A Pawn's Passage

When Sage Cihang made the announcement, many Deputy Hall Masters who were used to taking notes quickly put away their brush and paper. Of course, all voice retention talismans and image recording stones were also prohibited.

Sage Cihang gestured for her secretary, Qian Wan, to activate the privacy barrier in the hall before continuing, “In principle, this council should have been hosted by the Beichen Hall. However, since Beichen Hall’s Sage Qingwei is currently overseeing the Fenglin campaign and cannot spare the time, I must step in to handle it. Next, Deputy Hall Master Lu of Beichen Hall will present the specifics.”

Qi Xuansu realized that this session was indeed no ordinary matter.

Beichen Hall was often mentioned alongside Fengxian Hall, but the former was part of the Three Great Halls not only because it commanded some military power but also because its jurisdiction was broader than the latter.

Though it was often said that Tiangang Hall dealt with external affairs while Beichen Hall handled internal ones, the term “internal” was only relative to Tiangang Hall’s completely external focus. In reality, Beichen Hall managed both internal and external matters, including suppressing traitors, gathering intelligence, and inciting rebellions. However, the Daoist Order rarely emphasized Beichen Hall’s external functions due to its shady nature.

The fact that Beichen Hall should have led this session indicated that there would be some confidential information disclosed. If it were an internal issue and Beichen Hall’s leader was absent, Fengxian Hall would have taken over. Since Tiangang Hall was stepping in instead, it was clearly an external matter. Linking this with Qian Wan’s earlier mention of “Westerners,” Qi Xuansu immediately realized it must involve the Holy Court.

Since entering the Daoist Order’s upper ranks, Qi Xuansu had mostly dealt with various internal struggles. This was the first time he was encountering an external matter of such nature.

Deputy Hall Master Lu was Beichen Hall’s Chief Deputy, the right-hand man of Sage Qingwei, showing the importance of this matter.

Deputy Hall Master Lu said, “I am here to brief you on an important matter. Apart from absent Deputy Hall Masters, who will receive a written notice through the joint council, all others below the rank of Deputy Hall Master are to receive only oral transmission. No written documents and records are allowed. The situation should only be known to Daoist priests who will be directly involved.”

After this opening, Deputy Hall Master Lu got to the point. “Some of you present are already aware or have been directly involved in this matter. But since most of you are unaware, I shall explain the situation.

“Under the leadership of Sage Qingwei, the Fenglin campaign has progressed smoothly. However, there have also been setbacks, difficulties, and even accidents that are tied to the survival of the Daoist Order, so they are not to be taken lightly. The main issue is that certain groups from overseas harbor an undying intent to destroy us. They are attempting to undermine the Order’s authority and foundation in the Eastern Continent. They secretly support and direct separatist forces, such as the Sonno-joi faction in Fenglin, in carrying out a series of destructive activities. Deputy Master Qi, who just returned from Fenglin, must have deep impressions of this.”

At this, the others also understood the gravity of this meeting. They unconsciously straightened their postures and turned their eyes toward Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu affirmed the statement. “Chief Deputy Lu speaks the truth. While in Fenglin, I was under Sage Qingwei’s orders to pacify Mount Suzuka, and I happened to discover that missionaries of the Western Holy Court had promised various forms of support to the Sonno-joi ronin that are not limited to money and weapons. Moreover, the Holy Court’s Apostle Taurinus also briefly appeared in Fenglin. Though he took no concrete actions, his intentions are questionable.”

Since the most recent incident involved Izanagi’s golden body remains as well as the secret struggle between the three sects and the Imperial Court, Qi Xuansu could not go into too much detail. He could only gloss over it with the phrase, “His intentions are questionable.”

Deputy Hall Master Lu nodded slightly. “Precisely because of this, Sage Qingwei has ordered the Beichen Hall to carry out a series of background checks. In fact, over the years, we have already uncovered part of the situation, though we did not act immediately. Maritime trade has been the hardest hit. Many people disguised themselves as maritime merchants, entering coastal provinces to purchase estates and farmland, appearing no different from wealthy gentry. But in truth, they are spies. Others, during overseas trade, were bribed by foreign secret societies to become their lackeys, who then returned to the Central Plains to lie low and wait for the right opportunity. Thus, we require the assistance of our fellow Daoists from the Shibo Hall.

“Furthermore, within our own ranks, some Daoists have forgotten the Primordial Daoist Ancestor’s teachings of frugality, unable to resist bribes. Meanwhile, others fall into honey traps or are manipulated into becoming spies and informants. We are already aware of these cases, but in order not to startle them before the time is right to catch the big fish, we have not acted immediately and have only placed them under close surveillance.

“Some of these people have official positions. However, most of them hold offices in the county temples, the lowest level of regional offices. Since there are so many of such offices, it is inevitable that some bad apples are mixed in with the good. So for this, we require the assistance of our fellow Daoists from the Ziwei Hall.

“Beyond this, how to punish and sentence these criminals afterward falls under the responsibility of Fengxian Hall. Tianji Hall and Huasheng Hall, both dealing with trade and core secrets, must strengthen their awareness of such risks and guard against any suspicious individuals using commerce as an excuse for infiltration. If disputes arise involving churches, Ciji Hall must step in. Due to the many facets involved, we have convened this joint council of the Nine Halls.”

Deputy Hall Master Lu did not mention Duzhi Hall in particular because there was no need to. Everything required money, so as the cash cow, Duzhi Hall was always present at every joint council.

When Deputy Hall Master Lu finished speaking, Sage Cihang spoke again. “On the surface, the Daoist Order appears at our height of power, bringing prosperity and vitality to the realm. Yet in truth, undercurrents surge beneath this peaceful facade. Wolves and tigers lurk in the shadows, watching us intently. They have never ceased their infiltration and subversive attempts and will employ every conceivable method. The situation in Fenglin is merely the tip of the iceberg. I will not get into more details now, as you will receive a detailed file in a moment. As I mentioned in the beginning, these files are not to be taken away from this hall or copied. They will be collected immediately after reading, so take note of what you have read. For this matter, Tiangang Hall and Beichen Hall will take the lead. We ask for everyone to cooperate, communicate, and find solutions together.”

Shortly after, a few staff members began distributing case files to the Deputy Hall Masters present. Qi Xuansu noticed that the files differed according to each deputy’s responsibilities, each with its own emphasis.

Qi Xuansu’s was also different. As Deputy Hall Master Lu mentioned, Qi Xuansu was directly involved in the incidents. He was the first to uncover White and Brown’s schemes at the Sonno-joi gathering. He had even witnessed Taurinus delivering the Scripture of Zuriel to Izanagi. There was nothing they needed to conceal from him, so his file was the most detailed.

Looking through history, acts of betrayal were common. No era was ever free of traitors. But in general, when the enemy was stronger than the court, traitors were abundant. When the court was strong and the enemy was weak, traitors were relatively fewer. In any case, the Daoist Order was still at its height, able to subjugate rebels and enforce martial order across the land, far from being in decline. Thus, Deputy Hall Masters were considered trustworthy, which was why there had been repeated emphasis on preventing the spread of information beyond their group, especially to the lower ranks.

Of course, not everyone had experienced matters firsthand like Qi Xuansu. Some, due to their duties, even had friendly ties with people from the Holy Court. Thus, they would inevitably feel confused. However, those who had reached this level were not simple-minded fools. They understood the weight of the situation and would not sacrifice the greater good for the sake of a minor personal relationship.

Since this matter was external, regardless of who became the Grand Master, they would have to confront the Holy Court’s threat. That threat was the clash between two colossal powers vying for global dominance. It would not change because of a single individual’s will. There was no possibility of a compromise. Thus, the three sects were aligned in their stance, even though they might have used the Holy Court’s influence to achieve certain aims in the past.

For this reason, this matter did not involve internal power struggles within the Daoist Order, yet it concerned the interests of all its members. Therefore, everyone regained their common ground and stood united against outsiders.

After reading the file, some Deputy Hall Masters began to discuss quietly among themselves. This information was not to be leaked externally or down the hierarchy, but between Deputy Hall Masters, communication was permitted so as to resolve problems. Thus, such discussions were within reason.

Sage Cihang did not oppose the discussion but once again emphasized, “The information you hold must not be revealed to anyone. This includes your colleagues, friends, disciples, family, and so on. In other words, apart from yourselves and those directly involved in this matter, it must not be shared with anyone else. This is a red line that cannot be crossed. Whoever crosses it must bear full responsibility.”

Deputy Hall Master Lu added, “Every hall has branches in the regional Daoist mansions. This time, aside from a few Deputy Mansion Masters assigned specifically to oversee the matter, we will mainly rely on the headquarters of the Nine Halls to resolve it.”

Everyone wore solemn expressions, while Qi Xuansu let out a sigh.

According to the file, everyone was busy fighting their own wars. The Daoist Order’s main point of attack was the New World, while the Holy Court’s main target was East Shakya and Poluo. If Qi Xuansu were dispatched to a regional Daoist mansion—whether in Poluo or Lingnan—it would surely be a disaster zone. He would inevitably be trapped in the epicenter of it all. It was also a big possibility that he was classified as one of the few Deputy Mansion Masters with the clearance to get involved in this matter.

The Daoist Order and the Holy Court had not openly torn off their masks or shed all pretenses, so such affairs could not be handled out in the open. They had to be done discreetly, countering moves as they happened and dissolving crises with subtlety. This would greatly test the skills of those involved. If anything were mishandled, like not having sufficient evidence, the Holy Court could lodge strong protests, and the Daoist Order’s image would be damaged.

This was indeed a troublesome assignment.

Sage Cihang concluded, “All I ask is for everyone to handle this with care.”