Chapter 217: The Emissary and the Altar Master
Although Ma Weisan was scared to death, he knew that hiding was useless. He and Hu Qi’er had no choice but to come out together to welcome the “Law Master.”
“Your disciples respectfully welcome Your Holiness.” The moment they saw Xuan De appear, they knelt from a distance, hands on the ground, not daring to look up. Fear made Ma Weisan’s hands tremble, and he suddenly noticed that Hu Qi’er’s hands were trembling too.
In his early years, Xuan De was a renowned master in the martial world, known throughout the six prefectures of eastern and western Shandong, and even into Southern Zhili. Ma Weisan, being something of a martial artist himself, knew how formidable the old man was. Not only was his swordsmanship divine, but his skill with iron pellets was also extraordinary. Ma Weisan had personally witnessed him at a banquet, suddenly launching an iron pellet that smashed a man’s skull.
Just hearing Xuan De’s name was enough to bring back the image of red and white brain matter splattering everywhere.
Moreover, this man was in charge of the Inner Law Hall, which was responsible for inspecting the various subordinate altars, investigating wrongdoings, and, of course, punishing apostasy and betrayal.
Even a prestigious Altar Master of a regional branch would have to obediently pack his bags and go to the main headquarters to face the Inner Law Hall’s “investigation” on his command. Whether he could return safely depended on his luck and whether he “knew how to behave.”
Ma Weisan had always been perfunctory in his dealings with people from the main headquarters, regardless of their rank. Every six months, when he sent incense offerings to Jinan, he would invariably include gifts for all the officials, big and small. Towards Xuan De, he had exhausted his capacity for flattery and sycophancy. That was why, over the years, despite the constant stream of “petitions” against him from the Yizhou sub-altar, no one had been able to touch him.
Xuan De stopped and glanced at them. “Get up.”
“Thank you, Law Master!” Ma Weisan scrambled to his feet, scurried a few steps forward, and led the way, hunched over.
Seeing Xuan De’s iron-cast face, Ma Weisan’s panic intensified. This affair had gotten out of hand. Hiring someone to get rid of the Daoist Zhang had been his idea. Now, not only was the Daoist not finished, but the entire Yizhou sub-altar had been thrown into disarray. That crime alone was enough to condemn him.
The fact that the main headquarters had dispatched a heavyweight like Xuan De showed just how much of a shock this incident had caused among the top leadership.
At this thought, beads of sweat rolled down his face.
Within the Ma family compound, there was a three-courtyard complex specifically for the sub-altar’s use. In the main hall, blocks of ice had been placed according to Ma Weisan’s instructions. Xuan De unceremoniously sat down in the central grandmaster chair, where Ma Weisan usually sat. The few Inner Law Hall protectors who had accompanied him took the seats on the sides, their faces expressionless.
Knowing they were awaiting punishment, Hu Qi’er and Ma Weisan dared not sit. They stood to the side, backs bent.
He stole a glance at the protectors. He recognized a few of them—all famous masters within the sect. He had dealt with them before, thanks to the gifts he sent for the three major festivals and two birthdays each year. There was only one woman he didn’t recognize, but from her bearing, her rank was high. She was probably a secret protector of the Inner Law Hall.
Someone had already brought water for washing faces and served Dragon Well tea—the Dragon Well tea in Ma Weisan’s house was of the quality sent as tribute to the imperial court. The Grand Canal supported countless people who lived off it, and it was inevitable that a portion of the goods, both from the south and the north, would be “lost” during transit. This was considered normal wastage at the time. Even imperial tribute items could be obtained in Jining if one had enough money.
Xuan De washed his face, attended by a maid, and took a sip of tea. After a long pause, he finally glanced at the two of them.
“You’ve made a fine mess of a simple matter. What do you have to say for yourselves?”
Being younger, Hu Qi’er was instantly terrified by his words, her face draining of color. She had witnessed far more of the Inner Law Hall protector’s methods than Ma Weisan had. She immediately lost her footing and knelt, her body trembling. “Please, Law Master, calm your anger! Your disciple was indeed incompetent in handling the matter, but I truly did not anticipate that the outsider’s magic would be so powerful…”
“You were no match for him,” Xuan De sneered. “What’s the use of keeping such a good-for-nothing?”
Hu Qi’er prostrated on the floor, not daring to breathe. After a long moment, she said in a trembling voice, “Your disciple is useless. I will accept any punishment from the Law Master without complaint. But the outsider’s powers are truly unfathomable. I implore the Law Master to be cautious.”
Xuan De said nothing, turning his gaze to Ma Weisan. Ma Weisan, holding onto his status, did not kneel, but under that gaze, his clothes were already soaked with sweat.
“Law Master! Regarding the matter of the outsider, your disciple was indeed incompetent,” Ma Weisan said, struggling to suppress his inner panic. “But… but at the time, the outsider showed no signs of magical abilities. I only saw that his medical skills were miraculous, and the common disaster victims treated him like a god. I was worried it would ruin our sect’s grand plan, which is why I thought of dealing with him.”
He did his best to defend himself. Ma Weisan, after all, was a local tyrant by origin. He was adaptable and eloquent, and his analysis of the stakes was orderly. He knew it would be difficult to clear his name. The collapse of a sub-altar covering an entire prefecture was a heinous crime in the sect, inexcusable no matter the reason. Therefore, he focused his efforts on hinting at the “stakes.”
Currently, the Yizhou sub-altar was already beginning to disintegrate. Some incense halls had defected, some were on the fence, and others had simply collapsed, resulting in severe losses. Only the incense halls under Ma Weisan’s direct control remained stable. If Ma Weisan were to be executed or deposed, this part of the sub-altar would inevitably fall apart.
And in Yizhou, the sect had no other member with Ma Weisan’s power and influence to serve as the Altar Master. Once the people’s hearts were scattered, it would take more than a year or two to gather them again.
Moreover, the Daoist Zhang was out there, actively preaching and winning over the people. He would not give the main headquarters enough time to clean up the mess.
Of course, Ma Weisan stated these stakes in a very subtle way. With the intelligence of those present, it wouldn’t be hard to understand his underlying message.
As he carefully chose his words, he secretly prayed that the silver and various precious gifts he had spent on Xuan De over the years would save his life.
Xuan De listened with a cold face, not saying a word. Long after Ma Weisan had finished speaking, he finally opened his mouth. “You two have committed a grave crime. For now, face the wall in the inner hall and await your punishment!” He stood up and announced, “From this day on, I will assume control of this altar’s affairs!”
“As the Law Master commands!” everyone shouted in unison.
In a side room in the courtyard behind the main hall, Ma Weisan and Hu Qi’er were confined, guarded by men brought from the main headquarters. The two were in the midst of “facing the wall and awaiting punishment.”
The courtyard was very quiet. It had always been the Altar Master Ma’s secret and important place, which ordinary members dared not enter. Now, with the guards inside and out replaced by men from the headquarters, and Ma Weisan’s own fate uncertain, even fewer people were willing to approach.
Although the side room was no “humble shack,” after a full day of sun, it was still unbearably hot at night. He was now a “convict awaiting punishment.” Even in his own nest, his subordinates dared not come to curry favor, so the usual ice blocks and other comforts were gone. He could only sit bare-chested on a cool couch, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.
Across from him was Hu Qi’er’s room, its door curtain hanging tightly shut. I wonder how she’s faring? Ma Weisan thought.
Thinking of Hu Qi’er, Ma Weisan couldn’t help but think of the women in his own residence. On hot summer nights when he couldn’t sleep, he would always call for a woman. After bathing, they would wrestle naked, breaking into a satisfying sweat. Now, it was difficult to even see one of them.
And to think, this was the nest he had operated for so many years, now being commanded by a group of outsiders. His very life was at their whim. Along with his fear, a deep sense of frustration grew in his heart.
Why did he have to be a local big shot, and why did he join a secret sect? In the years since he joined, his masterful networking had not only expanded his influence many times over but had also transformed him from an ordinary local tyrant into a wealthy upstart.
At this moment, he suddenly understood a truth: his power and wealth were never really his, but belonged to the sect. He had always thought he was using the sect, but how was the sect not also using him?
A mixture of feelings churned within him. Suddenly, the door curtain was lifted. Xuan De walked in.
“Your disciple respectfully welcomes Your Holiness,” he quickly dropped his fan and knelt. “I was not aware of Your Holiness’s arrival…”
“No need. Get up.” Xuan De sat down on the couch.
“Thank you, Law Master.” Ma Weisan stood up, quickly put on a long robe, and stood still. Unsure of the purpose of the visit, his heart pounded wildly. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and stood firm, gathering his inner strength.
Xuan De was a master of martial arts. He remained silent for a moment, knowing the hidden sentries outside had, on his command, moved to a place where they could not hear the conversation. He looked at Ma Weisan and sneered.
“You’re living quite well here.”
“I dare not say so. Your disciple had some property here originally. Compared to my peers, my lifestyle is indeed a bit excessive.”
“And none of this came from the incense money?”
A cold smile played on his lips, his eyes fixed on Ma Weisan, waiting for an answer.
Ma Weisan’s heart trembled. He quickly said, “I wouldn’t dare! The incense money has always been sent to the main headquarters on time and in the full amount. Your disciple wouldn’t even dare to delay for a moment, let alone embezzle…”
“I don’t know how many people have filed complaints against you at the main headquarters,” Xuan De sneered. “Who can’t see through your little tricks? You’re just like all the officials in the world! For every tael sent to the headquarters, you pocket at least three or four. Do you think I don’t know? Never mind this incident, just auditing the incense money from the Yizhou sub-altar over the years would be enough to convict you of a capital crime, an unforgivable offense!”
Ma Weisan quickly said, “Your disciple would never dare to embezzle. It’s true that I sometimes collect extra incense offerings—that’s for emergencies. This fund is kept within the altar, ready to be offered whenever the main headquarters has a need…” He glanced at Xuan De. “Now that the Law Master is here to eliminate the outsider, your disciple is willing to offer this fund as a contribution.”
Over the years, he had used various pretexts to collect incense offerings. Besides the portion he embezzled for himself, he had set aside another portion specifically for bribing officials at the main headquarters. This fund currently held over five thousand taels of silver—the annual quota of incense money for Yizhou was only 4,800 taels. Ma Weisan was prepared to use this money to buy his life.