A Pawn's Passage

Manager Hu understood perfectly well what Qi Xuansu was really after. Though he held considerable sway in Nanyang, he was not so powerful that a man like Qi Xuansu would go out of his way to flatter him.

Qi Xuansu’s intent lay elsewhere, not in polite conversation, but in the ledger that Manager Hu held. Qi Xuansu wanted it, one way or another. So for now, he began with courtesy. But if soft persuasion failed, force would follow.

Manager Hu understood the stakes clearly. If he handed over that ledger, he would offend half of the Poluo Daoist Mansion.

The Taiping Bank and the Daoist Order were not on the same front, so even if he refused, Qi Xuansu alone posed no real threat, as he had no authority over him.

But the pressure from Sage Cihang was of another kind entirely. A figure of her stature was only one step below the Grand Master, so she could absolutely influence the Taiping Bank. To deny that would be self-deception. Moreover, Sage Donghua had personally appointed Qi Xuansu as Second Deputy Poluo Daoist Mansion Master.

Now, two of the three Daoist heirs were aligned, while the third heir was still in Fenglin.

If so, could the stance of these two Omniscient Sages represent the entire Golden Tower Council?

At that realization, cold sweat broke across Manager Hu’s back.

Everyone had been saying that the Golden Tower Council merely meant to give Poluo Daoist Mansion a light warning, removing a deputy or two to make a point. But now, it seemed the Golden Tower Council was preparing to uproot the entire foundation.

The truth was now obvious. Why would Sage Cihang pour in such effort merely to bring down a few Deputy Mansion Masters?

That was when Manager Hu realized that he had no choice but to accept this “gift.”

He could remain obstinate and complicit, or repent and align himself with the Golden Tower Council. In short, he could be their friend or their foe.

Manager Hu let out a wry laugh. “I can’t possibly refuse a gift from an elder. Please convey my thanks to the Sage, Second Deputy Qi. I am deeply honored and profoundly humbled.”

He avoided naming Sage Cihang directly and simply referred to her as Sage. In the upper echelons of the Daoist hierarchy, that title alone sufficed.

Qi Xuansu smiled. “You overstate it, Manager Hu. The Sage has long admired your vision and sense of propriety, saying that you understand the bigger picture.”

Of course, that was a polite fabrication. Sage Cihang had merely provided Qi Xuansu with a list of names, and Manager Hu’s was among them. But she had offered no personal praise or comment, trusting Qi Xuansu to make the final judgment as circumstances demanded.

Of course, Manager Hu did not expose the polite fabrication and simply nodded in silence.

Qi Xuansu smoothly shifted the tone of the conversation. “Manager Hu, you should be clear on the state of things by now. I believe our perspectives are aligned.”

Manager Hu replied calmly, “The sky cannot hold two suns, nor the nation two sovereigns. Unity is indeed the only path.”

Having reached this stage of candor, Qi Xuansu dropped all pretense. “The sky can hold only one sun. In Nanyang, that sun is the Daoist Order. Yet some presume themselves to be the moon, forgetting that moonlight is a mere reflection of sunlight. Though the moon borrows the sun’s radiance and hides in the sun’s shadow, these people pretend to shine as a second sun.”

Manager Hu needed no explanation. Clearly, it was a jab at one of the Poluo Mansion Masters, Sage Wang Jiaohe. He possessed no light of his own, relying instead on the radiance of the Daoist Order to wield authority over Poluo.

By day, the sun illuminated everything, and by night, the moon would rise and borrow the sunlight to rule the sky. So who truly ruled the world?

Qi Xuansu’s metaphor might not have been perfectly elegant, but its message was undeniably clear.

At that moment, Zhou Yonghe, the assistant manager who had excused himself earlier, returned. He had gone to make arrangements for the evening banquet.

“Manager Hu,” Zhou Yonghe said softly.

Manager Hu gave a slight nod. “Come, have a seat.”

Qi Xuansu and Manager Hu sat to the left and right of the table, with one empty chair beside each. The one by Qi Xuansu’s side was for Ke Qingqing, while the other by Manager Hu’s side was for Zhou Yonghe.

Once Zhou had taken his seat, Manager Hu asked, “Is the vault ready?”

“Everything has been arranged,” Zhou Yonghe answered at once, though surprise flickered briefly in his eyes.

Of course, Manager Hu had not foreseen Qi Xuansu’s gift of the painting, but years of experience had taught him to always prepare two plans so that he would be ready for any turn of events. This time, that foresight had proven useful indeed.

Manager Hu nodded slightly, then turned toward Qi Xuansu. “Second Deputy, as per regulation, I was obliged to seek authorization from above regarding your wish to inspect the vault. The approval has just come through. So let us proceed.”

He had chosen his words deliberately, leaving himself room to maneuver. If things went smoothly, it would be because the higher-ups permitted it. If they did not, he could simply claim that approval had been denied. Either way, he could adjust his sails to the changing wind, just as he did now.

“Very well,” Qi Xuansu said, rising to his feet.

Manager Hu and Zhou Yonghe stood as well.

Qi Xuansu cast a meaningful glance at Zhou Yonghe. “Manager Hu, you have a fine subordinate. I, on the other hand, am still new to my post, so I have only a few trusted aides. My young secretary is capable, but she’s still far from Assistant Zhou’s level.”

Zhou Yonghe instinctively lowered his gaze, not daring to meet Qi Xuansu’s eyes.

Manager Hu smiled faintly and said, “Parents often toiled to give life to children, so the hardest debt to repay is to one’s parents. Yet nine children out of ten think that they are entitled to kindness from their parents. It’s the same with disciples and their masters, bearing the debt of reshaping their lives. In my view, though a subordinate is not a disciple, the principle is much the same.”

Manager Hu’s tone carried such sincerity that Qi Xuansu could not find fault with it. These words also struck a deep chord due to his own experience. He thought of Madam Qi and his master, and for an instant, a dull ache rose from the depths of his chest. But he quickly suppressed it.

Qi Xuansu sighed softly, murmuring, “It’s truly not easy to be a parent.”

Whatever words he had planned to say next, he swallowed them instead.

The vault of the Taiping Bank’s Nanyang Headquarters was located within Lion City. It was highly secured, with high walls, sealed gates, and protective formations, cut off entirely from the outside world.

However, its massive double gates slowly swung open today. The guards stationed there were neither Spirit Guards nor Black Robes, but the Taiping Bank’s own elite forces called the Taiping Guards.

The vault lay deep underground. Beyond the courtyard stood another mechanical gate crafted by the Tianji Hall. It was intricate, precise, and impregnable. There were three keys in total—one held by Manager Hu, another by Zhou Yonghe, and one by the commander of the Taiping Guards stationed there. Only when all three were turned simultaneously could the vault be opened. If even one were lost, the only recourse would be to summon a master key from the Taiping Bank’s Central Headquarters.

Now, with all three men present, they inserted their keys together. A sequence of clicks and grinding gears echoed through the corridor before the thick steel door opened slowly.

Beyond lay a long descending passage. To ease the transport of gold, the passage had been built wide and deep, broad enough for two wagons to pass side by side. At its far end stood yet another gate.

They passed through three gates in succession, descending nearly 30 meters underground before reaching the vault’s inner core. Special protective formations bound to the earth energy of Lion City guarded the place from Yin-Yang Gates and Earth Escape Methods. The door was the only entry allowed, and even that massive door could withstand a front strike from the Grade-A Series Three Dragon Eye Bomb.

Manager Hu led the way in person, with Qi Xuansu following close behind.

Qi Xuansu had never seen so much money in his life.

On steel racks, rows upon rows of gold bars gleamed under the lamplight, each stamped with four characters—Taiping Wuyou.

Besides the gold bars, there were also stacks upon stacks of neatly arranged Wuyou gold coins.

The common Taiping coins and silver ingots were stored in large wooden chests.

At Manager Hu’s signal, Zhou Yonghe began his report. “As at the beginning of this month, the vault holds 66 tonnes of gold bars, 421 tonnes of silver ingots, 300,000 Wuyou coins, and 17.63 million Taiping coins.”

Qi Xuansu was in awe. “They always say a mountain of gold and silver. Only today have I truly seen one. The entire lifeblood of Nanyang must be resting right here, huh?”

Zhou Yonghe replied respectfully, “Money only has value when it flows. This gold and silver serve more as a ballast, a safeguard against unforeseen storms.”

Qi Xuansu nodded slightly, then asked, “Are the important ledgers also stored here?”

Zhou Yonghe’s eyes instantly darted toward Manager Hu.

After a pause, Manager Hu asked quietly, “Second Deputy Qi, do you intend to audit the accounts?”

Qi Xuansu chuckled. “No, I’m merely curious. Without authorization from four managers, I wouldn’t dare pry into the Taiping Bank’s records. I’m only curious if there are other ledgers besides the ones stored here.”

The air in the vault suddenly grew still.

Manager Hu pondered for a long time before turning to his assistant. “This matter was handled by Yonghe, so I’m not fully familiar with the details.”

Zhou Yonghe swallowed hard and answered, “There are a few...”

Qi Xuansu pressed on, “And whose accounts might those be?”

Zhou Yonghe could only glance helplessly at Manager Hu again.

Manager Hu’s voice lowered a notch. “No one else is here, so you may speak freely.”

Zhou Yonghe said carefully, “They’re various personal favors and obligations that are difficult to refuse...”

Qi Xuansu continued, “Speak frankly, Assistant Manager Zhou. Are there any names from the Daoist Order? More specifically, anyone from the Poluo Daoist Mansion?”

Cornered, Zhou Yonghe steeled himself. “Yes...”

Qi Xuansu’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Among those Daoist officials, do any of the ledgers involve Mansion Master Wang or Chief Deputy Chen?”

Zhou Yonghe answered in barely a whisper, “On paper, no.”

Qi Xuansu’s gaze flickered. “What about off the record?”

Zhou Yonghe’s voice trembled slightly. “Second Deputy, I can only say that there is a company whose shares are held under countless borrowed names. Even if every one of those proxies were thrown into the dungeons, none would dare reveal the true masters behind them.”

Qi Xuansu mused aloud, “So, on paper, there’s nothing. But if one were to trace every thread, the flow of money could still be uncovered. Is that correct?”

After another pause, Zhou Yonghe nodded. “Yes.”

He quickly added, “But for one person alone to unravel it all would be immensely difficult. These ledgers fill two entire rooms and involve countless parties. It’s a monumental task.”

Qi Xuansu nodded gravely. “The fire at Zhenwu Temple was a lesson, one we cannot afford to ignore. Keeping the ledgers in the vault is safest. Assistant Manager Zhou, I’ll have to trouble you to begin organizing them. That way, we’ll at least have a proper explanation when the Great Sage inquires about it.”