A Pawn's Passage

After Xu Jiaorong finished speaking, the others began to voice their positions one after another.

Their stances were remarkably aligned. After all, the two great secret societies had gone too far this time. Their audacity had caused such a stir that no one dared oppose the proposal openly. A full-scale investigation was inevitable, and thus, everyone naturally agreed with Xu Jiaorong’s call for decisive action.

Although everyone present held a high-ranking position within the Daoist Mansion, all of them had climbed up from the bottom. They understood the danger of the secret societies as well as Qi Xuansu’s message about both internal and external causes. The two were inseparable, and to address only one was insufficient.

But for these officials, probing the external causes was acceptable; the internal ones, not so.

Thus, their consensus was to suppress the secret societies. The question was how.

At last, Chen Shuhua, who had remained silent until now, spoke. “Since everyone agrees that suppressing secret societies is necessary, there’s no need to debate that further. What we should discuss is how to suppress them.

“In my view, the campaign against the secret societies will be a major operation, far beyond the capacity of any individual. Many of the problems involved cannot be solved or coordinated by one person alone. To ensure success, the Daoist Mansion must take command as a whole, with unified planning, logistics, and leadership.

“Therefore, I have a few concrete proposals. First, establish a special task force to coordinate the entire campaign against the secret societies. All specific measures shall be decided by this group. Second, appoint Mansion Master Wang as the chief convener, overseeing the full scope of the operation. Third, assign Spirit Guard Ding Chou and Spirit Guard Jia Yin to command all Spirit Guards under the task force’s direction. Fourth, where royal families or the Buddhist Sect are involved, the Daoist Mansion must handle such matters with great caution to preserve regional stability.”

Chen Shuhua served as Wang Jiaohe’s mouthpiece, voicing what he could not conveniently say himself. Thus, her proposal effectively represented Wang Jiaohe’s intentions.

Wang Jiaohe understood that the situation was irreversible. To oppose the motion outright would be politically disastrous. He had never intended to resist investigation or delay action, as doing so would only allow his opponents to hold something over his head.

Instead, he chose to ride the tide and seize control of the narrative. As the Mansion Master, it was only natural for him to lead the operation. In doing so, he could even turn defense into offense, using the banner of a “unified campaign” to subtly curb Qi Xuansu’s military authority, bringing the two first-rank Spirit Guards under his direct command.

Qi Xuansu knew what they were up to. If he did not respond swiftly, he would be handing his achievements to others and would be trapped in a passive position. Thus, as soon as Chen Shuhua said her piece, he interjected. “I do not share that view. I have already said that striking at the secret societies will inevitably implicate certain individuals within our own Daoist Mansion, touching upon personal and vested interests.

“If we form such a task force, I, of course, trust Mansion Master Wang. But who can guarantee that the other members of the group are untainted? Suppose one of them leaks information, serving as a shield for the secret societies, then all our strategies and plans will be laid bare. In that case, the campaign would be meaningless, and the idea of striking secret societies would become empty rhetoric.”

Zheng Jiaohe sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I wonder which of us here is the ‘shield’ of these secret societies? Why not name them outright, Second Deputy Qi? You might as well have them seized on the spot.”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Regarding this, I admit that I have no conclusive evidence, only suspicions. But I can say one thing for certain. I am not the umbrella that shelters the secret societies from the storm.”

The Tiangang Hall representative spoke. “I agree. Back at the Kunlun Pass, Second Deputy Qi and Second Deputy Zhang nearly lost their lives to Wu Luo. That’s something all of us in Tiangang Hall know well. Later, in Jinling Prefecture, Second Deputy Qi and Second Deputy Zhang once again foiled the plot of True Lord Siming. If anyone were to claim Second Deputy Qi colluded with either of those secret societies, I doubt a single person here would believe it.”

The Ciji Hall representative added, “Second Deputy Qi hails from the Wanxiang Daoist Mansion and later resided in Jade Capital. His record is spotless. He had never once set foot in Poluo before this posting, and it’s been less than a month since he arrived. There’s simply no time frame in which he could have forged ties with the secret societies. I might not be able to speak for the other Deputy Mansion Masters, but Second Deputy Qi is certainly clean.”

These were things Qi Xuansu could not say himself, because to boast of his past battles would only make him a snob. But the same truths carried far greater weight when spoken through the mouths of others.

In other words, Qi Xuansu needed voices to echo his own, and this was one of the reasons he had convened this large council in the first place.

Soon, Spirit Guard Jia Yin’s deep voice rumbled. “Second Deputy Qi is a hero of the Fenglin campaign. He had rendered great service to the Daoist Order, so his integrity is beyond dispute. It was precisely because of that reliability that the Golden Tower Council sent him here to Poluo. I think many of you have heard the whispers that the Golden Tower Council has grown dissatisfied with this Daoist Mansion, and Second Deputy Qi’s arrival is meant to rectify that.

“Some may bristle at this notion, insisting our Daoist Mansion is without fault. But after the dragon qi leakage incident, it’s clear the Golden Tower Council’s displeasure is not unfounded. In fact, I would say that the Golden Tower Council has discerning eyes. Among us, there are indeed some who have been colluding with the secret societies, and hence, can no longer be considered trustworthy.”

The others wanted to argue, but there was nothing to say. Qi Xuansu’s record stood in plain sight. His rise to a high-ranking Daoist rank was owed largely to his battles against the Lingshan Witch Cult and the Cult of Fates. Thus, to deny his merits would be to cast doubt upon Sage Donghua, who had personally endorsed and elevated Qi Xuansu.

Spirit Guard Jia Yin had laid bare an important fact—that Qi Xuansu had come to Poluo on the Golden Tower Council’s orders. If some among the Daoist Mansion were now under suspicion, that suspicion came from the Golden Tower Council itself.

The few Deputy Mansion Masters exchanged uneasy glances. None dared speak.

At last, Wang Jiaohe broke the silence. “Second Deputy Qi, do you mean that you oppose forming a task force? To prevent leaks, you wish to take full charge yourself?”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Yes. I request that the Daoist Mansion grant me full authority to handle this matter alone.”

Wang Jiaohe gave Qi Xuansu a long, measured look. “For one person to take full authority is a bold notion. Overall, I find your argument reasonable and worthy of consideration. But I must stress two points. First, we must carefully assess the possible consequences of such an approach and be fully prepared to face them. What would happen should an uncontrollable situation arise? Above all, we must be cautious.

“Second, an operation of this magnitude will stir every thread in the weave. If the aftermath proves ill and Poluo’s stability falters, disrupting trade, someone will have to bear this responsibility once the Golden Tower Council holds us accountable.”

Qi Xuansu could feel the depth of Wang Jiaohe’s cunning.

Wang Jiaohe’s words were yielding. But in doing so, he would seize the reins and turn one’s advance against them.

He would not fight Qi Xuansu on gaining full authority. Instead, he would wash his hands of the affair. But should anything go wrong, Qi Xuansu would have to take the full responsibility.

This way, Wang Jiaohe could subtly sabotage Qi Xuansu’s investigation or ensure it ended in turmoil. He would protect his own allies and could even force Qi Xuansu to step down of his own accord.

Just as Wang Danqing had once mentioned, they would kick Qi Xuansu out of Poluo.

Qi Xuansu had foreseen this. Having made his choice, he had already steeled himself for the consequences. “Of course. If I am granted full authority over this matter, I will bear all responsibility should anything go awry. Are there any other points to discuss?”

Many turned to look at Qi Xuansu upon hearing his bold promise.

In the bureaucratic world, few feared to take more responsibility. Most would duck or deflect whenever possible. Those who dared shoulder the load were the ones with true mettle.

Under Wang Jiaohe’s plan, a task force would share collective responsibility. So if things went wrong, no one would truly be blamed, not even the leader. For most, the worst outcome would be an unresolved case. But since they bore no blame, they only needed to make sure that they were not at fault. Thus, their inaction could be spun as merit.

No one had expected Qi Xuansu to display such courage in wagering his own future and carrying the full burden of this campaign on his shoulders.

In other words, whatever came of it—good or bad—Qi Xuansu would see it through and bear the weight alone. Everyone else only needed to agree with his suggestion.

Of course, they could choose not to agree. But when the Golden Tower Council came calling the next time a crisis arose, Qi Xuansu would not be the one to blame, while the dissenters would be branded accomplices or protectors of the secret societies. Whoever opposed him in this council was essentially confessing their own guilt.

Wang Jiaohe withdrew his gaze and said indifferently, “Since Second Deputy Qi has spoken so, I have no grounds for objection. Let us proceed to a vote, then. All in favor of his proposal, raise your hand.”

With that, Wang Jiaohe was the first to raise his hand.

Chen Shuhua followed suit without hesitation.

One after another, everyone in the hall raised their hand.

It was a unanimous approval.

Wang Jiaohe rose to his feet and declared solemnly, “According to the resolution of this council, the Daoist Mansion hereby decrees that Second Deputy Qi Xuansu shall be granted full authority over all matters concerning the secret societies.”

Qi Xuansu rose as well. “Everyone may rest assured. This duty falls upon my shoulders, and I will fulfill it with all my strength.”

Wang Jiaohe looked at him meaningfully and said, “Second Deputy Qi, the burden you carry is heavy. Tread carefully.”

Then, Wang Jiaohe turned and strode out of the hall, leaving the weight of his final words hanging in the air.