a banquet for GAOWA. GAOWA invites CHOR to a fire dance, during which the crystal TAI gave SAM falls from CHOR's chest.

TAI recognizes the tattoo on CHOR's back. He firmly believes she is one of the personalities displayed by SAM, who he thinks is suffering from an identity disorder as a result of avoiding him. YEUNG looks for FUNG at the lieutenant mansion but he is not there. She is angry to see KIU acts like a hostess. FUNG and YIN have discovered where the imperial government stores black gold, but they have no idea how to convey it. MAN opens the imperial storehouse to relieve the people. FUNG is in charge of the rice handout. TSUN meets with CHOR to see how her investigation in the Yin Mansion is going. YEUNG is upset that FUNG does not care about her. She wants to revenge him but YIM sees through her trick. YEUNG tries to stop YIM from taking away the rice. She gets hit and is thrown into a dry well as a result. FUNG falls into the well when he is trying to save her.

PO and YIM are conveying the black gold. YIM wants to get rid of GAOWA, who insists in going with them. CHING reports to MAN late at night that the black gold has been stolen. He suspects TAI is involved in the theft. WAH has fallen ill. CHOR takes snacks to the farm to TAI for her. Some imperial guards show up, requesting to search the farm. TAI's arsenal collapses suddenly, revealing a secret passage. He has no choice but kills the guards. TAI confines CHOR. She puts on a hunger strike as a protest. WAH has another miscarriage. TAI, who is tipsy, holds CHOR in his arms and calls her SAM. He apologizes to her as soon as he has realized his mistake. To his surprise, she confesses her love for him. CHOR takes out a dagger after sleeping with him.

HIN writes a letter to the family of the guard leader and to the government respectively under the leader's name. TAI, however, still worries that his death will come to light. PO would like to take LADY UNG home. MAN turns him down. What is more, he sends her away behind PO. PO opens the small bag HIN gave him, and arrives at a small house following HIN's instruction. As he enters the house, he is shocked to see. MAN is thrilled to bits to see TING again. However, the woman in front of her denies she is TING. MAN tells FUNG to probe into the matter. TING has gone disappeared. Firmly believes that PO is involved, MAN agrees to release LADY UNG. MAN apologizes to TSUN for wrongly accused him. He would like to promote TSUN for his contribution to the smashing of TAI's scam and to the protection of WAI. TSUN declines his goodness though. TAI rages at HIN for delivering an order in his name. HIN proposes a rise in revolt using the excuse of putting down a rebellion.

GAOWA has returned to the capital. PO has become a wanted criminal. She is arrested when she is trying to save a man that looks like PO. Fortunately, YIM saves her. WAH proposes to become sworn sisters with CHOR on their way to a temple. MAN stations massive forces in Beiping. On the other hand, he surrounds the Yin Mansion. TAI manages to talk MAN's soldiers into turning against him. YEUNG tells FUNG LUNG has bought up a marriage proposal to MAN. To her disappointment, FUNG wishes her good luck. She is so angry that she breaks the bamboo flute he gave her. YEUNG volunteers to escort LADY UNG's coffin to Beiping. LUNG finds PO in the fleet. YEUNG promises to marry him on the condition that he lets PO go. FUNG is very upset that YEUNG is marrying LUNG. He drowns his sorrows in liquor till drunk. Mistaking KIU for YEUNG, he sleeps with her.

TAI and his troops carry all before one wherever they go, as many of the local generals used to be under his command. MAN plans to take the opportunity of delivering LADY UNG's body to Beiping to counterattack TAI. TAI would like to borrow PRINCE NING's Duoyan guards. CHOR tells TAI she is SAM's twin sister, and that TSUN has killed SAM. PRINCE NING is dragging his heels over the lending of the Duoyan guards. He likes CHOR, and so promises to send the Duoyan guards to TAI immediately if CHOR will stay. TAI continues to advance victoriously wherever he goes. FUNG suggests LUNG to lead five hundred thousands soldiers to fight back. LUNG hopes to marry YEUNG first. YEUNG discovers that FUNG has been chasing her Hung Ming lantern so as to fulfill her wish. She is determined to run away with him.

YEUNG tries her wedding gown. TIM-YEE helps her. YEUNG faints after eating WAI's sweet dumplings. KIU commits suicide after learning that FUNG is leaving with YEUNG. FUNG therefore promises her that he will not leave. YEUNG overhears their conversation. LUNG's troops are defeated and held captives. TAI would like to go to the frontline. FAI-CHO makes him change his mind with a psychological trick. MAN would like to make peace with TAI. YEUNG, who is now MRS. LI, wife of the Governor of Left Garrison, is responsible for the negotiation with TAI. FUNG is to escort her to Beiping. KIU is upset to see the bamboo flute. FUNG decides to marry her. YEUNG is taken aback when she learns that FUNG and KIU have already married, and that KIU's suicide was the reason he did not show up on the day they were supposed to run away.

TAI is very pleased to see YEUNG, totally unaware of her mission. At the banquet she throws specially for her, she goes down on her knees to plead him to make peace with MAN. He tells her MAN does not really want to make peace. His real intention, instead, is to have him killed, which is why he has sent FUNG. PO takes YEUNG to see LUNG. FUNG helps them escape. PO gives them a hand. MAN commends FUNG for saving LUNG and YEUNG. LUNG blames YEUNG for failing to get over FUNG. He is so furious that he tells MAN FUNG is a mole. FUNG, YEUNG and KIU are leaving via the secret passageway. LUNG blows it up. TSUN takes MAN to see FUNG. FUNG claims he would rather lose his memory than betraying MAN. Touched, MAN lets him off.

FUNG's arm has a wolf tattoo, a tattoo every TAI's emissary has. With a view to repaying MAN's kindness, he cuts the arm off. He passes out as soon as he has done so. MAN is at his wit's end as to how to deal with TAI. FUNG and YEUNG are very happy with their reclusive life. But when he learns that TAI's troops are already on their way to the capital, he wants to return to the capital to help MAN. YEUNG tells him to come back before she is due to deliver. YIM surrenders to LUNG, who opens the city gate for TAI's army. MAN's trusted eunuch betrays him, putting WAI's and his lives at risk. WAI kills herself by taking poison. TAI finds a burnt body by her side. TAI resumes the prince titles of his brothers as soon as he has been enthroned. In addition, he makes WAH and CHOR empress and Lady CHOR respectively. In order to stop MAN from leaving by sea, PO tries to look for clues from the burnt body. In the meantime, FUNG and PO have their last fight.