Each regional Daoist Mansion had a small council that only included the Mansion Master, the Chief Deputy Mansion Master, and the Second Deputy Mansion Master. It was also known as the Three-Person Council.0

Although this council is not a formal decision-making body and cannot rule on major matters, it was like a pre-meeting where the Mansion Master gathered the two deputies to align on the agenda and direction. In practice, once the three agreed, decisions would easily pass at the larger council.0

This was why the first-rank Spirit Guards pinned their hopes on Qi Xuansu. Among the various councils, Spirit Guards only had speaking rights in the large council, except during wartime.0

However, the Second Deputy Mansion Master had speaking rights in all councils. Back in the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion, Li Tianlan held this same seat and stirred storms with a word. That “Second” prefix in the title made all the difference in power.0

Mansion Master Wang Jiaohe called this Three-Person Council specifically to decide whether to convene...0