Chapter 728: Grandniece
When Qi Xuansu was preparing to leave Jade Capital for the Imperial Capital, Sage Donghua personally summoned him for a talk. When Zhang Yuelu was preparing to leave, not only did Sage Cihang speak with her, but even the Heavenly Preceptor granted her a private audience.
In the 42nd year of the Jiushi Era, the Imperial Preceptor served as the Great Sage Lunzhi from January 1st to June 30th, holding the authority of the Grand Master. From July 1st to the end of the year, the Heavenly Preceptor took over as the Great Sage Lunzhi. Since the year had not yet ended, the Heavenly Preceptor was still in Jade Capital, making it easy for Zhang Yuelu to meet him.
To be fair, the fact that Zhang Yuelu was overlooked within the Zhang family did not mean she was overlooked by the Heavenly Preceptor. Due to his unique bloodline, the Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Wushou had never married and had no children. To him, whether someone was from the main branch or minor branch of the family made little difference, as none were his direct offspring. They were all his grandnieces with his last name.
Thus, Zhang Yuelu often had access to the Heavenly Preceptor, not just during annual festivals. The fact that she was privy to matters like peeking into the end of the era was telling enough.
However, the main branch of the Zhang family had vast influence. Due to his own bloodline, the Heavenly Preceptor had lingering concerns about the legitimacy of his position. His rise to become the Heavenly Preceptor had not been smooth, relying heavily on the support of the three Deputy Grand Masters under the fifth-generation Grand Master’s rule. Thus, he was reluctant to crack down harshly on his kin, lest he stir more trouble. He would not reignite conflict with the main branch for Zhang Yuelu’s sake either.
Had it been the Great Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Jingxiu, he would have had no such scruples and would have ruthlessly suppressed the main branch of the Zhang family. However, even Zhang Jingxiu was counterattacked by the main branch after his ascension, overthrown by the deposed Great Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Jingchen, who forcibly seized the top position as he was backed by the main branch. Neither the first-generation Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Luanshan nor the second-generation Heavenly Preceptor Yan Feiqing could match this elder figure.
After taking power, Zhang Jingchen brazenly overturned Zhang Jingxiu’s north-south reconciliation policies, opposed the unification of the Daoist Order, and reignited conflict with the Taiping Sect. His reckless actions ultimately led to the Holy Xuan personally arriving at the Dazhen Mansion to sever Yunjin Mountain’s ley lines.
Since the north-south reconciliation had enabled the unification of the Daoist Order, Zhang Jingxiu held an exalted place in Daoist history, honored as Patriarch Zhang. Had the Holy Xuan not intervened to restore order, then under Zhang Jingchen’s reign, which had the support of the main branch of the Zhang family, Zhang Jingxiu’s successors would have been pushed out, and his legacy utterly erased.
But the Holy Xuan was no longer around.
If Zhang Wushou were only 70, with another 30 years ahead, he would gladly support Zhang Yuelu, letting her mature so that when he ascended, she could smoothly succeed his position and withstand internal opposition.
But the reality was that Zhang Wushou did not have much time left. After all, they had an entire generation in between them. If the Heavenly Preceptor position were passed across generations, it would stir doubts among the Zhang family.