s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁ ▁Plot ▁The ▁story ▁begins ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 0 s ▁in ▁early ▁Republican ▁China . ▁Ch eng ▁Da qi , ▁a ▁young ▁fruit ▁vendor ▁from ▁Ch u ans ha , ▁is ▁arrested ▁and ▁imprison ed ▁after ▁being ▁fr amed ▁for ▁murder . ▁He ▁is ▁saved ▁by ▁Ma o ▁Z ai , ▁a ▁military ▁officer ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁secret ▁police . ▁He ▁travel s ▁to ▁Shang hai ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁life ▁with ▁loyal ▁friend ▁“ F at so ” ▁in ▁to w . ▁In ▁Shang hai , ▁he ▁meets ▁Hong ▁Sh out ing , ▁a ▁mob ▁b oss , ▁and ▁becomes ▁one ▁of ▁Hong ' s ▁prot ég és . ▁He ▁also ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁Ba o , ▁a ▁singer ▁whom ▁he ▁eventually ▁mar ries . ▁His ▁true ▁love , ▁however , ▁is ▁actually ▁Ye ▁Z hi q iu , ▁an ▁opera ▁actress ▁from ▁his ▁h omet own , ▁and ▁who ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁attract ed ▁to ▁since ▁his ▁early ▁days . ▁At ▁one ▁point , ▁Hong ▁un know ingly ▁off ends ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁general ▁and ▁is ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁general ' s ▁men . ▁Ch eng ▁negoti ates ▁with ▁the ▁general ▁and ▁succeed s ▁in ▁persu ading ▁him ▁to ▁release ▁Hong ▁and ▁even ▁invest ▁in ▁their ▁bank . ▁Fe eling ▁himself ▁inde bt ed , ▁a ▁grateful ▁Hong ▁proc laim s ▁himself ▁sw orn ▁brothers ▁with ▁Ch eng , ▁putting ▁Ch eng ▁in ▁a ▁position ▁of