At the climax, Yan presides over a new trial of his only son and personally sentences him to death. When Yan sings the words "Let the trial begin," the high-pitched and desolate tone of the singing betrays both his righteously unyielding character and also the profound sadness of an old man losing his only son.
戲末，嚴尚書升堂問案，親自判定自己唯一的兒子死罪，劇中那一句「升堂」，唱得高亢淒愴，完全唱出他剛正的性格和老來喪子的悲痛。