by
Wang Hui Ling and James
Schamus and Tsai Kuo Jung
Based on the novel
by
Wang Du Lu
FADE IN:
EXT. YUAN COMPOUND - DAY
Security men and porters are loading wagons
for a convoy. As they work, we see across the lake a lone horseman entering the
village. One of the men recognizes him.
WORKER
Master
Li is here!
ANGLE ON LI MU BAI, thirties, powerful
and handsome.
In the background, old AUNT WU, at the sight
of Li Mu Bai, drops her parcels and runs excitedly into the building.
INT. YUAN HALLWAY - DAY
Aunt Wu runs hurriedly through the halls.
AUNT
WU
Shu
Lien!
INT. YU'S ROOM - DAY
YU, a beautiful woman in her early 30s, is
finishing packing for the convoy, wrapping a few small items in a linen wrapper
as Aunt Wu bursts in.
AUNT
WU
Li
Mu Bai is here!
INT. YUAN PRACTICE HALL - DAY
LI
How's
everything?
AUNT
WU
Fine.
Please come in.
Yu sits, composed, as Aunt Wu ushers Li
in. Li carries a large object, wrapped in silk.
Yu smiles.
YU
Mu
Bai... It's been too long.
LI
It
has.
(he
glances around the room)
How's
business?
YU
Good.
And how are you?
LI
Fine.
An awkward pause.
YU
Monk
Zheng said you were at Wudan
Mountain.
He said you were practicing
deep
meditation.
LI
Yes.
YU
The
mountain must be so peaceful... I
envy
you. My work keeps me so busy, I
hardly
get any rest.
LI
I
left the training early.
YU
Why?
You're a Wudan fighter. Training
is
everything.
LI
During
my meditation training... I came
to
a place of deep silence... I was
surrounded
by light... Time and space
disappeared.
I had come to a place my
master
had never told me about.
YU
You
were enlightened?
LI
No.
I didn't feel the bliss of
enlightenment.
Instead... I was
surrounded
by an endless sorrow. I
couldn't
bear it. I broke off my
meditation.
I couldn't go on. There
was
something... pulling me back.
YU
What
was it?
LI
Something
I can't let go of. You are
leaving
soon?
YU
We're
preparing a convoy for a delivery
to
Peking.
LI
Perhaps
I could ask you to deliver
something
to Sir Te for me.
Li unwraps the object. It is an ancient,
astonishingly beautiful sword.
YU
The
Green Destiny Sword? You're giving
it
to Sir Te?
LI
I
am. He has always been our greatest
protector.
YU
I
don't understand. How can you part with
it?
It has always been with you.
LI
Too
many men have died at its edge. It only
looks
pure because blood washes so easily
from
its blade.
YU
You
use it justly. You're worthy of it.
LI
It's
time for me to leave it behind.
YU
So
what will you do now?
Li doesn't reply.
YU
Come
with me to Peking. You can give the
sword
to Sir Te yourself. It'll be just
like
old times.
LI
First
I must visit my master's grave. It's
been
many years since Jade Fox murdered him.
I
have yet to avenge his death. And yet I'm
thinking
of quitting. I must pray for his
forgiveness.
YU
Join
me once you have finished. I can wait
for
you in Peking.
LI
Perhaps.
EXT. THE GATE TO PEKING - DAY
Customs officials have just finished
checking the contents in a row of carriages bearing the Sun Security insignia.
The caravan slowly passes through the checkpoint into the boundaries of Peking.
Yu, riding a handsome horse and clearly the leader, watches as her crew clears
inspection.
GUARDS
Ok.
Pass.
YU
Thanks.
Let's go into the city.
EXT. OUTSIDE A DEPOT - DAY
Workers are busy unloading the contents
from the carriage. BOSS GIAO is checking off the merchandise - a cargo of
medicinal herbs.
GIAO
Everything
got here safely. I'm
much
obliged.
YU
Just
doing my job.
GIAO
Sun
Security has been the best since
your
father started it. You're a credit
to
his memory.
YU
Thank
you.
GIAO
I
mean it.
EXT. PEKING - DAY
From a gray tiled roof, we can see
Peking's magnificent grid of houses extending miles and miles out, freshly
painted by the morning sun.
EXT. PEKING STREET - DAY
Dusty and congested as always, people,
horses, and carriages are fighting to get through the boulevards.
A group of jugglers perform at a corner.
Yu surveys the busy street from on top of
her horse.
INT. TE'S GREAT HALL - DAY
Yu presents the sword to SIR TE.
SIR
TE
This
is Li's personal sword, a great
hero's
weapon! He is the only one in
the
world worthy of carrying it. It's
too
fine a gift. I cannot accept it.
YU
Sir
Te! It has brought him as much
trouble
as glory. Help him to leave
these
troubles behind. Otherwise,
he'll
never be able to start anew.
SIR
TE
All
right. I'll act as the sword's
custodian.
DE LU, the head servant, enters.
DE
LU
Governor
Yu has arrived.
SIR
TE
I
must change.
YU
(getting
up)
You've
always been so good to Li Mu Bai
and
me. Please accept our thanks.
SIR
TE
Please
do not be such a stranger. You'll
stay
the night as my guest. Now, Shu Lien...
tell me something. Yo