Tang Wanli’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth agape; the sudden sound of the war drums was so startling that it momentarily eclipsed the intense shame and discomfort he had just felt. His entire mind was consumed by one thought: Jun Zhantian had gone mad! Why was this old fool losing his mind now, when the Jun family was at its weakest?

“Everyone immediately return to the Tang residence! Those holding military office are to proceed first, quickly change your attire, and report for duty! The rest of you are forbidden to step outside the gate without my explicit order!” Old Master Tang made a swift decision, issuing a series of commands.

Instantly, dozens of men bowed in salute, turned, and rushed away, their speed surpassing anything they could normally muster.

The sounding of the Jujiang Drum (Assembly Drum) at this hour signified that the situation had escalated to a critically dangerous level. No one dared to doubt that if a single officer was late by even a minute tonight, the consequence would be decapitation! Jun Zhantian’s military discipline was unmatched throughout the entire Tianxiang Kingdom!

Anyone who defied the general’s order—be they a Duke, Marquis, high official, scion of a noble house, or even a direct descendant of the Emperor—would be summarily executed without mercy!

Hoofbeats sounded rapidly from every direction, surging like a tide toward the grand training grounds at the city's center; all were clad in gleaming armor, faces etched with urgency, their whips constantly cracking against the warhorses they usually cherished more than their own lives. They galloped as if carrying messages of utmost emergency across eight hundred li.

“My Lord, how should we deal with these remaining riffraff?” a Tang manor expert asked, gesturing toward the surviving members of the North City Gang.

“Take them all back. Interrogate them one by one!” Old Master Tang said, though he held little hope this would be effective, still grasping at a slim chance.

As waves of horses thundered past, the clear, piercing sound of military bugles erupted simultaneously from all military camps, both inside and outside the city. All troops were to assemble urgently, maintain the highest state of readiness, and await the return of their commanders from the appointing platform before immediately deploying!

Old Master Jun was going insane!

This was absolutely true.

It had been a full half-hour since Princess Lingmeng dispatched two envoys to the Jun residence, following the assassination attempt. Old Master Jun was in his study, reading, a look of serene satisfaction on his aged face. His grandson, the prodigal son, had finally reformed, turning over a new leaf. And judging by his drive and tenacity, not even half of the noble scions in the entire Tianxiang City could compare to him.

Seeing such a massive glimmer of hope and a turnaround for the Jun family at this moment of decline, how could Old Master Jun not feel immense comfort in his twilight years?

Just as his mood reached its peak of pleasantness, the butler, Old Pang, knocked lightly and entered with a grave expression. He reported that Princess Lingmeng had sent people to speak with the Master about urgent matters.

Jun Zhantian immediately granted an audience. But when he saw the guard, covered head to toe in filth and blood, the old man’s heart lurched. From the guard’s stuttering, evasive replies, Old Master Jun felt an increasing sense of dread; his aged face grew darker and more severe. Old Pang’s worried presence behind him only heightened Jun Zhantian’s apprehension…

Under a barrage of relentless questioning, the guard finally managed to utter the devastating words: “The corpse of Young Master Jun the Third… is missing…”

This single sentence struck Jun Zhantian like ten thousand thunderclaps erupting simultaneously from the heavens. His massive frame swayed precariously, and his face instantly turned ashen. He staggered backward without a sound, and in an instant, he lost all breath!

Old Pang was greatly alarmed, but fortunately, he was prepared. A quick press of the philtrum and a sharp slap to the chest brought the old Master back to consciousness. The guard, meanwhile, knelt trembling on the floor, daring not to move an inch. Everyone knew the status of the notorious Young Master Jun Moxie in Old Master Jun’s heart; a single misstep from the guard could easily cost him his life!

When Old Master Jun awoke, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his complexion instantly becoming utterly ashen, his eyes dimming. Yet, the words he spoke were still clear and low: “What exactly happened? Tell me slowly, without omitting a single detail.” Though his voice was hushed, the weight behind his words pressed down like towering mountains.

The guard, already pale with terror, recounted the events bit by bit. During the telling, Old Master Jun maintained a grim expression, speaking not a word. Finally, when the guard finished, Jun Zhantian weakly waved a hand: “You may go.”

The guard felt as if granted amnesty, retreating with a shudder, only to realize his entire body was soaked in sweat!

In the study, Jun Zhantian closed his eyes, tilted his head back towards the ceiling. His throat worked visibly, and a single tear traced a path from the corner of his wrinkled eye…

If Jun Xie had remained the dissolute, reckless wastrel he once was—the former Jun Moxie—and this incident had occurred, Old Master Jun would not have been so devastated. He would have been long resigned to disappointment, and transitioning to despair now would be no great shock; the decline of the Jun family would simply be confirmed sooner.

But the crux of the matter was that Jun Zhantian had only just witnessed his grandson’s astonishing transformation, had just seen the dawn, the hope, and was at the height of his exhilaration and paternal pride, filled with boundless dreams for the Jun family’s future. This sudden news instantly plunged Old Master Jun into an abyss from which he might never return!

Given the drastic reversal, the fact that Old Master Jun did not go mad on the spot was a testament to his immense self-control.

Moxie died while delivering a warning to Princess Lingmeng, was the Master’s first deduction.

The assassin’s target was Princess Lingmeng. Who would dare such a feat? Only the three Imperial Princes, or perhaps hostile foreign powers. Currently, the position of Crown Prince was unsettled, and with the three princes vying for the throne, foreign nations would prefer to see them embroiled in conflict. Thus, it was unlikely they would commit such an extreme act at this juncture. Therefore, the three princes were the most likely suspects! This was the second deduction!

Thirdly, the Princess was the main target, yet Moxie died while the Princess survived! This suggests something peculiar. Could it be assassins hired by Moxie’s known enemies, the Li and Meng families, deliberately staging the event? Was the assassination attempt on the Princess merely a smokescreen?! This was the third deduction.

The messenger, Moxie, was dead, while the endangered Princess was unharmed. This implied that although Moxie had delivered the message, the Princess had clearly not deployed her guards to protect him; all available martial strength was focused on protecting her, leaving Moxie to be killed so easily! This was the fourth deduction!

The more Jun Zhantian thought, the colder his expression became, his gaze growing sharper, eventually twisting into ferocity!

Why should my grandson die for delivering a good-natured warning, while that woman inexplicably lives?!

I, Jun Zhantian, joined the army in my youth, fought in a thousand battles! I carved out a Dukedom from a million corpses, rendering monumental service to the Empire—no one in the entire nation can compare! I have three sons and three grandsons; two sons sacrificed themselves for the nation, my youngest son was crippled for life, and two grandsons died mysteriously on the battlefield. Now, my only remaining bloodline has also perished while protecting a Royal Princess…

The Jun family, renowned for its loyalty and sacrifice, was now without descendants! If that is the case, what is left for me to cherish? It is all over anyway, so why not let everyone who opposed my Jun family perish with me?!

Jun Zhantian let out a desolate laugh, which grew louder and louder. As he laughed, tears streamed down his face. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet, his eyes blazing like lightning and thunder, shot through with crimson veins. He cast a cold glance toward the night outside the window, then slowly walked to the portrait of his deceased wife. He stood ramrod straight, gazing for a long time. His lips parted as if to speak, but nothing came out. He reached out a hand, brushing the empty air, perhaps feeling for something, perhaps offering a final farewell…

Old Master Jun narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly forcing back an immense tide of emotion. He spun around abruptly, snatched the personal longsword that had gathered dust on the wall for years, and strode out with his imposing figure, his white hair flowing wildly, never looking back!

The moment he turned, two large, ancient tears fell, splashing onto the floor and shattering into glittering fragments!

In the portrait on the wall, a kind-faced old woman continued to smile unchangingly, her eyes seeming to pierce beyond the frame, extending into the distance. A gust of night wind slipped through the window, causing the painted silk to ripple, as if making a futile gesture of retention…