Chapters 16-18 Summary

In Chapter 16, Chueh-hui overhears Ming-fung talking with another household servant. The New Year's festivities are still going on, but Cheuh-hui has been feeling depressed and lonely. He hears the two girls discussing what will happen if one of them is chosen to be a concubine. The other girl, Wan-erh, is afraid that she will be chosen to be a concubine because she knows that Master Kao's friend Feng is looking for a concubine and Master Kao had agreed that one of his servants would be the concubine.

Ming-feng is as terrified as Wan-erh at being the chosen one. After Wan-erh walks out of the room, Cheuh-hui knocks on the window to get Ming-feng's attention. He says that he overheard her conversation, and she fills in the details, even though she is embarrassed that he was listening. Cheuh-hui feels defeated by this...