The scene opens in the palace of the emperor, with the general of the city of Liaoyang asking to see the father of his daughter. The general tells the father that he has a plan to capture Liaoyang and that he needs some soldiers from the father to do so. The father tells the general that he can vouch for the general because he has only known the general for a short period of time. He tells the man that he will do whatever he asks even if it means his death. The man says that he and his daughter will be married on the following day. He asks the father if he will admit to what he has done, and the father says he wouldn't allow his daughter to marry him if it weren't for his ambitions and talents. He says that the lord had no son, but wanted a son in law to inherit his estate. He lied to the lord and told him that he was pregnant with the father's child. He then says that when he first met his daughter, it was "love at first sight" and he swore that he would only marry her for the remainder of his life. He also says that all the land Liaoyang will give him in the future will be the land he will obtain for his daughter