This new movie from Yimou Zhang brings us the story of Emperor Ping (Yun-Fat Chow), tormented by his past and forced to rule. Empress Phoenix (Li Gong) discovers that the emperor's former wife is not dead as he stated, rather she was forced to ran when his lover took the throne, leaving him his son, now Crown Prince Wan (Ye Liu). However, he doesn't want the throne. Meanwhile, the empress tries to overthrone his not beloved husband and place instead her own son, Prince Jai (Jay Chou). But the Emperor knows everything and rules everything and is forced to kill his family to maintain peace in the kingdom.