Chang sent Koong-se a love poem in a shell which floated into the streams of the Pagoda garden. She replied, adding sails to shell and sending back down the stream.

They did not communicate again until the wedding night on which was held a grand banquet. All the guests became very drunk and Chang, borrowing the robes of a servant passed through the guests unseen and came to Koong-se's room. They embraced and vowed to run away together.

They were spotted escaping and the Mandarin, the Duke, and the guests gave chase across the bridge. The couple escaped on a little boat which was carried by the tide.