Set in early 20th-century China, Wong Fei-hung, along with his father Wong Kei-ying and their loyal servant Tso, travels back to Canton after a trip to the Northeast. On the road, they cross paths with Fu Wen-Chi, a former top candidate from the Qing-era military exams. After a tense exchange of blows, the two men accidentally swap the boxes they’ve been fighting over, leaving Wong with the Imperial Seal and Fu with the ginseng that Wong’s father had secured for a client. Unbeknownst to Wong, the Imperial Seal is one of many priceless artifacts that a British consul is determined to smuggle out of China.
Back home in Canton, Wong tries to smooth things over for a client by passing off a bonsai root as the ginseng. His stepmother, Ling, steps in, loaning her necklace to raise money for a legitimate ginseng purchase. Neighbors misread the situation and assume the Wongs are financially strained, adding pressure to an already delicate situation. Meanwhile, the British consul dispatches his henchmen to seize the Imperial Seal. A confrontation erupts when they attempt to grab a bag from Ling, sparking a clash that culminates in Wong losing his temper and, under Ling’s provocation, getting drunk and using drunken boxing to fend off the attackers. His father arrives and is furious that his son has tarnished the family’s reputation by public drunkenness. The client falls ill after ingesting the fake ginseng, and the elder Wong learns the truth about the ginseng and bonsai, reacting with anger that drives him to strike Wong and drive him from the house.
In a haze of shame, Wong seeks solace in drink and is publicly humiliated by the consul’s men before he is rescued by his family. Regaining his composure, he apologizes to his father and vows never to drink again. During this tense period, Fu Wen-Chi warns them about the British consul’s smuggling operation. The next day, Wong and Fu are ambushed at a restaurant by the Axe Gang; Fu is fatally shot, and the Imperial Seal is seized by the consul’s men. As Fu dies, he urges Wong and his friends to retrieve the Seal and halt the smuggling, setting Wong on a mission that will test loyalty, courage, and ingenuity.
One night, Wong and his ally Tsang disguise themselves and attempt to infiltrate the British consulate. They are discovered, beaten, and held for ransom, and Wong’s aging father reluctantly agrees to sell his land to secure their release. The truth about the confiscation becomes clearer when Wong’s friends uncover the consul’s plan to move the stolen artifacts using boxes meant for steel shipments. Joined by workers, Wong and Tsang mount a violent protest at the steel factory and press the fight against the consul’s abuses. In a final bid to save the day, Wong breaks his vow to stay sober and uses drunken boxing to defeat John, the consul’s chief enforcer, leading to a decisive shutdown of the smuggling operation.
In the end, a Chinese general honors the Wongs with a commemorative plaque for their service, and offers Wong a job in appreciation. Yet the moment is tempered by Wong’s lingering hangover, a reminder of the day’s excess and the cost of stepping into a much larger conflict.
