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Thread: Why did K'ang Hsi pick that specific point to expose Wai Siu Bo?

  1. #1
    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Default Why did K'ang Hsi pick that specific point to expose Wai Siu Bo?

    Emperor K'ang Hsi knew of Wai Siu Bo's membership in the Heaven and Earth Society long before the emperor confronted Wai about it late in DOMD. Why did the emperor wait that long? Years had passed between the time that Wai first joined the Heaven and Earth Society and K'ang Hsi's calling him out on it, and if K'ang Hsi perceived Wai's involvement with the society as such a threat, he could have and probably should have dealt with it sooner rather than later.

    On the flip side, considering the charade had worked to his favor in the past (Wai Siu Bo using the Heaven and Earth Society members as proxies to fulfill some of K'ang Hsi's agendas), and the status quo hadn't really changed, why upset the apple cart at that point?

    To me, it's weird that K'ang Hsi had known about it for years and was fine with it (or at least tolerated it) and then, suddenly, one day couldn't tolerate it anymore.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Ace High's Avatar
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    Up until that point, there were no actions taken by WXB that pose danger whether directly or indirectly towards the Qing or KX. As WXB was using the TDH to achieve his missions for the Qing spectacularly beforehand, there was no need to expose him.
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

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    Moderator Ren Wo Xing's Avatar
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    The novel strongly indicated that Kang Xi had literally just found out about Wei Xiaobao from the traitorous Feng Jizhong. So he hadn't waited for 'years'.
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ren Wo Xing View Post
    The novel strongly indicated that Kang Xi had literally just found out about Wei Xiaobao from the traitorous Feng Jizhong. So he hadn't waited for 'years'.
    How was it indicated? I'm not yet all that familiar with DOMD, but I can only remember KX referring to the Gui guy by his wulin name which made WXB realise that KX knew more than WXB had told him about his activities, followed by WXB confessing to everything in an attempt to forestall KX's interrogation and hopefully get some mercy.

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    Senior Member smurf120's Avatar
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    They had spoken in extremely friendly terms, then their next conversation KX angrily exposed WXB. Gave the distinct impression that someone sent in report in a rush. KX also did not seem to know any of WXB's background other than his dealings with Tin Di Hui (none about Dragon Island or Jiunan).

  6. #6
    Moderator Ren Wo Xing's Avatar
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    Just so:

    Kangxi could read his mind, he said, “You are loyal and devoted to me, it’s not that I do not trust you. Xiao Guizi, Wu Sangui’s troops and horses are very formidable, not in three or five years, or even seven or eight years, will we be able to subdue him. A few years ahead of us we will definitely suffer defeat [...]. You are loyal to me, I won’t let you suffer defeat. The defeat in the three to five years ahead of us is just to let others fight and fight. When we have tired out that rebel Wu until his spirit weary, his strength exhausted, the general situation has been decided, then I’ll send you out to Yunnan to personally catch this old fellow away."

    [...]

    Kangxi laughed and said, “I will proclaim it to the world, I will promise that whoever catches Wu Sangui, Wu Sangui’s official rank will be granted to him. Xiao Guizi, this will depend on your good fortune. Damn it, with your revolting behavior, do you think you can act like the Ping Xi Wang? Ha ha, ha ha!” He cast a sidelong glance toward Wei Xiaobao for a moment before laughing and saying, “Nowadays you look like a little monkey, so you won’t look like him the least bit. But in six or seven years, you will be over twenty, at that time you will be granted the title ‘Wang’ [king].

    [....]

    Kangxi laughed and said, “Today you want to take it off and give it to me to wear, it goes to show that you have an outstanding loyal heart. [...] “Xiao Guizi,” Kangxi said, “You are loyal to me, and I know that."
    A short while later, his entire attitude had changed, even though just then Wei Xiaobao had just saved the Empress Dowager's life!

    “Yes, yes,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Bad emperors loved to employ bad eunuchs and treacherous court officials, good emperors employ good eunuchs and loyal court officials.”

    Kangxi shook his head slightly. “That is not necessarily true,” he said, “Bad eunuchs and treacherous court officials also exist around a good emperor, it’s just that if the emperor is not muddleheaded, even if others deceived him, in the end he would be able to uncover the treacherous official’s sinister plot.”

    [...]

    Kangxi burst into loud laughter. He asked, “That Gui Xinshu’s nickname, ‘Shen Quan Wudi’ [divine fist without equal], is his martial art really that formidable?”

    In the midst of his laughter Kangxi suddenly asked this question, in Wei Xiaobao’s ears it was like a thunderclap. His body shook, he felt instead of blood, vinegar was flowing through his legs; they turned limp and painful. “This … this …” he stammered.

    With a cold laugh Kangxi said, “Heaven is my father, Earth is my mother, Fighting the Qing, Restoring the Ming! Wei Xiangzhu, what a big guts you have!”
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

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