A Pawn's Passage

Zhang Yuelu rebutted. “Elder brothers that don’t want a man to bully their sister aren’t necessarily irrational.”

Qi Xuansu said, “Solely inferring from your temper, I can roughly guess what your elder brother's temper is like. I heard that you even beat up Li Tianzhen.”

Zhang Yuelu’s eyes flickered. She scoffed. “Li Tianzhen asked for it because he challenged me to a duel first. We have known each other for so long. Have I ever hit you?”

"No...” Feeling like he was walking on thin ice, Qi Xuansu changed the topic. “What are you like at home?”

"Why are you asking this?” Zhang Yuelu immediately looked at Qi Xuansu vigilantly.

Qi Xuansu clarified. “I’m just asking more questions so I know what to expect. That way, your family won’t find any flaws in our act.”

Zhang Yuelu hesitated for a moment, reluctantly accepting this reason.

"Naturally, I’m a well-read, gentle, and modest lady at home.” However, she did not sound as confident as usual. Instead, she looked slightly abashed.

Qi Xuansu teased. “Do you mean well-read with the novels from the Qingping Bookstore, gentle with your weapons, and modestly going out to drink in the middle of the night?”

"I didn’t go out specifically to drink at the time. I went to a weapons shop. But coincidentally, we were invited to attend a stranger’s wedding ceremony. Since it’s a happy occasion, I ought to have a drink or two.” Zhang Yuelu argued, “You were there too!”

Qi Xuansu suppressed his laughter and said in a serious tone, “I went to the weapons store to buy a pistol for self-defense. You have both the Divine Dragon Pistol and a semi-immortal object. What were you planning to buy in the weapons store? Are noble, demure young ladies naturally attracted to weapons?”

Zhang Yuelu simply stopped pretending and rolled her eyes. “I’m a Daoist disciple, not a Confucian disciple. Why should I abide by lady etiquette? I can do whatever I want! Do you have any objections?”

Qi Xuansu finally proved his point. “Look. This is exactly why I think my brother-in-law won’t be easy to get along with.”

Zhang Yuelu suddenly came to her senses. “Even if I have a brother, what makes him your brother-in-law?”

Qi Xuansu smiled sheepishly. “Didn't you suggest this?”

"Are you trying to follow in Li Tianzhen’s footsteps?!” Zhang Yuelu glared at him. “Also, who are you to bully me? I think it makes more sense for me to bully you!”

Qi Xuansu said with a straight face, “The Daoist community prohibits polygamy or infidelity. ‘Bully’ doesn’t mean violence. It’s just a matter of who has the final say between us. You’re the Deputy Hall Master, so it’s only right that I obey your orders at work and in private.”

The Daoist moral standards were higher than those of the secular world. In the existing dynasty, it was common for a man to have a wife and multiple concubines, or multiple wives. The Imperial Court did not recognize having multiple wives due to complications with official titles and other reasons, but it was still a common practice.

In the Daoist community, the Holy Xuan prohibited a man from having multiple concubines, only allowing one wife.

In the existing secular world, women were often viewed as inferior to men because of the difference in physical strength between men and women. Women were considered weaker than men because they could not do many things, such as join the army and fight in battles. In terms of combat, women could not compare to men. If this logic applied to battle, it would be valid anywhere else.

However, in the Daoist community, women were not viewed as inferior to men. That was because everyone, regardless of gender, could practice cultivation. This eliminated the difference in men's and women’s innate physical strength. Daoist women could also ascend to immortality, fly high in the sky, break boulders, and do anything men could. Thus, men and women were seen as equals in the Daoist community.

Many women supported the Holy Xuan’s edict, as women could improve their status by improving their own capabilities. It was a simple truth. Instead of relying on one’s parents or spouse, women could rely on themselves.

However, the Daoist Order during the Holy Xuan Era was still dominated by men. The Daoist community was also inextricably linked to the secular world, so the Holy Xuan’s idea aroused considerable opposition.

Thus, the Holy Xuan renamed “husband and wife” to Daoist companions. A Daoist priest could only have one companion. Thus eliminating the need to define the role of a wife and a concubine.

The fact that the Daoist Order and the Great Xuan Dynasty were able to defeat the Confucian School and the Wei Dynasty also had something to do with this.

At that time, the Great Xuan Dynasty’s top priority was to expand the army, which required more money, food, and people. Elite soldiers had to focus on training, which meant that they could not be involved in farming and needed to be provided for.

In the army, only young and strong men could be enlisted as soldiers. However, young and strong men were also sought after in farming. In other words, it was a zero-sum game when it came to soldiers and farmers. This was the reason why military campaigns in all dynasties rarely end well.

Food was a crucial component in war. The pace of military expansion had never been fast due to food and manpower shortages, and these were not something that could be accomplished overnight. It took years of careful planning.

Before the Great Xuan Court conquered the world, they noticed that women could solve this problem. Previously, because of women’s etiquette, women could only stay at home, while men were the providers.

Since manpower was scarce, the government viewed women as a source of labor too. Thus, they removed the shackles of women’s etiquette and allowed women to earn their keep. When they abolished these restrictive rules of etiquette for women, the Confucian School was the first to object.

As a precedent, the Golden Horde did not have such etiquette rules but still managed to dominate the Central Plains in the past. This proved that extraordinary times required extraordinary measures.

Even so, this decree would not change things overnight. They introduced benefits to entice women to work. The Great Xuan Dynasty officials started the program with textile workshops to hire female workers, promising them a salary.

At the same time, they recognized that culture was hard to change, so they separated female workers from male workers to create a more comfortable environment for women who first entered the workforce.

As such, some women went out to work to support their families. This formed a trend, which they gradually promoted. Thus, more women joined the workforce. If this was successful, they could replicate this in other fields too.

That was how women increased the workforce and productivity of the nation, allowing the Great Xuan Dynasty to expand its army at a fast pace. It also laid the foundation for the future restructuring of the Daoist Order.

Of course, monogamy was the rule in the Daoist community, but there were still people who violated the rule. If discovered, the Daoist priest would be given a demerit in the least, or demoted, which would affect their future.

In addition, cultivation would inevitably reduce human desires. Thus, many Daoists chose not to marry. That was why Qi Xuansu mentioned this.

Zhang Yuelu half-jokingly said, “I’m grateful to the Holy Xuan for prohibiting polygamy and arranged marriages. Although parents can still influence their children’s choices in Daoist companions, the children at least have room to refuse. That’s why my mother can’t push me too hard. If she pushes me into a corner, I can report her to the Ancestral Court.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “The Daoist community and the secular world are indeed two separate worlds. No wonder people from the Jade Capital look down on those in the Imperial Capital.”

"My mother has lived outside the Jade Capital for most of her life and still believes in the old ways. You should be more patient with her.” Zhang Yuelu reminded him.

"Have you forgotten that I haven’t lived in the Jade Capital for a long time? Sometimes, I don’t even look like a Daoist disciple.” Qi Xuansu chuckled.

Zhang Yuelu sized him up. “I can’t tell. You just look like you have more real-world experience.”

"Speaking of experience, I really don’t have any experience dealing with elders.” Qi Xuansu admitted.

Zhang Yuelu waved her hand. “Don’t worry too much. It’s not like we’re going to meet the Great Sage. It’s just my parents. They’re not big shots. An experienced traveler like you can surely cope with two old people, right?”

Qi Xuansu was startled. “I always thought your home was the famous Dazhen Mansion.”

"You’re overthinking it.” Zhang Yuelu looked out at the river. “I told you that my family is a side branch of the Zhang family. The Dazhen Mansion is the residence of the main branch. Take the royal family as an example. Only the emperor’s direct descendants live in the Imperial Palace.”

He had a feeling that Zhang Yuelu had a complicated relationship with the Zhang family and that she disliked this famous family.

Moreover, Zhang Yuelu was not as indifferent as she seemed on the surface, she still cared about certain things.

The boat moved slowly. Apart from the boatman, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu were the only ones onboard.

Zhang Yuelu sat at the bow of the boat, supporting her body with one hand and turning her head to look at the turbulent river outside.

Qi Xuansu sat opposite Zhang Yuelu, but he could only see her profile.

After a long time, Zhang Yuelu looked away from the river and turned to Qi Xuansu. “Tian Yuan, did you have any close friends in the past?”

Qi Xuansu hesitated for a moment before he shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

"What a coincidence. Neither did I.” Zhang Yuelu muttered to herself in mockery.

Qi Xuansu probed. “What about now? Are we considered close friends?”

"I guess so?” Zhang Yuelu blinked. “Well, this isn’t just my decision to make. You have a say in it too. I don’t like unrequited feelings.”

He wanted to agree immediately, but he suddenly thought of his other identity. Thus, he asked, “Qing Xiao, what will you do if one day we have disagreements on certain things, or if I betray and deceive you?”

She was slightly startled, as she did not expect Qi Xuansu to ask such a question. However, she did not think too deeply and replied, “Disagreements are common, even between parents and children, let alone friends. Friends don’t have to be like-minded all the time. But betrayal and deception are serious. We can’t be friends if that happens.”

Qi Xuansu laughed dryly. “I see.”

"Are you hiding something from me? Or are you planning to lie to me?” Zhang Yuelu joked.

He quipped. “I have a lot of secrets, so of course I am hiding something from you. But I don’t intend to lie to you. Even if I do lie, it’s out of necessity.”

Not taking him seriously, she chuckled. “Hah! Out of necessity, huh?”

Qi Xuansu smiled, but he was disheartened because the joy of accumulating three Xuan merits was gradually replaced by the heaviness he felt about having another identity.

Even Zhang Yuelu, who was within arm's reach at the moment, seemed to be gradually moving farther away from him.

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