Secret Service of the Imperial Court

Secret Service of the Imperial Court

Year: 1984

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: Cantonese

Action

The sergeant of the Brocade Guards, the government’s secret police, fights back against a traitorous eunuch who wishes to take the throne.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Secret Service of the Imperial Court (1984)

Trace every key event in Secret Service of the Imperial Court (1984) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Wang Zhen rises to power at the Ming court

Wang Zhen rises to power in the Ming court by currying favor with the feeble-minded emperor. He quietly expands his influence over the empire's security apparatus. The Brocade Guards become his instrument of fear as dissent is crushed before it can grow.

Early Ming era Imperial Court
2

Wang takes control of the Brocade Guards

Wang openly murders those who oppose him and fabricates imperial decrees to justify his orders. The Brocade Guards pledge loyalty to him alone, becoming his personal enforcers. His grip on the court tightens as rivals fall in line or are quietly removed.

Soon after Wang’s rise Brocade Guards HQ, Imperial Court
3

Bu Fa carries out an assassination under orders

Bu Fa, captain Zhao Wu Yi's eldest son and a sergeant of the Brocade Guards, follows orders to assassinate one general. After learning the truth about the decrees, he spares the other generals and lies to his father about killing them. The seeds of betrayal begin to sprout as loyalty cracks.

Shortly after orders are given Brocade Guards compound
4

Surviving generals try to strike Wang down

The surviving generals attempt to ambush Wang during a leisure outing, hoping to blunt his power. In a brutal counterattack, Wang murders them, exposing Bu Fa's deceit to Zhao. The eunuch's ruthlessness shows the depth of corruption at court.

After the assassination attempt Outdoors during Wang’s outing
5

Bu Fa's family becomes hunted

Bu Fa, his wife Xue Liang, and their son become hunted by the Brocade Guards. Zhao Wu Yi orders the family’s death to satisfy Wang’s regime, severing any protective ties. The family flees across the empire, always one step ahead of pursuers.

Following the crackdown Across the Ming realm
6

Bu Fa is ousted and sinks into despair

Ousted from protection, Bu Fa is forced to kill his former brothers in arms and sinks into alcoholism to numb the guilt of his betrayal. He wanders as a hunted man, torn between family loyalty and loyalty to the emperor’s regime. The once-proud sergeant drifts into despair.

After being hunted On the run
7

Wang demands Bu Fa’s head; Wu Ji is sent to kill him

Wang threatens to execute Bu Fa's entire family unless he delivers Bu Fa's head within a week. Zhao orders his brother Wu Ji to kill Bu Fa or face clan punishment. Tension mounts as the clock ticks toward a deadly confrontation.

A week before head delivery Zhao’s residence / clan stronghold
8

Bu Fa confronts Wu Ji and learns the truth

During martial arts training, Bu Fa is attacked by his uncle Wu Ji. He discovers a letter from his father ordering his death, realizing the manipulation behind the orders. He refuses to betray his relatives, but in the heat of combat he accidentally kills Wu Ji.

The day of the attack Training grounds
9

Xiao Nan’s mission and Bu Qun’s return

Xiao Nan, Wu Ji’s daughter, is tasked with finishing Bu Fa. She tries to poison him with tea, but he kills her in self-defense and collapses from his injuries. An unknown rescuer arrives, revealed later to be Bu Qun, Bu Fa’s younger brother whom he believed executed.

Immediate aftermath of the attack Training grounds / vicinity
10

Bu Qun sacrifices himself to save the family

Bu Qun secretly dons Wu Ji's clothes and launches a suicide mission to draw out pursuers, dying in Bu Fa's place. His sacrifice buys time for Bu Fa's family to live in peace. Xue Liang witnesses the act and, wracked with guilt, commits suicide.

Shortly after Bu Qun reveals himself Pursuit location
11

Bu Qun’s head is brought to Zhao; guilt mounts

Bu Qun’s severed head is brought back to Zhao, who recognizes his younger son and is overwhelmed with guilt. Zhao’s loyalty to Wang falters as he questions the eunuch’s orders. The personal cost of obedience becomes painfully clear.

After Bu Qun’s death Zhao’s residence
12

Zhao tricks Wang with Bu Qun’s head

Knowing Wang does not recognize Bu Fa’s face well, Zhao fabricates a scene in which Bu Qun’s head is shown during an audience with the emperor, convincing Wang that Bu Fa’s elder son has died. The ruse undermines Wang’s leverage over Zhao. The eunuch’s grip on power begins to slip.

Following head delivery Imperial audience chamber
13

Bu Fa kidnaps the emperor and duels Wang

Bu Fa kidnaps the emperor during a hunting trip and confronts Wang in the mountains. The two engage in a climactic duel, and Bu Fa cleaves Wang in two, ending the eunuch’s tyranny. The tyrant’s grasp on the throne is finally broken.

Final act Mountain hunting grounds
14

Resolution: Bu Fa seeks peace with his son

Bu Fa announces Wang’s death to Zhao and departs to live in peace with his son. The emperor is freed from Wang’s manipulation, and Zhao is released from servitude to the eunuch. A hard-won peace settles over the realm as father and son seek a quiet life.

After the duel Mountains / departure point

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:15

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