A Pawn's Passage

To be fair, compared to the Li family, the Zhang family had one clear advantage. Its family discipline was superior. The Li family’s method of expansion allowed it to attract talented people, but it also meant people of every sort were mixed together. By contrast, the Zhang family was conservative. Although somewhat stagnant, suffering from a shortage of capable successors and lacking vitality, it was much easier to manage.

There was some truth to the saying that it took three generations for a family to truly learn refinement and proper conduct.

The first generation that rose to prominence was usually consumed by building the family’s fortune, leaving little time to educate the next generation. Naturally, true family discipline could not be established overnight. It took several generations to formulate rules and enforce them consistently. As a millennium-old aristocratic clan, the Zhang family had already developed an extensive code of family conduct. Although it did not explicitly forbid its descendants from visiting pleasure houses, indulging to this extent was certainly unacceptable.

Of course, family rules were closely tied to a family’s status. The higher one’s standing was in the family, the greater the freedom one enjoyed.

As Zhang Wuyue was considering how to handle the situation, two women had already taken seats beside him, one on each side.

He could not help but glance at them. Both women were quite attractive. On a ten-point scale, they would each score around 6.5.

One of the women was a native of the Southern Continent, carrying an unmistakable exotic charm, while the other possessed the familiar features of someone from the Central Plains.

It was clear that considerable thought had gone into the arrangements.

Among the many entertainment houses, establishments like this represented the highest tier. They occupied vast estates, comparable in size to the residences of high-ranking officials or wealthy merchants. Within it were deep courtyards, elegant gardens, and countless detached compounds. Besides the resident courtesans, there were musicians, tailors, craftsmen, servants, and attendants, allowing guests to find every conceivable convenience without ever leaving the grounds.

Of the women who had arrived, only six were responsible for the establishment’s primary services, with two assigned to each guest. The remaining women had come to perform music and songs.

He Shaoyang walked over to the window and opened it slightly, allowing the courtyard’s lantern light to filter inside. He raised his voice and instructed, “Begin! Put in more effort than usual tonight.”

Outside, the crisp clack of wooden clappers rang out, followed by the beat of a small ceremonial drum, and then the melodious sound of a bamboo flute.

These were the musicians employed by the establishment.

Outside, a female performer sang Kunqu in authentic Wu dialect. “Awakened from a dream by the oriole’s song, everywhere a dizzying sight of intimate beauty. Alone I stand in a small courtyard deep within the garden...”

Zhang Wuyue was visibly surprised. “Isn’t that an excerpt from The Peony Pavilion?”

Kunqu opera was nothing unusual in the Central Plains, but on the Southern Continent, it was quite a rarity. Not just anyone had the privilege of hearing it.

He Shaoyang laughed. “Young Master Zhang, you have an excellent ear. This is authentic Kunqu from Gusu Prefecture in Jiangzhou. The owner of this establishment personally traveled to Kunshan County to hire master performers. Altogether, he spent nearly 200,000 Taiping coins, training them bit by bit. In all of New Port, this is the only place where you can hear it performed.”

Zhang Wuyue said, “Remarkable. To be able to hear such authentic Kunqu so far from the Central Plains is no easy feat.”

He Shaoyang replied, “I told you, Young Master Zhang. If I invite you to enjoy a performance, then you’ll certainly enjoy one. This is where you can enjoy both refined and popular entertainment.”

Zhang Wuyue merely smiled without saying a word.

Taking the opportunity, Qian Xisheng said, “I wonder whether Sage Qi would enjoy this as well. If he does, I happen to know the owner of this establishment. We could send the entire troupe to Sage Qi’s residence so he can listen at his leisure. It would be a small token of our respect.”

Zhang Wuyue waved his hand. “Please don’t. My elder sister keeps a very close eye on things. She wouldn’t approve of this.”

Realization dawned on Qian Xisheng. “I completely forgot about Sage Zhang. My mistake, my mistake. I nearly committed a grave blunder. I’ll punish myself with a drink.”

It seemed that even the Western Daoist Order had heard of Zhang Yuelu’s formidable reputation. She had truly become the legendary Zhang Yuelu.

Such was Zhang Yuelu’s peculiar influence. If someone claimed that the illustrious Sage Qi was afraid of women, no one would believe it. But if they said the woman in question was Zhang Yuelu, it suddenly sounded perfectly reasonable. Not only would people believe it, they would not even question it. Ironically, Zhang Yuelu herself had never made unreasonable demands toward Qi Xuansu.

Sometimes, letting Zhang Yuelu shoulder the reputation spared Qi Xuansu a great deal of trouble.

Zhang Yuelu did not mind. Her reputation was already firmly established, and after everything she had done in Nanyang, that stereotype had only become even more deeply rooted. So she simply let it be.

As they spoke, the female performer outside continued singing with emotion, “The floating gossamer threads blow into the quiet courtyard, fluttering softly like threads of spring. I pause for a moment to adjust the floral ornaments in my hair. Unexpectedly, I caught a glimpse of my half-hidden beauty in the mirror...”

The singer’s voice conveniently masked the conversation taking place inside the room.

Zhang Wuyue had practically grown up under Zhang Yuelu’s watchful eye, and she had always held him to high standards. Although he had recently strayed down the wrong path, such incidents were hardly unusual among the children of great clans and were not considered particularly serious. By aristocratic standards, Zhang Wuyue was still far from being a prodigal scion. At this moment, his thoughts were not on the women beside him, but on business.

Likewise, Qian Xisheng had little interest in either the performance or the women. Leaning closer to Zhang Wuyue, he repeatedly toasted him, exchanged polite pleasantries, and sought to build rapport.

Qian Xisheng served under Huangfu Ji. In his eyes, it was common knowledge that Sage Huangfu and Sage Qi had a close relationship. As Huangfu Ji’s subordinate, drawing closer to Sage Qi’s brother-in-law was only natural and entirely reasonable.

Of course, he was not merely trying to make friends. New Port had only just been established and desperately needed outside investment. Although Qi Xuansu had brokered cooperation between the Daoist Order and the Western Daoist Order, and the Tianji Hall had already stationed personnel in New Port, Huangfu Ji considered that far from sufficient. Trade could not rely solely on government investment. Private capital was equally essential. Thus, he had assigned quotas to his subordinates, requiring each of them to attract a certain amount of investment. Those who met their targets would be rewarded, while those who failed would be penalized.

Qian Xisheng had been worrying over this matter for quite some time. Now that Zhang Wuyue had practically delivered himself to his doorstep, he had to seize the opportunity.

Leaving everything else aside, Lion City in Nanyang was one of the Daoist Order’s major commercial hubs. Sage Zhang was the Chief Deputy of the Poluo Daoist Mansion and just happened to be Young Master Zhang’s cousin. According to Daoist protocol, the Chief Deputy was responsible for economic affairs, which meant that Zhang Yuelu was effectively Nanyang’s God of Wealth. That was precisely why Qian Xisheng dared not offend her. The moment he heard that Zhang Yuelu kept a tight rein on Qi Xuansu, he immediately changed his tune.

Of course, Qian Xisheng did not know about Zhang Wuyue having recently offended his cousin in Lion City. After all, family scandals were not aired in public, and news of it did not travel across the ocean.

Qian Xisheng and He Shaoyang had known each other for decades. They had been childhood friends, and later they both entered Huangfu Ji’s service, bringing their already close relationship to an even higher level, far beyond ordinary friendship.

Qian Xisheng was now one of Huangfu Ji’s trusted lieutenants, commanding his own domain with unquestioned authority. Meanwhile, He Shaoyang served as Huangfu Ji’s secretary and remained close to the center of power. Huangfu Ji had specifically instructed He Shaoyang to look after Zhang Wuyue. When Zhang Wuyue first arrived in New Port, He Shaoyang personally showed him around the entire city. The two became acquainted through that tour and got along quite well. After Qian Xisheng repeatedly asked He Shaoyang for help, He Shaoyang finally agreed to arrange this meeting.

The women assigned to pour drinks had managed to establish themselves in this establishment. Having spent years in pleasure houses, they dealt daily with high officials and wealthy nobles and had seen more than enough of the world. They knew exactly when to speak, when to remain silent, and what could never be repeated outside. That was precisely what He Shaoyang meant by “knowing the rules.”

As Zhang Wuyue and Qian Xisheng settled into serious conversation, the women tactfully refrained from interrupting them, quietly remaining at their sides to refill their wine cups.

After hearing Qian Xisheng’s proposal, Zhang Wuyue remained silent for quite some time.

He was mentally calculating the situation in Nanyang. He had some connections with Genki, and he could also get a word in with Chen Shuwen. If he could bring those two parties on board, things would become much easier. Better yet, he could recruit a few more investors from Jinling Prefecture and Wuyang Prefecture. Quite a number of Zhang family members held official posts in those two places and carried considerable influence.

Wuyang Prefecture was in the Lingnan Daoist Mansion. It was one of the renowned commercial centers of the Daoist Order, along with Jinling Prefecture, Lion City, Bohai Prefecture, and Langya Prefecture. The Western Daoist Order’s construction of New Port was intended to rival these established trade hubs.

With Zhang Yuelu having been confirmed as the leader of the Yue-generation, and with Qi Xuansu as such an influential brother-in-law, Zhang Wuyue’s own standing naturally rose along with theirs. Even if people did not respect him, they would still consider the people behind him. As such, within the Zhang family, Zhang Wuyue was not completely dismissed. Besides, this was a legitimate and profitable business venture. Who would turn down the opportunity to make money?

The more participants there were, the more capital they could raise. The more capital they controlled, the greater their bargaining power, allowing them to negotiate more favorable terms.

This was one of the great advantages enjoyed by the children of powerful clans when starting a venture. Their extensive networks paved the way for them, allowing them to leverage other people’s resources to build fortunes of their own. By contrast, a common-born person would struggle to obtain even the initial capital without resorting to unconventional methods. Without that first pot of gold, they would not even qualify to enter the game. No matter how talented they might be, their abilities would go to waste.

This was precisely why having powerful backing mattered more than personal ability.

That was why Qi Xuansu had always said that although Madam Qi had not raised him, she had recognized his talent and given him a second chance at life. She had devoted herself wholeheartedly to paving the way and building bridges for him.

Although Qi Xuansu had now reached a position where Madam Qi could no longer shield him from every storm nor continue paving the road or building bridges for his further ascent, Qi Xuansu could never forget where he came from. He would never abandon the people who had helped him simply because he had risen in the world and become Sage Donghua’s disciple.

Qian Xisheng took the opportunity to observe Zhang Wuyue’s expression. He considered himself a decent judge of character. In his eyes, Zhang Wuyue was genuinely weighing the proposal rather than putting on an act or deliberately keeping him in suspense. That meant there was room for negotiation.

After finishing his deliberation, Zhang Wuyue raised a hand and gestured the number eight to Qian Xisheng.

Qian Xisheng’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Zhang Wuyue could never have raised that much money on his own, even if he tried his hardest. But with Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu standing behind him, plenty of people would be willing to do them a favor. One contribution here, another there, and together, they really could come up with such a sum.

After all, investing in New Port was an official undertaking. A considerable portion of the funding would come from the public coffers of the various Daoist Mansions. This was entirely different from the situation at the Golden Tower Council. The national treasury and local treasuries were separate. The funding Qi Xuansu had arranged came from the national treasury and made up the lion’s share, while Zhang Wuyue was calculating how to secure additional funds under various local Daoist Mansion budgets, which was a much smaller-scale effort.

The key point was that there was nothing to fear from an audit. The port business Zhang Wuyue had been involved in previously could become highly problematic if subjected to serious scrutiny. However, New Port was an entirely different matter. No one would raise objections.

Qi Xuansu had brought Zhang Wuyue here for two reasons. First, to give him a proper career. Second, to gradually expand his own foundation of support. As Great Sage Jiang mentioned, without trusted subordinates and his own following, others simply would not take him seriously.