Liu Tang gets wind of the conveyance of valuables to the Grand Tutor Cai Jing in the imperial capital Dongjing from Daming. They are birthday gift from Cai's son-in-law Grand Secretary Liang Shijie, the prefect of Daming. Liu rushes to Dongxi village in Yuncheng County to suggest to Chao Gai, the village's headman who is well-known for chivalry, that they together hijack the valuables. Before he reaches Chao's home, he gets drunk and falls asleep in a rundown temple in the village.