Genealogy Office Clerk Jia Bizhi had spent several months traveling thousands of li to grant estates and amend the registers for the Six Surnames' admission to the gentry register. By the time he returned to Jiankang, it was early in the seventh month. He kept thinking of the letter he had inadvertently seen in the thatched hut at the Qiantang Chen Clan's graveyard. He wanted to write to Xi Chao about it, but feared his conjecture might be mistaken. After all, he had seen only a private letter signed "Yingtai"; he still could not be certain whether this "Yingtai" was Xie Daoyun. Since the matter concerned the Chen Commandery Xie Clan, caution was best. Besides, it would be difficult to explain clearly in a letter. In the first month of next year, Xi Chao would come to Jiankang on Huan Wen's behalf for the New Year court assembly, and it would be better to speak with him then. In the meantime, he would see what new rumors spread about Chen Caozhi and Lu Na's daughter.
In response to the rumors that Chen Caozhi and Lu Weiwei had privately pledged themselves to each other, the Wu Commandery Lu Clan declared that these were lies spread by Chu Jian in his attempt to secure the governorship. Chu Jian had now been dismissed, and the court's newly appointed Governor of Wu Commandery and his assistant had taken office. Yet far from subsiding, the rumors spread ever more widely and grew ever more detailed. The people of Jiankang eagerly anticipated Chen Caozhi, who enjoyed the fine reputation of "Jiangzuo's Wei Jie." Stories about this handsome, versatile youth of unalloyed filial devotion circulated widely in Jiankang: Huan Yi giving him a flute, his calligraphy contest driving Chu Wenqian away in anger, his meeting with Xi