At the palace of the daqi, the emperor is seriously ill and his days have come to an end. The son of the emperor asks his father if he plans to kill him. The father is shocked and says that he will not. He tells the son that he is no longer in command of the troops and that he does not have the strength to lead them. He asks why he did not pursue him earlier. He claims that he now requires greater strength to bring peace and prosperity to the people of the city. He says that the supposed peaceful days of the world are nothing more than a fantasy. He adds that the princess of the west will eventually fall in love with him and turn against him. He also tells the father that he knows more about the court and royal family than anyone else because he will be in charge after him. When the son asks if he is aware of his plans, the father replies that he merely hurt his compatriots. He begs his father to show him how he will improve the country. He explains that he had to grant his ninth brother his desire in order to manage the emperor.