The cargo boat crossed a calm stretch of water, its deck moving in a slow rise and fall. Yan sat near the mast with the Soul-Lantern manuscript open on his knees. He had a prepared relay lantern tied at the bow and a second at the far rail.
He completed a full division, drawing two projections from the central thread. One held at the bow. The other traveled to the relay lamp on Mei Qiao’s boat. He let the views settle before shifting his attention between them.
The first held position cleanly. The second view arrived through the lamp in a ripple, then cleared as the attendant turned its shade. Yan could distinguish the other deck’s ropes and the pale case at the stern.
“Can you tell whether the lamp is being turned toward us or away?” Han asked.
Yan followed the angle and reported the shade’s movement. Mei Qiao’s boat had turned slightly to keep the current on its left side. Han compared the view with her chart and confirmed the course.
Qinghe asked him to exchange which projection watched the bow and which watched the other boat. He drew both back, then formed them again with the positions reversed. The division remained smooth. The task gave him a fresh set of clear views without strain.
