On that night at the turn of autumn and winter, there was already quite a chill. Near the end of Hai Hour, the brothers Lai Zhen and Lai De carried two braziers up to the third-floor study, saying that the old mistress had sent instructions through Yinggu: since the young gentlemen meant to talk at length, they must not catch cold in the deepening night.
After the first debate on "Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know" ended, Xie Daoyun proposed a game of Go with Chen Caozhi. Xu Miao and Xie Xuan continued debating. Xu Miao excelled in his mastery of Confucian learning, while Xie Xuan had the deeper understanding of Xuanxue. They were evenly matched in debate, like chess players meeting worthy opponents. Without his elder sister Xie Daoyun there to overshadow him, Xie Xuan found the debate all the more exhilarating.
Chen Caozhi's study was a large suite, with an outer room for reading and calligraphy and an inner room for painting and Go, as well as a small couch for resting. Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun went into the inner room, and Xiao Chan directed Ran Sheng to bring one of the braziers inside and set it beside the small ebony table to warm them as they played.
Chen Caozhi said, "Sister Xiao Chan, go and rest. We need no attendance here. Xiao Sheng, you go downstairs to bed too."
Xiao Chan smiled. "It's so rarely this lively-it feels like New Year. I don't want to sleep either."
Ran Sheng also said he would not sleep. He wanted to cheer when Master Gu recited poetry later.
Chen Caozhi said, "No cheering on your own initiative. Do you want Master Gu to take you for the greatest kindred spirit of his life?"