Twilight of a Nation

On the way to the court, SUI CHUEN is beaten up when he refuses to be extorted. A passerby, FUNG WAN SHAN pleads for him, but is beaten up as well. The two, however, are saved by the missionary, who preaches to them. Taught in Confucian and Meng Zhe traditions, the two are unmoved. The missionary leaves behind two copies of his books, but the two have no regard for it. In the middle of the night, SUI CHUEN overhears TAI KONG and WAI CHING's plan to kill KAY YING. Fearing that he will spread the news, the Society keeps SUI CHUEN captive. WAN SHAN finds that SUI CHUEN is missing, and while' inquiring, is trapped by WAI CHING and kept together with SUI CHUEN. In a reception dinner for KAY YING, the Society plans an assassination, but fails. TAI KONG is injured, but escapes successfully. Pursued by soldiers, WAI CHING admits to her mother that she belongs to the Society.… ...

On the way, WAI CHING is captured by Ching offical CHIU ZONE NING. Despite being tortured, WAI CHING would not disclose the whereabouts of her accomplices. WAI CHING's mother CHUI NGOR informs ZONE NING that WAI CHING is his daughter after their one-night affair. Surprised, ZONE NING plans to compensate them by helping them to settle down. Being anti-Ching, WAI CHING refuses to acknowledge ZONE NING as her father. CHUI NGOR therefore helps her to escape. KAY YING orders ZONE NING to hand over WAI CHING. In order to protect his position, ZONE NING fabricates a lie that the assassin is killed when trying to escape, kills CHUI NGOR and hands over her dead body. KAY YING believes him. Worried about her mother, WAI CHING plans to visit her, but is stopped by SUI CHUEN. WAI CHING reveals her troubles to SUI CHUEN.… ...

Back to the motel, WAI CHING discovers that her mother is killed. She is grievous, and decides to avenge on ZONE NING. WAN SHAN and SUI CHUEN fail the examinations again. Nonetheless, SUI CHUEN decides to try again. At home, CHUEN's father is arranging SUEN KIU's marriage to CHAN KING CHO. SUEN KIU discovers that KING CHO 4 in love with an attendant, and arranges for them to elope. Looked down upon by his family, SUI CHUEN is very upset, and becomes uncontrollable at the ancestor's shrine. At the same time, MASTER CHAN learns of the elopement, and thinks it is all a trick of the HUNG's. He demands the dowry back. Feeling he has no decent place to go, SUI CHUEN plans to leave his hometown, but falls sick on the way. He meets WAN SHAN again, who takes him to the Society. Realizing the corruptness of the court, WAN SHAN decides to join the Society. SUI

After the signing of the Nanking Treaty, the opium ban is lifted. KAY PING openly tradesin opium, which arouses the opposition of the Society. Members decide to assassinate himand KAY SIN on their way south, but fail. While on the sick bed, SUI CHUEN reads the Book, and falls into a coma for exhausting himself. In his dreams, hs is summoned by the Heavenly Father, and takes himself for the Son of God, with a mission to eradicate the evil. Thinking that he has over-stretched himself, WAN SHAN does not take it seriously. On recovering, SUI CHUEN is persuaded to join the Society by TAI KONG to fight the Ching. On the grounds that all races are equal, SUI CHUEN declhles. CHEUNG CHIU suspects that WAN SHAN and SUI CHUEN are spying for the Ching, Disillusioned, WAN SHAN loses confidence in the Society, and leaves with SUI CHUEN.

SUI CHUEN turns into a religious fanatic, and plans to advocate his ideas. Since WAN SHAN has different opinions, SUI CHUEN leaves him in order to preach on his own. Pursued, WAN SHAN hides himself in a church, and is offered shelter by a priest. Moved, WAN SHAN decides to preach with SUI CHUEN. SUI CHUEN baptizes WAN SHAN. Missing her mother and SUI CHUEN, WAI CHING feels miserable. TAI KONG advises her to channel her grief into doing something productive. Trapped in a cave by Ching soldiers, members of the Society face food supply problems. Since many members are killed, they plan to move back to Taiwan in order to recuperate. ZONE NING tracks them down and attacks them. TAI KONQ manages to break out of the sabotage, but WAI CHING is encircled, and faints. She is saved by two villagers. When preaching, SUI CHUEN and WAN SHAN convert a temple into a church, and burn down the Buddas and offerings.… ...

WAI CHING finds out SUI CHUEN's whereabouts, and joins him. The latter is pleased. In collaboration with the temple priest, CHUK SUN spreads superstitious ideas and plans to kill a sick girl. He embezzles the money villagers send in. SUI CHUEN saves the girl and eradicates superstitious ideas. On seeing that SUI CHUEN claims to be the Son of God, the priest advises him to put more efforts into understanding the Bible. Disappointed, SUI CHUEN refuse. On the birthday of a deity, CHUK SUN sends MON TAK YAN to rob the villagers on the excuse that they need to cast a gold statue. On the opening day, SUI CHUEN leads villagers to argue with CHUK SUN, and in the middle of great confusion topples the statue. They discover that the gold statue is actually made of mud, which reveals CHUK SUN's trick. Having helped CHUK SUN, TAK YAN and son are forced to take the blame.… ...

Episode 8 CHUK SUN sets up a small fighting unit, led by SIU CHID KWAI, and plans to attack the Heavenly Father Society. CHUK SUN plans to punish an adulterer and an adulteress the traditional way. The two seek help from SUI CHUEN, who pleads for them. CHUK SUN refuses to listen, and orders CHIU KWAI to stop SUI CHUEN from interfering. WAN SHAN is injured, but SUEN KIU arrives in time to fight CHIU KWAI. She is defeated, but CHIU KWAI is taken by her good looks. SUI CHUEN flees and takes refuge at a follower's. Feeling that his followers have increased and the need for establishing a society to fight the enemies, SUI CHUEN formally sets up the Heavenly Father Society. CHIU KWAI is sent to capture SUI CHUEN, but bumps into SUEN KIU, who convinces shim to join the Society.… ...

CHIU KWAI discovers that CHUK SUN wants to eradicate his Society; and informs SUEN KIU, who mistakes him for betraying her. The misunderstanding is bleared subsequently when CHIU KWAI goes all out to defend her. On learning that SUI CHUEN is besieged, SUI CHING saves then by setting up a trap to bury the Ching soldiers alive. CHIU KWAI returns to CHUK SUN's house as an undercover. Troubled by the misunderstanding, he gets drunk in the street, and is captured by TAK YAN. SUI CHING wants to kill CHIU KWAI, having taken him as a spy. SUEN KIU defends CHIU KWAI, but SUI CHING is still suspicious. CHIU KWAI finds out that CHUK SUN is going to bait SUI CHUEN by executing his followers. He releases the captive, and kills CHUK SUN's son by accident.… ...

On learning that KAY YING is sending loads of opium to Quangdong, the Heaven and Earth Society sets fire to it. Infuriated, KAY YING sends ZONE NING to eradicate the Society. Worried about TAI KONG, WAI CHING looks for him, and finally finds him. Having discovered that WAI CHING has turned to another religion, TAI KONG is furious, and forces her to go to Taiwan to continue fighting the Chings. Realizing that WAI CHING is in love with SUI CHUEN, SUEN KLU arranges for their marriage. TAI KONG agrees reluctantly. On their wedding night, official TANG organizes an attack, and as a result WAN SHAN is captured, and is tortured. WAN SHAN refuses to supply any intelligence. Saved by PANG CHOI, a mine worker, he gradually recovers. CHUK SUN plans -to kill WAN SHAN on the seventh day of his son's death; WAN SHAN sends PANG CHOI to seek help, and is finally saved by CHIU KWAI and others.

SUI CHING gradually develops a liking for SUEN KIU, who is only interested in CHIU KWAI. SUI CHING is jealous. ZONE NING discovers that the Heaven and Earth Society and the Heavenly Father Society are accomplices, and decides to solicit TANG and CHUK SUN's support to eradicate them. Harassed by Ching soldiers, SUI CHUEN decides to move to Guangxi with YAT KONG, and leaves TAK YAN and son to reorganize the followers in Guangdong. SUI CHUEN takes refuge with WAI CHING's relative WAI CHEUNG FAI, who hides them in a warehouse. On learning that ZONE NING puts out a reward for their arrest, CHEUNG FAI decides to turn them in, but his servant, by moving first, takes the reward, charges CHEUNG FAI as their accomplice, and turns him in to the officials. Soldiers loot CHEUNG FAI's home when looking for the suspects, and force him to sell all his land and property.… ...