At the start of the second chapter, Genji is 17. His father, the Emperor, officially made Genji a commoner as a child, in order to ensure his favorite son would have the success he could not have had as a low-ranking royal. By Chapter 2, Genji is now a captain in the Palace Guards.

During a rainy season of seclusion (monoimi, indoors to avoid evil influences), Genji is spending time with his brother-in-law and close friend To no Chujo, who is also a captain. While discussing their romantic exploits and letters from women, To no Chujo expounds on how hard it is to choose an ideal woman, and that high-born women are ultimately most disappointing than the more predictable, reliable women of middle-rank birth. However, despite Genji’s own low-ranking origins from Lady Kiritsubo, To no Chujo makes clear he would never even consider women of low birth-rank.

Two other men, Chief Left Equerry and the Fujiwara Aide of Ceremonial, arrive into the seclusion as well. As they join the conversation. Chief Left Equerry leads most of the discussion. He states how high-born status is not an intrinsic marker of an ideal wife, and that an undiscovered woman out of high society is more desirable.