Stopping Clouds

Chen Caozhi rested the two long-tipped mixed-hair brushes on the inkstone, interlaced his fingers, and looked at his calligraphy. He felt he had improved in both scripts and was quite gratified.

Regular Mounted Attendant Quan Li had been absorbed in Chen Caozhi's distinctive running and regular scripts. Only now did he notice that what Chen Caozhi had written in the two scripts was a four-character poem modeled on the Book of Songs. Quan Li was widely read, yet he did not know its source. He chanted it in the Luoyang accent of the Jin Dynasty's official speech:

"Thick and heavy, the lingering clouds; misty and fine, the timely rain. All eight horizons shared one gloom; the level roads were blocked.

Quietly I lodged by the eastern porch, alone with my spring-brewed wine. Dear friends were far, far away; I scratched my head and stood long waiting.

The lingering clouds were thick and heavy; the timely rain was misty and fine. All eight horizons shared one gloom; the level land became a river.

Wine there was, wine there was; idly I drank by the eastern window. My thoughts yearned for someone, but neither boat nor carriage could reach them.

The trees in the eastern garden put forth flourishing branches once again. With all their fresh loveliness, they beckoned to my feelings.

People, too, had a saying: the sun and moon marched on. How might we draw our mats together and speak of all our lives?

Lightly flew the birds, from the branches in my courtyard; folding their wings, they rested at ease, answering one another with sweet calls.

Were there no others? Yet truly, my thoughts of you were many. My wish could not be fulfilled-what could I do with this regret I held?"

When he finished, he praised it. "Metaphor, evocation, and recurring refrains; sorrow without resentment. Truly a worthy successor to Airs of the States. A fine poem! A fine poem!" Then he asked, "My young friend Caozhi, what is this poem called? Who composed it?" Before Chen Caozhi could answer, he waved his deer-tail whisk and burst into ringing laughter. "I suppose my young friend Caozhi will say again, 'When you eat an egg and find it delicious, must you ask which hen laid it?' Haha, what a marvelous remark!"

Ding Yi and Chu Wenqian exchanged bewildered looks. Neither understood what Quan Li meant. Eggs and hens-utterly inexplicable. But one thing was clear: Quan Li admired Chen Caozhi greatly, actually disregarding distinctions of rank to call him his young friend. This truly astonished Ding Yi and Chu Wenqian.

Chen Caozhi bowed. "When an elder asks a question, how could this junior dare not answer? This poem is called 'Stopping Clouds.' It entrusts its longing to friends, but truly mourns departed kin."

Quan Li shook his head in endless admiration and ordered an attendant to put away Chen Caozhi's calligraphy, which he intended to take with him. Then he smiled at Chu Wenqian. "With such a young brother-in-law, the lady of the Ding Clan will be no easy bride for you to win, Master Chu! Haha! Brother Ding, I take my leave." Without waiting for his host to see him off, he strode out of the hall. Servants of the Quan Clan were waiting beneath the covered walkway.

Chu Wenqian's face was filled with shame. Although Attendant Quan had not explicitly said that Chen Caozhi's calligraphy surpassed his, his attitude spoke for itself. That final remark about her being "no easy bride to win," in particular, left him wishing for a crack in the ground to hide in. With a stiff face whose dark complexion powder could scarcely conceal, he took his leave of Ding Yi and hurried away, never mentioning his marriage proposal again.

Ding Yi still had not quite recovered his senses. He had forgotten to see either distinguished guest out. Turning to look around, he found that apart from a few attendants, only he and Chen Caozhi remained in the main hall, with its bright windows and spotless tables.

Chen Caozhi was about to rise and return to the little courtyard when Ding Youwei's voice came from behind the exquisitely carved bamboo screen on the left side of the hall. "Brother-in-law, come over here."

Chen Caozhi lifted the screen and went straight in. He saw his sister-in-law Ding Youwei sitting across a table from her aunt Wu, with Rain Swallow and A Xiu standing in attendance beside them. His sister-in-law had removed her veiled hat. Her eyes shone like stars, brimming with inexpressible joy.

Wu, however, was bewildered. All she had seen was Chen Caozhi and Chu Wenqian competing in calligraphy, and there did not seem to have been a clear winner. Why had Chu Wenqian taken his leave? Was he no longer going to marry Youwei?

Wu rose, intending to go out and ask exactly what had happened. Just as she lifted the bamboo screen, she saw that their distinguished guest, Attendant Quan, had returned. She quickly withdrew, then heard Ding Yi call, "Caozhi, Attendant Quan has something to ask you."

Chen Caozhi returned to the hall and saw the easy, unrestrained Quan Zijing smiling as he took a roll of paper from an attendant beside him. Handing it to Chen Caozhi, he said, "Lately, I have grown feeble and forgetful. The man who gave you the flute by the river yesterday asked me to deliver this. It records all manner of secret methods for caring for the Keting Flute. Strange, though-how did he know I would certainly meet you again? My young friend Caozhi, that Keting Flute has no equal in this world. You must treasure it well."

"What? The Keting Flute?" Ding Yi exclaimed in astonishment. "The Keting Flute is the cherished possession of Huan Yi, Military Aide Huan. How did he come to give it to Chen Caozhi?"

Huan Yi, courtesy name Shuxia and childhood names Yewang and Ziye, hailed originally from Zhi County in Qiao Commandery. He was the son of the renowned general Huan Xuan and a distant relative of Huan Wen's family of Longkang in Qiao Commandery. He currently served as a military aide at Huan Wen's Military Headquarters. Celebrated for his elegance and refinement, he excelled in music, bringing out every subtlety of a melody, and was acclaimed as First in Jiangzuo.

Quan Li smiled. "Who but Huan Yewang could possess such magnanimous grace? Yet after giving away the flute, he was distracted, as though he had lost something, reluctant to part with it and unable to forget his attachment. So he asked me to seek you out on his behalf, hoping that you would cherish this flute."

Chen Caozhi thought, It really is the Keting Flute. The man who gave me the flute yesterday was actually the renowned Huan Yi. Huan Yi was a famous gentleman of the Eastern Jin. One passage in A New Account of Tales of the World says: 'Whenever Huan Ziye heard clear, beautiful singing, he would cry, "What can I do!" When Lord Xie heard of this, he said, "Ziye may truly be called a man of wholehearted, deep feeling." Such refined depth in a man of elegance-how it makes one yearn for him. He immediately said, "A gentleman does not deprive another of what he treasures. Sorry for the trouble, Attendant Quan, but please take this flute back to Military Aide Huan."

Quan Li laughed heartily. "Absurd! If you did that, would Huan Yewang not become a laughingstock? Half a lifetime's reputation for elegance would be ruined! Ah, there is something else. I nearly forgot again-" He rubbed his forehead and continued, "Write down the scores of the two pieces you played yesterday. Huan Yewang dearly loves those pieces, but having heard them only once, he could not remember them in full."

Chen Caozhi said, "Allow me to write out the scores carefully. Would it be all right if I gave them to you tomorrow, Attendant Quan?"

Quan Li said, "Good. I shall send someone here to collect them tomorrow." Turning to the attendant beside him, he added, "Remind me tomorrow morning, lest I forget again."

"Yes," the attendant replied.

After seeing Quan Li off, Ding Yi returned to the main hall, where Wu was waiting for him. She asked what exactly had happened. Had Youwei's marriage fallen through?

Wearing a black gauze cap, Ding Yi stroked his white beard, shook his head, and smiled wryly. "Did you not hear what Attendant Quan said? With such a young brother-in-law, who would dare marry the lady of the Ding Clan?"

Wu said indignantly, "Youwei ceased to belong to the Qiantang Chen Clan long ago. If you had not been so tolerant, husband, allowing that uncle and nephew of the Chen Clan to visit once a year, how could Chen Caozhi ever have crossed the threshold of our Ding Clan? Yet he actually interferes in Youwei's marriage! What business is it of his Chen Clan?"

This time, Ding Yi was not particularly angry. "It is Youwei herself who does not wish to marry, so she pushed her young brother-in-law forward to fend us off. I never expected Chen Caozhi to possess some talent. Even Military Aide Huan and Attendant Quan esteem him. From the look of things, this Chen Caozhi's prospects should be no worse than those of his elder brother, Chen Qingzhi."

Wu said, "Even if Chen Qingzhi had not died young, could someone of his humble family background have risen to a high rank and prominent office? In my view, however talented this Chen Caozhi may be, his prospects amount to no more than a low-ranking, lowly official's post. Here in Qiantang, he could never be mentioned in the same breath as our Ding Clan."

Still stroking his beard and shaking his head, Ding Yi said, "Let it be. Youwei adamantly refuses to marry, and as her uncle, I cannot very well force her. It would sound bad if word spread. After all, a woman remaining faithful to her late husband is a virtue. Let it be. Let her have her way-"

"Ah!" Wu's eyes widened. "Husband, you mean to let Youwei return to Chen Family Cove?"

Ding Yi laughed despite himself. "How could that be reasonable? I will not be as muddleheaded as my late elder brother. Having brought a daughter of the Ding Clan home, how could we let her return to a humble household? Would our Qiantang Ding Clan not become a laughingstock?" He took a breath, then continued, "I mean that if Youwei wishes to remain faithful to her late husband, let her. Stop asking people everywhere to arrange a marriage for her. Ah, this proposal has come to nothing, and Chu Wenqian feels he has suffered a great loss of face. I only hope the Chu Clan will not vent its anger on our Ding Clan. Discord between gentry clans, especially within the same county, is never a good thing."

Wu said, "If Chu Wenqian hates anyone, it will only be Chen Caozhi. He cannot blame our Ding Clan."

Ding Yi stroked his beard in silence, thinking, The Qiantang Gentry have always looked coldly upon our Ding Clan's marriage alliance with the humble Chen Clan and laughed behind our backs. Now this is good: Attendant Quan, the leader of this county's gentry, has seen it too. Youwei's marriage to Chen Qingzhi back then was not entirely due to my late brother's muddleheadedness. Though the Chen sons come from humble stock, their virtue and talent are still worthy of praise. Does Attendant Quan not also appreciate Chen Caozhi's talent? Once word of today's events spreads, it may well benefit our Ding Clan's steadily declining reputation.

A new week is about to begin. To make a push for the new-book rankings, I ask you readers for recommendation votes. I write very slowly; all I can offer you is unflagging persistence and the qualities of Cold Scholar, with a clear conscience. Please help push Cold Scholar up the rankings. Thank you very much!