In this chapter, Pan'er is introduced to the ingredients of the soup that he is to prepare for the upcoming banquet at the palace. He is instructed to finely mince some chicken breast and to take one quarter of a tael of the huichun algae, a type of seaweed that grows on land and is sold as dried broth. He explains that he has always wanted to taste the soup's original flavour, and he is eager to test his highness's ability to do so.