Chapter Summaries

Chen Caozhi learned that Consort Yu would be installed as empress and discussed the political implications with Xi Chao. He planned to leave for Gushu the next day, while Xi Chao urged him to look after Clerk Zhu.

• Chen Caozhi saw palace preparations and learned from Sima Yu that Consort Yu would be installed as empress the day after tomorrow.
• Chen Caozhi visited Xi Chao, who said the emperor’s choice of Consort Yu seemed aimed at Duke Huan because of her ties to the Yu brothers.
• Xi Chao asked when Chen Caozhi would leave for Gushu, and Chen Caozhi said he would set out the next day.
• Xi Chao said he could not see Chen Caozhi off and asked him to take care of Clerk Zhu and keep Hao Long from looking down on him.

Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun traveled toward the Western Headquarters and shared a quiet afternoon discussing his tea business, ambitions, and hoped-for marriage to Lu Weiwei. Xie Daoyun encouraged him, while Chen Caozhi remained unsure whether her concern was only that of a friend.

• Chen Caozhi departed for the Western Headquarters with Xie Daoyun, receiving gifts from Banli and Duan Chu and promising to try to return for Lu Weiwei’s birthday.
• Duan Chu watched Zhu Yingtai climb into the carriage and found the sight unexpectedly alluring, though she could not explain why it felt strange.
• At the Old Sheng Inn, Ran Sheng joined Chen Caozhi in abstaining from meat for three months and ordered the soldiers to do the same.
• Xie Daoyun invited Chen Caozhi to drink tea in the shaded garden, praised the Chen family’s tea, and predicted that demand would outgrow its expanding production.
• Xie Daoyun asked about Chen Caozhi’s plans with Lu Weiwei, and he said he had asked her to wait three years while he worked to earn their marriage.
• Xie Daoyun said the elder Minister Lu was the main obstacle, encouraged Chen Caozhi, and wished him success.

Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun reached Gushu, where Xie Daoyun posed as Zhu Yingtai and prepared to join the Western Headquarters. Huan Wen welcomed them and praised her talent, leaving her first meeting with him successfully underway.

• Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun finished reviewing the memorials and proposals, then discussed how she could avoid arousing suspicion at the Western Headquarters.
• Xie Daoyun disguised her hands with Yulian Decoction and considered learning to ride, while Chen Caozhi advised that not riding could keep her from being sent to the battlefield.
• Chen Caozhi, Xie Daoyun, and Xie Xuan arrived at Gushu, where Wang Tanzhi welcomed them on Huan Wen's behalf.
• Huan Wen scrutinized Xie Daoyun, whom he believed to be Zhu Yingtai, then welcomed her and praised her Three Strategies for Restoration.
• Xie Daoyun explained that illness had kept her from answering Huan Wen's earlier summons and said she was fortunate to serve at the Western Headquarters.

At Huan Wen’s banquet, Chen Caozhi observed mourning customs for Ge Zhichuan, and Huan Wen arranged vegetarian food for him. When Hao Long declined to put Zhu Yingtai through the customary three challenges, Zhu Yingtai challenged the change, leaving the officials eager to see what would happen.

• Huan Wen and the Western Headquarters officials admired Zhu Yingtai’s Luoyang Standard Pronunciation.
• Huan Wen learned that Chen Caozhi was mourning Ge Zhichuan and ordered vegetarian dishes for him.
• Hao Long drank wine without challenging Zhu Yingtai, saying customary practices could be changed.
• Zhu Yingtai said he had intended to observe the custom and asked what he should do now.
• The officials realized Zhu Yingtai was challenging Hao Long.

Xie Daoyun bested Hao Long in a challenge at Huan Wen’s banquet, then joined Chen Caozhi and Xie Xuan in discussing government reforms with Huan Wen. She settled into a residence next door to Chen Caozhi’s, and the chapter ended with him listening to her play the qin.

• Xie Daoyun guessed that Hao Long’s obscure phrase meant fish, embarrassing him and prompting him to leave the banquet.
• Chen Caozhi presented Huan Wen with proposals for merging offices, reducing posts, and conducting the Great Tuduan, and Huan Wen assigned officials to carry out the reforms.
• Huan Wen considered the political implications of Chen Caozhi’s relationship with Xie Daoyun and Lu Weiwei.
• Xie Daoyun moved into the residence beside Chen Caozhi’s and joined him and Xie Xuan for a vegetarian supper.
• Chen Caozhi told Xiao Chan and Lai De about plans to bring his family to Gushu, then listened quietly as Xie Daoyun played the qin next door.

Xie Daoyun joined Huan Wen’s headquarters, where Chen Caozhi won Huan Wen’s confidence while resisting an improper invitation to enter Li Jingshu’s quarters. The officials then finalized plans for the Great Tuduan, and Huan Wen agreed to support Xie An’s promotion to Chief Censor.

• Xie Daoyun declined Huan Wen’s nighttime summons, and Chen Caozhi and Xie Xuan reassured her that she could meet him later under the pretext of official business.
• Chen Caozhi refused to enter Li Jingshu’s quarters at night and rebuked Huan Wen’s suggestion that he imitate Ruan Ji; Huan Wen apologized and welcomed Chen as a trusted confidant.
• Chen Caozhi taught Li Jingshu to play the recorder and gave her a difficult piece to practice, while Li Jingshu secretly considered using leverage over him against Huan Wen.
• Xie Daoyun visited Huan Wen the next day, explained the Three Strategies for Restoration with learning and insight, and impressed him with her talent.
• Huan Wen, Xie Daoyun, Xie Xuan, Chen Caozhi, and Wang Tanzhi arranged the Great Tuduan, including a household census, administrative changes, and strict penalties for concealed households.
• Huan Wen agreed to stop obstructing Xie An’s return to court, paving the way for Xie An’s promotion to Chief Censor.

During the Qixi Festival, Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun spent the day with Xie Xuan at Gushu Creek, where Xie Daoyun glimpsed Chen swimming and heard someone play his flute tune. That night, Xie Daoyun overheard Xiao Chan praying that Chen and the Lu Clan’s young lady would marry, and learned how deeply Xiao Chan wished to remain by Chen’s side.

• Huan Wen finalized the Gengxu System, and Chen Caozhi, Xie Daoyun, and Xie Xuan planned to return to Jiankang before taking part in the Great Tuduan.
• Chen Caozhi urged that the Tuduan be used to distribute public-health guidance and improve drainage and irrigation, while Xie Daoyun praised his foresight.
• Chen Caozhi, Xie Daoyun, Xie Xuan, and Ran Sheng rode to Gushu Creek, where Ran Sheng threw a tavern tout into the water to drive off the crowd surrounding them.
• Xie Daoyun walked beside the creek, saw Chen Caozhi swimming, and later heard someone across the water play his Red Bean Song.
• On Qixi, Xiao Chan prayed for Qingzhi and her child and wished that Chen Caozhi and the Lu Clan’s young lady would marry, while admitting she wanted to stay by Chen’s side.
• Xie Daoyun overheard Xiao Chan’s prayer from the neighboring courtyard and was moved by her devotion.

Xie Daoyun avoided the Weaver Girl rites while Chen Caozhi helped Xiao Chan clear away the offerings. She returned to her room alone beneath the moon.

• Xiao Chan finished paying her respects, and Chen Caozhi offered to help her carry the table and fruit back.
• Chen Caozhi and Xiao Chan cleared the table and platters, then the area fell silent.
• Yinfeng urged Xie Daoyun to pray for skill, but Xie Daoyun said she had not performed the rites for three years and told the maids to go without her.
• Xie Daoyun walked back to her room alone, unable to escape her shadow.

At the Ghost Festival, Chen Caozhi watched Huan Wen question Du Zigong about his future rank, then floated lotus lanterns for his deceased family while remembering them with Xie Daoyun and Xie Xuan. The evening ended with Li Jingshu passing them in white robes, singing an elegy and scattering paper money.

• Huan Wen hosted the Baizhu Dance after the Ghost Festival rites and asked Du Zigong how high his rank and emoluments would rise; Du Zigong replied that he had reached the summit of a subject’s station.
• Chen Caozhi copied the Ullambana Sutra and prepared lotus lanterns to honor his late mother and family.
• Xie Xuan told Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun that Master Yishao had died, and they reflected on grief, memory, and the full moon.
• Chen Caozhi recited the sutra, floated three lotus lanterns down Gushu Creek, and played his mother’s favorite tunes as Xie Daoyun listened with tears in her eyes.
• Li Jingshu approached in white, singing the Seven Sorrows Poem and scattering paper money as she passed Chen Caozhi and the others.

Chen Caozhi faced Lu Shi’s opposition to his appointment to the Tuduan Bureau, while Huan Wen backed him and prepared to use Lu Shi’s obstruction against him. As Chen waited to leave for Jiankang, Huan Wen sent him to welcome the Princess of Nankang, whose party also included the Princess of Xin'an.

• The court ordered land registration reviews across six provinces and assigned Chen Caozhi and Xie Xuan roles in the Tuduan Bureau.
• Lu Shi opposed Chen Caozhi’s appointment, so Huan Wen recommended him to Sima Yu and Xi Chao as Xie Xuan and Xie Daoyun departed for Jiankang.
• Xie Daoyun told Xie Xuan that they should help Chen Caozhi marry Wei Rui, then asked him to teach her to ride.
• Chen Caozhi told Ran Sheng that Lu Shi could not stop his marriage or his career, and he waited in Gushu for word from the capital.
• Huan Wen summoned Chen Caozhi to welcome the Princess of Nankang, and Li Jingshu asked him to teach her the vertical flute before he left for Jiankang.
• Huan Shiqian praised Ran Sheng’s military skills and said he could join him at Shouchun the following year; Chen Caozhi then learned that the Princess of Xin'an was also arriving.

Chen Caozhi encountered the Princess of Nankang’s family in Gushu, where Princess of Xin'an, Sima Daofu became infatuated with him and Li Jingshu began plotting to use her feelings against him. After Chen was appointed Left Inspector of the Tuduan Bureau, he departed for Jiankang with the princess’s party, while Li Jingshu’s talk of his love for Lu Weiwei and the Princess of Nankang’s plan to match him with her young daughter left Sima Daofu pale with jealousy.

• The Princess of Nankang brought Sima Daofu to Gushu to reunite with Huan Ji and seek help reconciling the unhappy couple, while Daofu privately longed for Chen Caozhi.
• At the river landing, Sima Daofu spotted Chen Caozhi and imagined he had come to welcome her; Li Jingshu noticed her infatuation and considered using it to manipulate Chen.
• Chen Caozhi taught Li Jingshu to play the recorder, then noticed Huan Xi waiting outside the hall as he left.
• Sima Yu appointed Chen Caozhi Left Inspector of the Tuduan Bureau, and Huan Wen ordered him to travel to Jiankang with the Princess of Nankang.
• Before departing, Chen Caozhi promised Lai De he could return to Chen Family Cove after the land registration review, then joined the party bound for Jiankang by water.
• Li Jingshu told the Princess of Nankang and Sima Daofu that Chen Caozhi loved Lu Weiwei, and the Princess of Nankang proposed asking him to marry her ten-year-old daughter, leaving Sima Daofu pale with jealousy.

Chen Caozhi and his companions stopped at Alligator Head Islet, where the Princess of Xin'an deliberately sought him out and was rescued after getting lost in a marsh. The next morning, the Princess of Nankang's ship arrived at White Egret Islet, where Sima Yu, Huan Mi, and Xi Chao welcomed her.

• Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng went ashore at Alligator Head Islet after Ran Sheng felt seasick.
• Li Jingshu led the Princess of Xin'an toward Chen Caozhi, then feigned an ankle injury and left the princess to continue alone with Yu'er.
• The Princess of Xin'an became lost in the dark reeds and sank into marsh mud, so Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng followed her cries and helped her back.
• The Princess of Xin'an asked whether Chen Caozhi would marry anyone besides the Lu Clan Lady, and he reaffirmed his vow and told her to remember her station.
• Li Jingshu returned to the ship with the Princess of Xin'an and resolved to use the princess's feelings to gain leverage over Chen Caozhi.
• The ship reached the White Egret Islet docks the next morning, where Sima Yu, Huan Mi, and Xi Chao welcomed the Princess of Nankang.

Chen Caozhi learned that Lu Weiwei had been forced to leave Jiankang for Wu Commandery and read the letter she sent him from the carriage. Overcome with grief and regret, he decided to ride after her and accompany her part of the way.

• Chen Caozhi greeted Sima Yu, Huan Mi, and Xi Chao, paid his respects to the Princess of Nankang, and went to the Gu Residence with Ran Sheng and Xiao Chan.
• Gu Kaizhi told Chen Caozhi that Lu Weiwei had left for Wu Commandery under her second uncle Lu Shi’s orders.
• Chen Caozhi learned that Lu Shu had escorted Lu Weiwei and that Wei Rui had sent him a letter through Zhang Tongyun.
• Chen Caozhi read Lu Weiwei’s letter asking him not to resent her second uncle and promising to wait for him, and he wept.
• Chen Caozhi ordered Xiao Sheng to saddle a horse so he could catch up with Wei Rui and accompany her part of the way.

Chen Caozhi rode through a storm to catch up with Lu Weiwei, finding comfort in a stone rubbing she had made at Yanling Jizi Temple. He reached her inn in Qu'a the next morning, where Lu Weiwei saw him and arranged to meet him by the river.

• Chen Caozhi left Jiankang with Ran Sheng to catch up with Lu Weiwei, declining Chen Shang's invitation to dine with the Prince of Kuaiji.
• After learning the Lu Clan convoy had left Jurong, Chen Caozhi rode on through a torrential storm and took shelter at Yanling Jizi Temple.
• Chen Caozhi learned that Lu Weiwei had made a rubbing of the temple's stele and kept it as a treasured reminder of her.
• Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng spent the night in a nearby village, then rode to Qu'a the following morning.
• Lu Weiwei woke from a dream of Chen Caozhi, heard him playing the flute below her window, and recognized him by the Nine-Bend River.
• Lu Weiwei told Lu Shu she wanted to walk alone and went to meet Chen Caozhi by the river.

Chen Caozhi reunited briefly with Lu Weiwei in Qu'a before returning to Jiankang, where the Prince of Kuaiji failed to persuade Lu Shi to accept their marriage. Chen then defended the Tuduan land-registration review to leaders of the Gu and Zhang clans, who warned that its strict enforcement threatened their interests.

• Lu Weiwei met Chen Caozhi aboard a riverboat, where they exchanged gifts, renewed their promise, and parted when her party had to continue its journey.
• Chen Caozhi returned to Jiankang and learned that Lu Shi had rejected the Prince of Kuaiji's attempt to help secure his marriage to Lu Weiwei.
• Chen Caozhi declined an offer to return to court the following year and asked Sima Yu to support the Tuduan land-registration review.
• Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping questioned Chen Caozhi about the Tuduan review, and he explained Huan Wen's penalties and the grace period for surrendering hidden households.
• Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping warned Chen Caozhi that surrendering the great clans' many hidden households would be difficult and could provoke unrest.

Chen Caozhi negotiated with Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping over the Gengxu Tuduan, gaining the Gu Clan’s promise not to obstruct it if northern and southern clans received equal treatment. At the Tuduan Bureau, he and Xie Daoyun uncovered a coordinated refusal by officials in sixteen counties to investigate local great clans, setting up the next confrontation.

• Chen Caozhi assured Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping that he would report the Three Wu’s circumstances to Huan Wen and support southern interests; Zhang left, and Gu urged him not to meddle in minor matters.
• Chen Caozhi argued that the threat from the northern states made rigorous land registration necessary, and Gu Minzhi agreed that the Gu Clan would not obstruct it if the clans were treated equally.
• Xi Chao proposed that Chen Caozhi marry Huan Wen’s ten-year-old daughter, but Chen reaffirmed his Three-Year Promise to Lu Weiwei and said he would remain unmarried if he could not marry her.
• Xi Chao sent Chen Caozhi to the Tuduan Bureau, where Lu Shi instructed the officials to review county submissions before returning to his own department.
• Chen Caozhi, Xie Xuan, Xie Daoyun, and the other bureau officials found that sixteen counties claimed local great clans prevented them from investigating hidden households; Jia Bizhi identified most of the county officials as members of Three Wu clans.
• Xie Daoyun indicated that she and Chen Caozhi had anticipated officials’ refusal to cooperate and had already prepared countermeasures authorized by Huan Wen.

Chen Caozhi and Xie Xuan worked with Xi Chao and the court to counter counties obstructing Tuduan, securing a revised protected-dependent system and a resignation directive. Lu Shi remained determined to resist the policy and block Chen Caozhi’s advancement, while Lu Na worried that his brother’s opposition would endanger their clan.

• Chen Caozhi, Xie Daoyun, and Liu Shangzhi discussed hidden households and teased Xie Daoyun about her feelings for Xie Xuan and Chen Caozhi’s pursuit of Wei Rui.
• Xie Xuan told Chen Caozhi that Lu Shi would press provincial registration offices to enforce Tuduan, and the two reported the stalled inspections to Xi Chao.
• Xi Chao, Xie Xuan, and Chen Caozhi proposed reprimanding the officials of sixteen counties, revising protected-household limits, and directing obstructive magistrates to resign.
• Sima Yu, Wang Shu, Wang Biaozhi, and Gao Song approved the revised system and directive after Xi Chao argued that they were needed to advance Tuduan.
• Lu Na warned Lu Shi that resisting Tuduan defied Huan Wen and was unwise, but Lu Shi defended his opposition and vowed to prevent Chen Caozhi from advancing or marrying into the Lu Clan.
• Lu Na reflected that he should speak with Chen Caozhi and wondered whether Chen had foreseen the Lu Clan’s decline within three years.

Chen Caozhi helped Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping consider accepting Huan Wen’s Tuduan reforms, then met Lu Na and learned how much Lu Weiwei missed him. The chapter ended with Shen Chiqian arriving to study under Chen Caozhi at his father Shen Jin’s request.

• Chen Caozhi told Gu Minzhi about the revised protected-retainer system and resignation edict, and he accompanied Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping to discuss Tuduan with the Lu family.
• Chen Caozhi calculated that the Wu Commandery Zhang Clan could lawfully retain 750 households, and Zhang Ping said he was willing to surrender the rest of his clan’s hidden households.
• Chen Caozhi visited Lu Na, discussed the reforms, and heard that Lu Weiwei was well after seeing him before returning to Huating.
• Lu Na’s wife, Zhang Wenwan, told Chen Caozhi that Lu Weiwei cherished memories of their outing and had painted scenes of New Pavilion.
• Chen Caozhi returned to the Gu Residence and met Shen Chiqian, who had come from Wuxing to become his student at Shen Jin’s command.

Chen Caozhi accepted Shen Chiqian as a disciple, won Gu Minzhi’s support for Tuduan, and discussed how to enforce the registration reforms with Xi Chao. The chapter left Chen realizing that Huan Wen intended to punish a member of the Sima Imperial Clan to establish authority.

• Chen Caozhi accepted Shen Chiqian as his disciple after hearing his earnest plea to study under him.
• Gu Minzhi agreed to support Tuduan, and Chen Caozhi learned that the Wuxing Shen clan had submitted thirteen hundred hidden households for registration.
• Chen Caozhi reassured Shen Chiqian that Shen Jin could hold Luoyang and promised to seek commendation for the Shen clan’s support of Tuduan.
• Chen Caozhi and Gu Kaizhi guided Empress Dowager Chu Suanzi, the Princess of Nankang, and their party through Waguansi’s murals.
• Xi Chao told Chen Caozhi that Huan Wen wanted to punish someone to enforce Tuduan, and Chen inferred that Huan Wen planned to make an example of a member of the Sima Imperial Clan.

Chen Caozhi welcomed Chen Chang and the goods from Chen Family Cove, then used gifts and trial sales to promote the clan’s products among Jiankang’s influential households. At the Xie Residence, he consulted Xie An about Tuduan policy and received advice on easing the transition for newly registered households.

• Chen Chang arrived at the Gu Residence with letters and goods from Chen Family Cove, including tea, dried fish, farming tools, and hemp cloth, hoping to find a Jiankang merchant to sell them.
• Chen Caozhi gave Gu Kaizhi tea and offered the Gu Clan Manor farming tools to test, explaining that the clan could supply more if they proved reliable.
• Chen Caozhi arranged gifts and samples for the Xie and Zhang residences, while Chen Shang explained to Chen Chang that promoting the goods could create future demand.
• Chen Caozhi visited Xie An to discuss Tuduan and learned that Xie An supported the policy but wanted measures to appease commoner clans and humble families.
• Xie Daoyun joined Chen Caozhi as he brewed Ge Xian Tea for Xie An, Xie Wan, and Xie Shi, and Xie An praised the tea.
• Xie An advised Chen Caozhi, Xie Daoyun, and Xie Xuan to exempt newly exposed hidden households from court corvée during their first year and employ them locally on waterworks.