Name: Jinyiwei

Release date: February 4, 2010

　　At the end of the Ming dynasty, court politics were mired in corruption, the emperor was feeble-minded, and the eunuch faction wielded unchecked power. The imperial chief eunuch, Jia Jingzhong, abused his authority by deceiving both superiors and subordinates, luring the foolish sovereign into a life of indulgence in women. The emperor’s uncle, Prince Qing, had once been subjected to the punishment of castration and banished beyond the northern frontier for plotting to usurp the throne. Upon learning that the reigning emperor was incompetent and weak-willed, Prince Qing bribed Jia Jingzhong, pretending to seek a reward in the form of fortresses and territories beyond the border.

　　The illegitimate daughter of Prince Qing and a disciple of the Pure‑Garment Sect, Tuotuo bears seven layers of cicada‑like robes and conceals needles beneath her bare flesh. Ruthless and ruthless, she has mastered peerless martial arts, seeking to aid her father in seizing the throne. In league with the eunuch Jia, she strives to eliminate the Azure Dragon, thereby carrying out her grand scheme to usurp the empire.

　　Jia Jingzhong forges an imperial edict, ordering the commander of the Jinyiwei, Qinglong, to seize evidence of treason from the Grand Tutor of the Ministry of War. During the operation, he discovers that the “Imperial Seal of Succession” is, in fact, the very proof they seek. Stunned by this revelation, Qinglong is suddenly ambushed and wounded by a master assassin, who then makes off with the seal. Back at the Jinyiwei, he finds that all his trusted subordinates have been arrested; Baihu and Zhuque were betrayed and killed by Xuanwu. Qiao Yong, the chief marshal of the Justice Escort Bureau, and his daughter, Qiao Hua, rescue Qinglong from the capital. After being thwarted in their pursuit of Qinglong, the Jinyiwei agents sent by Xuanwu confess that both Xuanwu and Jia Jingzhong are plotting treachery with Prince Qing of the region beyond the passes. Determined to uncover the truth, Qinglong slips beyond the frontier. In the lands beyond the passes, the young leader of the Tianying Gang, the Desert Judge, along with his band, schemes to raid a merchant caravan—unaware that the convoy carries a thousand taels of gold destined as tribute to Jia Jingzhong’s household guard. Through a clash that turns into an uneasy alliance, Qinglong and the Desert Judge decide to join forces to plunder the caravan: the judge seeks the gold, while Qinglong fights for his honor, striving to clear his name.

　　At the post station beyond the Pass, Jia Jingzhong learned that the Prince Qing had altered the fake imperial edict granting a city into one ordering troops to march through the Pass, and was struck with such terror that his very soul fled. Xuanwu once again defected, pledging allegiance to the prince; he slew Jia Jingzhong and seized the Imperial Seal. Meanwhile, Qinglong and the Judge of the Desert joined forces to battle the Prince Qing’s palace guards, reclaiming the Seal from Xuanwu.

　　Qinglong hurried back to Qiaohua’s hiding place, clutching the Imperial Seal, only to find Tuotuo already waiting. Threatening Qiaohua, Tuotuo demanded the Seal in exchange, leaving Qinglong no choice but to hand it over. In gratitude, Qiaohua’s father, Qiao Yong, took a shortcut to lead Qinglong to the valley near the ancient city of Tianlang, where they lay in ambush for Tuotuo and Xuanwu’s party—sure to pass through. Within the valley, Qinglong finally slew Xuanwu, avenging White Tiger and Vermilion Bird. He entrusted the Seal to Qiaohua, instructing her to return it to the capital, while he remained behind to face Tuotuo in a duel to the death. Inside the old temple, Qinglong had long resolved himself to life and death; at the final moment, he used the Jinyiwei’s last weapon—the “Fengtian Chengren”—to end both his own fate and Tuotuo’s. Both departed with bitter resentment: Qinglong for the hardships and sorrow that had marked his life, and Tuotuo for failing to fulfill his sworn father’s unfulfilled wish.

　　Qiao Hua set out alone, trudging through the howling sandstorm. On her very first escort mission, she bore the weight of saving countless lives—but she had promised Qinglong that his daughter would never let him down. Deep in her heart, she longed to see him again, and with unwavering resolve, she marched boldly into the future. [5]