A Pawn's Passage

Just then, a voice rang out, “Where did this righteous official come from, acting all high and mighty here?”

Only then did Qi Xuansu rise to his feet and turn around to look.

Another group of people entered from outside, most of them servants and attendants. Leading them was a young man who was a few years younger than Qi Xuansu, with an irreverent expression, though half of his face was blocked by oversized sunglasses that Madam Qi liked to wear. He was dressed in old clothes, with half his chest exposed to the chilly night breeze. His hair was also disheveled.

Qi Xuansu immediately knew that this young man had a condition caused by the excessive consumption of a psychoactive drug called the Five Minerals Powder. It made one’s skin sensitive, so one would only be able to wear old, worn-out clothes. One’s body also ran hot, so even in the harshest winter, they wore only a single layer. Over time, it could even lead to skin ulceration.

Since the revival of the Daoist Order, this drug had been strictly banned. Daoists of all levels were explicitly ordered to burn the substance immediately upon encountering it.

After consuming it, one would experience an illusion of transcendence. It also acted as an aphrodisiac, so many powerful and wealthy households still enjoyed using it, especially before intimacy. It was often paired with unorthodox bedroom arts, making the ban all the more important.

Qi Xuansu had to admit that although there were plenty of shady dealings within the Daoist Order, compared to the outside world, Daoists did have enough integrity to look down on others.

Seeing the group, Qi Xuansu signaled the Spirit Guards outside to let them in.

The Spirit Guards parted to make way, allowing the man and his attendants to enter the courtyard.

Qi Xuansu asked, “What’s your name?”

“I am Gao Shide.” The young master showed no fear as he faced Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu continued, “Are you the one behind this brothel?”

“No.” The young man denied flatly.

Qi Xuansu pressed on. “Then are you a patron?”

“Not a patron either.” The young man still denied it.

Qi Xuansu maintained his composure. “If you’re neither the boss nor a patron, then what did you mean by what you just said?”

Gao Shide smiled. “Just standing up for these ladies when I see injustice.”

Upon hearing these words, Spirit Guard Zhou suddenly stepped forward.

Even so, Gao Shide showed no fear. “What now, is a Daoist Spirit Guard trying to beat up a civilian? This is eye-opening. You lot don’t dare strike evil cultists, but you’re brave enough to hit us law-abiding common folk, is that it?”

Qi Xuansu raised a hand, signaling Spirit Guard Zhou not to act rashly. He said, “So you’re a wandering Jianghu vigilante who draws your sword for justice, huh? Oftentimes, vigilantism means breaking the law.”

Gao Shide scoffed. “Don’t slap labels on me, Mage. I can’t possibly bear them. How am I breaking the law now? I’m merely speaking up for these ladies. Look how scared they are right now. Their faces have turned so pale!”

Qi Xuansu stated, “We are responsible for regulating public morality in the Imperial Capital. We report to the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion.”

“Isn’t the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion supposed to uphold justice for us good citizens? If there’s any grievance, we should just go to the Yuhuang Palace, pray to the Primordial Daoist Ancestor, and all problems will be solved, right? Why, thanks for your contribution!” Gao Shide mocked him.

Qi Xuansu casually took a few steps forward and reached out to fix Gao Shide’s collar, covering the man’s exposed chest.

“It sure takes some courage for a law-abiding citizen like you to come here late at night and speak up so confidently for these courtesans in front of dozens of fierce Spirit Guards. When I was your age, I certainly didn’t have your guts.”

Gao Shide slapped Qi Xuansu’s hand away and sneered, “Don’t act like you’re some wise elder.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “By the way, may I ask who your father is?”

Gao Shide snapped back. “What’s my father got to do with anything?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Your father has everything to do with you, of course.”

Just as Gao Shide was about to speak, Qi Xuansu suddenly slapped him without warning. The blow sent the arrogant youth spinning through the air. When he landed, his ears were ringing, his mouth was full of blood, and he spat out several bloodied teeth.

That was with Qi Xuansu holding back. Otherwise, that slap could have sent Gao Shide’s entire head flying.

Since Gao Shide had already shouted that the Daoists were beating people, Qi Xuansu would have taken the blame for nothing if he had not hit the man.

Gao Shide’s attendants rushed forward to protect him, but they were instantly knocked down by the surrounding Spirit Guards and had their heads pressed to the ground, unable to move.

Only then did Qi Xuansu explain, “Let me tell you why it matters. When a child makes a mistake, I won’t stoop to your level to blame you, but I will settle it with your guardians. So, if I don’t know who your elders are, how can I settle it with them?”

Gao Shide was left dazed, with stars dancing in front of his eyes. His vision darkened, but instead of backing down, he became even fiercer. With a twisted expression, he yelled, “If you’ve got the guts, kill me right here and now! I want to see just how mighty the Daoist Order thinks it is!”

Qi Xuansu laughed, looking down at the young man from above. “There’s a type of lowlife in Jianghu—petty thugs who extort others. They don’t smash things or beat people. Instead, they slice their own flesh with a knife to show how ruthless they are. The message they want to send is that if they dare harm themselves, killing someone else is no big deal. Most folks get scared and give in. How are you any different from that kind of thug when you’re yelling for me to kill you? You’re lucky that I’ve been reminded again and again to act with reason and follow the rules. If it were me from two years ago, you wouldn’t even get the chance to speak right now.”

Qi Xuansu was not just acting tough. He had a natural killing aura, the kind that killed without hesitation. He had never been a good person, not even a decent one. But under Zhang Yuelu’s subtle influence, he had restrained himself a lot. Lately, he had even begun practicing inner cultivation and was no longer as rash as before.

Half of Gao Shide’s face was already swollen and dark with bruises, yet he still refused to back down. “Talk big all you want! Who can’t bluff? Do you even know who my father is?”

Qi Xuansu guffawed. He did not like using background to suppress others and preferred relying on his strength. But at this moment, he was almost tempted to retort, “You want to compare backgrounds? Do you even know who my adoptive mother is? That woman blasted True Lord Siming and then turned around to wrestle with Wu Guangbi. She’s the famed Mogul Yao!”

But if he really said that out loud, it would sound childish and beneath him.

Instead, Qi Xuansu said, “I asked you earlier who your father is, but you wouldn’t say. So there’s nothing I can do. I know you have someone backing you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t dare act so brazenly in front of me. But anyone who steps up is bound to offend others. Honestly, I’ve hit people with far bigger backers than yours, and I’m still standing here. So I can handle the consequences of this slap.”

Gao Shide glared fiercely at Qi Xuansu, as if trying to etch this Daoist’s face into memory. With a menacing expression, he snarled, “The Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion has nine Deputy Mansion Masters and one Mansion Master. Each of them has six superintendents, so that’s over 60 superintendents. There are fewer green turtles in Penglai Pool than there are roaches like you. If you don’t kill me today, you’ll surely regret it the next time we meet.”

Qi Xuansu did not want to say more. He waved his hand and commanded, “Arrest him for obstructing justice, and make his father come in person to bail him out. It must be his real father—stepfathers and fake fathers don’t count. If his father doesn’t show up, then let the boy wait out his days in the Nether Prison.”

The two Spirit Guards understood their superior’s meaning and simply dragged the young man away.

Qi Xuansu suddenly turned to the women in the courtyard and barked more orders. “Question them separately. If anyone dares to play tricks, they will be severely punished without mercy.”

All the Spirit Guards responded in unison and accepted the order.

The brothel’s managers all turned pale with fear, their legs trembling.

This case continued well into the latter half of the night. Once the bawd of the brothel saw that her powerful backer, Gao Shide, had been dealt with so easily, she did not dare resist any longer and confessed everything in detail.

It turned out that these girls had been sourced like merchandise from the local Beggar Gang.

Qi Xuansu had already interacted with the Beggar Gang back in Jinling Prefecture.

The Beggar Gang was made up primarily of beggars, and its leader was known as the Beggar King, an influential figure with ties to the local government, which had to rely on them for some shady dealings.

What the Beggar Gang did was far more than just begging. It was filled with able-bodied men who engaged in various off-the-books jobs others would not touch, like guarding graveyards, watching over streets at night, handling unclaimed corpses, padding guest counts at weddings and funerals, even organizing ghost markets to sell looted or stolen goods from tomb raids. Bandits, thieves, and child snatchers from out of town had to first gain approval from the local gang if they wanted to operate within or around the city.

Beyond that, many human traffickers were closely connected to the gang. These traffickers were essentially middlemen, and their “supply” came from the Beggar Gang. Many maids and servants sold off by wealthy families were resold to the Beggar Gang through these traffickers.

Members of the Beggar Gang rarely roamed the world. Instead, they were concentrated in major cities and towns. They were not unified either, which meant that the Beggar Gang in Jinling Prefecture and the one in the Imperial Capital shared the same name, but had little connection with each other.

The Jinling Beggar Gang had backing from the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion and played a key role in smuggling and corruption. Naturally, the Imperial Capital’s Beggar Gang had its own supporters as well. Even though Qi Xuansu was already a fourth-rank Superintendent, it might not end well for him if he really provoked them.

Gao Shide, as the man behind the Green Den, also had dealings with the Beggar Gang. According to the bawd, Young Master Gao’s influence was not all that impressive. It mostly came from the reputation of Old Master Gao.

At the mention of Old Master Gao, the bawd became vague and evasive.

Qi Xuansu ordered the Spirit Guards to escort all those involved to the Nether Prison under the Yuhuang Palace for temporary custody and screening. First, they would release the patrons, then the prostitutes. However, the bawd and managers were not to be released. He then summoned Song San and Wu Si to find out more about this Old Master Gao.

Song San, being an assistant major of the Green Phoenix Guard, was far more knowledgeable than the bawd. Old Master Gao was an extraordinary figure in the Imperial Capital. Though he held no official post, he had close ties with many powerful people.

Essentially, Old Master Gao was considered a white glove for these big shots, someone who helped them launder assets. Apparently, there was also a black glove, someone who handled all the shady and dirty business. The rich and powerful wore these gloves resembling the yin-yang symbol to keep their hands from getting dirty.

Qi Xuansu now knew that he was on the right track, but he was also well aware that he had provoked someone formidable.