The Empress Dowager observed the performances from the lofty tower of the palace as the Emperor watched below. Present at the event were the court historian, the commander of the royal guards, and the imperial physician. This marked the sixteenth or seventeenth such occasion, and the Emperor's enthusiasm had waned considerably. The storylines had grown mundane, often revolving around predictable plots such as constables catching petty thieves. Seeking an escape from monotony and dreaming of a journey to the southern regions, the Emperor devised a bold plan. He deliberately created complications for several ministers, imprisoning the historian, the physician, and the commander in the dungeons. To secure their release, he proposed an unusual condition: they would have to accompany him on a secret expedition in disguise, or else face execution.