Chapter 543: Dao Official

Chapter 543: The Taoist Official

Jiangxi Province, Guangxin Prefecture, Shangrao County.

Unlike other prefectures and counties across the empire, time here seemed to have paused in the era of Chongzhen’s renewal, untouched by the two waves of technological advancement. No towering structures or neon lights graced its streets; instead, the entire city stretched out in an ancient, weathered tableau of brick and stone.

After a sudden downpour, the old city’s cobblestone paths were slick with puddles. The early risers, clad in robes of similar style, ambled through the muddy lanes, their voices gradually swelling into a bustling chorus. The air carried the intoxicating aroma of breakfast stalls.

“Brother, I’ll accept your one yuan.”

A vendor, his arms stacked with steaming baskets as high as a small hill, waved away the thick clouds of vapor obscuring his view. When he finally glimpsed the large Ming dynasty banknote in the customer’s hand, his face flushed with embarrassment.

“Brother, could you perhaps exchange it for xianyuan?”

“What?”

Zhang Bi’an, his mouth full of the hot bun, held up the banknote, scrutinizing it with a puzzled frown. “Is there something wrong with this money?”

“Nothing at all.”

The vendor waved his hands dismissively, hurriedly explaining, “This morning, the city issued a new decree: from this evening onward, we may only accept xianyuan, not baoqian anymore.”

“Who issued such a command? Only the prefecture’s office?”

Zhang Bi’an raised an eyebrow. “Impossible. The prefecture’s office wouldn’t dare.”

“That’s something even common folk needn’t speculate about. We follow whatever the higher-ups decree.”

The vendor chuckled. “After the morning meal, I’ll take all my baoqian to the Peaksong Monastery to exchange them for xianyuan. The abbot said if you go today, each hundred baoqian will earn you an extra twenty percent in xianyuan. If you wait until tomorrow, that privilege vanishes.”

“Brother, you’d better exchange your money soon. I’ve heard baoqian won’t be accepted here anymore. Should the abbot refuse to swap them later, you’ll be left with nothing but scraps of paper.”

“Ah, thank you for the warning.”

Zhang Bi’an snapped back to himself, shoved the banknote into his sleeve, and withdrew a blue note bearing the tricolor Taoist talisman.

“Thank you, brother.”

The vendor clasped his hands before his chest in the traditional bow of the Taoist path—left hand over right, palms pressed together in the gesture meaning “punish the wicked and reward the virtuous.”

Zhang Bi’an nodded, then waded into the crowd. He took a few bites of the bun, then pulled down his headwrap, revealing a bald head and a strikingly handsome face creased with furrows of concentration.

He observed the shops lining the street, noting that merchants wore strained smiles, explaining something to each customer. Some had even erected signs at their entrances reading, “Only xianyuan accepted.”

Among the unusually dense throng of people, he noticed many glancing nervously sideways, their sleeves clutched tightly to their chests, hurrying northward through the streets.

The Peaksong Monastery, where baoqian could be exchanged, lay in the northern reaches of the city.

Watching this scene unfold, Zhang Bi’an felt a chill. It was likely not just Guangxin Prefecture, but the very foundation of Taoist authority across the entire empire was shifting.

Zhang Bi’an paused before the door of a chain of lodgings called “The Crane Scripture.”

Pushing through the entrance, a grand chanting resonance filled his ears.

A veil of white mist swirled through the first floor, obscuring the view, though faint figures sat cross-legged on their cushions. Occasionally, a face emerged, marked by devout expression. Zhang Bi’an even spotted children with their hair tied in Taoist topknots, nodding and swaying beneath the projection of the Tricolor Taoist Ancestor’s teachings, their youthful features occasionally breaking into serene smiles of enlightenment.

Though he had spent over a month in Guangxin Prefecture, Zhang Bi’an still felt a shiver of awe at such scenes.

“Brother Zhang.”

A warm voice called from behind. Zhang Bi’an quickly dispelled his lingering chill, turning to greet the plump Taoist before him.

“Your temple’s influence grows, Master Wu. So many virtuous souls came to practice Taoism this early.”

“All things align with the Way, my friend. The people’s hearts toward the Tao grow ever more sincere.”

“If this trend continues, by the time the Longhuashan examination for new disciples comes around this year, your temple might even produce a host of outstanding Taoist seeds.”

Zhang Bi’an chuckled. “Then your name, Master Wu, will echo throughout Shangrao County, even all of Guangxin Prefecture.”

“To spread the Tao and guide the people—that’s all that matters. Whether I gain fame or not, I care not. As long as these devotees find their path, I am content. Isn’t that so?”

Though he spoke thus, Master Wu’s face beamed with unbridled joy. The deep wrinkles around his eyes, the layers of his smile, reminded Zhang Bi’an of the bun he’d just eaten—he felt a bit queasy.

“So many people, all finding their xianyuan?”

“Of course not. Xianyuan isn’t a flower blooming on the roadside. It’s everywhere.”

Master Wu spoke as if it were obvious. “But whether one becomes a Taoist immortal or not, this heart toward the Way must never falter. Otherwise, you’ll offend the Taoist Ancestor, and your path will be barred for generations.”

Zhang Bi’an gave a thumbs-up. “Master Wu, you’re truly a man of principle. No wonder you’ve been honored by Longhuashan for years as an outstanding lodging. Your vision and wisdom are truly admirable.”

“Brother Zhang, your praise is too kind. Still, the usual room on the second floor?”

“Of course.”

“No problem. The room you prefer has always been reserved for you, no matter who comes.”

Master Wu’s face flushed with some unspoken thought. “Just—there’s—”

“Master Wu, if you have something to say, do speak plainly.”

“Brother Zhang, you’ve seen for yourself how many people lately seek to study Taoism here. Yet this lodging is small, and the second-floor chamber, with its refined facilities, is in high demand. Even prominent devotees have requested it. I’m under pressure.”

Zhang Bi’an smiled knowingly. “Thank you, Master Wu. The room isn’t an issue. But I didn’t get a chance this morning to exchange my baoqian at Peaksong Monastery. I’m short on xianyuan. Could I pay with baoqian?”

“Certainly.”

Master Wu beamed. “We’ll follow Peaksong Monastery’s rate: one hundred baoqian equals one hundred and twenty xianyuan.”

They ascended to the second floor.

In the secluded chamber, Zhang Bi’an stopped Master Wu, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “Tell me, Master, why did the city suddenly stop accepting baoqian today?”

“You don’t know?” Master Wu looked surprised.

“I know a bit, but I didn’t expect it to happen so abruptly.”

Master Wu nodded. “Indeed, it was sudden. I only received a notice from the prefecture’s Taoist official this morning when I opened the door.”

“A Taoist official?”

The plump Taoist, who had just accepted Zhang Bi’an’s double payment, now pulled aside the two soundproof windows of the chamber, pointing toward the street. “Look there.”

Directly across the street stood the prefecture’s office.

That was why Zhang Bi’an frequented this lodging, cloaked in the guise of a Taoist practitioner.

But today, he noticed something amiss. The officials exiting the prefecture’s office were no longer imperial bureaucrats, but Taoist monks in the distinctive robes of Longhuashan.

“Longhuashan’s celestial masters have taken full control of the prefecture. From now on, we’ll heed their edicts, not the old imperial decrees.”

Master Wu’s face lit up with delight.

“The order to cease accepting baoqian and switch to xianyuan was issued by the Taoist officials within the prefecture.”

“Ah, how fortunate! A grand blessing indeed.”

Zhang Bi’an nodded along, though a sudden chill crept up his spine.

As a former member of the imperial bureaucracy, Zhang Bi’an understood the role of Taoist officials. Even in the empire’s earliest days, Taoist priests had served as officials, granted positions by Emperor Hongwu as inspectors, later elevated to the rank of Grand Minister of the Central Rituals—the so-called “White Robe Chancellor.” Successive emperors had appointed Taoist priests to the Ministry of Rites and the Central Rituals Office. Even Buddhist monks had infiltrated these ranks, most notably the infamous “Black Robe Chancellor.”

Though these officials held minimal power in eras when their roles were secondary, their authority grew during the Chongzhen Restoration. As the Confucian hierarchy demanded formal titles, tensions between Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist officials intensified, with all three factions vying for positions within the Ministry of Rites and the Central Rituals Office.

After the establishment of the New Donglin Party, the Taoist and Buddhist officials were almost entirely expelled from the bureaucratic system regarded by the Confucian order as taboo, leaving only a few nominal 'idle positions'.

With Zhang Fengyue taking the position of Prime Minister, the suppressive force grew even stronger, and even the two Buddhist and Taoist imperial masters appointed by the late Emperor Longwu for the young emperor were driven out of the capital by Zhang Fengyue, not allowed to take a single step inside.

Now, the Taoist officials, who should have long vanished into history, have once again appeared, and they are occupying the government offices with great strength.

Although in a place like Guangxin Prefecture, where the Taoist base is strong, the prefectural office itself has no real authority, this still represents the face of the Confucian order, so traditionally, the two sides have kept to themselves, you manage your days, I collect my followers, and everyone lives in peace.

Now, Longhu Mountain is doing this, which is equivalent to showing off to the Confucian order.

"It seems the Buddhist and Taoist sects are about to fight back."

Xie Bian thought to himself.

"Who says it's not a good thing? If you ask me, it should have been done long ago!"

The fat Taoist priest huffed and puffed: "All of us in Guangxin Prefecture are disciples of Longhu Mountain. Originally, it was a peaceful and sacred land of the Taoist ancestral hall, but a group of corrupt Confucians in animal skins have been making trouble. I, the Taoist priest, have long disliked them. Now it's good, finally it's clean."

"I heard that in the Chengdu Prefecture in the southwest of the empire, the Taoists from Qingcheng Mountain have been even harsher! They didn't give these corrupt officials and wicked clerks a chance to escape, they just killed them directly, and the bodies were buried at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, the death was so tragic."

Wu Dao Shi said with enthusiasm, staring with his small eyes and sighing: "It's still our Longhu Mountain's immortals who are kind-hearted."

"Didn't those officials resist?"

"Who dares?!"

Wu Dao Shi snorted coldly, proudly saying: "Although our Shangrao County is not as close to Longhu Mountain as Guichang County, it is still adjacent to Longhu's toes. If anyone dares to show any disrespect to the immortals, we disciples can give them a proper burial without the immortals having to act!"

"With a disciple like Wu Dao Zhang, it's truly a blessing for Longhu."

"It is having Longhu that is our blessing."

Wu Dao Shi lowered his brows and looked down, but at this moment, a sudden change occurred!

"Who dares to break into the Taoist office?!"

A roar of rage came from outside the window, followed by a series of tragic screams.

"Someone is killed?!"

Wu Dao Shi's fat body trembled violently, hurriedly leaning against the window lattice, only exposing one eye to stare outside.

Xie Bian remained still, frowning and focusing, watching the shouting voices fill the prefectural office, a bad premonition arose in his heart for no reason.

After a while, the chaos in the prefectural office subsided.

"A madman seeking death! A madman seeking death!"

Wu Dao Shi's voice was fierce, but his tone was as soft as a mosquito's hum, tremblingly reaching out with both hands to grasp the window, silently closing it.

"Layman, let's avoid the danger for now, and there will naturally be immortals descending to kill this arrogant demon!"

At the moment the window was about to close, Xie Bian saw a black-robed figure stained with blood slowly stepping out of the office, still dragging a half-dead Longhu Mountain Taoist official.

Upstairs and downstairs, the two looked at each other from afar.

"It seems the killing intent on his body can no longer be suppressed."

Xie Bian smiled bitterly and shook his head, turning around and leaving the temple under Wu Dao Shi's dissuasion.

Outside Shangrao County, an abandoned contact point of the Jin Yi Wei for many years.

Before Xie Bian could enter, he heard a man pleading with a crying voice.

"I really don't know, Yang Xuan Shi, you have to believe me, I really don't know."

Pfft!

A severed head was thrown into the air, swatted away by Xie Bian who had just entered.

In the dilapidated courtyard, Chen Qisheng in black clothes sat on the steps in front of the house, his head buried so that his face was unclear, and at his feet was a corpse still twitching, white blood constantly gushing from the huge wound on the neck.

Ming Gui Jiang crouched under the eaves of the house about a zhang away, casting an inevitable gaze at Xie Bian who turned his head.

"I didn't mean to disrupt your plan, I just couldn't control myself when I heard that someone from Longhu Mountain was coming."

Chen Qisheng raised his head, messy hair hanging in front of his eyes, his face as pale as a ghost, softly saying: "Sorry."

"There's no need to apologize, anyway, my plan hasn't made any progress either."

Xie Bian silently sighed long in his heart, pointing to the corpse of the Taoist official on the ground, forcing a smile and asking: "Did you find out anything?"

The news Chen Qisheng spoke of was almost the same as what Xie Bian had heard in the temple, only knowing that Longhu Mountain had suddenly sent a large number of Taoist officials to take over all the prefectural offices in the counties under Guangxin Prefecture.

Besides this, there was no other useful information.

"At this time, if we kill the Taoist officials in Shangrao Prefecture, Longhu Mountain will definitely not let it go."

Xie Bian's voice paused, swallowing the original words 'this place is not suitable for staying long', instead saying: "Why don't we try to find a way to capture the Taoist officials they send to support?"

"Forget it."

Chen Qisheng spat out a breath of impure air, the uncontrollable killing intent in his eyes finally faded.

"After all, Guangxin Prefecture is Longhu Mountain's base, their support will come quickly. Moreover, they have been secretly guarding against us. This time, I have exposed my whereabouts, and the next one will probably not be a small role."

Seeing Chen Qisheng finally regained his clarity, Xie Bian couldn't help but let out a breath.

"Then let's change places first."

"Why are we preparing to flee as soon as we arrive? It's not that bad."

Xie Bian turned back in surprise, and saw Zou Siji walking in with his hands in his pockets, swaying his shoulders.

"What stupid thing are you doing this time, Niu Bian?"

Chen Qisheng's gaze completely ignored Zou Siji, and he fixed his eyes on Li Jun who followed in.

"Why did you come here first?"

"Ming Fei was worried you might get into trouble, so we came to Jiangxi first."

Li Jun swept his eyes around the room, smiled and said: "It seems we came just in time."

"Xiao Bai, what's wrong with Chen Qisheng? He looks like he's dead."

Under Xie Bian's helpless gaze, Zou Siji, who had always been outspoken, suddenly bit his tongue, raised his hand and gently fanned himself a slap.

"How did it become like this?"

Zou Siji glanced at Li Jun and Chen Qisheng sitting side by side on the steps in the distance, grabbed Xie Bian's shoulder and asked in a low voice: "Did he hurt his brain?"

Xie Bian didn't bother to pay attention to him, looked at Shen Li and asked: "Who is this?"

"Shen Li, a martial artist of the fourth rank in the sect, a new brother under Li Baifu's command, your number one henchman."

"I suppose you are Xie Bian, the chief flag of the dog mountain city in the Wei area?"

Shen Li bowed and smiled: "Along the way, I often heard Jun Ge mention you and another brother named Fan Wujiu. The things you did in the Wei area were truly brilliant, I admire you!"

"Shen brother is too polite."

Compared to the unruly Zou Siji, this Wu named Shen Li gave Xie Bian a much more stable feeling.

But this feeling lasted only a moment, and it completely disappeared.

"Old Zou, who is that guy, the killing intent is really heavy."

Shen Li's head was close to Zou Siji, and the two whispered.

“He is none other than Chen Qiaoshan.”

“An old-fashioned proverb?!”

“How rare! During his time in the city of Edo, he seized a relic from his own neck after cutting it off, and in a bold defiance, he confronted the Dragon and Tiger Mountain he had been raised in, single-handedly slaying a family from the prestigious Zhang clan.”

“Two ribs in place, indeed, a true brother! Let me introduce myself.”

“Now isn’t the timing unfavorable? I advise you to stay far away.”

“Why?”

“Just the other day, I consulted an omen for Old Chen.”

“What outcome?”

“Great misfortune.”

“Isn’t this just one of those omens?”

“If you don’t believe it, try it yourself.”

Just then, as they stood at the threshold, Li Kuan suddenly rose, his steps echoing like a drumbeat in the silence.

“Kuan, what are you doing? Come and handle it yourself!” Sheng San rushed forward, his voice sharp with urgency.

Li Kuan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the spot where his ribs had been placed, murmuring to himself, “Perhaps this omen was too off the mark? The great misfortune isn’t ours…”