Answer step defaults to low reasoning effort (issue #134)

Product chose A after the A/B: low cut answer-step reasoning tokens ~45%
and answer time 34s -> 22s with no quality loss. Unset now means "low";
CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT=off restores the pre-change request body,
and the old "unset keeps the body" guarantee moves to "off".

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # 印度占星 Skill 更新日志
 
+## 2026-10-29 — 咨询回答快约三分之一
+
+- 咨询里写回答那一步，模型的思考量默认改为「低」：对比测试里思考量少约一半，一轮回答从约 34 秒降到约 22 秒，回答质量逐份并排读过没有变差（issue #134，产品选 A）。
+- 只影响写回答那一步；排盘、查资料那几步不变。
+- 需要退回时，在服务器设 `CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT=off` 即恢复原来的请求。
+
 ## 2026-10-28 — 切换人物时看得出是谁的盘
 
 - 「当前星盘」按钮上写名字、出生日期时间和城市；名单每行写关系和出生时间、城市。

docs/BUG_HISTORY.md

@@ -20463,18 +20463,17 @@
 - 复发自：无。
 - 修复版本：分支 `codex/rectification-recap-date-dup-20261028`。
 
-## BUG-1498 | staging 门禁 Python 快速门偶发失败：`test_daily_starlanguage_does_not_eat_yesterday_cache` 网关调用 0 次
+## BUG-1498 | staging 门禁 Python 快速门失败：`test_daily_starlanguage_does_not_eat_yesterday_cache` 网关调用 0 次
 
-- 状态：investigating（只记录已确认事实与假设；未改代码）
-- 首次发现 / 最近更新：2026-10-28（BUG-1481 验证段首次提到）/ 2026-10-28（staging 门禁 run 2017）
-- 影响面：只影响 CI 门禁，不影响线上。`tests/test_vedastro_snapshot_cache.py::test_daily_starlanguage_does_not_eat_yesterday_cache`。
-- 现象：`assert calls["gateway"] == 1` 得到 `0 == 1`；同一轮其余 1094 项通过。run 2016（同一份 Python 代码）这一项通过；本机单独连跑 5 次全部通过。
-- 触发条件：整套快速门一起跑时偶发，单独跑不出现，跟测试先后顺序或机器负载有关。
-- 已排除：BUG-1481 当时认为是测试之间共用负缓存目录；`tests/conftest.py::_isolate_vedastro_snapshot_cache` 现在每个测试都另建快照目录和负缓存目录，这次复发不是那个原因。
-- 假设（未证实）：`scripts/vedastro_foreground.py` 的 `_FOREGROUND_VEDASTRO_EXECUTOR` 是模块级线程池，整个 pytest 进程共用，conftest 不清空它。前面的测试如果留下还在跑的任务占满线程，本测试的任务排在后面，前台 1.5 秒等待到期后被取消，网关一次都没调用。
-- 修复：未修。下一步：在 conftest 里每个测试后排空或重建这个线程池，或者本测试把等待时间设大，再在全套顺序下复跑确认。
-- 验证：未完成。
-- 防复发：未完成。
-- 关联：BUG-1481（第一次记录这个失败）。
-- 复发自：BUG-1481 记下的同一项失败。当时的处理（隔离负缓存目录）没拦住，因为根因很可能不在目录上。
-- 修复版本：无。
+- 状态：resolved（测试隔离 + 回归测试；以修复后第一轮 staging 门禁通过为准）
+- 首次发现 / 最近更新：2026-10-28（BUG-1481 验证段首次提到）/ 2026-10-28（staging 门禁 run 2017、2018 连续两次失败）
+- 影响面：只影响 CI 门禁，不影响线上。失败的是 `tests/test_vedastro_snapshot_cache.py::test_daily_starlanguage_does_not_eat_yesterday_cache`；同样的机制可能打到任何用前台 VedAstro 线程池的测试。
+- 现象：`assert calls["gateway"] == 1` 得到 `0 == 1`；同一轮其余 1094 项通过。run 2016 这一项通过，run 2017、2018 失败，三次 Python 代码相同；本机单独跑或整套跑都通过。
+- 触发条件：整套测试一起跑，前面某个测试留在前台线程池里的任务，在下一个测试开始之后才跑完。
+- 根因：`scripts/vedastro_foreground.py::_FOREGROUND_VEDASTRO_EXECUTOR` 是模块级线程池，整个 pytest 进程共用（`jyotish_api_server` 还按名字另外导入了一份）。任务跑完后，`_remember_gateway_outcome` 把结果写进「写的那一刻」环境变量指向的缓存目录。上一个测试留下的任务跑完时，环境变量已经指向下一个测试的隔离目录，于是一次失败被记成下一个测试「今天已经失败过」，`_failed_today` 命中，网关一次都没调用。线程池被占满时，任务排队到超时被取消，也会得到同样的 0 次。#130 给每个测试单独建目录，挡不住这种跨测试写入，所以 BUG-1481 那次的判断（共用目录）不是根因。
+- 修复：`tests/conftest.py::_isolate_foreground_vedastro_executor`。每个测试换一个新的前台线程池（两个模块里的名字都换）；测试结束时丢掉排队的任务，正在跑的最多等 10 秒，所以剩下的任务一定在本测试的目录还有效时写完。生产代码没有改。
+- 验证：新增 `tests/test_vedastro_executor_isolation_20261028.py`：第一个测试留下一个 0.3 秒的任务，第二个测试断言它已经在上一个测试收尾时跑完、而且没有写进自己的目录。没有 fixture 时红（`assert 0 == 1`），加上后绿。`test_vedastro_snapshot_cache.py`、`test_vedastro_negative_day_20261028.py`、`test_vedastro_consultation_snapshot.py` 一起 19 项通过；本机完整快速门（`run_quality_gate.py --profile quick --skip-yoga-logic --skip-frontend-runtime`）通过。
+- 防复发：上面那组顺序测试固定了「任务不跨测试」。以后新增模块级线程池的，要放进同一个 fixture。
+- 关联：BUG-1481（第一次记下这个失败）、BUG-1479（#130，负缓存与每测试目录）。
+- 复发自：BUG-1481 记下的同一项失败。当时的处理（每测试单独目录）没拦住，因为根因是后台任务跨测试写入，不在目录共用上。
+- 修复版本：分支 `codex/bug-1498-executor-isolation`。

docs/tasks/README.md

@@ -546,3 +546,4 @@
 | `TASK-home-crash-saved-people-20261027.md` | `PROGRESS-home-crash-saved-people-20261027.md` | **#115 首页崩溃**：存过别人的账户一进首页就「页面出错了」——人物列表的资料缺两个字段，启程引导一读就报错；入口补齐默认值（BUG-1464） | 待验收 | `codex/home-crash-saved-people-20261027` |
 | `TASK-upstream-sync9-20261028.md` | `PROGRESS-upstream-sync9-20261028.md` | **第 1 次打回（快速门 1 败：Darakaraka 旧测试锁错值，见 `TASK-upstream-sync9-fix-20261028.md`）** · **#141 上游同步第九轮**：甲批九项已做完并推 `codex/upstream-sync9-20261028`；校正 20 条和 900 条与上一份回放逐条相同；乙批仍等 #137 | 待验收 | `codex/upstream-sync9-20261028` |
 | `TASK-upstream-sync9b-20261028.md` | `PROGRESS-upstream-sync9b-20261028.md` | **第 1 次打回（冻结契约排除清单删了第八轮两条，见 `TASK-upstream-sync9b-fix-20261028.md`）** · **#159 上游同步第九轮乙批（产品选 A）**：Sarpa Drekkana 补成五段、第 22 号 Drekkana 改为 D3 第 8 宫；改冻结文件 `varga.py`，校正 20 + 900 与上一份逐条相同后按 ERR-110 重新冻结。Narayana 小运强度口径（B2）不做，另问产品 | 待验收 | `codex/upstream-sync9b-20261028` |
+| — | — | **#134 咨询答题默认低思考量（产品选 A）**：`CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT` 不设时默认 `low`，设 `off` 恢复原请求体（Claude 直接执行） | 已推 staging | `codex/answer-effort-default-20261029` |

docs/testing/answer-effort-default-20261029.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# 真机走查 · 咨询回答默认低思考量（issue #134）
+
+| # | 操作 | 应该看到 |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| 1 | 用一张星盘问一个具体问题（如「今年事业怎么样」） | 回答正常出来，比以前快一截（以前常要半分钟以上） |
+| 2 | 连问两三个追问 | 每轮都正常回答，引用的宫位、大运和以前一样具体 |
+| 3 | 问一个时间段（如「明年上半年」） | 照常出时段分析，没有空答或中途断掉 |

frontend/src/mastra/consultation-tools.ts

@@ -177,22 +177,26 @@ export const MAX_EVIDENCE_LOOKUPS_PER_TURN = 3;
 export const CONSULTATION_WINDOW_CALC_TOOL_ID = "run-jyotish-window-consultation";
 
 /**
- * Answer-step reasoning effort. Unset or blank keeps today's request body.
- * An illegal value warns once and is treated as unset.
+ * Answer-step reasoning effort. Unset or blank means "low" (issue #134: the
+ * A/B halved reasoning tokens and cut answer time ~37% with no quality loss).
+ * "off" sends no reasoning_effort, i.e. the pre-#134 request body.
+ * An illegal value warns once and is treated as "off".
  */
 const CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORTS = ["low", "medium", "high", "max"] as const;
+export const CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT_DEFAULT: ProviderReasoningEffort = "low";
 let consultAnswerReasoningEffortWarned = false;
 
 export function consultAnswerReasoningEffort(): ProviderReasoningEffort | undefined {
   const raw = process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
-  if (raw === undefined || raw.trim() === "") return undefined;
+  if (raw === undefined || raw.trim() === "") return CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT_DEFAULT;
   const value = raw.trim();
+  if (value === "off") return undefined;
   if ((CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORTS as readonly string[]).includes(value)) {
     return value as ProviderReasoningEffort;
   }
   if (!consultAnswerReasoningEffortWarned) {
     consultAnswerReasoningEffortWarned = true;
-    console.warn(`CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT=${value} is not low, medium, high, or max; leaving reasoning effort unset.`);
+    console.warn(`CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT=${value} is not off, low, medium, high, or max; leaving reasoning effort unset.`);
   }
   return undefined;
 }

frontend/tests/answer-effort-switch-20261013.test.ts

@@ -51,9 +51,12 @@ test("an illegal effort warns once and stays unset", () => {
   }
 });
 
-test("unset effort keeps the pre-change request bodies", async () => {
+// 原值: 不设环境变量时请求体与改动前逐字节相同
+// 新值: 设成 "off" 时请求体与改动前逐字节相同；不设时默认 "low"（见下一条）
+// 原因: issue #134 产品选 A，答题步默认低思考量；"off" 是一行回退
+test("off keeps the pre-change request bodies", async () => {
   const previous = process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
-  delete process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
+  process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT = "off";
   try {
     const natal = await captureStreamBodies({
       settings: consultationGenerationSettings(MODEL),
@@ -76,6 +79,43 @@ test("unset effort keeps the pre-change request bodies", async () => {
   }
 });
 
+test("unset or blank effort defaults to low", () => {
+  const previous = process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
+  try {
+    delete process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
+    assert.equal(consultAnswerReasoningEffort(), "low");
+    process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT = "  ";
+    assert.equal(consultAnswerReasoningEffort(), "low");
+    process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT = "off";
+    assert.equal(consultAnswerReasoningEffort(), undefined);
+  } finally {
+    if (previous === undefined) delete process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
+    else process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT = previous;
+  }
+});
+
+test("unset effort puts low on the answer step only", async () => {
+  const previous = process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
+  delete process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
+  try {
+    const natal = await captureStreamBodies({
+      settings: consultationGenerationSettings(MODEL),
+      prepareStep: (input) => consultationNatalPrepareStep({
+        stepNumber: input.stepNumber,
+        answerReady: input.stepNumber >= 1,
+        model: MODEL,
+      }),
+      steps: 2,
+    }) as Record<string, unknown>[];
+    assert.deepEqual(natal[0], fixture.natal[0]);
+    assert.equal(natal[1]?.reasoning_effort, "low");
+    assert.deepEqual(withoutEffort(natal[1]), fixture.natal[1]);
+  } finally {
+    if (previous === undefined) delete process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
+    else process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT = previous;
+  }
+});
+
 test("low effort is only on the answer step", async () => {
   const previous = process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT;
   process.env.CONSULT_ANSWER_REASONING_EFFORT = "low";

tests/conftest.py

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import sys
+import time
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
@@ -58,6 +59,41 @@ def _isolate_vedastro_snapshot_cache(tmp_path_factory, monkeypatch) -> None:
     clear_validate_memory()
 
 
+_FOREGROUND_EXECUTOR_MODULES = (
+    "scripts.vedastro_foreground",
+    "vedastro_foreground",
+    "scripts.jyotish_api_server",
+    "jyotish_api_server",
+)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _isolate_foreground_vedastro_executor(monkeypatch):
+    """A fresh foreground pool per test, drained at teardown (BUG-1498).
+
+    A task left running stores its outcome under whatever cache directory the
+    environment names when it finishes, which would be the next test's.
+    """
+    from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+
+    from scripts import vedastro_foreground
+
+    executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(
+        max_workers=vedastro_foreground._FOREGROUND_VEDASTRO_WORKERS,
+        thread_name_prefix="jyotish-vedastro-fg-test",
+    )
+    for name in _FOREGROUND_EXECUTOR_MODULES:
+        module = sys.modules.get(name)
+        if module is not None and hasattr(module, "_FOREGROUND_VEDASTRO_EXECUTOR"):
+            monkeypatch.setattr(module, "_FOREGROUND_VEDASTRO_EXECUTOR", executor)
+    yield
+    # Queued work is dropped; running work gets a bounded wait so a stuck stub cannot hang the run.
+    executor.shutdown(wait=False, cancel_futures=True)
+    deadline = time.monotonic() + 10
+    for thread in list(getattr(executor, "_threads", ())):
+        thread.join(max(deadline - time.monotonic(), 0))
+
+
 def pytest_collection_modifyitems(items) -> None:
     for item in items:
         if item.fspath.basename == "test_api_server_security.py" and item.name.startswith(SLOW_API_SECURITY_PREFIXES):

tests/test_vedastro_executor_isolation_20261028.py

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+"""BUG-1498: a foreground VedAstro task never outlives the test that started it.
+
+The two tests run in file order. The first leaves a slow task on the foreground
+executor; the second checks that the task finished before it began, so it could
+not write into the second test's cache directory.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import time
+
+from scripts import vedastro_foreground as foreground
+
+_SEEN: list[str] = []
+
+
+def _slow_task() -> None:
+    time.sleep(0.3)
+    _SEEN.append(os.environ.get("JYOTISH_VEDASTRO_SNAPSHOT_NEGATIVE_CACHE_DIR", ""))
+
+
+def test_a_leaves_slow_work_on_the_foreground_executor() -> None:
+    _SEEN.clear()
+    foreground._FOREGROUND_VEDASTRO_EXECUTOR.submit(_slow_task)
+
+
+def test_b_does_not_see_the_previous_tests_work() -> None:
+    mine = os.environ["JYOTISH_VEDASTRO_SNAPSHOT_NEGATIVE_CACHE_DIR"]
+    assert len(_SEEN) == 1, "the earlier test's task finished during its own teardown"
+    time.sleep(0.5)
+    assert mine not in _SEEN, "a leftover task wrote into this test's cache directory"