A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu tried his best to appear gentle and said, “Gui Zhen, you’ll be coming here quite often in the future, so just treat this place as your own home.”

Yan Yongzhen was no fool. His thoughts immediately stirred.

Qi Xuansu’s words carried two meanings. The first was regarding his role as the groomsman. On the day of the wedding, Yan Yongzhen would have to follow Qi Xuansu around and help with all manner of arrangements. The second was about the position of secretary. After all, Qi Xuansu’s former secretary, Chen Jianchou, had already been transferred out to serve as Deputy Mansion Master of the Poluo Daoist Mansion. As such, Qi Xuansu was in need of a new secretary. If Yan Yongzhen were to take Chen Jianchou’s place, then he would naturally have a frequent reason to visit Qi Xuansu’s residence in the future. In that sense, there was nothing wrong with Qi Xuansu saying this either.

The position of secretary was extremely important, especially if one was serving an Omniscient Sage. Such secretaries were known as Junior Sages, which was a well-deserved title.

That was why choosing a secretary could not be taken lightly. It would not be an exaggeration to say that some Sages put even more thought into choosing a secretary than choosing a disciple. If the person proved unsuitable, they would keep replacing them, sometimes several times over. A certain degree of compatibility was essential.

If Sage Qi truly had that second meaning in mind, then this was undoubtedly an interview.

At this thought, Yan Yongzhen lost the ease he had before arriving and became considerably more cautious, perching on the edge of his seat.

Qi Xuansu continued, “I’ve heard that you’re quite accomplished in writing and once worked at the Qingping Publishing House for a time. I have an old classmate there named Mo Qingdi. I wonder if you know him?”

Yan Yongzhen replied, “I’ve heard of him, but I’ve never met him.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “I might as well be frank with you. I still need a secretary, and Uncle Zhang intends to recommend you. However, written work is actually relatively secondary in my case. I’ve always been against reading from prepared scripts, so I don’t have much need for someone to write speeches for me. The main work would be handling miscellaneous affairs, including social relations, communication, and coordination. If I asked you to serve as my secretary, would you feel that your talents were being wasted on trivial work?”

Yan Yongzhen replied without hesitation. “Sage Qi, please rest assured. Although I’ve never served as a secretary before and may need some time to familiarize myself with the work, I will certainly do my utmost to perform the role well.”

Qi Xuansu waved a hand and said, “I believe in your sincerity and attitude. I simply think it is better to make certain things clear beforehand. My previous secretary had experiences similar to mine. We both came from the lower ranks and only managed to get ahead through our adoptive mothers’ connections. We cannot really compare with people like you, who come from prestigious families. Because we have struggled in the mud before, it’s easier for us to put aside our pride. You were born into a prestigious household, so being asked to attend to someone else may leave you feeling somewhat uncomfortable.”

Yan Yongzhen said, “I wouldn’t dare claim that I’ll have no problems at all, but I will do my best to adjust and overcome them. Compared with fighting for one’s life on the battlefield, this is nothing.”

Yan Yongzhen had not expected Qi Xuansu to be so unreserved about the fact that he had risen through personal connections, openly admitting it without the slightest embarrassment. This made Yan Yongzhen think even more highly of him. Had Qi Xuansu tried to conceal it or deny that part of his past, Yan Yongzhen would not have dared say anything openly, but inwardly, he would certainly have looked down on him for it.

In truth, Qi Xuansu had never shied away from mentioning it. In fact, he brought it up often. People tended to emphasize what they themselves lacked, and what Qi Xuansu lacked was family.

Qi Xuansu was also quite satisfied with Yan Yongzhen’s attitude. Compared with Yan Mingchen, Yan Yongzhen clearly had a very different temperament. At the very least, he was relatively sincere, which suited Qi Xuansu’s tastes much better.

Qi Xuansu had originally intended to make Cheng Lixue his secretary, but now it seemed that Yan Yongzhen was the more suitable choice. Setting aside their individual abilities, appointing Yan Yongzhen would not only validate Zhang Jucheng’s recommendation but also show goodwill toward Great Sage Yan.

If Qi Xuansu did not appoint Yan Yongzhen, Zhang Jucheng might read too much into it, and it would also do little to ease the tension between Qi Xuansu and Great Sage Yan.

After all, Qi Xuansu managed to bring Great Sage Lan over to his side by helping him clean up the aftermath of past troubles and through his connection with Xu Jiaorong. Great Sage Lan did not like taking disciples, and some of the disciples he had accepted had already died. So now, Xu Jiaorong was the sole remaining disciple, making her the successor of his legacy.

Qi Xuansu had bound Xu Jiaorong to his side by promoting her adopted son, Chen Jianchou. With both his disciple and grand-disciple aboard Qi Xuansu’s ship, coupled with Qi Xuansu’s undeniable potential, who else could Great Sage Lan possibly support if not Qi Xuansu?

If it had been someone else without Qi Xuansu’s potential, then even with such personal connections, Great Sage Lan would have had no real way to support them.

Now that Qi Xuansu was working to smooth over his relationships, the principle was exactly the same. By binding Yan Yongzhen to himself, he could draw Great Sage Yan over to his side. Even if he could not win her over completely, he at least wanted Great Sage Yan to remain strictly neutral.

Qi Xuansu did not continue discussing the secretary position. Instead, he turned to more casual matters of family and everyday life.

Yan Yongzhen was not yet married, but his marriage had already been arranged. His fiancée was a young lady from the Zhang family named Zhang Zhiyue.

Due to this, Yan Yongzhen would be Zhang Yuelu’s and Zhang Wuyue’s brother-in-law. That also made Qi Xuansu and Yan Yongzhen in-laws through their marriages, as they were both sons-in-law of the Zhang family. With this additional connection between them, it became even easier for the two to get along.

It now became clear why Zhang Jucheng had recommended Yan Yongzhen to Qi Xuansu. It turned out they were all connected by family ties.

This was how the circles of great families were formed, and Qi Xuansu was now gradually becoming part of that circle himself.

As for Cheng Lixue, Qi Xuansu had other plans for him. According to Huangfu Ji’s analysis, Qi Xuansu would very likely hold the position of Palace Master concurrently in the future, so he needed someone of his own at the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. He did not intend to keep Lu Yujue there for long, as that would be a waste of talent. After all, a Beichen Hall Branch Manager capable of independently handling affairs in the Southern Continent would be able to make far better use of his abilities at a regional Daoist Mansion.

But since Qi Xuansu could not leave the Wanxiang Daoist Palace without one of his own people, Cheng Lixue seemed the most suitable choice for the moment.

During Qi Xuansu’s trip to the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion, he also met with Liu Hu, who was now working under Mu Jin. Although nominally her subordinate, she was more like an apprentice to Mu Jin, who herself worked under Lei Xiaohuan.

Lei Xiaohuan was Zhang Jucheng’s subordinate and Qi Xuansu’s former superior. Zhang Jucheng was Zhang Yuelu’s uncle, and Mu Jin was Zhang Yuelu’s former secretary. As all these densely intertwined relationships came together, a network belonging to Qi Xuansu gradually expanded.

Everyone caught within this vast web was, in one sense or another, one of their own.

Qi Xuansu had also reached an agreement with Zhang Yuelu that once Ke Qingqing was transferred to a post elsewhere, Liu Hu would become Zhang Yuelu’s secretary.

In effect, a relative from Qi Xuansu’s side would serve as Zhang Yuelu’s secretary, while a relative from Zhang Yuelu’s side would serve as Qi Xuansu’s secretary. This would deepen the ties between the two families and ensure that both were working with people whose backgrounds they knew thoroughly and could trust.

Some might call this nepotism. There was no denying it. It was simply that sometimes, this was the only way the game of power could be played.

Even setting Qi Xuansu aside, one only had to look at the founding heroes of dynasties throughout history. Most came from the same places and were often connected by kinship. Ties between fellow villagers, former classmates, and relatives by marriage were especially common.

Even the Holy Xuan could not escape this convention. The Holy Xuan had once considered appointing people without regard for personal ties, only to discover that at the most critical moment, the ones who were truly of one heart with him were still his own family.

When the Holy Xuan personally led the campaign against the Buddhist Sect, Donghuang had personally gone to the Confucian School and used both persuasion and pressure to secure reinforcements. After the Holy Xuan entered seclusion, it was also Donghuang who kept affairs in Jade Capital running and stabilized the situation.

On the other hand, some people—like the Zhang and Yao families—acted one way to his face and another behind his back, playing both sides.

Thus, after the Holy Xuan emerged from seclusion, he stopped blindly suppressing the Li family and instead began relying on them.

Besides, the bond created by the favor of recognizing and giving someone an opportunity was often stronger.

Qi Xuansu was an orphan, so he could not possibly have relatives. These relationships had all been built up little by little.

Meanwhile, Qi Xuansu’s Corpse Liberation Incarnation in Nanyang was speaking with Pei Shenfu. Or rather, it could be called a farewell.

The Golden Patriarch and Yao Shu had each fulfilled their respective promises. So now, it was Qi Xuansu’s turn to fulfill his end of the bargain.

Pei Shenfu was the first to be released.

This was mainly a matter of proximity, since Yao Shu was close by and an acquaintance.

Qi Xuansu’s conversation with Pei Shenfu was to probe the relationship between her and her husband, Yao Yi. He intentionally pointed out the fact that Yao Yi had been unwilling to personally make a trip to Nanyang for her sake.

On the surface, Pei Shenfu did not seem surprised and acted as though she did not care at all. Still, it was clear that she was not completely unaffected.

Pei Shenfu was very domineering, much like Tantai Qiong, but Yao Yi was not like Zhang Juqi.

Yao Yi was second only to the Earthly Preceptor within the Yao family and was also the Manager of the Taiping Bank. He was a man who wielded enormous power, so it would not be easy for Pei Shenfu to play tricks with someone like him.

Yao Yi and Pei Shenfu were not a harmonious couple. They treated each other with courtesy, but what married couple was supposed to live together like guests? Would that not be exhausting?

It was precisely because Pei Shenfu could not rely on her husband or her elder brother that she had become deeply fixated on power. She wanted to keep both the Yao family and the Pei family firmly within her grasp.

On this point, Qi Xuansu sometimes wondered whether Pei Xiaolou had been picked up off the street. Sage Donghua and Pei Shenfu were both striking and distinguished figures, so how had Pei Xiaolou turned out like this?

Apart from his looks and abilities, Pei Xiaolou also lacked the ambition of his elder brother and sister as well. Sage Donghua aspired to become Grand Master, while Pei Shenfu wanted to become the master of both the Yao and Pei families. Meanwhile, Pei Xiaolou was perfectly content to muddle through life, getting along well with several other idlers of the same ilk—namely, Lin Yuanmiao, Ji Jiaozhen, and Qi Xiaoyin.

They hardly resembled siblings at all.

As for the younger Pei Xiaoyun, her abilities were not particularly impressive, but she resembled Sage Donghua and Pei Shenfu in appearance. At least in that respect, there was still some resemblance.

Could this be what the Westerners called a mutation?

Qi Xuansu cast aside these random thoughts, rose to his feet, and said, “Martial Aunt Pei, Sage Yao is waiting for you.”

Pei Shenfu gave a cold snort and walked outside.

Yao Shu was standing outside. When he saw Pei Shenfu emerge, he put on a professional smile, making it difficult to judge his sincerity. “Sister-in-law.”