This scene opens with a soliloquy by the master of the rose court, jiu-tao. He tells ruth that he has planted some flowers in his garden and that he will take one of them and give it as a gift to ruth. . He says that he spent so much time and energy cultivating the flowers that he does not need his permission for what he wants, even if he is the owner of the place. He asks ruth why he had to have the flower, and ruth replies that he had no idea what the flower meant. He then says that the flower began to sprout, and he will cut off the one that will bloom next year, and then he will give it to the master. He will then destroy the place and burn it to ashes.