A Pawn's Passage

On this matter, there was actually very little to discuss.

Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu could be considered figures of note, but they were not truly great figures whose union would warrant a grand ceremony that involved the entire Daoist Order.

However, they were not from insignificant families either. Both held high positions, and all the arrangements would naturally be handled by others, so there was no need for either of them to manage matters personally. They only needed to appear at the ceremony.

So there was really nothing to negotiate. It was just a simple agreement or disagreement. The Zhang family and the Yao family could not possibly haggle over houses, betrothal gifts, or dowries because that would be undignified.

There was an unspoken standard for marriage arrangements for prestigious families of this level. Thus, there would be no shortage nor excess, since flaunting wealth and competing ostentatiously was the behavior of the nouveau riche.

A marriage alliance was, at its core, an exchange of resources, so no one cared about such trifles.

After all, no matter how lavish the betrothal gifts or dowry, could they compare to shares in the Nanyang United Trading Company or to positions of authority within a Daoist Mansion?

For this very reason, Qi Xuansu’s visit to the Zhang family was little more than a formality. Whether Tantai Qiong chose to talk or not, the outcome was already decided.

To put it bluntly, this was more like a notification. After all, the Heavenly Preceptor had made the decision, Sage Cihang had acknowledged it, and the main branch of the Zhang family had compromised. There was no room left for opposition within the Zhengyi Sect.

In the end, Tantai Qiong spoke her true feelings. But even so, the necessary formalities had to be completed. After Tantai Qiong left, Qi Xuansu spoke with Zhang Juqi.

Zhang Juqi was easy to deal with. Qi Xuansu and his future father-in-law got along quite well. Zhang Juqi had someone prepare a small family banquet. Including Little Yin, there were exactly four people, and they simply opened a jar of Dreaming Death.

Zhang Yuelu was always known for being able to handle her liquor. Qi Xuansu was no longer what he once was. With his Wuliang-stage Martial Arts Practitioner physique, he could match Zhang Yuelu without issue. However, Zhang Juqi was a bit lacking by comparison. He could not match his daughter. Moreover, talking about his daughter’s marriage made him emotional, so what was meant to be a few light drinks turned into full jars of wine until he quickly became intoxicated. Little Yin joined in too because she would consume anything, and nothing affected her.

In the end, only Zhang Juqi was drunk, while Qi Xuansu, Zhang Yuelu, and Little Yin were perfectly fine.

Qi Xuansu helped his future father-in-law up. Despite being dead drunk and only a step away from completely passing out, the old man was still conscious enough to ask Qi Xuansu to take him to the study rather than the bedroom. That sense of propriety was ingrained to the bone, the discipline deeply internalized.

Qi Xuansu knew very well that once they left, his future father-in-law would be in for it, likely facing a full-blown storm and becoming the outlet for his wife’s anger. He could already imagine the accusations—not backing her up in front of outsiders, and drinking himself into such a disgraceful state.

After settling Zhang Juqi, Zhang Yuelu took Little Yin for a stroll around the large courtyard. Qi Xuansu had already seen it all during his previous visit, so he did not follow them and instead stood alone in the corridor.

Qi Xuansu’s lack of reverence toward his future parents-in-law was nothing unusual. The Daoist Order sought to break the old Confucian doctrines of ruler over subject and father over son. Though many places might still retain strong Confucian imprints, the Wanxiang Daoist Palace enforced this most thoroughly. Moreover, people like Qi Xuansu had no parents to begin with, so he was not like most others.

Qi Xuansu was extremely stingy when it came to emotional investment. He and Zhang Yuelu had relied on each other through life and death, fighting side by side. His master had held off the assassins alone, throwing him clear to save his life. Madam Qi had saved him, giving him another chance at life. She was also a mentor to him, teaching him about the ways of the world. Without Madam Qi, Qi Xuansu would not be alive today. Little Yin had also followed Qi Xuansu through countless dangers, in and out of battles, from Fenglin to Poluo.

Only to such people was Qi Xuansu willing to give his heart sincerely.

Tantai Qiong’s attitude determined that Qi Xuansu could never invest any real feelings in her. It was only for Zhang Yuelu’s sake that he refrained from going overboard.

Likewise, Zhang Yuelu held a similar attitude toward Madam Qi.

If this were the Confucian era, it would have been outright heresy, enough to warrant execution.

Fortunately for them, this was the Daoist era.

An autumn rain drifted in.

It was already nearing the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the weather had turned cool. This autumn rain carried a faint chill. Raindrops struck the eaves and the leaves with a soft patter. The rain gradually grew heavier, but the sound remained muffled.

Qi Xuansu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the rain in silence.

Several servants watched the new young master from afar, not daring to approach.

They were all Daoist believers. Since the Daoist Order strictly forbade the keeping of slaves, they were employed by the Zhang family and received a handsome monthly stipend. They could leave if they wished, with no restriction on their freedom. But because the benefits and salary were generous, few ever quit. Many had worked here for over a decade and were practically members of the household.

Several older women finished their tasks and gathered around. One of them pursed her lips and asked softly, “What kind of post does this new guy have now? I remember he wasn’t so haughty the last time he came. Now, even the Madam can’t keep him in check.”

Another woman said, “I heard he’s the Chief Deputy of the Poluo Daoist Mansion.”

Several women let out low gasps. “A Chief Deputy Mansion Master? That’s the second-in-command of a Daoist Mansion! This man is so young, yet he’s already on equal footing with the Sages of the main branch. His backing must be enormous.”

The well-informed woman said, “I only heard a bit, but it seems the Young Master has an adoptive mother with an extraordinary background, someone who can stand on equal footing with Sage Cihang. The Madam is probably just jealous.”

“Keep your voice down. If the Madam hears you, you’re in for it.”

“By the way, what about that little girl? Surely, the Young Lady’s prospective husband isn’t dragging along some baggage from a previous marriage, right? Would the Young Lady accept a secondhand man?”

“Don’t talk nonsense! From what I can tell, the Young Lady cares even more than the Young Master. She might even be thinking of adopting her.”

“But they’re both still so young. They’ve got a long road ahead!”

“They may be young, but both their cultivation levels are too high. Now, they’re stationed in different places, so their marriage will only be held after their current assignment ends. By then, their cultivation might advance further, and their chances of conceiving will be even slimmer. I suppose they’re just planning ahead.”

“That’s only natural. Most Immortals don’t have descendants.”

“I think the Holy Xuan designed it this way on purpose. If you want to be Grand Master, you have to be young, not in your 70s or 80s. That way, all Grand Masters are required to be geniuses with extraordinary cultivation at a young age, making it hard for them to have children. This also prevents the position from being passed from father to son.”

“Don’t you think you’re getting off track? But I do feel that the new Young Master is quite terrifying.”

“You’re right to feel that. I’ve heard that he just carried out a massive purge in Poluo. Two successive Mansion Masters, the former Chief Deputy, and the former Second Deputy all fell. Every single one of them was dealt with by his hand. There are also countless others who were sentenced and executed. A few of those families aren’t any weaker than the Zhangs, but the Young Master dealt with them with a mere wave of his hand. How could that not be frightening?”

“The Young Master is indeed formidable, but the Madam still dares to give him attitude?!”

“The Madam is relying on her daughter, of course. No matter how capable the new Young Master is, he ought to consider the Young Lady, so he’ll have to rein in his temper for her sake.”

“The old saying is right. Children respect their parents for the first 30 years, but the parents will have to respect their children for the next 30 years.”

“Exactly. Haven’t you noticed how the main branch’s attitudes have changed? It’s all because the Young Lady and her betrothed are capable. In the future, they’ll be the ones everyone has to rely on.”

As these people were speaking, Qi Xuansu once again saw Tantai Qiong.

Looking at Tantai Qiong’s profile, he could still see some resemblance to Zhang Yuelu.

Qi Xuansu thought that several of Zhang Yuelu’s less pleasant traits were probably inherited from Tantai Qiong.

Tantai Qiong had already regained her composure by then. She said, “Qi Xuansu—the youngest second-rank Taiyi Daoist, the youngest Chief Deputy Mansion Master, and possibly the youngest Omniscient Sage.”

There was no trace of pride on Qi Xuansu’s face as he replied, “Many thanks for your kind words, Auntie.”

Tantai Qiong finally conceded. “Qing Xiao has always had her own ideas since childhood—stubborn ones, too. But I have to admit that this time, she was right, and I was wrong.”

Qi Xuansu looked at Tantai Qiong. “Auntie, you’re wrong.”

Tantai Qiong frowned, feeling her anger rising once more.

She had already lowered herself to this extent, so what more did this punk want? Was he really going to press his advantage and not let go?

Qi Xuansu did not intend to provoke Tantai Qiong. He simply said, “Qing Xiao isn’t that crass—or rather, she isn’t that utilitarian. Auntie, have you ever thought about this? Generally speaking, men don’t usually care whether their partners are powerful. Even if their partners are weak, they’re willing to shelter them from wind and rain, rather than seek security from them. They certainly wouldn’t stake their entire lives on their partners. Many even enjoy being relied on. Many women want to entrust their whole lives to a good man, believing only then can they live well.

“But you can’t think of Qing Xiao as an ordinary woman. She has never wanted to be some vine clinging to a tall tree. She wants to be the tree that shelters others from wind and rain. She has never wanted to seek security from a man, nor does she want a man to support her. She is independent, never anyone’s vassal.

“Qing Xiao may not have foreseen early on that I would one day become a second-rank Taiyi Daoist. In fact, I believe that even if I hadn’t encountered these opportunities and remained at the fourth rank today, while Qing Xiao had already risen to be a Second Deputy, she still wouldn’t have looked down on me. Complaining that a man is incapable is, at its core, still hoping to gain something by relying on a man. When have you ever heard of a man complaining that his woman is incapable?

“To do so is nothing more than viewing things from a utilitarian perspective. From the standpoint of personal feelings, such matters have never been about right or wrong, only about whether one has regrets or not.

“Qing Xiao and I are actually the same kind of people. We’ve given the vast majority of our energy to the Daoist Order, leaving only this tiny bit of personal space for ourselves. We truly don’t want to keep talking about utility and gain on this last bit of pure ground. Don’t you think what I said is right, Auntie?”

Tantai Qiong fell into a long silence.