Corrected entry: Zeng the duck is sent away to Chorh-Gom prison by Shifu before Shifu and Oogway discuss the dragon scroll and the dragon warrior. While the selection ceremony is underway at the Jade Palace, Commander Vachir is touring Zeng around the prison far away. Neither Commander Vachir nor Zeng knew about the decision to select a dragon warrior, but Vachir says to Tai Lung, "Hey, tough guy! Did you hear? Oogway is about to give someone the Dragon Scroll, and it's not gonna be you." While we as viewers know about the scroll (dramatic irony), none of the characters in the prison scenes knew about the dragon warrior selection, and could not have told Tai Lung. Without this revelation, Tai Lung has no motivation to escape. (00:06:45 - 00:18:20)
Jim Erekson
17th Feb 2014
Correction: It is true that Zeng the duck flew away before Shifu and Oogway could discuss the dragon scroll, but he arrived at the prison bearing a letter from Shifu. Given the ample time between the two occasions, both in real-world time and film time, it is plausible to assume Zeng didn't fly to prison directly. Instead, he stayed long enough to receive Shifu's letter, perhaps blundering about in the same style that we briefly saw at 06:57.
FleetCommand