In this chapter, we learn that the emperor and his wife are hiding something important from the public. The emperor has forbidden his wife to make the famous "soup of longings," but she has managed to sell the dish at her stall in the city all year round, so the emperor must have instructed her to do so. In order to make sure that the banquet will please the emperor, the emperor's son-in-law, Prince Qi, has gone to the kitchens and personally supervised the preparation of the banquet's menu. The prince's love for the royal family is clear to everyone, and he hopes that the dinner will bring the emperor great satisfaction