Chapter 2, the nature of a thief remains unchanged

What have I done wrong? Huang Er was somewhat confused; he had merely embezzled some silver by taking advantage of his position as a steward. However, with Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and Princess Jianning backing him, there was no official in the entire city of Beijing who would dare to bring him to court or imprison him.

Wu Yuanming was so engrossed in his fantasies that he was completely oblivious to the astonished gazes of the four members of the Wu Fu family beside him. In the impression of Wu Fu and his sons, although Wu Yingxiong had a rather cowardly personality, his behavior was still quite elegant and appropriate due to the influence of his early education, and he never used a single vulgar word. However, Wu Yuanming's current posture showed no trace of the demeanor of a scion from a prestigious family. Moreover, his speech was filled with profanities like "old man" and "damn it," and his expression and demeanor were hardly different from those of a street thug. But before Wu Fu and the others could inquire about the changes in Wu Yuanming, he, who had been praised as upright and selfless in the cadre's comments, had already devised a proper plan.

Wu Fu was taken aback by Wu Yuanming's nonsensical question, realizing his intentions. After a moment of hesitation, he replied: "Your Highness, there is no mistake in what you remember. The sixth day indeed marks Lord Muli Ma's fiftieth birthday. His household had already sent the invitation to our home last year. As per your instructions, I have prepared a pair of Tang Sancai ceramic horses, which I will have Wu Lu deliver at the appropriate time"

"Huang Er, you are so bold!" Wu Yuanming suddenly shouted with a face full of anger, pointing at the yellow scroll and yelling at the bewildered Huang Er, "How dare you damage the sacred decree of the First Emperor! This is a grave offense! According to the laws of the Great Qing, it is punishable by death!"

Wu Fu, if I remember correctly? In three days... that is, on the eighth day of the first month, it should be Lord Mu Limar's fiftieth birthday, the younger brother of Lord Ao Xiang, right?" Wu Yuanming asked while flicking his braid. Just a moment ago, Wu Yuanming had already made a choice—he decided to first find a way to get close to Ao Bai, secretly assisting Ao Bai in dealing with Kangxi, thereby prolonging the internal division of the Manchu court. This would not only deny Kangxi, that little leader praised as the eternal emperor, the opportunity to consolidate power, but also provide himself and his father with more chances to profit from the situation. Wu Yuanming had already made a choice—he decided to first find a way to get close to Ao Bai, secretly assisting Ao Bai in dealing with Kangxi, thereby prolonging the internal division of the Manchu court. This would not only deny Kangxi, that little leader praised as the eternal emperor, the opportunity to consolidate power, but also provide himself and his father with more chances to profit from the situation. As a well-known but powerless official, if he wanted to get close to Ao Bai and influence his actions, he must first establish connections with Ao Bai's staunch supporters.

The decree of the late emperor? Huang Er was thoroughly frightened at this moment, quickly picking up the yellow scroll and unfolding it. Upon seeing it, Huang Er was so terrified that he collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth and nearly fainting. The yellow scroll, which had already been charred and soaked in oil, was precisely the imperial edict from the fourteenth year of the Shunzhi era, in which Emperor Shunzhi conferred the title of Shaobao and Taizi Taibao upon Wu Yingxiong.

"You have no right to drive me away!" As he watched the lucrative position of steward about to be handed over to Wu Fu for no reason, and himself being expelled from the residence, Huang Er became flustered and incoherent, "My mother has styled the hair of the Empress Dowager, and has nursed the princess. I may not have made contributions, but I have endured hardships. On what basis do you have to expel me?"

"Your Highness, spare my life! I am willing to hand over the position of steward to Old Wu. Please, Your Highness, spare me this once; I will never dare to do so again." Outside, Huang Er's wailing cries, as if from a ghost, gradually faded away. Inside the room, the soon-to-be steward, the old servant Wu Fu, was filled with confusion, murmuring to himself: "Although this means that even the princess and the empress dowager cannot save Huang Er's life, isn't this too coincidental? How did Huang Er just happen to knock over the oil lamp on the desk? And how did it happen to catch fire on the late emperor's edict? Furthermore, how did the edict, which should have been placed on the incense altar, end up on the prince's desk?"

"Father, what a coincidence!" Wu Shou, whose belly was almost bursting with laughter, spread his palms to reveal a thin black thread, the other end of which was naturally tied to the overturned oil lamp...

"For no particular reason, simply because I am the master of this residence," Wu Yuanming said casually. "Not only do I not want you to be the steward anymore, but I also want to expel you from this residence. Now go back and pack your things; you are to leave tomorrow."

"Your Highness, please give your orders." Huang Er opened his mouth and yawned long and wide, but the words that followed from Wu Yuanming left his mouth agape for a long time. Wu Yuanming casually stated: "From now on, you are relieved of your duties as the steward of the Wu residence, and Wu Fu will take over as the steward. You need not concern yourself with the matters of the accounts room; let Wu Fu handle those as well. Now, hand over the keys to the accounts room, the storeroom, and all the doors to Wu Fu, and you may return to your room to sleep."

What?! Huang Er jumped three feet high, instinctively clutching the large bunch of keys at his waist, and shouted: "Why was my position as steward revoked? I was personally appointed by the princess, so why should it be given to Old Wu?"

"Huang Er, no one can bear the sin of great disrespect. At this point, I, the son of this house, can no longer shield you," Wu Yuanming lamented with apparent deep sorrow, then waved to the Wu Lu brothers, who were nearly laughing uncontrollably in their bellies, saying: "Wu Lu, Wu Xi, take Huang Er down and lock him in the woodshed. Tomorrow morning, he will be sent to Shuntian Prefecture for punishment"

"The heir need not worry; this old servant's family has some savings, and the heir can first take two thousand taels to make up the amount." The loyal Wu Fu sensed that Wu Yuanming intended to present a substantial gift to Mu Lima, and hurriedly expressed his loyalty to Wu Yuanming, saying: "Every year on the fifteenth day of the first month, it is the day when the old prince sends someone to the capital to pay tribute and urge the military funds, and it is also the day when the old prince sends money to the heir. By then, we will have money."

Perhaps there are some subconscious memories between the past and the present. Wu Yuanming, who often scored zero in school and relied on gifts and connections to become a traffic police officer, had no interest in any academic subjects. He was particularly fascinated by the chaotic history of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. If it were not for Wu Yuanming's habit of tearing pages from the history books borrowed from the library for preservation, the library would certainly not have placed him on the blacklist of prohibited borrowers. He might have had a one in ten thousand chance of becoming a knowledgeable scholar. Nevertheless, with these accumulated insights, when Wu Yuanming returned to his previous life, he would not be completely ignorant of the situation.

Wu Fuman, feeling utterly confused, followed Wu Yuanming's instructions to call the steward, Huang Er. Wu Yuanming then beckoned Wu Lu, Wu Shou, and Wu Xi to come forward and quietly explained his plan to them. When Wu Yuanming finished speaking, the straightforward Wu Xi immediately jumped up in delight, exclaiming that the heir's strategy was brilliant. However, the composed Wu Lu and the shrewd Wu Shou felt that Wu Yuanming's move was rather underhanded. Yet, they quickly recalled the disdainful expressions of the servants from the Princess Jianing faction when they bullied the servants from the Wu Yingxiong faction at home, and thus did not raise any further objections, proceeding to make arrangements as instructed by Wu Yuanming.

"The Tang Sancai has been sent off, how much silver do we have left in hand?" Wu Yuanming was not only a man of action but also exceptionally skilled in entertaining guests and currying favor with superiors. Wu Fu responded quickly this time, "Replying to the Young Master, we have less than 2,000 taels of silver left in hand. Although there are more than 10,000 taels in the accounts, we cannot withdraw it without the princess's orders"

The four members of the Wu family exchanged glances with one another. Wu Sangui had invited the Qing army into the pass, which had already offended all the Han people in the world. Now, holding a strong military presence in Yunnan, he had also aroused the resentment of the Manchu court, leading to Wu Yuanming being surrounded by enemies in Beijing. It could be said that he was utterly alone. Moreover, during the festive season of the New Year, where could Wu Yuanming find a large sum of silver? However, what made the four members of the Wu family even more suspicious was Wu Yuanming's confident demeanor, which bore no resemblance to the indecisive Wu Yingxiong of the past.

"Huang Er, I advise you not to let this young master expose the things you have done." Wu Yuanming slammed the ledger in his hand onto the desk filled with books and scrolls, stood up, walked in front of Huang Er, and said with a cold smile: "Otherwise, by that time, it will not be as simple as just being expelled from the residence; you will also have to face legal charges and go to prison"

Huang Er absolutely despises Wu Yingxiong, because he, a lowly and unrefined steward, can embrace the maid from the outer chamber every night. In contrast, Wu Yingxiong has been married to Princess Jianning for fifteen years and has not even touched the tip of her little finger—this is the reason for Wu Yingxiong's robust vitality. As for the beautiful maids that Princess Jianning brought from the palace to the inner chamber, under the shadow of Princess Jianning's feminine authority, Wu Yingxiong does not even dare to glance at them. To fail as both a husband and a master to such an extent as Wu Yingxiong is indeed unparalleled in history; what qualifications does he have to command Huang Er's respect and fear?

"Hehe, having to save money for the master while maintaining the daily expenses of the household is truly exhausting." Wu Yuanming sneered as he mocked Huang Erdao, "No wonder it took Wu Fu so long to invite you; it turns out you were too tired, so you slept soundly."

"Does this ledger have twenty-six pages?" Huang Er questioned as he reached for the thin ledger placed on the desk. However, just as Huang Er's hand touched the ledger, the oil lamp on the desk suddenly toppled over with a "ping pong" sound, causing the vegetable oil in the bowl to spill all over the table. The books and scrolls on the desk were inevitably affected, becoming soaked as if wrapped in paper for fried dough sticks. Moreover, the burning wick fortuitously fell onto a yellow scroll, scorching it significantly.

"Spare my life, spare my life!" Huang Er, who was so frightened that he wet his pants, cried out, repeatedly bowing to Wu Yuanming and begging for mercy. However, Wu Shou and Wu Xi, who had long suffered from his bullying, were not willing to let this opportunity for punishment slip by. They first took the keys from his waist and handed them to Wu Yuanming, then gave him a few resounding slaps before dragging Huang Er out the door.

Page 26 ? '' Huang Er was utterly perplexed, akin to a monk unable to touch the back of his head, and hurried over to investigate the reason for his impending expulsion from the residence. Just as he turned around, ... Wu Yuanming immediately gestured to Wu Shou, who had been silent beside him ...

"Of course, the accounts need to be checked, and it can be done gradually." Wu Yuanming clearly observed the contemptuous expression on Huang Er's face, but the deeply calculating Wu Yuanming did not let it show on his face. Instead, he said calmly, "The main reason for calling you here so late is to instruct you on another matter."

Although Butler Huang Er only resides in Wu Yuanming's mansion, this Huang Er, who has the backing of Princess Jianning and Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, is clearly more difficult to summon than the renowned physician Zhou Huichun from the capital. Wu Fu spent nearly an hour to invite the chief steward Huang from the Wu residence, and even before Huang Er entered the door, Wu Yuanming could vaguely hear Huang Er's incessant complaints: "The heir is really something; it's the middle of the night and everyone is sleeping soundly, yet he still calls me up? This heir is truly hard to serve." Wu Fu spent nearly an hour to invite the chief steward Huang from the Wu residence, and even before Huang Er entered the door, Wu Yuanming could vaguely hear Huang Er's incessant complaints: "The heir is really something; it's the middle of the night and everyone is sleeping soundly, yet he still calls me up? This heir is truly hard to serve."

This evening marks the third day of the first month in the eighth year of the Kangxi era, and it is already the early hours of the fourth. This means that that fool Aobai is still in his prime, and he will not fall from grace until May. Ban Buer-shan and that shadowy Mao family are still lurking behind him, waiting for the moment when he and Kangxi are both weakened before they strike. Wu Yuanming, adopting the standard posture he used while inspecting vehicles at the checkpoint, lazily reclined in the grand chair, his feet uncouthly resting on the charcoal basin, swaying back and forth. He absentmindedly flicked his braid with his fingers and muttered to himself: 'That little rascal Kangxi should still be cultivating his power, especially brainwashing those young guards. The basic situation is set, so what should I do next?'

"You need not worry about this, just go ahead," Wu Yuanming said with a sly smile in his heart, waving his hand to signal Wu Fu to hurry and take care of it. The young and strong Wu Xi quickly stepped forward, "My lord, my father is getting old, it would be better for me to handle this late-night summons." Unfortunately, the disrespectful Wu Yuanming, who did not honor heaven or his parents, did not give Wu Xi the opportunity to fulfill his filial duty, merely shaking his head and saying, "This matter should still be handled by Wu Fu, you all stay behind, I have further instructions."

Father is definitely planning a rebellion. Although historically he ultimately lost, the reasons for that failure were multifaceted, and there were certainly opportunities for success. Perhaps it is a natural rebellious spirit. Even though Wu Yuanming is currently being held hostage in Beijing, he is already contemplating how to become emperor. If I can help Father overthrow Kangxi and that old woman, Empress Xiaozhuang, and place the old man on the throne, when that old man kicks the bucket, won't the world be mine, Wu Yuanming? By then, won't I have all the money and beautiful women I desire?

With a creak, the door opened, and Wu Fu, covered in snowflakes, was the first to step into the study. According to the rules, Huang Er was not allowed to enter without the owner's permission, but as it was exceedingly cold outside and he had always looked down on Wu Yuanming, he wrapped himself in a bear skin blanket and squeezed into the study, which had a charcoal brazier burning. As he walked, the large brass pendant hanging from his waist clinked loudly, the sound particularly clear in the deep of night

Is it now? It has just passed the third watch, hasn't it?" Wu Fu was completely puzzled and cautiously reminded Wu Yuanming, saying: "Your Highness, although Huang Er is just a servant, he is the son of the princess's wet nurse. If we take the key from him without the princess's permission, I fear the princess will be furious. Moreover, Huang Er is a Han army bannerman, and his mother once styled the Empress Dowager's hair for half a year. With the princess and the Empress Dowager backing him, he may not readily hand over the key.

"Wu Lu, Wu Shou, Wu Xi, how have you been performing your duties?" Wu Fu intended to report back to Wu Yuanming, but he discovered that the candles used for lighting in the study had been replaced with four much dimmer vegetable oil lamps after he left. Wu Fu could not help but scold his three sons, saying: "Why did you replace the candles with vegetable oil lamps? Don't you know that vegetable oil lamps have a strong odor? Don't you know that the smoke from vegetable oil lamps will affect the young master?"

"Wu Fu, from now on, you will be the steward of my household." Wu Yuanming threw a set of keys to Wu Fu and instructed, "Tomorrow morning, you are to bring me 10,000 taels of silver; I have great use for it. Also, tomorrow you will go to the beggars fleeing to Beijing and purchase some servants. Be sure to buy those who have families; it is essential to buy the entire family, as that is more reliable. As for the people in our household, apart from the four of you, we will gradually dismiss everyone else and replace them with those who owe us gratitude. The spies from the Thirteen Yamen have noses sharper than dogs."

"Two thousand taels of silver? Do you think Mu Li Ma is a beggar?" Wu Yuanming scoffed and waved his hand, saying, "Forget it, you can keep your silver for yourself. I will find another way for the silver."

"Oh dear, Your Highness, I did not mean to do it." Just now, when the oil lamp was knocked over, only Huang Er had come into contact with the desk. Even Huang Er believed that he had accidentally knocked over the oil lamp, and he hurriedly extinguished the flames on the table, continuously apologizing, "Your Highness, I will clean it up for you right away..."

"Young Master, you summoned this servant to the study in the middle of the night; is there something you need?" Huang Er, not wishing to engage with Wu Yuanming, asked rudely while yawning, "If the Young Master wishes to review the accounts of the manor, I can bring the ledger of all household expenditures for your perusal tomorrow. The book you have in hand is a small ledger, which only records the expenses of you and Her Highness the Princess."

"Madam, are you looking to settle accounts with me?" Huang Er, who was in charge of procurement at the Wu residence, immediately detected the insinuation in Wu Yuanming's words. Candles on the market were approximately ten wen each, while three qian of silver could be exchanged for six hundred wen, meaning the price difference naturally lined Huang Er's pockets. However, Huang Er was not intimidated by Wu Yuanming's scrutiny; he simply replied nonchalantly, "What the young master says is absolutely correct. In order to save money for the residence, we servants use only vegetable oil lamps in our quarters, as candles are indeed too expensive."

"That wretched woman!" Wu Yuanming cursed. It is no wonder that Wu Yuanming was so angry; Wu Sangui was supposed to provide him with an annual living allowance of thirty thousand taels of silver, but the vast majority of it was taken away by Princess Jianning. Even the household steward was the son of Princess Jianning's wet nurse, and without the princess's orders, Wu Yuanming could not access any funds. With this in mind, Wu Yuanming's small mind, pure as natural crystal, began to work. "What method can I use to extract money from that wicked woman?" Without the princess's orders, Wu Yuanming could not access any funds. With this in mind, Wu Yuanming's small mind, pure as natural crystal, began to work. "What method can I use to extract money from that wicked woman?"

"Wu Fu, go and call the steward Huang Er. We need to present a grand gift to Lord Murima, and first, we must take the account key from that young man. " As early as the 21st century, Wu Yuanming had great admiration for his own intellect; deceiving, tricking, and framing others came as easily as blinking. After returning to the Qing Dynasty for just a few hours, Wu Yuanming discovered that his talent in this regard had not only not diminished but had actually improved significantly. In this decayed and dark era, where corrupt officials ran rampant, he felt as if he were a fish in water. Wu Yuanming had great admiration for his own intellect; deceiving, tricking, and framing others came as easily as blinking. After returning to the Qing Dynasty for just a few hours, Wu Yuanming discovered that his talent in this regard had not only not diminished but had actually improved significantly. In this decayed and dark era, where corrupt officials ran rampant, he felt as if he were a fish in water.

"You should take a look at that ledger," Wu Yuanming's smile grew even colder as he pointed to the ledger on the desk and said, "Go to page twenty-six, and you will understand what you did wrong."

"Do not blame them; it was I who asked them to change it." Wu Yuanming, who had already seated himself at the desk, first explained on behalf of Wu Lu, Wu Shou, and the other three, then fiddling with an account book, he added, "A single candle costs three taels of silver, which is indeed too expensive. Our family's silver is in such short supply that every little bit we can save counts."