Balsam and Wood Sorrel Lakan is challenged by Maomao to a game of Chinese chess, with her living with him should he win, much to Jinshi's shock; but him buying out an aging courtesan from the Rokushoukan should he lose. A stipulation that the winner takes one of the cups of hard liquor spiked with a drug that turns into poison after three sips and lets the loser drink its contents is added, with abandonment being considered as a defeat. Maomao lost twice in a row, meaning she could have drunk two of the three poisoned cups; but won on the third, which Jinshi thinks was Lakan losing on purpose...