hotmtlnovel Chapter 87: The Tyrant!
Chapter 87: The Tyrant!
Chapter 87: The Tyrant!
Dai Hao turned around abruptly, his face filled with shock and disbelief. He stared intently at Dai Youheng, as if he were seeing this guy for the first time.
This insightful analysis of the Dai family's hidden thoughts and the situation could not possibly be uttered by a mere illegitimate son who only knows how to be infatuated with a princess!
This mindset, this vision —
The scrutiny in his eyes eventually transformed into a complex expression of admiration. He slowly sat back in his chair, his voice much lower, "So—even though you see things so clearly, you still agree to Xu Jiujiu's request?"
This was his final confirmation; Dai Youheng's answer would influence all his subsequent decisions.
"I told you, why wouldn't I agree to such a powerful ally?" Dai Youheng's smile remained unchanged, but a cold and cunning glint suddenly flashed in her deep eyes. "But why is your thinking always so linear? Why can you only think of me as a long-time sycophant, destined to be used and manipulated by her?"
He lowered his voice, each word carrying a chilling weight, "Why can't I be the one to use this sycophantic persona to make her and the royal family behind her believe that I can be controlled, thus willingly providing me with resources and paving the way—"
"And what about me, using all of this in reverse?"
Dai Hao's eyes widened suddenly, his pupils contracted sharply, and a chill inexplicably ran down his spine! He looked at the cold smile on his son's face, a smile that was a mixture of mockery and ambition, and a shocking and terrifying thought struck his mind like lightning!
"What do you mean?" His voice even trembled slightly, without him even realizing it.
"Hehe." Dai Youheng chuckled, stood up, straightened his robes which had no loose ends, and said, "Alright, let's end our conversation here. I know you haven't yet made a final decision about your successor."
It's alright, you can keep your decision. Eventually, reality will help you make the right choice.
He didn't glance at Dai Hao, who was still in shock, again. He walked straight to the door, opened it, and went out. His movements were fluid and natural, without the slightest hesitation.
The study door closed gently, separating the inside from the outside.
Dai Hao sat stiffly in the chair, unable to come to his senses for a long time. The only sounds in the study were his heavy breathing and the faint crackling of burning sandalwood.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the shocked and bewildered expression on his face.
He now realized that he had not only underestimated this guy's intelligence and strength, but he had also completely underestimated his cunning, ambition, and ruthlessness!
This guy is not just a simple lucky guy.
He might become a powerful and ruthless leader!
A terrifying existence capable of completely muddying the waters of the Star Luo Empire, and possibly even overturning everything!
Dai Youheng returned to the room that was both familiar and strange to the memories of this body.
The furnishings were simple, even somewhat cold, a stark contrast to his experience in hotels during this time. Since his transmigration, this was the first time he had truly returned to this so-called home to rest.
After a quick wash, he had just lain down when he heard the door being pushed open a crack, and a small head timidly peeked in, its clear eyes shining brightly in the darkness.
"Brother." Dai Luoli's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, with the softness unique to children and a hint of barely perceptible dependence and timidity.
Dai Youheng sat up, waved towards the door, and said in a much softer tone, "Luo Li, come in. You don't need to be so reserved here."
With permission, Dai Luoli tiptoed in and carefully closed the door.
He walked to the bedside, looked at Dai Youheng, and his big eyes instantly shone with undisguised admiration. His previous timidity was replaced by excitement. "Hehe, brother, you look so handsome today! It's the first time I've ever seen Auntie so angry that her face turned so pale and she couldn't even speak. You're amazing!"
Seeing his younger brother like this, Dai Youheng felt a slight pang in his heart. He patted the edge of the bed, gesturing for Dai Luoli to sit down.
"Luo Li." He looked at his younger brother's excited face and asked calmly, "I have a question for you: Do you like this home? Do you like this ducal mansion?"
The excitement on Dai Luoli's face quickly faded, replaced by a gloom and grievance unbecoming of his age. He shook his head vigorously and whispered, "I don't like it, I don't like it at all. Apart from my mother and a few old servants, it seems like no one here likes us. After Aunt Yun died, her son disappeared too. My aunt can no longer bully Aunt Yun, so she finds even more ways to bully my mother and me. She always makes things difficult for us when my father can't see, cuts off our allowance, and has the other servants give us attitude."
As he spoke, his voice choked with emotion, clearly indicating that he had suffered too much injustice over the years.
Dai Youheng listened quietly, then reached out and ruffled his younger brother's soft hair before continuing, "What about the White Tiger Duke? What do you think of him?"
Dai Youheng could call the original owner's mother "mother," but he couldn't bring himself to call Dai Hao "father."
Mentioning Dai Hao, Dai Luoli's eyes lit up with a different kind of light, a complex emotion mixed with awe, worship, and longing. "Father—Father, he is a great hero!"
His tone hardened. "He's the Grand Marshal of the Star Luo Empire, guarding the nation's western border and defeating countless villains! My mother told me that my father is often away to protect our country and countless families like ours. I want to become a great general like my father and defend our nation!"
Hearing his younger brother's childish yet incredibly sincere words, Dai Youheng was momentarily speechless.
Dai Hao was a complete failure as a husband and father. He neglected his wife, ignored his concubines, and was even unaware that Huo Yun'er had given birth to Huo Yuhao.
Neglecting to care for their children leads to numerous internal family conflicts.
However, his soldierly charisma and the heroic aura of protecting his country are enough to make people who don't know the inside story, even his own children, worship him almost blindly.
This charm is comparable to that of the dashing and passionate Prince Duan in a certain literary work, who captivated countless women.
Duchess Jumant may be jealous and ruthless, but the fervor and possessiveness in her eyes when she looks at Dai Hao undoubtedly stem from deep love.
It was precisely because she loved this man so deeply that she could not tolerate any trace of other women in his heart, even if it was just a sense of responsibility or a lingering affection.
Despite enduring years of oppression and mistreatment from the first wife, the birth mother, Bai Wanning, harbored no resentment and remained dutiful. She even regarded Dai Hao as a great hero and used him to educate her son, willingly making silent sacrifices in this deep mansion.
And Huo Yun'er, who had long since passed away, never forgot this man until her death.
Dai Hao may not have been a good husband or father, but as a soldier and a commander, his personal charisma and achievements directly overshadowed his significant absence in his family life.
Dai Youheng remained silent for a moment, looking at his younger brother who admired their father but had suffered countless grievances in the family's infighting, and he had already made up his mind.
He reached out and solemnly placed his hand on Dai Luoli's slightly thin shoulder, looked into his eyes, and said clearly, word by word, "Okay, Luoli, I'll remember your words."
"Don't worry, I won't let any of those who have humiliated you or your mother get away with it. As for that high and mighty duchess, I will make her pay double for what she did to us, and she will suffer a terrible death."
His tone was calm, yet carried a chilling coldness and decisiveness, as if he were stating a predetermined fact that was about to happen.
"And you—" Dai Youheng's tone softened slightly, with a hint of encouragement, "You want to become a great general like him, and your brother has remembered your desire to protect the country."
In Dai Youheng's mind, this could be considered as settling a karmic debt for the original owner he had devoured, for his younger brother who had suffered so much injustice and his gentle mother.
Moreover, Delori might be someone he could use in the future. As long as he wholeheartedly assists him and doesn't harbor any disloyal thoughts, he can help him achieve his wishes.
In the future, we can use the lotus seed pills to fulfill his ideals, but also control everything about him!