The chapter opens with a conversation between Ching-luo and his servant, feng-xing lang, in which the servant confesses that he has abandoned his wife and child two times. He says that he wants to be with Ching-liu and his wife, and that he is ashamed of his behavior. He tells the servant that he wanted to save Ching-lan and Ching-lun tuan at once, but each time, he had an accident that delayed his rescue. He apologizes for his behavior, and promises to do so again. He then goes to his room to clean up his doghouse. The servant asks the servant to read the story to him, and the servant agrees. The chapter ends with a description of the winter, during which the Queen sits by the window doing needlework. The Queen consort is beautiful, but arrogant and proud. She is jealous of the King's father, who is married to another wife.