Chapter 1405: Same Destination, Different Paths
Chapter 1405: Same Destination, Different Paths
Many people did not expect Sage Cihang and Sage Donghua to take such a firm stance. They did not even wait for Qi Xuansu to finish reading his report before directly voicing their opinions, clearly opposing it.Moreover, the two were clearly coordinating. Sage Cihang spoke sharply and forcefully, while Donghua took a broader, more strategic perspective, emphasizing they were not seeking glory and were able to face mistakes. It was obviously meant to silence certain voices.
This was precisely where Sage Qingwei found himself at a disadvantage. If Li Changge had been in Qi Xuansu’s position, the contents of the report would have remained confidential. Even if Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang could guess the Taiping Sect’s intentions, they would not know the details. But Qi Xuansu held that position, and since the draft passed through his hands, and he had already met both of them, the details had long been leaked.
Sage Qingwei knew this would happen, but he could not prevent it. Qi Xuansu was personally involved, so who else but him could report it? Replacing him would only invite criticism and give Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang even more ammunition.
After all, Qi Xuansu was the Chief Deputy of Beichen Hall, which meant he was at the threshold of becoming an Omniscient Sage. He could not simply be silenced. The fact that Sage Qingwei had managed to pressure him into revising the draft at all was already no small feat.
Sage Qingwei had anticipated this scenario and responded calmly. “I don’t agree with the term that Sage Cihang used. We weren’t denouncing them. We wanted to solve problems, and to do that, we had to first identify and clarify the problems. That way, we can prevent trouble before it arises. To heal, one must first locate the root of the disease.”
Sage Cihang had to respond. “It is indeed good to treat issues before they arise, but we must beware of treating what is not a disease and calling it merit. We should not avoid confronting problems, but we must also understand that it is natural for people to fall ill. Yet we cannot stop living because of illness. Every gain brings a loss. Benefits and drawbacks always coexist. That is why we speak of weighing pros and cons. We must evaluate the Western Daoist Order dialectically.”
Both sides understood the true situation, yet neither exposed the underlying motives, keeping the debate confined to whether it was about praising achievements or criticizing faults.
But everyone present was seasoned. They all understood perfectly well what was really at stake.
As Qi Xuansu had said, this was merely a test. The resolution from this meeting would not lead to immediate action. It would only determine the Daoist Order’s stance. Whether the Western Daoist Order would be mostly praised or criticized would shape the direction of future policy.