A Pawn's Passage

Chapter 1396: Silla

Xuanhuang City was the gateway to Jade Capital, so it required a fierce general to guard it.

Li Wuji was entrusted with such responsibility. Though he might not match Huangfu Ji, he was far from incompetent.

Someone had once targeted Qi Xuansu politically. Zhang Yuelu traced the matter as far as the Kunlun Daoist Mansion but could go no further. That was why Qi Xuansu suspected Li Wuji’s involvement, though he had no proof.

Now that the two met face to face, a seasoned fox like Li Wuji would never reveal the slightest flaw, even if he had indeed been behind it.

Upon meeting Qi Xuansu, Li Wuji showed no hostility. Instead, he was enthusiastic, repeatedly praising Qi Xuansu as a rising star, even remarking that old men like himself should step aside.

An outsider might have thought he was Qi Xuansu’s close elder friend.

Mocking, provoking, or belittling Qi Xuansu was the behavior of immature youths, driven by pride.

Veteran schemers would never have such impulses. They spoke only sweet words while committing ruthless deeds. Anyone foolish enough to believe their game of flattery would surely be devoured completely.

Qi Xuansu naturally did not confront Li Wuji or demand explanations. He would not even bring it up. Instead, he returned the courtesy, praising Li Wuji’s hard work in guarding Jade Capital’s gateway.

Huangfu was much older than Qi Xuansu. Having long moved within circles of power, he was well-versed in such tactics and took none of it seriously.

Notably, Li Wuji’s reception was quite imaginative. Besides showing the delegation both completed and unfinished satellite cities, he also led them to see the grand statue of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor, which was planned to take a hundred years to build. At present, it was only in its early stages. The mountain was barely shaped into a human form.

Finally, they attended a theatrical performance in Qingshi City, a new production that was a blend of Eastern and Western styles.

More curiously, the performers were not from the Central Plains but entirely Silla women.

Qi Xuansu could not help but ask, “Why are there Silla people in the Kunlun Daoist Mansion?”

A superintendent from the Kunlun Daoist Mansion who was accompanying them quickly replied, “These Silla women were all concubines of a high-ranking Daoist. That Daoist priest was detained here as punishment, so they followed him to this place.”

Qi Xuansu said, “That doesn’t sound right. The Daoist Order does not practice collective punishment. Even if a high-ranking Daoist is arrested, there’s no reason to detain these women if they weren’t involved.”

The official replied, “To be frank, Chief Deputy Qi, we didn’t arrest them. They originally came to assist with the investigation, but later chose not to leave. The situation is somewhat complicated as they are a special kind of concubine, not the same as ordinary ones.”

Huangfu Ji immediately understood. “Just say they’re slaves.”

“What Sage Huangfu said is essentially correct,” the superintendent admitted, already starting to sweat.

Qi Xuansu continued, “That still doesn’t add up. Even if they were slaves, the Daoist Order has abolished slavery and the lowly class. They should have been repatriated. Why bring them here to the Kunlun Daoist Mansion?”

The superintendent wiped his brow with a handkerchief and explained, “They were gifted to that high-ranking Daoist by Silla nobles. If we sent them back, they would inevitably remain slaves and be passed to others, so they chose to stay here instead. To be honest, these Silla women were trained only in singing, dancing, and serving men since childhood. They cannot do physical labor or practical work, so we had little choice but to place them here.”

These women were generally separated into three categories. The highest tier studied music, calligraphy, painting, and the arts, often surpassing noble ladies in talent so that they could become refined companions. The middle tier learned household management and accounting, capable of assisting in both domestic and practical affairs. The lowest tier specialized in cooking, housework, and needlework, becoming the ideal wives to most men.

All of this required years of careful upbringing from childhood, culminating in their sale at high prices to powerful men as concubines or mistresses.

There was always a suitable type, whether one preferred a cultured companion to accompany their late-night reading, a capable and shrewd partner, or a virtuous homemaker.

It was no wonder those with power and status were said to excel at indulgence.

Those who reached a certain age without being sold would be sent to brothels, where they might still rise to become the finest courtesans.

These Silla women happened to belong to the highest tier. Otherwise, they would not have been gifted to a high-ranking Daoist. That was why their prospects for livelihood were limited.

Qi Xuansu nodded. “In that case, you’ve done a good deed. But helping them also means ensuring they can learn a skill to sustain themselves.”

Huangfu Ji laughed. “The Silla women were sent as tribute to the Imperial Court as early as the era of the First Emperor. Nearly 2,000 years have passed, and the only thing Silla offers of note is still its women. It’s truly astonishing how this tradition continued for thousands of years.”

Li Wuji sighed. “People always say the Wa people harbor wolfish ambitions. But to even have such ambitions, one must have the strength. In that regard, the Wa people surpass the Silla people by quite a margin.”

When the play concluded, the tour came to an end.

Since the Kunlun Daoist Mansion was only a step away from Jade Capital, the delegation did not stay overnight and set off directly for Jade Capital.

At last, they were about to reach Jade Capital.

As the Great Sage Lunzhi, the Imperial Preceptor would not personally receive them. But the Daoist Order still extended a high-level reception, with Ning Lingge, the Ciji Hall Master, personally welcoming them.

After arriving in Jade Capital, Qi Xuansu no longer needed to accompany the delegation, as the Ciji Hall would take over external affairs.

So after greeting Ning Lingge briefly, Qi Xuansu took his leave and returned to the Beichen Hall.

The Nine Halls of the Daoist Order were renowned. The Ziwei Hall, as the foremost of the Nine Halls, was located within the Purple Mansion and attached to the Golden Tower. The remaining eight halls were situated in Xuan City, forming the Eight Trigrams when viewed from above.

The Tiangang Hall dealt with warfare, so it was located in the northwest, in the Qian position of the Eight Trigrams. The Beichen Hall was also tied to warfare, though less openly, so it occupied the Kun position of the Eight Trigrams, situated in the southwest.

The Tiangang Hall and Beichen Hall were positioned close to one another to facilitate the swift transfer of intelligence and planning. The Zhengyi Sect controlled Tiangang Hall, while the Taiping Sect controlled Beichen Hall. By cleverly exploiting the rivalry between the Zhang and Li families, the system ensured the two halls could never fully unite to usurp military power. One could not help but admire the ingenuity of the Holy Xuan’s original design.

Qi Xuansu arrived at the gates of Beichen Hall with a sizable entourage. The Second Deputy, Shen Mingxin, came out to receive him, along with Qi Xuansu’s secretary, Chen Jianchou.

Shen Mingxin exchanged a few pleasantries with Qi Xuansu, praising him for his hard work and new accomplishments.

Anyone with insight could see that Qi Xuansu had returned in triumph. The Daoist Order’s high-level reception of the Western Daoist delegation indicated recognition of their achievements. This also meant that Qi Xuansu had successfully fulfilled his mission.

Sage Qingwei was certainly not disappointed. After all, appointing Qi Xuansu had been his decision. Now that Qi Xuansu had delivered results, it only proved Sage Qingwei’s discernment in talent, allowing him to take partial credit.

At such a moment, no one would step forward to make trouble for Qi Xuansu.

After entering Beichen Hall, Qi Xuansu did not immediately seek an audience with Sage Qingwei. Instead, he instructed Lu Yujue to arrange accommodations for Audrey. The two had already met in the New Continent, and Lu Yujue, as a veteran of Beichen Hall, was well suited for the task.

Only then did Qi Xuansu return to his office, bringing Chen Jianchou with him.

Qi Xuansu had only visited his office a handful of times. During his absence, it had all been managed by Chen Jianchou. Qi Xuansu had deliberately not brought his secretary along because he needed a trustworthy aide stationed in Jade Capital.

Being far from Jade Capital, Qi Xuansu could not afford to be blind or deaf to its developments. Thus, he left Chen Jianchou behind as his eyes and ears.

Of course, Chen Jianchou could also handle the more mundane affairs, like the procurement of gifts.

Qi Xuansu asked directly, “How are the gifts coming along?”

Chen Jianchou replied, “Chief Deputy, I purchased gifts shipped from the New Continent with special Tawantin characteristics. These include crystal skulls that can speak and sing. It’s said that if one gathers 13 of these skulls, they can foresee the future. The ones I bought are replicas. They can only speak and sing, not predict the future, but they make for fine display pieces.

“There are also Tawantin clay figurines, two each for Sage Cihang and Madam Tantai. Altogether, the cost came to about 8,900 Taiping coins. As per your instruction, it has all been charged to Madam Qi’s account.”

As he spoke, Chen Jianchou produced two suitcases and placed them before Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu opened them, gave the items a quick glance, and nodded. “Great work!”