Having arrived at Huế on July 3, 1885, de Courcy summoned the princes and high mandarins of the royal court to his residence for a discussion on the presentation of his credentials to the Emperor. During the discussion, he demanded that the central gate was to be opened and that the Emperor would have to come down from his throne to greet him. de Courcy also commented on Thuyết's absence from the meeting and suggested that this was due to Thuyết's planning an attack on him. After being told that Thuyết was sick, de Courcy's response was that he should have attended the meeting regardless and threatened to arrest him.