Transcript

EMPEROR
(Clears his throat before he snaps his fingers)

MINGXIA and SISTERS
(Sit up tensely straight before one of the sisters stands up and walks to the middle of the floor. She pulls out a sword and begins displaying her combat drills for the emperor’s approval. One-by-one they all go up to stand in front of their father. The second sister does a traditional dance performance. The third shows her geography and tactician skills.)

EMPEROR
(Nods his head in approval)

EMPEROR and SISTERS
(Until it finally gets to MINGXIA’s turn. They all look at her. The sisters whisper amongst themselves.)

SISTER 1
(Rolls her eyes with disinterest and scoffs. She’s seen this too many times)

SISTER 2
(Chuckles, clearly amused)
This’ll be fun to watch

SISTER 3
(Frowns, worried for MINGXIA)
Oh no…

EMPEROR
(With authority)
We’re waiting, Mingxia.

MINGXIA
(Takes in a nervous breath before she stands up. But she trips on her skirt as soon as she tries to move! She falls onto her knees in shock before she looks up at her father.)

EMPEROR
(Looks down at Mingxia with disapproval and disdain)

TRANSITION

INT. PALACE HALLWAY
MINGXIA stands in front of the family portrait. Her grandmother at the top, Father in the middle, and three sisters all in symmetrical harmony while her portraiture is off to the side - making it off balanced. She appears visibly older than the memory.

MINGXIA
(Sighs to herself)
I wish I was more like them…

GRANDMA
(Taps MINGXIA’s shoulder - appearing by her side)

MINGXIA
(Jumps suddenly and gasps loudly)
AH! Grandma?! Where’d you come from?

GRANDMA
(Amused)
One could say I’m always just around the corner. But what’s with the long face my dear?

MINGXIA
Oh. …It’s nothing, I was just looking at this picture.
(She looks back at the portrait)
Everyone looks so nice in it. That’s all.

GRANDMA
(Studies her)
Hm is that so? Then I suppose you’re not too busy then.

MINGXIA
Hm?

GRANDMA
I’ve got a little puzzle I’ve been meaning to give you. Besides, you always used to love my riddles, my little detective girl.
(Hands MINGXIA a small scroll)

MINGXIA
Oh! Oh…you know I’d love to but the others have been asking me to make them perfume lately.

GRANDMA
I can’t imagine your sisters are too busy to make their own.

MINGXIA
I mean I told them how they can but they say it never comes out exactly right unless I do it.

GRANDMA
(Knowing smile)
Well isn’t that interesting…Nevermind that for now. You deserve to have a little fun.

MINGXIA
(Takes the riddle and eyes it)
…Do I get a hint for this one?

GRANDMA
While I could simply tell you, what’s the fun in that? He may be impressed if you can figure this out on your own.

MINGXIA
(Smiles widely and spins with excitement)
This. Is. PERFECT!
(She bends down and gives GRANDMA a kiss on the forehead)
Ooh you always know just what I need!
(She then runs off in a hurry)
Thanks Nai nai!

GRANDMA
(Watches MINGXIA run off and sighs)
I hope she finds what she’s looking for…




INT. PALACE HALLWAY TO PALACE LIBRARY
Mingxia reads the riddle as she walks through the hallways.

MINGXIA
(Reading the riddle out loud)
No one sees the pages tucked away and unturned. Hearing a hundred times doesn’t compare to seeing once…
(Looks away from riddle)
What does she even mean by that?!...Pages?
(Pauses)
Like books so maybe it’s somewhere in the library.

TRANSITION to PALACE LIBRARY

MINGXIA
(Looks up at the rows and rows of books)
Well all of these look like they haven’t been touched in ages.

(MINGXIA starts pulling book after book off the shelves until she has a huge pile! She comes out on the other side of the rows and slams the books down on a table with a candle. She goes through all of the books except for one. By the time she gets to the last book it is late into the night.)

MINGXIA
(Yawns)
I guess I can pick this up later.
(She looks at the last book)
I’ll just take this with me so I can read the rest when I wake up.
(She walks to the door)
I can’t believe I haven’t found-
(She reaches for the door handle and realizes it’s locked)

MINGXIA
Strange…
(She pulls at the door harder but nothing!)
Oh…oh no
(Keeps pulling and still nothing!)
Oh no! OH NO NONONONO!

MINGXIA
(Walks off screen and comes back with a chair. She then proceeds to slam it against the door. Still nothing! She stands in front of the door.)
All the hours I’ve spent here, I’ve loved this room more than anyone else in this palace and this is how you treat me!

(The candle, the only light source in the room, flickers out.)

MINGXIA
(Yells)
HELP!!

TRANSITION

EXT. PALACE HALLWAY
A guard turns the corner and starts walking down a hallway.

GUARD
(Hears the bang of the chair against the door and starts running in the direction of the sound.)

TANSU
(Waits until the guard is gone before he jumps down to the floor from the ceiling. He then pulls out a map of the palace and leans against a wall to study it)

MINGXIA
(Distant scream)

TANSU
(Suddenly tense and hops over a nearby wall which gets him right outside the library. He hears some banging against the door. He is about to leave when he turns his head.)

INTRUDER 1
(Around the corner)
Hey. Are you hearing that? Maybe we should check it out!

INTRUDER 2
Get your sword ready, we can’t have any witnesses!

TANSU
(Displeased)
Dammit…!

TRANSITION

INT. PALACE LIBRARY
MINGXIA sits in the dark of the library with a hoarse voice.

(Suddenly the doors open and the moonlight hits MINGXIA’s face)

MINGXIA
(Gasps loudly)
(She springs forward with only joy, prepared to generously thank whoever saved her!
Oh thank you, thank you-!

(But there’s no one in the hallway.)

MINGXIA
Huh…
(She looks both ways and see a shadow move out of the corner of her eye)

MINGXIA
(Tense)
Hello…?
(She starts walking in the direction of the shadow. Completely missing the broken glass on the floor behind her.)

MINGXIA
Is anyone there…?

(Suddenly she hears glass break further down the hallway! MINGXIA turns to look before TANSU pulls her into a corridor with her mouth covered)

MINGXIA
(Struggles against the TANSU’s grip and tries to free herself)

TANSU
(Whispered)
Shhhhhhhhh! I’m not going to hurt you.

(MINGXIA opens her mouth to speak again but stops. There’s a sound of metal before a thud of footsteps gets closer to where the two are. She holds her breath.)

INTRUDER 1
Could’ve sworn I heard something over here…

INTRUDER 2
Idiot…we’ve only got so much time to find and finish the job! Let’s go!

(The INTRUDERS pass the two in the small corridor without even looking.)

MINGXIA
(Breathes a muffled sigh of relief)

TANSU
(Whispered)
If I remove my hand, you promise not to scream right?

MINGXIA
(Nods)
Mhmm

TANSU
(Removes his hand from her mouth)

MINGXIA
(Turns to look at who he is and despite covering her mouth, she gasps.)
Y-you…!

(She looks at him - or really- his fox mask and recognizes it from wanted posters)

TANSU
(Unfazed and gets up)
Lucky you, I was around. You could’ve gotten yourself into a rough situation, lovely.
MINGXIA
(Stares at him in shock)

TANSU
(Stands up and goes back to the opening of the corridor to check the others were gone before he leaves again)

MINGXIA
(Shaking her head, she stands back up and walks towards him)
You’re here to rob the palace, aren’t you? Just like them!

TANSU
(Amused)
I’d like to think I have a little bit more flare than people running around smashing glasses everywhere who don’t know how to be delicate. You should stay here for when the guards come back.

MINGXIA
If you think I’m sticking around here while you go steal things you’re foolish! You’re stuck with me until we get out of here

TANSU
(Quickly turns to face MINGXIA)
Little ducks shouldn’t lend themselves to foxes, you know.
(He then starts to move down the hall)
But if you insist, the least you could do is be quiet!

MINGXIA
(Huffs but follows anyway)

MINGXIA and TANSU walk through the halls until they get to the other side. The same direction the INTRUDERS just came from.

MINGXIA
(Trying to be scary)
I’ll hunt you down, you know. If I ever see you here again.

TANSU
Hmm bold words. But I think you have far more important matters, no?
(He waves the book she’d been keeping in her sleeve right in front of her!)

MINGXIA
(Gasps and checks her sleeve to see that the book was missing!)
Give me that!
(She runs over and takes the book back from him)
TANSU
(Smirking but let’s MINGXIA take the book back.)

MINGXIA
(Looks down at the book sadly. She still didn’t have the answers she needed. Then her eyes trail over to a broken plank of wood on the floor. She keeps her voice eerily calm.)
…How about we make a deal? I won’t turn you in if you help me catch the other intruders.

TANSU
(Incredulous laugh)

MINGXIA
(Looks at him seriously)

TANSU
Oh. Oh you’re serious? How curious…didn’t think it was this easy to win a political member's favor. Are you all that easy to sway?

MINGXIA
Just shut up and answer the question. You helped me for a reason didn’t you!

TANSU
(Still chuckling)
Well I hate to break it to ya Princess but those guys will easily get themselves caught on their own.
(Turns away from her)
While you could take credit for it and no one else would know. You’d know. So who are you really doing this for? Let me guess - your papa?

MINGXIA
(Picks up the plank of wood and while his back is turned she swings it against his head)

TANSU
(Groans)


INT. PALACE HALLWAY
TANSU wakes up after being knocked out with MINGXIA tying his hands behind his back.

TANSU
(Blinks his eyes open. He tries to move but finds that he can’t. He struggles against the rope.)

MINGXIA
Stop moving!

TANSU
(Cynical chuckle)
Huh, figures. Alright, now you’ve got me, what's your big plan now?
MINGXIA
Well I’m going to wait here and make sure a guard comes by to get you. They should be here but maybe they’re busy…

TANSU
Hope that grand mind of yours has an explanation for how you got yourself out of the library.

MINGXIA
(Falls quiet)

TANSU
Tell me, is it usual practice here to step on people who decide to help or is that a royalty thing?

MINGXIA
(Freezes. She recalls all the times her sisters used her.)

FLASHBACK VOICES

SISTER 2
I get it now!

MINGXIA
I’m so prou-

SISTER 2
I can’t wait to show father what I’ve done!

STRANGER
Wow, you smell lovely as ever.

SISTER 1
Why thank you, the perfume is my little secret.

FLASHBACK VOICES FADE

MINGXIA
(Pauses before she starts to untie TANSU)

TANSU
(Genuinely surprised)
What?...What are you doing?

MINGXIA
Go. Before I change my mind.
TANSU
(Looks at his free hands. Smiles and turns to her)
Good luck on your reading. Don’t know why a village festival book would be of interest

MINGXIA
Village festival…?

TANSU
(Teasing)
You don’t get out much do ya princess? Maybe I’ll sneak back in and take you sometime.

MINGXIA
(Ignores Tansu and looks through the book quickly.)
That explains why I didn’t recognize the words… it’s a different dialect, of course! So if I keep that in mind I could probably make out a few of these names-
(She comes to a page with her mother’s name on it!)
Mom…Wait! Does that mean you know where this comes-!

MINGXIA looks up and sees that TANSU is gone.

MINGXIA
…-from?