Chapter 8, Guiding the Way (Part 2)

Seeing Feng Xiang's inexplicably excited expression, Liu Xuanchu nodded, affectionately patted Feng Xiang's shoulder, and said kindly: "Yifeng, I have come to find you today not only to take you as my disciple but also to inform you of another matter. Today, I have requested a task from the prince on your behalf, allowing you to take a detour to Guangdong when you head to Beijing to meet the emperor, to handle a matter for the prince."

The junior respectfully asked the senior for detailed guidance. Feng Xiang inquired with his hands clasped. Liu Xuanchu calmly replied: "Lord Lu, why don't you tell me, how many times have you danced on the edge of the ghost gate today? The first time, as a Western selection official who was promoted through bribing the second prince, you actually dared to directly point out that the prince's heartache lies within the court. If it weren't for me having analyzed this point for the prince last night, the prince would have already realized his decision-making error, and he could have killed you on the spot! The second time, in order to support me, you openly mocked the prince's favored one, Wang Shirong, as nothing but a fool. Can Wang Shirong's small-mindedness tolerate you? The third time is even more dangerous. Since ancient times, being overly familiar with someone before establishing a relationship has been a major taboo in social conduct. You, a newly appointed seventh-rank county magistrate, just stepping into your official career, actually dared to propose a plan to the prince to nurture thieves and respect oneself, opposing the court? Are you not afraid that the prince will kill you to silence you, or that the news will leak out, leading to the court exterminating your entire family?"

The old senior sacrificed himself to save the younger generation? Feng Xiang was even more confused. Liu Xuanchu said calmly: "Lord Lu, you are very clever, able to analyze the prince's situation and thoughts from several publicly available court reports. You truly are a natural talent. However, Lord Lu, do you know what your two fatal weaknesses are? If you do not correct these two weaknesses, then no matter where you go or what you do, you will never achieve greatness!" But, Lord Lu, do you know what your two fatal weaknesses are? If you do not correct these two weaknesses, then no matter where you go or what you do, you will never achieve greatness!

After a long silence, Feng Xiang finally asked: "Senior, since you already understand the aspirations and ambitions of your junior, why do you still want to prevent the Second Prince from reusing me? Do you intend for me to serve the Prince directly?"

The junior expresses deep gratitude to the senior for saving his life. Feng Xiang knelt down with a thud, repeatedly bowing to Liu Xuanchu. This time, Feng Xiang truly respected Liu Xuanchu, and for the first time realized how dangerous his bold and adventurous personality could be in this tumultuous era. He also recognized that if he did not correct these two flaws, it would be a significant issue not only to seize the opportunity presented by the Sanfan Rebellion to overthrow the Manchus and expel the Tartars, but even to ensure his own survival.

"Senior, are you being too hasty?" Feng Xiang made an effort to calm his emotions and asked solemnly, "Senior, are you not afraid that I might truly be an undercover agent sent by the court? Or perhaps a duplicitous person who flatters both the prince and you, gaining your trust only to turn around and betray you to the court?"

"Very good, very good, I believe you will certainly do this," Liu Xuanchu said happily as he helped Feng Xiang up. He then advised, "I am a close associate of the Prince of Pingxi, and my reputation is quite prominent. I am already a well-known figure in the court of the Tartars, so the matter of you taking me as your master cannot be casually mentioned for now, to avoid unnecessary trouble. This matter is known to you and me; I will discreetly inform the prince about it."

"There is no need to thank me; thank yourself." Liu Xuanchu set down his pipe, his withered old hand gently stroking Feng Xiang's head as he smiled and said: "If it were not for your analysis of the prince's situation using the official gazette, which convinced me, and later your proposal to have the bandits respect themselves, proving that you are indeed a rare talent who does not merely speak empty words, I would not have bothered with so many trivial matters. I am old, with half my body already in the ground, yet the Tartars continue to ravage and poison our Han lands, harming our Han people. I am anxious! Now that I have a like-minded companion and a successor with limitless potential, why would I not be pleased?"

The student expresses deep gratitude to the esteemed teacher, vowing not to disappoint the teacher's expectations and to diligently study the teacher's transmitted writings. Feng Xiang bowed deeply, receiving the book "Mao Xia Ce Wen Ji" from Liu Xuanchu's hands, and bowed three more times with great reverence, saying solemnly: "Please rest assured, esteemed teacher, the student will certainly strive to enhance his own cultivation and knowledge, fulfill the lifelong wishes of the esteemed teacher, expel the Tartars, and restore our China"

Seeing that Feng Xiang's mouth was wide enough to fit three eggs, Liu Xuanchu laughed even more joyfully, and his tone became increasingly gentle. "After reaching this conclusion, I am convinced that you and I share common ideals and aspirations, as honorable men of the Han family! Therefore, I have immediately resolved to persuade the prince to place greater trust in you, while at the same time, I have also resolved to advise the prince against doing so at this moment!"

"Master, please accept the three bows from your student Lu Yifeng!" Feng Xiang did not hesitate at all and immediately bowed three times deeply to Liu Xuanchu, with sincere feelings. Liu Xuanchu laughed heartily, first accepting Feng Xiang's apprenticeship ceremony with composure, and then helped him up. He took out a book from his bosom and handed it to Feng Xiang, smiling as he said: "Yifeng, I am quite busy with my affairs and cannot take the time to personally teach you. Fortunately, you have exceptional talent, so there is no need for me to worry too much. This book, 'Mao Xia Ce Wen Ji,' is written by me and represents my hard work. I am passing it on to you today, and I hope you will study it carefully, as it will surely be of great use to you in the future."

If you are such a person, then you would not dare to propose the plan of nurturing thieves to maintain self-respect to the prince. Liu Xuan said calmly: At present, Kangxi, the young boy, is growing older, and the conflict with Ao Bai, the big-bearded man, is becoming increasingly sharp. If the prince truly resolves to nurture thieves for self-respect, even if the court, on the brink of internal strife, understands the prince's intentions, it can only comply obediently. In this situation, even if you are an insider in the court or a two-faced villain, planning to gain the trust of the prince and me through deceit, preparing to betray the prince and me in exchange for wealth and honor, then with your plan of nurturing thieves for self-respect, neither Ao the big-bearded man nor Kang the young boy will spare you! It is precisely for this reason that the prince did not kill you to silence you, for the prince knows that you can no longer betray him!

Sighing, Liu Xuanchu suddenly gazed into Feng Xiang's eyes and asked, "Lord Lu, would you be willing to take me as your master? There are simply too few strategists and assistants around the prince. Although Wang Shirong is clever, he is too narrow-minded and lacks the capacity to accommodate others. Xia Guo Xiang is short-sighted and cannot achieve greatness; Fang Guangchen and Liu Xin are loyal to the prince, yet their abilities are somewhat lacking. Their talents and ambitions are even inferior to those of Wang Shirong and Xia Guo Xiang! My greatest wish now is to cultivate a successor for the prince before I pass away, so that even when I reach the underworld, I can rest in peace. Lord Lu, you possess great potential, and I have high hopes for you."

"Very well, the students must strive to persuade Shang Zhi Xin to respond to the prince, so that the Tartar court cannot find an excuse to reduce the military salaries of Yunnan and Guizhou." Feng Xiang readily agreed. Liu Xuan Chu then patted Feng Xiang's head and smiled, "Do not be anxious, let me finish speaking. Although Shang Zhi Xin is a target we can strive for, this young man is not simple; his cunning and malice are no less than those of his father, Shang Ke Xi. Therefore, the possibility of persuading him to be the scapegoat is not very high. Thus, as you take on the task of being the prince's envoy to Guangdong, you must adopt a mindset of either success or failure. If successful, that would be best; if not, you must be careful to preserve your life, maintain your usefulness, and only then will there be an opportunity in the future to expel the Tartars and restore our China."

"Are the consequences really that severe?" Feng Xiang was taken aback, realizing that the plan he had presented to Wu Sangui today, which he thought was a clever strategy to deal with thieves, had actually become a declaration of loyalty binding him to Wu Sangui's ship of thieves. It was no longer a matter of simply getting off the ship. On the other side, Liu Xuanchu, observing the situation, vaguely guessed Feng Xiang's thoughts and smiled as he said: "Lord Lu, whether you considered this dangerous consequence beforehand or not, it is already too late to regret now. However, you can rest assured that as long as you remain loyal to the prince, he will never treat you unfairly. The prince is neither Zhu Yuanzhang nor Liu Bang; he will not discard you once you have served your purpose. This, I myself am a testament to."

"Please enlighten me, I am all ears," Feng Xiang respectfully sought guidance from Liu Xuanchu, setting aside his youthful arrogance. Liu Xuanchu did not respond, merely picked up the pipe on the table but did not bring it to the table to light it, instead holding the mouthpiece without speaking. After a long pause, Feng Xiang finally reacted, hurriedly taking the candle from the table and personally lighting Liu Xuanchu's pipe. Only then did Liu Xuanchu nod in satisfaction and suddenly said: "Lord Lu, you have two fatal flaws. The first is that your courage is too great, so great that it knows no bounds!" After a long pause, Feng Xiang finally reacted, hurriedly taking the candle from the table and personally lighting Liu Xuanchu's pipe. Only then did Liu Xuanchu nod in satisfaction and suddenly said: "Lord Lu, you have two fatal flaws. The first is that your courage is too great, so great that it knows no bounds! The second is that your depth is too shallow, shallow enough for anyone to see through you at a glance! These two flaws you cannot change, and not only will you fail to achieve greatness, but you may also be in danger of losing your life at any moment!"

When Liu Xuanchu spoke a word, Feng Xiang's body trembled slightly, and the sweat on his face began to pour down. Liu Xuanchu took another puff of his dry tobacco before saying: "As for your scheming, it is better left unsaid—your reckless pointing out of the prince's heartache is something even a three-year-old could see; you are gambling your future with your head. Moreover, when I prevented the second prince from placing heavy reliance on you, the disappointment on your face was evident even to a blind person. However, you are fortunate to have encountered me, who has been vigorously negotiating on your behalf in front of the prince; otherwise—Lord Lu, ask yourself, would you still have the chance to stand here and listen to my ramblings? But you are fortunate to have encountered me, who has been vigorously negotiating on your behalf in front of the prince; otherwise—Lord Lu, ask yourself, would you still have the chance to stand here and listen to my ramblings? Furthermore, ask yourself again, if I had not stopped the second prince from relying on you, and you continued to speak your mind and be so unreserved under his command, without any scheming, saying whatever came to your mind, tell me, how long do you think you could survive?"

The student expressed gratitude to the teacher for their guidance. Feng Xiang was deeply moved and never expected that his adventurous act today, although it did not succeed in bringing him closer to the core of the Wu Sangui group, would lead him to find such a good mentor

"But can Shang Kexi agree to such a thing as shooting the bird that sticks its head out?" Feng Xiang asked with concern. Liu Xuanchu smiled and nodded, replying: "Your analysis is correct; the likelihood of Shang Kexi agreeing is quite low. Moreover, Shang Kexi has never been on good terms with the prince throughout his life, and it is even less likely that he would offend the Tatar court for the prince's sake. Therefore, neither the prince nor I have high hopes for this approach."

"What does the mentor want the students to do in Guangdong?" Feng Xiang asked curiously. Liu Xuanchu replied: "This year, the Tartars want to force the prince to cut expenses, reducing the military expenditure of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces from three hundred thousand taels of silver to two hundred thousand taels. The prince refuses to heed my advice and has already eliminated the anti-Qing forces within and around Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, making it difficult to find a suitable excuse to refuse, putting him in a very awkward position. To weaken the power of the court and strengthen the prince's position, I suggested several ideas for the prince to confront the court, one of which is to send someone to Guangdong to persuade Prince Pingnan, Shang Kexi, to respond to the prince and petition the Tartar court, requesting an increase in military funds for Guangdong. This way, the prince would have a justification in the court—after all, the barbarian court cannot reduce the prince's military funds to increase those for Shang Kexi, can they?"

Feng Xiang's chubby face revealed a glimmer of brilliance in his ordinary, narrow eyes as he nodded in agreement to Liu Xuanchu with a serious expression

"Wrong, and a grave mistake at that." Liu Xuanchu shook his head and said slowly, "Lord Lu, I did not stop the Second Prince from reusing you in order to have you serve the Prince directly or to serve me directly, but rather to save your life. Do you understand this?"

"Clever!" Liu Xuanchu happily patted Feng Xiang's head and said, "You truly are a student favored by your teacher, and you grasp things immediately! To be honest with you, based on the information from the Pingxi Wangfu regarding Guangdong, Shang Zhi Xin has not only effectively controlled most of the military forces in Guangdong, but he is also quite dissatisfied with Shang Ke Xi's loyalty to the Tartars' court. He has repeatedly suggested that Shang Ke Xi improve relations with the prince and simultaneously strengthen ties with Jingnan Wang Geng Ji Mao. The three fiefs should unite as one, advancing and retreating together, coexisting and prospering, so that the Tartar court would not dare to act recklessly against the three fiefs. Therefore, both your teacher and the prince believe that if we want Guangdong to respond and support us in the military salary negotiations, our only hope lies with Shang Zhi Xin."

Thank you for your guidance, esteemed teacher. I will remember it in my heart, " Feng Xiang replied respectfully. Liu Xuanchu nodded and lowered his voice, saying: "I have sent you to Guangdong not only to serve as an envoy for the prince to hone your skills but also for a personal purpose—Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangnan are the regions with the most underground activities against the Qing dynasty and the remnants of the Ming dynasty. When you arrive in those areas, you will have the opportunity to interact with these individuals appropriately, cultivate relationships, and establish connections for future use. Do you understand?

Feng Xiang scratched his head, truly unable to understand what scheme his cheap teacher was concocting. Knowing full well that the likelihood of persuading Shang Kexi to join forces with Wu Sangui against the Manchu Tartars was slim, why would he still send his student to face this humiliation? Fortunately, Feng Xiang had an advantage: the history of later generations. With a quick turn of his thoughts, he suddenly realized and blurted out: "Master, are you suggesting that I approach Shang Kexi's eldest son, Shang Zhi Xin? I have heard that Shang Kexi is quite advanced in age, and the political and military affairs in Guangdong are actually in the hands of Shang Zhi Xin."