This chapter opens with a conversation between chu-ling and his brother, the emperor of the north. The two of them are in the middle of a discussion about the future of their respective families. . The emperor tells his brother that all of the lords of the dajing empire want to steal his family line. Only a few of them have survived by changing their names and living in seclusion. Elders send people to secretly search for other descendants, and then they return them to live with them. There are three of them, including the emperor, but only three are descendants of the royal family. He tells the brothers that if they are afraid that the emperor won't allow them to return, he can talk to the emperor. He says that if the emperor doesn't let them go, he will kill the emperor if he tries to take them away. He adds that the idea of taking the emperor away is unacceptable, because the emperor will be seeing the emperor's reaction, unless the emperor is willing to allow them go.