LADY GENERAL "RED JADES"

(Madam Liang Hung-Yu)

SYNOPSIS

In 1121 A.D., under the rule of the Sung Dynasty, the central provincess were ravaged by bandit hordes. Chief Minister Tung Kuan was commissioned to lead a force to suppress the rebellion. In the ensuing fighting, Fang Li, the rebel leader, was captured by Han Shih-Chung, a junior officer, and the rebellion collapsed. Tung Kuan returned first to the capital; the main army followed behind

At Chinkiang, a celebration was given in honour of the victorious army. Two famous singsong girls, Liang Hung-Yu (Red Jade) and Chu Ts'ai-Yu (Green Jade), were among the entertainers. Red Jade was skilled in fencing. A joint exhibition of fencing given by her and Han Shih-Chung won acclaim from the gathering.

Red Jade and Han Shih-Chung fell in love at first sight. They were united in a common desire to serve their country with their superior military talent. In the love affair, Shih-Chung was influenced greatly by his friend and comrade-in-arm Hsieh Yuan, who nursed a secret affection for Green Jade. Shih-Chung and Red Jade were married, receiving the blessing of the commanding officer. Red Jade was given a commission in the army.

After several years of peace, the country was invaded by Tartars from the North. Much misery was suffered by the people. Mean-time, Han Shih-Chung had advanced in rank. He was commanding a forward position at Hsi-Wang-Tai. The Northern capital Kaifeng, was finally abandoned to the invaders and Green Jade had to escape south seek refuge with Shih-Chung and Red Jade. This provided Red Jade with an opportunity to arrange her mariage to Hsien Yuan.

Not long after the wedding, the invaders attacked Hsi-Wang-Tai. Han Shih-Chung met the onslaught with a smaller force but emerged victorious. This battle made him a national hero.

When the Tartars laid seige to Yangchow, Han Shih-Chung and his forces were transferred to the Hsiuchow area to defend the approaches to the new capital, Lian-An, where his aged mother with Red Jade and his two sons were then residing. Trouble, however, soon brew in the capital, as two traitor officials, Miao-Fu and Liu Chung-Yen, led a mutiny against the Sung Emperor. The faithful old General Wang Yuan, with no forces to deploy against the rebels, called upon Red Jade to seek help. Red Jade disguised herself and made her way to Hsiuchow to inform her husband of the mutiny. Han Shih-Chung immediately sent a large force to Lian-An and subdued the traitors. This brought Han Shih-Chung further promotion and he was commissioned to station his troops at Chinkiang to defend the northern shores of the Yangtse River.

Foiled in repeated attempts to cross the river, the Tartars sent an emissary, a former Sung General who had turned traitor, to persuade Shih-Chung and Red Jade to defect. The offer was firmly rejected and the traitor general was given a severe reprimand. In anger, the Tartars' supreme commander massed his entire force of 100,000 men, for a show-down with the Sung army. Shih-Chung was ready. With Red Jade beating the famous war drum and leading her women warriors and their two sons to battle, they defeated the Tartars and drove them to a trap, know as Huang-Tien-Tang, along the Yangtse River.