A Pawn's Passage

Although they had been delayed by several days, Utu nevertheless managed to borrow a large vessel, preparing to set out to sea.

The Solar Ark was much like the Yinglong Warship, which could not be deployed simply. Thus, Huangfu Ji requisitioned a Horned Dragon Ship, which would suffice for the mission.

Tantai Ying had certainly benefited from the situation. In the past, the Western Daoist Order had never been able to spare enough manpower. This time, thanks to Qi Xuansu, they had dispatched such a formidable force. There were two Pseudo-Immortals, and Qi Xuansu himself barely counted as another. This finally allowed them to successfully bring the fragmented regional power under unified control.

Under normal circumstances, Hun Ahau, Utu, and even Qi Xuansu himself would all have been stationed in the north, guarding against the Steam Evangelical Sect of the Northern Continent. None of them would have had the luxury of worrying about affairs in the south.

After fighting a hard-fought battle that ended in a stalemate, neither side had come away with any real advantage, and both sides had consequently settled down for the time being.

Tantai Ying still had to remain behind to deal with the aftermath, so the expedition at sea would primarily consist of Qi Xuansu, Hun Ahau, and Utu, together with the essential crew required to operate the Horned Dragon.

Before departing, Qi Xuansu had another conversation with Xu Jiaorong. She poured out all her frustrations, complaining that Chen Jianchou refused to listen to her. Despite her good intentions in arranging introductions, the boy barely paid any attention to the young lady, acting as though he were someone extraordinarily important. In the end, she believed it all came down to the fact that he still had not forgotten about Chen Jianqiu.

Qi Xuansu could not quite empathize. After all, he had never suffered setbacks in matters of romance. He had also not yet developed the parental instinct to worry about his child’s marriage. Little Yin was still too young. Her mind was occupied entirely by eating, drinking, and playing. She knew nothing about romance. That said, the little girl did understand the appeal of power. While other children played house by pretending to get married, she played house by pretending to be the Emperor.

Qi Xuansu did have a suggestion. He had always enjoyed playing matchmaker.

“Ke Qingqing, who serves under Chief Deputy Zhang, is also single. I think she’d be quite a good match,” Qi Xuansu suggested.

That single remark genuinely gave Xu Jiaorong an idea. Ke Qingqing undoubtedly had a bright future ahead of her as Zhang Yuelu’s secretary. Although she did not come from a distinguished family, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu, her two former superiors, were her strongest supporters, which amounted to having an influential background. More importantly, her family history was clean, and her character was equally admirable. After all, anyone approved by both Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu could hardly be lacking. She truly was an ideal candidate.

Besides, Chen Jianchou and Ke Qingqing had known each other for quite some time and had interacted frequently. Surely, Chen Jianchou would not sit there in silence in front of Ke Qingqing.

“Chief Deputy Qi, you’re remarkable! You have solved my biggest headache with a casual remark. I truly must thank you,” Xu Jiaorong said sincerely.

Qi Xuansu replied, “Of course, but Xiao Ke will have to agree as well. You can’t force a cow to drink by pressing its head into the water. That said, I don’t see much reason for her to refuse. Chou Zheng is a good man. The only problem is that Chou Zheng is returning to Nanyang, while Xiao Ke will most likely follow Qing Xiao back to Jade Capital. I’m afraid they’ll miss each other.”

Xu Jiaorong said, “That isn’t a problem. They can always keep in touch through their licenses. It’s much the same.”

Qi Xuansu smiled. “No, it isn’t the same at all. It’s very different. If I may offer you a piece of advice, I find that children will have blessings of their own. There’s no need to burden yourself with their affairs. The Holy Xuan once said those words to the Li family. Even without the Holy Xuan’s continued care, the Li family remained at the height of its power. So you don’t need to worry so much.”

Xu Jiaorong gave a wry smile. “Even before the Holy Xuan, the Li family was already the dominant power of the Donghai. After the Holy Xuan appeared, the Li family sought to become the dominant power of the entire world. How could ordinary families ever compare with the Li family?”

Qi Xuansu did not pursue the topic further. Instead, he said, “I’ve already spoken to my master about Chou Zheng’s appointment. You’ve met my master before. His view is that once Pei Xiaolou becomes the Second Deputy, Xie Jiaofeng can move up accordingly and become the Third Deputy in Thanglong Prefecture, while Ji Jiaozhen will succeed Xie Jiaofeng as the Fourth Deputy in Lion City.

“After all, Thanglong Prefecture is home to the Sheji Palace. With Great Sage Lan, the Mansion Master, and the Second Deputy all stationed there, nothing will likely go wrong. On the other hand, Lion City is an offshore territory and a major commercial hub where all kinds of people gather. That’s why the Chief Deputy is permanently stationed there, assisted by the Fourth Deputy.

“Brother Ji certainly has ability, but he’s rather laid-back by nature and has long been accustomed to living like a carefree wandering Daoist. The fact that he has an official post is already remarkable, so asking him to shoulder major responsibilities would be too much for him. From now on, the two of you will be partners, and the heavy burden of finance and taxation will rest on your shoulders. Ji Jiaozhen’s current post in the Funan Kingdom will be filled by Chou Zheng. That region was once the birthplace of the humanoid insects, and there are still many disciples of the Buddhist Sect there. It won’t be an easy assignment.”

Xu Jiaorong said worriedly, “I’ve considered that as well. I’m just afraid he won’t be able to keep things under control.”

Qi Xuansu replied, “There’s no need to worry too much. Qing Xiao is heading to Jade Capital. With Sage Cihang there, she will no longer need Old Lin as a bodyguard. Besides, Old Lin doesn’t want to go to Jade Capital since he doesn’t want to be separated from the Nanyang Trio. So Old Lin will remain in Nanyang and help keep an eye on things. No major problems should arise.”

Xu Jiaorong immediately breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’ll have to thank Deputy Palace Master Lin personally.”

Qi Xuansu said, “Do as you see fit. I still have matters to attend to on my end, so that’s all for now.”

After Qi Xuansu ended the conversation, Utu stepped forward to report on the matter of borrowing a ship. At the same time, he took the opportunity to explain that it was not that he had not tried hard enough, but there simply were no suitable vessels available. The Daoist Order had recently shipped over a great deal of valuable supplies, so they had to use Solar Arks to transport them for added security.

Qi Xuansu said no more on the matter. “Horned Dragon it is, then. As far as I know, both you and Hun Ahau are the sort who dominate on land. I doubt either of you know much about sailing. Do you have a reliable voyage leader and navigator? Don’t bring along some novice who’ll get lost and leave the lot of us stranded at sea.”

The voyage leader was the traditional title for the commander of a seagoing vessel. Large merchant ships might carry several hundred people, while even smaller ones typically had over a hundred aboard. The principal merchant would serve as the voyage leader, assisted by a deputy leader and other officers. The role was roughly equivalent to that of a captain. However, “captain” was the Western term. The Southern Continent, being hostile to Western learning, still retained the older title.

The navigator likewise shared some of a captain’s responsibilities, assisting the captain in piloting the vessel.

Utu replied, “Rest assured, Sage Qi. Not only do we have a voyage leader and a navigator, but we’ve also assembled a full complement of officers, including the general steward, section leader, storekeeper, and sailors.”

Qi Xuansu said, “Bring the voyage leader and the navigator here. I’d like to meet them.”

Utu acknowledged the order and departed.

Soon after, a man and a woman approached. The woman was relatively young, her face seemingly veiled by a perpetual frost. She was the voyage leader. The man with white hair and white beard was clearly advanced in years. He was the navigator.

The two saluted Qi Xuansu and introduced themselves.

The voyage leader was named Yang Shaozhen and came from the Western Daoist Order. The navigator’s surname was Pang, and everyone simply called him Old Pang.

Qi Xuansu remarked casually, “A female voyage leader—that’s quite a rare sight.”

Yang Shaozhen raised an eyebrow. “Sage Qi, do you look down on women?”

Qi Xuansu paused for a moment before asking, “What makes you say that?”

Yang Shaozhen replied, “If you don’t look down on women, then why point out that female voyage leaders are rare?”

Qi Xuansu countered, “Are there actually many female voyage leaders? Nevermind five, are there even one or two females out of ten voyage leaders?”

Yang Shaozhen was momentarily speechless.

Qi Xuansu continued, “That means they are indeed rare. Since what I said is an objective fact, how is that looking down on women? Surely, we can’t ignore reality altogether. Or are we supposed to disregard facts simply to conform to a particular notion of equality?”

Yang Shaozhen said, “Even if it’s true, it still shouldn’t be said. The Daoist Order advocates equality. Men oppressed women in the past, so men owe women a debt because of that.”

Qi Xuansu laughed. “Women may have been oppressed in the past, but you weren’t the one being oppressed. Men may have oppressed women in the past, but I certainly never oppressed you. So how can you say that I owe you anything?”

Yang Shaozhen replied, “In the past, the Wokou ravaged the Central Plains’ coast, burning, killing, looting, and plundering. Yet the Wa people of today refuse to acknowledge it, claiming those deeds were committed by people of the past and have nothing to do with those alive today. How is that any different from what you’re saying, Sage Qi?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “You’re changing the terms of the argument. Between us and the Wokou, there is only enmity, no shared bond. But the women of the past are also the ancestors of today’s men, and the men of the past are likewise the ancestors of today’s women. If we’re talking about those who were oppressed, then today’s men also carry the bloodlines of people who suffered oppression. If we’re talking about those who oppressed others, today’s women likewise carry the bloodlines of those who did the oppressing. How do you explain that?

“If justice is to be sought, sons are born of their mothers as well. If atonement is required, who among us is entirely innocent? Do daughters inherit only their mother’s bloodline and none of their father’s? What sort of logic is that?

“So this is nothing like the Wokou, nor is it comparable to the Westerners of the Northern Continent enslaving other peoples. It is only through the union of yin and yang that descendants come into being. Given that we share the same ancestry, how can you speak as though you alone are morally untainted and therefore solely the victim of oppression?

“This reminds me of the Holy Court’s doctrine, which holds that people are born bearing original sin and must therefore spend their lives seeking redemption. That is precisely how indulgences came into being. What you’re saying about who owes whom is nothing more than a slight modification of that doctrine, claiming that certain people are born burdened with original sin and must atone for it by indulging in the oppressed. As I’ve already said, if such original sin truly exists, then you are also descended from those who supposedly bore it. Without them, where would you have come from? The difference is simply that you were never oppressed, and I owe you nothing.

“If you were willing to address the root of the matter directly and openly say that the Grand Master seat and the Central Plains imperial throne have never been held by a woman, and that the highest levels of authority are still dominated by men, which is the greatest injustice of all, then regardless of whether I agreed with you, I would respect your courage. But would you dare to say that? I rather doubt it. In that case, let’s leave the subject here. If we continue, it’ll cease to be polite.”

Yang Shaozhen fell silent for a moment before saying, “I was mistaken.”

Qi Xuansu waved his hand. “You’re not the one at fault. It is this world that is at fault. Excess is as bad as deficiency, and correcting an error too far merely creates another. So enough of that. Navigator Pang—”

The white-haired old man hurriedly replied, “Greetings, Sage Qi. Please just call me Old Pang.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “I assume you’ve already been briefed on the situation. Can you find this place?”

Old Pang replied, “I know a little about it. That place should be the Yin Moon.”