A Pawn's Passage

Jing Tianming sent the eight severed heads of the Yamato-no-Orochi to the Xiujing encampment. After reviewing them, Sage Qingwei sent one of the heads to Heian Capital, applying further pressure upon the Fenglin court and forcing them toward surrender.

This was to show that the Daoist Order could even slay the Yamata-no-Orochi without dispatching a Longevity-stage Immortal, which meant that taking Heian Capital would not be difficult. The Daoists simply did not wish to cause greater bloodshed, hence granting Heian Capital a chance for a dignified resolution.

The Heian Capital naturally understood this truth, which was why Princess Himiya Akiko fled so desperately. Her existence was the reason the Fenglin royal family retained any right to negotiate with the Daoists.

Of course, what could not be won on the battlefield could not be gained at the negotiation table either. This so-called negotiation was nothing more than a unilateral surrender by the royal family.

Soon, the Fenglin royal family sent its reply. They would accept the Daoist Order’s terms.

In line with the first round of negotiations, the royal family agreed to punish those guilty of instigating the war, including several court officials such as the Sadaijin. All Sonno-joi ronin would be disbanded, and the Tenmon Sect would be stripped of its status as the state religion. All armies were to be reorganized according to Daoist standards. The aristocracy would be reformed, the land system restructured, and the royal family demoted, submitting as vassals to the Great Xuan Empire. The Fenglin royal family would remain only as a symbol, stripped of actual power, while the Chancellor’s Office would assume all authority over the Heian Capital and its subordinate offices.

In addition, the Daoists raised an extra condition. The Three Divine Artifacts should not remain in the hands of a demoted royal family but be safeguarded by the Fenglin Daoist Mansion. On this point, the royal family had little say because Princess Himiya Akiko had been frightened into submission due to the Imperial Preceptor destroying the incarnations of the Three Great Kami and then slaying a flood dragon with one sword. Thus, the Saio agreed to this condition.

The royal family agreed so readily because the Daoist Order had built an excellent reputation over the years. They had never reneged on their word, so there was no fear of retribution later.

Thus, the balance the Daoist Order desired was achieved. Chancellor Toyotomi’s Office now wielded actual authority, while the royal family remained only as a symbol.

Still, with the Great Tengu and Princess Himiya Akiko a part of the royal family, they could serve as a counterbalance to the Toyotomi government. The Fenglin Daoist Mansion stood between them, maintaining balance rather than siding firmly with either. However, mutual checks did not mean cruel factional strife had to erupt. That was why Sage Qingwei arranged for Toyotomi Hidemochi to marry Princess Tamako, using marriage to ease tensions between the two sides.

Once the royal family accepted the terms of surrender, Heian Capital opened its gates without bloodshed. The Daoist army formally entered the city and was greeted by whom the people used to refer to as the Fenglin Emperor, who was now called the Fenglin King, signifying their submission.

After the Daoist army’s entry, the Fenglin royal family submitted a state letter to the Great Xuan Court, declaring their vassalage and requesting investiture. They submitted two proposed state names for the emperor to decide—Fenglin and Ashihara.

In the end, the Great Xuan Emperor ultimately chose “Fenglin” as the state name and bestowed the title of Fenglin King to the ruler of this nation, his status now equivalent to an Imperial Prince in the Great Xuan Court. He was also given a golden seal, decrees, ceremonial robes, and many other accessories related to his rank.

From then on, successive rulers of Fenglin would inherit the title of king.

At the same time, the Great Xuan Court decreed that the official robe of the Fenglin King should be a crimson gown patterned with golden dragons, while the Fenglin Queen would be adorned with phoenix motifs. Princesses and consorts were to be decorated with floral designs. The red pheasant-feather robe was granted only to princes of the highest rank. The sky-blue robe was reserved for the Great Xuan Empress, so the Queen and consorts of Fenglin were forbidden from overstepping these bounds.

Over the past century, the Daoist Order’s influence had drastically reshaped Fenglin. Most of the middle class eagerly imitated the Central Plains, from dressing and bearing to customs and etiquette. Even speech patterns were emulated. The closer one was to the Imperial Capital’s accent, the more respected they were. Thus, many Wa people took pride in speaking fluent Mandarin. Many even delighted in mixing obscure Central Plains vocabulary into the Wa language, blending the two as a show of sophistication.

Only the upper classes still retained traditional attire. However, after the Fenglin royal family’s submission, the Great Xuan Court imposed strict rules upon their clothing. All classes were required to change their dressing styles accordingly. Their half-shaven heads had to be grown out so that it could be tied into a top knot and secured with a headdress.

Next came reforms to the nobility system. Since the Fenglin royal family had been demoted, they could not retain their old titles. In their place were six ranks. Former Imperial Princes and Princesses were reduced to Commandery Princes and Princesses. The head of the Toyotomi clan was also given the title of a Commandery Prince, the only one outside the royal lineage, and from there, ranks descended in order of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron.

Nominally, this reform was enacted by the Fenglin royal family, but in truth, it was orchestrated behind the scenes by the Daoist Order. In other words, what noble title each regional lord could receive depended not only on their strength but also on the Daoists’ stance.

Toyotomi Chiyo, the sister of the late Toyotomi Hidesugu, was destined to be marginalized within the Chancellor’s Office. At best, she might have become a County Princess. But because she had been aligned with the Daoists and was designated as a role model, she was given the title of a Commandery Princess, on par with the other princes and princesses, even equal to Toyotomi Hidemochi.

As for Asai Gishin, though his ancestors had once been daimyos, his line had long declined. By strength alone, he might have been no more than a Viscount. Yet because of his great contribution, he was made a Marquis. Likewise, Maeda Masao, who had chosen to surrender to the Daoists, was also granted the title of Marquis.

Yagyu Sosei, who had consistently supported and upheld the Daoist Order, was granted the title of Duke. However, he did not accept the title and passed it to his son instead. The Daoist Order then specially awarded him a second-rank Daoist Priest Kindred status, giving him the same treatment as Suzuka Gozen. This time, Yagyu Sosei gladly accepted it.

Naturally, Sage Qingwei and Great Sage Zhang Qihan would not handle such matters personally. At most, the lists drafted by their subordinates were submitted to them for review and approval. The main decisions then came from joint deliberations by the Fenglin Daoist Mansion, Ciji Hall, and Ziwei Hall.

Qi Xuansu, as Deputy Ziwei Hall Master, also had a say in these discussions. He had little interest in dukes or marquises. He merely proposed that a woman named Genki be bestowed the title of Viscountess. His reasoning was sound. There were too few women among the Fenglin nobility, and most of them were royal-born Commandery Princesses and District Princesses, which could not truly embody the Daoists’ ideal of equality.

Of course, this justification was high-sounding. It touched upon the Daoists’ internal sense of moral correctness—something no one could oppose, at least not openly.

Moreover, since the main interests were concentrated at the duke and marquis level, a minor viscountcy was insignificant. Qi Xuansu also did not involve himself in the discussion of the higher titles, so it was as if he had yielded his vote. Many were happy to reciprocate. Thus, Genki was promoted further from viscountess to countess of Fenglin.

This was not the Great Xuan Court’s nobility, so for the Daoist Order, it was just a matter of a brushstroke, hardly of consequence.

When Genki learned she was to be enfeoffed as a countess, she felt a tinge of fear beyond her joy, as she could sense the vast influence and strong backing of this High Mage Qi.

He could promote her from a mere hatamoto to a countess, jumping two ranks. He could also introduce her to the biggest merchants in the Central Plains. This meant his influence was everywhere.

Moreover, this High Mage Qi was always busy—either engaged in war or on the way to a battlefield—seeming all the more mysterious.

This piqued Genki’s curiosity about High Mage Qi. Skilled in the arts of social grace, she had already cultivated transactional ties with a deacon who was stationed nearby. Thus, she hosted a banquet and began to probe about High Mage Qi.

Money and wine always drew people closer. Since this was no secret matter, the deacon told her everything he knew. “High Mage Qi? Oh, you must mean Deputy Hall Master Qi. He’s an extraordinary young talent. Many say he’s the Daoist Order’s Fourth Prodigy! Do you know what it takes to be called a prodigy? First, one must be young, not over thirty. Second, one must be outstanding, with prospects of contending for the Grand Master’s seat.”

Genki’s pupils contracted slightly, both in shock and under an indescribable pressure as she thought, Grand Master?!

That was not something comparable to the Saio of the Tenmon Sect or even the Fenglin Emperor. Even the Fenglin Mansion Master, Sage Commander, and the Imperial Preceptor were subordinates of the Grand Master.

The Grand Master was the ultimate leader of the Daoist Order, and to some extent, the entire Eastern Continent.

Somewhat drunk, the deacon cared little for Genki’s reaction and continued speaking, “But the Grand Master’s seat is still far off. They have yet to choose the seventh-generation Grand Master, let alone the eighth-generation. That’ll be decades away. But the Golden Tower Council has officially commended Deputy Hall Master Qi. Great Sage Zhang himself read out the commendation order and had it proclaimed throughout the Daoist Order. Just imagine, what sort of honor is that? I’ve heard Deputy Hall Master Qi will soon be promoted to a Second Deputy, which is one of the top three posts in a Daoist mansion. With that, his rank must rise too, which means becoming a Sage. Do you know what it means to be a Sage under thirty?”

Naturally, this deacon was familiar with the Nine-Rank System, including the 12 levels, age limits, qualification requirements, and even the factional struggles among the upper echelons. So he explained them patiently.

Genki was completely stunned. The Grand Master’s seat was too distant, decades ahead. No one could predict what would happen, so she could remain calm and treat it as a fine vision for the future. What shocked her was that she had never imagined having to address High Mage Qi as Sage Qi in the near future. This was simply astonishing.

Titles such as High Mage and Mage were used only by outsiders, never within the Daoist Order. However, the title of Sage was recognized both inside and outside of the Daoist Order, a sign of the rank’s exalted standing. Only by becoming a Sage did one enter the Daoist upper echelons.

The deacon, now comfortably drunk, muttered in a drunken stupor, “A Sage under thirty, an Omniscient Sage by forty—as long as he doesn’t die young, even if he doesn’t become the Grand Master, he’ll have no problem becoming a Deputy Grand Master.”