At the Hour of the Dragon on the fifteenth, the full-moon day of the winter month, Chen Caozhi set out for Qiantang. Nearly a hundred members of the Lu household, including family, maids, servants, and attendants, left Jiankang on the same day. Lady Lu, Zhang Wenwan, was taking Lu Daofu, who had yet to reach his first birthday, back to Huating to honor their ancestors, and Lu Weiwei naturally accompanied them. Lu Zhan's wife, Lady Zhu, and his son Lu Daoyu were also returning to their old residence in Haiyu, Wu Commandery. Lu Daoyu was already betrothed to Gu Minzhi's daughter. Four of the Six Rites had been performed; only the wedding-date request and the groom's journey to receive his bride remained-
The day before, Chen Caozhi had gone separately to take his leave of Emperor Sima Yu and Grand Marshal Huan Wen. Both the emperor and Huan Wen had offered warm words of praise, wishing him a happy marriage and great achievements in the coming year. Chen Caozhi had also seen Su Qi off. Su Qi was returning to Su Family Fort in Pingyu for the New Year, and they had agreed to meet in Jingkou in the middle of the second spring month next year. For his service in suppressing Lu Song's rebellion, Su Qi had been appointed military registrar of Si Province, a ninth-rank post, and awarded money and silk. He could truly be said to be returning home in embroidered robes. When Chen Caozhi recruited the displaced people and clan retinues of the Two Huai Regions next year, Su Qi would have still greater scope to put his talents to use-
Ran Sheng naturally had to return to Qiantang as well, while Chen Shang remained in the capital. Early next year, Chen Shang's wife and children,