A Pawn's Passage

Chapter 1440: Stopping at the Right Point

The guards parted to form a path, and Gu Ying walked forward gracefully.

This woman was indeed charming.

However, someone like Zhang Qingyue was experienced enough not to lose his composure over a woman. After only the briefest moment of distraction, he regained his senses and said, “Madam Gu, please come with us.”

Gu Ying lightly bit her lip, looking delicate and pitiful. “Deputy Palace Master Zhang, could you wait until my husband returns? Let me settle the affairs of the household and explain everything to him before I go with you.”

Zhang Qingyue remained cold and unmoved. “No.”

Gu Ying tried again. “My young son is inside. Could you at least allow me to make arrangements for him before I leave with you?”

Zhang Qingyue still showed no reaction. “Enough with the excuses, Madam Gu. Are you trying to stall for time?”

Zhang Qingyue then waved his hand, and the Spirit Guards immediately stepped forward, preparing to act by force.

Zhang Jucheng had repeatedly stressed the importance of making a quick arrest, so Zhang Qingyue naturally had no intention of standing there debating with Gu Ying.

The reason Zhang Qingyue had not acted immediately was that he was also following procedure. He first had to present the arrest warrant, then clearly explain the situation. This would leave no room for others to criticize any procedural faults.

If they had simply launched a sudden raid, it would have been fast and efficient. But the hidden risks would have been enormous. If Li Tianlan ignored the issue of Gu Ying’s guilt and instead focused on procedural problems, Zhang Jucheng would be placed in a passive position.

But now, Zhang Qingyue had completed the entire process. He had shown the arrest warrant and explained the consequences. If Gu Ying still refused to cooperate, then force could rightfully be used afterward, and no one would be able to fault them for it.

Gu Ying clearly understood this as well. She could not afford to add the charge of resisting the Daoist Mansion to her troubles, so she said, “Very well. I’ll go with you.”

After speaking, she glanced at the captain of the guards and softly instructed, “Quickly notify the Second Deputy.”

Zhang Qingyue remained completely indifferent. Two older female Daoists from the Cihang lineage stepped forward, positioning themselves on either side of Gu Ying. “Madam Gu, this way, please.”

Gu Ying followed Zhang Qingyue out of the Li residence and was escorted directly onto a Crane Craft. After it took off, a Purple Flood Dragon flying ship was already hovering in the sky waiting. Once the Crane Craft docked with it, the Purple Flood Dragon headed straight for Putuo Island out at sea.

Gu Ying had originally assumed she would be imprisoned in the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion’s prison, where she at least knew a few people. She had not expected to be taken directly out of Jinling Prefecture. That was when she began to panic. “Where are you taking me?”

Zhang Qingyue did not respond to her, nor did he even look at her. He simply continued reporting to Zhang Jucheng.

“Sage, the operation went very smoothly. She cooperated fully. Yes, we’re already aboard the airship. Please rest assured, Sage. Understood.”

On the other side, the anxious Li Zhuyu finally managed to contact Sage Qingwei.

“Zhuyu?” As her adoptive father, Sage Qingwei naturally did not use his daughter’s courtesy name and addressed her by her given name.

Li Zhuyu took a deep breath and hurriedly said, “It’s me, Father. I really shouldn’t be taking up your time and disturbing you at a moment like this—”

Sage Qingwei interrupted her in a voice that was gentle yet unquestionable. “Then give me a brief report.”

“Yes.” Li Zhuyu sped up her speech. “I accidentally learned about the affair between Li Minghuang and Gu Ying. The two of them framed Li Tianlan’s son, Li Mingping, which resulted in the latter’s exile to Sahul. I had Deputy Hall Master Lu from the Fengxian Hall bring Li Mingping back from Sahul and reopen the case. But Chief Deputy Qi found out about it and forcibly intervened, insisting on taking over the investigation rights. His stated reason was that it would make it easier for the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion to cooperate with the investigation. He also plans to work jointly with Mansion Master Zhang Jucheng and intends to take the people into custody.

“I’m worried that Zhang Jucheng and the others will use this incident to attack Li Tianlan, perhaps even bringing him down entirely. Li Minghuang’s situation is equally grim. This scandal won’t just damage his future. It will also harm the Li family’s reputation. I argued with Chief Deputy Qi as reasonably as I could, but he has already made up his mind...”

Sage Qingwei listened carefully and then suddenly asked, “Is this affair between Li Minghuang and Gu Ying a mere possibility or is it already conclusively proven?”

Li Zhuyu froze for a moment before answering, “I don’t yet have concrete evidence. There are only some circumstantial clues and verbal testimonies.”

“The meeting has not yet ended. This is only a recess, and I do not have much time.” Sage Qingwei’s voice remained calm and clear. “Since Qi Xuansu has already joined forces with Zhang Jucheng, and since this is on the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion’s territory, they must have already made thorough preparations. Trying to interfere now would have little meaning. At this point, all we can do is remedy the damage after the fact, which is to preserve the Li family’s reputation and protect Li Minghuang.

“First, destroy all evidence related to the affair. Silence Li Mingping, and do not let him fall into other people’s hands. Separate Li Minghuang from this matter entirely. Do not allow this scandal to continue spreading and minimize the impact as much as possible.

“Second, inform Li Tianlan of the situation. That will count as having fulfilled our obligations to him. After that, it will depend on how Li Tianlan responds. If he survives this, that would naturally be best. If he does not, then no one else can be blamed.

“Lastly, this matter ends with Li Tianlan. After the meeting concludes, I will personally speak with Qi Xuansu. He will understand.

“Alright, I need to return to the meeting now. If there are any further issues, contact Shen Yuqing. He’ll relay them to me after the meeting concludes.”

Li Zhuyu replied softly, “Understood.”

Sage Qingwei ended the conversation.

On Qi Xuansu and Zhang Jucheng’s side, the atmosphere was entirely different.

Around the time Sage Qingwei’s meeting was nearing its conclusion, another message arrived from Putuo Island. Gu Ying had been securely detained, and the interrogation had already begun.

Zhang Jucheng was in an excellent mood. He was growing more fond of Qi Xuansu. However, there was a mixture of admiration and frustration as he thought to himself, If only Qi Xuansu were my son-in-law... No, actually, if only Qi Xuansu were my son, how great would things be for the Zhang family?

If so, the Zhang family would not be in such an awkward position as they were now.

Unfortunately, Zhang Jucheng had no son to compare with Qi Xuansu. Though he did have a daughter, Zhang Yuyue, she could not compare with Zhang Yuelu.

Zhang Jucheng did not hope Zhang Yuyue could be as outstanding as Zhang Yuelu. If only her judgment in choosing men could at least keep pace with Zhang Yuelu’s, that would have been enough. But Zhang Yuyue’s taste in men proved to be a complete disaster, as she had chosen Li Minghuang.

That man entered the Tiangang Hall using the Zhang family’s connections, only to stab them in the back afterward by acknowledging a Li family member as his adoptive father. He even had an affair with his aunt and had all sorts of entanglements with other women.

With such character, even if Li Minghuang had truly become the Zhang family’s son-in-law, he might still behave while his father-in-law was alive. But once his father-in-law was gone, could Zhang Yuyue really keep Li Minghuang under control? Who knew how much suffering she would endure then? That would truly be akin to inviting a wolf into the house.

By contrast, Zhang Yuelu could tell at a glance that neither Li Tianzhen nor Li Minghuang was any good. Instead, she chose the seemingly mediocre Qi Xuansu, lowering herself in the process. But in the end, Qi Xuansu rose step by step to great heights and still remained devoted to Zhang Yuelu. He was so self-disciplined that he practically kept himself distant from women altogether.

With so many eyes watching him from every direction, if Qi Xuansu truly had any problems, they would have long since been exposed publicly. There would be no need for anyone to bother fabricating rumors.

The difference between Zhang Yuelu and Zhang Yuyue was simply heaven and earth.

But matters like these were beyond his control, so all he could do was sigh with regret.

Zhang Jucheng sat beside Qi Xuansu and reached out to pat his shoulder. “Tian Yuan, you’re only thirty years old, yet your abilities in both internal affairs and diplomacy are already at this level. Give it another thirty years, and your future will truly be limitless.”

Qi Xuansu replied modestly, “Uncle Zhang, you flatter me.”

“Not in the slightest. There’s a reason Sage Donghua was so eager to take you as his disciple,” Zhang Jucheng said. “I’m not blinded by arrogance. Looking across the Zhengyi Sect, from the seventh and eighth generations onward, including myself, not a single man has truly amounted to much. We’ve had to rely on women to hold up the sect. But since the time of the Holy Xuan, there has never been a precedent of a woman becoming the leader of the Daoist Order. Can Sage Cihang and Yuelu become that precedent? I honestly don’t hold much hope.”

Qi Xuansu was about to speak, but Zhang Jucheng raised a hand to stop him. “The seventh and eighth generations form a continuous lineage: Sage Qingwei and Li Changge are one line, while Sage Donghua and you are another. Sage Cihang and Qing Xiao are another as well, but that’s best left not mentioned. There are rumors that the Zhengyi Sect and the Quanzhen Sect have reached an agreement to first work together to elevate Sage Donghua, and afterward, Sage Donghua will return the favor by supporting Qing Xiao. But whether those rumors are true or not, no one knows.

“In my view, the only person who can truly contend with Li Changge in the end is you, Tian Yuan. Qing Xiao and Yao Pei are insignificant by comparison.”

For a moment, Qi Xuansu could not quite figure out Uncle Zhang’s intentions. Was he merely speaking from emotion, or did he have some deeper motive?

At that very moment, Sage Qingwei’s meeting concluded, and he contacted Qi Xuansu immediately.

Qi Xuansu excused himself to Zhang Jucheng to speak with Sage Qingwei.

“Sage, this is Qi Xuansu.” Qi Xuansu’s face remained expressionless, but his tone had already shifted into that of a respectful subordinate.

“Yes, I’ve already informed Mansion Master Zhang, and he has taken the suspect into custody. But Mansion Master Zhang refuses to release her. There’s not much I can do either. As Chief Deputy, I mainly handle external affairs. Most of my subordinates are overseas, and I don’t really have many people directly under me here. I can only rely on the manpower of Jiangnan Daoist Mansion.

“I’m quite upset as well. This is clearly a Beichen Hall case. Mansion Master Zhang is simply stealing credit. Yes, I’ll continue negotiating with Mansion Master Zhang. I believe he will understand.”

Qi Xuansu ended the call.

Zhang Jucheng asked, “What did Sage Qingwei say?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “If the matter only involves Li Tianlan, then it can be handled by Jiangnan Daoist Mansion. But if it involves people outside the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion, then it must be handled by Beichen Hall.”

Zhang Jucheng immediately distilled the core meaning of those words. “He wants us to stop at the right point.”