Plays Excerpts:
Insulting Chow Yu Thrice & Fifteen Strings of Copper Coins
- ScreenwriterAnonymous (Insulting Chow Yu Thrice)Yip Shiu-tuck (Fifteen Strings of Copper Coins)
Insulting Chow Yu Thrice
In the days of the Three Kingdoms era, the state of Shu has been a headache for the state of Dong Wu. Chow Yu launches troop onward to Xichuan, in order to mask his real intention of attacking Jingzhou which is controlled by Lau Bei. It turns out it is a plan too obvious for Chukeh, he hides Shu’s force all along Chiu Wan’s path. This perfect ambush deals a serious blow to Chow Yu’s troops and Chow Yu himself.
Chow Yu gave all he got to take Jingzhou, but all he gets are failure and stagnation. The anger and regret finally overwhelm him making him gravely ill. He even got a letter from Chukeh taunting his incapability. In with a fury he could withstands no more, he shouts out his regrets while splitting a pile of blood. He then writes his last words before he dies with regrets and frustrations.
Fifteen Strings of Copper Coins
Butcher Yau Wu Lo borrows fifteen strings of copper coins from his wife’s sister. Half-drunk, he plays a joke on his stepdaughter, So Sue Kuen, by saying that he has sold her for the money, and then falls asleep. In despair, Sue Kuen leaves home to seek help from her aunt. On that night hooligan Lou A-Shu breaks into the house, steals the copper coins and kills the Butcher. Sue Kuen, who is away, becomes the suspect.
Constable Ha spots Sue Kuen is in a company of the merchant Hung Yau Lan. Constable Ha thinks the two are trying to elope and finds exactly fifteen strings of coins on Yau Lan. After being taken to the government office, the two confess unconsciously under torture and are sentenced to death. District Magistrate Fong Chung is assigned to supervise the execution. Hearing Sue Kuen and Yau Lan’s cries of innocence, Chung reopens the investigation.
After an investigation into the crime, Chung believes that Ah Su is the real criminal. Disguised as a fortune-teller, Chung makes Ah Su to reveal the whole story. Sending his men after Ah Su to obtain evidence, Chung retries the defendants and reveals the truth. Ah Su admits his guilt; Sue Kuen and Yau Lan regain freedom eventually.