The film is set in the early Northern Song dynasty, AD 986, of northeastern China. Former Northern Han general and the patriarch of the Yang clan Yang Ye pledges allegiance to the new Han Chinese-ruled Song regime after Northern Han's fall. Years later Yang's seventh son, Yang Yansi, participated in a martial arts tournament with his father's rival Pan Renmei's son Pan Bao in his sixth brother Yang Yanzhao's place to win Later Zhou's former princess Chai Meirong's (who is Yang Yanzhao's childhood sweetheart) hand in marriage, which ended in the latter's death. The following morning Yang and Pan meet with the emperor about the issue; Yang executes 30 whiplashes to his young sons as punishment. Later, Song's border stations are burned, signaling an invasion from the Khitan-ruled Liao regime.