People are alive, but where else are they but just dogs? Apprentices are dogs of masters, doing business and being bosses—so even if you stand out, become successful, and enter the palace, you're still just a dog. Eunuchs are castrated dogs, court jesters are pet dogs, imperial consorts are mother dogs for passing on the bloodline, generals and marshals are guard dogs protecting the home, high officials and ministers are all sycophantic lapdogs, fallen ministers are tail-tucking dogs of a lost family, and those royal relatives are dogs with no bloodline left. Although the emperor is called the king of all dogs, in reality, he's just a breed dog bearing the heavy responsibility of the clan. What kind of dog am I? That's right, I was born a wild dog. So what if I am a wild dog? Does that make me worse than other dogs? Wild dogs have sharper teeth, keener senses, and if you dare to mess with me, I might even have rabies—an incurable disease that can't be cured even after three thousand years. (Stage Play: Fu Sheng)