Pawn Crossing the River

In the Golden Palace, the review work of the Grand Master’s Election Committee is still in progress.

"Donghua Zhenren Pei Xuanzhi."

"Donghua Zhenren Pei Xuanzhi."

"Qingwei Zhenren Li Wujia."

Such voices came and went, and these noble Taoist priests of the first grade of innocence were personally doing the vote counting work without any technical content at all.

The third division did not do anything personally, but just sat on three chairs and performed supervisory duties.

In the venue outside, the two groups were clearly divided.

Although there are two-faced people, on the surface, they still firmly stand on their own camp.

Neither party looked at the other, and there was silence in the venue.

Master Cihang was not here. She went to Master Donghua's lounge.

Coincidentally, Master Donghua was also standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back. At this juncture, no matter who he was, he could not achieve the true meaning of Gujing Wubo.

Master Cihang said softly: "Now it seems that whether it is the voting results or the wind direction, we have the advantage."

Master Donghua said: "It makes sense. Tianyuan has already gone to Yujing. I don't think the problem is big."

Master Cihang couldn't help but ask: "Then what are you thinking about?"

Master Donghua turned around: "You will only know the difficulties when things come to an end. I was just thinking about how I would solve various existing problems if I became this great master.

“The most difficult thing about reform is not determination, but people’s hearts.

"Of course we all hope that the leader will raise his arms, everyone will be united, all strata will cooperate fully, all kinds of vested interests will silently accept it, and the new rich will not launch a counterattack. But we all know that this is impossible.

"Outside Yujing City, at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, no matter how big the storm is, it will not affect the mountains inside the city at all. The Japanese in Fenglinzhou will only give the Fenglinzhou Taoist Office a headache. Yujing is still Yujing, and music and dancing will continue. There is no imminent temple. Pressure and no motivation for reform.

"Occasional problems and local problems cannot bring about widespread changes in people's minds. If there is no broad beneficiary group and no unified bottom-level understanding, any reform move will not receive widespread response and support, but will be criticized. Misinterpreted as suffering the common people. Or, the original intention of the superiors was good, but it was executed badly by the people below, and so on.

"The general trend of the people's hearts is overwhelming, and new production relations are constantly impacting the old production relations. Westerners have a saying about the window period. The window period for reform often only exists in the short historical moment when the old and the new change. It doesn't matter whether it is too early or too late. No, it will either revive again or accelerate its decline. The people leading the reform need to be able to have a clear understanding of development trends and situation changes, and find a reform route that can adapt to the times and the development of productivity.

"There is an old saying in the East that cutting off people's financial paths is like killing their parents. There is also a saying in the West that touching interests is harder than touching the soul. Reform will inevitably touch interests and cut off people's financial paths, and then it will inevitably lead to a crazy counterattack by those with vested interests. Therefore, we need the powerful force of contempt for the world as support and support, as well as sufficient political prestige.

"Furthermore, reform requires a strong team that can fully implement the leader's will. Without a team, it will fall into the absurd situation of all righteousness. Up and down, internally and externally, unite to let the so-called The reform has become a show, a ridiculous farce. The so-called reform will be written on paper, turned into a hymn, and announced to the world, but it will not be implemented in practice. In the end, nothing will be left.

"Reform itself is a game. Leaders want to be remembered in history and create eternal peace; the new rich want to rise to power and let the sun and moon change the sky; vested interests want to defend the old rules and will not hesitate to fight back wildly. Everyone has his own position. , each has its own angle, each has its own interests, each has its own ideas, and human nature will be fully reflected in it. All kinds of pulls and games will make a simple thing extremely complicated, and it will also The designed reform route has become extremely distorted. Therefore, the key to reform is not to seek change, but to seek for the better.”

Master Cihang said slowly: "On this point, Tianyuan sees it very clearly, but Qingxiao is a bit too idealistic and radical."

Master Donghua smiled: "Maybe Qingxiao is not suitable to be a leader who leads the general direction, but he is very suitable to be a firm executor."

Master Cihang then said, "Isn't it a little too early for us to consider these things?"

Master Donghua did not refute: "Unexpectedly, Master Qingwei's attitude was not firm, which also led to Taipingdao's hesitation. It is much better than the worst case scenario we previously expected."

Master Cihang said: "Li Qingwei is a sentimental person. Now it seems that he is still the rebellious Li family he was back then. The situation is easy to change, but the nature is hard to change."

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Master Cihang said.

Su Yuanzai pushed the door open and came in, saluting the two of them: "Sister, brother-in-law."

Nowadays, Su Yuanzai is somewhat cheerful. Although he does not have a sister to become the Grand Master, and he did not have such hope, but suddenly he got a brother-in-law to become the Grand Master, and he suddenly became the "Uncle of the State". How could you not be happy?

Although Master Donghua and Master Cihang were not husband and wife, but just Taoist lovers, Master Donghua had no intention of correcting him and just asked: "What's the matter?"

Su Yuanzai said: "The re-examination by the Grand Master's Election Committee is over. The Heavenly Master asked me to invite two real people to the meeting venue."

Master Cihang stood up and said, "Okay, I understand."

Su Yuanzai withdrew.

Master Cihang asked: "Is Tianyuan not here yet?"

Donghua Zhenren said: "I believe in Tianyuan, he never disappoints people."

At this time, Qi Xuansu had already arrived at the entrance of Zifu. Qi Xuansu held up the "Three Treasures Ruyi" and walked in front, with an unstoppable momentum.

There were many people who blocked the road along the way, but they were all repelled by Qi Xuansu.

The reputation of righteousness is very important.

If there were only six first-grade spiritual officials, although the military force was guaranteed, they had no name, and it was not easy to act rashly in the face of Taoist priests. For so many years, there has never been a case of spiritual officials killing Taoist priests without authorization. It is a consensus among all Taoist priests that Taoist priests control spiritual officials. If the spiritual officials really do this, it is considered a taboo. Even if Donghua Zhenren succeeds in taking office, it is hard to say what will happen to them.

What does it mean to kill a Taoist priest without authorization? It means that it is not considered unauthorized to obey the orders of other Taoist priests.

If a Taoist priest blocks the way, the spiritual officials will inevitably hesitate.

Qi Xuansu had no such taboo. The internal fight of the Taoist sect was originally a fight between Taoists, not to mention that Qi Xuansu had the "Three Treasures Ruyi" representing the Grand Master in his hand, which was a legitimate reason. The spiritual officials could also let go because they were all following orders.

Along the way, neither Jin Gong Zushi nor Zhou Mengyao appeared, and it was unknown where the fight was going.

Finally, Qi Xuansu came to the square outside the Golden Palace.

There was also an old Taoist here. He did not run for the Grand Master Election Committee, nor did he watch the ceremony in the Golden Palace, but waited for the spiritual officials here.

The old Taoist was unarmed and alone, so he could stand on the moral high ground.

The spiritual officials could not suppress such a respected old man. If they really did so, it would be difficult to recover and remedy it afterwards. The new Grand Master might have to take down a spiritual official to appease the Taoist group.

Qi Xuansu stepped forward alone and said directly: "Old senior, please make way."

The old Taoist priest asked back: "What if I don't make way?"

Qi Xuansu said frankly: "Then I will arrest you for obstructing public affairs, detain you in the prison, and wait for the Grand Master to deal with you."

The old Taoist priest looked at Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu paused and added: "Or, I can use the 'Three Treasures Ruyi' in my hand to punish the gods. The great priest of the Confucian sect died under the 'Three Treasures Ruyi'."

"How dare you, you boy!" The old Taoist priest's hair and beard stood up.

Qi Xuansu said no more, just made a gesture.

Six first-class spiritual officials immediately stepped forward, captured the old Taoist priest, and pressed him to the ground, unable to move.

The old Taoist priest lost his manners and cursed Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu turned a deaf ear to him, and even didn't bother to look at the old Taoist priest, and walked directly past the old Taoist priest towards the Golden Palace.

The spiritual officials handed the old Taoist priest to Xiao Yin and followed him one by one.

Xiao Yin looked at the embarrassed old Taoist priest and smiled, and began to play tricks.

The three masters in the Golden Palace could naturally sense the situation outside, but no one pointed it out.

The Heavenly Master looked around and said, "If Brother Li and Friend Yao have no objection, then I will announce the re-examined election results."

The National Master and the Earth Master each stepped back and made a "please" gesture.

The Heavenly Master cleared his throat and said in a deep voice: "Now announce the election results of the seventh Grand Master of Taoism. Donghua Zhenren Pei Xuanzhi 25 votes, Qingwei Zhenren Li Wujiu 17 votes, consistent with the first vote count results, according to Xuansheng Zuxun and the Grand Master Election Regulations, I announce that Donghua Zhenren Pei Xuanzhi was elected as the seventh Grand Master of Taoism!"

The true people of Zhengyi and Quanzhen Dao stood up for the second time and congratulated Donghua Zhenren.

At this time, Qi Xuansu also walked into the Golden Palace, holding the "Three Treasures Ruyi" in both hands, passing through the crowd and personally delivering it to Donghua Zhenren.

Donghua Zhenren took the "Three Treasures Ruyi" from Qi Xuansu's hand.

Qi Xuansu looked at Qingwei Zhenren and happened to meet Qingwei Zhenren's line of sight.

The Taiping Dao people in the venue were also looking at Qingwei Zhenren, waiting for Qingwei Zhenren's statement.

At this time, Qingwei Zhenren whispered: "It is always because the floating clouds can block the sun, and the absence of Xijing makes people sad."

Maybe others did not understand, but Qi Xuansu understood, this is a question he and Qingwei Zhenren had discussed before.

Is the sun closer? Or is Xijing closer?

Then Qingwei Zhenren walked to Donghua Zhenren and took the initiative to salute: "Congratulations."

Donghua Zhenren held the "Three Treasures Ruyi" and returned the salute solemnly: "Brother Li Dao is noble and upright, which makes people admire."

The originally silent Taiping Dao people had different expressions, unwilling, surprised, helpless, sad, angry, all.

But after a while, they slowly stood up. At first, there were sporadic applause, but then the applause became louder and louder, and finally merged with the applause from the Zhengyi and Quanzhen sects.

The entire Golden Palace became a sea of ​​applause.