Chapter 42 Plan B

The blows and pressure from big shots are always subtle and tactful, hidden but not revealed. Under normal circumstances, you won't say harsh words directly, as that would be disrespectful and easy to leave a trail of words.

Master Qingwei said: "You mean, Li Tianlan colluded with a secret society?"

Qi Xuansu thought for a while and replied: "It cannot be said that. If there is no interest involved and it is just a simple friendship, then there is no collusion. After all, the Taoist sect has begun to normalize some secret associations. 'Tianting' and The Qingping Association is on the list of normalization, as an association entity that mainly focuses on trade and is supplemented by armed forces.”

Master Qingwei said again: "You just said that Wu Guangbi intends to obstruct and interfere with the Taoist government's handling of the case."

Qi Xuansu said: "It is true that Wu Guangbi took action, but it needs to be divided into two cases for detailed analysis. One case is that Li Tianlan invited him to come, and the second case is that he came on his own initiative. If it is the second case, it will not So that the blame can be placed on Li Tianlan."

Master Qingwei asked: "Does Li Tianlan have any interests involved with 'Tian Ting'?"

Qi Xuansu said: "Based on the evidence we have verified so far, it cannot be proven that Li Tianlan has a direct illicit interest relationship with the 'Tianting'. According to the Taoist principle of presumption of innocence, we cannot accuse Li Tianlan of colluding with a secret association."

This is not a lie by Qi Xuansu, but it is true. After the second Jiangnan case, Li Tianlan began to clean up these old accounts. After so many years, he could not clear them up. This time he won Li Tianlan with the help of the first Jiangnan case. Evidence in major cases.

However, this is a vague place. You can say it any way you want. If you analyze the provisions word for word, you can indeed draw this conclusion. But if it were actually implemented, it would not be impossible to directly convict Li Tianlan based on what Wu Guangbi did.

This is the in between.

Now Qingwei Zhenren forced Qi Xuansu to clarify this point, that is, it was not collusion.

Master Qingwei's attitude softened again: "In other words, Li Tianlan is only suspected of smuggling and corruption, right?"

Qi Xuansu nodded and said, "Yes."

If it were Zhang Yuelu sitting in front of Master Qingwei at this moment, she would start a fight. But Qi Xuansu is not Zhang Yuelu after all. He will not directly guarantee Liu Hu, nor will he give up Liu Hu, but chooses to compromise.

There is a reason why Qi Xuansu rose faster than Zhang Yuelu.

Right and wrong and interests are always at odds with each other in most cases.

Master Qingwei finally stopped being aggressive and returned to his usual gentle state. When he was young, this prince had a reputation as gentle as jade and was admired by many female Taoist priests. He was also one of the few high-ranking Taoists who chose to get married. On the surface, Master Qingwei is completely different from Master Donghua. Master Donghua has always been known for being strong and domineering. He only looks at the outside without scrutinizing the inside. He has the style of a great master of the Five Dynasties.

This involves another question, if Master Donghua becomes the Grand Master, who will be the Grand Master’s wife? You can't let such an important position, where you can exercise authority on behalf of the Grand Master, remain vacant at such a critical moment.

After much deliberation, I think Cihang is more suitable. She has enough qualifications and abilities to be the wife of the leader. Others will not have objections. She can strengthen the alliance between the two parties and at the same time make Cihang give up the fight naturally. The position of Heavenly Master was given to the Zhang family to reduce unnecessary internal conflicts. Kill multiple birds with one stone.

It mainly depends on whether the two parties are willing to make do with each other.

A political marriage.

Back to Master Qingwei, the reason why he said this was not because he really wanted to protect Li Tianlan, at least not entirely. From his personal feelings, he was not angry, and maybe he was very happy. He has to make an attitude. The time of the Imperial Master is running out. Regardless of whether Qingwei Zhenren can become the seventh-generation master, he will become the head of the Li family. As the head of the family, he must take into account the overall situation, especially the foreign enemies. In a complicated situation, it is not suitable to eliminate dissidents. Instead, it is necessary to unite the Li family to the greatest extent. To save Li Tianlan's life, it is still necessary to integrate people's hearts.

Other than that, it’s time to beat Qi Xuansu.

The words "Qing Ping Hui" were meant for Qi Xuansu. With his identity as Master Qingwei, he didn't need to speak in person to deal with Liu Hu. Qi Xuansu was still involved behind Liu Hu.

There is no need to speak too clearly. Just clicking on Liu Hu's question is a warning to Qi Xuansu. We can't let Master Qingwei tell Qi Xuansu personally, if you do this again, I will attack you, and you are not clean either. That would be too underwhelming.

Qi Xuansu gave in decisively, and Master Qingwei did not mention the Liuhu matter again.

"We won't talk about official business today." Master Qingwei changed the topic, "There is a story recorded in "Shishuo Xinyu", which is closer to the sun or to Xijing. I wonder if you have heard of it."

Xijing is the former capital of the Li family and has extremely complicated feelings for the Li family.

Qi Xuansu has continuously strengthened his cultural studies in his spare time over the years. He will no longer make jokes and naturally knows this story: "I have heard of it. When Emperor Ming was a child, he sat on Emperor Yuan's knees. It happened that someone came from Xijing. Emperor Yuan asked Emperor Ming. Still closer to Xijing, Emperor Ming replied, "The sun is far away, because I don't hear people coming from the sun." The next day, Emperor Yuan convened a banquet with his ministers and asked Emperor Ming the same question. Emperor Ming replied, "Xijing is far away, because you can see the sun with your eyes." Missing Xijing.”

Master Qingwei said: "I also want to ask you this question. Is the sun closer or the Jade Capital closer? Or to put it another way, Confucianism has an allusion about the moon sealing thousands of rivers. Is the moon closer or the Jade Capital closer?"

As the words of Qingwei Zhenren fell, the sun outside the mountain disappeared, replaced by a bright moon and a vast starry sky.

The power of the immortal.

Qi Xuansu felt the pressure again.

If the pressure last time was psychological, it was the invisible power and status that played a role, then the pressure this time came from the real power of the immortal.

Qi Xuansu thought seriously for a while and replied: "Look up and see the moon, but not Yujing. The moon is near, so we can't go there. Yujing is far, but we can go there. But from another angle, the moon shines on all rivers and streams, no matter where we are, no matter where we are, the moon shines on us. Today we are in Qizhou Daofu, the moon is high, shining on us. Tomorrow we go to Yujing, and the bright moon is still high above my head."

Qingwei Zhenren smiled: "Tell me more about it."

Qi Xuansu said: "Whether it's the moon or the sun, there is only one, and there is only one sun in our hearts."

"You can't say that." Qingwei Zhenren said, "There is no two suns in the sky, but the sun and the moon can coexist. The sun shines on you during the day, and the moon shines on you at night."

Qi Xuansu is Se said: "The light of the moon is essentially the light of the sun. The relationship between the moon and the sun is like the relationship between the wife of the Grand Master and the Grand Master."

Qingwei Zhenren asked: "There is only one sun in Taoism. Who is this sun?"

Qi Xuansu thought about it carefully and said: "I think it should be the Grand Master. The Grand Master is the sun, the wife of the Grand Master is the moon, and the other Zhenren are the stars, surrounding and guarding the sun and the moon. The Grand Master may have been in Yujing yesterday, and may have gone to the deputy capital today. Is it Yujing that shines on Taoism, or the deputy capital? My understanding is that wherever the Grand Master is, there will be light on us, or the Grand Master is close to us."

Qingwei Zhenren said: "But now the position of the Grand Master is vacant, are you saying that the clouds cover the sun?"

This hat is too big.

Qi Xuansu looked stern: "I didn't say that, nor did I think that. Some of my thoughts and understandings may be biased. I relaxed my studies. As everyone knows, I didn't read much..."

Qingwei Zhenren raised his hand to interrupt him: "After going through the big test, I got the status of a Taoist priest, was promoted all the way, and went to the upper palace of Wanxiang Taoist Palace for further study many times. How can I say that I didn't read much. But I am loyal to the Taoist sect and the Grand Master. This understanding is not wrong. The position of the Grand Master cannot be left vacant all the time. The three deputy masters also realized this, so they began to promote the election of the Seventh Grand Master."

Qingwei Zhenren said again: "If the Seventh Grand Master is elected, but this Grand Master is not the ideal candidate in your mind, will you still be loyal to the Grand Master?"

Qi Xuansu looked at Qingwei Zhenren in shock.

Not only because these words were a bit too straightforward and explicit.

Qi Xuansu didn't understand why Qingwei Zhenren was so confident, and how could he be sure that he could beat Donghua Zhenren?

Qingwei Zhenren just looked at Qi Xuansu calmly.

Qi Xuansu's mind raced: "What about the real person? Will the real person practice this concept?"

"I'm asking you." Qingwei Zhenren emphasized, "Even if everyone has to answer, you should answer first."

Qi Xuansu could only answer: "Of course I have to be loyal to the Grand Master. I'm willing to accept the loss. The word "bet" doesn't sound good, but there's no more appropriate way to replace it."

Qingwei Zhenren said: "Since you answered me, I will answer you too. I will be loyal to the Grand Master."

If Qingwei Zhenren becomes the Grand Master, then he is loyal to himself.

If Qingwei Zhenren fails to become the Grand Master, will he be loyal to Donghua Zhenren?

Qi Xuansu was doubtful and didn't know what to say for a while.

Qingwei Zhenren did not force Qi Xuansu to answer, and said: "In a few days, you will go to the New World."

Qi Xuansu took the opportunity to say: "I wonder if Zhenren has anything else to say?"

Qingwei Zhenren said: "Everything that should be said has been said in the Jinque meeting, mainly for the investigation of Kukulkan. When necessary, necessary measures can be taken. You are still a full-power envoy this time, with the maximum autonomy. You have the right to speak, including the new port and the new Taoist palace in the New World. Be careful."

Qi Xuansu replied: "Yes."

Qingwei Zhenren finally said: "Go well, do a good job and come back well, Jinque still has important tasks waiting for you."

Qi Xuansu could not say anything, so he could only nod heavily.

Qingwei Zhenren waved his hand: "Okay, you go."

"Yes." Qi Xuansu left the pavilion.

There was no one around the pavilion, only Shen Yuqing was standing in the distance waiting. Seeing Qi Xuansu coming out, Shen Yuqing came over again and led Qi Xuansu out.

Qi Xuansu looked back at last, and Qingwei Zhenren was still sitting in the pavilion, looking up to see the moon.