This chapter opens with a knock at the door. It's Li-chen, and he wants to know what's going on. He tells the boy that he's the one who stole the slate, and the boy needs to return it back to him. He's not going to tell the chancellor that the grand stole it, because he doesn't want to hurt the chancellor's feelings. He says he'll tell the grand chancellor what he wants, even if it means that the chancellor will be killed. He also says that if the chancellor wants the slate back, he should ask the boy to trade it for the soul jade that he was supposed to get for the slate. The boy agrees, and they part ways.