I, Kangxi, am here to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming!

With the groundwork laid, Hong Xiguan began to reveal his true intentions, but this dagger was handed to Ao Bai.

"So, Ao Zhongtang."

Hong Xiguan looked conflicted, his brows furrowed: "I want to kill Suksaha. Keeping such a treacherous minister around is just a menace, but..."

He paused, a troubled expression on his face.

"I have only recently assumed power, and Suksaha was the late emperor's appointed regent. If I were to personally issue an edict to kill him... if the infamy of 'killing a meritorious official' were written in the history books, where would I put my face?"

"Furthermore, if the Plain White Banner starts causing trouble... I'm afraid I won't be able to control it!"

Hong Xiguan's words were partly a show of weakness and partly an attempt to shift blame.

The meaning is clear: I want to kill him, but I'm afraid of taking responsibility, being scolded, and getting into trouble.

Upon hearing this, Ao Bai immediately understood.

The little emperor wants to have his cake and eat it too!

However, this suited him perfectly.

If the emperor were truly so powerful as to dare kill the regent, then Ao Bai would be losing sleep. But since the emperor is so weak and so protective of his reputation, things are much easier.

"Your Majesty, do not worry!"

Ao Bai laughed loudly and patted his chest with an air of heroic pride.

"Why should Your Majesty trouble yourself with such a trivial matter?"

"Since Your Majesty doesn't want to get your hands dirty, then I'll take care of it!"

A fierce glint flashed in Ao Bai's eyes: "I'll bear all the infamy! I'll shoulder all the trouble!"

"As long as Your Majesty doesn't interfere, I guarantee that Suksaha will die knowing why, and that the Plain White Banner will not dare utter a single word!"

What does reputation mean to Ao Bai?

What he cares about is real power! As long as he can kill Suksaha and seize power, what does it matter if he gets a bit of infamy? That's the badge of honor for the strong!

Upon hearing this, Hong Xiguan's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had seen a savior.

"Really...really? Grand Secretary Ao is willing to share my burdens?"

"That...that's wonderful! Thank you so much, Lord Ao!"

He grabbed Ao Bai's hand, so excited that he became incoherent.

Looking at the young emperor who was so "dependent" on him, Ao Bai felt a surge of pleasure in controlling everything.

"Your Majesty, rest assured! I will take care of it immediately!"

……

Watching Ao Bai stride away, the excitement and gratitude on Hong Xiguan's face vanished instantly.

He picked up the now-cold wine glass on the table, took a small sip, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Hello, scapegoat!

Goodbye, scapegoat!

Once you, you old scoundrel, kill Suksaha, all the infamy of the court officials and even the whole world will be yours.

When the time comes, if I kill you, it will be in accordance with the will of Heaven and the will of the people!

......

the next day.

At Caishikou in Beijing, blood flowed like a river.

Before even receiving the emperor's official approval, Ao Bai, in his capacity as "regent minister," forged an imperial edict and ordered the immediate execution and public display of Suksaha, his eldest son, Grand Minister Chakdan, and others.

That strike was too fast, too ruthless, too decisive.

As those heads rolled down, the entire city of Beijing seemed to be shrouded in a blood-red gloom.

Suksaha, the once powerful regent who could even rival Oboi, was ousted from the game like a dead dog.

The government and the public were shaken.

Everyone realized that the Qing Dynasty had completely changed!

From then on, no one in the imperial court could restrain that mad "Manchurian tiger".

……

For the Plain White Banner, the death of Suksaha was not only the loss of a leader, but also the darkest moment for the entire banner.

After Dorgon's death, the Plain White Banner had already been suppressed once.

He barely managed to stay in the position of regent minister thanks to Suksaha, but now even that last pillar has been broken.

The entire Zhengbai Banner was plunged into an extremely strange atmosphere, with the upper echelons holding back, the middle echelons filled with fear, and the lower echelons rife with undercurrents.

Ao Bai was a ruthless man who knew the principle that "if you don't cut the weeds at the root, they will grow back in the spring breeze."

After killing Suksaha, he immediately launched a purge of the Plain White Banner.

But his methods were very clever; he did not resort to the kind of massacre that would easily incite a mutiny, but instead played the game of "division and disintegration".

For those spineless cowards who were willing to kneel down and shout "Long live Ao Zhongtang," Ao Bai generously forgave them and even gave them a few sweet dates.

For those who show the slightest sign of resistance, or whose eyes still hold a hint of defiance, then sorry, they'll be dismissed, their homes confiscated, and exiled—a complete package.

Under such pressure, the high-ranking officials of the Plain White Banner fell silent.

Those princes and ministers who once argued vehemently for the affairs of the banner system in the imperial court have now become mute, choosing the most helpless survival strategy: to protect themselves.

"He kept silent and obeyed Ao Bai's orders in everything."

This has become a lifesaver for the officials of the Plain White Banner.

But silence does not mean submission.

Beneath this deathly silence, an undercurrent is rapidly gathering.

The fighting spirit of the Plain White Banner was not completely extinguished. Those officials who appeared obsequious on the surface began to exchange glances frequently in private, and even made secret arrangements in the dead of night.

They knew very well that Ao Bai would never truly let the Plain White Banner go.

If you want to survive and turn your life around, it's impossible to rely on Ao Bai's kindness.

The Plain White Banner needs a new backer.

A powerful patron who could truly suppress Ao Bai and provide the Plain White Banner with a way out.

Looking at the entire Qing Dynasty, there was only one person who still had this possibility.

The young emperor who sat on the dragon throne, seemingly weak and incompetent, but in reality, had always been ignored by them.

……

At this moment of utter silence, one person's actions, like a thunderclap, shattered the lifeless sky of Zhengbai Banner.

This person is Songgotu.

Songgotu's identity was very special.

His father was Sony, the head of the Plain Yellow Banner and the leader of the four regents.

Logically speaking, he should belong to the Plain Yellow Banner camp.

However, due to various complex family conflicts of interest in his early years, Suo'etu, a son born out of wedlock, was not given important positions in the family. Instead, he was attached to Sukesaha and was considered half a member of the Plain White Banner.

With Suksaha dead, Soetu immediately became a "remnant" in Aobai's eyes.

He faced two paths:

The first option is to kneel down and beg for mercy from Ao Bai. With the help of his father, Sony, he might be able to get a sinecure and survive.

The second option is to fight to the bitter end, but that would be tantamount to suicide.

But Songgotu chose the third path.

Just three days after Suksaha was killed, Soetu did something that no one could understand.

He voluntarily submitted a letter resigning from his high-ranking and powerful position as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

This is a lucrative and powerful position! So many people would fight tooth and nail for it, and he just threw it away like that?

Everyone thought that Suo'etu had gone mad, or that he had been terrified by Ao Bai and was preparing to go home to farm.

However, the very next day, an even more shocking piece of news broke:

Soetu did not leave the capital. Instead, he changed into an ordinary guard's uniform and entered the Qianqing Palace, becoming a minor first-class imperial guard.

A minister of a ministry of the second rank was demoted to guard the emperor's gate?

This is absolutely breathtaking.

But only a very few people with keen senses could see the brilliance and ruthlessness of this move.

……