Chapter 8, Colluding in Deceit

By the way, for various reasons, the agreement signed by Wu Yuanming and Ao Bai was preserved by those with ulterior motives, becoming a topic of endless debate among scholars in later generations. Some say that Wu Yingxiong was audacious, placing all his bets on Ao Bai, and it was merely luck that he did not lose everything. Others argue that Wu Yingxiong had ulterior motives when signing this agreement, allowing Ao Bai to specify the conditions promised to Wu Sangui, while it was Wu Yingxiong's signature that served as the guarantee. This was because Wu Yuanming had long prepared to employ the strategy of 'golden cicada shedding its shell,' so that even if Ao Bai were to fall and the matter were to be exposed, it would be Ao Bai's misfortune, and Wu Sangui could claim ignorance, attributing the decision solely to Wu Yingxiong. There are also those who assert that Wu Yingxiong was inherently rebellious, deliberately signing this agreement to force his father, Wu Sangui, onto the path of rebellion. Of course, only a few know the truth; only those who have seen another agreement signed by Wu Yingxiong truly understand the depths of his despicable and shameless nature.

"Lord Ao, the changes that occur in close quarters are the most difficult to guard against. It seems that your guard needs to be strictly disciplined. " Ban Buer was also very worried. Although the spies that Kangxi had placed beside Ao Bai were primarily aimed at Ao Bai, there was no guarantee that Kangxi would not, on a whim, instruct the spies to eliminate me, Ao Bai's chief military advisor. That would truly be a case of setting out for battle only to meet an untimely death, leaving a hero in tears.

Wu Yuanming further stated: "As for the other spies within the residence of my uncle, to the best of my knowledge, there remains only one member of my uncle's personal guard. However, the name of this spy has not yet been uncovered." In truth, Wu Yuanming was aware that the spy lurking beside Aobai, sent by Kangxi, was named Liu Hua. This individual was still of great use to Wu Yuanming in creating confusion, and moreover, Wu Yuanming intended to use him to relay the news of Shi Jianmei's arrest by Aobai to Wei Dongting. Therefore, Wu Yuanming did not wish for Aobai to expose him immediately.

"Dear nephew, you truly are a good nephew to me," Aobai said, his eyes filled with tears as he opened his arms

At this moment, not only did the parties involved, Ao Bai, Shi Jianmei, and the cunning Ban Buer, realize that Wu Yuanming's true intention in coming to the Ao residence was to secretly inform Ao Bai, but even Mu Limar, who was as greedy and foolish as a pig, understood that Wu Yuanming intended to take revenge on Wei Dongting and others through Ao Bai, avenging the earlier beating he received from Wei Dongting. Moreover, the most insidious aspect of Wu Yuanming's scheme was that he was unafraid of having his intentions seen through by Ao Bai; even if Ao Bai did not wish to be used, he had no choice but to act according to Wu Yuanming's wishes.

The chef at the Ao residence worked with great efficiency; in less than half an hour, two tables of exquisite and lavish dishes were laid out in the warm pavilion. After a private discussion with Ban Buer Shan, Ao Bai appointed Wu Yuanming as the chief guest and personally thanked him for uncovering the spy hidden beside him. Wu Yuanming, of course, feigned modesty. The atmosphere at the banquet was as bland as a glass of plain water, until Ao Bai finally invited Wu Yuanming to his study for a conversation as the gathering dispersed. Wu Yuanming understood that Ao Bai had important matters to discuss with him and readily agreed. Ao Bai only allowed Ban Buer Shan to accompany him, while others, such as Mu Li Ma, were left in the warm pavilion to wait.

In the blink of an eye, twenty Geshihas rushed in quickly from the warm pavilion, surrounding Shi Jianmei from all sides. Shi Jianmei made a decisive move, reaching out to grab the instigator, Wu Yuanming, in an attempt to use his special identity as a hostage to escape. However, Wu Yuanming, who was accustomed to the cunning and treacherous characters in television dramas, was already prepared. Just as Shi Jianmei was surrounded and had not yet moved her small hand, Wu Yuanming had already grabbed a teacup from the table and splashed the tea onto Shi Jianmei's face. At the same time, he crouched down and rolled away to escape.

"Your Highness, please rise quickly; it is only proper for me to do so." After the incident involving Shi Jianmei, Ao Bai had begun to view the legendary good-for-nothing Wu Yingxiong in a new light. He hurriedly helped Wu Yuanming to his feet and instructed, "Hand this remaining bottle of Ciji ointment to His Highness, so that he may take it home for application. Instruct the kitchen to prepare food and wine; I must properly entertain His Highness Wu." At the same time, Ao Bai exchanged glances with Ban Buer, signaling him to speak in the back hall, likely to reconsider the handling of Wu Yuanming's assault on the princess.

Indeed. Two maids, whose appearances were slightly inferior to Shi Jianmei, whispered in response and quickly fetched the Ciji ointment designated by Ao Bai from the back hall. They gently applied the medicine to Wu Yuanming's wound. The ointment was remarkably effective; as soon as it was applied, Wu Yuanming felt a wave of coolness wash over the burning and cutting pain of his injury, significantly alleviating the discomfort. Ban Buer Shan, standing nearby, remarked with a smile: "Young Master Wu is truly fortunate. This Ciji ointment is a secret remedy from the Eastern Depot of the former Ming Dynasty, known for its miraculous effects in treating whip and club injuries as well as various bruises and contusions. After our Great Qing entered the pass, the formula for this medicine was lost to the ravages of war, and only here at Lord Ao's place can it still be found, primarily because Lord Ao had suffered numerous arrow wounds on the battlefield in his youth, and it was personally bestowed upon him by Prince Rui. On ordinary days, even when Lord Muli Ma Mu is injured, Lord Ao is reluctant to use it for him."

"Thief! Scoundrel!" Shi Jianmei did not expect Wu Yuanming to act even earlier than she did. Caught off guard, she was splashed in the eyes with steaming hot tea, rendering her unable to see. In a panic, she closed her eyes and waved her small fists to fend off the enemy, but a pair of hands, as strong as iron claws, had already gripped her shoulders. The strength was greater than that of a bear, and with a sudden pull, Shi Jianmei's shoulders were dislocated. At that moment, twenty Geshaha took the opportunity to pounce on her, binding her tightly.

"So what do you father and son want?" Aobai asked, turning his copper bell-like eyes. Wu Yuanming smiled and replied softly, "After the matter is accomplished, my uncle Long will ascend to the Nine-Five, my father only wishes to oversee Guangxi, and my little nephew only wants to return to Yunnan." Although the conditions proposed by Wu Yuanming were entirely fabricated, they were also highly deceptive in their disguise. If Wu Yuanming had requested the title of the Land of Abundant Resources, Sichuan, for Wu Sangui, Aobai would have been reluctant to part with it and would have doubted Wu Sangui's sincerity. However, asking for Guangxi, which was then impoverished and barren, was not excessive. For Wu Sangui, it had significant strategic importance in establishing connections with the likes of Guangdong's Shang Kexi and Fujian's Geng Jingzhong, thereby gaining Aobai's trust even more. As for allowing Wu Yuanming to return to Yunnan, that was something both Wu Yingxiong and the current Wu Yuanming longed for, and Aobai would certainly not doubt it.

"Yes, I will take care of it right away," Ban Bu'er replied readily, and went out to arrange various matters for Ao Bai. When only Ao Bai and Wu Yuanming remained in the study, Ao Bai blinked his bell-like eyes and asked, seemingly casually but with deep meaning, "Esteemed nephew, did you come here today of your own accord, or is it the intention of the Pingxi Wang? As I understand it, Mr. Wang Shirong under the Pingxi Wang is strongly opposed to any dealings between the Pingxi Wang and myself."

As Wu Yuanming had anticipated, Ao Bai, who had completely positioned himself in opposition to Kangxi, indeed fell into the trap. The thought of having the strong support of Wu Sangui made Ao Bai so excited that he could hardly contain himself. He suppressed his excitement and asked, "Words alone are not enough; what can you, my worthy nephew, provide to make me believe you?"

"Useless thing, quickly take this foul woman away!" Ao Bai struck Shi Jianmei on the back of the neck, knocking her unconscious. He then instructed, "Ju Xiu, Cai Ping, go to the back hall and bring the Ciji ointment that the Prince Rui bestowed upon me back in the day, to apply it on the Young Master to relieve his pain."

"Young Master, please sit here." The Grand Scholar Ji Shi warmly invited Wu Yuanming to sit beside him, personally arranging the chair for Wu Yuanming and also assisting him to take a seat.

"The greatest traitor is right beside you." Wu Yuanming quickly glanced at Ban Buer, who sat opposite him, maintaining a calm demeanor. He first let out a cold smile in his heart, then clasped his fists and said: "Lord Ao, for the sake of my father, may I be permitted to address you as 'Uncle'"

"Issue a command: from today onwards, all members of the Imperial Guard must be closely monitored. We must identify that treacherous dog, and I will personally execute him!" In a fit of rage, Aobai issued an utterly foolish order, causing Banbuer to shake his head in disbelief, thinking to himself, has that old fool Aobai lost his mind? With over 300 members in your guard, how many people would be needed for such close surveillance?

My young nephew does not dare to deceive you, my lord. He knows that there are traitors hidden within your household, as this was secretly informed to him by my father. Wu Yuanming, in order to increase his bargaining power in negotiations with Ao Bai, deliberately fabricated a story that his father had a secret group of followers, thereby enhancing his own significance. As expected, upon hearing Wu Yuanming's boast, Ao Bai immediately elevated Wu Yuanming's standing in his eyes. Meanwhile, Ban Buer's heart began to race, as he thought to himself about his plan to use Ao Bai to eliminate Kangxi, and then to remove Ao Bai himself, leveraging his royal kinship to control the court! This plan to exterminate the entire clan must not be discovered by Wu Sangui's spies!

"Dog thief Wu Yingxiong! Little traitor Wu Yingxiong!" Shijianmei, held by Geshihua, struggled and shouted angrily at Wu Yuanming: "Traitor, you cannot defeat my Dongting brother, and you actually rely on selling me out to take revenge! You are shameless! My Dongting brother will definitely not spare you; he will surely avenge me!" However, regardless of Aobai's gratitude or Shijianmei's angry threats, Wu Yuanming remained silent, as he had just torn his wound while rolling away, and it had started to bleed again. Wu Yuanming was in so much pain that he could not speak.

"Uncle, constant surveillance is not a viable strategy; I fear that your guards will realize they are not trusted and may develop ulterior motives." Wu Yuanming seized the opportunity to propose a dubious idea, "I have a plan that will cause the traitor to reveal themselves before me within three days; all you need to do is this and that..."

"Young Master, do you smoke water pipe? I have some excellent orchids here..." Seeing the change in Ao Bai's attitude towards Wu Yuanming, Ao Bai's trusted subordinates naturally became exceedingly friendly towards Wu Yuanming. Those who had just treated Wu Yuanming as a mere fellow traveler now seemed to regard him as a life-saving benefactor who had suddenly saved their lives—indeed, in a certain sense, Wu Yuanming had saved them. Wu Yuanming, for his part, did not hold a grudge against their previous attitude; instead, he continuously engaged in flattery with these sycophants, and both sides enjoyed a lively conversation. It was as if Wu Yuanming had suddenly transformed into a life-saving benefactor—indeed, in a certain sense, Wu Yuanming had saved them. Wu Yuanming also did not mind their earlier treatment of him, but rather kept exchanging compliments with these opportunists, and both parties conversed joyfully.

"Damn it, Kang Xiaosan, you are ruthless!" Aobai was furious, his bear-like face turning red with anger as he slammed the table and shouted, "Not only have you ambushed spies in my back room, but you have also placed spies within my guard! It seems you intend to use traitors to kill me!"

Is that so? Then Wu Yingxiong truly cannot bear it. Wu Yuanming feigned a look of deep trepidation, hurriedly got off his seat, and knelt before Ao Bai, saying: "The great kindness and virtue of Prime Minister Ao, Wu Yingxiong will never forget."

Aobai was initially taken aback, but then he joyfully said: "Esteemed nephew, you are too polite. I have fought alongside your father, the Prince of Pingxi, on the battlefield, and we are brothers who crawled out from the piles of corpses together. It is only natural for you to call me 'uncle.'" The reason for Aobai's joy was that he had long wanted to ally with Wu Sangui against Kangxi and had hinted at this hope for an alliance in several letters to Wu Sangui. Unfortunately, Wu Sangui followed the advice of his chief strategist, Wang Shirong, and adopted a strategy of watching the tigers fight from the mountain, unwilling to wade into the murky waters of the court. Now, with Wu Sangui's eldest son, Wu Yingxiong, suddenly establishing a relationship with Aobai, it indicated that Wu Sangui might have changed his strategy and reconsidered an alliance with Aobai. Meanwhile, Ban Buer's facial muscles twitched, and he thought to himself that it was bad news; Wu Sangui's involvement in the conflict between Kangxi and Aobai would likely lead to an even more chaotic situation.

"Your Highness, please have some tea. This is the daughter tea that my elder brother purchased at great expense during his campaign in Jiangnan." Aobai's younger brother, Murima, personally presented a cup of tea to Wu Yuanming, "This tea is made from the buds of the yellow flower maiden, picked by the lips from the tea tree, then placed in a fragrant pouch and hung on the chest to warm it with body heat, making it extremely precious. Your Highness must certainly try it."

"Your Highness, do you have any injuries to your bones? I am but a martial artist, lacking in other skills, but I am particularly adept at treating sprains and strains. Allow me to give you a massage, and I assure you that you will feel completely at ease."

"Uncle, you are truly a good uncle to your little nephew." Wu Yuanming, with tears in his eyes, rushed into Ao Bai's embrace, tightly hugging him...

"Take her to the east wing; I will personally interrogate this wretch shortly." With a command from Ao Bai, who had ambushed Shi Jianmei from behind, he cast aside Shi Jianmei and cupped his fists towards Wu Yuanming, saying: "Young Master Wu, thank you very much. If it were not for your guidance, I would still be unaware that this wretch is actually a spy planted by that little thief Wei Dongting beside me."

"Indeed, a brilliant plan." After Wu Yuanming finished explaining his strategy, Ao Bai and Ban Buer Shan applauded in approval. Ao Bai laughed heartily and said, "It is said that the Prince of Pingxi is astute and wise, and most aware of the times. I did not expect that my virtuous nephew would surpass his predecessors, truly the younger generation surpasses the older! Very well, let us proceed according to my nephew's plan. Ban Buer Shan, you go and arrange for my guards to gather, so that Wu Xianzi can give a speech."

Ao Bai nodded slightly. Based on the intelligence Ao Bai had gathered from Yunnan, it was indeed Liu Xuanchu, the second strategist under Wu Sangui, who suggested that Wu Sangui collaborate with Ao Bai, but this suggestion was not adopted by Wu Sangui. Upon seeing Ao Bai touch upon the subject, Wu Yuanming realized that Ao Bai was also aware of Liu Xuanchu's proposal. Wu Yuanming then whispered, "Uncle, at that time, the situation in the capital was chaotic and unclear, so my father did not dare to accept Mr. Xuanchu's suggestion. Now that your relationship with His Majesty has reached this point, my father has no choice but to take a stand."

Ao Bai and others secretly admired Wu Yuanming's ruthless methods, but what was even more puzzling was why Wu Yuanming would be so aware of Shi Jianmei's identity. Could it be that Wu Sangui's spies in Beijing provided Wu Yuanming with this intelligence? However, the ability of Wu Sangui's spies to extend their reach simultaneously into the back courtyard of the Ao residence and the inner circle of Kangxi seems rather terrifying, doesn't it? With this thought, Ao Bai couldn't help but grow wary of Wu Yuanming, wondering if this young man had been playing the role of a pig to eat the tiger all along. Was he secretly a formidable character?

"Words alone are not enough; it is better to have written evidence." Wu Yuanming, who was born with a rebellious spirit and audacity, took out the seal of the Prince of Pingxi from his bosom and smiled at Ao Bai, saying: "Uncle, I must state in advance that if you agree to my father's conditions, it must be clearly written in the document"

"Good!" Before Wu Yuanming could finish his sentence, Ao Bai had already jumped to his feet. He turned to the speechless young maid Su Qiu—who was none other than Shi Jianmei, the fiancée of Wei Dongting, the captain of the guards who had just given Wu Yuanming a thorough beating—and sneered, "Jianmei, so you are the unwed wife of Lord Wei Dongting. My apologies, my apologies. I have truly been quite disrespectful to Mrs. Wei in the past."

Indeed, indeed. Wu Yuanming, touching his bald forehead, said to the astonished Shi Jianmei with a face full of regret: "How could this young master forget? Miss Jianmei, not only are you the fiancée of Lord Wei Dongting, but you are also his cousin, truly a bond that connects flesh and blood."

"Old fox, you actually know about the conversation between that fool Wang Shirong and my father. It seems you have also planted spies in my father's Wuhua Palace." Wu Yuanming was taken aback, secretly admiring the accuracy of Aobai's intelligence, while also being extremely worried that his father's confidentiality measures were too lax, fearing it might lead to a major disaster in the future. After a brief contemplation, Wu Yuanming replied in a low voice: "Uncle, Wang Shirong lacks long-term vision, and my father is well aware of this. However, Mr. Liu Xuanchu, who serves under my father, possesses far-reaching insight. How he persuaded my father, I believe you should be quite clear about, right?"

Upon entering the study, after the three took their seats, Ao Bai straightforwardly asked: "May I inquire, Your Highness, how did you come to know that Su Qiu in my residence is an undercover agent of Wei Dongting? Besides that Shi Jianmei, are there any other spies within my household? I hope Your Highness will generously enlighten me, and I shall be sure to reward you handsomely."

"Aoxiang, I..." Despite Shi Jianmei's exceptional intelligence, her undercover identity as a spy for Kangxi and Wei Dongting, lurking beside Aobai, was suddenly exposed by an unrelated person. No matter how clever and adaptable Shi Jianmei was, she found herself at a loss at this moment. Before she could recover from her shock, the lecherous Aobai, who had long been coveting her, waved his hand and shouted, "Seize her!"