At the summit, Duke He leaned against the railing, his body pitched far forward, as though trying to see more clearly what was happening inside the pavilion.
The official grew worried at the sight and hurried forward to support him, only to see his face filled with shock and disbelief.
It seemed the game had been decided, but who had won?
In the Three Pure Ones Temple, the Zen Child stood before the threshold, looking at the mountains made fresh by the rain, a gratified smile on his face.
Behind him, the Daoist had finished laying out the game, except that he had not clearly seen where the final stone had been placed.
The atmosphere in the imperial palace was somewhat tense. The eunuchs were making their final checks of the imperial carriage.
Flying from the palace to Chessboard Mountain would not take long, but preparing for an imperial journey was too troublesome.
More troublesome still, the estuary downstream on the Turbid River had suddenly collapsed last night. His Majesty had convened an emergency court session, delaying them considerably.
The hall doors opened. Before the prime minister and the minister of works, urgently summoned to the palace, had emerged, a flash of bright yellow passed before everyone's eyes.
The imperial carriage, hovering motionless half a foot above the ground, sank slightly. Knowing His Majesty was seated, the eunuchs breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to depart.
As they recalled, games between masters of the Way of Go always took a great deal of time. They should still make it if they headed to Chessboard Mountain now.
Suddenly, there was a stir at the distant palace gate. A eunuch ran over with wisps of smoke at his feet, knelt before the imperial carriage, and spoke a