In 1241, Kublai Khan meets Haiyun, a leading Buddhist monk in North China, in Karakorum, the Mongol capital city. Haiyun becomes his advisor and even names Kublai's son, Zhenjin. Later, Kublai is introduced to Liu Bingzhong, a former Taoist turned Buddhist monk, who becomes his advisor when Haiyun returns to his temple. Another Chinese scholar named Zhao Bi also joins as an advisor, influencing Kublai's life significantly.