Chapter 9, Setting the Trap

"Miss Jianmei, you can still regret now," Wu Yuanming said with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "If you reveal who your accomplices are, this prince will guarantee your safety with my own head, and ensure that you will enjoy a life of luxury and wealth for the rest of your days."

"Dear nephew, you need not worry about the matter of your altercation in Jianning. With your uncle protecting you in the court, rest assured that no censor or official would dare to utter a word against you. However, there is a small matter I would like to ask for your assistance with." Ao Bai warmly grasped Wu Yuanming's hand, his kind eyes and gentle tone indeed resembling that of a worldly uncle speaking to his worldly nephew. Wu Yuanming also presented himself in a manner befitting a dutiful nephew, respectfully inquiring, "Such deep kindness and affection from you, Uncle, I shall never forget. Please feel free to command me; as long as it is within my capabilities, I will certainly go through fire and water for you." The kind eyes and gentle tone truly resembled that of a worldly uncle speaking to his worldly nephew. Wu Yuanming also presented himself in a manner befitting a dutiful nephew, respectfully inquiring, "Such deep kindness and affection from you, Uncle, I shall never forget. Please feel free to command me; as long as it is within my capabilities, I will certainly go through fire and water for you."

The matter is as follows: I, the old man, wish to ask my esteemed nephew for assistance in locating a person whose name is Wu Ciyou. Ao Bai's expression became somewhat serious, clearly indicating that he placed considerable importance on this Wu Ciyou. Given the extensive capabilities of Wu Sangui's intelligence network, Ao Bai began to consider seeking help from Wu Yuanming.

"In that case, I must trouble you, my dear nephew." Ao Bai seemingly expressed his gratitude casually, saying, "Of course, I will not let my esteemed nephew toil in vain. That Wu Ciyou has become close with a banner woman named Su Malagu, and Su Malagu is no less beautiful than Wei Dongting's fiancée. Once the matter is accomplished, Su Malagu will belong to you, my esteemed nephew."

In my humble opinion, our Great Qing not only needs to continue expanding its territory, but also to enlarge the area of this expansion. Otherwise, how will the children of the Eight Banners make a living after they are born? Moreover, the land in the five northern provinces is poor and thin, which cannot compare to the fertile lands of Jiangnan. As the disciples of the Eight Banners who have contributed to the establishment of the Great Qing and laid down this splendid territory, the best lands in the world should naturally belong to us, the disciples of the Eight Banners!" As he spoke passionately, Wu Yuanming waved his arms and excitedly recited a rhyme: "The enclosure is good, the enclosure is wonderful, the enclosure is simply delightful! The uncle encloses land for the Eight Banners, and the disciples of the Eight Banners serve the uncle! The Eight Banners enclose land, benefiting the country and the people! Uncle, you have devoted yourself to the Eight Banners, with deep and far-reaching intentions, you are simply a model for us banner people, our helmsman! Our red sun! The ocean navigates by the helmsman, and the Eight Banners rise in power thanks to the uncle... Uncle, you have devoted yourself to the Eight Banners, with deep and far-reaching intentions, you are simply a model for us banner people, our helmsman! Our red sun! The ocean navigates by the helmsman, and the Eight Banners rise in power thanks to the uncle...

"What clever scheme is being devised?" The personal guards of Ao Bai all harbored a question in their hearts. At this moment, Wu Yuanming stepped forward and pointed at Shi Jianmei, who was bound and whose clothing was disheveled yet still remarkably alluring, saying: "Brothers from the residence of the Prime Minister Ao, please look at this woman, originally a maid named Su Qiu from the Prime Minister's back courtyard. In fact, her real name is Shi Jianmei, and she is an undercover agent sent by treacherous individuals to infiltrate the Prime Minister's residence. Among you, the traitor who is colluding with her is one of her accomplices."

"You flatter me too much," Wu Yuanming replied vaguely, secretly wiping a cold sweat in his heart. The article attacking Ao Bai was published only after Ao Bai's downfall; if Ao Bai were to investigate it thoroughly, he would surely be exposed. Wu Yuanming quickly changed the subject, saying: "This Confucian scholar Wu Ciyou is really confused. Our Great Qing is based on the Eight Banners. After entering the pass, if we cannot sustain our lives, and do not resolve the livelihood of the Eight Banner soldiers through land reclamation, how can our Great Qing establish itself as a nation?"

The guards of the Ao Mansion were silent as a grave, and many experienced guards had already guessed what Wu Yuanming intended to do next. They held their breath, intently watching Wu Yuanming, eagerly anticipating his next move. Wu Yuanming did not disappoint them; he approached Shi Jianmei, and with a playful gesture, he first caressed her delicate and smooth beautiful face. He then withdrew his hand and sniffed it, prompting a burst of lewd laughter from the ranks of Ao Bai's guards, who exclaimed, "So fragrant!" Shi Jianmei, feeling both shy and angry, shouted furiously, "Little traitor, dog thief, may you die a miserable death!" Wu Yuanming did not disappoint them; he approached Shi Jianmei, and with a playful gesture, he first caressed her delicate and smooth beautiful face. He then withdrew his hand and sniffed it, prompting a burst of lewd laughter from the ranks of Ao Bai's guards, who exclaimed, "So fragrant!" Shi Jianmei, feeling both shy and angry, shouted furiously, "Little traitor, dog thief, may you die a miserable death!"

Upon arriving at the western courtyard of the Ao residence, one could see a bustling crowd within the courtyard. Three hundred and twenty robust and formidable personal guards of Ao Bai had gathered, chatting in small groups. Naturally, the topic of conversation revolved around the peculiar reason why Ao Bai had summoned all his personal guards here. Many of the guards cast greedy glances at Shi Jianmei, who was bound to a tree, and amidst their discussions, bursts of laughter erupted. Shi Jianmei's face turned pale, her entire body trembling as she fearfully gazed at the large group of lecherous personal guards of Ao Bai, seemingly having already guessed the tragic fate that awaited her.

"Are you too cowardly to step forward?" Wu Yuanming, seeing that there was no movement among Ao Bai's personal guards, leered and said, "It's fine if you don't want to step forward; this young master will find a way himself. Starting tomorrow, the three hundred and twenty of you will be divided into sixteen groups, with twenty people in each group, rotating daily to take turns enjoying the company of this Miss Shi Jianmei, until she reveals her accomplices! Anyone who is unwilling to partake or who tries to flee will be deemed a traitor! So, who is unwilling?"

Strange? Could it be that Old Ao's intelligence is incorrect? Wasn't it that little brat Kangxi who decided to capture Ao Bai and finalized the operation? Wu Ciyou is merely a legitimate old scholar teaching Kangxi's little brat, what does it have to do with him? Wu Yuanming was filled with confusion, but he clearly remembered that Wu Ciyou was currently hiding in the residence of Grand Secretary Suo E Tu, so he readily agreed, saying: "Uncle, rest assured, even if I have to search through the entire city of Beijing, I will find Wu Ciyou and hand him over to you for punishment." But Wu Yuanming still clearly remembered that Wu Ciyou was currently hiding in the residence of Grand Secretary Suo E Tu, so he readily agreed, saying: "Uncle, rest assured, even if I have to search through the entire city of Beijing, I will find Wu Ciyou and hand him over to you for punishment."

Wu Ciyou?" Wu Yuanming was taken aback, as he certainly knew that this Wu Ciyou was the old acquaintance of Su Malagu. He couldn't help but secretly laugh at how Ao Bai was so afraid of a frail scholar who couldn't even harm a chicken. However, Wu Yuanming still had to maintain appearances. He feigned surprise and said: "Wu Ciyou? Is he not the one who presented the 'Land Enclosure and National Disorder' theory in the first year of Kangxi's reign?"

Understood! Although Ao Bai was known for his brutality and lechery, he was a military leader comparable to Wu Sangui. The response from the three hundred and twenty personal guards was surprisingly unanimous, without the slightest hint of discrepancy. Ban Bu Er Shan further stated: "The reason for gathering everyone in this courtyard today is that the Lord has discovered that there is a traitor among you, an insider who has attempted to secretly harm Lord Ao."

Ao Bai smiled at Wu Yuanming and said, "Esteemed nephew, could you possibly root out that traitor from my guard? Additionally, it would be beneficial to lure those lackeys of Kang Xiaosan to their demise; it all depends on you." Upon saying this, Ao Bai's old face flushed slightly as he continued to speak to Wu Yuanming, "Esteemed nephew, it would be better to employ those methods on Shi Jianmei starting tomorrow. For tonight, let me conduct a night interrogation of Shi Jianmei first."

"Ao Panzai, you may continue to seize land as you please; the more land you take, the more the Han people will despise you flag bearers! When my father raised his banner, the Han people would never stand by your side." Wu Yuanming outwardly praised the land-grabbing that brought disaster to the nation, while inwardly mocking Ao Bai's foolishness and shortsightedness. Ao Bai, unaware of the malice behind Wu Yuanming's words, had never encountered such flattery refined through the trials of the twenty-first century. Although Wu Yuanming's praise had not yet elevated Ao Bai to a state of euphoria, he did feel that his contributions to the Eight Banners were indeed significant. Unfortunately, there were too few wise individuals like Wu Yingxiong in the world, leading to widespread misunderstanding and inviting slander from the likes of Wu Ciyou and Su Kesaha, which was truly a great injustice.

"Young Master Wu, please follow me." As he walked out alongside Wu Yuanming, Ban Buershan's triangular eyes sparkled with a glint, occasionally glancing at Wu Yuanming with a rather complex expression, resembling both jealousy over Wu Yuanming's swift rise to favor after aligning with Ao Bai and a sense of wariness towards him. Wu Yuanming understood that Ban Buershan feared him uncovering his sordid dealings, but he did not wish to appear overly conspicuous at the moment, nor was he eager to clarify his intentions. He simply walked with his head held high, exuding confidence.

"The more shameless things are yet to come," Wu Yuanming gently caressed Shi Jianmei's smooth face and whispered with a lewd laugh, "What would your cousin Wei Dongting think if he knew the situation you are about to face? Would he risk everything to come to your rescue at the Ao Bai residence? Since Wei Dongting has taken action, will my stubborn donkey, Mu Zixu, and Hao Laosi come to help? At that time, heh heh.

Willing! The soldiers of Ao Bai erupted into frenzied shouts, and the sound of lewd laughter immediately filled the western courtyard of Ao Bai. Meanwhile, Shi Jianmei was so furious that her seven souls were lost and her three corpses were in turmoil, staring at Wu Yuanming with fiery eyes, gritting her teeth and saying: "You, surnamed Wu, you... you are shameless!"

"All stand in order, the Prince of Pingxi has arrived." Ban Buer Shan shouted loudly, urging the soldiers of Ao Bai to line up. Once the formation was complete, Ban Buer Shan brought Wu Yuanming to the front of the line and pointed at him, saying: "Listen carefully, this is the Prince of Pingxi, Wu Yingxiong, also the nephew of our Lord Ao. Everyone, get to know the prince. In the future, if you encounter him on the street, be respectful and courteous, understood?"

"Traitor? Internal spy?" Although Ao Bai's personal guards were quite surprised, they remained composed, only letting out a few gasps within the ranks. Ban Bu Er waved his hand and said, "You need not panic, nor fear that Lord Ao will wrong any good person. Lord Ao is astute and will not casually accuse any loyal subordinate. Today, Lord Ao has invited Young Master Wu here to ask him to employ his clever strategies to identify the true traitor without wronging any good person."

"Esteemed nephew, if you continue to flatter me, I shall be embarrassed," Ao Bai interrupted Wu Yuanming's incessant praise with a smile, and said earnestly: "Esteemed nephew, that Wu Ciyou is not merely attacking me with harsh words; as far as I know, Wu Ciyou is the chief strategist behind Kang Xiaosan's efforts against me. All of Kang Xiaosan's actions are guided and planned by Wu Ciyou from behind the scenes."

Wu Yuanming could not be bothered to pay attention to Shi Jianmei's insults; he simply pointed at Ao Bai's personal guards and said: "Among you, there is a traitor. This young master also offers you a chance to turn back from the brink. Step forward now, and I guarantee that you will live, and your accomplice Shi Jianmei will also be safe. Whether you live or die is entirely up to you."

"Do not come out under any circumstances," Shi Jianmei shouted desperately. "Do not be fooled, do not worry about me, just let me die."

"Bah!" Shi Jianmei spat on Wu Yuanming's face and shouted, "Dog thief, if you want to kill me, then kill me! This lady never expected to walk out of the Ao Bai family alive after being betrayed by you, but if you think I will betray my companions, you can forget it!"

Does the esteemed nephew also know about the "Treatise on Enclosure and National Disorder"? How did you come to know of it? Ao Bai was somewhat taken aback by Wu Yuanming's reaction, as the article written by Wu Ciyou was entirely directed at the enclosure policy implemented by Ao Bai in the Qing court. Therefore, Ao Bai had kept that matter extremely confidential; not only were ordinary people in the community completely unaware, but even among the civil and military officials in the court, very few were informed. This is why Ao Bai was surprised when Wu Yuanming brought up the article. However, after a moment of contemplation, Ao Bai managed to find a reason to respond to the seemingly perplexed Wu Yuanming, stating that very few officials in the court were aware of it. Thus, when Wu Yuanming mentioned the article, Ao Bai was indeed astonished. After a brief reflection, Ao Bai raised his thumb to Wu Yuanming and said: "The Prince of Pingxi truly has an all-seeing eye; I thought I was clever enough to keep this matter tightly under wraps, yet I did not expect it to escape the discerning gaze of the Prince of Pingxi."

"Hehe, Wei Dongting, do you still have any regrets?" Wu Yuanming, with sores on his head and pus oozing from his feet, wore a smug expression, secretly imagining the splendid look on Wei Dongting's face when he learns that his fiancée is about to be gang-raped. However, what Wu Yuanming did not know was that in the future, the person who would truly regret more than Wei Dongting would actually be himself! ... Because of Shi Jianmei ...

"Do not inform my cousin..." Before Shi Jianmei could utter another word, Wu Yuanming had already stuffed a handkerchief into her mouth and deliberately shouted, "Lock Shi Jianmei in the dungeon and keep a close watch on her. Starting tomorrow, she will be attended to by a rotation of twenty people every day!"

The old lecher openly expressed his desire for Shi Jianmei's first time. Wu Yuanming silently cursed in his heart, while respectfully replying, "Uncle, please rest assured, I understand."

"Forget it, I am not interested in that Su Malagu." Wu Yuanming replied bitterly in his heart. But before Wu Yuanming could refuse, Ban Buer Shan had already entered the study and cupped his hands to Ao Bai, saying: "Sir, your guard of three hundred and twenty men has all been gathered in the western courtyard, and that Shi Jianmei has also been secretly tied up in the western courtyard without the lady's knowledge. Please instruct on how to proceed next, Sir."