This is the story of a man named Yang Li. Yang Li had a poor life but a good one. He was a husband, and a father to a newborn. Although he was a poor man, he was happy and content. He was a family man, a good person with good intentions. That is until the ruler Wing took all of the men from his village and put them into slavery. They were told work on the Great Wall of China. Yang lost everything: his wife, his baby. His world was stripped from him and there was nothing he could do. His wife was pushed into being Wing’s slave. She was beautiful, and Wing took her into his royal palace. China would never be the same when Wing took matters into his own hands.

The next day Yang wakes up and is in a dark room. The lights flashed on, blinding Yang. One of the emperor’s guards walked into the room. Yang was told that he has been assigned to the construction of the Great Wall of China. Yang instantly starts questioning the guard asking him questions about what they did with his wife. The guard raises his head and responds. “We have taken her into slavery to build the wall just like you, but we have taken her to another part of the wall.” Yang was then brought out of the room and taken into the humid outside.

“We have taken her into slavery to build the wall just like you, but we have taken her to another part of the wall.” Yang was then brought out of the room and taken into the humid outside. He was brought to where he has been assigned to work on the wall. As Yang approaches the worksite, he sees other men also working on the wall. The guard releases Yang to start working on the wall. Yang walks up to one of the men working on the wall. He asks the man if he knew what was going on. The man responds and says “the Emperor has taken families and split them to work on the wall”. Yen tells Yang how he had been taken from his family for almost one month and how hard it has been for him to focus without his wife. Yen and Yang continue to talk to each other, and Yen tries to be as positive as he can when he is talking to Yang.

After another week of hard work, l Yang is still grieving over the fact that he is separated from his wife. Then, an idea pops into his mind. He thinks, what if he can get people to help rebel against the emperor. That way he can get back to his wife and the other workers can also reunite with their families. Yang walks over to Yen trying not to draw attention to himself. Yang tells Yen about his plan, and how with his help they can get back to their families. Yen tells Yang about how he tried that once with his old friend and they got caught. Yang asks about what had happened but Yen says he doesn't want to talk about it. All that Yen says is “I’m lucky that I made it out”. Yen walks away but still thinks about it in the back of his mind.

One week later Yen agrees to help Yang for whatever reason. Yen and Yang start trying to get other people to help them with their rebellion. Yang goes up to a man who is working hard an older man. Yang tries to ask the man if he wants to help him with the rebellion. The man doesn't respond so Yang tries again. The second time the man looks up covered in sweat and just laughs. He says “you must be crazy right, the emperor said that if I work hard enough then my family and I can be set free. Now go away before you attract any attention!” Yen and Yang walk up to the man next to them who is sitting on the ground. Yang’s shadow cast over the worn out man. He raises his head slowly making eye contact with Yen and Yang. Yang asks the man if he knows anyone who might want to help them with the rebellion. The man stands up and says to Yang “I have been planning a rebellion with my men, we would all be happy to help you!”

Yen glances over towards Yang with an enormous smile on his face. Yang tells the man where they will meet later that night. Later that night Yen, Yang, and the other group of men all meet secretly in a temple. They lock the doors shut in case of the guards walking past. The group of men start discussing how they might go to get out of working on the wall. The group of other men bring up their plan that they were thinking of doing previously before they joined them. They start discussing what is good about the plan and what could possibly go wrong. It was late at night and they were all very tired so they decided to pick up the meeting at the same time the next day. As they were just about to leave they heard something outside. They all stayed as still as they could until the footsteps were gone. A few seconds later they left the temple and then crept back to their places.

After another tiring day of working on the Great Wall of China, the group gathered at the temple again. After a long and detailed discussion of their plan, they had come to a conclusion of what they were going to do. Now all they had to do was figure out when they would do it. As they were finishing the meeting they heard more footsteps coming from outside. Thump! Thump! Thump! Everyone went as quiet as a mouse, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Then all of a sudden there was banging on the temple doors. The guards were trying to open the temple doors.Yen, Yang, and their accomplices were all shaking with fear. Suddenly Yang heard the lock on the door open and in came the guards. Everyone looked over towards the door with a look of confusion and panic.