On the afternoon of the eleventh day of the fourth month, Xie Daoyun arrived at the Gu Residence in a silk headscarf and short robe, accompanied by two attendants, to call on Chen Caozhi. She brought a rather heavy brocade box and set it on the desk. Without saying what was inside, she first produced a scroll of writing and handed it to Chen Caozhi. "Zizhong, my memory may have failed me in places. See whether I left anything out."
Chen Caozhi opened it and found a record of his debate with Xie Daoyun at the Fragrant Accumulation Courtyard of Waguansi two days earlier, some six thousand words in all. After reading it carefully, he found not a single omission and praised her. "Brother Yingtai, you truly have the gift of remembering everything you see. I should have been the loser of that day's debate."
Xie Daoyun gazed into Chen Caozhi's eyes and said slowly, "Zizhong, your explanation of 'reversal is the movement of the Dao' in New Meanings of the Dao De Jing was exceptionally insightful. Was the outcome of our debate two days ago something you deftly guided into being, or did you let it follow its natural course?"
Chen Caozhi smiled. "Brother Yingtai, are you someone who lets others lead you by the nose?"
Chen Caozhi's phrasing was rather vulgar, but Xie Daoyun showed no displeasure. She said, "Two arguments that could not originally stand together ultimately reached the same destination by different roads-" Suddenly, her expression froze. Whatever had occurred to her, she turned to look out the window. Outside stood a wisteria trellis, its stems and vines winding and twisting upward, its flowers profuse and leaves sparse. Strings of pale purple blossoms resembled purple butterflies linked together, the trailing vines swaying gracefully.
Chen Caozhi watched