A Pawn's Passage

The speed at which news travels in the political world always exceeds one’s imagination.

While Qi Xuansu was still waiting anxiously outside the gate of Zixiao Palace, the news of Ke Qingqing’s promotion had already spread through the lower ranks of Yuhuang Palace.

Although Ke Qingqing remained a sixth-rank deacon, everyone viewed it as a promotion. Transferring from a local Daoist mansion to the Jade Capital, even as a lateral move, was considered an elevation. Moreover, she was assigned to Ziwei Hall, the foremost of the Nine Halls. Her place of work had shifted from the Xuanshang North District of the Imperial Capital to the Purple Mansion, a location normally reserved for Sages. Thus, the opportunities available there far exceeded those of any other post.

More crucially, a secretary must follow the right boss.

Generally speaking, a secretary would inevitably rise and fall with the superior. A good superior was considerate, valued relationships, and stayed out of trouble.

Some Sages continued to care greatly for their secretaries even after stepping down from office. Other Sages rose swiftly in rank, so their secretaries ascended along with them. A classic example was Mu Jin. Based on her qualifications and experience, she should have spent many more years toiling, but because she followed Zhang Yuelu, she became a superintendent before turning thirty. In contrast, people like Sun Yongfeng had endured many years of hardship and still held the same rank.

Of course, not all secretaries had happy endings. Quite a few secretaries had been dragged down due to scandals involving their superiors. In the major Jiangnan case, several secretaries were dealt with alongside their bosses.

Some secretaries were unfortunate enough to work for a frivolous boss who neglected their duties. When these Sages stepped down from key positions, their Daoist rank remained, so their secretaries still had to follow them around.

The fates of these secretaries varied greatly. Though retired, some Sages still had many protégés and contacts. They were willing to vouch for their longtime secretaries and secure another path for them. But those who lacked real power to begin with, or who had been forgotten after stepping down, left their secretaries stranded in mediocrity, stuck in the same position forever. Others had no sense of obligation, seeing their secretaries as tools and simply not caring about their future. In such cases, the secretary could only suffer in silence.

In Ke Qingqing’s case, there was no doubt that she followed the right person.

Qi Xuansu had already become a third-rank Deputy Hall Master before the age of thirty. This could not be explained as mere luck. Beyond having a strong backing, his own abilities were outstanding.

With a solid foundation and personal competence, as long as he did not make any grave mistakes, Qi Xuansu was almost guaranteed to become an Omniscient Sage in this lifetime, perhaps even a contender for Deputy Grand Master. If so, Ke Qingqing, as his trusted aide, would surely ascend as well. At the very least, she would be a Chief Deputy or Second Deputy.

Although that would likely be many years later, one should not wait until the last moment to seek favor. After all, it was better to form good relationships as soon as possible. Even if there was nothing to gain for now, it was still wise to make moves early for long-term benefit. Delivering help in times of need was always better than offering congratulations at a celebration.

Thus, once the news spread, people came in droves to visit Ke Qingqing.

Ke Qingqing had not realized she was so popular. A few female Daoists who used to be at odds with her now came humbly to admit fault, hoping she would be magnanimous as to let bygones be bygones.

Superintendents who usually did not think much of Ke Qingqing now changed their tone to one that resonated warmth, discreetly probing into her relationship with Deputy Hall Master Qi, asking whether she had crossed any lines.

Even more people wanted to treat Ke Qingqing to a meal at the famous Taiping Inn to get acquainted with her.

Ke Qingqing spent the entire afternoon overwhelmed by a flood of invitations. Among them were some high-ranking Daoists who were unable to meet Qi Xuansu directly, so they took a roundabout path and set their sights on her instead.

However, Ke Qingqing did not know where Qi Xuansu was or what he was doing. She herself was still in a daze, trying to process this transfer.

She had assumed that after Superintendent Qi left, she would return to her previous, unremarkable life as a low-ranking Daoist. In recent times, she had gotten along well with Superintendent Su, but unfortunately, Superintendent Su was aligned with Mansion Master Li. Ke Qingqing belonged to Deputy Mansion Master Shi’s camp, so she had to mind her position and avoid getting too close.

Naturally, Ke Qingqing felt somewhat dejected, but it did not hurt her.

What she never expected was that after Superintendent Qi became the Deputy Ziwei Hall Master, he would personally name her to continue being his secretary and even transfer her to Ziwei Hall. This was a profound recognition, if not a life-changing kindness.

If Deputy Hall Master Qi was now a hidden dragon biding his time, then she was at the very least a lucky koi swimming in his wake.

Unfortunately, she did not have a paired mother-child talisman with Deputy Hall Master Qi and could not contact him directly, so she could only wait until she reached Jade Capital to thank him in person.

Meanwhile, she also thought that Deputy Hall Master Qi and Deputy Hall Master Zhang were a perfect match—handsome and talented, beautiful and graceful. They were bound to become Daoist companions in the future. As Deputy Hall Master Qi’s secretary, she would naturally have frequent contact with Deputy Hall Master Zhang, which was undoubtedly a big bonus.

By evening, Ke Qingqing thought she could finally catch a break. But in truth, her expectations were a bit naive. More invitations started pouring in as dinnertime approached, including one from someone she considered a rival.

Strictly speaking, it was not a blood feud, just some friction that occurred during official duties.

It had happened during the reformation of the Imperial Capital’s public morality. Qi Xuansu had been preoccupied with the Anchor the Monkey operation and had no time to deal with such matters. Due to an incident involving a branch of the Taiping Inn, Ke Qingqing had gone to handle the matter. The innkeeper of that branch had treated her with open hostility, even going so far as to issue threats.

But now, everything has changed. That very innkeeper came to visit her personally, showing great respect.

This left Ke Qingqing deeply moved. Was this what it meant to hold authority?

She was just a menial secretary, not even truly successful yet. She only had the promise of a bright future, but this had already brought her such special treatment. She could not help but imagine what kind of scenarios Deputy Hall Master Qi must be facing at this moment.

If Qi Xuansu knew what Ke Qingqing was wondering, he would surely laugh at her.

Jade Capital was teeming with high-ranking Daoists, so a mere Deputy Hall Master was nothing in comparison.

Of course, some things had changed for him. He had simply caught the attention of the Sages and was now able to exchange a few words with them.

But those Sages would not actually go out of their way to flatter him.

Sure, he had caught the eyes of a few female Daoists, but he could not bring himself to betray Zhang Yuelu.

Even if he was tempted by all these beautiful women swimming around him, could he really just reach out and pick one among them? Of course, it would be easy to take one, but all these sirens had clear goals and expected something in return.

Perhaps after just one night, they would want a promotion in Daoist rank or seek an official position. One way or another, there had to be a tangible payoff. Romantic affection was merely the gauze that shrouded these blatant transactions. Would they really like Qi Xuansu as a person? If they truly liked him, then where were they back in the day?

Power was the most beautiful garment. Once worn, it made anyone—man or woman, old or young, tall or short, fat or thin—seem irresistibly attractive.

Such fish, if consumed, would surely bring a stench. They were neither allies nor delicacies, but poison painted with rouge, heavy stones that would drag Qi Xuansu into an abyss. All of this was illusory and could not be taken seriously.

Zhang Yuelu was the only real one.

So in the end, Qi Xuansu could only wait obediently outside the gate of Zixiao Palace.

Then again, the threshold of the Zixiao Palace was probably the highest in the world, so being stopped there was not at all shameful.

By the time Qi Xuansu went to request leave from Sage Donghua, Zhang Yuelu had already entered the Zixiao Palace.

As the Heavenly Preceptor’s favorite grandniece and the Earthly Preceptor’s cherished junior, she had a special pass. Even the Spirit Guards at the gates recognized her.

Yao Pei was currently recuperating in the Yuxu Palace, so Zhang Yuelu went to visit her first. Yao Pei’s health was generally fine, but her energy was lacking. She slept nearly 20 out of 24 hours a day, seemingly using sleep to recover from her injuries. So Zhang Yuelu only stayed briefly before taking her leave.

After that, she went to the Biyou Palace, the Heavenly Preceptor’s residence.

Zhang Yuelu passed through corridor after corridor without encountering even the slightest obstruction.

The reason was simple. This was Jade Capital, not the Dazhen Mansion. The Biyou Palace was filled with the Heavenly Preceptor’s trusted aides, not members of the Zhang family. Thus, they understood the Heavenly Preceptor’s attitude better and naturally adjusted their own accordingly.

The Heavenly Preceptor’s attitude toward this grandniece grew more favorable by the day. Each time Zhang Yuelu made progress or accomplished something significant, he grew more affectionate. Although there was a hint of calculation in it, one had to admit that many would give anything for such treatment.

Zhang Yuelu was not the type to be overly sentimental. Naturally, she did not resist the Heavenly Preceptor’s changing attitude. Instead, she welcomed the deepening of their familial bond and used it to lay a foundation for her own ambitions.

Before the Anchor the Monkey operation, the Heavenly Preceptor had already entrusted the Ziguang Society’s affairs to Zhang Yuelu, which was an indication of his high regard for her. After that mission concluded, the Heavenly Preceptor even began to fulfill the duties of a proper grandfather, unlike in the past when he was distant and uninvolved.

Zhang Yuelu made her way to the Heavenly Preceptor’s study and gently knocked on the door.

“Come in.” The Heavenly Preceptor’s voice sounded.

Zhang Yuelu pushed the door open and entered.

Compared to the Imperial Preceptor’s black hair and beard, the Heavenly Preceptor had white hair and a white beard, without the slightest trace of other color, making him appear much older than the former. He had an ethereal bearing, like Immortals from novels.

In contrast to the Imperial Preceptor’s calculating sternness, the Heavenly Preceptor seemed much kinder and more benevolent, exuding hardly any sharpness or imposing aura.

Having interacted with all three Deputy Grand Masters, Zhang Yuelu thought so to herself as she stepped into the Heavenly Preceptor’s study. These two Deputy Grand Masters, representing the Zhang and Li families, respectively, are like the yin-yang symbol. Meanwhile, the Earthly Preceptor is probably the Eight Trigrams surrounding the yin-yang symbol.

The Heavenly Preceptor’s study was quite simple, yet it did not lack the grandeur befitting a leader.

He was writing behind a desk, copying an excerpt from the Primordial Daoist Ancestor’s Five Thousand Word Classic.

“Weapons are instruments of misfortune, detested by all. Therefore, those who follow the Dao do not dwell in them. In times of peace, the noble man values the left; in times of war, he honors the right. Weapons are ominous tools, not the tools of a gentleman. They are used only when there is no other choice, and even then, with calm detachment.”