A Pawn's Passage

Xu Jiaorong first went to see Chen Jianchou, intending to speak with the person directly involved.

Unlike Qi Xuansu, Chen Jianchou had not been able to secure a residence in Taishang Place, the foremost neighborhood of Jade Capital.

Since birds of a feather flock together, each of the neighborhoods naturally attracted different groups of people. Xuanyuan Place was primarily taken by members of the Great Xuan royal family, while Nanhua Place was occupied mainly by personnel from the Nine Halls. Of course, the highest-ranking figures mostly resided either in Taishang Place or within Xuan City itself.

Chen Jianchou was now also a member of the Nine Halls, so he was temporarily living in Nanhua Place. In any case, all these properties belonged to the Tianji Hall. No Daoist could truly own them. They could only lease them. Even when people like Qi Xuansu spoke of “buying” a residence, what they were actually doing was securing a 100-year lease, along with priority rights to renew the lease when it expired.

In Chen Jianchou’s case, the Beichen Hall covered most of the rent, while he paid a small portion himself for a temporary lease lasting a few years. There was never any question of having nowhere to live. The Tianji Hall had long maintained a housing allocation system, assigning different numbers of residences to each hall according to its authorized staffing, after which each hall distributed them internally.

Ordinary newcomers, such as ninth-rank Daoists and eighth-rank Daoists, were generally assigned a single room, measuring roughly 20 to 30 square meters.

In the regional Daoist Mansions, things were much easier. Whether one was a ninth-rank or eighth-rank Daoist, one could generally expect a respectable house with its own courtyard, something comparable to the home of a wealthy family. But since land in Jade Capital was worth its weight in gold, and with so many important figures occupying enormous estates, the lower-ranking Daoists inevitably had to bear the inconvenience.

Anyone hoping to live in Jade Capital had to endure these hardships. Of course, if one did not wish to suffer, there was always the option of transferring to a regional Daoist Mansion.

For example, the Sahul Daoist Mansion was vast and sparsely populated. Given enough patience to build gradually, or with enough money, one could easily live alone in a sprawling estate covering more than a hectare. No one would object. Yet Daoists had little interest in such comforts. They continued flocking to Jade Capital, preferring to squeeze in the capital rather than enjoy the space in Sahul.

Even that was considered fortunate. Ordinary Daoist believers or low-ranking Spirit Guards had to share cramped rooms with others, living in conditions like pigeonholes.

A single room was sufficient for one person, but starting a family was another matter entirely. Those forced to share a room often remained in long-term relationships for years without being able to marry. Their most pressing concern was simply obtaining a place of their own.

Countless stories of joy, sorrow, love, and heartbreak had unfolded over the allocation of housing.

Of course, once one reached the ranks of a high-grade Daoist or superintendent, there was considerably more freedom. Those who disliked the crowded conditions of Nanhua Place and possessed sufficient personal wealth could look for a courtyard residence in the Middle Eight Blocks or the Lower Eight Blocks. Daoist Nun Cui of the Duzhi Hall was a good example. She chose not to live in Nanhua Place, but instead resided in Haichan Place. Although it was farther from Xuan City and required a longer commute, everyday life there was far more comfortable.

Thinking back on it, Qi Xuansu had truly benefited from Zhou Mengyao’s generosity. After all, she was an Immortal. Even when she deliberately tried to appear frugal, she still could not quite comprehend the circumstances of ordinary low-ranking Daoists. With a casual wave of her hand, she had leased a residence in Haichan Place for 20 years, giving Qi Xuansu a place to call home.

Had it not been for that house, Qi Xuansu would have been living in a single room in Nanhua Place. In that case, it would have been awkward for Zhang Yuelu to visit him in person. After all, those so-called single rooms were part of courtyards shared by many people, with countless eyes watching. How could that compare to the secluded alleyways of Haichan Place, where no one except Daoist Nun Cui would ever notice?

The present-day Chen Jianchou was naturally in a very different position from Qi Xuansu when he had first arrived in Jade Capital. By the time Chen Jianchou came to the capital, he was already a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist, serving as secretary to the Chief Deputy Beichen Hall Master. In the presence of Qi Xuansu, he was simply a secretary. But once he stepped outside that office, he represented the Chief Deputy Hall Master himself.

The people of the Beichen Hall might dare to make life difficult for Qi Xuansu on major issues, but they would not embarrass Chen Jianchou over something as trivial as this. After all, Chen Jianchou’s godmother was a Second Deputy Mansion Master, and tracing his connections upward, he belonged to Great Sage Lan’s faction. In Jade Capital, practically everyone had some sort of backing. Thus, whenever possible, it was wiser not to offend anyone.

The superintendent in charge of housing allocation for Beichen Hall had perfectly good eyesight yet insisted on wearing a pair of thick glasses. Whenever he spoke, he would slide the frames down from the bridge of his nose to the tip, exposing his eyes so that he could peer over the top of the lenses at whoever stood before him.

Housing allocation was no trivial matter, and many people sought his favor. Thus, he put on airs, constantly offering the sort of responses that left people frustrated but unable to argue. He would ask them to wait a little longer because there were just too many applicants.

So if anyone wanted something from him, the first step was to visit Taiqing Square and purchase a respectable gift, like some specialties from the New Continent or Nanyang. Only then could one begin the conversation. If the gift failed to satisfy him, he would throw it back on the spot while delivering lofty speeches about integrity and incorruptibility. Anyone unaware of the truth might think he was an upright official of impeccable virtue.

Otherwise, one could simply wait in line, though it was hard to say how many years that would take. Jade Capital could not simply expand, and housing was limited. Many people had queued for years before finally receiving a home. Only those with explicit instructions or special approval from the higher-ups could jump the queue. If someone found that unacceptable, there were always the satellite cities surrounding Jade Capital, like Xuanhuang City and Wuxuan City, where spacious residences were plentiful. As long as one did not mind the distance, there was no shortage of places to live.

There was even a rather ironic story about it. One man had waited in the housing queue for many years and was finally about to receive a residence when he completed his required years of service in the hall and was transferred to a regional Daoist Mansion. All those years of waiting had been for nothing.

This superintendent was a veteran in the Beichen Hall for many years. He knew everyone’s background and connections inside the hall—who truly had influential backing and who was merely a paper tiger. As long as he avoided offending the genuinely important figures, he had little concern about everyone else. As a result, many people in the Beichen Hall had long resented him, yet his position remained secure.

Although Chen Jianchou was an eighth-generation disciple, his background spoke for itself. The superintendent did not dare put on the slightest airs. Carrying a large ring of keys, he personally accompanied Chen Jianchou from one residence to another, inviting him to choose whichever he liked. The moment Chen Jianchou made his selection, the keys were handed over on the spot.

Chen Jianchou also did not take advantage of his position. He simply selected an ordinary two-story house. Compared to Sun Yongfeng’s residence, his had an added benefit of a private courtyard. Excluding the courtyard itself, the combined floor area of the upper and lower stories was about 140 square meters, making it a fairly spacious home. The Beichen Hall also specially assigned an attendant for Chen Jianchou’s daily needs.

Only after understanding the hardships faced by these lower-ranking Daoists could one truly appreciate what Qi Xuansu’s and Li Changge’s grand residences represented, and why Zhang Yuelu had been unwilling to accept the house offered as part of her dowry.

Compared with ordinary people, Daoists already belonged to the highest social class. Yet when lower-ranking Daoists were compared with those at the top, the difference was still as vast as heaven and earth.

As it happened, Xu Jiaorong rarely came to Nanhua Place. Although she had lived in Nanyang for many years, she also had a residence in Jade Capital, located within Xuan City, which had been allocated to Great Sage Lan. Every Virtuous Great Sage was entitled to such a residence, though Great Sage Lan seldom stayed there except when visiting friends in Jade Capital or attending meetings at the Golden Tower. As his disciple, Xu Jiaorong stayed there whenever she came to Jade Capital. Coincidentally, it was not far from Zhang Yuelu’s residence.

Estates of this size took quite some time to cross from one end to the other, with multiple courtyards and wings arranged like a miniature city.

In a modest household, family members were constantly running into one another, even taking turns to use the lavatory. However, in a mansion like this, unless one deliberately went looking for someone, chance encounters were rare. If a husband and wife quarrelled and chose to live apart, one in the eastern courtyard and the other in the western courtyard, they could go years without seeing each other.

Xu Jiaorong normally spent her time either in Xuan City or Taishang Place. Although Nanhua Place was also one of the Upper Eight Blocks, it felt rather crowded in comparison with so many detached two-story houses packed into a single compound.

Chen Jianchou’s house was nothing remarkable either. Although it came with a courtyard, the space still felt rather cramped. Houses stood tightly packed all around it, blocking the view so completely that the only thing visible was the patch of sky overhead. It was much like looking at the heavens from the bottom of a well. The house itself was also quite old. Just as farmland might pass through hundreds of owners over a thousand years, Jade Capital’s houses had also changed hands countless times. With far more people than available homes, one occupant would move out, and another would move in immediately after, leaving no opportunity for proper repairs or renovation.

Xu Jiaorong stepped into Chen Jianchou’s house and looked around with the discerning eye of a mother concerned for her son. “So this is the famed Jade Capital? It’s nothing special. To be honest, it’s not even as good as the house we built ourselves in Nanyang. That one’s far more spacious. Even in Lion City, living conditions aren’t this cramped.”

Walking beside her, Chen Jianchou said, “When you’re away from home, there’s no need to be too particular about such things.”

“Away from home.” Xu Jiaorong nodded slightly. “At least you still remember where your home is and haven’t mistaken Jade Capital for your homeland. I’ve seen plenty of people who started treating Jade Capital as home after witnessing its splendor. Speaking of which, I’ll cut to the chase. I assume Chief Deputy Qi has already asked for your opinion regarding this matter.”

Chen Jianchou invited Xu Jiaorong to sit in the living room while he himself remained standing. Every family had its own way of interacting. Some observed strict etiquette between parents and children, while others did not. The latter were actually more common, like Madam Qi and Qi Xuansu, as well as Tantai Qiong and Zhang Yuelu. There was no single rule that applied to every family.

An attendant brought in some tea. Chen Jianchou took the tray himself and personally offered a cup to Xu Jiaorong.

Only then did Chen Jianchou reply, “The Chief Deputy Hall Master did indeed ask for my opinion. May I ask what you have in mind, Mother?”

Xu Jiaorong got straight to the point. “Sage Qi and I share the same view. Jade Capital may be a fine place, but it is not your home. You should return to Nanyang. Besides, even if you do return to Nanyang, it doesn’t mean you’ll never come back to Jade Capital. If—”

Xu Jiaorong paused slightly and waved a hand, signaling for the attendant waiting nearby to retreat.

Only then did Xu Jiaorong continue, “If one day, Sage Qi truly takes his seat in the Zixiao Palace, sooner or later, you’ll return to Jade Capital as well. Even if you don’t, you could still follow the example of Wang Jiaohe. The Wang family rose to prominence alongside the fifth-generation Grand Master. Naturally, you can rise alongside the eighth-generation Grand Master.”

Chen Jianchou replied softly, “I wouldn’t dare hope for such a thing. I’ll simply follow whatever arrangements Mother and the Chief Deputy make.”

Xu Jiaorong said, “Chief Deputy Qi has proposed two possible paths for you. One is to become a manager of a regional branch hall, and the other is to serve as a Deputy Mansion Master. I personally favor the latter.

“Our overseas Daoist Mansions are rather unique. The Daoist Order has never fully trusted the great clans of Nanyang, with the Nanyang Federation of Daoist Expulsion and later Chen Shuhua’s rebellion. Since then, the Daoist Order has trusted those local aristocratic families even less. To maintain stability, there is precedent for a lower-rank Deputy Mansion Master to be promoted to Second Deputy within the same Daoist Mansion. Although your last name is Chen, your branch of the family is too distant from the Yu Kingdom’s royal family. You also belong to Great Sage Lan’s lineage, so that makes you one of the Daoist Order’s own people. With Sage Qi looking after you from above, your prospects for advancement should be excellent.”

Chen Jianchou replied, “Then I’ll follow your judgment, Mother. I have no objections.”

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