Xu Jiaorong and Yao Pei had already returned from East Shakya. The former was the Second Deputy Mansion Master overseeing legal affairs in Poluo, while the latter was a Deputy Hall Master representing the Fengxian Hall. Their involvement meant that this was merely an internal disciplinary matter within the Daoist Order, not yet escalating to the level of defection or collusion with foreign foes. But if the Beichen Hall had been dispatched instead, the nature of the matter would have become far more complicated.0

Qi Xuansu was deliberately leaving some room for maneuver.0

There was an overlap in the responsibilities of Beichen Hall and Fengxian Hall. The reason Beichen Hall ranked among the Three Great Halls was not only because of its broader authority and scope of duties, but also because it directly controlled a portion of armed forces. Although its numbers were far smaller than those of the Tiangang Hall, it faced far fewer restrictions, making it even more flexible than the Tiangang Hall in non-wartime situations, and thus, more formidable in normal times.0

The Fengxian Hall did not command armed forces. However, in the vast majority of cases, it did not need force when making arrests. Very few people dared to resist with violence; most simply submitted without struggle.0

Strictly...0