Hark Tsui directs this lavish period action thriller set during the Tang Dynasty in Ancient China. Andy Lau stars as the titular Detective Dee, recently released from prison after an eight-year sentence for challenging the ascendancy of the soon-to-be-crowned Empress Wu Zetian (Carina Lau). After a series of suspicious deaths at court, the Empress herself releases Dee and orders him to investigate the deaths in time for her coronation ceremony. With the questionable assistance of the Empress's servant Jing'er (Bingbing Li) and albino police officer Pei Donglei (Deng Chao), Dee sets out to untangle the conspiracy and reinstate himself at court.