Wang Gou'er, a distant relative connected by lineage to Wang Xifeng, made his living through farming. The Wang family's ancestors had once been imperial officials in the capital, but their family fortunes had since declined. Feeling discontented, Wang Gou'er moped at home.

His mother-in-law, Granny Liu, admonished him for his inability to manage their livelihood. Suddenly, she remembered their distant relative, Wang Xifeng, who was the wife of the second master Jia of Rongguo Mansion. Granny Liu had heard that Wang Xifeng was known for her great compassion towards the poor and the elderly, and suggested they might as well seek her help.