The Dance of Passion

YIP suddenly faints. HEI thinks FUNG tries to kill YIP, but the doctor tells him that YIP has been sick for a very long time and will die soon. TO bears FUN uphill and on his way, he discovers KAM’s dead body. He is heartbroken. YIP dies and HEI arranges to have SING rescue YUK. But then SING returns and told him YUK has committed suicide. HEI rushes to her house and discovers she is still alive. The two of them then realize they are being set up. KWAI and KEI arrive with their men and accuse HEI of having an affair with YUK. FUNG tries to save HEI, but he tells her that he has never loved her. He is in love with YUK. FUNG is torn apart. FUN finds SING at CHEUK’s tomb and tells him about KAM’s lie. SING does not believe her and tells her that he plans to love her after he takes revenge on HEI for CHEUK. He cannot believe that she will lie to him. YUK and HEI are brought to the punishment site, about to suffer the Penalty of Torching.… ...

FUNG arrives at the SUNGs and accuses YUK of having cruel intentions on HEI. FUNG asks YUK to leave the YIMs, but she refuses. The new Superintendent of the SUNGs, KWAI, gets hold of YUK’s love letter. He invites HEI to the ancestral hall to be the judge. HEI is annoyed. YUK is furious as KWAI makes up the love letter. She believes that KWAI wants to seize all the power and properties of YEUNG. SING believes that that is a good opportunity to punish HEI and send him to suffer the penalty. SING tells HEI that YUK agrees to sell her assets and leave the YIMs under the pressure of KWAI. He also accuses FUNG of being the person behind all that. Infuriated, HEI goes to confront FUNG. FUNG denies having cooperated with KWAI and blames HEI for falling in love with YUK. HEI is angry and slaps her. FUN bids farewell to FUNG and promises that SING and YUK will not take revenge on HEI.… ...

YUK believes YUET need not get pregnant by another man to secure YEUNG’s position as the Superintendent. YUET does not agree with her and blames her for ruining the name of the SUNGs. YUET regards FUN as an omen and demands that if she is unable to bear a child for YEUNG, she has to leave. FUN is stunned to know that YUET find another man with whom to get herself pregnant. SING secretly meets with YUK. YUK asks SING when he will take her and HEI to the punishment site. SING explains that he has to plan carefully how to ruin HEI’s reputation completely and send him to suffer the Penalty of Torching. FUN overhears their conversation. FUNG discovers by chance that HUNG is conscious and can move her right hand. FUNG learns from KEI that YIP has once raped and killed someone’s wife. She goes to ask HUNG. HUNG tells her that YIP has beaten her to near death to prevent her from disclosing the truth.… ...

YUET increases the land rent, but the tenant refuses to negotiate with her. He requests to talk to YUK instead. YUET is angry. TIN appears to help her and YUET is grateful. All of a sudden, CHO comes by for a visit and recruits all the strong and young men into his army to fight against the bandits. He tells HEI that he knows the SUNGs have pretended to be bandits to trick him. HEI proposes to pay money in return for their strong men, but CHO asks a very high price. FUNG accuses CHO of taking advantage of them and suspects there is a traitor among the YIMs. She believes the traitor is YIP. HEI asks SING to deliver a letter to the government to report on CHO’s evil deeds. YUK receives a message from CHO, asking to meet with her. YUET insists on going with her. CHO tells her that he knows HEI reports against him and proposes to work with her to kill HEI, so that she can take over the YIMs.… ...

When FUNG learns that HEI brings YUK bear’s gallbladder and musk to help cure her deafness, she is upset. When SING passes by the punishment site, he sees KEI’s mother and also FUN’s shoes. He knows that FUN has fallen into the well. He tries to rescue FUN, but is pushed down the well by KEI’s mother. KEI’s mother celebrates their death and dies suddenly. HEI decides to give KEI’s mother a big funeral service to appease KEI. HEI sees YUK standing on the fortress tower and worries that she will attempt to commit suicide again. He comforts her and tells her not to give up and to plan for her own future, but YUK refuses to listen to him. FUNG hears him from under the fortress tower and is heartbroken. SING cannot climb out of the well. He feels pity on FUN as she is treated so unfairly. FUN tells him she is content, as SING is with her when she dies. SING is touched and kisses her.… ...

YUK feels hopeless and tells FUN that it is her idea to make her pregnant and SING has nothing to do with it. She is willing to set her free. HEI is sad to have killed CHI KWAN. He keeps drinking and drinking. SING thus lies to him that CHI KWAN’s death is not his fault – she has committed suicide. HEI doesn’t believe him, saying that CHI KWAN will not kill herself for another man. SING tells him that CHI KWAN only returns to him in order to rescue the bandit. HEI is hurt. FUN runs happily to SING and tells him she wishes to elope with him. However, SING dare not leave with her. HEI and SING go hunting for the bandit and when they find him with the rest of the bandits. SING prevents HEI from killing him. SING thinks they should kill the whole gang instead of just one bandit. When HEI returns home, he realizes HIU is killed too. He goes to pay respects to HIU at the SUNGs but is stopped by YEUNG, who accuses him of being a coward.… ...

Suddenly, it rains and FUN is saved. KWAI suspects that SING and FUN are having an affair. Luckily, HEI arrives and clarifies the issue for them. HEI then imprisons YIP and tricks KEI into betraying YIP. YIP finally gives up and agrees to leave the YIMs. FUNG takes FUN onto the street, forcing her to face the crowd. FUN admits that she has feelings for SING, thus has breached the Rule of Chastity. SING catches a bandit and asks HEI to torture him into testifying for FUN. HEI is annoyed. He tells SING to marry quickly so that the rumors will die down. YUK knows FUN has fallen in love with SING. She lets FUN decide if she would like to elope with SING or stay with the YIMs. FUN is hesitant. YUK sees HEI’s ex-wife CHI KWAN appear at the YIMs and she quickly informs FUNG. FUNG brings CHI KWAN back to HEI’s home secretly and sends for a doctor. The doctor diagnoses her to be suffering from a mental disorder.… ...

The SUNGs and the YIMs are fighting over the issue of water shortage. HEI tries to calm everyone down by saying that he has sent people to the neighboring town to dig wells and bring water back. However, the crowd still believes that it was FUN who had brought about the bad luck. HEI sends SING to deliver food and necessities to FUNG, and TO suggests that KAM go with SING. KAM is impolite to FUN and FUNG knows that KAM is in love with SING. CHO suddenly arrives with his troops, saying he is stationing himself at the YIMs to help capture the bandits. HEI welcomes his intrusion, but the crowd dislikes it. YEUNG proposes to leave the YIMs temporarily in view of the draught. YUK objects, but no one listens to her. HEI is drinking with CHO when he hears that the SUNGs are leaving. He can’t care less. Not long afterwards, the bandits appear and HEI asks CHO to help fight them. CHO does as he is told and leaves.… ...

FUN blames herself for the miscarriage and is sorry that the family is disappointed. FUNG comforts her. SING goes to visit TO and sees FUN returning to her home. He hides outside her home to protect her in secret. The next morning, he discovers that there are bandits coming and take FUN with him to escape. They come across the bandits again as they go uphill and FUN is kidnapped while SING is injured. FUNG discovers that FUN is missing and confronts YUK. YUK explains that FUN has gone back to her home and she has sent someone to bring her back. She then secretly asks HEI for help. FUNG and YEUNG find a blackmail letter in YUK’s room that is sent by the bandits and they realize that FUN has been kidnapped. YUK overhears YEUNG borrowing money from the elders and blames him for his recklessness. YUK tells him that the reason she borrowed money from HEI in secret was to protect FUN’s reputation. YEUNG feels guilty.… ...

FUNG is suspicious of LAN’s death. YUK denies she is responsible and asks her to help her say a few good words in front of HEI, so that YEUNG will not be affected. FUNG tells her that she does not have much power and suggests she seek help from YIP. YUK kneels down to ask YIP for help, but he ignores her. YIP asks HEI whom he wants to be the Superintendent of the SUNGs, and points out that YEUNG’s father is not a good Superintendent and so HEI should not support YEUNG to succeed him. YIP suggests he support MAN, who is easier to manipulate. The SUNGs are voting for their Superintendent. The group with MAN as their leader is strongly against YEUNG; then HEI appears and congratulates YEUNG. No one dares say a word. The YIMs are irritated to hear that YEUNG wants to open a fireworks factory. They believe that is because YEUNG thinks HEI supports him. HEI uses KEI’s mother as a threat to force KEI to settle the dispute. KEI is annoyed.… ...

When YUET helps massage LAN, LAN takes the opportunity to create conflict between YUET and FUN. YUK scolds her but she mocks her back. Rumors have it that YUK and HEI are having an affair. YUK knows that HEI will not tolerate people spreading rumors about him, so she chooses not to respond. The brother of CHEUK’s husband, KEI, leads a gang to beat up SING, accusing him of spreading the rumors. HEI points out that SUNG SAI-MAN is the real villain and blames KEI for taking his own revenge. TO is arrested by CHO and KAM seeks help from SING. YEUNG asks YUK to rescue TO, but YUK ignores him. HEI, in order to make SING owe him a favor, helps rescue TO and lets him dig a well for the YIMs. YUK goes to the temple to watch a drama play and the people there are gossiping about her affair with HEI. She does not react and stays indifferent, as she knows HEI will handle these people. When HEI arrives, no one dares say a word.… ...

YEUNG is being laughed at by his people for his impotency. He knows KWAI is spreading rumors about him to take revenge. YEUNG gets himself drunk and FUN takes him back to his room. When she helps him take off his clothes, YEUNG sends her away. YUK tells YEUNG that if he wants to be the Superintendent, he must get FUN pregnant. YUET is shocked to learn that YEUNG agrees to let FUN get pregnant by another man. YEUNG tells YUET that his plan is complicated and involves the army. SING refuses to be the middleman when he learns that YEUNG is hiding the truth from FUN. KAM feels suddenly sick and TO takes her to the YIMs to see the doctor. They are chased away by the SUNGs. YEUNG comes forward and tries to help, but the people laugh at him. KAM is diagnosed with having a damaged lung and is required to visit the doctor every day. SING makes KAM stay at his place for the time being.… ...

HEI learns that TIN has given FUNG a silver locket as a gift of love and decides to force TIN to get married. He asks TIN where he has put the silver locket, as it is a gift passed down by their ancestors. Intimidated, TIN asks FUNG to give him back the locket. FUNG is disappointed by his cowardice. SING takes the liberty to dig a well for TO, but the well collapses. SING falls into the quicksand and is nearly killed. YUK provokes HEI and KWAI takes the opportunity to seize her power. YUK can do nothing. FUNG is determined to leave the YIMs. She bids farewell to FUN, who is in a coma. She whispers into her ears, encouraging her to take the future into her own hands. FUNG is caught before she has a chance to step out of the house. TO saves SING. SING tells him that he comes back for revenge. TO points out that he is too kind-hearted and that he won’t succeed, and convinces him to leave the YIMs to start anew.… ...

FUNG marches into HEI’s study and demands a divorce so that she can have her freedom and dignity back. HEI is furious and tells her he controls her life and death. YUK asks FUN to take lunch to YEUNG, who is working in the field. YUET is upset. YUET refuses to let FUN help her prepare lunch and faints. FUN is disappointed when she sees YEUNG serve YUET with her medicine. She is further upset when she discovers a rat had bitten her wedding gown. YEUNG intends to make way for his stepbrother HIU to become the Superintendent, for he is tough and strong. SING is taken aback. CHEUK’s sister, KAM, goes to buy gunpowder, but is refused. SING buys her the gunpowder and helps her father dig a well. FUN meets SING when she is delivering lunch to YEUNG. SING then realizes that she is YEUNG’s second wife. HIU disappears and YUK suspects SING is involved.… ...

YEUNG refuses to marry FUN, saying that she is not born on a good date. YUK, however, argues that they are meant to be a couple and forces them to get married. YEUNG discloses to SING that he is impotent and SING believes that YUK makes use of FUN to unveil this secret. He suggests helping YEUNG by making YUET pregnant. YEUNG gets drunk and tells YUET about this plan. YUET is appalled. When YUK learns about the plan, she decides to let him go ahead so she can catch him red-handed. However, YEUNG finally gives up the idea, since he does not want to hurt YUET. SING blames YEUNG for his cowardice, but YEUNG reasons that he can still become the Superintendent even without having a son. FUNG and FUN are scheduled to get married the same day, but one is dreading it while the other is exhilarated about it. When they are on the way to their husbands’ house, a sandstorm breaks and they are snatched away by the bandits.… ...

The draught had been going on for three months already on the Loess Plateau. Village girl KAR Chun-fun knelt beside a parched well and prayed for rain. Up on the hills, at the YIMs, SUNG Tung-sing and his mistress MAU SIU-CHEUK were being punished by the elders and brethrens of the YIMs and the SUNGs for committing adultery. They were put to suffer the cruelest punishment, the Penalty of Torching. SING defended his innocence and angered YIM MAN-HEI, the Superintendent of the YIMs. While poor CHEUK was scorched to death, SING, badly burnt, was saved by the sudden but timely rain. FUN came across SING when she was carrying water back home. Despite the rain, she helped him pick up the remains of CHEUK at the punishment site. When FUN arrived home, she was shocked to learn that her fiancee had called off their engagement – she was even more shocked to know that her fiancee turned out to be SING! Two years have gone by.… ...