“How black must your heart be for you to be able to be that malicious to your di younger brother who was still small at the time? Ah? Do you know how heartbroken I was at the time? The son I painstakingly raised was actually less than an animal! And it’s precisely because you are my son, I couldn’t bear for you to have your reputation tainted, so I personally shouldered the malicious reputation. Others all thought that I’d gone insane, beating to death that many servants merely because they didn’t take good care of your younger brother. I was insane, angered to insanity by you. Yi Lin had high fevers that wouldn’t go down and was unconscious, unable to wake up for days. You, at the time, appeared very worried on the surface, and came to see him whenever you had time. I thought you were feeling guilty, originally thinking that you were just momentarily muddled. I wanted to give you a chance, but what all did you do? You wanted to kill your younger brother a second time, a third time. At that time, you were actually wondering why he still hasn’t died yet, right? And after learning that your younger brother might have his brain damaged, did you think I didn’t see how happy you were smiling? And after he recovered, did you think I didn’t see how regretful you looked, and when he forgot what happened before and after falling into the water, did you think I didn’t know how glad you were? With your heart this dark, why should I like you, why should I favor you? And what about Yi Lin? If I don’t protect him, don’t side with him, where would he have the life to live until now?”
A trace of sharpness penetrated through Sun Yi Lin’s half-narrowed eyes, as he looked to Sun Yi Bin. He’d always thought, during childhood, this older brother was genuinely good to him, but turns out, even this was all fake. In reality, between them, aside from that bit of blood relations, there was actually no affections whatsoever. “Eldest brother, you’re very good, really, very very good!”
No wonder after he recovered from that illness, his mother told him to not follow his eldest brother around anymore. When he asked why, his mother only said it was because his eldest brother was grown up now, so he had many things he needed to do, and was very busy. He believed this as the truth, but in reality, it was because his mother wanted to protect him and have him separated from his eldest brother.
Even if that bit of affections between them were real, it more or less would’ve already been grinded to nothing, let alone now, where it was all fake. Then that means, he no longer needed to hesitate.
The exposed Sun Yi Bin gradually recovered his composure from amidst the trembling. There was neither guilt nor shame, and he further didn’t feel the need for atonement. In his eyes, only cold and indifference remained. “Mother, since you’ve kept this secret for me for this many years already, why didn’t you continue hiding it? As expected, Yi Lin is truly your favorite.”
The Ding Duchess wasn’t surprised by his response in the slightest, “Continue hiding it? You want me to watch you continuously scheme against Yi Lin, while he, considering those familial affections, back down again and again? Even when he striked back, he was never once ruthless, but you not only didn’t have any intentions of stopping, you even became all the more vicious. Even until now, you still don’t know to repent. As expected, you’re beyond help.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong, why should I repent? Enemies need to be thoroughly eradicated, this was taught by father.”
The Ding Duke, with a deathly pale complexion, fell back two steps. He didn’t believe, this was the son he raised. Tearing down that layer of false kindness, he was entirely just an animal that didn’t recognize one’s family. Yet, even he was deceived by such an animal this whole time.
“Your own di younger brother is also your enemy?”
“Of course, anyone who wants to compete for benefits against me are all my enemies. Sun Yi Lin naturally isn’t an exception either.”
“For him to have come to this step today, whose fault is it? If not for you repeatedly harming him, would he have fought against you?”
“But in the end, he still fought against me, so from the start, I was never wrong. People like him, only when dead, will they not have ambitions.” Sun Yi Bin turned to look towards Sun Yi Lin, suddenly smiling, “Yi Lin ah, this way won’t do, you’re like a delicate young lady, weak to the wind, what do you have to compete against me? Eldest brother will wait for you, and see, how great of an ability you have to free yourself.” He then turned again to look towards the Ding Duke, “Father, all these years, you’ve been unwilling to request his Majesty to title me as the heir. Is it because in your heart, you actually also prefer Sun Yi Lin more. Just, because he was still small, you worry something might happen to him, so you purposefully suppressed him for me to see, letting me put down my guard. But in actuality, once the time matures, you will title him as your heir, letting my sacrifices all be in vain, and let me end up with nothing? Good thing I’ve long guarded against this. If everything was all done according to your instructions, then right now, wouldn’t I be just a puppet? Father, your age isn’t small anymore, it’s time for you to retire. Things like letting the Ding Duke Manor become even more glorious, just leave it to this son.”
“You animal!” The Ding Duke’s eyes nearly shot out from anger, his blood rushing forth, flushing his whole face red, as his hand slapped over.
Sun Yi Bin grabbed his hand and flung it aside, “Father, I hope that tomorrow, I can see the paperworks requesting his Majesty to title me as your heir. This son still has things to take care of, so will withdraw first.” Just as he reached the doorway, he suddenly turned around, “By the way mother, I suddenly feel the one you like the most is me. Else, why would you finally expose me today, despite clearly knowing my true colors. It’s been this many years already. Everything I want, I’ve already long grasped in hand. Saying all this now, simply doesn’t have any effect on me. On the contrary, I should even thank you. I no longer need to keep pretending in front of father, listening to him on everything, and following his orders. Being outwardly devoted, but inwardly in opposition, is still very tiring. Only when all things are decided by oneself, is it the most satisfying.”
When he entered, he still had the look of modest gentleman, but when he left, it was just like he’d taken off the chains on his body, becoming unrestrained and ostentatious.
Sun Yi Bin’s change, for the Ding Duke, was an unprecedented blow. Even when Sun Yi Lin disobeyed him, he at most was only angry. But now, his entire person looked as if he’d instantly aged ten years. What was damaged was his spirit, and he even showed signs of a stroke.
The Ding Duchess didn’t have that ice-cold sharpness from earlier either. Her expression was stupefied, as she fell back two steps, plopping down on the edge of Sun Yi Lin’s bed. After sitting for a good while, she finally blankly turned towards Sun Yi Lin, “Yi Lin, sorry, mother has let you down. If mother had said this earlier, perhaps, perhaps……..”
How was this not a blow towards the Ding Duchess. Sometimes, having the things hidden in one’s heart said out loud won’t always make one feel better. In reality, she was the one bearing the greatest pain, experiencing the torment. Both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh[1]. When she learned that her eldest son was actually that kind of a person, how would she not think of correcting him. But it was very obvious that in the end, she failed. That person, from the beginning to the end, never once thought himself to be in the wrong. Merely hinting it would only make him appear even more respectful on the surface. And if you were to clearly state it, perhaps he would just hide it even deeper, and give birth to even more malicious thoughts.
Compared to the two of them, who looked close to falling apart, Sun Yi Lin, aside from feeling certain of his previous decision, practically wasn’t affected at all. In fact, he wasn’t the slightest worried about whether or not Sun Yi Bin has already secretly gained control of the Ding Duke Manor as well as the Sun family. While Sun Yi Bin was brimming with confidence and seemingly already with power in hand, Sun Yi Lin strangely thought of Jin Qinwang, Li Hong Yuan.
Sun Yi Bin’s skills and abilities were indeed not small, but the Ding Duke wasn’t a fool either. Wanting to make some small maneuvers under his eyelids was still possible, but things like gaining control of the Ding Duke Manor, this kind of thing, was practically an enormous joke. Sun Yi Bin hasn’t been able to become the Ding Duke’s heir for a long time now. He didn’t even have the backing to feed others on the illusion. In addition to Sun Yi Lin becoming increasingly outstanding, even greatly receiving the Emperor’s trust and favor, even if the Ding Duke has been continuously supporting his eldest son, as long as his Majesty doesn’t approve, it was all useless. So for what reason would those people support Sun Yi Bin?
Sun Yi Bin’s confidence was nothing more than being able to coerce the Ding Duke to request for him the title of heir, letting him achieve his title in a perfectly legitimate way. And the ones that had the ability to impact this decision, aside from Sun Old Madam, was the elders of the Sun clan. They perhaps no longer had an official post, but they were also people that once held high positions and contributed to the Sun family. These people held high positions in the family hierarchy and were honored in the clan. Even the Ding Duke, as the head of the entire Sun clan, can’t disregard their opinions either. In fact, when they are lecturing, he even needed to respectfully listen. The Ding Duke Manor’s glory didn’t lack these people’s contributions.
“Mother, you didn’t do anything to apologize to me for. No matter what, he’s still your son after all. Don’t tell me you’re capable of pushing him onto a dead path? And aren’t I also perfectly fine right now as well? That’s why, you don’t need to feel guilty either.”
“Yi Lin, Yi Lin……..” The Ding Duchess could no longer hold back her tears. Why, even Yi Lin understood her painstaking efforts, yet that bastard was still unable to wake up.
Sun Yi Lin waited until the Ding Duchess finished crying, before finally turning towards the Ding Duke, who was in a dispirited state the entire time. “Father, since he wants the paperworks for requesting the heir title, when you return, just go write it for him.”
The Ding Duke, just like as if he was suddenly revived, nearly jumped up. His eyes widened liked a bell, “Now you don’t want to compete with him anymore? Are you scared of him and want to withdraw?”
Clearly, this appearance of his matched the phrase, ‘when things reach an extreme, they can only move in the opposite direction’. He was deceived too miserably, and further detested being stolen of his power for no reason at all. However much he had once cared for Sun Yi Bin was exactly how much he hated right now. Naturally, he wished for Sun Yi Lin to be able to strongly strike back and ruthlessly break down Sun Yi Bin’s arrogance.
“Yi Lin, you don’t need to be scared. You still have father. Father will request to title you as my heir. Father will give you the Ding Duke Manor.”
Sun Yi Lin mockingly smiled, “Not giving him the title of heir and suppressing him isn’t father, but rather his Majesty.” He confidently spoke, “Even if you give him the memorandum right now, I rather want to see, how great of an ability he has to be able to make his Majesty change his mind. Rather, it’s a shame for father to have wholeheartedly schemed for him, yet in the end, only to be suspected and doubted by him.”
Sun Yi Lin yet again sprinkled a handful of salt on the Ding Duke’s wound, making him tremble all over. Sun Yi Lin didn’t continue to say anything either.
The room once again sank into silence.
A good while later, the Ding Duke finally opened his mouth again, “Yi Lin, what do you intend to do?”
“Forgive me for not being able to inform father.” Sun Yi Lin coldly spoke.
[1] Idiom meaning ‘to both be of equal importance’.
