Chapter 800: Li Minghuang (I)
Since Li Minghuang and Li Changsheng had a tight schedule, they would depart by flying ship that very evening after the auction. They had a few hours to kill until then.
As the auction drew to a close, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu, ranked fourth and second, respectively, were invited to step forward and say a few words.
Having mingled among the Qingping Society, Qi Xuansu was not fond of the spotlight. But he was not stage-shy either. He did carry a trace of Madam Qi’s wit, but typically reserved it for those close to him. To outsiders, he upheld a serious image. For instance, in the Imperial Capital, no one thought of Superintendent Qi as someone easygoing or soft-spoken.
Such was the multifaceted nature of people. Even a ruthless butcher could be a gentle father before his children.
Zhang Yuelu was even more at ease in such situations. As someone who was aiming to become the Grand Master, she had no fear of public speaking. Today, she was merely speaking in the hall of Shangqing Palace. But if she were the Grand Master one day, she would be speaking in the Golden Tower Council and the Zixiao Palace, addressing three Deputy Grand Masters, multiple Great Sages, 36 Omniscient Sages, and numerous ordinary Sages.
Qi Xuansu’s speech was decent and proper, not remarkable, but not flawed either. In essence, it was official jargon—uninspiring but without any missteps.
A hundred right words were not as good as silence. If one must speak, then it would be better to use official clichés—words that sound like much but say little. That way, one would not be a slave to their words.
Zhang Yuelu’s remarks were far more pointed. “When you handle lard, you’re bound to get greasy hands. This doesn’t just apply to today’s auction at Shangqing Palace but to all such events. At their core, these are good deeds. But whether they truly reach their intended effect is, unavoidably, a question mark.”
People in the Central Plains traditionally did not use question marks in writing. This was a Western convention that was later adopted by Daoist circles through cultural exchange. That was why Zhang Yuelu used it in this context.
Zhang Jucheng followed up by saying, “This matter deserves real attention. Both the auction and the follow-up coordination with Duzhi Hall should have transparent accounting. A solid and reliable oversight system should be established, with representatives from both sides auditing all accounts. We must not let a good deed become someone’s opportunity to profit.”
Finally, Zhang Wuliang, representing the Heavenly Preceptor in today’s event, closed the session.
The auction finally came to an end.