On an afternoon of torrential rain, a slight chill hung in the air, even for July in Linxia.
Thick, dark clouds obscured the sun. As lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, gusts of wind blew in from all directions.
They scattered fallen leaves across the grounds of the Spring Lotus Garden.
There were bamboo leaves, willow leaves, and even petals from freshly bloomed flowers torn from their bushes.
In weather like this, Chen Yi certainly wasn't about to stay in the drafty, open-sided pavilion drinking tea.
Instead, he was in his study, having set up a Go board with Xiao Wuge.
One was teaching, the other learning.
The black and white stones were laid out on the board and then gathered up again; not a single game was played to completion.
Xiao Wuge was still a beginner. Though he was a quick study, he had mastered too few standard openings and patterns to sustain a full game.
Chen Yi, however, was in no hurry.
