MAY
We must avenge mother！
The hooded Figure does a gravity-defying flip and soars over a wall just as Bo arrives.
BO
Do something！ He's getting away！
EXT. PEKING ROOFTOP - NIGHT
The thief runs atop a roof - right into Yu. Yu and the hooded Figure face off.
YU
Return the sword and I'll let you go.
The Figure just regards her， slightly shifting weight.
Yu attacks， but the Figure repels her.
YU
You've been trained at Wudan？
The Figure answers by leaping to another rooftop. Yu catches up and resumes her attack with a relentless series of lightning-quick blows.
EXT. ALLEY OUTSIDE GOVERNOR YU'S COMPOUND - NIGHT
Bo follows Tsai and May， who are quickly walking away.
TSAI
You're mistaken. We're just street
performers. We were rehearsing.
MAY
Father！
BO
You were rehearsing？ Who are you
trying to fool？
May wants to respond but is again cut off by Tsai. They run off.
BO
Where did that thief go？
Bo looks around and discovers that he has chased the thief into Governor Yu's compound.
BO
Governor Yu's house？
EXT. ROOFTOP
Yu and the Black Figure continue to fight.
YU
Get down here！ Give back the sword！
EXT. GOVERNOR YU'S - NIGHT
Yu slowly gets the upper hand in her fight with the thief. A small arrow cuts across the night and flies toward Yu. She catches it， but the masked Figure takes the opportunity to get away.
Yu pauses to feel the arrow in her hand， standing in the empty courtyard.
EXT. TE'S SIDE ENTRANCE - DAY
De Lu escorts Yu into Te's.
DE LU
Sir Te awaits you.
INT. TE'S GREAT HALL - DAY
Men are standing at attention. Bo is giving his account of what happened as Yu enters.
BO
I'm sure the thief is in the Yu
household.
SIR TE
How dare you imply？
BO
But I saw-
SIR TE
-Enough.
The men hustle out. Bo can barely contain his frustration.
YU
Has Governor Yu ever seen the sword？
SIR TE
Yes， though I doubt he's involved
in this.
YU
But the sword could be in his
compound.
SIR TE
Then someone's trying to set him up.
We should inform Li Mu Bai.
EXT. OUTSIDE GOVERNOR YU'S COMPOUND - NIGHT
Madam Yu is returning from temple. The Governess is helping her out of the carriage. Servants are peeling bills off a wall across the street.
MADAM YU
What is it？
MAID
Madam Yu， someone's put up posters.
A partially torn flier with the words "Jade Fox will not escape justice！" is seen on the ground.
MADAM YU
Let me see.
GOVERNESS
Someone is after Jade Fox.
Preposterous， looking for her here！
Madam Yu nods and walks inside， as the Governess tosses the flier away and follows her. A hand scoops up the filer - it is Yu. She studies it， then puts it in her pocket， and moves on.
EXT. BRIDGE - DAY
Bo is searching for the Tsais. The bridge is full of jugglers. But the two are nowhere to be found.
EXT. PEKING STREET - DAY
Bo quizzes a HOMELESS MAN.
BO
Where are they？
HOMELESS MAN
I don't know. I haven't seen them in
two days.
Bo is about to give up when he looks up and sees May walking quickly into an alley. Bo follows her.
EXT. IN FRONT OF TSAI'S HOUSE
May walks into a dilapidated house surrounded by a broken-down bamboo fence. Bo inches closer and sees May and Tsai oiling their weapons.
INT. BO'S ROOM - DAY
Jen practices calligraphy. The Governess is by her side embroidering and throwing occasional glances at Jen. The Maid enters.
MAID
There is a Miss Shu Lien here to
see you.
Jen stops and looks up at them.
GOVERNESS
Miss is busy right now.
MAID
I'll tell her.
JEN
Show her in.
The Governess shoots her a look.
GOVERNESS
This spells trouble.
JEN
I have a guest.
The Governess gets up to leave just as the Maid shows Yu in.
MAID
This way please.
The Governess and Yu exchange quick glances. The Governess bows slightly and departs.
JEN
I've missed you.
YU
How so？
JEN
I'm bored.
Yu sees the calligraphy.
YU
You're doing calligraphy？
JEN
I'll write your name. Just for fun.
Jen writes Yu's name with great confidence and swiftness.
YU
I never realized my name looks
like "sword."
Jen freezes slightly.
YU
You write gracefully. Calligraphy is
so similar to fencing.
JEN
Maybe it is. I wouldn't know.
The Maid enters with tea.
JEN
Please.
YU
Thank you for seeing me. I hear your
wedding day is near. You must be
overwhelmed by the preparations.
JEN
I'm hardly doing a thing. The less I
think of it the better. My parents
are arranging everything. The Gous
are a very powerful family. My
marrying one will be good for my
father's career.
YU
You are fortunate to marry into such
a noble family.
JEN
Am I？ I wish I were like the heroes
in the books I read. Like you and
Li Mu Bai. I guess I'm happy to be
marrying. But to be free to live my
own life， to choose whom I love……
That is true happiness.
YU
Do you think so？ Let me tell you a
story.
JEN
About you and Li Mu Bai？
YU
Yes. Did you know I was once
engaged to be married？
JEN
No， really？
YU
His name was Meng Si Zhao. He was
a brother to Li Mu Bai by oath. One
day， while in battle， he was killed
by the sword of Li Mu Bai's enemy.
After， Li Mu Bai and I went through
a lot together. Our feelings for
each other grew stronger. But how
could we dishonor Meng's memory？ So
the freedom you talk about， I too
desire it. But I have never tasted it.
JEN
Too bad for Meng， but it's not your
fault， or Li Mu Bai's.
YU
I am not an aristocrat， as you are……
but I must still respect a woman's
duties.
JEN
Don't distance us. From now on， let's
be like sisters.
YU
Then as a sister， let me wish you
happiness in your marriage.
EXT. YU'S GARDEN - DAY
The Maid escorts Yu out. Yu pauses， looks around， and sees the profile of the Governess peering at her from around a corner.
INT. JEN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Moonlight spills into the room as Jen rises sleeplessly from bed and looks out the window. A light breeze stirs her hair. The sound of the wind rises， and slowly her face DISSOLVES INTO……
INT./EXT. CARRIAGE/MONGOLIAN DESERT - DAY
……the face of a younger， less sophisticated Jen， as she lets the dry desert air flow through her hair. She sits in a carriage， part of a caravan， with guards on horseback， that is traveling through the spectacular desert. Across from her sits her mother， of whom she is barely cognizant.
MADAM YU
What a godforsaken place！ Can't your
father be appointed closer to
civilization？ Jen…… are you listening
to me？
Jen is still looking out the side of the carriage， at a beautiful mountainside.
INT. JEN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Jen sighs and turns back toward her bed.
EXT. STREET OUTSIDE GOVERNOR YU'S COMPOUND - NIGHT
Tsai and May have been sitting， hidden in the branches of a tree， watching Jen.
TSAI
Let's go！
They drop down silently and walk away. From another rooftop， LO looks silently on.
EXT. TSAI'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Tsai and May enter the house.
INT. TSAI'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Inside the tiny house， they discover a hooded Figure going through their belongings.
Immediately， Tsai throws a knife， which rips off the Figure's mask- revealing Bo. Tsai has another long knife at his throat.
TSAI
Who are you？
BO
Wait！ I'm a friend！
Tsai pauses.
INT. TSAI'S HOUSE - NIGHT （LATER）
