Generals of the Great Song Dynasty.

Summary

An old woman arrives at the Dengwen Drum Courtyard, demanding to file a complaint against the emperor. Despite disbelief from the imperial guards, she boldly asserts that her family has been destroyed and seeks justice for her son, a soldier wrongfully accused and facing execution. The guards are hesitant, recognizing the significance of her actions, but she insists on confronting the emperor directly. As the crowd gathers, the guards struggle with how to handle the situation. Meanwhile, two scholars, Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao, observe from a nearby tavern. They reflect on their past ambitions and current failures in the changing political landscape, particularly in light of the reforms and the decline of their faction. Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao see an opportunity to undermine the reformist faction led by Wang Ning An, especially as they learn of the emperor's declining health. They plot to leverage the old woman's case to divert attention from the court's internal conflicts and to discredit Wang Ning An. Wang Ning An, upon reviewing the case, discovers that the old woman's son, Zhou Feng, was a decorated soldier whose land dispute with a cement factory led to violence and his subsequent death sentence. Despite the evidence against him, Wang Ning An is filled with doubt about the fairness of the proceedings and considers the implications of the old woman's claims.

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