A Secret Talk Between Father and Son

Compared to his wildly ambitious father, Xia Shu had a gentler temperament. Yet after thinking through the implications, he could not help but feel tempted as well. His former helplessness over his father's obsession with taking control of Zhenbei King's Mansion had begun to change.

Prince Duan greatly liked this change in Xia Shu. Especially when he could vaguely see a spark in his young son's eyes, growing from small to large before finally becoming a surging sea of flames—the fire born of a desire for power—he could not help feeling pleased.

His Shu'er knew his mistakes and could correct them. That was an excellent quality. The mansion's future prosperity was within reach.

In his view, it was naturally best for an Heir Apparent of Prince Duan, living at another's mercy, to have a gentler disposition. The Xia Shu of the past had been qualified enough.

But a formidable ruler who commanded the northern lands and stood as king and hegemon of one region had to follow the path of kings and hegemons. A gentle temperament might be good for those above and below, but for the man himself and for the rise and fall of the mansion, it would likely become an impediment.

"Let us speak again of the predicament we now face.

"When I first learned that the court intended to deal with Zhenbei King's Mansion, I volunteered to His Majesty, proposing a plan to replace the plum tree with the peach tree and gather Zhenbei King's Mansion's power into His Majesty's hands.

"But you must understand: my taking the initiative to raise the matter and His Majesty asking me to do it are completely different things.

"Precisely because of this, my actions planted a hidden danger. You should know what that danger is."

Seeing the sorrow on