A Pawn's Passage

The “war of words” between Zhang Yuelu and Qin Lingge lasted for quite some time, drawing plenty of attention. In the end, it escalated to the point where Great Sage Shi and a Confucian Great Master personally entered the debate, each writing lengthy essays of tens of thousands of words, after which the matter finally came to a close.

This revealed a peculiar phenomenon. The Daoist Order did not permit lower-level Daoists or common followers to speak recklessly about its affairs, yet it showed tolerance toward the unconventional remarks of elite figures, allowing dissent in order to cultivate an image of openness and balanced judgment. The Confucians clearly fell within this category, so rather than silencing the matter, the Daoist Order engaged in open debate.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, although Zhang Yuelu had not yet identified the mastermind behind the scenes, she thoroughly examined the contents of the accusation letter itself. For example, the letter claimed that Qi Xuansu had an improper relationship with certain women. Such allegations could not be mere empty words. They required specific times and locations. If such details could not be provided, or if they were proven to be fabricated, then under the principle of presumption of innocence, the claim could be judged as fabricated.

By focusing on several key points like these, Zhang Yuelu quickly overturned the entire accusation letter, classifying it as false reporting. Then, she promptly released the news.

People quickly lost interest and were too lazy even to learn the details. The matter passed as though it had never happened. It neither spread widely nor caused much disturbance, and many people never even knew about it. To outsiders, it seemed like a trivial matter not worth mentioning, but behind the scenes, Zhang Yuelu had expended tremendous effort just to achieve such results.

As for Zheng Zaishi, the female Daoist who had reported Qi Xuansu, she was placed under supervision.

Everyone knew she was merely a pawn, and a discarded one at that. She herself was also well aware.

Thus, trying to get more information from her would likely be difficult.

However, Zhang Yuelu did not give up. She ordered a thorough investigation into Zheng Zaishi’s background and discovered that her parents had died early, leaving only a younger brother. The siblings had relied on each other for many years and shared a deep bond. But not long ago, her brother had disappeared.

This made Zhang Yuelu realize that Zheng Zaishi had likely been coerced into making the false accusation. But when Zhang Yuelu tried to track down the brother’s whereabouts, she found no valuable clues. After all, too much time had passed. The mastermind was also highly experienced and had left no trace.

The only thing she discovered was that Zheng Zaishi’s brother had last been seen at Taiqing Market in Jade Capital.

This was intriguing. Jade Capital was perhaps the safest place in the world. Abducting someone there was not something ordinary people could accomplish. Doing so silently without leaving any trace was even more difficult. Even a powerful regional figure like Wang Jiaohe would find it challenging. Abducting someone might not be hard, but doing it without leaving any evidence was another matter entirely.

This indirectly indicated that the mastermind behind the scenes came from Jade Capital and most likely from within the Golden Tower Council.

Even so, Zhang Yuelu did not give up. While ordering others to continue pursuing this lead, she also reorganized the information she gathered from beginning to end.

On the surface, the mastermind’s fundamental goal seemed to be to ruin Qi Xuansu’s reputation and prevent him from participating in the struggle for the position of Grand Master. Those with such motives were none other than Li Changge, Yao Pei, and Zhang Yuelu, corresponding to the three great families, each of which possessed the capability to plan such a scheme.

Certain members of the Zhang family could have carried this out without Zhang Yuelu’s knowledge. After all, one must not forget that the main branch of the Zhang family had always been wary of Zhang Yuelu, remaining vigilant against the possibility that she might seize control of the Zhang family with Qi Xuansu’s help.

The Li family was also the primary suspect.

As for the Yao family, despite appearing to be Qi Xuansu’s greatest supporters, they might view him as an ungrateful wolf that could never be fully tamed. His delicate relationship with Yao Shu served as evidence of this tension. Qi Xuansu trusted Madam Qi but remained suspicious of the Yao family. That was why he insisted on entering the Lingshan Paradise to investigate. Whether the Yao family truly knew nothing or had sensed something was hard to tell.

Given this situation, Zhang Yuelu could not directly use the Zhang family’s resources to investigate. Instead, the person she could rely on was her master, Sage Cihang.

Additionally, Zhang Yuelu did not contact Madam Qi because the accusation letter explicitly claimed that Qi Xuansu had colluded with secret societies. This raised the possibility that the letter itself was bait, designed to lure Qi Xuansu’s side into using the secret societies to investigate, only to catch them red-handed and thereby confirm the accusation, which would doom Qi Xuansu beyond redemption.

Although Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu were, in a sense, competitors, she was considering matters from Qi Xuansu’s perspective at this moment.

If Zhang Yuelu truly wished to harm Qi Xuansu, she would not even need to do anything. Merely standing aside and allowing the matter to escalate might have forced him into becoming her supporting partner. Yet she did not choose that path.

Qi Xuansu might distrust the Zhang family and the Yao family and view both the Heavenly Preceptor and the Earthly Preceptor with cautious suspicion, but he would put his full trust in Zhang Yuelu. This trust even transcended the usual boundaries of a Daoist companionship.

Trust depended not only on character but also on competence. At critical moments, a lack of capability could betray that trust.

Zhang Yuelu’s independence was not an act.

Some women presented themselves as capable and unapproachable, yet before powerful men, they transformed into gentle, obedient figures. Thus, they were fundamentally still like parasitic vines clinging to a larger tree.

Zhang Yuelu’s capability was beyond doubt. She remained true to herself no matter who she was with and would not be another man’s vassal. She could weather storms, stand independently, and fully bear the weight of that trust.

Many could see that Qi Xuansu cared little for romantic relationships and even showed some aversion to them. He longed for parents and children to compensate for the familial affection he had naturally lacked, but he did not really need a partner. If he never met Zhang Yuelu, he would likely have remained alone his entire life, which was quite normal within the Daoist Order.

How could someone like him be utterly devoted to Zhang Yuelu? Clearly, she possessed extraordinary qualities. In truth, it came down to two words—sincerity and authenticity.

Simply put, Zhang Yuelu treated Qi Xuansu with genuine sincerity and honesty. In turn, he responded with the same. It sounded cliché, but it was difficult to achieve in practice.

At this moment, Zhang Yuelu felt somewhat worried about Qi Xuansu. Unfortunately, after the Tongzhen Palace had sealed itself off, it became isolated from the outside world, leaving her with no knowledge of what was happening inside.

Restless, Zhang Yuelu paced back and forth unconsciously when Ke Qingqing hurried in and reported some news in a soft voice.

After listening, Zhang Yuelu showed little expression on her face and calmly instructed, “Contact Sage Cihang.”

“Yes,” Ke Qingqing replied.

Soon, the mother-child mirrors were connected.

“Master,” Zhang Yuelu greeted in a steady voice.

On the other side, Sage Cihang sat behind a desk in her office and asked directly, “Qing Xiao, what is it?”

Zhang Yuelu said, “Master, I just received news that we have some leads regarding Tian Yuan’s case.”

Sage Cihang raised an eyebrow slightly, waiting for her to continue.

Zhang Yuelu said, “Zheng Zaishi’s younger brother has been found. He was located by Great Sage Jiang’s people.”

Sage Cihang did not seem surprised. “Elder Jiang has claimed absolute neutrality for years. For him to intervene, Tian Yuan must carry considerable weight. It seems the Old Sage values him highly. I suppose it’s understandable, since it’s always been the Three Sects taking turns holding power. The Grand Master lineage wouldn’t have been content.”

Zhang Yuelu continued, “But the boy is dead.”

“Where was he found?” Sage Cihang asked.

Zhang Yuelu replied, “At the Starry Sea. Great Sage Jiang’s people arrived a step too late. The boy had already been silenced, and the person guarding him committed suicide.”

“A death warrior? That’s rare these days compared to the past,” Sage Cihang said, finally showing some surprise. “This is not the work of an ordinary force. Could it truly be those great families’ doing?”

Zhang Yuelu pondered before saying, “We can’t confirm yet. But looking on the bright side, it may not necessarily be directly ordered by the Three Deputy Grand Masters or the other two Sages. It could also be certain individuals acting on their own initiative.”

Sage Cihang naturally did not have the time to carefully analyze the case details. Knowing only the general outline, she asked, “What help do you need?”

Zhang Yuelu did not stand on ceremony. “I would like your help in investigating whether there have been any unusual movements among the people of the Kunlun Daoist Mansion recently.”

Sage Cihang understood immediately. “You think it’s related to the Kunlun Daoist Mansion?”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “Yes. After thinking it over, the Kunlun Daoist Mansion has the greatest suspicion.”

The Kunlun Daoist Mansion was in charge of ensuring the safety of Jade Capital, playing the role of a central imperial guard, so it commanded some Spirit Guard forces.

Zhang Yuelu did not suspect that members of the Kunlun Daoist Mansion were the true masterminds. Rather, she suspected that someone had used the Daoist Mansion’s military power to abduct Zheng Zaishi’s brother. It was a lead worth pursuing. However, the Kunlun Daoist Mansion held a uniquely sensitive status.

As a member of the Lingnan Daoist Mansion, Zhang Yuelu could not reach into the Kunlun Daoist Mansion’s affairs without using the Zhang family’s influence. However, Sage Cihang was the Tiangang Hall Master and the direct leader of the Spirit Guard Office. Thus, she had the authority to intervene in a Daoist Mansion that commanded large numbers of Spirit Guards.

Since the Kunlun Daoist Mansion was too important, no single faction could fully control it. Multiple internal forces restrained one another, creating enough room for manipulation.

After only brief consideration, Sage Cihang agreed. Although she belonged to the Zhengyi Sect, she was not a member of the Zhang family. Seeing little chance of becoming the Grand Master herself, she would likely become a Virtuous Great Sage instead. Thus, she placed her hopes on her disciple and son-in-law to become the eighth-generation Grand Master. Naturally, she did not support Yao Pei and Li Changge, so in this respect, her interests were largely aligned with Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu.

Overall, the Heavenly Preceptor, Earthly Preceptor, Imperial Preceptor, Sage Cihang, Sage Donghua, and Sage Qingwei each had their own agendas. Among them, Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang were likely aligned with Qi Xuansu, while the positions of the other four, including the Heavenly Preceptor, were uncertain.

Beyond these six, there could be other forces that should not be underestimated, such as Great Sage Jiang, Great Sage Shi, Zhang Wuliang, Li Changsheng, and Yao Yi. They were all suspects.

At present, Zhang Yuelu still did not know who the opponent was, making any counterattack futile and premature.

Meanwhile, Qi Xuansu was oblivious to the scandal and investigation revolving around him. He and Qi Jiaoyao were currently on the road toward Lingshan.