The Water Margin

Chao Gai, Liangshan's chief, is ambushed and killed by Shi Wengong. The surviving outlaws vow to avenge him and begin seeking a powerful ally. They decide that Lu Junyi could be the key to turning the tide in their favor.

Wu Yong disguises himself as a fortune teller and travels with Li Kui to the northern capital to reach Lu Junyi. They tell Lu Junyi that a great calamity will befall him unless he travels 1,000 miles to the southeast. Lu Junyi remains skeptical and seeks Yan Qing's opinion.

Lu Junyi questions the ominous warning and asks Yan Qing for his perspective. Yan Qing weighs the odds and begins to suspect the outsiders may be manipulating the situation. The tension sets the stage for a test of loyalty.

Yan Qing recognizes Li Kui and provokes him into a confrontation, exposing Li Kui's true identity. In the ensuing scuffle, Li Kui is defeated and confined along with Wu Yong. The encounter strains Lu Junyi's resolve and tests the visitors' plans.

Wu Yong employs reverse psychology to persuade Lu Junyi to release them, exploiting Lu's pride and suspicions. The ploy plants seeds of doubt about his own safety if he refuses. The gang's influence begins to pull Lu Junyi toward considering their cause.

Li Gu, Lu Junyi's steward, reports the outlaws' presence to the authorities in a bid to seize Lu's fortune. Soldiers arrive to seize the fugitives; Lu Junyi confronts them and is arrested while Yan Qing attempts a rescue. Yan Qing's later efforts fail when Lu is recaptured as he is left briefly unguarded.

Yan Qing travels toward Liangshan to seek aid and, in desperation, robs two travelers on the road. Those travelers turn out to be Liangshan outlaws, one of them Shi Xiu, who accompanies Yan Qing back to Liangshan. Shi Xiu resolves to pursue Lu Junyi's fate and aid the rescue.

In the city, Shi Xiu spots Lu Junyi in the market square awaiting execution and charges in to attempt a rescue. He and Lu Junyi are overwhelmed by the guards and quickly captured. The failed rescue marks a grim setback for Liangshan's plans.

Yan Qing arrives at Liangshan and the band plots a covert infiltration of the northern capital to rescue Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu. They position themselves around the execution ground and strike as the beheading commences. The outlaws launch a coordinated assault and seize control of the area.

The Liangshan outlaws' plan is executed as guards are overwhelmed and the prisoners are freed. Lu Junyi and Shi Xiu are evacuated and begin the march home with the rescuers. The operation marks a decisive victory for their cause.

Accompanied by the Liangshan band, Lu Junyi makes his way home. He kills Li Gu, his disloyal steward, and Yan Qing slays Lu Junyi's adulterous wife, clearing the personal treacheries that haunted him. The ascent of Lu Junyi marks a shift in Liangshan's leadership dynamics.

As the outlaws leave the capital, Shi Wengong and his men confront them in a vast field. The clash erupts into an immense battle that tests the outlaws' resolve and prowess. The duel line is drawn between Shi Wengong and Liangshan's champions.

The five Liangshan heroes—Lin Chong, Li Kui, Hu Sanniang, Wu Song and Shi Xiu—face Shi Wengong's five disciples while Lu Junyi duels Shi Wengong. Yan Qing and Li Kui join the fray, and Shi Wengong sustains grave injuries but remains alive. The tide turns in Liangshan's favor.

After the confrontation, Shi Wengong, gravely wounded, takes his own life and acknowledges Lu Junyi as the new leader of Liangshan. The outlaws, victorious, ride back to their stronghold to begin a new era under Lu Junyi. The film closes on their return and a quiet dawn after vengeance is satisfied.