The Assassin 2015 480p x264-mSD

At the start, we are told that the Emperor has all but succeeded in squashing dissent everywhere except in Weibo. While Weibo has not signaled that it intends to move against the Imperial Court, it remains a threat. Yinniang is instructed by her Master, a Nun, to assassinate a corrupt regional Governor. She does so. When instructed to assassinate another corrupt official she arrives just in time to observe him playing tenderly with his son, and then later, when she goes to cut him down, she finds him holding a baby. She allows him to live and withdraws. Not pleased, the Nun sends her on a mission that is meant to be a defining test. She is to be taken home to Weibo to her mother and father (who gave her up to the Nun when she was younger), and while there, assassinate the corrupt Lord Tian, the leader of Weibo, who also happens to be her cousin, and who also happens to be someone she was betrothed to as a child. FLASH BACK: The Nun's twin sister (played by the same actress who plays the Nun) is seen playing a lute. In a voiceover, the long-deceased woman tells a story about a caged bird that wouldn't sing. In an effort to get it to sing, it was placed in front of a mirror to trick it into thinking it had a companion. It sang incessantly, but sang only of its sadness. It then died. This above scene is interspersed with scenes in the film's present day. We learn that upon returning Yinniang to her parents, the Nun left behind a fancy cloth pouch containing a large circular piece of jade. We are told that this jade had been given to the Nun's sister by her father, who was then the Emperor of China. He gave the jade to his daughter, the Nun's sister, as a farewell gift, as she was about to be sent to Weibo to marry its then-Lord in an effort order to cement peace between the two. Upon arriving in Weibo, we are told that the Nun's sister, feeling caged herself, gave away her riches to her servants and set them free. The then-Lord of Weibo soon had a son by a concubine, but the Nun's sister adopted him. This boy was the young Lord Tian. Upon his coming of age, she gave took two pieces of jade and gave one to him, and had the other sent to the not-yet-of-age Yinniang to betroth them and preserve a future peace. The then-Lord of Weibo unexpectedly died, however, as did his successor, leaving Lord Tian to take over the throne. The Nun's sister coughed up blood, and seemingly died of grief. Upon hearing this story, Yinniang cries, perhaps understanding how this led to her fate. Cut to: Lord Tian and advisors, one of whom is Yinniang's uncle. The first two speak against Lord Tian's plan to stir up trouble between two nearby notables named Wang and Xue. They indicate that following this path will lead the Imperial Court to send troops into Weibo. Uncle Tien Xing at first seems to support the plan, lavishing Lord Tian with praise, but ultimately he also agrees that it would be dangerous for Weibo to risk upsetting the Court. Lord Tian erupts in anger. He believes all three should have more faith in Weibo. Cut to: Lord Tian playing with his eldest son as Yinniang (whose name translates as "invisible woman") secretly watches. The son see's Yinniang and his mother, Lady Tian, catches on. She sends guards to deal with the intruder, but they fail to conquer her. A woman in a lavish outfit with a gold mask is then seen walking the grounds with a sword. It appears to be Lady Tian in disguise. Lord Tian orders "uncle" Tien Xing to leave for another post. The Provost (Yinniang's father) tells his wife that uncle Tien Xing spoke too bluntly (if this is the true reason, then why not also exile the other two?). Lord Tian visits his mistress, Hiju. He obviously has feelings for her that he has not displayed with his arranged-marriage wife, Lady Tian. Yinniang secretly observes, but is detected as she leaves. Lord Tian confronts the intruder outside. He is no match for her. She allows him to live. Returning to Hiju, she and Lord Tian discover that the intruder left behind her pouch containing the jade. Lord Tian comes to understand who the intruder is, and guesses that she wants him to know so that he will understand why she wants him dead. Yinniang observes his reaction. Lord Tian explains to Hiju that he had been betrothed to Yinniang as a child, but - in an attempt to solidify a relationship between Weibo and a Ming lord - he agreed (clearly against his mother's wishes, and also while knowing that Yinnang truly loved him) to marry the Ming Lord's daughter. This is when his mother arranged for Yinniang to be hidden away, presumably from the long reach of the new Lady Tian who might view her as a rival. Yinniang continues to observe. Cut to: Lord Tian asks the Provost and an aide to accompany uncle Tien Xing to his new post. He cautions them to be sure not to be ambushed, as he doesn't want Tien Xing to be buried alive like his predecessor was. Cut to: Lady Tian learns that Hiju faked a period in an effort to hide a pregnancy. Cut to: Lord Tian tells Lady Tian that he has sent Tien Xing away, adding - as he did before - that he must not be buried alive like the previous guy. This could suggest that he knows, or suspects, Lady Tian of having been responsible the last time. Is he seriously cautioning her to not let this happen again, or is he suggesting that she follow the same course? Lady Tian merely says "Understood." She then mentions knowing about the intruder. Lord Tian remarks: "You are well informed," thus acknowledging her long reach. Cut to: A peculiar looking man that I shall call The Wizard, is informed of Hiju's pregnancy. Within his earshot, and presumably at his behest, his men discuss their mission to intercept uncle Tien Xing. Two of The Wizard's minions are ambushed by the uncle's escorts, but the other minion's are close behind and win the day. Cut to: The uncle being buried alive. The aide tries to stop this, when Yinnang shows up to save everyone. She escorts them all to a remote village. Upon entering the village, a Mirror Polisher is seen entertaining children. Yinniang nurses her father and enjoys the quiet peace of the village. She goes for a stroll. Lady Tian in her gold mask seeks her out. They clash. Yinniang cuts the mask off of the face of her adversary and allows her to live. We do not see her face, but presume Yinniang recognizes the identity of the Golden-masked woman. Unfortunately, Yinniang was also hurt in this skirmish. The Mirror Polisher tends to her wounds. Cut to: Huji dances for - and with - Lord Tian. Meanwhile, the Wizard makes a paper 'voodoo' doll which vanishes after dropped into a pot of water. On the way back from the dance, Huji begins feeling ill. Suddenly, thick vapors envelope her. Yinniang arrives and knocks her unconscious, but may actually be trying to assist. Lord Tian thinks otherwise and attacks Yinniang. Yinniang allows him to live. She informs him that Huji is pregnant. The aide finds the paper doll near the scene of where Huji was overcome. We are perhaps left to assume that the vanished doll transported itself. The aide explains to Lord Tian that just before his own father died, he showed him one of these dolls, explaining that yet another one had been found near the bed of Lord Tian's father before he suddenly died. He adds that the Nun had been a suspect, but she denied any involvement, claiming that these things were mere superstition, and that - the elder Lord Tian - being superstitious, simply died from fear. Lord Tian's men storm the lair of The Wizard and kill him. Lord Tian visits Lady Tian, tosses the paper doll at her feet, and draws his sword. Their eldest son (who, in history, would take over his father's throne at the age of 10), shields his mother. Cut to: Lord Tian is informed that uncle Tien Xing arrived at his post, and that the Provost is still weak, but recovering.. He is also told that neighbor Wang has sent troops to arrest Xue, that the Imperial Court is on the move, and that it is recommended that Lord Tian arrange for the soldiers of the Imperial Court to be distracted with food and wine, while he secretly negotiates with Wang, presumably in a move against the Court. This, of course, reveals the real reason Lord Tian was upset with his advisors (who wanted him to call off the Wang vs Xue plan in order to avoid conflict with the Imperial Court), was because it was actually conflict with the Court that he wanted. This suggest that Lord Tian is as corrupt as the Nun believed him to be. Yinniang visits the Nun on a mountain. She explains that she has decided not to kill Lord Tian. She says that - due to the young age of his children - Weibo would be left in chaos. They clash. Yinniang allows the Nun to live. Yinnang returns to the village of the Mirror Polisher and escorts him and an older man (played by Shih Chun, the now-aged star of A Touch of Zen) to Xinro, where he can presumably ply his trade (it would not be possible to make a living staying in that one small village).