Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Page #2

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De Lu opens the door and is startled to find a young woman

inside. The woman is studying the sheets of calligraphy

hanging on the walls.

DE LU:

Who are you?

JEN:

I'm your guest today. I am Governor

Yu's daughter.

DE LU:

This is Sir Te's study. You are

here to...

JEN:

I was looking for a quiet corner.

DE LU:

I am Sir Te's head servant. And

this is another of our guests.

INT. TE'S STUDY - DAY

Yu gently lays the sword, still in its sheath, in Jen's hands.

JEN:

It's heavy for such a thin piece of

metal!

YU:

The handle is heavy. And the blade

is no ordinary metal. Still, the

sword is the lightest of weapons.

You're just not used to handling it.

JEN:

But I have had much practice. As a

child in the West, a platoon lived

with us. They'd let me play with

their weapons. The scabbard is so

beautiful.

YU:

Beautiful but dangerous. Once you

see it tainted with blood, its

beauty is hard to admire. It's 400

years old.

JEN:

Exquisite! You said it belongs to...

YU:

My friend Li Mu Bai. He's given it

to Sir Te as a gift.

JEN:

Li Mu Bai! The famous warrior?

Why would he give his sword to Sir

Te?

YU:

You're too young to understand.

JEN:

You're a sword fighter too?

Yu yanks the sword out of the sheath. An eerie sound

resonates within the study. Jen is even more impressed.

YU:

Yes, I am. But I prefer the

machete. Certain moves, however,

call for a sword.

JEN:

Really?

Yu puts the sword back in the case.

JEN:

(longingly)

It must be exciting to be a fighter,

to be totally free!

YU:

Fighters have rules too: friendship,

trust, integrity... Without rules,

we wouldn't survive for long.

JEN:

I've read all about people like you.

Roaming wild, beating up anyone who

gets in your way!

YU:

Writers wouldn't sell many books if

they told how it really is.

JEN:

But you're just like the characters

in the stories.

YU:

Sure. No place to bathe for days,

sleeping in flea-infested beds...

They tell you all about that in

those books?

JEN:

You know what I mean. I'm getting

married soon, but I haven't lived

the life I want.

YU:

So I heard. Congratulations. It's

the most important step in a

woman's life, isn't it?

JEN:

You're not married, are you?

YU:

What do you think?

JEN:

No! You couldn't roam around

freely if you were.

YU:

You're probably right.

Yu studies Jen. The room falls silent for a moment.

EXT. SIDE COURT YARD - DAY

It's dusk and the sky is beautiful orange and purple. Jen

is leaving the study escorted by her maid. She turns to Yu

for a final good-bye. Yu seems intrigued by the encounter.

EXT. SIR TE'S COMPOUND - NIGHT

Two lighted lanterns are raised up.

INT. TE'S STUDY - NIGHT

Sir Te hands the sword to Governor Yu.

SIR TE:

Go ahead, Governor Yu.

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