Lord Jun naturally never suspected that the evening's strangeness stemmed entirely from his grandson receiving a monumental advantage, and that no assassination attempt was actually underway! Instead, his mind kept leaping to other possibilities. He had heard that Jun Xie had gone to Moonfall Lake in the dead of night for a bath, and angrily went to sleep, only to be jolted awake by a cacophony of chaos. Upon inquiring, he discovered the problem originated with Jun Xie yet again, and immediately, a surge of fury erupted within him.

"I'm fine, perfectly fine, truly, perfectly fine." Jun Xie instinctively snatched the towel and covered his groin, his face flushed with embarrassment. Standing naked and exposed in the water, he was suddenly confronted by more than a dozen burly men, each looking down upon him with an unimpeded view. Even though Jun Xie possessed a thick skin and a steady temperament, he still found the situation almost unbearable.

"What are you covering up? With what little you possess, what is there to be shy about in front of your grandfather? Remember when you were little, your grandpa used to hold you with one hand while fondling your bits with the other," Jun Zhantian’s remark nearly choked Jun Xie unconscious.

Behind them, the half-dozen burly guards had their shoulders hunched, their rough faces entirely crimson, each panting heavily. Several stole furtive glances at the area the young master was shielding, exchanging knowing looks and winks, their expressions eager, as if they felt compelled to hold a comparison contest...

"Who did this?" Jun Zhantian's face darkened, cold as ice, murder flickering in his eyes.

"Eh?" Jun Xie was momentarily confused, then realized the implication and adopted an ashamed posture, bowing his head: "I didn't see clearly; I just collapsed."

"Useless!" Old Master Jun cursed irritably, his tone thick with disappointment. After taking a careful look at his grandson and confirming nothing was seriously wrong, his interest in watching his grandson's naked form vanished. His grandson's frail body possessed none of the bearing of a military descendant—he wasn't even as fair-skinned as a young maiden! Hmph! It was truly... He nodded helplessly: "Rest well." He turned and walked out, the contingent of guards following suit. Only then did Jun Xie let out a long breath, removing the towel from his lower region, his body slick with cold sweat.

The next day, Old Duke Jun Zhantian threw a tantrum in the Emperor's Golden Hall, furiously berating several Imperial Relatives, Grand Mentors, and Chief Ministers, his emotions highly agitated. He loudly declared that if anyone dared to attempt assassination against his only grandson again, each offending family would forfeit a life before any other discussions could proceed!

The Old Marshal, silent for ten years, once unleashed, silenced the entire court into a state of breathless awe, forcing even the reigning Emperor to speak softly and offer continuous placations.

However, some individuals lacked the sense to know when to remain silent. Song Shiyi, the father-in-law of the First Prince and the current Imperial Censor, was a newly elevated noble who had climbed to his position on the back of the First Prince's influence. He did not know the Old Duke well and, relying on the First Prince’s backing, dared to retort twice to Jun Zhantian. He then lodged a complaint with His Majesty, only to have his face immediately smashed into a pig's head by Jun Zhantian, costing him two teeth in the process.

The First Prince nervously stepped forward to mediate, but the Old Duke kicked him squarely in the abdomen, sending him rolling like a gourd. At that moment, not a single person dared to move. Finally, His Majesty intervened to smooth things over, personally guaranteeing the personal safety of the Third Young Master Jun henceforth. Only then did Jun Zhantian angrily sweep his robes and depart. As he left, he swept his gaze over the supporters of the various princes, causing every single one of them to tremble uncontrollably, their legs weak as noodles...

The Old Duke had not displayed his might for ten years; after a decade of inactivity, his sudden outburst sent the entire civil and military court into a humiliating panic! To openly resort to violence in the Golden Hall, even daring to attack a Prince—what else would he not dare to do?!

Only His Majesty, watching Jun Zhantian’s retreating back, sighed deeply from his heart. While Jun Zhantian’s display of temper today was indeed majestic; the Emperor now understood that the sole remaining Third Young Master of the Jun family had caused the Old Master complete and utter disappointment! Reflecting on Jun Zhantian’s past request to marry Princess Lingmeng, the Emperor now realized that must have been the Old Duke's final effort to preserve the bloodline of the Jun family.

And he had so ruthlessly rejected it at the time.

If Jun Moxie had shown even a shred of promise, Jun Zhantian would never have erupted in such a fury in the Grand Hall. His complete loss of control today was solely because the Old Master could no longer see any future for the Jun family! Jun Zhantian and the Jun family had countless enemies both domestically and abroad; as soon as he passed away, those enemies would certainly not spare his descendants.

Therefore, the Old Master had no hesitation in asserting his dominance to the extreme now! Whoever dares to touch my Jun family or my grandson, I will strike you first! Since the Jun family is already in this state, why should I continue to endure humiliation and bear burdens?!

Must the once-glorious Jun family, the former guardian deity of the Tianxiang Empire, truly decline into obscurity? The Emperor sighed, suddenly feeling a profound sense of regret. Perhaps back then, he shouldn't have...

Witnessing the Old Duke’s ferocity, the military veterans under him were all elated, and those who had been secretly plotting swiftly abandoned their original schemes. Even the First Prince, publicly humiliated, harbored no great resentment; if anyone was to blame, he could only blame his father-in-law for being obtuse and courting his own disgrace—had he not seen that this old fellow was half-mad?!

Of course, many still felt indignant. Could this old relic live forever? Once he suffocates his last breath, they would ensure the Jun family lineage was extinguished the very next day!

However, this sentiment remained confined to their thoughts for now. In the Tianxiang Empire, no power dared to openly challenge Old Duke Jun Zhantian while he was still alive!

Only...

The Grand Mentor and Chief Minister, Li Shang, watched the proceedings with cold detachment, uttering not a single word. But after Old Master Jun departed, he covertly frowned, his expression swiftly replaced by a smile. It seemed Jun Zhantian still maintained considerable support for his disappointing grandson. If that were the case, then Jun Moxie was Jun Zhantian's weakness? Such a vulnerability was far too easy to exploit; once a powerful individual possesses an obvious flaw, no matter how immense their own strength or how deeply rooted their foundation, they are no longer truly fearsome...

Unnoticed in a secluded corner, Grand Tutor Li exchanged a look with the Palace Guard General Meng Rufei across the way, both of them allowing a mysterious smile to touch the corners of their lips.

Meanwhile, back at the Jun residence, in Jun Xie's chamber.

The door shut, a shy, pretty face flushed scarlet, and the girl turned, attempting to flee.

"Are you very afraid of me?" Jun Xie wiped his body. Since this young maid had already seen everything, what difference would another look make? If the young girl didn't care, why should he, a grown man, be worried?

"Afraid." The maid hastily nodded, then realizing her error, quickly corrected herself: "No, no, no... afraid."

Jun Xie chuckled and stood up from the wooden basin, completely bare. The maid let out another shriek and covered her eyes.

Jun Xie quickly dressed and approached the girl, smiling gently: "You can open your eyes now; it's fine."

The maid slowly peeled open a sliver between her fingers, sneaking a look. Seeing that Jun Xie was indeed clothed, she finally removed both hands, her pretty face bright