Ever since the first story collection, The Diamond Flower, was published, the Wisely series has grown to over a hundred volumes. Yet among all these stories, only one has had “Great” in its title — The Great Secret.
Nowadays, books often slap the word “great” onto their titles, as if bigger names make up for hollow content. It’s hard to take seriously.
I have always believed the word “great” should not be used lightly. What truly counts as “great”? The Earth is big enough, but in the grand scale of the universe, it’s no more than a speck of dust. Telling an alien “Earth is big” would only earn a laugh across the galaxy.
When I wrote The Great Secret, I wrestled with this very idea. That story concerned a leader of a major nation and his son, who had been separated from him during wartime. The son plotted to overthrow and replace his father. If he had succeeded, modern history would have taken a different path. Because the stakes could have reshaped the world, I felt justified in putting “Great” in the title.
This, by my count, would be only the second time I’ve used “Great” in a title.
This time, the story deserves it even more. The events here affect not just one country but the entire world. If the conspiracy succeeds, virtually every nation will feel its impact. That is why so many organizations tried to get involved — many of them led by people I know well.
Even so, when I first sat down to organize this story, I hesitated to use “Great” again. My original idea was to call it The Clone.
In the end, though, I went with The Great Conspiracy. There were many reasons, but the most important one was the advice of several friends. We even had a small discussion about the title in my living room.
And as usual, there was one key figure stirring the pot: Bao Yü. Truth be told, he was the one who kicked off the whole debate.
That day, Bao Yü came to my house. From our conversation, he picked up that something was going on and pressed me to tell him the story.
At the time, Bai Su and I were deeply troubled by another strange matter and had no mind to talk about it. So I told him, “I’m in the middle of organizing the story. When it’s done, you’ll be the first to read it.”
But Bao Yü wouldn’t take no for an answer. He insisted that Bai Su and I tell him right then and there.
Hong Ling, knowing we were preoccupied with a particularly delicate meeting, said to him,
“Little Bao, if you really want to hear about it, come falconing with me and I’ll tell you along the way.”
Bao Yü gave a shout of excitement and dragged Hong Ling out the door.
Hong Ling, the wild girl who had grown up among monkeys, was always looking for an excuse to cause a little ruckus. Wildness was ingrained in her, and it didn’t take much for her to start howling like an animal.
Hearing Bao Yü’s shout, she immediately joined in with a long, piercing cry.
Luckily, Bai Su and I were long used to this. Anyone unfamiliar with Hong Ling would have been scared out of their wits.
They were gone the whole afternoon and only returned near dinnertime.
Before Bao Yü even stepped inside, his voice was already coming through the door:
“This Detective Guo is seriously unreliable! I had a hand in that business at Tianyi Manor too! How could he go on another incredible adventure and not bring me along?”
There was a reason for his grumbling, so let me explain.
The events had actually started long ago. At first, our friend Little Guo handled it alone. Later, realizing he couldn’t manage it, he thought of coming to find me.
That night, he somehow heard that Bai Su and I had just gotten back home, so he brought Princess Dima, a royal from a South American country, straight to our house.
In fact, Bai Su and I had returned only the night before.
But no sooner had we settled in than we got a call from Zhou You: Bao Yü was in serious trouble — neither alive nor dead — and we had to go save him immediately.
Knowing that Hong Ling had gone out with Bao Yü, we were extremely worried. We asked Zhou You about Hong Ling’s situation. He said he didn’t know.
We rushed overnight to Tianyi Manor, where we found Bao Yü locked in a battle of magic against the so-called Immortals who lived there.
He had been defeated, and Hong Ling was missing.
To save her, Bai Su and I split up. She went back home to rally help.
When Bai Su returned home, she found Little Guo and Princess Dima sitting in our living room.
Later, Bai Su and Little Guo rushed to Tianyi Manor together, only to find that I had disappeared too.
To rescue me, Little Guo infiltrated the Skullmen’s stronghold alone.
The strange events surrounding that are recorded in the story Becoming Immortal.
As for The Great Conspiracy, it picks up right after we returned home from that ordeal.
Little Guo had followed me straight back to my house.
Bao Yü, on the other hand, had gone home first — after being missing for several days, he was afraid of getting scolded by his parents.
That’s why Bao Yü was grumbling now — he thought Little Guo should have at least told him what was going on.
Bai Su quickly cut in, saying:
“Would anyone dare tell you? If they did, and you ended up half-dead again, your parents would come after him. And he wouldn’t be able to save you!”
Wen Bao Yü had been hit right in the sore spot and fell silent for a while. But he couldn’t stay quiet long and soon said, “I heard from Hong Ling that you’re planning to name this book The Clone. That’s a terrible name — it’s confusing and meaningless. It must be changed.”
Bai Su agreed: “Then, what would you suggest?”
Wen Bao Yü replied, “A book title is like a person’s name — it should leave a strong impression at a glance, like ‘Gobi Desert’ or ‘Splendid Times.’ Those are great names.”
Hong Ling interrupted, “Are you talking about names for people or for books? If it’s for people, then Princess Dima is a great name, and her husband, Prince Pedro, isn’t bad either.”
Wen Bao Yü waved his hand excitedly and stood up. “Right, names for people and books are different, but a name is a name. It doesn’t have to shake the heavens, but it should tell you what the story is about. You have a book called The Great Secret because it involved a prince’s secret — if that secret had come out, it could have changed a country’s history. So you called it ‘great.’ But this new story could change the world’s history! Isn’t that even greater? Therefore, the title must have the word ‘Great’ in it. And since this story revolves around an incredible conspiracy, the last two characters should be ‘Conspiracy.’ Put together, it should be called The Great Conspiracy.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Su and Hong Ling clapped their hands in agreement.
Honestly, I never cared too much about names, whether for people or books. A name is just a code to distinguish one thing from another. Since they all thought The Great Conspiracy was a better title, I figured using “Great” a second time wouldn’t hurt.
Everything above describes how this story got its title — a bit of a digression. In Wisely stories, it’s become a tradition to start with a few digressions.
But even so, these digressions usually tie into the story.
Just like in other Wisely tales, this story — The Great Conspiracy — had nothing to do with me at first. When these events began, Bai Su and I were caught up in a bizarre matter in India, completely unaware of the massive conspiracy unfolding elsewhere.
Enough digressions.
Princess Dima’s country is geographically in South America. The exact region or national name isn’t important — what matters is that there is such a country, and currently, Prince Pedro holds power there, with Princess Dima as his wife.
The title “Princess” elevated Dima’s status instantly.
Even before marrying Pedro, she came from an extremely noble background. Years ago, she would have been ranked among the highest aristocracy — and even today, though the word “noble” isn’t used much anymore, she still fits the part. Her father remains in power and is one of the top five figures in the nation, right after Pedro.
This basic introduction should help readers understand Princess Dima.
Princess Dima is very young, just twenty-seven. But born into such a prestigious family, with an excellent education and a sharp, clever mind, she ranked number one among the nation’s social elites.
That was back when Pedro had not yet come to power. His father hosted a grand court party, inviting all the eligible young women, hoping to find the perfect match for his son. That was when Pedro first met Dima. They fell in love at first sight, instantly and deeply.
It was supposed to be a fairytale romance, but it provoked a dangerous rival who even considered using force to seize Dima.
It sounds outrageous. Pedro, heir to the throne, deeply in love with Dima — who would dare oppose them?
The kind of person who would make such a move would obviously not be a local — Pedro’s family’s hold on power was unshakable in their country. No one there had the strength to challenge them.
And indeed, the threat came from the neighboring country’s president, a man named Sunres.
Sunres was no ordinary president. He was a strongman ruler, who rose to power through military force, launching a coup d’état overnight. Although there was initial resistance, he crushed all opposition within two years.
He had heard of Dima’s fame, had her movements secretly recorded, and after watching the tapes, he was smitten. He ordered one of his ministers to formally propose marriage to her family.
Dima’s father, knowing what kind of man Sunres was, wanted nothing to do with him — but also feared his wrath, which caused him great anxiety.
It was around this time that news of Prince Pedro’s wife-searching party came out. Dima’s father called her in and, very sincerely, told her this was her chance. If she tied her fate to the royal family, she could resist Sunres’s pressure.
Dima had long admired Pedro, having seen him on television many times. He was the kind of “prince charming” she dreamed of. Encouraged by her father and presented with this golden opportunity, she was overjoyed.
Dima was only eighteen and still at university when she and Pedro became engaged.
Naturally, this major event could not be kept secret from Sunres. Not that Dima or her family tried to hide it. After the engagement became public, Pedro and Dima dominated the headlines.
This infuriated Sunres, who made a mad, dangerous decision: he would kidnap Dima and force her to marry him.
At the time, Dima was still studying at a prestigious university in “Big Brother” country, completely unaware of the storm brewing around her.
Sunres, overconfident as he was, let too many people know of his plan. Among those insiders were spies loyal to Pedro’s family.
Pedro’s country was evenly matched with Sunres’s in strength, so they weren’t too worried. Still, they knew Sunres was a political madman who might do anything. They didn’t want another “Kuwait incident” on their hands. After Sunres seized power, Pedro’s side had sent many spies to monitor him.
Sunres’s plan to abduct Dima wasn’t just a personal rivalry — it was an international provocation. It was a blatant insult to Pedro’s family, and they couldn’t tolerate it.
They moved swiftly, sending an escort to bring Dima home to marry Pedro.
The news of Dima’s engagement rocked her university campus. She became a sensation in “Big Brother” society. Everyone, from political heavyweights to socialites, scrambled to befriend her.
Some might think this was exaggerated — after all, Dima’s country was small and insignificant on the world stage, hardly bigger than one of “Big Brother’s” states. But those who think that don’t understand international relations.
In theory, all nations are equal. Even a tiny country’s princess stands alongside the First Ladies of superpowers.
Still, that’s just theory. Reality is, “Big Brother” only cares about its own interests. The international order is deeply unequal, controlled by a few major powers.
In this setup, Dima’s prominence wasn’t purely due to her own status. It was because of Sunres.
Without Sunres causing trouble, “Big Brother” wouldn’t have cared about her. But with Sunres stirring up regional instability, Dima’s connection to Pedro’s powerful, pro-Big Brother family made her a valuable ally.
Dima understood this perfectly. Despite being only eighteen, she had been well trained in politics. She realized that her relationship with “Big Brother” would greatly affect her future husband’s standing.
She was determined to use her time studying abroad to build strong connections in “Big Brother’s” society, laying a solid foundation for her future political career.
Just as Dima was flourishing in Big Brother’s social circles, she suddenly received a classified message from her country’s security agency, instructing her to immediately prepare to return home and marry Pedro.
Dima was stunned. Of course, she deeply loved Pedro and eagerly looked forward to living with him. Still, they had both agreed that her studying abroad was a golden opportunity. After their engagement, it had been their joint decision for Dima to finish her education in Big Brother country and to build strong ties with the upper echelons of society. Everything she did here reflected Pedro’s will.
Now, without any real explanation, came this sudden command for an immediate wedding. It left her confused and uneasy.
Even so, she decided to comply. She planned to return home first and then discuss the matter with Pedro. She believed her intelligence and charm would be enough to persuade him to reconsider if necessary.
Dima hastily packed her things and rushed to the airport. As soon as she stepped out of her townhouse, she saw a car from her country’s embassy already waiting. The ambassador himself got out and invited her in.
Since she was very familiar with the ambassador, she asked, “What exactly is going on?”
The ambassador looked flustered and said, “The situation is extremely urgent. Please get in the car. I’ll explain on the way.”
Hearing this, Dima felt a jolt of fear. Countless possibilities flashed through her mind, but she had no clear idea what was happening.
After getting in, Dima noticed that they were not heading to the embassy, but straight for the airport. Yet halfway there, the car pulled into a hidden spot. The ambassador urged Dima to get out, leading her to another car parked nearby, one of several vehicles, all bearing diplomatic plates — but not from her country.
The embassy car they had arrived in continued toward the airport without them. A few minutes later, the group of new vehicles, including Dima’s, departed — but heading in the opposite direction.
Sensing something was seriously wrong, Dima asked, “Please, tell me what’s happening.”
The ambassador answered, “I don’t know the full details. I only received an emergency order saying your life was in danger and I must get you back to the country by the fastest and safest route.”
Dima wanted to ask more, but seeing the ambassador’s grim expression, she fell silent.
Not long after, the car phone rang. The ambassador answered. Dima watched his face twitch several times, and noticed his hand trembling as he held the receiver.
When he hung up, Dima immediately asked, “What happened?”
The ambassador hesitated.
Dima, sharp as ever, understood that whatever had happened must be extremely serious — and related to her directly. She pressed him again.
Finally, the ambassador said, “Miss Dima, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you. It’s just that the situation is too dangerous. I believe it’s better for you not to know anything until you are completely safe.”
But Dima was a strong-willed woman. She knew she would soon help Pedro govern a nation. She had already mentally taken ownership of her country’s affairs. So she said firmly,
“Mr. Ambassador, please consider my status. Whatever has happened, I insist you tell me. In the name of my fiancé, I order you to tell me everything right now.”
The ambassador still hesitated, clearly struggling.
Dima then ordered the driver to stop the car. She threatened to get out.
Cornered, the ambassador finally confessed: the original embassy car they had been riding in was intercepted en route to the airport by an unknown group, and its occupants had been kidnapped.
The ambassador added, “After receiving the urgent encrypted order from home, I realized your situation was critical and had made backup plans. I anticipated trouble with that first car. Still, I’m shocked it actually happened.”
Dima’s first thought was whether something terrible had erupted back home. The ambassador assured her that wasn’t the case.
Even though Dima still didn’t know the full picture, she sensed that the situation might be even worse than the ambassador realized. If that was true, even their current escape plan might not be safe.
Thinking quickly, she picked up the car phone and dialed a number.
When the call connected, she said, “This is Dima. I have a critical emergency and must speak with the First Lady immediately.”
The ambassador and others had no idea who she was calling, but they were stunned. It was clear Dima had abandoned the original plan and was taking matters into her own hands.
She had called the First Lady of Big Brother country — a special direct line that had been personally given to her. Through this line, she could reach the First Lady at any time.
After the call, Dima switched to another car, ordered the rest of the convoy to continue with the original plan, and headed straight for the CIA headquarters.
Waiting for her outside the CIA was Little Nelson.
Little Nelson’s father was a towering figure in Big Brother’s law enforcement. Like father, like son — Little Nelson had also built a stellar career and held a high-ranking position.
Both father and son were old friends of mine. We had worked together many times with great success. (But that’s a side note.)
Little Nelson received Dima, led her through a hidden back entrance, and soon had her safely aboard a Big Brother diplomatic plane, flying her back to her country.
Later, it was confirmed: everything Dima had done was exactly right.
It turned out that the group who had intercepted the original embassy car were operatives working for Sunres.
Failing to find Dima in the car, they launched another operation and eventually captured the embassy staff.
Sunres’s plan collapsed completely.
The very next day, Pedro and Dima officially announced their marriage.
Furious, Sunres publicly vowed revenge. He declared that at the right time, he would topple Pedro and seize power.