The Life and Times of a Sentinel

In the 25th year of his reign, Emperor HONG HEI is forced to abdicate by Prince YUE, FOOK-CHUEN inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony on the grounds that his accession to the throne is completely illegal. The story dates back to years ago… Emperor SHUN ZHI, while still on the throne, has nominated CHUEN as the next ruler. Then all of a sudden, Empress Dowager HAU CHONG announces that Emperor SHUN ZHI has died of smallpox, although the Emperor is actually staying at the Coolness Monastery as a monk, accompanied by Imperial Guard KEI TO-TING. TING has not revealed to his son KEI MAN-CHEONG that he has become a monk. While trying to pay a secret visit to his newborn grandchild KEI CHUN-KIT, TING runs into TIN KONG-CHING, a guy he rescued years ago. TING takes on CHING as his apprentice, and gives him a Dharma name “HIN YAN”. Emperor SHUN ZHI has passed away, which alerts TING to the possibility of danger to his family.… ...

Annoyed by HO’s arrogance, PO and his cousin SHEUNG-HEI go to ambush the Manchurian and beat him up severely. The following day, HO gets hung in the street with a tag around his neck reading “Manchurian Dog”. Time announcer CHUNG has fallen sick, so PO offers to take up his job tentatively. PO has scared CHEUK CHI-YING’s pet dog quite badly while patrolling, about which he has a terrible quarrel with the girl. HO, accompanied by his cousin, the First-ranked Imperial Guard TAI SHEK, comes to Sheung Moon House to look for the guy who is suspected to have hung him up the other day. PO and HO get into a fight soon afterwards. In the confusion, CHUNG is injured by SHEK. PO and the villagers decide to cry out for justice by releasing kongming lanterns. One of the lanterns drifts into the Palace and manages to catch the Emperor’s attention.… ...

PO, HO and the rest of the candidates gather at the examination centre for the recruitment test, which will be invigilated by Imperial Guard Superintendent PO CHAI. PO manages to reach the final, but is said to have failed to finish the designated tasks within a specific time frame. Imperial Noble Consort MAN-KWAN is busy working on her embroideries, with which she hopes to win the Emperor’s attention and later his affection. Not long after, Lady KIN-CHING, wife of Prince KUNG, comes to see KWAN, asking the Imperial Noble Consort to teach her how to play the matouqin, a musical instrument originated in Mongolia. Having overheard KWAN playing the matouqin, Emperor HONG HEI gets so annoyed that he rushes inside and gives her a terrible telling-off. The Emperor decides to send CHUEN to Yangzhou to investigate the dispute between the Manchurians and Han Chinese.… ...

Knowing that all the selected Han Chinese do have some relationship with CHAI, PO and CHUEN come to suspect that there may be someone behind the scenes plotting everything all along. Emperor HONG HEI is surprised when he knows that CHUEN is also secretly investigating the cheating incident. He then sends TAK to carry out a probe in order to find out why CHUEN is so concerned about the incident. CHAI reveals the investigation results to the Empress Dowager, and promises to keep everything secret. CHUEN goes to see the Emperor, asking him not to worry about the cheating rumors any more. The Emperor forces CHUEN to reveal the truth, but in vain. Emperor HONG HEI rescinds the order for sending CHUEN to the royal graveyard, and needs him to stay in Beijing instead. KOON-YAT urges PO to give up on his dream of becoming an Imperial Guard, but without success.… ...

PO believes that the monk, HIN YAN, is just a con man working for YING. But much to his surprise, YAN keeps explaining to him the Buddhist maxims in a friendly manner. CHUEN has finally managed to move the Empress Dowager and is allowed to stay with the Emperor. Knowing that PO is joining the orientation program for the Imperial Guard trainees, SHEK and his mates begin to stay extra vigilant. SHEK has arranged a special training session for the lads, during which HO and his mates suddenly attack PO, claiming that it is a secret order from SHEK. Manchurian YAN-CHAK stands by PO and offers to lend him a hand in fighting back. On the surface, poker-faced NGAI CHUN is on HO’s side but in reality he is making every attempt to defend PO. Unfairly partial to his cousin, SHEK means to tease PO and CHAK by making them wipe the military arms. For this reason, PO and CHAK have missed the banquet held by CHUEN.… ...

PO is alleged to be in league with CHUN. Although he ends up being released, a rigorous probe into his background is already underway. YING is shocked to see the seriously injured CHUN, initially introduced as the son of TONG’s friend, lying inside the firewood shed. TONG arrives with HIN SING to arrest CHUN, who however manages to hold YING hostage within seconds. YAN encounters PO and is surprised to find that he is actually CHEONG’s descendant. CHOI-KING has found the female temple keeper who helped with her delivery years ago but the woman makes a deliberate attempt to blackmail her. PO is so thankful to YAT and KING for raising him. To express his gratitude, he decides to resign from the post of Imperial Guard and concentrate on running the family business Sheung Moon House.… ...