Chapter 1073: Settling Accounts

Chapter 1073: Settling Accounts

Qi Xuansu had failed to contact Madam Qi last time because their method of communication was not through the Daoist license but through the Qingping Society’s fish talismans. These talismans had one major limitation—a shorter range of function.

If both parties were outside the Central Plains, such as in Nanyang, the connection could still be established.

His previous failed attempt meant that Madam Qi had not yet reached Nanyang. She was still somewhere within the Central Plains back then.

But this time, Madam Qi did not disappoint him. The fish talisman pulsed with light, and her projection appeared.

She looked the same as always, with her coin-patterned robe, the ever-present large sunglasses that seemed to be permanently attached to her face, and the tobacco pipe emitting faint wisps of smoke.

By then, Qi Xuansu had already activated the privacy barrier in his office to prevent anyone from eavesdropping, blocking even the Earth Qi Recall Technique and image recording stones.

He held the fish talisman in his palm and paced back and forth in the chamber out of habit.

This quickly drew Madam Qi’s annoyance. “Stop pacing like that! You’re making me dizzy.”

Ever since Qi Xuansu had become Second Deputy, few people had spoken to him in this tone. Not even his superiors were so blunt. Only Madam Qi remained true to herself.

Qi Xuansu had no choice but to halt his steps. “Madam Qi, when did you arrive in Nanyang?”

Madam Qi scoffed. “You don’t even know when I arrived? Clearly, you don’t think of me anymore. All you think of now is your wife—”

Qi Xuansu hurriedly interjected. “Nuh-uh! I tried to reach you as soon as I arrived in Nanyang, but you weren’t in range. Then everything spiraled into chaos. You have no idea how hard it’s been for me. I was alone and outnumbered, surrounded by local tyrants, battling both internal and external enemies. You never once asked about me and acted as though I didn’t exist! Clearly, you’re the one who doesn’t care about me!”

Adaptable as always, Qi Xuansu learned that he had to use Madam Qi’s tactics to counterattack so as to avoid being berated by her.

Madam Qi was stunned, thinking this sounded off. She interrupted him, “You punk! Who allowed you to steal my lines?”

Qi Xuansu snickered. “They say if you read 300 poems, you’ll start reciting them even if you can’t compose them. I’ve heard you say it enough times, so it just slipped out. But the feelings are genuine.”

Madam Qi did not buy it. Even with her sunglasses concealing her eyes, Qi Xuansu could feel her glare of disdain. “Enough nonsense. You never call without a reason, so out with it! What do you want?”

Qi Xuansu chose his words carefully. “Madam Qi, there was once a bearer of six seals in the ancient dynasty. I’ve heard you’re not far off from it, holding high ranks in five different secret societies. Is that true?”

“Who told you that?” Madam Qi asked, not denying it.

Qi Xuansu answered honestly, “Sage Cihang.”

“I figured it was that nosy hag. She just can’t keep her mouth shut.” Madam Qi grumbled. “Pei Xuanzhi wouldn’t go blabbing about such nonsense.”

Madam Qi studied Qi Xuansu’s expression and retorted, “So what? What’s it got to do with you? I have nothing to give you!”

Qi Xuansu cleared his throat. “I don’t need money since the Daoist Mansion covers all my expenses. But I do want to ask you a favor.”

“What favor?” Madam Qi asked, still on guard. This mother-and-son pair had been sparring for years. Qi Xuansu had tried elaborate feints before—sweet words that really masked his true intentions of asking for money. Back then, he had been satisfied with trifles. But now that he was a senior official and did not need small sums of Taiping coins, he would surely ask for an exorbitant sum if he did want money. What if he asked her to invest in a venture?

Qi Xuansu briefly outlined the situation, then said, “Madam Qi, I heard you’re the Deputy Leader of the Eight Tribes?”

“I’m not a Deputy Leader.” Madam Qi shook her head.

Qi Xuansu was taken aback. “Oh? Sage Cihang’s intel is not true?”

“Nope.” Madam Qi blew out a ring of smoke before saying nonchalantly, “I am one of the eight leaders of the Eight Tribes.”

Qi Xuansu was silent for a long moment. Was this a humble-brag?

Qi Xuansu cleared his throat. “All the better, then. I want to ask if you can dispatch some members of the Eight Tribes to examine the Yu King’s illness. It would be best if you could come in person.”

“On what grounds should I mobilize the Eight Tribes for you?” Madam Qi asked unhurriedly. “Business always requires clear accounting. The Eight Tribes have no budget for this sort of thing, so I can’t casually dispatch people at will.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “How much do you need?”

Madam Qi held up one finger. “For the sake of our relationship, I’ll give you a discount. It’ll cost you 10,000 Taiping coins at the very least, depending on the task.”

Qi Xuansu did not even bat an eye before saying, “Deal.”

Madam Qi was a little surprised. “Since when are you so generous?”

Qi Xuansu casually said, “I may not have the cash on hand, but I can get it reimbursed. Even if I can’t claim it from the Daoist Order, I’ll have the Yu King pay for it. If all else fails, I still have Genki as backup. So don’t worry, I can afford it.”

Madam Qi clicked her tongue. “So this is what happens when one becomes a Second Deputy Mansion Master. One taste of power, and suddenly 10,000 Taiping coins mean nothing.”

Qi Xuansu did not take the bait.

Madam Qi went on, “Since you’re so magnanimous, when you become the Grand Master someday, appointing me as the Shibo Hall Master shouldn’t be an issue, right?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Let’s not even assume I can become Grand Master. Even if I could, it’d be decades from now. By then, Sage Donghua, Sage Qingwei, and Sage Cihang will have already ascended, and you will be close to leaving this realm too.”

Madam Qi snorted. “What’s it to you? Why can’t I enjoy my moment before I ascend, no matter how short?”

Qi Xuansu wisely refrained from saying anything that might spark one of Madam Qi’s moral lectures. “Of course you can, assuming I ever do become the eighth-generation Grand Master.”

“If I say you can, then you definitely can,” Madam Qi declared confidently.

In truth, Qi Xuansu did not believe he had any real chance of becoming the eighth-generation Grand Master, nor did he think Madam Qi cared much for being the Shibo Hall Master. If she truly wanted such a position, she could have had it long ago. Had she not left the Daoist Order, she would have earned that position with her business acumen alone.

Qi Xuansu steered the conversation back. “Madam Qi, about the Eight Tribes...”

Madam Qi interjected, “I have some things to settle here, so I won’t be coming in person. But I’ll send someone.”

“How should they reach me?” Qi Xuansu asked.

“You’re famous now, so they won’t have any trouble finding you. But your position draws too many eyes. If we want to avoid sabotage, you’ll need to send someone to meet them. Do you have any trusted subordinates? Preferably someone inconspicuous.” Madam Qi suggested.

Qi Xuansu thought for a moment. “I left a Superintendent named Han Yongfeng in Lion City. My flying ship is docked there too. I can brief Han Yongfeng about the meetup, and you can have your people meet him there. They can take my flying ship back to Thanglong Prefecture.”

Madam Qi considered it and nodded. “That’ll do.”

Then she smirked. “Your flying ship, huh? What a bigshot! It feels like just yesterday when you were crying over a 100-Taiping-coin flying ship ticket. But now, you’ve got an entire flying ship of your own.”

Qi Xuansu coughed. “Strictly speaking, it belongs to the Daoist Mansion. It’s just assigned for my use.”

The Daoist Order had a fleet of 20 public flying ships, each capable of carrying 100 passengers. Due to the limited routes and space, only Daoist disciples were allowed to ride them, and even they could not travel for free.

The mechanism behind these vessels lay in their Dragon Pearls, which required constant absorption of moisture to replenish their energy. Over humid seas, they sailed smoothly, expending little power. But over arid lands where moisture was scarce, they burned through energy rapidly. Since Kunlun Mountain lay deep within the dry northwest, its flights required supplementing the Dragon Pearl with a special mineral called Xuanhuang.

Thus, operating costs for these flying ships were immense, and the ticket prices were necessary to recover part of the expenses.

However, in Nanyang, where moisture was abundant, the flying ship’s energy consumption was negligible, almost nonexistent. All coastal regions also favored flying ships for this very reason. Apart from regular wear and tear, they were practically cost-free.

Madam Qi said, “Then it’s settled. My agent’s name is Shangguan Ya. Don’t forget to prepare the Taiping coins.”

After the conversation ended, Qi Xuansu summoned Ke Qingqing to his office.

“Second Deputy,” Ke Qingqing greeted as she stepped before him.

Qi Xuansu instructed, “Tell Deputy Palace Master Xu to prepare a 10,000-Taiping-coin cash note and issue it under my name from the Water Palace treasury.”

Within the Daoist Mansion, the two most vital authorities were control over personnel and finance.

The Poluo Daoist Mansion had two treasuries—one standard treasury managed by the Chief Deputy and another reserved for Spirit Guards’ expenses, which was under the Great Sage’s control. Maintaining troops was costly. Local revenues alone could barely sustain it. To avoid the growth of regional armies, all Spirit Guards were funded by Jade Capital. Thus, there were two distinct sources of funds.

However, the Great Sage rarely handled such trivial matters personally and often delegated them to the secretariat.

In other words, the treasury had long been managed by Deputy Palace Master Xu Jiaorong. Thus, in many ways, she was a counterpart to Chen Shuhua.

Of course, Qi Xuansu could not draw funds from Chen Shuhua’s treasury, but since Xu Jiaorong was one of his own, withdrawing from this account was easy.

Moreover, for the Poluo Daoist Mansion, 10,000 Taiping coins was a trivial sum.

Qi Xuansu then contacted Han Yongfeng with the mother-child mirror, but he did not reveal the mission’s details. All Qi Xuansu mentioned was that a person named Shangguan Ya would be coming to see him, and he was to escort Shangguan Ya to Thanglong Prefecture with the flying ship.