Chapter 40- Sweet Reason

The Hall of Harmony was a meeting hall, generally reserved for the Elders or those holding responsible positions in the Monastery. The whole building was designed to foster a spirit of harmonious cooperation, or that’s what Tian had heard. It just looked like a building to him. Maybe the decoration had some significance for other people. For him, the other people were what was worth looking at, and they did not inspire feelings of harmonious cooperation.

Hong was the only one missing from the Windblown Manor group. Brother Wang, Sister Su and Sister Lin were sitting together, carefully eyeing the rest of the room. The rest of the room consisted of about fifty people. Tian knew most of them by sight, it was a small sect these days, but he didn’t know them. There were crafters, alchemists, warriors, builders, scholars… all sorts of people were represented, including many he couldn’t put a description to besides “fellow daoist.” And some of them made him itchy.

The chairs were set in two rows facing each other, running the length of the long room. There was a single chair at the head of the hall. All the seats looked the same, but Tian’s well honed instinct for smelling rats was alarmed.

Tian made his way over to Wang and the others, and greeted them with a cupped fist and a bow. “I thought I was early. It seems I made everyone wait.”

“You are early.” Sister Su’s voice was deadpan. “It’s just that everyone else was more eager.”

That made sense, so Tian nodded.

“Where’s Sister Hong?” Wang asked.

“Out of the sect, looking for dyes. I’m expecting her back any time now.” Tian answered.

“We hardly ever see you two apart. I had wondered if it was even possible.” Lin grinned.

“Mmm. We are trying to work through what we are, exactly. It’s pretty exciting, but I don’t have the faintest idea what’s going on. My brothers tell me that’s normal, though, so I’m not worrying about it.”

Tian found a seat. He noticed that every chair had arms, and every chair had a tiny table next to it. Too small to hold anything much bigger than a cup or small plate of snacks. An ominous feeling descended. Just how long did conversations take, in the Hall of Harmony?

The temple bell tolled, marking the Hour of the Horse. It was still some time until lunch. Tian hoped they would be taking breaks. Elder Rui entered through the back of the hall, and sat at the chair at the head of the room.

“Welcome, all of you. You have been invited to this meeting because, based on our survey of the sect, you all represent different schools of thought, or come from groups with a variety of focuses. The thinking and concerns of the spirit plant growers are not the same as the librarians, who differ from those who purely dedicate themselves to the martial path. Your instructions are simple: discuss what the sect should look like in the future. What principles should it uphold, what structure should it have, what should its aims be.”

Elder Rui stroked his slim mustache, calmly looking over the room.

“While your conclusions will not decide the ultimate outcome, it is important for us to understand the thinking and the wants of the Outer Court in this. Some day, perhaps soon, many of you will be the new elders and leaders of our sect. Your conclusions will certainly be taken into consideration and weighed seriously. So take this duty seriously, and think carefully. Above all, remember that we are one sect. Petty factionalism will turn us into what we know must exist outside the ward- the violence of brother against brother, father against son. And that, we cannot survive.”

Elder Rui let the charisma and authority of an Elder wash the room, then stood once more. “I look forward to seeing your results.”

Tian shared a look with Wang and the others. Wasn’t this an abbreviated version of what happened before they set out on the Windblown Manor? But if that was Starsieve’s arrangement, then what was the purpose of this meeting? Surely the actual decision makers didn’t have to go so far to gather information.

There was an awkward silence as no one was quite sure how to proceed. Then an older Level Nine stood. “Everyone, without someone to run the meeting, things will get chaotic. I, Kang Shanyuan, am not good at such things, but Senior Brother Mao Jianguo has experience with these matters. I nominate him to chair the meeting, and ask for your support.”

Tian got an itchy feeling from the man, so he put himself down as a no.

“I don’t know Brother Mao, could he please stand up and introduce himself?” A female voice called.

A tall man stood, with a neatly trimmed beard and a strong body filling his robes. His sword hung at his waist like it was simply part of him, yet there was an undeniable wisdom to his eyes. A swordsman and a scholar, then.

Tian had an immediate dislike of the man. The itchy feeling intensified.

“Though this Mao is lacking, he will do his best. If I may?”

Nobody objected, so he made his way to the head of the room and sat in the middle seat. Tian wondered about that for a second, then had to hide a grin. He was bait. Whether he knew it or not, he was bait. Someone was using him to test the mood of the room, and the outer court in general. And the rest of the room either didn’t care enough to fight him, or were pretty curious to see the answer too.

Tian started carefully examining brother Mao.

“Brothers and Sisters, our assignment is simple, but not straightforward. We are called upon to give our opinion on the future of the sect. Yet if we all start shouting ideas, nothing will be achieved. Therefore, before we begin dealing with the debate in earnest, let us establish some rules for the meeting.” Tian nodded. That made sense. He had sat through far too many circular conversations over snacks.

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“Grandpa, Rule Number Three?”

Yep. The kind of person that gets things done, but…

“He looks very comfortable in that chair. Very natural.”

Doesn’t he just?

“For now, let us simply restrict ourselves to the rule of filiality. Those who are eldest and most experienced have the most to offer the conversation. Naturally, we will open up the conversation to everyone later, but for now, let us take as a rule that those at the peak of Level Nine and at least one hundred and sixty years old will be the ones with the right to speak. This should limit us to the wisest and strongest, as well as ensuring we communicate well.” Brother Mao’s voice was smooth, and utterly reasonable.