Now you come to me for a decision? The current situation has long since slipped beyond my control. How can I possibly make a decision there? How dare I make a decision?!

"Your Majesty seems troubled?" Mr. Wen, who had just returned from the outside after witnessing firsthand the slaughter wrought by Jun Moxie, casually raised his head, his insightful gaze fixed upon the Emperor, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Is it concerning... Jun Moxie?"

"Precisely."

The Emperor sighed mournfully, pacing to the window, gazing out at the setting sun, motionless for a long time.

"In truth, Your Majesty need not worry so much. In the long run, this might not be such a bad thing." Mr. Wen was silent for a moment, then his face brightened. "While the Jun family's influence is currently immense, it has, one might say, grown too large—it has exceeded a certain threshold. Seen from this angle, it is actually less of a threat to the Imperial House..."

"Exceeded a certain threshold? Less of a threat?" The Emperor frowned. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Indeed. If the Jun family had developed gradually, step by step, solidifying their foundation until they matched the Murong lineage, and then combined that with absolute political dominance, they could indeed overturn the heavens; even changing the dynasty would not be difficult. But the speed at which the Jun family's power has surged is truly astonishing. In barely three or four months, they leaped from being a grassroots family, a mere secular noble house, to the pinnacle of the current era's super-aristocratic families... Heh, Your Majesty knows where the seats of super-aristocratic families have always lain throughout history?"

Mr. Wen smiled languidly. "And families of this caliber possess a unique characteristic: they hold little interest in the so-called 'throne' or 'imperial power.' I believe that once the Jun family settles down for a period, they will inevitably begin to fade from the courtly affairs. They will watch the vicissitudes of the world from above the clouds, viewing the shifting winds with detachment. This is the immutable law of history; all super-aristocratic families follow it, without exception!"

"Because what super-aristocratic families pursue is not the transient brilliance of a single era, but the eternal continuation spanning millennia! The freedom to laugh at worldly changes, and the exhilaration of secretly grasping the reins of destiny!"

"Therefore, Your Majesty only needs to choose temporary forbearance. Wait until this parvenu-like super-aristocratic family exhausts its show of might, tires of flaunting its prestige, and it will naturally find its proper place. Moreover, having such a super-aristocratic family within the borders of Tianxiang Kingdom serves as a tremendous deterrent to neighboring nations! The reason the matter of Jun Moxie and Uncle Ling's wife caused such an uproar this time was not only due to the Jun family's old rivals, but also because other nations sensed this threat, which is why they seized the opportunity to cause trouble. Even if the Jun family cannot be eliminated, the Tianxiang Imperial House must be made to fall out with them. Otherwise..."

He chuckled softly. "Such a trifling personal affair—even if it involved moral corruption on the part of Uncle Ling's wife—how could it escalate so dramatically? Was Jun Moxie's reputation previously spotless? Your Majesty has always been astute; why are you deliberating only on the worst outcomes this time? If Your Majesty can successfully quell this incident, even if Jun Moxie remains ungrateful and refuses to acknowledge Your Majesty's favor, Jun Zhantian, that old man, and Jun Wuyi will certainly be indebted to Your Majesty..."

"How could I not know all this?" The Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, his expression desolate. "But the core issue isn't there. The biggest problem lies with... the Blood Sword Hall..."

"The Blood Sword Hall? I recall Your Majesty mentioning previously that the Blood Sword Hall is one of the secret core forces under Your Majesty's command. Knowing this, and combining it with Xiao Buyu's testimony from this incident, Mr. Wen can broadly guess the truth of the matter: the demise of the brothers Jun Wuhui and Jun Wumeng... However... the Jun family still has no concrete evidence! And for now, Jun Zhantian and Jun Wuyi still hold the final say within the Jun family... But those two possess deep affection and... profound attachments to the Tianxiang Nation..."

Mr. Wen smiled. "Your Majesty... it is hard to leave one's cherished land! Jun Moxie may not care, but Jun Zhantian cannot ignore it. Therefore, there is still room for maneuver regarding this matter."

"Room for maneuver... room..." The Emperor's eyes lit up.

"Precisely. The events of that year happened long ago. Although Your Majesty never revealed anything, how could the shrewd Jun Zhantian and Jun Wuyi not harbor suspicions? You must know that no matter how powerful the Blood Sword Hall is, it is, after all, merely a clandestine force! How could it influence the army?... Yet, the Jun father and son suspected for ten years but never acted, nor even sought revenge... Does Your Majesty know why?" Mr. Wen’s expression was calm, full of confidence.

"Why?"

"I believe the Jun family wasn't entirely unconcerned about Your Majesty! It's because this entire family—those living and those passed—have done far, far too much for Tianxiang! Doing too much is the reason!"

Mr. Wen emphasized gravely: "For decades, the Jun family has been the very pillar of Tianxiang! They are practically the greatest contributors to saving and building Tianxiang. The current territory of tens of thousands of miles, the population exceeding a hundred million people—all this peace and happiness is interwoven with the blood, tears, sweat, and merit of the Jun family. It is as if generations of the Jun family exhausted countless efforts to bring about this reality."

Mr. Wen smiled freely. "Your Majesty, putting yourself in their shoes: if you had done so much for this nation, sacrificing two generations of life and effort, would you truly have the heart to personally destroy all of it? To destroy yourself?"

"Indeed! The Jun family prides itself on being a benevolent house; they absolutely would not do such a thing!" A sharp glint flashed in the Emperor's eyes, and his heart suddenly felt expansive.

He paced back and forth excitedly, his face regaining its luster.

"However, regarding certain matters, certain explanations must still be given... Your Majesty, allow me to give you one more crucial word!" Mr. Wen smiled mysteriously, slashing his hand downwards. "Abandon!"

"Abandon?!" The Emperor's body shook. The joyous expression had barely faded before confusion clouded his face. "Abandon?" Bitter feelings churned in his heart. Those were his most elite forces, who had rendered countless meritorious services for him over the years! For his throne, those men had thrown everything aside. The Jueye Family, shaking the Jun Family—these individuals were undeniably supremely meritorious, and moreover, utterly loyal subordinates!

Truly, must he cast them away?

"Yes, abandon! You cannot not abandon, you must abandon!" Mr. Wen stated without hesitation. "If you do not abandon the Blood Sword Hall, you must confront the Jun family head-on. But can the Jun family currently withstand a direct confrontation? Do they dare to? If the situation continues to deteriorate, the throne might be secondary; Your Majesty’s life, the safety of the entire Tianxiang Imperial House..."

The Emperor’s face darkened, and his body suddenly swayed twice.

"Abandoning the Blood Sword Hall is not for Jun Zhantian, nor for Jun Wuyi. It is for Jun Moxie!" Mr. Wen sighed. "Jun Zhantian and Jun Wuyi poured their lives into Tianxiang; their devotion to Tianxiang is unquestionable! Even from a purely human perspective, those two would never push things too far! Even if they knew that Jun Wuhui and the others were Your Majesty's design, they likely wouldn't be too... extreme! This is because the Jun family’s efforts, their heart's work, Jun Zhantian's entire life, and Jun Wuyi's half-life, were all dedicated to the Tianxiang Nation! Even the lives of Jun Wuhui and Jun Wumeng, and the deaths of the other two Jun youths, were all for the sake of Tianxiang!"

"Tianxiang Nation is essentially the Jun family's spiritual pillar, the culmination of their lifelong endeavors, and their greatest solace!"

"I believe even if Jun Zhantian truly learned the full truth and grasped the concrete evidence, Your Majesty would only need to bestow lavish rewards, offer an apology, and swear an oath of eternal loyalty or similar promises... I believe they would hold their noses and accept it. This wouldn't be for official positions, but for the nation and its people. Your Majesty, I am absolutely certain: Jun Zhantian and Jun Wuyi are exactly the type of heroic men dedicated to state and people! Loyal, blood-and-guts men. Therefore, these two can be overlooked."

"But Jun Moxie is different. Completely different! It must be said this young man truly bears the traits of his father. Before personally leading troops, Jun Wuhui also appeared profoundly wise yet foolish, never showing his hand, never revealing his talent. Now, thinking back, hasn't Jun Moxie been the same? Emerging suddenly just six months ago, this former profligate wastrel has swept like an unrestrained whirlwind, from Tianxiang City all the way to the Southern Frontier! While in Tianxiang, he could likely still be contained, but upon returning from the Southern Frontier this time, he is already fully winged! A fledgling eagle stretching its wings—though still immature, its body is already soaring in the highest heavens, looking down upon the world. What hero in the world would dare stand against him!"

"Furthermore, this young man's disposition is cruel; since his debut, he has openly sought vengeance for the slightest offense! He is also ruthless and cold-blooded, decisive and firm in his actions, without a trace of hesitation—truly not to be underestimated! Coupled with his powerful backing, he has no scruples whatsoever; he acts entirely as he pleases, scorning the masses! It can be seen from his entry into the city today that human lives, no matter whose they are, mean nothing in his eyes! He simply does not care for bloodshed, nor does he concern himself with sin! Such a person is the most terrifying! Your Majesty may not fear Jun Zhantian and Jun Wuyi possessing concrete evidence of the past events, but if this young man gains even a sliver of evidence, then all is lost!"

"Is there truly no other way besides abandoning them? I truly..." The Emperor's face turned pale, yet he clenched his fists, seemingly having made a decision.

"This is the most pragmatic method, and the safest! Dealing with someone like Jun Moxie... No! Guarding against someone like Jun Moxie requires one crucial thing: absolutely never letting him grasp even a shred of leverage, not even a tiny bit! Your Majesty, you must understand, the greatest difference between Jun Moxie and the Jun Zhantian father-son pair lies in this: he has absolutely no feeling whatsoever for Tianxiang... And, based on this recent period... Jun Moxie... he..." In Mr. Wen's eyes, a strange look appeared, one that resembled... apprehension!

"He what?" the Emperor asked.

"He regards all living beings with extreme indifference... He essentially does not treat people as human beings! He is purely cold-blooded! The calmness when he kills, the ease with which he tortures—I have observed him closely, from beginning to end, his eyes never changed in the slightest! You must know, even when slaughtering chickens or dogs, there is always some ripple in the eyes, a flicker of ferocity, but Jun Moxie shows no such reaction. He might show emotion on his face, but his eyes remain utterly placid! For him, killing is like... being hungry and needing to eat—as if it were utterly natural."