As Qingming approached, fine rain fell in drifting showers. Beneath the north window of the west wing, Chen Caozhi was copying the Thirteen Chapters on the Principles of Weiqi. Xie Daoyun had returned the scroll yesterday morning, when Chen Caozhi had been summoned to the palace. She had given it to Chen Shang and left, also asking him to pass along a Treatise on Free and Easy Wandering she had recently written.
Yesterday at noon, Chen Caozhi had returned to the Gu Residence and just finished his meal when Fan Ning came to visit. Delighted to see the Thirteen Chapters on the Principles of Weiqi on his desk, Fan Ning wanted to borrow it and copy it overnight. He was returning to Wu County the day after tomorrow and could take it back for his father, Fan Wang, to read.
Chen Caozhi said, "I cannot accompany you to pay my respects to Uncle Fan this time, Brother Wuzi. Let me make another copy of these Thirteen Chapters on the Principles of Weiqi for you to present to him as a token of my respect."
Fan Ning knew that Chen Caozhi had promised the finished copy of the Thirteen Chapters on the Principles of Weiqi to General of the Guards Jiang Sixuan. He nodded. "Good. I shall come for it tomorrow evening."
Outside the window, spring rain fell unceasingly; inside, all was peaceful and warm. Xiao Chan gently set a cup of clear tea on the small rosewood table. Its fragrance curled upward and dispersed-
Chen Caozhi lifted the cup and took two sips. He smiled faintly at Xiao Chan, seated beside him in attendance, then returned his attention to copying. He greatly enjoyed this feeling of writing: a Zhang Zhi brush, Zuo Bo paper, Wei Dan Ink, the fine, soft