The chapter opens with a flashback to the time when the three of them were slaves in the palace of the Ming Emperor. The three men are now separated from each other by a wall and separated by a moat. They are separated into three zones: Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C. The first two zones are inhabited by men, while the third zone is inhabited by women. In the first zone, men are allowed to move freely, while in the second and third zones, they are confined to a small number of cells. The third and fourth zones are occupied by women, and the fourth zone is occupied by men.