A Deadly Secret

A Deadly Secret (; literal meaning Mnemonic of the Linked Cities) is a 1980 Hong Kong film directed by Mou Tun-fei, produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio, and starring Ng Yuen-chun, Liu Lai-ling, Jason Pai Piao, Shih Szu, and Elliot Ngok. Based on Louis Cha's 1963 novel of the same name, the film follows Di Yun, a young martial artist who is falsely imprisoned and uncovers a conspiracy in the martial arts world that forces him to confront those he once revered and respected. Plot A student of the renowned martial artist Qi Zhangfa (Tong Kam-tong), Di Yun (Ng Yuen-chun), is sentenced to death on charges of larceny and rape. He proclaims his innocence, claiming that he had been set up but is ignored by the sadistic jailers who regularly taunt and abuse him, and is horrified in their treatment of another inmate, Ding Dian (Jason Pai Piao), whom they and the presiding magistrate, Ling Tuisi (Elliot Ngok) seem to torture purely out of pleasure. Di Yun is later visited by his martial art seniors, Wan Gui (Dick Wei) and Qi Fang (Liu Lai-ling), Di Yun's childhood sweetheart. He begs them for help and to believe he is innocent, but Qi Fang is eventually convinced by Wan Gui that he is indeed guilty. Wan, the true culprit behind his imprisonment, had been motivated out of jealousy towards Di Yun and his relationship with Qi Fang, rendering him blind drunk one night before placing his unconscious body in the bed of their master's wife, the latter whom he paid to accuse Di Yun of his said crimes. Under Wan Gui's manipulation, Qi Fang abandons Di Yun and later marries Wan. Months pass before Di Yun learns of this as well as the news that even his master has seemingly left him to his fate. Devastated, he attempts suicide but is saved by Ding Dian, who warns him of impending danger and implies he has chosen to be incarcerated out of his own volition. Several martial artists later visit Ling Tuisi's courthouse, proclaiming to have committed various crimes and demand that he jail them, to the shock of the magistrates. Ling orders them to be put in the same cell as Ding, believing this will lead him to something known as the Liancheng manual, which so happens to be the very item the martial artists are also after. Ding refuses to hand it over and kills all but one of the martial artists. Di Yun, impressed at his martial arts prowess, implores Ding teach him to which the latter agrees and the young man proves to be an adept learner, making rapid progress.