A Pawn's Passage

The directive from the Golden Tower Council was clear—the five-member delegation was tasked with auditing the entirety of the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion, but only Yao Pei would focus solely on Qi Xuansu’s case.

So, early the next morning, Yao Pei summoned Qi Xuansu for questioning.

Besides Qi Xuansu and Yao Pei, there was another Daoist priest tasked with record-keeping.

Yao Pei turned to the Daoist priest. “Hand me the brush and paper.”

The Daoist priest was momentarily stunned but quickly placed the stationery before Yao Pei.

As Yao Pei ground the ink, she instructed, “You’re no longer needed here. You may leave.”

The Daoist priest dared not voice any objection and promptly exited the room.

Yao Pei prepared to take down the notes herself. She gave Qi Xuansu a look, expressionless as ever. However, her words carried a trace of dissatisfaction. “Superintendent Qi, please correct your attitude.”

“What’s wrong with my attitude?” Qi Xuansu sat opposite Yao Pei. There was only one chair and no desk in between.

Yao Pei said, “Stop being so frivolous.”

Qi Xuansu had spent the previous night talking with Zhang Yuelu, so he was in a good mood. Perhaps that was why he felt relaxed, so he did not take this interrogation seriously.

But Qi Xuansu did not intend to change. He joked, “Am I supposed to look bitter and nervous, with my nails digging into my palms until blood drips down? You’ll stare at me with a cold gaze like I’m an ant you can easily crush, then say with arrogance and disdain that might makes right, and power is the only truth. I burst out laughing, but it’s laced with sorrow and despair. As I look around, every face and gaze is full of scorn.”

Yao Pei was silent for a moment before she mocked, “Did you and Deputy Hall Master Zhang spend all night studying romance novels?”

Qi Xuansu nearly choked on his saliva, as he had not expected Yao Pei to see through him.

Still expressionless, Yao Pei mocked. “Going by your script, you’ll become a matrilocal son-in-law of the Zhang family and tell me that I shouldn’t discriminate against a poor youth, huh?”

Qi Xuansu muttered, “Let’s leave the matrilocal son-in-law thing out of it.”

Yao Pei scoffed. “Speaking of youth, you’re older than I am, so that line doesn’t suit you at all.”

After the banter, Qi Xuansu straightened his posture. “Deputy Palace Master Yao, please tell me your instructions.”

“I dare not instruct you,” Yao Pei replied, her tone unchanged. “There’s no one else here but you and me, so I’ll just ask one thing. How do you plan to respond to the Daoist Relations Department’s inquiry?”

Qi Xuansu said helplessly, “All of you know the truth about this matter, so is it really necessary to ask again?”

Yao Pei said, “Of course, I’m aware. But what I’m asking is, how do you plan to answer it?”

Qi Xuansu rubbed his temples. “Honestly, I don’t know. The Longevity Stone Heart is too rare. Aside from the Huasheng Hall, only the Li and Yao families have it. The one in Huasheng Hall is the ancestor of all Auxiliary Hearts, destined never to be given to any one person. The Li family’s Longevity Stone Heart went to Li Changge, and the Yao family’s is in my body. That’s the real reason I survived. If I try to pass the Longevity Stone Heart off as an Auxiliary Heart, it might explain why I didn’t die from falling off the flying ship, but it won’t explain how I survived Wu Luo’s divine power in Yishan Temple. Divine power can activate the Xuan Jade, but if I didn’t merge with the jade, I’d still die under its might. If I reveal the truth about the Longevity Stone Heart, it might clear me of suspicion, but they’ll definitely ask about its exact origin. So, why don’t you just say that you gave it to me?”

Yao Pei looked at him as if he were an idiot. “It’s reasonable for the Yao family to have a Longevity Stone Heart. But it makes no sense for us to give it to an outsider like you. How am I supposed to explain that? I’m not Zhang Yuelu, and you’re not my Daoist companion.”

Qi Xuansu pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s the crux of the issue. I can’t expose Madam Qi. Without her as a link, the only public connection between me and the Yao family is that you and I were classmates. But even so, that’s nowhere near enough to justify giving me such a priceless object.”

Yao Pei said, “Let me remind you. Even though Qing Xiao and I are on your side, we can’t shield you from everyone. There was already a power struggle during the Golden Tower Council’s internal discussions. So Li Changge is here to keep an eye on us. If you can’t give us a convincing explanation, then there’s nothing I can do to help you.”

“I know!” Qi Xuansu exclaimed after some thought. “How about this—we keep the general structure of the story, but we replace Madam Qi with either the Earthly Preceptor or Sage Donghua. Big shots like them are often erratic, and we juniors can’t question them. If it’s Sage Donghua, we can say that the Yao family gave the Longevity Stone Heart to the Pei family as part of a betrothal gift. As long as you stick to that story, no one can verify it with your family. Even if they try, they won’t get an answer. We can frame it as part of a grand scheme by Sage Donghua, that everything I’ve achieved was just part of his plan all along. If we go with the Earthly Preceptor, that’s also workable. I recall the Earthly Preceptor is the number one in divination across the entire Daoist Order. No one else comes close. We can claim that the Great Sage saved my life with the Longevity Stone Heart as part of a good karmic bond.”

Qi Xuansu had given serious thought to how he might explain himself these past few days. But both ideas hinged on Yao Pei. She was the Earthly Preceptor’s grandniece and the direct disciple of Sage Donghua. If she did not approve of these plans, they would be nothing more than fanciful musings.

Yao Pei shook her head. “No. Neither the Earthly Preceptor nor Sage Donghua has ever hinted at anything of the sort. We can’t drag them into this without their permission. Right now, the three sects are in contention, and the situation is unclear. The Earthly Preceptor and Sage Donghua have yet to play their cards. If we act rashly, it might backfire and disrupt their overall strategy.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. He was not particularly disappointed because he also realized that the idea was quite bold, perhaps even unrealistic.

Since ancient times, it has always been subordinates taking the fall for their superiors, not the other way around. People like the Earthly Preceptor and Sage Donghua were bound to cherish their reputations, so they could not afford even the slightest stain. Qi Xuansu had made assumptions, but thankfully, Yao Pei spared his pride and declined him tactfully.

Qi Xuansu continued, “What if I claimed I had some kind of fortuitous encounter, like falling off a cliff into a pocket realm or something?”

Yao Pei replied, “Let’s start with the fact that there are barely any undiscovered ancient sanctuaries left. Most have already been explored by the Daoist Order. Even if there was one that hadn’t yet been found and you just so happened to stumble upon it and obtain a Longevity Stone Heart, the Daoist Order would demand a full and detailed account. They would likely have someone from Huasheng Hall accompany you to locate that sanctuary. Especially since the Longevity Stone Heart is a product of the ancient creation project, such a place would have enormous implications for the Daoist Order. So they would need to verify it thoroughly. Where would you find such a sanctuary? Maybe you could claim you stumbled upon it by sheer coincidence, so you couldn’t retrace your steps. But could you describe it in such flawless detail that no inconsistencies are found?”

Qi Xuansu paused for a moment, then he said earnestly, “I can.”

“What?” That answer clearly caught Yao Pei off guard. For once, a flicker of surprise appeared on her usually indifferent face.

Qi Xuansu repeated, “It’s not an ancient sanctuary, but a broken paradise of sorts. I can describe every detail of it without a single flaw.”

Yao Pei looked at him. “Tian Yuan, let me remind you again. Beichen Hall specializes in this sort of thing. They’ll question you repeatedly. If your account is just a fabrication, inconsistencies will eventually show. If they find that you have intentionally deceived the Golden Tower Council, the severity of your crimes.”

Qi Xuansu replied, “It’s not something I made up. I believe it truly exists. I may not have visited it physically, but I feel as if I’ve long been connected to it in spirit.”

Yao Pei stared deeply at Qi Xuansu. “Are you sure?”

Qi Xuansu said firmly, “I’m sure.”

Yao Pei said, “I can tell you with certainty that if you can truly describe such a realm, it will count as a legitimate explanation. My master will then be able to speak up for you with proper justification. You also won’t have to worry that the Daoist Order will seize your Longevity Stone Heart. What’s yours is yours. That policy has been consistent for 200 years.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “Can I start describing it now?”

“Wait a moment.” Yao Pei got up and left.

Not long after, Yao Pei returned with Zhang Yuelu. She yielded the main seat to Zhang Yuelu and said, “Deputy Hall Master Zhang is the leader in this investigation, so she will now conduct the questioning. I will be in charge of record-keeping. If there are no issues, I’ll submit the case file to Acting Deputy Hall Master Li, Superintendent Lu, and Special Envoy Han for review. If they have no comments, the report will be forwarded to the Golden Tower Council.”

Zhang Yuelu glanced at Qi Xuansu, who gave a small nod.

“Then let’s begin.” Zhang Yuelu took the main seat.

Qi Xuansu said, “Before we officially begin, I have a few things to say, so please don’t record this part yet. Qing Xiao, Su Yi, you both are aware of the full truth. My Longevity Stone Heart came from the Yao family. Mogul Yao saved my life because she said I resemble her deceased son. I can’t say whether that’s true or not, but this matter doesn’t concern today’s case too much, so let’s set it aside for now.”

Both Zhang Yuelu and Yao Pei nodded in agreement.

Naturally, Yao Pei was aware of Madam Qi. Qi Xuansu had also confided in Zhang Yuelu about Mogul Yao after his training in the Upper Palace. After returning to Jade Capital, Sage Cihang had also debunked his possession of the Auxiliary Heart, so the origin of the Longevity Stone Heart was no longer a true secret to them.

Qi Xuansu continued, “In other words, whether it’s a secret sanctuary or a stroke of luck, it’s all fake, for the sake of this report. But I must assure you that I am extremely familiar with every blade of grass and every stone there, even though I have never set foot in that place. That’s because I’ve had a strange recurring dream ever since I obtained the Longevity Stone Heart. At first, I could only move within a small area in that dream. But as I acquired more pieces of the Xuan Jade, the scope of my activity within the dream expanded. I may not be able to see the whole realm, but I’ve glimpsed just the tip of the iceberg. This is absolutely not something I could have fabricated from my imagination. That’s all I have to say about it off the record. Now, please record my description of the place in detail, Deputy Palace Master Yao.”