A Pawn's Passage

What Tantai Qiong said was not a surprise to Qi Xuansu. Zhang Yuelu’s original plan would have undoubtedly failed at this time because Tantai Qiong saw through Zhang Yuelu’s tricks at a glance.

Zhang Yuelu did not put too much thought into fooling her mother because it was all just for show. She would obey her mother only to an extent, but if pushed too far, she would turn to the Quanzhen Sect and become a nun.

Qi Xuansu had trouble answering Tantai Qiong, so he could only remain silent.

Tantai Qiong continued, “Qing Xiao has been very independent since she was a child, which is a good thing. When other children were still confused about what path to take, Qing Xiao already had a clear goal and was able to stand out from her peers. She worked toward it step by step but advanced rapidly.

“But the bad thing about it is that she is too opinionated. She refuses to accept other people’s opinions, even her own mother’s. Once she makes up her mind, she will stick to it to the end without regrets. Are you aware of all that I’ve said so far?”

Qi Xuansu considered it and nodded. “I’m aware.”

Tantai Qiong sized Qi Xuansu up. “Since you’re aware, I can probably understand why Qing Xiao chose you. She doesn’t need a strong husband who will restrain her. That’s why Li Tianzhen and the like don’t stand a chance.

“She also doesn’t need a husband on the same level as her. That’s why she rejected all the young and talented Banished Immortals. She needs a good husband who will obey her orders and someone who will support her unconditionally.

“Her companion must have considerable potential, enough to keep up with her pace so as not to become a drag. That’s why she chose you, who is a suitable candidate in her opinion.”

Qi Xuansu suddenly remembered how Zhang Yuelu had apologized to him in advance for her mother’s heart-wrenching words.

Madam Tantai did not belittle Qi Xuansu openly. She even acknowledged his abilities, unlike Zhang Yuyue, who used her status to overwhelm him. What Madam Tantai wanted to achieve was to reveal Zhang Yuelu’s true colors in front of Qi Xuansu.

Tantai Qiong tried to dissect her daughter in her own way, stripping Zhang Yuelu’s idealistic image and portraying her daughter as manipulative and utilitarian.

If Qi Xuansu liked Zhang Yuelu, he would have been shaken by such a cruel analysis. He might even feel that Zhang Yuelu had deceived and used him. After all, Zhang Yuelu’s mother had such an opinion of her, so most people would choose to believe it. Just as Tantai Qiong mentioned earlier, a mother would know her daughter best.

If Qi Xuansu was unmoved by such commentary, then Tantai Qiong could use this to prove her point that Qi Xuansu only liked Zhang Yuelu for her background. He only intended to use Zhang Yuelu as a stepping stone, so the Zhang family would not agree to this marriage, especially with Li Minghuang as a precedent.

Qi Xuansu was caught between a rock and a hard place, so he did not know what to say for a while. However, being the excellent actor that he was, he expressed his confusion through his facial expressions.

Tantai Qiong looked at Qi Xuansu, trying to figure out what he was thinking so that she could control the situation. However, Qi Xuansu’s reaction was beyond her expectations. She did not expect a young man to have so many facial expressions in such a short span—shock, sadness, dejection, pain, helplessness, relief, and nostalgia.

Of course, Tantai Qiong did not believe that a young man whom her daughter favored would be a lovesick fool. She had to admit that this kid was quite interesting. She also wondered who he learned all these expressions from.

Qi Xuansu did not have parents, but he had a master and Madam Qi. Of course, he learned these from Madam Qi. This was also one of his bad habits that Zhang Yuelu wanted to correct.

Tantai Qiong finally decided to add fuel to the fire. “Those who come from Wanxiang Daoist Palace and those who come from prestigious families have completely different mindsets. Some children from prestigious families have a sense of responsibility that ordinary people cannot compare to. To them, the Daoist Order is a legacy passed down by their ancestors through countless battles.

“Thus, they bear more responsibility and obligation than ordinary disciples to safeguard this legacy. Consequently, these scions of prestigious families often think highly of themselves, sometimes even above the law, which makes them bold and daring. However, they believe that others should adhere to the rules and etiquette as a means to constrain others.

“Those who come from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace do not adhere to etiquette because they despise it. Compared with the scions of prestigious families who always had to keep up their appearances, orphans are adaptable, like weeds growing tenaciously even when rooted in the cracks between rocks. Therefore, most scions are prone to collapse after various setbacks, but those from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace can persevere.

“Since orphans have already endured hardships and understand that wealth is hard to come by, they will never let it go if they grab a hold of it. They have strong willpower due to their strong desires, so they can be ruthless toward themselves and others, doing whatever it takes to succeed.

“Compared to the scions from prestigious families, they are greedier and more ambitious. But unlike those who really achieve great things, those from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace often focus too much on getting ahead and neglect some of the most important aspects of life, so they often don’t make it big.”

Qi Xuansu pondered for a moment before he said, “If you think that I’m one of ‘them’ that you speak of, then you are thinking too highly of me. Qing Xiao has always chided me for not being ambitious and for being content with having a bit of money.”

Tantai Qiong looked at Qi Xuansu. “I don’t doubt Qing Xiao’s judgment or intelligence. However, she is young and lacks life experience, so she may not be able to see through one’s surface. At this time, she needs an elder to point her to the right path so that she can avoid any detours.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Auntie, thanks for your input. I’ve learned a lot. I wonder if you have anything else to teach me.”

Tantai Qiong sneered. “You’re not as gentle and kind-hearted as Qing Xiao’s father. You have a violent spirit and a killing aura, which is unlike the gentle and courteous front that you are showing now. So you should stop pretending in front of me. You can just be yourself.”

Qi Xuansu stopped smiling. “I wonder if you treat your husband and daughter the same way you treat me.”

“What did you say?” Tantai Qiong frowned slightly.

Qi Xuansu spoke frankly. “Do you also speak to the Heavenly Preceptor in such a condescending and preaching manner? If so, then I have nothing to say. If not, then aren’t you also pretending?”

Tantai Qiong narrowed her eyes and glared at Qi Xuansu.

He continued, “Auntie, I’m sure you will change your attitude depending on your audience. So why can’t I do the same? Do I have to face my friends with murderous intent and be amiable to my enemies? Is that what you mean by ‘stop pretending?’”

“You sure are sharp-tongued, just like those from the Li family. It’s a pity that you’re not from the Li family,” Tantai Qiong retorted coldly.

After her snub, Qi Xuansu fell into silence again, making Tantai Qiong feel like she had punched cotton. Tantai Qiong had to admit that she had underestimated this young man. Qi Xuansu liked to act and hide his true self, but he was quite capable, good-looking, and well-tempered. If he had a similar family background, he would actually be a suitable candidate as her son-in-law.

Unfortunately, without a strong family background, his strengths were meaningless. There were many capable people, but few of them had a strong family background. This was a simple truth.

No matter what, Zhang Yuelu was regarded as the Heavenly Preceptor’s great-niece. Zhang Yuelu’s future companion might not be able to get much benefit from her parents, but he could certainly leverage the strength of the Dazhen Mansion, the Earthly Preceptor, and Sage Cihang.

Tantai Qiong sighed. “What a pity. If your last name was really Li, all your shortcomings would turn into advantages, and I would willingly lose to you. After all, you’re like an adaptable weed, able to grow tenaciously even in a crack. Those scions would have left in anger if they heard this, but you endured it well.”

Qi Xuansu suddenly interrupted her. “Have you ever killed anyone?”

Tantai Qiong was startled. She felt a surge of anger and uncontrollable murderous intent as she asked back, “What does it matter if I’ve killed or not?”

Qi Xuansu turned a blind eye to her anger and said indifferently, “I believe that you’ve killed before. Killing requires stability, precision, and speed. One must find the enemy’s weakness and kill with a single blow instead of wasting time dragging out a fight.

“What I’m saying is that you are trying to ‘kill’ me, but I’m not your target. No matter how many times you strike at me, it’ll be useless, because even if you drive me away, there will be other versions of me in the future. Will you be able to ‘kill’ them all?”

Tantai Qiong was speechless for the first time. She knew of this principle. The problem was not the person whom Zhang Yuelu brought back, but Zhang Yuelu herself. However, Tantai Qiong could not do anything to Zhang Yuelu because the latter was already grown up and independent.

At this moment, a cold voice interjected. “There’s no such thing as another version of Qi Xuansu. There never was before, and there will never be another in the future. The reason I changed my mind is only because of Qi Xuansu.”

Qi Xuansu and Tantai Qiong turned to the source of the sound and saw Zhang Yuelu standing at the door.

Zhang Yuelu stared at Qi Xuansu with a frosty expression, not hiding her anger. Qi Xuansu could only lower his head in submission, not daring to look her in the eye. At the same time, he smiled bitterly.

It seemed that Zhang Yuelu was triggered by his words. After all, she was conservative and had even considered converting to the Quanzhen Sect to become a nun. How could she have other options?

However, that was not Qi Xuansu’s original intention. He had just made a casual remark to retaliate against Tantai Qiong, who was fuming at the moment. What Zhang Yuelu said undoubtedly exposed the conflict between the mother-daughter pair. However, out of a mother’s nature, Tantai Qiong did not direct her anger at her daughter but at Qi Xuansu, who was next to her daughter.