A Pawn's Passage

While Zhang Yuelu went to meet the people of the Ziguang Society, Qi Xuansu was preparing to meet the members of the Qingping Society. This made for a rather symmetrical balance.

Given Qi Xuansu’s relationship with the Qingping Society, there was no need for any games. The three revenge operations he participated in were already the best token of loyalty. They had even shared spoils together, so they were all on the same side.

When Qi Xuansu was rectifying the public morality in the East City, he deliberately made things difficult for a brothel called Lengfei Villa, which was rumored to have backing from Cabinet Minister Xie.

Or rather, the Xie family was just one of Lengfei Villa’s backers. The reason it was just “one of” and not the sole backer was because the Xie family valued its reputation and did not want to be directly involved in such businesses. But since holding office in the Imperial Capital came with large expenses, the Xie family needed such ventures to sustain themselves. As such, the Yang family also became one of the principal owners of Lengfei Villa.

Whenever dealings with the government or Daoist officials were needed, it was usually the Yang family that stepped forward.

In the capital, the Yang family could be counted as a mid-tier household. Their ancestors had also been rooted in Jinling Prefecture, so they were considered old family friends with the Xie family. But in terms of power, the Yang family naturally could not compare with the Xie family, which had entered the Imperial Cabinet. But it was precisely because they were only a mid-tier household that they did not need to fuss over the decorum of a Cabinet Minister’s household. As such, the Yang family could handle many things the Xie family could not risk doing. Cabinet Minister Xie had also arranged for his nephew to marry the Yang family’s daughter, formally tying the two families even closer.

So by this logic, it should have been the Yang family stepping forward if something happened at Lengfei Villa. However, the Yang family lacked the confidence to go up against the infamously fearsome Mage Qi, who did not even care about offending Commandery Prince Langya or even Prince Liao. It was barely a draw because things had ended inconclusively. Granted, both princes did not confront him personally. Thus, the Yang family felt that it was impossible for them to take on such a notorious figure.

Left with no choice, the Yang family had to consult the Xies. For minor everyday matters, the Xie family could stay aloof for the sake of their reputation and status. But with a matter this serious, it would be inappropriate if they still did not show up.

The Xie family readily agreed, saying they would invite this Mage Qi for a talk, hopefully to avoid unnecessary conflict.

Only then did the Yangs breathe a sigh of relief.

This was how Qi Xuansu received Cabinet Minister Xie’s invitation, asking him to come to his residence for a discussion.

Qi Xuansu gladly accepted the invitation.

At his core, Qi Xuansu was still a Daoist, and a high-ranking one at that, so he belonged among the refined elite.

Though the gentry often disapproved of the Daoist Order, they were still eager to befriend Daoist officials, which added to their prestige without being labeled a sycophant. After all, they treated it as a scholarly exchange, unrelated to other dealings. Some noble families even saw marrying Daoist priestesses as an honor and were willing to pay the price. After all, Daoists upheld monogamy, so a noble who married a Daoist priestess would have to agree not to keep concubines.

Thus, it was perfectly natural for the Xie family to invite Qi Xuansu for a chat. After all, only princes with military power preferred to resolve matters through force.

Qi Xuansu’s visit to the Xie household was, in a way, an unspoken mutual understanding between him and Xie Linyuan. Upon presenting the invitation, Qi Xuansu was greeted with the courtesy reserved for distinguished guests.

Led by an old steward who clearly came from generations of loyal Xie family retainers, Qi Xuansu passed through the narrow first courtyard and arrived at the second gate along the central axis. A plaque hung high above the doorway. Normally, only the side gates were used, and the main gate remained closed to preserve solemnity. Beyond the gate lay the main hall, where Xie Linyuan had been waiting for some time.

At that moment, standing next to Xie Linyuan was a refined and elegant young man. Upon seeing Qi Xuansu, he proactively saluted and said, “Greetings, Mage Qi. My name is Xie Buying.”

Qi Xuansu liked to prepare in advance. Before arriving in the Imperial Capital, he had specially read the Great Xuan Penal Code. Naturally, he had done some homework as well before coming to meet Xie Linyuan.

As one of the most prominent figures in the Imperial Court, information on Xie Linyuan was not hard to find. Xie Buying was Xie Linyuan’s nephew. Since Xie Linyuan had no sons of his own, he placed great importance on this nephew and devoted himself to nurturing him.

To be fair, this young master of the Xie family held some weight in the Imperial Capital, on par with figures like Qin Hengde. However, when facing Qi Xuansu, he fell a bit short. Often, while power and background certainly mattered, when both sides possessed them, what mattered more was personal ability and skill. In this regard, aside from the three Daoist prodigies, few could truly stand alongside Qi Xuansu.

“Greetings, Brother Xie.” Qi Xuansu returned the salute.

In many situations, distinctions had to be kept. Even if Qi Xuansu interacted with Xie Linyuan on equal terms, he could not afford to put on airs in front of someone of his own generation. It was much like Li Changge, whose generational seniority surpassed that of Li Ruoshui, yet since the latter was an Omniscient Sage, they still treated each other as equals and did not assume the posture of an elder.

The three men sat down and exchanged some polite conversation. Appearing relaxed and amiable, Xie Linyuan gestured toward Xie Buying and said, “Tian Yuan, should you two meet outside the capital in the future, I’ll count on you to look after him.”

Although Xie Buying was already married, he was still only an Observer at the Hanlin Academy, which was a short-term post selected from promising new Jinshi Scholars to serve as close attendants to the emperor. Their role was to draft edicts and sometimes explain the classics to the emperor. Cabinet Ministers were also assigned to mentor these trainees, making them one of the main pipelines for future aides. After all, one had to be a Jinshi Scholar to enter the Hanlin Academy, which was the gateway to joining the Imperial Cabinet.

As it happened, Xie Buying had just recently married and scored high on the imperial exams. He would soon ride the wave of good fortune. But compared to Qi Xuansu, he was still a bit lacking.

While this position as an Observer at the Hanlin Academy was certainly prestigious and promised a bright future, it was just the start of an official career. The road ahead was long. The Great Xuan Court resisted meteoric rises and particularly valued local administrative experience, adhering to the principle that prime ministers had to arise from the prefectures. Regardless of one’s birth, anyone aspiring to high office had to work their way up from the lower rungs.

Generally, to enter the Imperial Cabinet, one needed two to three stints serving in a local government office. The county level varied by person, but the prefectural and state levels were unavoidable steps. In short, it was a cycle of moving from the central government to the prefectural governments and then back to the center, steadily climbing higher.

Civil officials were not like military ones. It was common to see generals in their twenties or thirties, but prime ministers at that age were rare. Unless there was a major war, they usually had to slowly accumulate seniority. Thus, being a cabinet member in one’s fifties was already considered young. Doing so in one’s forties risked one being accused of rising too fast.

Qi Xuansu was different. Though he was a Daoist priest, his promotion path resembled that of a military officer due to his many “battle merits.” He rose swiftly through the ranks because the more capable he was, the faster he advanced. Even with tenure limits in place, he could be promoted by exception. At present, he was already a fourth-rank Superintendent. If everything went as expected, his next step would be a third-rank Deputy Mansion Master.

This was also tied to the differences between the Daoist system and the Imperial Court. Daoists did not deal with ordinary citizens or their livelihoods. They focused more on commerce and military affairs. So even if they were younger and lacked grassroots experience, as long as they had sufficient talent, it was not much of an issue.

But the Imperial Court was different, as higher positions concerned the livelihoods of millions. Governing a great nation required delicate maneuvering. Without sufficient grassroots experience, one would not understand the hardships of the people, the realities of society’s problems, or the workings of officialdom. Without enough experience, one could easily make assumptions, either enacting floating policies or being deceived by subordinates. Thus, steadiness and maturity were best.

By the time Qi Xuansu rose to the third rank, Xie Buying would likely still be a fifth-rank mid-tier official assigned to local posts. If they happened to be stationed in the same region, Qi Xuansu would undoubtedly have the power to look after him somewhat. After all, a distant superior was no match for immediate, on-site support. No matter how high Xie Linyuan’s rank, he was far away in the Imperial Capital, whereas local backing was much more practical.

Qi Xuansu said, “I dare not claim that. Let’s help each other and forge ahead together.”

Xie Linyuan laughed. “Forge ahead? You Daoist folks always come up with these new phrases. We Confucian scholars always struggle to follow along. When we can’t understand the new phrase, you even snicker behind our backs for being unsophisticated.”

Qi Xuansu chuckled. “You’re teasing me, Master Xie.”

However, Xie Buying was somewhat uneasy and puzzled. Judging by their conversation, the two spoke like old acquaintances, yet he had no idea when his uncle had become connected to this famous Mage Qi. He wondered how the matter of the Lengfei Villa would be solved.

Qi Xuansu glanced at Xie Buying and said, “I’ve come this time because of the matter regarding my mother.”

Xie Buying was stunned again. He had heard that this Mage Qi came from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, with no parents. So, how could he have a mother all of a sudden? Could the rumors about Mage Qi’s connection with the Qi family of Shuzhou be true?

But Xie Linyuan understood that the “mother” Qi Xuansu referred to had nothing to do with the Qi family. He was referring to Madam Qi.

Xie Linyuan nodded, then shot his nephew a look. Xie Buying immediately stood, excused himself, and departed, his mind full of questions.

It was clear now that his uncle had long known this famous Mage Qi and was somehow involved with Mage Qi’s mother. Considering that Mage Qi’s backing extended deeply, with connections to Deputy Mansion Master Shi of the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion, Sage Donghua in Jade Capital, and the Zhang family of the Zhengyi Sect, this meant that the Xie family had long boarded the Daoist ship and was already involved in the struggle for the next Grand Master. Yet Xie Buying had been completely unaware of all this.

This realization left the always-smooth-sailing Xie Buying feeling somewhat deflated. Mage Qi is younger than I am by a few years, but he’s already participating in such top-secret affairs, plotting in secret chambers, and commanding actions across the realm. On the other hand, I’m just a bystander. Does Uncle really see me as a mere child, so incapable of major responsibility?

After Xie Buying left, Xie Linyuan asked, “What did Madam Qi say?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “This time, the Qingping Society’s task is to fully pin down The Inn. All personnel in the capital are being mobilized. It’s a perfect opportunity to settle both old and new grudges at once.”