Perish in the Name of Love

PING is sad to find that her pet, which is a dog given to her by HIN, has died. HIN tries his best to console her, and the two of them decide to secretly bury the dog somewhere near the temple. Along the way they hear CHAN scream in agony. They are scared to death and run away immediately. CHAN falls into TIN’s trap and is caught in adultery. She is sentenced to death and is executed inside the temple. The Queen Mother flies into a rage after having discovered CHAN’s adultery. She later falls ill and decides to cancel her birthday banquet. HIN gets aware that PING has been sick, and has thought of a way to cure her of her illness. The Queen Mother, with other members of the royal family, prays earnestly to Guan Yin hoping that the Goddess of Mercy will give TIN a son. She is very disappointed as she finds that her prayer is unlikely to be granted.… ...

ZHOU is accused of plotting a frame-up against TIN. ZHOU and her oldest daughter CHIU YAN are therefore locked up in a secret room in the palace. PING insists on staying with her mother and her sister. PING bids farewell to HIN, and before they move apart, PING gives HIN the picture that they have drawn together. Fifteen years later, the country faces the deepest crisis in its history. HIN, and his best friend CHOR SING HING who is the son of the owner of an arsenal, are ordered to convoy the cannons to the battlefield. HING knows that HIN misses PING desperately, and often teases HIN about his crush on PING. To get away from trouble, ZHOU, YAN and PING have left the palace and lived in seclusion with ZHOU’s father ZHOU FUI. The Manchurian forces have come to attack the camp. Meanwhile PING has arrived with the fish for the Ming soldiers. Immediately HIN and PING shoot the invaders with the cannons. HIN is injured by an arrow.… ...

HING has a little misunderstanding with a girl, and PING is innocently involved in the conflict. PING has mistakenly given HING the shoes which YAN plans to wear on the day of the audition. PING goes to see HING hoping to get the shoes back. HING, however, plays a trick on her. The shoes are all wet and YAN refuses to go for the audition. PING does all she can to dry the shoes up the whole night. YAN succeeds in the audition. PING is on her way for a job interview. She gets on a boat, where she happens to find the picture which she gave HIN many years ago. She tries to look for HIN but in vain, because HING keeps pestering her and does not let her go. PING is willing to work for the arsenal without wages for the first few days, and does not mind doing men’s work. Her attitude is appreciated and she is finally offered a job in the arsenal. PING and HIN are both placed in the arsenal, but they have never met each other.… ...

PING is curious about HIN’s identity. PING, who needs help from YAN to get more information about HIN’s background, has left the arsenal without permission to meet her sister. For this matter, she is dismissed by her supervisor. PING thinks it is not fair and wants to have a talk to her mistress, who is the fourth wife of the owner of the arsenal and who actually runs the business. PING waits desperately outside the arsenal to see MRS. CHOR. HIN sympathizes with PING and gives her a bowl of noodles. HING is shocked to know that PING has got sacked. He asks his step mother to give PING a second chance, but in vain. He then turns to his father CHOR SHUNG MO. He promises MO that he will work hard and keep his feet on the ground. MO gets touched by HING’s sincerity and PING is allowed to return to the arsenal. PING learns from YAN that HIN is marrying, and is therefore very upset.… ...

The royal doctor SHUM BUN has been thrown into despair since the deaths of his son and grandson. He is so heartbroken that he tries to take his life. He claims that he is being punished for framing ZHOU and PING, which frightens TIN enormously. HIN happens to see PING’s wish list that she has written earlier, and right away he goes back to the arsenal to see PING. PING, however, is on leave and is taking a short rest at home. ZHOU learns from YAN that HIN is currently working at the arsenal, and is afraid that PING will sooner or later get back with him, which may in turn cause them trouble. ZHOU does not allow PING to go back to the arsenal to work until PING solemnly vows that she will try her best to conceal her identity. BUN falls from a building and is unconscious. When he wakes up, he reveals the truth of what happened many years ago, and in just a few minutes, he passes away.… ...

HIN asks PING about her identity, but gets no answer. PING sneaks out of the arsenal trying to avoid HIN. But as soon as she steps outside, she is assaulted by a hitman. Luckily HIN has arrived in time to rescue her. HIN and PING shelter in the lodge. PING is so worried about her mother and sister, and explains to HIN why she has to keep her identity secret. HIN finally gets aware of the truth. HING and LI YUEK HAN, daughter of the Defense Minister LI KIN TAI, discover that HIN has disappeared suddenly. They are worried about HIN and go to look for him. Finally they see HIN again in the lodge, and feel relieved to know the truth. PING returns home and sees a lot of soldiers around her house. A eunuch, who is the messenger sent by the Queen Mother, has arrived. At first ZHOU refuses to go back to the palace but later on she takes others’ advice and changes her mind.… ...

YAN has accidentally destroyed TIN’s flowers, which leads herself into great trouble. PING offers to bear the blame for YAN, and the Queen Mother gives PING a good dressing-down. ZHOU looks after SHEUNG who has tuberculosis, which annoys YAN and FUI. PING begs CHING to see SHEUNG but this infuriates the Queen Mother beyond measure. PING is then punished by being whipped. HIN sets the arsenal on fire so that the Manchurian soldiers cannot get the cannons. CHING very much appreciates HIN’s wit and courage, and assigns HIN to teach the royal children some basic military tactics. YAN tries to build up a better relationship with the servants by giving them red packets. TIN’s maid TUNG MUI does not look up to YAN and refuses to accept that little money. YAN manages to swindle ZHOU out of her money by telling a lie. With all the effort she puts in, YAN can finally get closer to the Queen Mother and gains her trust.… ...

HIN has got a letter from PING, and urges HING to leave the palace to meet MO. HING, however, insists on staying in the palace, which infuriates MO. HOI tries to make things difficult for PING, but in vain. He finally allows PING to make desserts. The Queen Mother loves all those desserts prepared by PING, which makes HOI a little jealous. HOI needs PING to learn how to cut the deer meat, and PING can easily grasp the skills. This really irks him, and everybody is afraid that PING might have offended HOI. HOI happens to discover the love letter that HIN wrote for PING. He thinks it is just too disgusting and therefore gives HIN a severe telling-off. HAN, on the other hand, makes a great effort to defend HIN. PING makes a formal apology to HOI. She emphasizes that she has treated HIN as a friend even though she has deep affection for him. The Queen Mother asks HOI about PING’s performance and HOI frankly tells the truth.… ...

HING expresses his love for PING but is rejected. When he gets aware that HIN is going to break off his engagement to HAN so as to get back to PING, HING flies into a rage and gives HIN a punch. HAN is looking at them from afar, and feels heartbroken. YAN thinks that she deserves better treatment. To achieve what she wants, she tries to dance as best as she can, she seeks every opportunity to dine with CHING and the Queen Mother, and even makes up stories to win others’ sympathy. To seek HIN’s attention, HAN gets on a horse but soon afterwards she falls from the horse’s back and injures herself. She is afraid that she will be badly disfigured and puts the blame on PING. CHING decides to lead the war against the invaders, and orders HIN and HING to go with him. HAN suspects that PING is trying to steal her lover and gets more and more confused. TIN learns from YAN that ZHOU has spent much time in the temple praying for CHING.… ...

As instructed by CHING, HIN leads the princes and princesses to the frontier for the installation of cannons. There HIN has also given the princes and princesses some military training. The Queen Mother has fixed a date for the wedding of HIN and HAN, which upsets PING so much. YAN speaks ill of ZHOU, just to please TIN. She is then allowed to take a bath in TIN’s private quarter. She is over the moon and has carelessly spilled TIN’s perfume. TIN flies into a temper and gives her a slap. HIN leads his army to the frontier again for the installation of cannons. It is raining heavily and HIN takes shelter in the kitchen, where he meets PING again. The couple can therefore have a nice talk. HOI reveals that TIN’s baby died soon after being delivered and it was TIN who tried to frame ZHOU. FUI and YAN think that TIN deserves to be punished and insist on bringing the matter to CHING’s notice.… ...