Baron George's eyes were filled with terror. "What... are you saying...?"
"Little George, did you really think you left no trace of what you'd done, that you could hide it from me? Then you've severely underestimated this hundred-year-old man."
"I was utterly disappointed in you the moment you sought out Sima Ji. I could accept you and your father betraying me. I could even accept you going to Madison, Adams, or joining forces with William."
"But you chose the most disgraceful path of all-colluding with Sima Ji, who bears a grudge against us."
Duke Henry sighed again.
"I'm disappointed, but it isn't as though I can't understand."
"Your father, Count George, values his family above all else. He certainly wouldn't have agreed. Madison is a gentleman I admire, and he would surely have scorned your plan. As for William, he's one of the few of your younger generation with a gentleman's bearing. He would have refused you too."
"Come to think of it, working with Sima Ji seems to have been the only way to fulfill your ambitions."
"There's nothing wrong with ambition. I won't fault you for that."
"But today, two outsiders have brought the fight to our doorstep, intent on killing your relatives and harming your friends. The blood of the First Domain flows through all our veins. Surely we should stand together against our enemies first."
"To keep you from switching sides in battle and causing trouble for me, Marquis Madison, who had long known of your secret collusion with Sima Ji, volunteered to deal with the more troublesome Sima Ji and left Qin Siyang to our family."
By now, Baron George's eyes were filled with disbelief.
He had never imagined that Duke Henry had long since uncovered the plan he believed was flawless.
And Marquis Madison,