When the Hun forces invaded China under Shan Yu's command, men and their sons began to be conscripted. However, the Fa Zhou family had no sons—only a daughter, Fa Mulan. After a quarrel with her father, Mulan fled her home on horseback, dressed as a boy, and enlisted in the Chinese army, which was under Li Shang's command.

Li Shang was a demanding leader, training the sons of the men sent to him, preparing them for battle. The counsel sent by the Emperor, Chi Fu, wrote down on his small tablet how Li Shang's command was going and how the men were behaving.