This play portrays the Tang Emperor Taizhong, Li Shi-min, and his history of killing his own brothers in court feuds, taking his sister-in-law as his own wife, and prohibiting her from seeing her own daughter, Princess Gao Yang. The playwrights Mi Xue and Hong Qiong-fang adopted a framework of 「dream inside a dream,」 assigning two characters to play Li Shi-min; one represents King of Qin, the other Emperor Taizhong. The two sides were connected by the dreams. In Emperor Taizhong's dream, he dreamt of the King of Qin. The device is used to display Li Shi-min's controversial historical appraisals, one that violated humane ethics, and another that built a glorious era of peace and prosperity.

The leading actors/actresses had all made breakthroughs from their usual roles. Zhang Xiu-qin, who used to play young sheng characters, put on moustaches starting the fourth act for an old sheng character, playing a father doting excessively on his daughter. Mi Xue, who also customarily took on young sheng roles, took the challenge to act as the second leading female role, singing and dancing, extremely charming. Jin-mei, who specialized in ku dan (tragic female characters), cast off her tragic image this time to play Princess Gaoyang, a proud and insolent pampered daughter. Two young sheng characters, Zhang Xin-yi (daughter of the troupe director) who plays Li Cheng-qiang, and Chen Xin-yu (third generation of the Ming Hwa Yuan Arts & Cultural Group) who plays Li Yuan-ji, Master Noname, are refreshing new talents who had won much praise from the audience.