Mrs. Spring Fragrence brings up Mr. Spring Fragrences brother, who was detained in an American Jail after visiting the country. She writes to him saying that this is not something that he should allow to bother him or speak negatievly of rather he should be happy that he is protected under "The Wing of the Eagle" referring to the American Governement. She says that there is no cost that could compare to knowing that their loved ones are safe. This could relate to the rebellions, wars, and governemtn collapse occuring in China during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, making China less safe to live.

By bringing this up Mrs.Spring Fragrence draws attention to economic injustices that Chinese Americans would face at the time. It points out how due to their Chinese heritage they are forced to pay significantly more than an American patron would. We know that during this time period there was an influx of Chinese immigrants to the United States. Mrs. Spring Fragrence says at the beginning, beg of you to forget to remember" bringing up that dispite this blatent injustice she is grateful and wishes him to ignore this.

This quote expresses concerns surround the traditional gender roles and family values at the time. The term "Mulberry roofs" is used to symbolize the authority of the husband as the head of the household in Chinese culture. The term "becoming butterflies" conveys the idea of freedom, and along with the rest of the sentence conveys that without the husbands authority, women woudl be free to flutter around without any sense of responsibility or loyalty towards their familites. By saying this, Tsen Hing suggests that women and given too much freedom and independence, a thought that doesn't concern Mr. Spring Fragrence at the time but affects him later.