Chapter 1243: The Great Debate
This matter could not be allowed to escalate.
However, this was unlike the accusation before, when the Wang family attacked Qi Xuansu and the Heavenly Preceptor suppressed the matter. That was because it involved far more complicated reasons.
In the previous accusation, the Heavenly Preceptor intervened and suppressed it because the Wang family lacked the necessary strength within the Golden Tower Council. At that time, the Li family was focused on the Fenglin War and needed the Zhang family’s support, making it impossible for them to oppose the Zhang family then. The Quanzhen Sect was also trying to get rid of the Wang family, so the Heavenly Preceptor did not have any concerns.
To put it bluntly, a case was first about politics, then about impact, and only last about the facts themselves. Where the ceiling lay and where the bottom line stood allowed for considerable flexibility.
The difference this time from the last was that it was unclear who the opponent was and whether they had support from the elites of the Golden Tower Council. However, anyone daring to target Qi Xuansu at this moment was most likely part of the Golden Tower Council itself.
Internal maneuvering within the Daoist Order followed a pattern. Typically, a minor pawn would be sent out first to raise an issue—the most common being a report or accusation. Sometimes, there would be a public confrontation, lifting the lid on matters as a probe. This would then be followed by further actions to fan the flames and amplify the issue. Only after it had reached a stage of widespread discussion and public uproar would the true mastermind step forward, representing a particular faction and putting forward demands.
If this was merely a probing move, it meant there would be all kinds of follow-up measures afterward. In such a situation, suppressing the matter outright would appear as guilt and tacit acknowledgment of the accusations.
Why would one need to suppress these accusations if one were innocent? That would place one in a passive position.
To be frank, forcibly suppressing an issue was a tactic that only worked when the strong bullied the weak. It was useless against an opponent of equal standing. That was why an emperor could keep matters hidden when dealing with ministers, and superiors could do so with subordinates. But among peers, there was no such option.
Since it could not be forcibly suppressed, the impact still needed to be minimized. As such, certain methods had to be employed.
Zhang Yuelu had already come up with a solution. She would use another event to divert attention before Qi Xuansu’s case gained traction. It could be something like the Number-One Courtesan Li Qingnu getting married. Ideally, it would cause such a stir that everyone from the Imperial Capital to Jade Capital, Fenglin, and even East Shakya would hear of it. When everyone was focused on Li Qingnu’s marriage, no one would pay attention to Qi Xuansu’s situation. This would buy her time to investigate.
By the time the buzz around Li Qingnu had largely died down, Zhang Yuelu would have investigated who was behind Qi Xuansu’s accusation letter. Since these accusations were essentially slander, clarifying it would not be too difficult.