The narrator hears that the prince, who is seriously ill, has left a problem to solve before he dies. The rich are sure to give generous rewards to those who can solve the problem. The narrator wakes up to find that his head hurts and that his two friends look like beggars. He asks if the dynasty has perished, and they reply that although they are beggars they must live "with ambition". The narrator tells the two friends that if they can solve their problem, they will receive a reward of ten taels. He then asks if anyone has the answer to his question. The two friends reply that they have seen all of the answers, and that they are fine. They then ask if the man is crazy, and he replies that he is. They are surprised to find out that the man they thought was crazy is actually the narrator.