Chapter 979 - The Envoy and the Altar Master
Though Ma Weisan was terrified beyond measure, he knew hiding was useless. He could only come out with Hu Qi'er to greet this "Dharma Master."
"Disciples respectfully welcome the Dharma Presence." The moment Xuan De appeared, both knelt while still far away, hands pressed to the ground, not daring to raise their heads. Ma Weisan's heart pounded with fear, and he trembled uncontrollably—then noticed Hu Qi'er's hands were trembling too.
Xuan De had been a famous master in the jianghu in his earlier years, renowned throughout Shandong's six eastern and western prefectures all the way to Southern Zhili. As someone half in the jianghu himself, Ma Weisan knew exactly how formidable this old man was—not only was his saber technique transcendent, but his iron pellet skill was extraordinarily deadly. Ma Weisan had personally witnessed him suddenly flick an iron pellet at a banquet, smashing a man's skull in an instant.
Just hearing Xuan De's name conjured visions of red and white brains splattered everywhere.
Moreover, this man headed the Inner Dharma Hall—specifically patrolling subordinate altars and investigating irregularities. Punishing dereliction and traitors was also within his authority.
Even as a regional branch altar master, if he gave the word, you had to obediently pack up and report to the main altar for the Inner Dharma Hall's "investigation." Whether you could return safely depended on your luck and how well you had "conducted yourself."
Ma Weisan had always been very accommodating to main altar people regardless of rank. Every half year when sending incense offerings to Jinan, he always included gifts for all the main altar's major and minor functionaries. For Xuan De especially, he had spared no effort in flattery. So over the years, despite continuous "petitions" about the Yizhou branch altar, no one had been able to touch him.
Xuan De stopped and swept his gaze over them. "Rise."
"Thank you, Dharma Master!" Ma Weisan hurriedly stood up and moved forward a few steps sideways, bent at the waist, leading the way.
Seeing Xuan De's iron-dark face, Ma Weisan grew even more panicked. This incident had blown up too large—the idea to hire someone to kill Daoist Zhang had been his. Now not only had Daoist Zhang not been eliminated, but the entire Yizhou branch altar had been thrown into collapse. This crime alone was enough to finish him.
That the main altar had dispatched a heavyweight like Xuan De showed how much commotion this matter had caused among the higher-ups.
At this thought, beads of sweat kept rolling down his face.
In the Ma residence stood a three-courtyard compound specifically designated for branch altar use. In the main hall, large blocks of ice had been arranged as Ma Weisan had ordered. Xuan De unceremoniously sat in the main central armchair where Ma Weisan usually sat. Several Inner Dharma Hall guardians who had come with him took the side seats. Each face was expressionless.
Hu Qi'er and Ma Weisan, knowing they were under suspicion of guilt, dared not sit. They could only stand off to the side, hunching and bowing.
Ma Weisan stole glances at the several guardians. He recognized some of them—all renowned masters within the sect. He had dealt with them through gifts sent at the three festivals and two courtesy periods each year. Only one woman he didn't recognize, but she appeared to hold a senior position. Probably a secret guardian of the Inner Dharma Hall.
Servants had already brought water for washing, then served Longjing tea—the Longjing in Ma Weisan's household was tribute tea destined for the imperial palace. The Grand Canal sustained many who made their living from the river; goods traveling north and south inevitably "drifted away" in partial quantities during shipping. This was considered normal loss at the time. Even imperial tribute goods could be obtained in Jining if you had the money.
Xuan De washed his face with a maidservant's assistance and drank some tea. Only after a long pause did he glance at the two:
"A perfectly good situation, and you've made it into this mess. What do you have to say for yourselves?"
Hu Qi'er was young after all. His single sentence immediately drained the color from her face. Having witnessed far more of this Inner Dharma Hall guardian's methods than Ma Weisan, she couldn't stand steadily and knelt down, her body trembling as she spoke:
"Please calm your anger, Dharma Master! This disciple indeed failed in handling matters, but truly never anticipated that heretic's magic would be so powerful..."
"You were actually no match for him," Xuan De sneered. "What use is keeping such trash?"
Hu Qi'er lay prostrated on the ground, not even daring to breathe. After a long while, she said in a trembling voice: "This disciple is worthless and accepts whatever punishment the Dharma Master decrees without complaint. I only beg the Dharma Master to be wary—that heretic's powers are truly unfathomable."
Xuan De said nothing, only turned his gaze to Ma Weisan. Ma Weisan, relying on his status, hadn't knelt, but under that gaze his clothes were already soaked through with sweat.
"Dharma Master! Regarding the heretic matter, this disciple truly failed..." Ma Weisan forced down his inner panic. "But that heretic hadn't yet displayed any magic at the time. This disciple only saw his medical treatments had miraculous effects—the common refugees worshipped him as divine. This disciple worried it would ruin our sect's great plans, which is why he thought to deal with him."
He struggled to defend himself. Ma Weisan was after all a local strongman—he could bend and stretch, had a glib tongue, and analyzed pros and cons in orderly fashion. He knew he couldn't wash away the guilt on his hands. The collapse of an entire regional altar was an enormous crime in the sect—no excuse could get him off. So he only worked on implying "interests."
Currently the Yizhou altar had begun to collapse. Some incense halls had defected, some were wavering, some had simply dissolved and scattered—losses were extremely severe. Only the incense halls under his Ma Weisan's direct influence remained stable. If Ma Weisan was executed or deposed, these halls would certainly collapse.
And the sect had no second figure in Yizhou with power comparable to Ma Weisan's to step forward as branch altar master. Once people's hearts scattered, gathering them again wouldn't be a matter of one or two years.
Moreover, Daoist Zhang was currently outside aggressively preaching and winning hearts. He would never give the main altar sufficient time to clean up the situation.
Of course, Ma Weisan presented these interests extremely obliquely—those present were all capable enough to understand his subtext.
As he weighed each word, he silently prayed that the silver and various precious gifts he had lavished on Xuan De over the years could save his life.
Xuan De listened with a cold face, not speaking. Only long after Ma Weisan had stopped talking did he finally speak: "You two have committed grave sins. Remain in the inner hall to await punishment while reflecting on your crimes!" He stood and announced: "This altar's affairs shall be temporarily administered by this seat from this day forth!"
"We obey the Dharma Master's command!" Everyone shouted in unison.
In the wing room behind the main hall, watched over by guards from the main altar, Ma Weisan and Hu Qi'er were confined. The two were "reflecting on their crimes while awaiting punishment."
The courtyard was very quiet. This had originally been Altar Master Ma's inner sanctum where ordinary believers dared not enter. Now that internal and external security had been taken over by main altar people, and Ma Weisan himself was in uncertain circumstances, even fewer wanted to approach.
Though the wing room wasn't exactly a "hovel," after a whole day of summer sun, the room remained stifling even at night. As someone "awaiting punishment," even in his own lair his subordinates dared not come to serve him. Naturally there was no ice or other luxuries. He could only sit bare-chested on the cooling couch, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.
Across from him was Hu Qi'er's room, its door curtain hanging tightly closed. Ma Weisan thought: how is she managing?
Thinking of Hu Qi'er, Ma Weisan couldn't help thinking of the women in his residence. On hot summer nights when he couldn't sleep, he always had a woman called in, bathed and stripped naked for a bout of coupling, working up a good refreshing sweat. Now he couldn't even see one.
Then thinking that this was his compound—built over many years—now with a group of outsiders issuing orders at will, his very life in their hands, beyond his fear he felt quite resentful.
Why hadn't he just remained a local boss? Why had he joined a secret sect? In his years since joining, he had maneuvered skillfully, not only expanding his power many times over but also transforming from an ordinary strongman into a wealthy nouveau riche.
At this moment he suddenly understood a truth: his power and wealth actually weren't his but the sect's. He had always thought he was using the sect, but hadn't the sect also been using him?
For a moment his emotions were tangled. Suddenly the door curtain lifted. Xuan De walked in.
"Disciple respectfully welcomes the Dharma Presence." He quickly put down his fan and knelt. "Disciple didn't know the Dharma Presence was coming..."
"No need. Rise." Xuan De sat on the couch.
"Thank you, Dharma Master." Ma Weisan stood up and quickly put on a long robe. Not knowing his visitor's intentions, his heart pounded wildly. He took several deep breaths to steady himself, then gathered his hidden strength to stand firm.
Xuan De's martial arts were extremely high. He paused silently, knowing the sentries outside had moved to positions where they couldn't hear their conversation as he had instructed. He looked at Ma Weisan and sneered:
"You've been living quite well here."
"This disciple dares not. This disciple originally had some property locally. Compared to fellow believers, my enjoyments are indeed somewhat excessive."
"And none of this came from incense offering money?"
His lips curved in a cold smile, his pupils unmoving, waiting for Ma Weisan's answer.
Ma Weisan's heart clenched. He hurriedly said: "I dare not! Incense offerings have always been sent to the main altar on time and in full quantity. This disciple has never dared delay a moment, and absolutely dare not embezzle..."
"I don't know how many people have complained about you to the main altar," Xuan De sneered. "Your little tricks—who can't see through them? Same behavior as all the government yamen! For every tael sent to the main altar, you've pocketed at least three or four taels. You think this seat doesn't know? Never mind this current incident—just auditing the Yizhou altar's incense offering silver over the years, you've committed unforgivable crimes!"
Ma Weisan hurriedly said: "This disciple absolutely dares not embezzle. Collecting some extra incense offerings on occasion—yes, that has happened. It was for emergencies. This money has all been kept at the altar, ready to offer to the main altar whenever needed..." He glanced at Xuan De. "With the Dharma Master coming this time to eradicate the heretic, this disciple is willing to offer this incense money."
Of the incense offerings he had extracted over the years under various pretexts, besides the portion he had embezzled for himself, another portion had been set aside specifically to grease the palms of main altar personnel. This sum currently amounted to over five thousand taels—when Yizhou's annual incense offering quota was only four thousand eight hundred taels. Ma Weisan was prepared to use this money to buy his life.
(End of Chapter)