As a King, One Should Win Openly and Honorably, by the Grand and Righteous Path

As a King, One Should Win Openly and Honorably, by the Grand and Righteous Path

There were not many people at dinner that day—only Xue Qinghe, Su Yuntian, and Da Xue—but they finished the meal amid laughter and cheerful conversation.

After dinner, Da Xue quietly cleared away the dishes while Su Yuntian stared straight at Xue Qinghe. "Your Highness, there's something I'd like to ask you."

Xue Qinghe let out a satisfied burp. "There are no outsiders here. Go ahead."

"I want to ask about my brother, Su Yuntao."

Two years later, Su Yuntian spoke that name once more.

Xue Qinghe hummed, speaking with some regret. "Your brother... I had people inquire at every Spirit Hall branch throughout the Empire, even in the kingdoms and duchies under the Empire's jurisdiction."

Su Yuntian anxiously asked, "And?"

"No one has seen anyone named Su Yuntao." Xue Qinghe sighed. "Even the Spirit Hall branch in Nuoding City, Fasnuo Province, has no trace of him. In other words, over the past two years, he has neither returned to Nuoding City nor visited any Spirit Hall branch within the Empire."

Su Yuntian frowned and muttered, "No... he hasn't shown up... That means he may already have..."

Though Su Yuntian was unwilling to accept such an outcome, Su Yuntao had been missing for far too long.

Everyone knew that the quickest way to make a Soul Master disappear was to kill him.

That night two years ago, Su Yuntao had been seriously wounded while protecting his younger brother, yet he had continued fighting. Although the two brothers had later been rescued by that young lady in a long dress with long hair, Su Yuntao...

Given the severity of his injuries at the time, if they had not been treated promptly, he could very well have died of them.

At the thought of that possibility, a gloom began to cloud Su Yuntian's increasingly handsome face.

Xue Qinghe reached out and patted his shoulder, comforting him. "Good people are watched over by fate. Your brother may have gone into seclusion somewhere secluded, or perhaps he went to Spirit City or the Star Luo Empire. Those are places beyond the reach of our Heaven Dou Empire."

To be fair, Xue Qinghe's possibilities were reasonable, but Su Yuntian could not help worrying.

...How could something weighing on his heart be dispelled with a single sentence?

"Get some proper rest today. After a while, I'll have someone ask around in Spirit City. Your brother used to be a deacon at a Spirit Hall branch, so Spirit City may have records of his whereabouts."

Xue Qinghe patted Su Yuntian's shoulder again and was about to leave when Su Yuntian suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"Your Highness, there's one more thing I want to tell you."

Xue Qinghe could not help asking in confusion, "There's more?"

Su Yuntian nodded. "Let's talk outside."

Da Xue was washing dishes in the kitchen behind the dining room, and the occasional clinking and clattering could be heard.

Xue Qinghe thought Su Yuntian found the noise bothersome, so he readily stood and headed outside.

Once they reached the courtyard, Su Yuntian swept his gaze around and dismissed the nearby maids.

Xue Qinghe finally sensed that something was wrong.

"What are you trying to do?"

"I've met the Third Prince." Su Yuntian's face was expressionless. "Xue Haicang liked watching people battle in the Great Soul Arena, liked placing bets, but what he liked most was women. Though he was only twelve this year, it was said that he had already achieved the feat of bedding a hundred women."

Having spent two years in Heaven Dou City, Su Yuntian had not focused solely on cultivation while doing nothing else.

At the very least, he had put some effort into learning about Xue Qinghe and Xue Qinghe's opponents.

Just half a month ago, Third Prince Xue Haicang had suddenly stopped going to the Great Soul Arena to gamble.

The courtesans close to him had also recently lost his business.

Xue Haicang had cast aside his usual extravagant debauchery and instead stayed in the imperial palace without coming out.

Su Yuntian had asked Da Xue to make inquiries, only to learn that he had recently fallen ill and could not leave the palace.

Hmm... fallen ill?

Xue Haicang was so young. What illness could he possibly have?

Although the original Douluo novel did not mention many details about Qian Renxue eliminating Xue Luochuan and Xue Haicang, Su Yuntian had reason to believe that Xue Haicang's "illness" was because Qian Renxue had already made her move against him.

When Su Yuntian steered the subject toward Xue Haicang, "Xue Qinghe" did not react at first and asked in puzzlement, "Why have you looked into so much about Xue Haicang? Don't tell me you want to defect to him?"

"How could that be... I'm saying this only to tell you that Xue Haicang is simply not worthy of becoming Your Highness's opponent."

Upon hearing Su Yuntian's words, Xue Qinghe turned slightly aside. A sharp gleam flashed through his eyes, and his voice turned cold. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

"It's very simple. Don't kill Xue Haicang." Su Yuntian took a deep breath, as if he had gone through an internal struggle, then slowly said, "Xue Haicang is too fond of play. As long as he is allowed to keep fooling around in the Great Soul Arena and brothels, he will sooner or later become useless. Before then, His Majesty the Emperor will not consider making him heir to the throne. The Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire can only be you, Your Highness the Eldest Prince. Keeping Xue Haicang alive may be more useful than killing him."

As Xue Qinghe listened to Su Yuntian, alarm rose in his heart. He surmised that Su Yuntian had likely seen through his actions against Third Prince Xue Haicang, but he refused to admit it aloud. He sneered. "Haicang is my third brother. Are you saying I would harm my own brother?"

Although Su Yuntian knew that Xue Qinghe was not truly Xue Qinghe, he had no desire to expose that fact now. He merely said with utter certainty, "Second Prince Xue Luochuan was also your brother, wasn't he?"

Xue Qinghe froze slightly. When he looked at Su Yuntian again, killing intent had already appeared in his eyes.

"What else do you know?"

Su Yuntian met Xue Qinghe's icy gaze without fear. "I also know that the reason you went to Nuoding City at that time two years ago was to establish an alibi for Xue Luochuan's death. I know that you sent people to poison and assassinate Xue Luochuan. I also know that Xue Haicang falling ill these past few days was very likely your doing as well."

As he spoke, Su Yuntian felt a chill at his neck.

A sharp sword glittering with cold light had been placed against his throat.

Xue Qinghe sternly said, "You will be held accountable for your words. I do not wish to kill you yet!"

Su Yuntian seemed to completely ignore the sword at his throat and continued, "I don't know why you wanted to kill the Second Prince and Third Prince, but what's done is done. I will not grieve or regret for them, because I stand on Your Highness's side. As for Third Prince Xue Haicang, all I want to say is that killing him now will bring more harm than benefit. For the sake of Your Highness taking over the Heaven Dou Empire more smoothly, I advise you to spare Xue Haicang's life for now."

The sword in Xue Qinghe's hand moved another fraction closer to Su Yuntian's neck. "Give me a reason not to kill you!"

Su Yuntian looked directly into Xue Qinghe's eyes. His ruby-like pupils were filled with sincerity and earnestness. "Your Highness saved my life. If you wish to take it, you may do so at any time. But I must still say this: as a king, one should be open and honorable, winning by the grand and righteous path—like a bright moon shining, like the blazing sun suspended in the sky, like a surging river rushing downward, like a towering mountain rising sheer for a thousand fathoms."

"The king permits, the king acknowledges, the king bears the entire world."

"That is what it means to rule!"

Hearing Su Yuntian's bold, even arrogant declaration, Xue Qinghe could not help but be stunned.

It seemed... to make some sense?

Note 1: The king takes the blame, the king chops the elbows, the king delights the entire world.

Note 2: Qian Renxue caused Ma Xiunuo's death, left Su Yuntao severely injured, and tricked the protagonist into following her. Such a villain has no reason to escape justice. Therefore, after uncovering the truth, the protagonist will clash with Qian Renxue and make her pay for what she has done. Everyone, there is no need to worry about that.