Facing Lin Wan’er’s praise, An Chengxi humbly said: “Senior, you flatter me too much. This junior cannot yet speak of any counterattack; I have merely made some preparations in secret. Moreover, my late husband had planned many things for me in advance and assembled a professional team. Otherwise, if it were just me alone, I fear even escaping would be beyond my capabilities.”
Lin Wan’er smiled faintly and asked her: “Mrs Wade, have you made any significant breakthroughs with the Wu family?”
An Chengxi replied: “To tell the truth to senior, among the Wu family, there are indeed a few who feel that the Wu clan has been aiding the tyrant in her atrocities these past years. Though they have gained many material benefits, their sins weigh heavily. However, those who wish to overthrow Wu Fiona are not in high positions. Although they can provide some intelligence, it is difficult for them to offer much substantial help.”
Lin Wan’er nodded and suddenly thought of a breakthrough, so she spoke leisurely: “Mrs Wade’s line of thinking has inspired this little woman. The vast majority of the Wu family may have aided the tyrant, but they must surely worry about the future. Over the past three or four hundred years, with Wu Fiona’s protection, they could rest easy and even enjoy boundless wealth. But Wu Fiona’s lifespan has less than a century left; they must certainly be anxious in their hearts about the drastic changes after her death.”
An Chengxi’s pupils dilated as she looked at Lin Wan’er, waiting for her to continue.
Lin Wan’er went on: “The Wu family and Wu Fiona may be in the same boat, but Wu Fiona has no descendants of her own; she need not worry about the inheritance of her bloodline after death. The Wu family is different. Without the elixir of immortality, the Wu clan has reached this state through generation after generation of procreation. Once Wu Fiona’s five hundred years of lifespan ends, will the Wu descendants still control the three elders? Will they still command those dead soldiers and elite guards? Will they still be able to resist external enemies from the Po Qing Society? These are probably the dilemmas the Wu family will face.”
“So, this little woman thinks we might find a way to make the Wu family realise this immense risk, gradually driving a wedge between them and Wu Fiona. At the same time, let Wu Fiona become aware of the risk of betrayal from the Wu family. She is naturally suspicious and tyrannical; once she starts guarding against the Wu family, there will surely be resentment between them. For Wu Fiona, resolving the Wu family’s growing disloyalty would certainly become a profoundly vexing systemic problem.”
An Chengxi exclaimed in delight: “Senior’s idea has suddenly opened my eyes! Wu Fiona’s time is running out, so the Wu family must grow ever more worried. If we can amplify those worries and stir Wu Fiona’s suspicions, the internal friction between them would probably rival the might of a thousand troops!”
With that, she asked Lin Wan’er: “I wonder if senior has any good methods in mind?”
Lin Wan’er thought for a moment and smiled as she asked: “How about turning this little woman’s story with Wu Fiona into a short drama?”
“Ah?!” An Chengxi cried out in surprise: “Senior, you… why would you think of that?”
Lin Wan’er said calmly: “Over these past three hundred plus years, this little woman has been hiding everywhere, and has Wu Fiona not been concealing herself in various places as well? To speak plainly, we two are both old monsters who have lived for centuries; neither of us can see the light of day. Turning our story into a short drama, with the ending written as Wu Fiona reaching the end of her five hundred years of lifespan and collapsing like the Empress Dowager Cixi back then, everything dissolving into smoke, and the Wu family utterly crumbling.”
At this point, Lin Wan’er suddenly grinned mischievously: “After Cixi’s death back then, the boundless power vanished like a fleeting cloud in an instant, and the Great Qing soon perished as well. This history is not distant; the vast majority of Chinese people know it, and naturally the Wu family does too. Outsiders will not connect it to reality, but Wu Fiona and the Wu family will certainly project it onto themselves: Wu Fiona as Cixi, the Wu family as the late Qing. After Wu Fiona’s death, the Wu family’s collapse would be merely a matter of time. At that point, Wu Fiona would surely be furious to half-death, and the Wu family would live in constant terror. Then, with mutual suspicion and each leaving themselves backdoors, over the next few decades, Wu Fiona would likely be overwhelmed with anxiety!”
