Chapter 1350 - 1283: Obstruction (Part 3)
Tuoba Yilu looked up at him. The father and son finally met, less than ten days since their last encounter. Several lives now lay between them, a life-or-death struggle, never to return to what was before.
Tuoba Yilu looked at him with resentment, but considering the current situation, he forced down his anger and said, "Do you think you can sow discord between us, the ruler and subjects..."
"You’re already my prisoner. What value is there in deceiving you?" Tuoba Liuxiu said coldly, "They are Han people, advocating for Han governance, championing benevolence, while you practice severe laws, relying solely on legalism. Do you think they’ll ever truly love and respect you?"
"You even wish to replace my aunt. Let me tell you, you fall far short of her. Wei Xiong and Ji Dan met her just once and were full of praise. Not only did they leave, but they also took away thirty thousand households. Thirty thousand households! Do you know how many people that is? A full hundred and twenty thousand!"
Tuoba Yilu’s face flushed red with anger as he shouted, "Impossible!"
"What’s impossible?" Tuoba Liuxiu pressed on, "You can’t even tolerate your own wife and children; how can you be kind to the people? Do you know how bitterly we’ve lived all these years, how much we’ve come to loathe you?"
Tuoba Liuxiu thought of his own mother, tears falling to the ground, "I absolutely hate you. Why did you force me like this? If you didn’t want me as your Princely Heir, you could have just set up Tuoba Biyan. Why use me to make him look capable?"
"You received Dai County because Pusugen and I led troops to guard Jinyang for Liu Kun. You feared my prestige being too high, making it hard for Biyan to remain steady in his position. Why not just divide my territories, yet you constantly suppressed me?" Tuoba Liuxiu shouted out all his pent-up resentment, "Grandfather had three sons too. When he died, he divided his lands into three parts, one for each son. You also have three sons. Why can’t you do the same?"
"Why must everything be given to Tuoba Biyan? Why?"
"And now you want to kill me and still ask why?" Tuoba Yilu shouted loudly, "No son of any family would treat his father like this. I saw early on your vicious nature and defiance. I knew this day would come. I should have killed you sooner, then I would not be in such dire straits today, nor would Biyan have been killed by you!"
These words enraged Tuoba Liuxiu. He grabbed his throat with a fierce expression, "You knew already? How early did you know? Haven’t you always wanted to kill me? I hadn’t even done anything, and you wanted me dead, clearly driving me to this point..."
Su Hexiong and Tuoba Susuo were shocked at the scene, rushing forward to grasp his arms, "General, calm down, you can’t kill him."
"Eldest Prince, calm yourself*"
Yuan Li was already outside, but was stopped, awaiting reporting. Hearing the shouting from inside, he rushed forward without hesitation.
The soldiers wanted to stop him, but his personal guards immediately blocked the soldiers, loudly saying, "Bold, do you know who he is?"
Yuan Li rushed in, seeing Tuoba Yilu being strangled, his face blue and purple, while Su Hexiong and Tuoba Susuo pulled at Tuoba Liuxiu’s arms from left and right but couldn’t make him loosen his grip.
Yuan Li took one glance then swiftly rushed forward, pointing sharply at the acupuncture points "Chize" and "Shaohai" on Tuoba Liuxiu’s elbow, suddenly weakening his hand. Su Hexiong and Tuoba Susuo, pulling his arm, dragged him back, the three collapsing to the ground with a thud.
Yuan Li dodged aside, stepping up to catch the falling Tuoba Yilu, checked his breath, and immediately pinched his Tigers’ Mouth and then his Philtrum. As he sharply inhaled, Yuan Li placed him sitting on the ground.
Tuoba Yilu began to cough loud, perhaps from fear, his body trembling slightly, tears uncontrollably falling.
At this moment, the anger and dominance vanished from him. He finally realized, a rebellious son truly is a rebellious son; he really might be killed.
The fear of death enveloped him. At this moment, Tuoba Yilu felt a trace of regret. He shouldn’t have been so complacent.
Yuan Li stood up to block Tuoba Yilu in front, speaking to Tuoba Liuxiu who had risen and wanted to act, "Eldest Prince, Your Majesty instructed me before coming, the King of Dai can die at the hands of anyone, but not by you. Otherwise, even if she cherishes you, she cannot save you from public opinion that echoes throughout the land."
Tuoba Liuxiu suppressed his anger, "This is my own matter."
"Eldest Prince, Your Majesty cherishes you so but you do not recognize it. Do you think killing the King of Dai is bad for her?" Yuan Li said, "If Her Majesty were only considering benefits, she could let you kill the King of Dai. A son killing his father is a grave sin. At that time, she could rally troops under the pretense of avenging the King of Dai. Who in the world wouldn’t praise her?"
"But she didn’t, instead sending me to Xinping City especially to stop you, in order to preserve your life and reputation, so you won’t be rejected by society. This cherishing is no less than the affection for nieces and nephews within the clan."
Tuoba Liuxiu paused.