The chapter opens with a soliloquy by the lushan, who tells the audience that he has been guarding the border between the two countries for the past seven years. The lushan tells his men that the enemy they will be facing today is the "greatest enemy" of the Ming dynasty. He tells them that the man is just a "lowborn illegitimate child" who has had an affair with Guoguo, the wife of the emperor's older relative. Guozhong has used his position as a relative to the emperor to enter the capital and become an official. He has also been using his position to gain favor with the emperor and to sell titles of officials. He is selling titles of official, manipulating imperial exams, conducting massive crack-downs, and over a hundred people have been slandered by him. He says that the emperor has known all along that he is responsible for this man's crimes. The emperor has given him a secret order to lead the army into the court. He orders the army to "slay guozhong," purge the lords, and "swamp the lords." The army of lushan stands before him and swears allegiance to him, and he calls them "wolfs of the north desert" and "the tigers of northeast." He calls them the "golden turtles" and says that they will take over the throne once they enter the court