A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu spent four hours alone, during which Qi Xuansu gradually shared all that had happened over the past months. Seeing that Zhang Yuelu was in high spirits, he took the opportunity to reveal the truth about Madam Qi’s identity.

He knew that it was a risky move because if he ever had a fallout with Zhang Yuelu, these secrets could utterly destroy him. But he firmly believed that such a day would never come. If they were going to walk this path together, he could not hide these truths from her forever. Thus, after much consideration, Qi Xuansu decided to lay all his cards on the table.

Since Qi Xuansu still did not fully understand what role Madam Qi played in the Qingping Society, he chose not to mention her affiliation with it. Instead, he explained that Madam Qi was actually Mogul Yao of the Seven Treasure Pavilion and the Earthly Preceptor’s seventh sister. He also explained that Madam Qi had once saved him from The Inn’s assassins and later adopted him.

This explanation not only clarified his connection to Yao Pei, but also shed light on his ties to the Quanzhen Sect. As such, it finally made sense why Pei Xiaolou and Pei Xuanzhi treated Qi Xuansu differently—because of the relationship between the Yao and Pei families.

Zhang Yuelu did not have much of a reaction after hearing this, as though she had already expected it. In fact, she had her suspicions as far back as their time in Jinling Prefecture, but she had simply chosen not to press him about them and patiently waited for Qi Xuansu to reveal them himself.

It was no wonder Yao Pei once said that Zhang Yuelu was deceiving herself.

Zhang Yuelu did not blame Qi Xuansu for withholding the truth. To be fair, for someone burdened with so many secrets, the fact that he was willing to confide in her now was an immense gesture of trust, no less than entrusting her with his life.

That said, Zhang Yuelu still had her concerns. This moment confirmed her long-standing suspicion, that Qi Xuansu was deeply influenced by Madam Qi.

Regarding women, Zhang Yuelu was not worried about Yao Pei or Li Qingnu because neither could truly influence Qi Xuansu. But Madam Qi was different. As his adoptive mother, she could not only exert influence on him but could also directly interfere with his decisions.

Zhang Yuelu was no saint. She had her own selfish thoughts. She did not want to turn Qi Xuansu into a puppet who obliged her blindly, but she did hope they could be like-minded, united in both path and purpose. She wanted him to be her companion on this journey.

In the beginning, she had even thought that if she wanted to change the Daoist order, she should start by changing Qi Xuansu. But when she tried, she found the resistance immense. It was not coming from Qi Xuansu himself, but from Madam Qi, a woman she had never even met.

Madam Qi had left behind too many marks that were too deeply etched into Qi Xuansu. To change him, Zhang Yuelu would first have to erase those marks.

Perhaps it was a woman’s intuition, but Zhang Yuelu could sense Madam Qi’s subtle hostility lingering within Qi Xuansu. There was no doubt that Madam Qi disliked Zhang Yuelu’s attempts to overwrite her influence, viewing it as a challenge and a provocation.

This was like an invisible tug-of-war, a silent battle without smoke or flames playing out in the shadows.

When Qi Xuansu noticed Zhang Yuelu’s silence, a bad premonition began to rise in his heart.

No matter how he looked at it, Zhang Yuelu and Madam Qi were not the same type of people, so it would be downright miraculous for them to get along.

Zhang Yuelu was assertive and headstrong, but Madam Qi was no pushover either. If they met, they would undoubtedly clash.

If there was ever a conflict between these two women, the one caught in the middle and torn between the two would be none other than Qi Xuansu himself.

Qi Xuansu cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to smooth things over. “Madam Qi is actually a good person...”

Zhang Yuelu replied calmly, “To you, yes—she may very well be. I won’t deny that. It’s just like my own mother—she may seem like a vile woman to you. Even I have many complaints about her. But no matter what, she’s still my mother.”

Qi Xuansu opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.

Back in the Confucian era, everything revolved around the concept of filial piety. Mothers-in-law would suppress their daughters-in-law, and any resistance would be met with contempt. Being labeled unfilial was akin to ruining a woman’s reputation for life. Hence, brides who suffered for years eventually became like their vile mothers-in-law. However, the Daoist Order did not emphasize such a hierarchy. Authority within a Daoist household became more balanced, and so in-law relations became delicate. Qi Xuansu was not alone in facing this problem.

Seeing Qi Xuansu’s awkward expression, Zhang Yuelu chuckled. “Alright, let’s drop this topic and head back.”

With that, she stood up and walked out of the pavilion, heading back toward her office.

Qi Xuansu followed behind, feeling a bit deflated.

He knew Zhang Yuelu was reasonable and would not pressure him too much. But Madam Qi was perfectly capable of pushing his limits.

Qi Xuansu rubbed his forehead in frustration.

He dreaded the thought of Zhang Yuelu and Madam Qi meeting face-to-face. In terms of cultivation and rank, Madam Qi was clearly superior. If she bullied Zhang Yuelu, he would surely stand up for his beloved. But if he did, then Madam Qi would surely accuse him of choosing his wife over his mother.

A single misstep in such a situation, and he would be attacked from both sides, pleasing no one.

Qi Xuansu still had no idea that his troubles were far from over.

When the two of them returned to the office, they found a young girl already waiting there.

Upon seeing Zhang Yuelu, the girl bowed respectfully and greeted her, “Senior Sister Zhang.”

Then, she looked past Zhang Yuelu toward Qi Xuansu and asked, “This must be Senior Brother Qi, right?”

Zhang Yuelu turned to Qi Xuansu and introduced them. “This is Junior Sister Xiao, my master’s final disciple.”

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu were considered to be the last of the eighth-generation disciples. This young girl joined just before the cut-off for their generation. Had she joined just a few months later, she would have been considered part of the ninth generation.

He felt a sudden thud in his chest, but he remained calm on the surface and greeted her. “Junior Sister Xiao, what brings you here?”

Junior Sister Xiao smiled gently. “Master heard of Senior Brother Qi’s arrival at Tiangang Hall, so she sent me to ask if you and Senior Sister Zhang are free. If so, she’d like you to pay her a visit.”

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu both looked slightly uneasy. It was clear that Sage Cihang had known Qi Xuansu was here all along, yet she had deliberately given them time to catch up.

Besides that, Qi Xuansu realized another headache was upon him. This time, it would be a grilling—no, a scrutiny—from yet another future mother-in-law.

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu exchanged glances, then he braced himself and nodded. “Of course we’re free.”

Junior Sister Xiao added, “Master has been waiting in the office for quite some time already.”

Qi Xuansu took a deep breath and steeled himself, as if he were about to march into battle. “Please lead the way, Junior Sister Xiao.”

Just earlier, he was worried about being attacked from two fronts—now, it had already escalated to a three-sided attack. If he added Tantai Qiong into the mix, he would be facing enemies on all four sides.

He finally understood why the Confucian Sage related family matters to state affairs.

Led by Junior Sister Xiao, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu arrived at the Tiangang Hall Master’s office. The place was not far. Before Qi Xuansu could even finish rehearsing his script, they were already there.

The office door was open, so Junior Sister Xiao motioned for them to enter.

Qi Xuansu stepped into the office and saw a woman seated inside, appearing to be in her early thirties. Her features were gentle and elegant, exuding a noble air and a kind of natural kindness that made people instinctively feel at ease in her presence. Had she been any younger, she would have been a goddess of everyone’s dreams.

She was the same Sage whom Qi Xuansu had once briefly encountered by Cuowenbu Lake.

Before Qi Xuansu could even offer his greeting, Sage Cihang smiled and spoke first.

“Brother Wei, it’s been a while. How have you been lately?”

His lie was exposed right on the spot. Even though Qi Xuansu was unaffected by cold or heat, at this moment, a few beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He could only feign ignorance and offer a respectful salute. “I, the humble Qi Xuansu, am honored to be in your presence, Sage.”

Sage Cihang maintained her kind smile and motioned casually, “Have a seat. No need for formalities.”

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu sat down side by side.

Sage Cihang sized up Qi Xuansu with a gentle gaze. There was no pressure, sharpness, or piercing insight, like how a regular person might observe another. She did not seem like a high and mighty Tiangang Hall Master and Omniscient Sage, but rather an ordinary woman.

But the more natural and gentle Sage Cihang appeared, the more uncomfortable Qi Xuansu became. He found himself at a loss for words, and most of the script he had prepared had already flown out of his mind.

After a brief pause, Sage Cihang took the initiative to speak again. “There are many questions surrounding your case, especially the time after the flying ship crashed. I had planned to assign someone to investigate, but the trail quickly vanished. Turns out, it involved Sage Donghua, and many records were personally sealed by him. That only piqued my curiosity further. Who exactly are you to warrant Sage Donghua’s direct intervention?”