Chapter 86: Dai Hao's Thoughts; Youheng Points Directly to the Heart.Dai Hao pushed open the heavy redwood door, and the sight that greeted his eyes made him pause slightly, his brows instinctively fur rowing.He saw that Dai Youheng was brazenly sitting in the main seat, which symbolized the Duke's authority, holding a steaming cup of fragrant tea in a relaxed posture; upon seeing him enter, he merely raised his eyes, a half-smile curling on his lips."You've arrived."These three light words lacked any of the reverence and deference a Junior should show an elder; instead, they carried a sense of equality, or perhaps an implicit, detached casualness.The corner of Dai Hao's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.This posture, this tone—who exactly is the father here? For a moment, he even felt the absurd illusion that he was coming to report to a superior.He forcefully suppressed the strange discomfort in his heart, walked to the guest chair opposite the desk, and sat down; his gaze, sharp as lightning, fixed on the son who seemed completely transformed, and he said in a deep voice, "You have changed a lot.""Oh?" Dai Youheng took a sip of tea, looking like he was willing to hear more."Although I didn't talk much with you before, I wasn't completely ignorant of you." Dai Hao's voice was steady but held scrutiny. "You were infatuated with Princess Xu Jiujiu to the point of nearly losing yourself, your Spirit Cultivate progress was slow and disappointing, you were often bullied by Hua Bin in the Mansion, and your personality was somewhat timid. But the current you..."He paused, his eyes sharp. "Calm, decisive, powerful, and even arrogant.""Haha." Dai Youheng chuckled softly, setting down the teacup and lightly tapping the desktop with his fingertip. "It's truly rare to hear praise for me, a concubine-born son, coming from your mouth. I thought your eyes were forever fixed only on your two precious legitimate sons."Dai Hao's expression remained unchanged as he continued, "I know you don't particularly like Yueheng and Hua Bin.""Stop." Dai Youheng raised a hand to interrupt, his tone suddenly turning cold, carrying undisguised disgust. "Let me correct you: I don't dislike them; I despise them. Duke, you are away constantly. Do you know how jealous your high and mighty legal wife is? Her sons have perfectly inherited her 'virtues.' Dai Yueheng is fine; he just puts on the airs of an elder brother, occasionally lecturing me verbally to show his superiority. As for Dai Huabin—"He sneered, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "In all these years, have you ever seen the humiliation and bullying that he and his mother inflicted on my mother and me, both openly and secretly? Have you ever intervened even slightly? My younger brother Luo Li's timid personality is largely attributable to Dai Huabin's torment!"Although the original body truly bore all this, since he had taken on this identity and this Karma, he naturally had to bear the responsibility.Dai Hao fell silent for a moment, a trace of complexity flashing across his face, but it was quickly replaced by solemnity. "I am stationed year-round in the Western military camp, bearing the heavy responsibility of the Empire's border defense. Regarding trivial household matters, I truly lack the means to Clone myself."He tried to steer the conversation back on track. "No matter how much you hate Yueheng and Hua Bin, they are still your blood brothers. Furthermore, they have both already paid the price. Yueheng's palm was corrupted by evil poison, his Meridians completely destroyed, making recovery virtually impossible. The Tiger Palm is one of the strongest offensive forms of my White Tiger Spirit, and the loss of his hand is a huge blow to him. Hua Bin's Soul Origin suffered heavy damage, his potential is lost, and he will likely find it difficult to achieve Major Achievement in this life."His tone carried a hint of imperceptible grief and regret."So," Dai Youheng leaned slightly forward, his gaze sharp as a knife, directly tearing away the veil of pretense, "now you remember me, the concubine-born son you previously looked down upon? The future heir of the White Tiger Dukes Mansion cannot possibly be two cripples, can it? Duke."Such blunt, even rebellious words caused Dai Hao's face to sink, but he did not immediately flare up; he simply watched Dai Youheng with a deeper gaze. "I merely want to give you an opportunity. Seeing your recent performance, your talent, strength, and willpower have all pleased me greatly. Therefore, I am indeed considering officially making you one of the candidates for heir."His tone shifted, becoming extremely serious. "However, before that, there is one thing I must confirm. Not long ago, did you go to see Princess Xu Jiujiu? What did she say to you?"Hearing this, the playful smile reappeared on Dai Youheng's face. He countered, "What would Princess Xu Jiujiu say to me? With your wisdom, Duke, can't you guess?"Dai Hao sighed deeply, as if he had aged several years in an instant. Leaning back against the chair, he said slowly, "Did she use herself as a bargaining chip, promising to marry you in the future, in exchange for you becoming her Puppet, helping her—or rather, the Imperial Family—to eventually control my White Tiger Dukes Mansion, and even the Western Army Group?""Yes," Dai Youheng admitted frankly. "That is indeed the case. An exchange of interests, quite fair.""Youheng!" Dai Hao's voice suddenly rose, carrying the urgency of anger at his lack of ambition. "Since you are so perceptive and know this is her scheme, why would you still agree? Have you truly been so bewitched by her that you love her to the point of being unable to distinguish right from wrong and willingly being used?"This was what he worried about most: if his son was capable but his mind was swayed by emotion, he would still be unfit for great responsibility."Don't be impatient, Duke." Dai Youheng's tone remained relaxed, even slightly mocking. "Before I answer you, let me ask you a question. Are you... or rather, is our Dai Family planning a rebellion right now?""Nonsense!" Dai Hao slammed the table and suddenly stood up, turning to look at the portrait of their ancestor, Dai Mubai, one of the original Shrek Seven Devils, hanging on the wall. His voice was deep and filled with righteousness. "My Dai Family has been loyal for generations, and guarding the Star Luo Empire is our mission! The Xu Family has governed the Empire for many years, keeping the country peaceful and the people secure. If we rebel now, wouldn't that plunge the nation into war and the common people into suffering? My Dai Family would become eternal sinners! I, Dai Hao, will never commit such disloyal and unjust acts!"He paused, his tone softening slightly, yet carrying a hint of unspeakable complexity. "But—""But..." Dai Youheng interjected, his voice steady but carrying the power to pierce through everything. "The thought of reclaiming the ancestral throne has never truly been extinguished in the Dai Family Bloodline, has it? We are not rebelling now simply because the time is not right; the country is currently peaceful, and the people support the Xu Family. But what if one day the world changes? Either a powerful external enemy invades, or the Xu Family produces an utterly incompetent emperor, leading to the destruction of the nation and the suffering of the populace.""At that time, if my Dai Family raises the banner of justice, restores order, and reclaims the throne that originally belonged to us, it would be following the will of Heaven and the desire of the people, making it perfectly legitimate! And one of the most crucial supports for all of this is the Western Army Group—these five hundred thousand iron-blooded, elite soldiers who are absolutely loyal to the Dai Family! Therefore, this military power must never be lost, especially not into the hands of the Xu Family, who constantly guards against and suspects us!"
