Wu Song reaches Mengzhou to which he is exiled after killing his sister-in-law and her adulterer lover Ximen Qing to avenge their murder of his brother Wu Dalang. Wu is told that the prison authorities would flog newly arrived exiles 100 times with staff to strike fear in them. But the flogging could be waived with bribes to all levels of the prison including the superintendent. When brought before the superintendent because he refuses to pay up, Wu swears he would never stoop to intimidation. Shi En, who is the superintendent‘s son and is standing next to his father at that time, whispers to the latter telling him to let Wu off with the excuse that he is ill. Wu is thus spared the beating.