A Pawn's Passage

Chapter 1389: Ye Qingshuang

Qi Xuansu and Ye Qingshuang both came from humble backgrounds, so they got along quite well.

Ye Qingshuang was a seventh-generation disciple and around 60 years old, placing her in the same generation as Madam Qi and the others. However, in private, the two interacted as equals. Qi Xuansu would call her Sister Ye, while in public, he addressed her as Daoist Ye.

In terms of appearance, Ye Qingshuang was not particularly beautiful, at least not in the traditional sense. However, she was charismatic, gentle, and approachable, with quiet determination. She was the kind of dependable elder-sister figure one could trust.

While Huangfu Ji was exchanging greetings with others, Qi Xuansu chatted casually with Ye Qingshuang.

Ye Qingshuang said, “Tian Yuan, there’s been plenty of talk about you within the Daoist Order lately. They say you’re capable. Your work in the Southern Continent was good. It may not be the ideal outcome, but it’s still within what the Golden Tower Council can accept.”

Qi Xuansu replied, “The Golden Tower Council wants everything. To achieve their ideal outcome, they would need to send a fully empowered Virtuous Great Sage or one of the Three Deputy Grand Masters. But what am I? I’m not even an Omniscient Sage. Just maintaining the situation already took everything I had.”

Ye Qingshuang laughed. “What are you? The youngest second-rank Taiyi Daoist and the youngest Chief Deputy of the Three Great Halls. Isn’t that enough? Sending you to the Southern Continent was already a sign of trust. Anyone else wouldn’t even qualify. Also, once your term ends, the position of Omniscient Sage is practically guaranteed. You’ll be the youngest Omniscient Sage among us, so what does that make us old folks feel?”

Qi Xuansu waved it off. “I wouldn’t dare say that. Nothing’s set in stone. Besides, you know as well as I do, Sister Ye. Plenty of people have been targeting me lately for this very position.”

Ye Qingshuang said, “A tall tree attracts the wind. This is just a filtering process. If such a breeze can knock you down, how will you shelter others? How will you become a pillar of the Daoist Order?”

Qi Xuansu smiled. It was simply comforting words, arguments that could go either way.

As they spoke, Ye Qingshuang’s secretary kept watching Qi Xuansu, her bright eyes shimmering with admiration.

Ye Qingshuang’s former secretary had been reassigned elsewhere. The current one was new and quite young. Her name was Lu Ling, and she was also acquainted with Qi Xuansu.

Having heard too many stories of Qi Xuansu, Lu Ling mistook him for a hero and was thus filled with admiration. From that admiration, other feelings began to grow.

Qi Xuansu’s lack of indulgence in romance did not mean he was slow in such matters. On the contrary, he saw through them with complete clarity. It was simply that much of his energy was already spent dealing with women. Leaving aside Madam Qi, Zhang Yuelu, and Little Yin, he even had two mothers-in-law.

If one also counted Zhang Yuelu’s senior and junior sisters, it was practically a gathering of women. Qi Xuansu was surrounded by beauties, and none of them were easy to deal with.

Objectively speaking, this was not surprising. It was simply human nature for one to admire strength, and status signified power.

Qi Xuansu, young and already in a high position, naturally attracted many women’s attention, regardless of his character, temperament, or appearance. At the very least, his youth alone made him more appealing than those old men.

Not to mention, Qi Xuansu was reasonably good-looking, and his character was not abhorrent. Especially in comparison with figures like Li Tianzhen and Wang Danqing, Qi Xuansu could only be described as outstanding.

Moreover, even the legendary Zhang Yuelu had chosen Qi Xuansu, so could her judgment be poor given her exceptional qualities?

Thus, Qi Xuansu’s popularity was entirely reasonable. Many even wished to bear children for him.

This was no exaggeration. Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu would likely not bear children because both had reached high cultivation levels. But if one partner had high cultivation and the other had low cultivation, the imbalance could actually increase the chances of childbearing.

So, if Zhang Yuelu could not bear children, there were plenty who would try.

It would not matter if they did not have an official status. Once they could bear his child, everything Qi Xuansu had, like wealth and connections, would ultimately belong to that child. A child would always acknowledge its birth mother, so by then, Zhang Yuelu would not have a say in it.

Although the Daoist Order had proclaimed equality for many years, this concubine mentality remained deeply rooted in many female Daoists’ minds, mirroring the patriarchal hierarchy mindset held by male Daoists.

How could a woman contend with a man more powerful than herself? By controlling his son.

Those from great families could afford to have no direct heirs and had no fear of such tactics. Their clans were large enough that they would have nephews even if they did not have sons. But someone from humble origins like Qi Xuansu was different. He did not even have brothers.

In fact, many high-ranking Daoists played this game. They had a legitimate Daoist companion at home while maintaining multiple unofficial mistresses outside. If something happened to the legitimate child, the illegitimate children would then have their chance. Those unofficial mistresses would pin their hopes on their own children to win them honor.

However, Qi Xuansu did not think this way. He had no obsession with having a son, nor did he care whether his legacy would be passed down.

From a public perspective, his career would inevitably be bound to the Daoist Order. His name would be recorded in history, living on for generations. This was the vision and ambition expected of someone aspiring to become a Grand Master. A bit of wealth was hardly worth his concern. In this regard, the fifth-generation Grand Master was his model.

From a personal perspective, he merely sought to fill the emotional void left by the absence of family. Little Yin fulfilled that need, so whether she was his biological child made no difference. His feelings for Zhang Yuelu were genuine, and having children would not change that.

Some might say Qi Xuansu was still young and that he would regret it once he reached forty or fifty and saw his peers surrounded by descendants. But that was not entirely true. Ordinary people, with lifespans under a century, naturally worried about loneliness and legacy. But someone like Qi Xuansu, with hopes of longevity, viewed a mere century differently. His descendants might pass before he did. Since ancient times, sages have always been solitary, so it hardly mattered.

In essence, Qi Xuansu’s mindset had undergone a large transformation. Desire and wealth did not matter. What he sought was achievement and legacy. A true man should wield his blade and accomplish deeds that would echo through history.

Thus, Qi Xuansu dared not relax even the slightest bit when it came to women. These women could be ready to step on him to rise above others, so it would be troublesome if he fell into their schemes.

Ye Qingshuang suddenly lowered her voice. “Have you heard about Old Huang recently?”

Qi Xuansu paused. “What happened to Old Huang? I’ve been overwhelmed with matters in the Southern Continent and have no time to pay attention to anything else.”

The “Old Huang” they referred to was a branch manager of Tianji Hall, who was a second-rank Taiyi Daoist. Due to official dealings, the three were quite familiar with one another.

Ye Qingshuang said, “He was taken by Fengxian Hall.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “Old Huang has always been steady. What happened this time? Even with the factional struggles, he shouldn’t have been targeted, right?”

Ye Qingshuang said, “It’s a matter involving women. Do you know how many mistresses he kept? Eighteen in total, and he has four daughters and three sons.”

Qi Xuansu was startled. “Old Huang always seemed honest and steady. How could he do something like this?”

Ye Qingshuang sighed. “That’s the thing. You can know a person’s face but not their heart. This time, he’s truly fallen. Though it’s not a grave crime, his position is definitely gone. Whether he can even retain his title as Sage is uncertain.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “How did this get exposed?”

Ye Qingshuang replied, “As you said, Old Huang was a nice man who never offended anyone. No one was looking to dig up dirt on him. The problem was internal, in his own household. One of his mistresses decided to report him, causing a public uproar. The issue itself wasn’t huge, but the impact was terrible. The Fengxian Hall couldn’t ignore it, so they had to deal with it strictly.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “This just proves that if we men stay away from women, we’ll stay away from trouble.”

Ye Qingshuang laughed and scolded him. “Tian Yuan, what are you saying? I’m a woman, and so is your Qing Xiao.”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Well, I don’t mean to group you all together. I meant...other women.”

At this, Lu Ling’s face turned slightly pale.

The two had not brought this up without reason. Ye Qingshuang likely saw through her secretary’s youthful infatuation and was indirectly giving Qi Xuansu a reminder. His final remark also made his stance clear. He could not directly confront Lu Ling about it, as that would be too presumptuous.

At that moment, Huangfu Ji walked over. “Brother Qi, you and Mansion Master Ye seem quite familiar.”

Qi Xuansu smiled. “We’re old friends. Naturally, we had to exchange a few words upon meeting again. I hope you don’t mind, Brother Huangfu.”

Huangfu Ji replied, “Why would I mind? It’s only natural.”

Ye Qingshuang said, “I’ve already made arrangements for a reception banquet to welcome our friends from the Western Daoist Order.”