14 Blades 2014

In the midst of China’s late Ming dynasty, when corruption had taken hold of the imperial court like a cancerous growth, and the emperor himself seemed more interested in indulging his own whims than governing wisely, a small band of orphans known as the Embroidered Uniform Guard (jinyiwei) proved to be the only bulwark against the forces of chaos. As the commander of this elite squad, Qinglong, was entrusted with a mysterious mechanical box adorned with 14 razor-sharp blades, a tool designed to aid him in his clandestine battles for justice. Unbeknownst to Qinglong, however, a far more sinister plot was unfolding within the very halls of power.

Jia Jingzhong, an imperial eunuch wielding considerable influence over the emperor, secretly conspired with Prince Qing, the exiled uncle of the monarch, to orchestrate a rebellion that would bring them both to power. Qinglong’s mission was to retrieve a seemingly innocuous safe box from the possession of Zhao Shenyang, a high-ranking official accused of treason by Jia Jingzhong. But what he found instead was the Imperial Seal, a symbol of the emperor’s authority and legitimacy, which had been cleverly hidden away in the box. This discovery not only revealed Jia Jingzhong’s true intentions but also exposed Qinglong to the treachery of his own comrades within the jinyiwei ranks.

Xuanwu, Qinglong’s trusted brother-in-arms, had secretly pledged allegiance to Jia Jingzhong, leaving Qinglong no choice but to flee for his life. As he navigated the treacherous landscape of intrigue and deception, Prince Qing’s adoptive daughter, Tuo-Tuo, a formidable warrior in her own right, arrived on the scene, determined to help Qinglong escape the clutches of those who sought to destroy him.

Wounded and unable to leave the city until his injuries healed, Qinglong found himself in desperate need of assistance. It was then that he stumbled upon the Justice Security Service, a struggling private security company with its own set of problems. The owner of this beleaguered business, eager for any opportunity to revitalize his fortunes, accepted Qinglong’s offer to pay handsomely for safe passage out of the city.

Coincidentally, the owner’s daughter, Qiao Hua, was about to embark on a new chapter in her life as she prepared to wed. Qinglong found himself hidden away within her wedding carriage, a clever ruse designed to help him evade detection and make his way safely beyond the city limits. As he lay hidden amidst the ornate trappings of the wedding procession, Qinglong could only wonder what other challenges lay ahead for him in this treacherous world where loyalty was a luxury few could afford.

As the stakes escalate, a fresh contingent of jinyiwei arrives to apprehend Qinglong (character), only for him to unleash his martial prowess, vanquishing them all. Unbeknownst to him, however, this display of strength inadvertently betrays his former life as a jinyiwei operative. Recognizing the potential danger this revelation poses, the proprietor of the local establishment offers to return Qinglong’s monetary investment and implores him to leave peacefully. But Qinglong remains resolute in his duty to the emperor, opting instead to take Qiao Hua (character) hostage as leverage.

With their unlikely duo now at Yanmen Pass, Qinglong hopes to gather intelligence on the nefarious plans of his enemies, who intend to sell three crucial provinces to fuel their rebellion. As he delves deeper into the intrigue and crafts a strategy for his next move, they cross paths with the Heaven’s Eagles Gang, an enigmatic group of bandits led by the self-proclaimed “Judge of the Desert”. This formidable warrior proves to be Qinglong’s equal in combat, leaving him no choice but to propose an alliance: the gang will reap the rewards from a joint raid on Yanmen Pass while Qinglong seeks to satisfy his personal objectives.

However, their carefully laid plans are threatened by the sudden arrival of Jia Jingzhong’s henchmen and Qinglong’s former jinyiwei colleagues, who have come to broker a deal with the gang. Before the operation can be executed, Jia Jingzhong meets a traitorous demise at the hands of Xuanwu, who has secretly pledged his allegiance to Prince Qing.

Qinglong and the Heaven’s Eagles Gang successfully execute their raid on Yanmen Pass, dispatching most of the soldiers stationed there. In a thrilling showdown, Qinglong overpowers Xuanwu in combat but is left empty-handed when the latter escapes with the Imperial Seal. Tuo-Tuo subsequently seizes Qiao Hua as leverage, demanding the seal’s return before releasing her captive. Although Qiao Hua harbors doubts about Qinglong’s willingness to make this sacrifice, he ultimately surrenders the seal.

However, Qinglong also makes it clear that his ultimate goal is to reunite Qiao Hua with her intended suitor. Duty-bound to recover the seal and honor the emperor’s trust, Qinglong parts ways with Qiao Hua. He later engages Tuo-Tuo in a tense confrontation at a local tavern, where he bears witness to her cunning striptease tactic. Reuniting with the Justice Security Service, Qinglong receives their offer of assistance, leveraging their superior knowledge of the roads to aid him in his quest.

Meanwhile, the Judge of the Desert comes to realize the significance of the Imperial Seal and decides to abandon his gang, opting instead to pursue the seal independently.

As Xuanwu and Prince Qing’s men stumble upon the ancient ruins of Sky Wolves City, they unwittingly walk into an ambush orchestrated by the cunning Justice Security Service. Qinglong, ever the mastermind, expertly manipulates the situation to his advantage, effortlessly dispatching the prince’s henchmen. Meanwhile, Tuo-Tuo is drawn into a cat-and-mouse game with Qiao Hua, whose true identity remains hidden behind a mask of deception. The tension mounts as Xuanwu seizes the opportunity to strike Qinglong down, only to be foiled by the latter’s quick thinking and cunning.

As the dust settles, Tuo-Tuo finally catches up with her quarry, but is met with a surprising twist: Qiao Hua is not alone, for the enigmatic Judge of the Desert has intervened on her behalf. With his life force dwindling, the Judge hands over a sacred seal to Qinglong and entrusts her to deliver it to the authorities, thereby exposing Prince Qing’s treachery. Qiao Hua, now freed from her predicament, reveals that she has rejected the prince’s proposal, leaving Qinglong to ponder their uncertain fate.

Their paths destined to cross once more, Qinglong and Tuo-Tuo engage in a mortal duel within an abandoned temple, their blades clashing in a symphony of steel and fury. As the battle rages on, Tuo-Tuo sheds her outer layers, revealing the unyielding determination beneath. With a final, fatal blow, Qinglong seizes hold of Tuo-Tuo and unleashes his arsenal of 14 blades, striking down both foes in a tragic, symmetrical dance.

In the aftermath of this brutal confrontation, Prince Qing’s rebellion crumbles, and he succumbs to despair, taking his own life as the authorities close in. Qiao Hua, now bereft of her father and struggling to come to terms with the loss of Tuo-Tuo and Qinglong, inherits the Justice Security Service and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

Years later, while traversing the desert roads, Qiao Hua pauses to gaze out at the endless dunes, her spyglass trained on a distant figure that seems eerily reminiscent of Qinglong. As she raises the bell bracelet he once gave her, a sense of longing and anticipation washes over her, hinting at the possibility that their paths may yet intersect again, perhaps in a future replete with new challenges and adventures.