Liu Shan dies on his sickbed at Wuzhang Plains, then opens his eyes to find himself as Zhao Gou, fleeing by the West Lake.
Watching the officials urge him to move the court south, he slams the table and cries, “I lost back then because I didn’t give my Chancellor enough supplies for the Northern Expedition!”
From then on, the Southern Song takes a sharp turn: Yue Fei fights on the front lines while Liu Shan frantically sends Sichuan cured meat and Pixian bean paste to the rear.
The Twelve Gold Plaques are replaced by urgent deliveries of hot pot broth, and the imperial edict reads, “General, you’re not in a hurry, but I am. If you don’t attack, Jin Wushu will get away!”
Qin Hui tearfully pleads for peace. Liu Shan pulls out the imperial jade seal. “My dear subject, this thing is quite heavy. Would it make a handy nutcracker?”
When Yue Fei finally recaptures Bianliang, Liu Shan clutches the imperial seal and begs to abdicate:
“Chancellor! Let me be the fool this time. How about you take the throne?”
