MM Racing Chapter 151 Dai Youheng's Scheme: Playing Both Sides and Restraining Each Other
Chapter 151 Dai Youheng's Scheme: Playing Both Sides and Restraining Each Other
Chapter 151 Dai Youheng's Scheme: Playing Both Sides and Restraining Each Other
The night was deep, but the lights in the princess's residence remained warm. Xu Jiujiu sat with Dai Youheng for the entire afternoon, her slender hands gently stroking his back, trying to dispel the immense grief that seemed to surround him.
Looking at the man in her arms, who seemed to have been suddenly shattered and was now only vulnerable and relying on her, a vague feeling in her heart became clearer than ever before.
When did it begin? Was it when he stopped being that timid, obsequious illegitimate son?
Did it begin with his dazzling brilliance and ingenious strategies at the competition? Or did it begin with his remarkable talent and unique insights as he accompanied her in handling government affairs over the past year?
His strength, intelligence, and resilience had already seeped into her heart little by little.
This discovery brought a secret joy to Xu Jiujiu amidst her heavy heart.
She was already prepared to sacrifice marriage for the interests of the empire, but that didn't mean she didn't yearn for genuine affection. Wouldn't it be the perfect ending if her marriage partner was both a capable advisor who could bring immense benefits to the empire and someone she truly loved?
"Youheng," her voice was gentle yet firm, "Don't worry, I will definitely help you and take back everything that rightfully belongs to you."
Dai Youheng seemed to draw strength from her words. He slowly raised his head, his eyes no longer filled with empty despair, but instead burning with an almost obsessive determination. He stood up and solemnly said to Xu Jiujiu, "Thank you, Your Highness. Don't worry, I won't give up. My mother and Luo Li certainly wouldn't want to see me like this."
He took a deep breath, gazing intently at her for a long time. "And, Princess, you are now my only family. I cannot lose you. I know that to marry you properly, I must demonstrate my worth and gain the true recognition of the royal family. I will do it."
Watching him regain his spirits after a long while, she felt gratified and said softly, "It's good that you think this way."
"Then, Princess, I shall take my leave now and come to see you again tomorrow," Dai Youheng said, taking his leave at the opportune moment. He was well aware of etiquette and knew that he should never stay overnight at the princess's residence before marriage. He would never do something that would tarnish the princess's reputation and cause him to lose more than he gained.
There's no need to ruin your hypocritical persona over such a trivial matter.
"Youheng, are you going back to the Duke's mansion now?" Xu Jiujiu asked with some concern.
Dai Youheng's face immediately showed strong disgust and resistance, and she said decisively, "That cold and ruthless..."
A place that shelters murderers? I will never go back! I have my own place to stay in the city. From now on, I will make the Zhu family pay for this blood debt, bit by bit!
After speaking, he bowed and turned to leave the princess's residence. His retreating figure was resolute, as if carrying endless hatred and a determination for revenge.
Man Yi appeared silently beside Xu Jiujiu and whispered, "Princess, the opportunity to completely dismantle the White Tiger Duke's Mansion has finally arrived."
He stared intently at the direction where Dai Youheng had disappeared for a long time, his gaze sharp. "Yes, the internal strife within the Dai family is our best opportunity. We must concentrate our resources and do everything in our power to assist Youheng in dismantling the White Tiger direct lineage!"
Inside Xingluo City, in that familiar hotel, in that familiar guest room.
As the door closed behind him, the lingering grief and vulnerability on Dai Youheng's face vanished instantly, replaced by calmness and unfathomable calculation.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes; there was no trace of the broken state he had been in the princess's residence.
"Nana."
He called out softly to the empty room.
The shadows rippled like water, and Nana's figure silently appeared. She knelt on one knee, her movements so light and silent, "Young Master!"
"Go to the Duke's mansion," Dai Youheng's voice was calm and composed, yet carried a chilling decisiveness, "and kill Dai Huabin."
Compared to Ling Ya, Nana, who possesses the Ghost Martial Soul and is more skilled in stealth and assassination, is undoubtedly the best candidate to carry out this task.
He needed a bloody and clear-cut revenge to declare to the Dai family, the Zhu family, and even the secretly observing Xu family of the royal family that his determination to seek revenge had officially begun.
Dai Huabin, the biological son of Zhu Man who had bullied his predecessor the most, was the first sacrifice he used to "make an example of someone else".
He could have chosen the more valuable Dai Yueheng, or even eliminated both of them. But that would have made him the sole heir of the Dai family, and with the strong support of the royal family, taking over the Dai family might not have been difficult.
But this is too fast, and it goes against his long-term plan.
The royal family's support for him was ultimately aimed at absorbing the 500,000 elite troops of the Daijiamo Western Group. Why would he willingly work for someone else's benefit?
When he fully inherits the Dai family, it will be when he has the ability to completely break with the Xu family. His strategy is much more complex. He must use the power of the royal family to overthrow the direct line of the Dai family, and at the same time, use the remaining power of the Dai family to restrain the royal family. He must play both sides and buy himself the most precious time to grow.
If Dai Yueheng is left behind, there will still be direct descendants within the Dai family to confront him. The royal family will not force him to relinquish power so quickly, but will continue to support him in his struggle against the direct descendants.
"Yes!" Nana replied without hesitation, rising to blend into the shadows.
"Wait a minute," Dai Youheng suddenly called out to her.
With a flick of his wrist, the renowned level-eight melee soul tool, the Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade, appeared in his hand. Without hesitation, he tossed this priceless treasure to Nana.
Nana took it precisely, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.
"Remember," Dai Youheng's lips curled into a cold smile, "the fatal blow must be delivered with this blade. It would be best to finish him off with the Overlord Tiger Annihilation Slash."
He didn't intend to hide the cause of Dai Huabin's death. He wanted everyone to know clearly that Dai Huabin was killed by him, Dai Youheng. He was avenging his mother and brother by starting with him, letting Zhu Man experience the pain of losing a loved one. This would also show the royal family his determination to take revenge. Dai Huabin's head was a pretty good pledge of loyalty.
Deep within the Duke's mansion, Dai Huabin's courtyard was no longer as bustling as it once was. In the stillness of the night, only the pale light from the lamp inside illuminated two young faces etched with gloom.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu sat facing each other, trying to enter a meditative state, but the air was filled only with anxiety and despair.
For over a year, since that incident that nearly destroyed him, he had been holed up in this magnificent cage, never setting foot in Shrek Academy again. His former pride had been utterly crushed; he couldn't bear the pitying or mocking looks from his classmates, nor could he face the reality of his dramatic fall from grace.
His rank, once a source of pride, has now become the greatest irony. Although Xuanzi forcibly interrupted the evil soul master's vicious sacrifice, it had already knocked him down from level thirty-seven, the Soul Venerable, to level thirty-one.
Even more terrifying is that the corrosive damage to his soul's origin is like a leaky bucket, making it impossible for him to gather enough spiritual power to reach the deep meditative state that cultivators dream of, which is the key to accelerating a soul master's cultivation and comprehending the power of heaven and earth.
After more than a year of struggle and exhausting countless resources, he only managed to push his soul power back to level 32 with great difficulty.
This relentlessly slow pace, bordering on despair, mercilessly heralded the fall of a genius. The Soul Master who treated him had subtly hinted that he might never break through level seventy. Now, that seemed far too optimistic. At this rate, whether he would even reach the threshold of Soul King was uncertain.