A Pawn's Passage

In an instant, the place erupted into noise and chaos.

This situation was different from the previous incidents. The circumstances Qi Xuansu had faced involved external forces such as the Goddess Society stirring up trouble, and in those cases, he could naturally mobilize Spirit Guards to restore order. The last time, some old Daoists had secretly incited the populace without personally stepping forward. Great Sage Lan had been able to arrest the organizers through the Spirit Guards, and once they were taken away, the rest of the crowd dispersed on its own.

This time, however, the Daoists themselves had personally entered the fray. Everyone present was a high-ranking Daoist, not cult demons from secret societies. Zhang Yuelu could not simply deploy a squad of Spirit Guards to suppress them, nor could she allow Lin Yuanmiao to beat them up. If she truly did such a thing, then even if she were in the right, her political career would come to an end.

At that moment, a voice resounded. “Who is shouting about fighting and killing?”

The voice was not loud, yet every person present heard it with absolute clarity.

Everyone present was stunned and turned toward the source of the voice, only to see an elderly man with white hair and a white beard slowly approaching.

Though the eighth-generation disciples like Ke Qingqing and even some seventh-generation disciples did not recognize the old man, the old Daoists present had seen him before. Someone suddenly cried out, “Heavenly Preceptor.”

The uproar that had shaken the heavens moments before instantly vanished. It was now so silent that they could hear a pin drop.

The crowd immediately parted to create a path. The Heavenly Preceptor walked forward through it, and wherever he passed, the people on both sides lowered their heads in reverence.

Now that Zhang Yuelu’s backer had arrived, the old Daoists’ performance was probably over.

The Heavenly Preceptor stopped before the man who had removed his hechang, sized him up, and spoke calmly. “The fifth-generation Grand Master established a rule that all Daoist priests represent the face of the Daoist Order. As such, their appearance must be dignified. Who exactly are you putting on this display for?”

The man who had wanted to confront Zhang Yuelu was also a Sage.

Moments ago, he had been overbearing and arrogant, not even concerned about Lin Yuanmiao. Yet upon seeing the Heavenly Preceptor, he immediately wilted and hurriedly covered his exposed skin.

The Heavenly Preceptor said, “You’ve spent so many years in the Daoist Order, yet you still haven’t shed your Jianghu habits. You’re not even as disciplined as the children in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, yet you dare to stand here and flaunt your achievements and seniority. Do you think that the Daoist Order would collapse without you?”

The man lowered his head so much that it was nearly touching his stomach. He dared not utter a single word in rebuttal.

The Heavenly Preceptor raised his voice slightly. “Well? Is that the case or not?”

“Of course not, Heavenly Preceptor,” the man answered in a small voice.

The Heavenly Preceptor then swept his gaze across the others. “In the past, whenever the Confucians caused trouble, they would bring out the spirit tablet of the Confucian Sage. Are you people planning to bring out the spirit tablet of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor as well?”

The crowd, which had been so arrogant just moments ago, responded in unison, “We wouldn’t dare.”

The Heavenly Preceptor appeared kind and benevolent, but older people feared him even more than they feared the Imperial Preceptor. After all, he was ruthless enough to slay his own younger sister with a single sword strike.

No one dared to stop the Heavenly Preceptor as he walked toward the mourning hall.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuelu followed behind her granduncle.

Upon entering the mourning hall, the Heavenly Preceptor stood before the spirit altar for a moment. He inclined his upper body slightly, then picked up a wine pot and poured a libation before the altar.

At this point, Sage Liu’s family members hurried over one after another to return the courtesy.

Having a Deputy Grand Master personally pay respects and offer a libation was undoubtedly a tremendous honor.

Everyone understood that they had to drop the act. If they continued to exploit Sage Liu’s death to trouble Zhang Yuelu, it would be akin to directly slapping the Heavenly Preceptor in the face.

Zhang Yuelu might not be able to touch them, but the Heavenly Preceptor certainly could.

To put it bluntly, the Heavenly Preceptor who was on the verge of ascension truly had little to fear.

The Heavenly Preceptor set down the wine pot, turned around, and looked at the crowd gathered behind him.

Everyone held their breath, quietly awaiting the Heavenly Preceptor’s admonition.

The Heavenly Preceptor looked around the hall. “I heard everything you said just now. It is true that you have contributed to the Daoist Order and rendered meritorious service. But the Daoist Order has not treated you unfairly. The Daoist Order has given you all your ranks, status, and corresponding benefits over the years, never shortchanging you all in the slightest. If any of you believe that the Daoist Order has treated you unjustly, speak now, and the Golden Tower Council will immediately provide a clear answer.”

Not a single voice was heard.

The Heavenly Preceptor continued, “In the end, it all comes down to greed. You feel that the Daoist Order hasn’t given you enough, and you want even more. Now that the Daoist Order wishes to reclaim things that should never have belonged to you in the first place, you claim that it is driving you to your deaths. If even you lofty Daoists are supposedly unable to survive, then what sort of lives do the ordinary civilians have?

“The Confucian Sage taught benevolence and forgiveness, while the foremost virtue of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor is compassion. So, where has your benevolence and compassion gone? When you were enjoying the benefits, you never thought about those people. Yet the moment you needed to pressure the Daoist Mansion, you suddenly remembered them. For the sake of your own interests, you stirred up the commonfolk and incited unrest. Is that not the case?”

The entire hall fell silent.

The Heavenly Preceptor said, “During this period, I have inspected the Daoist Mansions across the realm. Aside from the Fenglin Daoist Mansion, where everything remains in ruins and awaits reconstruction, I have not seen a single Daoist Mansion as corrupt and disorderly as yours. Is this because the lingering poison of Wang Jiaohe has yet to be eradicated? Zhao Hesong!”

An elderly Daoist with white hair stepped forward tremblingly and replied, “Present.”

The Heavenly Preceptor glanced at him. “What role did you play in the events that occurred at the Mid-Autumn Festival?”

“Heavenly Preceptor, I was not involved in the matter and know nothing of its details.” Zhao Hesong’s expression changed slightly as he lowered his head.

The Heavenly Preceptor said coldly, “You weren’t involved? Wasn’t the Jianghu man responsible for coordinating and gathering people your godson? Weren’t those large ships used to ‘transport troops’ arranged by your son-in-law? Are you claiming to know nothing about these matters?”

Zhao Hesong was instantly rendered speechless.

The Heavenly Preceptor continued, “Your godson certainly has an impressive influence. He’s considered a notable figure throughout the Nanyang underworld and calls members of the Heavenly Court his brothers. During this disturbance, a single order from him brought you 800 men. Back when the Sima family seized power, they had only 3,000 death warriors.”

Zhao Hesong’s face turned pale, and cold sweat poured down his back.

The Heavenly Preceptor continued, “Your son-in-law is a well-known shipping merchant in Nanyang. Though he is not a shareholder of the Nanyang United Trading Company, one out of every 10 ships in the company belongs to him. I have heard that several decades ago, your son-in-law was merely the son of a poor family. He failed the Grand Examination and never became a Daoist priest. Yet, thanks to his handsome looks, he became acquainted with your daughter. Ever since becoming your son-in-law, he has suddenly become wealthy. His business ventures prospered without obstacles, and within only a few decades, he accumulated a fortune worth millions. Tell me, where did all that money come from? Are you suggesting that your stipend from the Daoist Order was enough to support such a vast enterprise?”

Zhao Hesong quickly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

The Heavenly Preceptor’s voice turned icy. “It seems you have forgotten every last bit of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor’s teachings, the Holy Xuan’s instruction, and the regulations established by the fifth-generation Grand Master. Here I thought you were an old Daoist with decades of experience. Clearly, you spent decades as a black sheep corrupting the flock.”

Zhao Hesong’s knees gave way, and he collapsed to the floor with a thud. He repeatedly kowtowed to the Heavenly Preceptor yet could not utter a single word.

The Heavenly Preceptor’s expression remained indifferent. “Were morality, virtue, and compassion established for the sake of people like you? Remove his lotus crown, strip him of his hechang, and hand him over to the Fengxian Hall for thorough investigation.”

Two second-rank Spirit Guards who had accompanied the Heavenly Preceptor to Poluo strode into the hall and dragged the elderly Daoist away.

The Heavenly Preceptor clasped his hands behind his back and once again swept his gaze across the crowd.

Everyone present was as silent as cicadas in winter.

At last, the Heavenly Preceptor said, “Let this serve as a warning to all of you. Take it as a lesson and conduct yourselves accordingly.”

Everyone in the mourning hall lowered their voices and replied, “We shall heed the Heavenly Preceptor’s teachings.”

The Heavenly Preceptor strode toward the exit, while Zhang Yuelu trailed behind him.

She understood very well that the Heavenly Preceptor was cleaning up her mess. He had appeased the bereaved family and removed the troublemakers. If Zhang Yuelu took one step back and devoted herself to secluded cultivation from now on, the situation in Poluo would gradually settle down.

Such were the Heavenly Preceptor’s thunderous methods.

However, Zhang Yuelu did not entirely agree with them.

The two Zhangs walked ahead, while everyone else tactfully followed at a considerable distance.

Unable to restrain herself, Zhang Yuelu spoke. “Grandpa.”

The Heavenly Preceptor asked, “Qing Xiao, do you think I handled this incorrectly?”

Zhang Yuelu replied, “Please forgive my bluntness, but how is this any different from the age of the Confucian officials and their upright magistrates? The law becomes little more than decoration, and everything depends on the appearance of an incorruptible official before justice can be done. What happens if there is no such official?”

The Heavenly Preceptor was not surprised by Zhang Yuelu’s argument. “Ultimately, this is the problem of governance. Laws are created by people, maintained by people, interpreted and judged by people, and ultimately enforced by people. If there is no upright official, then naturally, the righteous path cannot be carried out. That is precisely why the Daoist Order repeatedly emphasizes virtue and morality, hoping to produce more upright officials.”

Such blunt words left Zhang Yuelu without an immediate response.

The Heavenly Preceptor continued, “Do not become overly fixated on institutional questions. Systems cannot be separated from the level of development. Take the Golden Tower Council’s current system, for example. The Grand Master is elected rather than inheriting the position. Would such a system have worked during the era of the First Emperor? Of course not. Likewise, if you preached equality during the First Emperor’s era, it would have gone nowhere.

“The First Emperor forcefully implemented the commandery-and-county system, yet his dynasty perished in its second generation. The White Emperor restored the feudal kingdom system and gained 400 years of rule. Does that mean the feudal kingdom system was superior to the county system? No. The commandery-and-county system was undoubtedly better, but it did not suit the level of development at that time. It was too far ahead of its age. The best system is not necessarily the most advanced one, but the one most suited to existing conditions.

“If you wish to solve institutional problems, you must first solve developmental problems. Changes in people’s thinking will always lag behind changes in material conditions. Only after the material foundation develops can true changes in thought occur. If you have the latter without the former, you are merely building castles in the air. Questions of institutional quality and moral character ultimately come down to material development. The Confucians put it well. Only when the granaries are full do people understand honor and disgrace. Nowadays, the Daoist Order has produced more idealists and more self-appointed guardians of morality. From another angle, this itself shows that the level of material development has improved greatly.”

Zhang Yuelu took a deep breath and said softly, “Thank you for your guidance, Grandpa.”