He Mingwu is the son of He Wenbo, the Director of the Imperial Clan Court. He performed as an opera singer at the Pear Garden. When he was a child, he tied four‑year‑old Chu You to a tree and used her as a target with his toy bow. Chu You kills him on the eighth day of the ninth month as revenge for that childhood cruelty. His death sets the story in motion.
