Chapter 208 Going to the Imperial Capital (Part 2)

The key to using troops is to use them like arms and fingers. Tiangang Hall is the center of using troops. The soldiers of Taoism are spiritual officials, so Tiangang Hall is the hall with the most spiritual officials. Since spiritual officials are soldiers, Taoist priests are officials, and the key to using officials is Ziwei Hall, so Ziwei Hall, which holds the power of personnel, is the head of the nine halls.

Each hall is located in Xuandu, with the only exception being the main hall of Ziwei Hall, which is located in Zifu, does not have direct contact with the other eight halls, and is closest to Jinque.

Because Zifu not only has Jinque, which symbolizes the highest authority of Taoism, but also Zixiao Palace, the residence of the Grand Master, Ziwei Hall cannot take the place of the main guest. Therefore, from the appearance alone, Ziwei Hall cannot be said to be simple, but it looks very ordinary in Yujing, which is full of fairy spirit. It is far from being comparable to the other eight halls, and it cannot be compared with many local Taoist palaces and Taoist palaces. It is like an ordinary Taoist palace. But it is such a seemingly ordinary place that determines the fate of hundreds of thousands of Taoist priests.

Qi Xuansu had to go to the main lobby of Ziwei Hall and go to Zifu first.

This was also his first time to Zifu. It was said that Zifu was more complicated than Xuandu and it was easy to get lost, so Zhang Yuelu specially led the way for him.

Logically, Qi Xuansu should follow his boss Lei Xiaohuan to see Donghua Zhenren, but Lei Xiaohuan had left Yujing not long ago and happened to pass by Qi Xuansu, so Qi Xuansu could only go to see Donghua Zhenren by himself.

As for last night, Qi Xuansu was unable to stay overnight at Zhang Yuelu's house, and returned to Haichanfang alone to spend the night. In fact, Qi Xuansu had also thought about it. He did not expect anything to happen with Zhang Yuelu, but just wanted to stay overnight. Zhang Yuelu's house was not big, but it was small but well-equipped, and there were also guest rooms. But when the time came, Qi Xuansu remembered the four words "clean and innocent" that Cihang Zhenren said during the day for no reason, and thought that Cihang Zhenren lived next door, so he took the initiative to say goodbye and leave.

Qi Xuansu probably understood one thing. If Qi Niang lived next door, she would have locked the door of her bedroom early, and there would be no sound all night, as if she didn't exist. If Cihang Zhenren lived next door, Cihang Zhenren would definitely go in and out several times a night, and the sound would be loud enough for Qi Xuansu to hear. This is probably the subtle mentality of a mother and a mother-in-law.

The team responsible for guarding the Purple Mansion is a team of third-grade spiritual officials. If they were placed in other places, they would be the first-level commanders, but in the Purple Mansion, they are only responsible for guarding the gate.

Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu were allowed to pass after showing their certificates, scripture certificates, and waist badges.

Zhang Yuelu talked about the first time she went to Chiming Palace and got lost. She felt that the Taoist priest who showed her the way seemed to admire her a little.

When talking about these, Zhang Yuelu's tone was extremely calm. She was neither showing off, nor disgusted, nor sarcastic. Zhang Yuelu did not regard this as a joke, but suddenly remembered this and shared her story with Qi Xuansu, and there was also a little ulterior motive.

Qi Xuansu didn't care. It would be strange if Zhang Yuelu didn't have many admirers. He just needed to defeat all his opponents, including Li Tianzhen.

Then Zhang Yuelu asked, "What about you? Do you have any women who admire you?"

Qi Xuansu was silent for a moment. He didn't expect Zhang Yuelu to be waiting for him here.

Then Qi Xuansu said seriously, "Of course there are. Isn't Yue Liuli one? She admires me to the point that she wants me to die. People who don't know would think that I abandoned her. This is probably called love turns to hate."

Zhang Yuelu couldn't help laughing.

In the solemn and silent Zifu, the laughter was a little abrupt, but it also made the Zifu, which had been serious for many years, no longer a stagnant pool, adding a bit of cheerful atmosphere.

It is said that when Madam Xuansheng was still alive, Zifu was not so quiet, and the atmosphere was more lively. But since Madam Xuansheng, there has been no such a great headmaster's wife who would laugh heartily in Zifu.

Lin Yongbai is an inconspicuous seventh-rank Taoist priest. After leaving Wanxiang Taoist Palace, he was assigned to the Taoist Canon Department in the ancestral temple, and was responsible for maintaining 100,000 Taoist canons with others.

In the blink of an eye, he has been in the Taoist Canon Department for nearly ten years, content with the status quo, going to the Taoist Canon Department every day at chenshi and leaving at shenshi, day after day, year after year.

Until one day, he met a woman, and his calm state of mind had many ripples. There are many female nuns in Yujing, and Lin Yongbai has seen many of them. He has never seen such a woman. The woman's appearance may not be top-notch, but the aura on her body is so impressive that it makes him unforgettable.

Later, he also learned the identity of this woman, the youngest deputy hall master Zhang Yuelu, and now the youngest third-rank Youyi Taoist priest, who is in the limelight and has a promising future. She is destined to have a place in Jinque.

Today, Lin Yongbai got a moment of leisure and sat by the window on the second floor. Suddenly, he saw two people walking by, and his sight froze.

It was the woman who had asked him for directions, but this time she didn't need to ask for directions, and there was a man of about the same age beside her.

At this moment, the man seemed to have noticed something and looked up.

Lin Yongbai was very flustered, and quickly looked away, and then simply got up and left.

Although he had known for a long time that some things were impossible, it was still unbearable when he really gave up.

Qi Xuansu lowered his head and retracted his gaze, and continued to talk with Zhang Yuelu.

The woman's slightly reserved chuckle could be heard faintly.

After the two walked away, Lin Yongbai returned to the window, looking at the two people's backs that were getting farther and farther away, and he couldn't hide his lonely look.

Especially when she saw the man's conspicuous fourth-grade priest's clothes, and then looked at her seventh-grade Taoist clothes, she was speechless.

Ziwei Hall is not far from Chiming Palace. Zhang Yuelu is familiar with the road this time and did not take the wrong road again. When she arrived at the door of the main hall of Ziwei Hall, Zhang Yuelu stopped and signaled Qi Xuansu to go in by herself. She would wait for him here.

Qi Xuansu showed the Taoist priest guarding the door again. Qi Xuansu walked into Ziwei Hall on foot and walked slowly along a path. There were Taoist priests in robes standing along the way. This is also the only place in the nine halls where Taoist priests replaced spiritual officials. Every place reflects the transcendence of Ziwei Hall. Qi Xuansu quickened his pace and came to the front of the main hall. There was a plaque hanging on it, "Sounds heard in the sky", and a young Taoist priest was guarding here.

Qi Xuansu took the initiative to greet him and said, "Brother Taoist, I am Qi Xuansu, the head of the Eighth Department. I would like to see the headmaster. Please pass on the message for me."

"It is Brother Qi." The young Taoist said, "The headmaster has instructed that when you come, you don't need to pass on the message. You can go directly to see him. Please follow me."

After that, the young Taoist led the way in front and led Qi Xuansu to the duty room at the back.

Compared with the duty room of Tiangang Hall, the duty room of Ziwei Hall is much smaller, and the furnishings inside are even simpler, with a table and a few chairs. Except for one chair placed behind the desk, the other chairs are placed against the wall on the left and right.

After Qi Xuansu came in, he saw a painting in the middle hall: "Peace in the World".

There was a person sitting behind the table. It was Pei Xuanzhi, the headmaster of Donghua, who Qi Xuansu had met once through the mother-child talisman when the seven-member group of Jinling Mansion discussed matters.

After the young Taoist led Qi Xuansu in, he quietly withdrew.

The headmaster of Donghua did not stand up to greet him, and did not even look up. He was still writing with a pen.

Qi Xuansu did not speak, but just stood there waiting.

After a while, Donghua Zhenren put down his pen and looked up at Qi Xuansu: "Tianyuan, you performed very well in Wanxiang Dao Palace, I am very satisfied."

Qi Xuansu said: "Zhenren, you are too kind. Brother Qi's matter..."

"It is fate, and fighting against secret societies will inevitably lead to death." Donghua Zhenren did not show any sadness, nor did he blame or feel disappointed. He was only calm, "I asked you to come here this time, not because of this, but because of another matter. You should know it, right?"

"Yes, I already know it." Qi Xuansu replied respectfully.

Donghua Zhenren asked: "What do you think? Don't be restrained, speak boldly about your thoughts."

Qi Xuansu was silent.

In this brief silence, the sound of flipping papers was heard again in the duty room. It turned out that Donghua Zhenren took another copy from the pile of official documents during this interval, took it in front of him, and read it carefully.

Qi Xuansu said, "Reporting to the Immortal, I think the situation in the Imperial Capital is very complicated, and it is also related to the situation in Yujing."

"Why is it related to the situation in Yujing?"

"Because the Zhengyi Dao and the Quanzhen Dao have formed an alliance, and the Taiping Dao has drawn the imperial court for support."

"Anything else?"

"The Immortal sent me to the Imperial Capital, there must be other intentions, but I haven't figured it out yet."

"Anything else?"

"Reporting to the Immortal, there is nothing for the time being."

This time it was the Immortal Donghua who was silent. Qi Xuansu looked over and saw that the Immortal Donghua picked up the pen again and quickly wrote on the official letter. Then he put the pen on the pen holder and said, "Very good, you can think of this, this is your talent. As for the specific instructions, there are none now, but there will be soon. You should prepare and go to the Imperial Capital with the Immortal Shi Bingyun and follow her arrangements."