Chapter 26 (1/2)

As the Emperor was enraged, Bipaan had no choice but to reply.

“That’s true, Your Majesty!”

“Crown Prince!”

Thump!

The Emperor hit the armrest of his chair with his hands strongly. The sound resonated throughout the large executive office.

@media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}

“It is clear that you don’t want to be the next emperor, right? Don’t you know how dangerous it is to succeed the throne without offspring?” Ohyulje shouted.

Bipaan sneered at him in his heart, though. The Emperor told him not to reveal his genuine feelings, but he now openly got enraged and expressed his surging anger at Bipaan. But Bipaan meekly accepted his severe rebuke with a poker face.

By the time Ohyulje calmed down finally. Bipaan said quietly, “Your Majesty, too many princes could bring about the clouds of blood through fierce fighting.”

Bipaan’s remarks implied a veiled criticism of the Emperor. In fact, Ohyulje had several brothers, and he had only succeeded the throne by killing them all.

Clenching his fists after hearing Bipaan’s implicit criticism, Ohyulje reacted instantly, “So, what are you going to do about your offspring?”

@media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}

At his asking Bipaan replied, as if he didn’t need to think twice about it, “I’m going to install my prince brother as my successor.”

Bipaan replied without any hesitation. In fact, Bipaan had set up his own plan on the next successor long time ago. And now he felt it was about time that the emperor knew about his plan in detail.

“I’m not going to have another concubine. And as I have no son to succeed my throne, his mother won’t have any chance to intervene in politics. I’m going to strengthen my authority as the emperor to manage state affairs with only the power of the emperor through tough governance. After I, as a strong ruler, build up the Mok Kingdom as a rich and powerful country not to be swayed by the political turbulences in and outside the country, I’m going to hand over my power to the successor. As the previous emperor was a stern and dignified one, the next emperor would further develop the Mok Kingdom governed by the emperor’s authority in terms of cultural power. Generally speaking, a country relying too much on military power is lacking in cultural governance, while a country dependent on arts and literature is easily susceptible to the politics of pleasure. So, I’m going to build a country with the right mix of military power and rich culture.”

“If that’s the case, who do you have in mind as your successor?”

“He’s Prince Ruhae.”

There was a silence between the Emperor and Bipaan.

And Ohyulje made a hearty laugh, patting his knee.

“Pahaaaaaaa!”

Ohyulje felt he had a cold sweat on his back. He was surprised by his son’s eloquence and thorough political calculation. If Bipaan had been one of his brothers, not his son, he could not have succeeded the throne, Ohyulje thought to himself.

Bipaan was already convinced that he would succeed the throne of the Emperor. Besides, he already decided on his next successor. What he told Ohyulje about his succession plan was only a very small part of it in abstract terms. As Ohyulje could not figure out what Bipaan had in his mind since childhood, he was just amazed about Bipaan’s grand plan on the ruling of the Mok Kingdom and his successor.

Besides, Bipaan evaluated the abilities of his brothers better than Ohyulje.

“An emperor who can raise the cultural power of the Mok Kingdom?’

In Ohyuje’s mind, only Ruhae could make the Mok Kingdom a strong cultural power, but Ruhae was too meek to exercise dignity as the emperor. However, if Bipaan could develop the emperor’s tyrannical governance before he handed over his power to Ruhae, the latter would have no problem succeeding the throne. In that respect, Biaapn was not just concerned about his own power as the next emperor. He was already thinking about the future of the Mok Kingdom.

Looking down at his son with a poker face, Ohyulje felt fearful, but he quietly stared at him without expressing his feelings at all.

“Crown Prince, don’t leave the Crown Princess and Princess lonely too long. Don’t you know the proverb that if a woman bears a grudge against a man, frost falls even in May and June?”

Cracking jokes like that, Ohyulje tried to change the topic. At the same time, he pressured Bipaan furtively.

@media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}