Ling'er asks her sister if she knows that her mother still lives. She says that she does, and that she knew all along that she was still alive. She tells her sister not to blame anyone for her mother's death, because her mother is a single woman who is alone in the city. She also tells her that she received a letter from the emperor's uncle, who passed away two days ago, and the uncle's absence tightened security in the capital, but it did not stop the students from taking the imperial exam. Ling-er says that he has been working on the porridge recipe for some time, but that the flavor is not improving. He asks her to find someone to try the porridge, but she says she is full now, and she can leave. She asks if she can find a job for her sister, but Ling-Rong says that her store is still very small, and it will be hard for her to survive.