Dirty Ho

Master Wang and Ho Ching vie for the courtesans, using different currencies—Wang with legitimate jewelry and Ho with stolen pieces. They clash as each tries to outwit the other, with Wang deftly deflecting Ho's advances and revealing hints of his hidden skill beneath a refined exterior. The confrontation hints at a larger game that will pull them together later.

When the police arrive to arrest them, Wang secretly flashes his royal seal, convincing the captain to back off. The authorities detain Ho Ching instead, while Wang preserves his anonymity and freedom to maneuver. This moment marks the first controlled manipulation of power that underpins the prince's plans.

Ho Ching is released, but his attempt to retrieve the jewels from Wang spirals into trouble. He defeats a group of local thugs and is arrested again, yet Wang orders the police to release him once more. The repeated detentions underscore Wang's ability to steer events without revealing his true identity.

In the climactic confrontation, Wang enlists a female musician, Choi Hung, as a deceptive bodyguard. He manipulates her arms and instrument to force Ho Ching into a fight and even grazes him with a poisoned blade. The ruse keeps Ho safe while advancing Wang's covert plan to root out his enemies.

Ho seeks the antidote from Choi Hung, but Wang reveals she has moved away to marry and left behind the antidote. He then administers the antidote to Ho in small, carefully timed doses, binding Ho to become his student. Ho accepts the tutelage, still sensing only the surface of Wang's martial prowess.

General Liang orchestrates an attack at a wine-tasting, forcing Wang to respond with calm, practiced defense. Wang counters with elegance and restraint, maintaining the facade of a courteous conversation while fending off the danger. The skirmish signals that a larger conspiracy is at play.

A second assassination attempt follows at an antique-dealer's shop, arranged by General Liang and the 4th Prince. Wang again defends himself while maintaining the appearance of a refined dispute over antiques. A dealer's stratagem wounds Wang's leg, intensifying the peril surrounding him.

The master and his disciple retreat to an abandoned residence to recover and to train Ho in basic kung fu. Wang keeps his royal identity concealed, while Ho begins to learn under real tutelage. News about a bounty for a fugitive draws bounty hunters closer, raising the stakes.

A doctor, sensing a payout, hires bounty hunters to capture Ho and the injured Wang. Ho and Wang turn the plan to their advantage: Ho pays the hunters to look away while Wang buffs them with non-lethal techniques. The move buys time as they continue toward the throne assembly horizon.

With the throne assembly looming, Wang and Ho undertake a dangerous journey to Peking. Wang travels in disguise, while Ho pushes him in a wheelchair to help slip past adversaries. The risky voyage sets the stage for the climactic showdown with the princes and their generals.

In a ruined city, they defeat an army of assassins and extract the identity of Number Four, the Prince targeting Wang. The victory reveals the deeper conspiracy woven by the rival factions. The revelation propels them toward the throne room to confront their enemies.

The climactic fight pits Wang and Ho against General Liang and his captains, with the 4th Prince looming as the mastermind. The duel tests their skill, resolve, and loyalty as they push toward the throne room. They manage to defeat their enemies just in time for the Emperor to appear and confirm the heir.

Outside the throne room, Ho passes his necklace of beads to Wang, a signal that the Prince uses to hurl Ho through the door. The moment underscores the peril and misdirection of the final challenge. Ho is sent flying as the fight nears its end.

The film ends on a freeze-frame of Dirty Ho mid-air, capturing the rogue at the moment of impact. The image hints at ongoing mischief and the fragile balance between deception and loyalty. Ho's fate remains playful and unresolved in that final shot.