How to pronounce "强弩之末"
Transcript
[Silent Honor]
[Episode 1]
In April 1949,
after the victory of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign,
the Third Field Army was ordered to march south
to advance on Fuzhou, Xiamen and other strategic locations.
On August 6th,
the PLA advanced along multiple routes,
surrounding Fuzhou from three directions,
and launched the general offensive on Fuzhou five days ahead of schedule.
Wu Shi, as a high-level intelligence operative of our Party
who had infiltrated the Kuomintang,
had to use his identity
as the Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office
to help the Kuomintang's 318th Division
[Official Residence of Wu Shi, No. 1 Wenquan Road, Fuzhou]
complete their front-line uprising,
opening the most crucial door for Fuzhou's liberation.
[Wu Shi, Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office]
[Wang Bikui, Wu Shi's wife]
I've taught you so many times.
But you still can't write it?
The character for "home" is too difficult to write.
This stroke isn't supposed to be like that.
You need to...
Look.
First,
it's like this.
Why are you so slow?
Look at how you wrote this part.
You shouldn't
go down in one stroke.
Dad, she is always mean to me.
Could you teach me how to write?
[Wu Jiancheng, Wu Shi's youngest son]
Alright, I'll teach you.
This character isn't easy to write.
If you want to practice calligraphy,
start with writing this character.
Home is a roof with
a pig underneath.
[Wu Xuecheng, Wu Shi's second daughter]
No, it's a roof with three pigs underneath.
That's not right either.
There are four pigs.
Don't forget your mother.
This is an urgent telegram.
Okay.
Deputy Director Wu,
you're finally here.
Look,
the Communist forces suddenly launched an attack at 6 o'clock today.
No need to panic.
Where's the Director?
The Director...
The Director is still resting.
I've already made the calls.
And all army commanders have been notified.
Yesterday during the day, the Communist forces were still
over 100 kilometers away from Yongtai.
By this morning, the county seat has already fallen.
Can they fly or what?
Send a telegram to the 25th Army,
telling them to hold their position and wait
until we figure out the enemy situation.
Yes, sir.
Deputy Director Wu, I'm afraid we're running out of time.
When the Communist forces attacked Tianjin,
it only took them 29 hours.
The President and the Director
have already made the best deployment plan.
Our forces are well-rested,
while the Communist forces are exhausted from their long march.
They could become a spent force at any moment.
Don't lose our own composure.
Alright.
[Fuzhou Pacification Office]
[Fuzhou Pacification Office]
The PLA's general offensive has been moved up by five days.
The message about the 318th Division's uprising
hasn't reached the East China Bureau yet.
During the attack,
if the PLA doesn't know they've revolted,
the PLA will certainly eliminate them all as enemies.
The PLA's offensive is fierce.
The Kuomintang army's defensive lines around Fuzhou
are collapsing faster than we estimated.
Sir, all transportation routes in the city are blocked now.
We may not be able to send the message in time.
We must find a solution.
Whether the PLA can successfully meet with the 318th Division
[Nie Xi, General Affairs Section Head of the Historical and Political Bureau]
not only concerns the lives of 3,000 soldiers,
but also determines the fate
of all the people in Fuzhou.
Sir, where are you going now?
Home.
Yes.
Here, let me take that.
Madam, we've packed almost everything.
What should we do with those books?
Xuecheng.
Why are you running outside again?
I've told you so many times
that it's chaotic out there now
with defeated soldiers everywhere.
Have you packed your own luggage?
Almost done.
I have plans with my classmate and I'm running late.
What plans do you have?
Xuecheng.
-Where are you going? -To school.
Why are you two back?
You didn't even let me know in advance.
Madam.
Isn't the school closed?
Why is Xuecheng still going to school?
I have no idea.
She's out and about all day,
really giving me a headache.
Mom! Mom!
What's up?
Dad.
Have you seen my toy car?
Come with me. I'll help you find it.
Where did you put it after playing?
What are you doing?
Why're you asking?
You're back just in time.
Come in with me.
We need to talk.
I haven't packed
any of your books.
According to my calculation,
they'll fill at least 10 suitcases,
not counting those upstairs.
What do you suggest?
How can we possibly take all these?
Why are you suddenly packing things up?
Who told you to do this?
The Communist army is coming.
Director Zhu's wife
and Commander Li's wife have already packed.
Where are we going anyway?
To Guangzhou? Taiwan?
Chongqing?
Or Hong Kong?
We're not going anywhere.
Fuzhou is our home.
We're staying.
We're not leaving?
Listen to me. Stop packing.
Is there anything to eat at home?
Nie Xi and I are both hungry.
You came back so suddenly. I haven't prepared anything.
With the sudden full-scale offensive from the PLA,
Wu Shi knew well
that the Kuomintang would certainly
make new adjustments to their military deployment.
The intelligence he had provided to the East China Bureau
had already lost its value.
He had to personally go to the 318th Division
to make new arrangements,
ensuring the uprising would proceed smoothly.
But Fuzhou city was full of spies from the BIS.
This trip could very likely
expose his identity as an underground intelligence agent.
Sir, I can't get in touch with Courier Wang.
According to the rules, we all have one-on-one contact.
I can't rashly
approach other comrades at the communication station.
Then go to the East China Bureau immediately.
Bring me that tea box.
These are the 318th Division's contact methods
and passwords for welcoming the PLA.
Send them to the East China Bureau as soon as possible.
Sir,
if you go to the 318th Division yourself,
won't that be too dangerous?
Thanks for taking this run.
Yes, sir.
[Caoshan Villa, Official Residence of Chiang Kai-shek in Taipei]
[Mao Renfeng, Director of the BIS under the Ministry of Defense]
Please report this to the President, Comrade Jianfeng.
When will the former members of the BIS
I brought to Taiwan be officially reinstated?
Without official status,
[Chiang Ching-kuo, Chiang Kai-shek's son, KMT Taiwan Provincial Branch Director]
I'm afraid our work will be hindered.
Deputy Director Xu's
BIS in Chongqing
is already an officially established unit.
The government cannot
maintain two official Bureaus of Investigation and Statistics.
As for reinstating your official status,
I'll do my best.
Thank you, Comrade Jianfeng.
I will serve with complete dedication and commitment.
Good.
Our party is currently facing a critical moment of crisis.
Regarding the investigation
of candidates for official positions
in the departments in Taiwan,
what progress have you made?
Through mail inspection, telephone surveillance,
handwriting analysis and other methods,
we've investigated the backgrounds
of Zhou Zhirou, Liu Yongyao and others.
No improprieties have been found.
However, regarding Wu Shi,
the President has repeatedly emphasized
the need to strengthen Fuzhou's permanent defenses.
But the Fuzhou Pacification Office has shown no progress.
Our agents there report
that Deputy Director Wu once advised Director Zhu.
He said that even Shanghai with its Stalingrad-style fortifications
couldn't hold out for two weeks,
let alone Fuzhou in a desperate position
with the sea to its southeast and mountains to its north.
Sir, if you go yourself,
won't you be too conspicuous?
The BIS's informants are everywhere now.
If your identity is exposed,
the consequences would be unimaginable.
We should think this through
and find a safer approach.
If something happens to you,
how will I explain to the Party and your wife?
There's no time. If the uprising succeeds one day earlier,
Fuzhou can be returned to the people one day sooner.
That's far more important than my safety.
[Headquarters of the 318th Division]
Deputy Director Wu is looking for Deputy Commander Wang.
We've reached an agreement
with the 31st Army of the PLA.
Once they enter our defense zone,
our superior will announce the uprising.
We must immediately switch sides
and follow all orders from the PLA.
Yes.
When the time comes,
I'll ask those agents from the Political Work Office
to attend a meeting at the division headquarters.
We'll lay all our cards on the table.
If they dare to oppose us,
we'll detain them directly.
Okay.
Report!
You two, go outside first.
Without my orders,
no one is allowed to enter.
-Yes. -Yes.
Deputy Director Wu.
Deputy Director Wu.
How are the preparations going?
Thank you for successfully delivering
the news about the uprising.
But the PLA's general attack has been moved up by several days.
We're not fully prepared yet.
How many troops can you control now?
Let us through.
Sorry, we haven't received any orders.
I'm sorry.
Deputy Commander Wang has ordered
that without his command,
no one passes.
Please state your mission.
You don't have clearance to know.
I order you to step aside.
Step aside!
What's going on?
What's happening?
Secretary Gong.
Colonel Zhang.
This is the secretary of Director Zhu from the Pacification Office.
Put down your guns!
What's the matter, Secretary Gong?
I have an important mission.
I need to see Deputy Director Wu.
You can tell me what it is.
And I'll report it to Deputy Director Wu.
That won't be necessary.
I must personally deliver Director Zhu's instructions.
Report!
Secretary Gong from the Pacification Office is here.
What is it?
Deputy Director Wu.
Director Zhu requests you to return to the office immediately.
Got it.
Wait outside for now.
Director Zhu says he has urgent matters to discuss.
Please depart immediately, Deputy Director Wu.
How did you know I am here?
I'm following the Director's orders, sir.
Alright.
You now have only one day
to adjust your deployment plan.
For the deployment details I haven't finished explaining,
Adjutant Nie will continue the briefing.
Yes, sir.
Remember this, Adjutant Nie.
You must clearly explain
my deployment plans.
Yes.
How did Director Zhu know Deputy Director Wu is here?
Are the phone lines broken?
They're both working.
They're both working?
Then why did the Pacification Office
send Secretary Gong to pick him up
with military police?
Deputy Director Wu,
please get in that car.
Has our uprising been exposed?
We haven't leaked any information here.
Adjutant Nie,
if they arrest Deputy Director Wu,
what should we do?
Hold your positions
and wait for the uprising.
The PLA will be here soon.
I'll take care of my teacher.
Please.
Director, you wanted to see me?
[Zhu Shaoliang, Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office]
You've kept me in the dark for so long.
Director.
What are you referring to?
The President's handwritten order.
"Yuxun,
during the Battle of Wuhan,
I consulted with you weekly.
Your clear thinking and skilled intelligence work
left a deep impression on me.
At this critical moment for saving our nation,
I hope you will devote all your wisdom
to defend our principles.
You are hereby appointed as Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense.
From Zhongzheng.
At 14:00."
The President thinks highly of you.
Do you know
why the President chose you?
It's just because I know a thing or two about military affairs.
More importantly, you don't belong to any clique.
Look.
Although you and Bai Chongxi were classmates,
many in the military believe
you're part of the New Guangxi Clique.
But Bai Chongxi has already
stepped down as Minister of Defense.
Acting President Li Zongren
has power in name only.
The Guangxi Clique is no longer a concern.
It's the best time for the President to appoint
a talent like you now.
Director, it's all thanks to you
putting in a good word for me with the President.
It has nothing to do with me.
Not at all.
Sit down.
The President entrusting you with important duties
is certainly a good thing.
Let me toast you with tea instead of wine.
I wish you a bright future.
Director.
No matter where I end up in the future,
I will never forget
your care and support.
What made you decide
to visit the 318th Division headquarters today?
Yesterday I heard from my wife
that Commander Jie plans to move his entire family out of Fuzhou.
Jie Jinghe won't move.
He's Tang Enbo's trusted man.
The Communist army is now at our borders.
Fuzhou is in imminent danger.
We're in a life-or-death battle with the Communist forces now.
But Commander Jie has always been protective of his family.
So I went to the 318th Division myself
to assess the situation.
Since this coward is so afraid of dying,
I'll send him to the front lines.
Didn't you once say
that heaven won't tolerate the Kuomintang surviving?
Just last month, Mr. Chiang suspected you of being war-weary.
Why did he suddenly
appoint you as Deputy Chief at the Ministry of Defense?
You've just been to the 318th Division.
And now this appointment comes through.
It's all too coincidental.
Sir, going to Taiwan to take up this post
is not a wise decision.
Once Fuzhou is liberated,
this order will be nothing but a worthless piece of paper.
You might as well stay
here in Fuzhou with your wife.
A family reunion
has always been your wish.
Go make another trip.
Report this situation to the East China Bureau immediately.
Who is it?
It's me.
Who's there?
Mr. Wu!
Madam.
What brings you here?
I'm in Fuzhou on official business.
So of course I have to visit
Yuxun and you.
Please come in.
Is he in?
Yes. Yuxun.
Come out and see who's here!
Madam.
I've brought some local specialties.
Thank you.
Fenfei,
I've been waiting for you for so long.
[Wu Zhongxi, Underground Member of the Communist Party of China]
I really missed you.
Yuxun.
The Party has received the messages you sent.
The leader asked me to convey instructions from above to you.
First,
the intelligence you've recently provided is very valuable.
On behalf of the Party, I'd like to express
the most sincere gratitude to you.
What about the mission?
There's no mandatory mission.
Whether to stage a local uprising
or continue intelligence work,
the Party fully respects your personal decision.
Is that all?
That's all.
The following is my personal opinion.
Go on.
Don't go.
Fenfei.
The Yangtze defense line deployment maps
and the troop movement plans of the Tang Enbo and Bai Chongxi groups
that I provided earlier
helped the PLA take only three days
to liberate Nanjing.
Also, the intelligence related to the Xuzhou Suppression General Headquarters
and the enemy's defense plans in southern Jiangsu and Zhejiang
prevented lots of
needless sacrifices and city destruction.
What if I were the Deputy Chief then?
Wouldn't it be easier to obtain intelligence?
The level of White Terror in Taiwan now
is much more severe than what you and I experienced.
Our comrades are sacrificing their lives every day.
And more innocent people
are being executed as communist spies.
Yuxun.
Fuzhou is about to be liberated.
If you could be in your hometown
to witness the birth of New China,
what a happy thing that would be.
You've spent half your life in military service,
making great contributions to New China.
You shouldn't take such risks again.
Fenfei.
I've repeatedly considered
the pros and cons of going or staying.
Completing this uprising
and welcoming Fuzhou's liberation
is something I've long hoped for.
If something happens to you in Taiwan,
what will your wife do?
What about your children?
You're afraid I won't come back?
You're going to Taiwan,
venturing deep into the lion's den.
Fenfei.
I've already decided.
I plan to
have Bikui and the children go to Hong Kong first.
You have extensive connections and many resources
in Hong Kong.
So I want to ask you
to take care of them.
You're entrusting your family to me.
That's an overstatement.
I'm just asking you
to look after them temporarily.
Listen.
I can't help you
with this favor.
Fenfei,
you know me.
If you agree,
I'll go.
If you don't agree,
I'm still going.
If I can't return,
then so be it.
There are not many things in life that one can look back on
without regret.
Yuxun.
I won't look after
your wife and children for too long.
You must come back as soon as possible.
I'm not going to fight alone.
After all, I'll be working under
the leadership of the Party.
Fenfei.
Thanks.
♪ I ride a white horse through the Three Passes ♪
♪ I change into plain clothes and head back to the Central Plains ♪
♪ I leave Xiliang behind, no longer caring for it ♪
♪ My whole heart is set only on Wang Baochuan ♪
Feeling better?
Let's go to bed.
Come on.
Bikui.
Sit down and talk with me for a while.
Go ahead.
I'm sorry.
Bikui,
you've given birth
to five children for me.
What exactly do you want to say?
I want to say
you were only
eighteen when you were with me,
drifting from place to place
and suffering hardships half your life.
Thank you.
Come quickly.
It's right here.
Mrs. Wu.
Mrs. Li. What brings you all here?
We heard Mr. Wu got promoted,
so we came specially to congratulate you.
We've brought some small gifts.
Thank you. Would you like to come in for tea?
We won't disturb your rest.
A small gift.
Thank you.
Please accept this small gift.
You must have many things to attend to,
so we'll take our leave now.
Why didn't you tell me
something this big?
Last night,
why didn't you move me inside to sleep?
My back hurts when I sleep on the couch.
What do you want me to do?
Mom, I'm done eating.
Xuecheng, you go to your room too.
I'm not finished yet.
It's okay.
Say whatever you want to say.
What you've always disliked most
is the power struggle.
The higher-up has given an order.
I have no choice but to obey.
I want you and the children to go to Hong Kong first.
I've already
asked Nie Xi to buy tickets for the 2 PM
ferry to Hong Kong.
I've also asked someone
to look for Lancheng and Shaocheng.
I'll find a way
for our family to reunite soon.
I've arranged a driver and a car
to take you to the dock.
All right.
I'm not going.
I'm not going anywhere.
I'm staying in Fuzhou.
Why do we have to move to Hong Kong?
If you don't go,
what will you do?
Do you want to end up living on the streets alone?
I can stay at my classmate's place.
If that doesn't work out,
I can go to Shanghai to find Lancheng.
How long can you stay there?
In these chaotic times,
your mother and I
don't know when we can come pick you up.
Fuzhou is our hometown.
What's wrong with wanting to stay in my hometown?
Xuecheng,
you're 14 now.
You're not a child anymore.
There's a lot going on at home lately.
You need to gradually learn
to take care of your mother
and your younger brother.
You can't just be willful all the time.
I can't replace you
as a husband and father!
Mom, look at my bird.
Why isn't it lively?
Our family is moving.
But I still have to take care of it.
We won't take it with us and we can't.
No! I want to take it with me!
Please be reasonable.
I've already said we can't take it.
We can't take it!
I want to take it!
I want to take my bird!
What's wrong with the bird?
Come with me.
Dad, look at my bird.
Why isn't it lively anymore?
It looks fine to me.
Don't cry.
You
make some bird sounds and it'll perk up.
Xuecheng.
If you want it to be lively,
there's another way.
Let it go free.
We won't let go, okay?
Keep it with you.
Report, Deputy Commander.
All the spies in the division have been controlled.
As soon as Jie Jinghe heard Director Zhu
wanted to transfer him to the front line,
he immediately fled with the 954th Regiment.
All obstacles to our uprising
have been completely removed.
Report!
Deputy Commander.
I've brought the PLA comrade here.
Hello, I am the Division Commander of the 92nd Division,
31st Army, Third Field Army of the PLA.
What is the current situation
at the 318th Division's position? Report quickly.
Director.
Yuxun,
why are you still here?
Where else would I be?
Just what I was afraid of.
The 318th Division has defected.
Now Fuzhou city is completely exposed.
Let's go now.
If we don't go now, we'll lose the airport and we’ll have no way out.
Hurry!
Come on! Faster!
[Fuzhou Pacification Office]
Sir,
I request to go to Taiwan with you.
You can't go.
I must go.
I have two reasons for requesting to go to Taiwan with you.
Officially,
my duty is to assist you with your work
and ensure your safety,
so I can't be a deserter.
Personally,
my beliefs were built by following you
and I'm worried about you going alone.
What about Mei after you leave?
What about your parents?
I've arranged everything.
Mei wants to come with me to Taiwan.
I've also called my brother,
asking him to return from Guangzhou to Fuzhou
to participate in Fuzhou's development.
What about your child?
My child is too young.
I plan to leave her with her grandparents.
Does Mei agree
with your decision?
Mei completely agrees.
Before I board the plane,
if you can prove to me
that Mei fully agrees
with all these arrangements,
you can go to Taiwan.
Sir, if you don't agree
agree to let me go to Taiwan with you,
I'll still go find you,
even if I have to swim across the Taiwan Strait.
As you know,
I'm a good swimmer.
Did I tell you to stop the car?
Keep going.
Let's go together.
Yes.
Father,
Fuzhou might fall.
Didn't Tang Enbo claim
the entire province was impregnable?
Now Fuzhou can't even hold for a dozen days.
What happened?
Jie Jinghe, the Commander of the 318th Division,
fled at the last minute
as soon as he heard he was going to be transferred to the front line.
Deputy Commander Wang led over 3,500 soldiers
to defect during the battle,
leaving Fuzhou's east gate wide open.
Who approved the transfer order?
Father, calm down.
Director Zhu approved the transfer order himself.
But strangely,
before the order was issued,
Deputy Director Wu personally visited
the 318th Division headquarters.
Rumor has it that Deputy Director Wu
was Deputy Commander Wang's teacher
[Chiang Kai-shek, President of Kuomintang]
at the Military Academy.
Wu Shi? Impossible.
Then bring Wu Shi's family
all to Taiwan.
Yes, Father.
Director.
[Fuzhou Yixu Airport]
Where are your wife and children?
They're on the plane.
What about Liu Ruming?
He already fled to Xiamen.
Who are we still waiting for?
He's here.
[Li Yannian, Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office]
Mr. Wu, hurry up!
Hurry.
Unload the stuff.
We're just waiting for you.
Finally, you're here.
Well, let's
talk more in Taiwan.
Okay.
I'll go up first.
Alright.
Director,
are you specially to waiting for me?
Thank you.
I'm not just waiting for you.
Who else?
Dad!
Dad!
Who told you to come?
Didn't you get on the ferry?
I sent someone
to bring your wife and children here.
Yuxun.
I know you're worried about the poor conditions in Taiwan
and afraid your family might suffer.
But Chairman Chiang has specially arranged
for you and your family to go to Taiwan together.
So we'll all travel together
on the same flight.
Director,
airplane seats are extremely hard to get now.
I really feel bad having the President and you
go to so much trouble for my whole family.
That's why I asked them to go to Hong Kong first.
Bikui,
while there's still time,
take the children to the dock quickly.
No.
I never planned to board the ferry.
Director Zhu, I want to thank you
for specially sending a car to bring us here.
I was worried about how to get to the airport.
Yuxun,
wherever you go,
the children and I will follow you.
If you don't want us on the plane,
then I'll stay in Fuzhou
and wait for you to return.
Alright,
let's board the plane first.
Let's hurry or we'll be late.
♪ The night is deep, the mist is thick ♪
♪ I fly toward the stars on the horizon ♪
♪ Faint light turns the night into a hazy silhouette ♪
♪ Sneak on, sneak on ♪
♪ Faith burns in my heart ♪
♪ Through the valley ♪
In 1949, the War of Liberation came to an end.
As the Kuomintang forces retreated to Taiwan,
many passionate young people like Wu Shi
also went to Taiwan.
They concealed their identities
and began their arduous underground work.
The Ministry of Defense 、 hasn't been fully moved to Taipei yet.
The housing isn't ready.
The Ministry has arranged for you
to stay at the Guangfu Guesthouse temporarily.
Yuxun,
only you would do something this generous.
If General Chen Cheng finds out
that you let your adjutant drive new Buick he just gave you,
he'll be furious.
Yuxun,
will this offend anyone?
It's fine. Don't worry too much.
[Everyone Maintains Secrecy and Everyone Guards Against Espionage]
What's happening up ahead?
Bring him here.
Get down. Hurry!
Kneel down!
Xuecheng, close your eyes.
[Silent Honor]
[Episode 1]
In April 1949,
after the victory of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign,
the Third Field Army was ordered to march south
to advance on Fuzhou, Xiamen and other strategic locations.
On August 6th,
the PLA advanced along multiple routes,
surrounding Fuzhou from three directions,
and launched the general offensive on Fuzhou five days ahead of schedule.
Wu Shi, as a high-level intelligence operative of our Party
who had infiltrated the Kuomintang,
had to use his identity
as the Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office
to help the Kuomintang's 318th Division
[Official Residence of Wu Shi, No. 1 Wenquan Road, Fuzhou]
complete their front-line uprising,
opening the most crucial door for Fuzhou's liberation.
[Wu Shi, Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office]
[Wang Bikui, Wu Shi's wife]
I've taught you so many times.
But you still can't write it?
The character for "home" is too difficult to write.
This stroke isn't supposed to be like that.
You need to...
Look.
First,
it's like this.
Why are you so slow?
Look at how you wrote this part.
You shouldn't
go down in one stroke.
Dad, she is always mean to me.
Could you teach me how to write?
[Wu Jiancheng, Wu Shi's youngest son]
Alright, I'll teach you.
This character isn't easy to write.
If you want to practice calligraphy,
start with writing this character.
Home is a roof with
a pig underneath.
[Wu Xuecheng, Wu Shi's second daughter]
No, it's a roof with three pigs underneath.
That's not right either.
There are four pigs.
Don't forget your mother.
This is an urgent telegram.
Okay.
Deputy Director Wu,
you're finally here.
Look,
the Communist forces suddenly launched an attack at 6 o'clock today.
No need to panic.
Where's the Director?
The Director...
The Director is still resting.
I've already made the calls.
And all army commanders have been notified.
Yesterday during the day, the Communist forces were still
over 100 kilometers away from Yongtai.
By this morning, the county seat has already fallen.
Can they fly or what?
Send a telegram to the 25th Army,
telling them to hold their position and wait
until we figure out the enemy situation.
Yes, sir.
Deputy Director Wu, I'm afraid we're running out of time.
When the Communist forces attacked Tianjin,
it only took them 29 hours.
The President and the Director
have already made the best deployment plan.
Our forces are well-rested,
while the Communist forces are exhausted from their long march.
They could become a spent force at any moment.
Don't lose our own composure.
Alright.
[Fuzhou Pacification Office]
[Fuzhou Pacification Office]
The PLA's general offensive has been moved up by five days.
The message about the 318th Division's uprising
hasn't reached the East China Bureau yet.
During the attack,
if the PLA doesn't know they've revolted,
the PLA will certainly eliminate them all as enemies.
The PLA's offensive is fierce.
The Kuomintang army's defensive lines around Fuzhou
are collapsing faster than we estimated.
Sir, all transportation routes in the city are blocked now.
We may not be able to send the message in time.
We must find a solution.
Whether the PLA can successfully meet with the 318th Division
[Nie Xi, General Affairs Section Head of the Historical and Political Bureau]
not only concerns the lives of 3,000 soldiers,
but also determines the fate
of all the people in Fuzhou.
Sir, where are you going now?
Home.
Yes.
Here, let me take that.
Madam, we've packed almost everything.
What should we do with those books?
Xuecheng.
Why are you running outside again?
I've told you so many times
that it's chaotic out there now
with defeated soldiers everywhere.
Have you packed your own luggage?
Almost done.
I have plans with my classmate and I'm running late.
What plans do you have?
Xuecheng.
-Where are you going? -To school.
Why are you two back?
You didn't even let me know in advance.
Madam.
Isn't the school closed?
Why is Xuecheng still going to school?
I have no idea.
She's out and about all day,
really giving me a headache.
Mom! Mom!
What's up?
Dad.
Have you seen my toy car?
Come with me. I'll help you find it.
Where did you put it after playing?
What are you doing?
Why're you asking?
You're back just in time.
Come in with me.
We need to talk.
I haven't packed
any of your books.
According to my calculation,
they'll fill at least 10 suitcases,
not counting those upstairs.
What do you suggest?
How can we possibly take all these?
Why are you suddenly packing things up?
Who told you to do this?
The Communist army is coming.
Director Zhu's wife
and Commander Li's wife have already packed.
Where are we going anyway?
To Guangzhou? Taiwan?
Chongqing?
Or Hong Kong?
We're not going anywhere.
Fuzhou is our home.
We're staying.
We're not leaving?
Listen to me. Stop packing.
Is there anything to eat at home?
Nie Xi and I are both hungry.
You came back so suddenly. I haven't prepared anything.
With the sudden full-scale offensive from the PLA,
Wu Shi knew well
that the Kuomintang would certainly
make new adjustments to their military deployment.
The intelligence he had provided to the East China Bureau
had already lost its value.
He had to personally go to the 318th Division
to make new arrangements,
ensuring the uprising would proceed smoothly.
But Fuzhou city was full of spies from the BIS.
This trip could very likely
expose his identity as an underground intelligence agent.
Sir, I can't get in touch with Courier Wang.
According to the rules, we all have one-on-one contact.
I can't rashly
approach other comrades at the communication station.
Then go to the East China Bureau immediately.
Bring me that tea box.
These are the 318th Division's contact methods
and passwords for welcoming the PLA.
Send them to the East China Bureau as soon as possible.
Sir,
if you go to the 318th Division yourself,
won't that be too dangerous?
Thanks for taking this run.
Yes, sir.
[Caoshan Villa, Official Residence of Chiang Kai-shek in Taipei]
[Mao Renfeng, Director of the BIS under the Ministry of Defense]
Please report this to the President, Comrade Jianfeng.
When will the former members of the BIS
I brought to Taiwan be officially reinstated?
Without official status,
[Chiang Ching-kuo, Chiang Kai-shek's son, KMT Taiwan Provincial Branch Director]
I'm afraid our work will be hindered.
Deputy Director Xu's
BIS in Chongqing
is already an officially established unit.
The government cannot
maintain two official Bureaus of Investigation and Statistics.
As for reinstating your official status,
I'll do my best.
Thank you, Comrade Jianfeng.
I will serve with complete dedication and commitment.
Good.
Our party is currently facing a critical moment of crisis.
Regarding the investigation
of candidates for official positions
in the departments in Taiwan,
what progress have you made?
Through mail inspection, telephone surveillance,
handwriting analysis and other methods,
we've investigated the backgrounds
of Zhou Zhirou, Liu Yongyao and others.
No improprieties have been found.
However, regarding Wu Shi,
the President has repeatedly emphasized
the need to strengthen Fuzhou's permanent defenses.
But the Fuzhou Pacification Office has shown no progress.
Our agents there report
that Deputy Director Wu once advised Director Zhu.
He said that even Shanghai with its Stalingrad-style fortifications
couldn't hold out for two weeks,
let alone Fuzhou in a desperate position
with the sea to its southeast and mountains to its north.
Sir, if you go yourself,
won't you be too conspicuous?
The BIS's informants are everywhere now.
If your identity is exposed,
the consequences would be unimaginable.
We should think this through
and find a safer approach.
If something happens to you,
how will I explain to the Party and your wife?
There's no time. If the uprising succeeds one day earlier,
Fuzhou can be returned to the people one day sooner.
That's far more important than my safety.
[Headquarters of the 318th Division]
Deputy Director Wu is looking for Deputy Commander Wang.
We've reached an agreement
with the 31st Army of the PLA.
Once they enter our defense zone,
our superior will announce the uprising.
We must immediately switch sides
and follow all orders from the PLA.
Yes.
When the time comes,
I'll ask those agents from the Political Work Office
to attend a meeting at the division headquarters.
We'll lay all our cards on the table.
If they dare to oppose us,
we'll detain them directly.
Okay.
Report!
You two, go outside first.
Without my orders,
no one is allowed to enter.
-Yes. -Yes.
Deputy Director Wu.
Deputy Director Wu.
How are the preparations going?
Thank you for successfully delivering
the news about the uprising.
But the PLA's general attack has been moved up by several days.
We're not fully prepared yet.
How many troops can you control now?
Let us through.
Sorry, we haven't received any orders.
I'm sorry.
Deputy Commander Wang has ordered
that without his command,
no one passes.
Please state your mission.
You don't have clearance to know.
I order you to step aside.
Step aside!
What's going on?
What's happening?
Secretary Gong.
Colonel Zhang.
This is the secretary of Director Zhu from the Pacification Office.
Put down your guns!
What's the matter, Secretary Gong?
I have an important mission.
I need to see Deputy Director Wu.
You can tell me what it is.
And I'll report it to Deputy Director Wu.
That won't be necessary.
I must personally deliver Director Zhu's instructions.
Report!
Secretary Gong from the Pacification Office is here.
What is it?
Deputy Director Wu.
Director Zhu requests you to return to the office immediately.
Got it.
Wait outside for now.
Director Zhu says he has urgent matters to discuss.
Please depart immediately, Deputy Director Wu.
How did you know I am here?
I'm following the Director's orders, sir.
Alright.
You now have only one day
to adjust your deployment plan.
For the deployment details I haven't finished explaining,
Adjutant Nie will continue the briefing.
Yes, sir.
Remember this, Adjutant Nie.
You must clearly explain
my deployment plans.
Yes.
How did Director Zhu know Deputy Director Wu is here?
Are the phone lines broken?
They're both working.
They're both working?
Then why did the Pacification Office
send Secretary Gong to pick him up
with military police?
Deputy Director Wu,
please get in that car.
Has our uprising been exposed?
We haven't leaked any information here.
Adjutant Nie,
if they arrest Deputy Director Wu,
what should we do?
Hold your positions
and wait for the uprising.
The PLA will be here soon.
I'll take care of my teacher.
Please.
Director, you wanted to see me?
[Zhu Shaoliang, Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office]
You've kept me in the dark for so long.
Director.
What are you referring to?
The President's handwritten order.
"Yuxun,
during the Battle of Wuhan,
I consulted with you weekly.
Your clear thinking and skilled intelligence work
left a deep impression on me.
At this critical moment for saving our nation,
I hope you will devote all your wisdom
to defend our principles.
You are hereby appointed as Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense.
From Zhongzheng.
At 14:00."
The President thinks highly of you.
Do you know
why the President chose you?
It's just because I know a thing or two about military affairs.
More importantly, you don't belong to any clique.
Look.
Although you and Bai Chongxi were classmates,
many in the military believe
you're part of the New Guangxi Clique.
But Bai Chongxi has already
stepped down as Minister of Defense.
Acting President Li Zongren
has power in name only.
The Guangxi Clique is no longer a concern.
It's the best time for the President to appoint
a talent like you now.
Director, it's all thanks to you
putting in a good word for me with the President.
It has nothing to do with me.
Not at all.
Sit down.
The President entrusting you with important duties
is certainly a good thing.
Let me toast you with tea instead of wine.
I wish you a bright future.
Director.
No matter where I end up in the future,
I will never forget
your care and support.
What made you decide
to visit the 318th Division headquarters today?
Yesterday I heard from my wife
that Commander Jie plans to move his entire family out of Fuzhou.
Jie Jinghe won't move.
He's Tang Enbo's trusted man.
The Communist army is now at our borders.
Fuzhou is in imminent danger.
We're in a life-or-death battle with the Communist forces now.
But Commander Jie has always been protective of his family.
So I went to the 318th Division myself
to assess the situation.
Since this coward is so afraid of dying,
I'll send him to the front lines.
Didn't you once say
that heaven won't tolerate the Kuomintang surviving?
Just last month, Mr. Chiang suspected you of being war-weary.
Why did he suddenly
appoint you as Deputy Chief at the Ministry of Defense?
You've just been to the 318th Division.
And now this appointment comes through.
It's all too coincidental.
Sir, going to Taiwan to take up this post
is not a wise decision.
Once Fuzhou is liberated,
this order will be nothing but a worthless piece of paper.
You might as well stay
here in Fuzhou with your wife.
A family reunion
has always been your wish.
Go make another trip.
Report this situation to the East China Bureau immediately.
Who is it?
It's me.
Who's there?
Mr. Wu!
Madam.
What brings you here?
I'm in Fuzhou on official business.
So of course I have to visit
Yuxun and you.
Please come in.
Is he in?
Yes. Yuxun.
Come out and see who's here!
Madam.
I've brought some local specialties.
Thank you.
Fenfei,
I've been waiting for you for so long.
[Wu Zhongxi, Underground Member of the Communist Party of China]
I really missed you.
Yuxun.
The Party has received the messages you sent.
The leader asked me to convey instructions from above to you.
First,
the intelligence you've recently provided is very valuable.
On behalf of the Party, I'd like to express
the most sincere gratitude to you.
What about the mission?
There's no mandatory mission.
Whether to stage a local uprising
or continue intelligence work,
the Party fully respects your personal decision.
Is that all?
That's all.
The following is my personal opinion.
Go on.
Don't go.
Fenfei.
The Yangtze defense line deployment maps
and the troop movement plans of the Tang Enbo and Bai Chongxi groups
that I provided earlier
helped the PLA take only three days
to liberate Nanjing.
Also, the intelligence related to the Xuzhou Suppression General Headquarters
and the enemy's defense plans in southern Jiangsu and Zhejiang
prevented lots of
needless sacrifices and city destruction.
What if I were the Deputy Chief then?
Wouldn't it be easier to obtain intelligence?
The level of White Terror in Taiwan now
is much more severe than what you and I experienced.
Our comrades are sacrificing their lives every day.
And more innocent people
are being executed as communist spies.
Yuxun.
Fuzhou is about to be liberated.
If you could be in your hometown
to witness the birth of New China,
what a happy thing that would be.
You've spent half your life in military service,
making great contributions to New China.
You shouldn't take such risks again.
Fenfei.
I've repeatedly considered
the pros and cons of going or staying.
Completing this uprising
and welcoming Fuzhou's liberation
is something I've long hoped for.
If something happens to you in Taiwan,
what will your wife do?
What about your children?
You're afraid I won't come back?
You're going to Taiwan,
venturing deep into the lion's den.
Fenfei.
I've already decided.
I plan to
have Bikui and the children go to Hong Kong first.
You have extensive connections and many resources
in Hong Kong.
So I want to ask you
to take care of them.
You're entrusting your family to me.
That's an overstatement.
I'm just asking you
to look after them temporarily.
Listen.
I can't help you
with this favor.
Fenfei,
you know me.
If you agree,
I'll go.
If you don't agree,
I'm still going.
If I can't return,
then so be it.
There are not many things in life that one can look back on
without regret.
Yuxun.
I won't look after
your wife and children for too long.
You must come back as soon as possible.
I'm not going to fight alone.
After all, I'll be working under
the leadership of the Party.
Fenfei.
Thanks.
♪ I ride a white horse through the Three Passes ♪
♪ I change into plain clothes and head back to the Central Plains ♪
♪ I leave Xiliang behind, no longer caring for it ♪
♪ My whole heart is set only on Wang Baochuan ♪
Feeling better?
Let's go to bed.
Come on.
Bikui.
Sit down and talk with me for a while.
Go ahead.
I'm sorry.
Bikui,
you've given birth
to five children for me.
What exactly do you want to say?
I want to say
you were only
eighteen when you were with me,
drifting from place to place
and suffering hardships half your life.
Thank you.
Come quickly.
It's right here.
Mrs. Wu.
Mrs. Li. What brings you all here?
We heard Mr. Wu got promoted,
so we came specially to congratulate you.
We've brought some small gifts.
Thank you. Would you like to come in for tea?
We won't disturb your rest.
A small gift.
Thank you.
Please accept this small gift.
You must have many things to attend to,
so we'll take our leave now.
Why didn't you tell me
something this big?
Last night,
why didn't you move me inside to sleep?
My back hurts when I sleep on the couch.
What do you want me to do?
Mom, I'm done eating.
Xuecheng, you go to your room too.
I'm not finished yet.
It's okay.
Say whatever you want to say.
What you've always disliked most
is the power struggle.
The higher-up has given an order.
I have no choice but to obey.
I want you and the children to go to Hong Kong first.
I've already
asked Nie Xi to buy tickets for the 2 PM
ferry to Hong Kong.
I've also asked someone
to look for Lancheng and Shaocheng.
I'll find a way
for our family to reunite soon.
I've arranged a driver and a car
to take you to the dock.
All right.
I'm not going.
I'm not going anywhere.
I'm staying in Fuzhou.
Why do we have to move to Hong Kong?
If you don't go,
what will you do?
Do you want to end up living on the streets alone?
I can stay at my classmate's place.
If that doesn't work out,
I can go to Shanghai to find Lancheng.
How long can you stay there?
In these chaotic times,
your mother and I
don't know when we can come pick you up.
Fuzhou is our hometown.
What's wrong with wanting to stay in my hometown?
Xuecheng,
you're 14 now.
You're not a child anymore.
There's a lot going on at home lately.
You need to gradually learn
to take care of your mother
and your younger brother.
You can't just be willful all the time.
I can't replace you
as a husband and father!
Mom, look at my bird.
Why isn't it lively?
Our family is moving.
But I still have to take care of it.
We won't take it with us and we can't.
No! I want to take it with me!
Please be reasonable.
I've already said we can't take it.
We can't take it!
I want to take it!
I want to take my bird!
What's wrong with the bird?
Come with me.
Dad, look at my bird.
Why isn't it lively anymore?
It looks fine to me.
Don't cry.
You
make some bird sounds and it'll perk up.
Xuecheng.
If you want it to be lively,
there's another way.
Let it go free.
We won't let go, okay?
Keep it with you.
Report, Deputy Commander.
All the spies in the division have been controlled.
As soon as Jie Jinghe heard Director Zhu
wanted to transfer him to the front line,
he immediately fled with the 954th Regiment.
All obstacles to our uprising
have been completely removed.
Report!
Deputy Commander.
I've brought the PLA comrade here.
Hello, I am the Division Commander of the 92nd Division,
31st Army, Third Field Army of the PLA.
What is the current situation
at the 318th Division's position? Report quickly.
Director.
Yuxun,
why are you still here?
Where else would I be?
Just what I was afraid of.
The 318th Division has defected.
Now Fuzhou city is completely exposed.
Let's go now.
If we don't go now, we'll lose the airport and we’ll have no way out.
Hurry!
Come on! Faster!
[Fuzhou Pacification Office]
Sir,
I request to go to Taiwan with you.
You can't go.
I must go.
I have two reasons for requesting to go to Taiwan with you.
Officially,
my duty is to assist you with your work
and ensure your safety,
so I can't be a deserter.
Personally,
my beliefs were built by following you
and I'm worried about you going alone.
What about Mei after you leave?
What about your parents?
I've arranged everything.
Mei wants to come with me to Taiwan.
I've also called my brother,
asking him to return from Guangzhou to Fuzhou
to participate in Fuzhou's development.
What about your child?
My child is too young.
I plan to leave her with her grandparents.
Does Mei agree
with your decision?
Mei completely agrees.
Before I board the plane,
if you can prove to me
that Mei fully agrees
with all these arrangements,
you can go to Taiwan.
Sir, if you don't agree
agree to let me go to Taiwan with you,
I'll still go find you,
even if I have to swim across the Taiwan Strait.
As you know,
I'm a good swimmer.
Did I tell you to stop the car?
Keep going.
Let's go together.
Yes.
Father,
Fuzhou might fall.
Didn't Tang Enbo claim
the entire province was impregnable?
Now Fuzhou can't even hold for a dozen days.
What happened?
Jie Jinghe, the Commander of the 318th Division,
fled at the last minute
as soon as he heard he was going to be transferred to the front line.
Deputy Commander Wang led over 3,500 soldiers
to defect during the battle,
leaving Fuzhou's east gate wide open.
Who approved the transfer order?
Father, calm down.
Director Zhu approved the transfer order himself.
But strangely,
before the order was issued,
Deputy Director Wu personally visited
the 318th Division headquarters.
Rumor has it that Deputy Director Wu
was Deputy Commander Wang's teacher
[Chiang Kai-shek, President of Kuomintang]
at the Military Academy.
Wu Shi? Impossible.
Then bring Wu Shi's family
all to Taiwan.
Yes, Father.
Director.
[Fuzhou Yixu Airport]
Where are your wife and children?
They're on the plane.
What about Liu Ruming?
He already fled to Xiamen.
Who are we still waiting for?
He's here.
[Li Yannian, Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Pacification Office]
Mr. Wu, hurry up!
Hurry.
Unload the stuff.
We're just waiting for you.
Finally, you're here.
Well, let's
talk more in Taiwan.
Okay.
I'll go up first.
Alright.
Director,
are you specially to waiting for me?
Thank you.
I'm not just waiting for you.
Who else?
Dad!
Dad!
Who told you to come?
Didn't you get on the ferry?
I sent someone
to bring your wife and children here.
Yuxun.
I know you're worried about the poor conditions in Taiwan
and afraid your family might suffer.
But Chairman Chiang has specially arranged
for you and your family to go to Taiwan together.
So we'll all travel together
on the same flight.
Director,
airplane seats are extremely hard to get now.
I really feel bad having the President and you
go to so much trouble for my whole family.
That's why I asked them to go to Hong Kong first.
Bikui,
while there's still time,
take the children to the dock quickly.
No.
I never planned to board the ferry.
Director Zhu, I want to thank you
for specially sending a car to bring us here.
I was worried about how to get to the airport.
Yuxun,
wherever you go,
the children and I will follow you.
If you don't want us on the plane,
then I'll stay in Fuzhou
and wait for you to return.
Alright,
let's board the plane first.
Let's hurry or we'll be late.
♪ The night is deep, the mist is thick ♪
♪ I fly toward the stars on the horizon ♪
♪ Faint light turns the night into a hazy silhouette ♪
♪ Sneak on, sneak on ♪
♪ Faith burns in my heart ♪
♪ Through the valley ♪
In 1949, the War of Liberation came to an end.
As the Kuomintang forces retreated to Taiwan,
many passionate young people like Wu Shi
also went to Taiwan.
They concealed their identities
and began their arduous underground work.
The Ministry of Defense 、 hasn't been fully moved to Taipei yet.
The housing isn't ready.
The Ministry has arranged for you
to stay at the Guangfu Guesthouse temporarily.
Yuxun,
only you would do something this generous.
If General Chen Cheng finds out
that you let your adjutant drive new Buick he just gave you,
he'll be furious.
Yuxun,
will this offend anyone?
It's fine. Don't worry too much.
[Everyone Maintains Secrecy and Everyone Guards Against Espionage]
What's happening up ahead?
Bring him here.
Get down. Hurry!
Kneel down!
Xuecheng, close your eyes.