Xue Ye's Warning to Xue Xing

At that moment, seeing Xue Qinghe being flattered, Xue Beng, who was standing beside Xue Xing, curled his lip in his heart toward the people around Xue Qinghe.

Then Xue Beng thought of what Xue Xing had said to him. Right now, when it came to competing for the support of ministers in the imperial court, he simply could not compare to Xue Qinghe, so he had to think of other methods. Looking at it now, that method was to gain the favor of his imperial father, Xue Ye.

Therefore, just as everyone's gaze turned to Jin Hao, Xue Beng suddenly burst out. He ran in front of the tombstones of the two imperial tombs and then wailed loudly, crying and shouting at the same time:

"Second Brother, Third Brother, how miserably you died, killed by scoundrels who broke into Heaven Dou City."

"Now that you're gone, what will I, your younger brother, do? Who is going to protect me from now on? From now on, Xiao Si will be all alone."

He cried so bitterly and despairingly, as if he felt truly, deeply saddened by the deaths of these two older brothers.

However, the ministers present all wore playful expressions in their hearts. After all, they were well aware that when the two princes had died, not only had this Xue Beng not shed a single tear, but if Xue Xing hadn't forcefully brought Xue Beng into the palace, Xue Beng hadn't even intended to go take a final look at his two brothers. Now, outside Heaven Dou City, with the citizens of Heaven Dou City watching, he was putting on an act.

Seeing this scene, Lin Cheng and the other ministers standing behind Jin Hao caught a completely different meaning in Xue Beng's words.

What did it mean when he said that with those two princes dead, he had no brothers left? What did it mean when he said that you, Xue Beng, were all alone?

The eldest prince, Xue Qinghe, was still standing right over there.

Moreover, everyone saw that Xue Xing did not stop him, but instead inwardly nodded as he looked at the surrounding commoners gathered here who were nodding in agreement with Xue Beng.

He even smiled at Xue Beng. Seeing this, everyone present guessed that this must be the method Xue Xing had devised for Xue Beng: first, to change the playboy image Xue Beng held in the eyes of the commoners of Heaven Dou City. He wasn't asking these people to support him, but at least he wanted to prevent the citizens of Heaven Dou City from feeling sheer disgust at the mere sight of Xue Beng.

Jin Hao, who also witnessed this scene, felt his gaze turn cold.

Unlike Qian Renxue in the original work, who slowly poisoned the second and third princes to death, and afterward terrified the original Xue Beng and Xue Xing into fearing for their lives—presumably guessing that Qian Renxue was the culprit and thus feigning a dissolute nature to wreak havoc in Heaven Dou City purely to make Qian Renxue lower her guard and spare Xue Beng's life—

Things were different now. He was not Qian Renxue, needing to lurk undercover first and slowly eliminate the other princes; he had directly sent people to assassinate them, and had even faked his own assassination.

Consequently, this led Xue Beng and Xue Xing to believe that since this was not done by you, Xue Qinghe, and coupled with the fact that Dugu Bo, a Title Douluo, existed on his side, Xue Beng was no longer afraid of him. He even dared to stand up and attempt to shed his playboy image in order to contend with him for the throne.

Thinking of this, Jin Hao also sneered inwardly. Xue Beng, you've got some nerve. Watch how I toy with you until you're dead.

At that moment, Jin Hao already had a plan in mind to deal with Xue Beng. Didn't Xue Beng rely on the good relationship he had with Xue Xing and Dugu Bo behind him?

He would start from this very angle. Not only would he make Xue Beng vanish completely, but he would also pull Dugu Bo, this major killer weapon in the city, over to his side. As for whether Dugu Bo had a grudge against Yue Guan of Spirit Hall?

It did not exist. As if Jin Hao liked Yue Guan anyway—that lapdog by the bitch Bibi Dong's side had long since been placed at the top of Jin Hao's must-kill list.

Afterwards, Jin Hao prepared to wait until the funeral concluded, at which point he could use his Martial Soul and spirit bone mask to make his move.

Just as Jin Hao was still refining the plan in his mind, an imposing voice rang out:

"Enough! What is all this crying and howling for? And what do you mean by saying you'll be all alone from now on? Isn't your eldest brother, Qinghe, still standing right there? You brainless thing."

The one speaking was none other than Xue Ye, who had rushed over. He had arrived right as Xue Beng began to cry, and upon hearing Xue Beng's words, Xue Ye instantly realized that this was taught to him by his younger brother, Xue Xing.

To tell the truth, Xue Ye held very little affection for Xue Beng. After all, ever since Xue Beng was born, he had been designated as the person who would inherit Xue Xing's principality in the future.

If Xue Qinghe had died just like his other two sons, Xue Ye would naturally have considered Xue Beng as his sole remaining son.

But now, Xue Qinghe was still alive, and not only was he still alive, but he had become even more outstanding. He possessed the combat-capable Martial Soul the royal family had eagerly anticipated for so long; although his talent could not compare to those top geniuses, it was sufficient for an empire's heir.

He would have to be out of his mind to choose a playboy who had never been close to him in the first place.

That was why, upon hearing Xue Beng's words, Xue Ye stepped forward to sharply scold him.

Hearing this, Xue Beng was momentarily stunned, tears still spinning in his eyes. Then, putting on a wronged expression, he said to Xue Ye:

"Imperial Father, aren't I just heartbroken at seeing my two older brothers pass away?"

"Nonsense! When your two older brothers were just ambushed and assassinated, you were still out in Heaven Dou City wreaking havoc with your worthless friends! If Xue Xing hadn't dragged you into the palace, you wouldn't even have come, would you? Do you really take me for a fool?"

Hearing Xue Ye's reprimand, Xue Beng immediately felt unconvinced. In Xue Beng's view, whether his actions were proactive or passive, at least he went—unlike Xue Qinghe, who never showed his face at all.

Therefore, Xue Beng opened his mouth to talk back:

"At least I went to take a final look at my two brothers, unlike some people who have stayed holed up in their estate without stepping out a single step, let alone going to check on their own brother."

Before Xue Ye could speak upon hearing these words, Xue Xing knew it was over. This little ancestor truly dared to say anything; he was simply too used to being arrogant. Did he not know that Xue Qinghe had also been targeted in an assassination and had even been injured, recuperating at home? Coupled with the fact that Xue Qinghe was currently the apple of Xue Ye's eye, wasn't this deliberately courting disaster?

Sure enough, the next second, Xue Ye's furious voice arrived:

"You scoundrel! What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Qinghe was also targeted in an assassination and nearly died, which is why I forcibly kept him in his estate to recover. Not only have you, this bastard, failed to go check on your eldest brother, but here you are finding fault with Qinghe instead. How could I ever have a son like you?"

"Guards, take this scoundrel back to his estate! Without my command, he is not allowed to step a single step out of his room!"

The next instant, two guards at Xue Ye's side stepped forward and grabbed Xue Beng, preparing to escort him back to his residence.

At that moment, Xue Beng pinned all his hopes on Imperial Uncle Xue Xing, who loved him the most, hoping Xue Xing would speak up and plead for him.

Seeing this, Xue Xing wanted nothing more than to open his mouth and plead with Xue Ye for mercy, but the next second, he noticed Xue Ye staring intently at him, and how could Xue Xing fail to understand what that meant?

Shortly after, Xue Ye walked over to Xue Xing's side and said in a low voice:

"Imperial Younger Brother, I have always kept my word. Xiao Si will inherit your principality; since I said it, it will not change."

Hearing these words, Xue Xing's heart plunged to the bottom. It sounded as though it was for his own good, but how could Xue Xing not understand that Xue Ye was warning him at that moment to keep Xue Beng from harboring any ambitions regarding the throne alongside him.