"Damn it, Oscar! How dare you strike me! Don't forget, it was I who was robbed of my rightful position as heir! Everything I did, I did to reclaim what was mine!" Crown Prince Wilhelm erupted in fury, his voice tearing through the air with heart-rending rage.
"Your position as heir? No, that was never meant for you! My position as heir was given to me by Father and the entire people of the German Empire," QinTian sneered coldly.
"You're just quibbling! No matter how you spin it, you're nothing but a despicable, shameless thief!" Crown Prince Wilhelm's eyes burned with fiery wrath. If fury could kill, QinTian would have surely been reduced to ashes by now.
"You beast, you who murdered our father! You will pay for this; I will not spare you!" QinTian spat with venom.
Although Crown Prince Wilhelm was his elder brother, there was not a shred of familial bond between them. Moreover, Wilhelm's willingness to commit patricide proved the depth of his hatred. QinTian could not afford to let such a monster live. If left unchecked, Wilhelm would be like a ticking time bomb, capable of destroying him at any moment. For the sake of his own life, QinTian was determined to end this once and for all. This was an opportunity too perfect to squander. With Wilhelm having committed such a heinous crime, there was no reason not to remove him now.
"So what? Oscar, you still want to kill me? Yes, patricide is a grave sin, but you too are no saint! You killed your own brother, you're no better!" Wilhelm said with a triumphant sneer, as though he had outsmarted QinTian. He believed that, in his quest to ascend the throne of the German Empire, QinTian could not afford to stain his hands with such a crime. He thought that, no matter what, his life would be spared.
"Dream on! I tell you now, you are as good as dead. The court will pass judgment on you, and justice will be done!" QinTian declared, his voice unwavering. He understood Wilhelm's thoughts, but no matter what, he would not allow him to succeed.
"You—Damn you, Oscar! You can't do this! I am your elder brother! Fine, I won't contest the throne with you anymore. Let me live, I beg you! Besides, my killing of Father is to your benefit as well. Don't burn the bridge after crossing it!" Wilhelm screamed, his voice raw with desperation.
"Hmph! Scum!" QinTian coldly retorted.
"O-Oscar, I did nothing! I didn't kill Father! This whole thing—it wasn't my fault! It was Big Brother who forced me into this!" Prince Eitel Friedrich begged pitifully.
Hearing the murderous intent in QinTian's words, he feared for his life and quickly attempted to plead for mercy.
"Hmph! You too, Second Brother, even if you weren't the mastermind, you are certainly an accomplice. You played no small part in this rebellion. Otherwise, Father would never have been killed," QinTian said, his eyes cold as he looked at his second brother. After Crown Prince Wilhelm had been reduced to a vegetative state, Eitel Friedrich had made a push to claim the position of heir, but had failed. That failure had festered into resentment. Though QinTian had not pursued him at the time, now that he had joined in the rebellion, QinTian could not allow it to slide.
"Oscar, you can't do this!" Prince Eitel Friedrich pleaded desperately.
But QinTian paid him no mind.
"Your Highness, this is all a misunderstanding! I was deceived by Prince Wilhelm. Please, believe me, I had no intention of joining the rebellion," Duke of Württemberg interjected, hastily stepping forward.
Though he found it shameful to beg a young man like QinTian, the Duke had no choice. For his own life and for the future of the Württemberg royal family, he had to submit.
"Hmph! Duke, do you think I will believe you?" QinTian sneered.
The Duke had once tried to recall the Fourth Army to the homeland, a move that, if successful, would have thrown the German Empire into disarray. Had he succeeded, the empire would have suffered greatly.
"Your Highness, please believe me! If you spare me, I swear on my life, from this day forth, the House of Württemberg will be loyal to you alone," the Duke pled, his voice trembling with urgency.
But QinTian was resolute. The various states of the German Empire had some degree of autonomy, a relic of past efforts to ensure unity. But now, those very royal families had become obstacles to the empire's future. QinTian knew that to secure a truly strong central government, he would need to weaken their power. The Duke had practically delivered himself into QinTian's hands, and he could not let this opportunity slip by. If handled correctly, the House of Württemberg could be uprooted entirely, turned into a direct imperial territory or a state. There was no way he would let the Duke escape.
General Prittwitz, too, wept bitterly, begging for his life. But to QinTian, men like him were nothing more than insignificant pawns. Even so, he knew better than to underestimate them. Sometimes, these seemingly insignificant figures could wreak havoc. QinTian did not wish to have any regrets later.
It was General Graf, the commander of the Imperial Guard, who remained resolute. Yet, since he had participated in the rebellion, his fate was sealed.
After all the conspirators were removed and secured under heavy guard, QinTian, along with his officials, went to pay their respects to the late Emperor Wilhelm II. Though the temperature was still moderate, the body would soon begin to rot if left unattended.
Prime Minister Bülow and others were already making arrangements for Wilhelm II's funeral.
QinTian left these matters to them and went upstairs to see Empress Victoria. Though their relationship had not been the best, she was, after all, the mother of this body—especially in such troubled times.
"Mother, are you well? Please accept my condolences," QinTian said softly.
"Oscar, you're back... Oh God! I never imagined such a thing would happen. How could Prince Wilhelm do this? He killed his own father!" Empress Victoria burst into tears.
QinTian could only offer her what comfort he could.
"Oscar, I know that Prince Wilhelm has committed an unforgivable crime, but... can you show him mercy?" Empress Victoria suddenly implored.