Dugu Wudi’s face turned black, tinged with purple, as he violently slapped down a stack of bank notes, feeling an unbearable blockage in his chest; it was incredibly hard to imagine that the son raised by Jun Wuhui, that peerless general who once commanded armies across vast territories, could be such a scoundrel.

Jun Mo Xie rose and walked out, returning shortly afterward with several large men trailing behind him, each man carrying a large jar of wine. "There, seven jars. Make sure each of them washes down a few extra bowls. The more they can hold, the better! Once the alcohol in their stomachs is neutralized, they'll be fine."

A wine-induced stupor requires an initial wash-down with more wine to be effective.

"Are you kidding me?" Dugu Wudi roared in fury. "Do you think I haven't tried this method? I’ve already forced plenty down them—it’s useless! Whatever they drink, they immediately vomit up!"

"What do you know? The reason they're drunk is because they secretly drank my exclusive, supreme-grade Wine Source. Just one measure of it can be used to dilute an entire jar of new wine—the potency is unimaginable! Each of them drank at least one bowl, how could they not be drunk! This is despite their superior physique and considerable Xuan Qi cultivation. If an ordinary person drank that much supreme Wine Source, they might well have died of poisoning. Using standard hangover cures simply won't work. Even if you know to use wine to dilute and neutralize the reaction in their stomachs, this wine of mine, even when diluted, is far superior to any common fine wine in the world. Naturally, it’s hard to neutralize! Only the original wine slurry I brewed myself, and which I have already processed, can achieve a seamless, fusion effect! Only then can it cure the drunkenness! Do you understand? Even if you lack knowledge, you should possess common sense; if you lack common sense, you must have some insight, right? And you call yourself an Imperial Grand General!" Jun Mo Xie spared no mercy.

"Even if what you say is true, there’s no need for seven jars of wine, is there? There are only seven men. Two jars at most would suffice for each! Aren't you blatantly trying to extort me?" Dugu Wudi truly could not grasp the difference between a Wine Source intoxication and a regular wine drunkenness. He was forced to steer away from that topic. This was an astronomical price: ten thousand taels of silver per jar!

"My wine hasn't even officially opened for business yet. Today counts as the opening day," Jun Mo Xie said with a sly smile, weighing the bank notes in his hand. "So, I’m practically selling it to you at a bargain. You might not even get this price again in the future!"

Dugu Wudi left with a dark face; he genuinely didn't want to stay a moment longer, terrified he would lose control of his temper and attack this brat right in front of Elder Master Jun. What an absolute rogue.

"This time, I hear you provoked that girl from the Dugu family?" Elder Master Jun smiled kindly, his eyes narrowing, filled with the look of a man eager to hold a great-grandchild.

"Grandpa, please stop it. I'm trying to avoid that savage girl! I’m just wondering why their whole family came looking for me, claiming I bullied his daughter..." Jun Mo Xie sighed in genuine grievance, "It was clearly his daughter bullying me! Truly unreasonable!"

"What's unreasonable about that? It’s quite simple: that girl has clearly taken a liking to you." The old man smiled with the cunning air of an old fox. "If that girl hadn't taken a liking to you, they wouldn't be causing such a fuss. Dugu Zongheng, that old rascal, has calculated everything from start to finish. He pretends to be foolish every day—humph! How could this old man not see through his sly intentions?"

"What sly intentions?" Jun Mo Xie was greatly puzzled, genuinely unaware of the matter.

"Dugu Xiaoyi has taken a liking to you, you simpleton. On one hand, the Dugu Clan doesn't want you as their son-in-law; on the other, His Majesty wouldn't permit you to marry into the Dugu family either. That much should be obvious, right?" Jun Zhantian stroked his beard.

"I understand that, of course. If the two great military families of the Tianxiang Empire intermarry, it poses too great a threat to the Imperial Household," Jun Mo Xie nodded, looking somewhat enlightened.

"You still don't understand!" The old man was slightly exasperated; why did his grandson have to be so obtuse about such matters?

"But the Dugu Clan has also prepared for the worst-case scenario. If Dugu Xiaoyi insists, to the point of dying if she can't marry you, they start by kicking up a fuss like this. Then, they'll find an excuse to trouble you again; after that, the two families will have a very public, yet discreetly staged, fight—a false confrontation, essentially. Does that clarify things? It lets His Majesty understand that even though the Jun family has married the Dugu family's favorite daughter, the two houses have thoroughly fallen out. At that point, there won't be any trouble; instead, His Majesty, to prevent a genuine internal conflict, will personally act as matchmaker for you two. Still not getting it? Dugu Zongheng sent his grandchildren to stir things up to ensure that, no matter how things develop later, he has already made preparations! That old fellow must be feeling quite pleased with himself right now. Humph!" The old man became agitated. "That old coot Dugu Zongheng thinks he can play me for a fool, yet he doesn't realize I can see through this little scheme of his. Even I can spot it; the man has no subtlety whatsoever—what an idiot! If I hadn't prepared in advance, I might have been implicated by that old fool."

Jun Mo Xie sputtered in shock, completely dumbfounded. He truly couldn't imagine what these old men obsessed over all day—all these twists and turns—even he, a transmigrator, couldn't keep up with their thought processes.

"Put more effort into it," Elder Master Jun winked and fiercely encouraged his grandson. "Whether you marry her or not can wait. Getting me a great-grandchild right now is the most pressing matter at hand."

Jun Mo Xie broke out in a cold sweat. What kind of grandfather is this? It’s hard for a grandson not to turn bad when he acts like this. Anyway, if something goes wrong, it’s Dugu Zongheng’s headache; it won't affect our Jun family at all. Who cares which little girl likes my grandson! The old master was extremely irresponsible. "Let's talk about the present. You, young man, are incredibly sought after right now. All three princes are vying to curry favor with you. Tsk, tsk, how impressive."

"Can’t be helped; I’m handsome. Even men want to look twice," Jun Mo Xie stroked his chin, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Indeed, you’re quite handsome. You’re of Jun family stock; how could you not be handsome?" Far from despising Jun Mo Xie's narcissism, Jun Zhantian was equally absorbed in the thought. "However, whether you're handsome or not has nothing to do with the current situation. It only matters to those few young ladies. You need to think about how to handle these three. I'm telling you, none of these three are easy to deal with; once they latch onto you, you’ll never shake them off. Don't think that just because you have a little cunning, they can't still ensnare you! Understand?"

"En, I understand. Actually, my plan is..." Jun Mo Xie hadn't intended to share, but figured he should prepare the old man first.

"You don't need to tell me your specific plan; that's your own business, your personal conduct, got it? It has nothing to do with our Jun family. As long as you have a plan yourself, that’s enough. I have no interest!" Unexpectedly, the old man cut him off before he could finish, waving his hand decisively before walking away with his hands clasped behind his back.

Jun Mo Xie was left speechless with frustration. If you don't want to know, then why ask? I was struggling internally about whether to confide in you, and you just blew the chance.

Young Master Jun shook his head and returned to his small courtyard, only to see that the long-absent Fatty Tang was waiting with anxious expectation.

It truly had been a long time. Since their last parting, the great assassin Jun had been busy treating Third Master Jun’s injuries, overseeing his recovery, and indulging in social errands. It had been over a month since he had seen this good friend, and truthfully, he had missed him somewhat!

However, that feeling of missing him vanished the moment they met again.

A massive lump of flesh was relentlessly questioning a small loli: "When is he coming back?" Then again: "Why isn’t he back yet?" And finally: "Did he die out there?"

The little maidservant, Ke'er, nervously received Tang Yuan. She was genuinely frightened of this exceedingly fat man with a seemingly fierce face, afraid that if he turned around suddenly, he might trip and fall. If he crushed her with his bulk, given her small frame, she certainly wouldn't be able to withstand it—she might even be instantly flattened.

"Fatty Tang, what are you doing here again?" Jun Mo Xie held three invitation cards, feeling as if he were clutching three live grenades. Had these three brothers conspired to send posts at the exact same time? What was going on? While already troubled, seeing this sickening layer of fat made him immediately irritable.

"Waaah!" Young Master Mo, you're back! You must give your brother some advice; your brother won't survive! I’ll never see Young Master Mo again!" Tang Yuan wept, snot dripping. "If you don't give me advice this time, I'll... I'll..."

"You'll do what? You'll eat one more meal? You won't survive? Hurry up and find a good auspicious spot to end it all, why come bothering me!" Jun Mo Xie plopped down onto a chair opposite him, tilting his head to look at him. "Fatty, just spit it out. Stop with the melodrama. What trouble have you gotten into now? Suddenly he slapped his thigh, "Did you lose your wife in a bet again?!"

"Damn it!" Tang Yuan cursed loudly. "Am I that kind of person?"

"If you won't talk, I'm going to sleep," Jun Mo Xie made a move to rise.

"Wait! My esteemed master! You are my true great master, my elder brother! You absolutely must give me advice on this, or I’ll truly be finished," Tang Yuan urgently stopped him.

"Hurry up and say something serious. Your Young Master is very busy and has no time for your stalling," Jun Mo Xie drawled.

"Alas, it’s too painful to recall, Young Master Mo. My grandfather wants to send me to the Palace. Wuwu..." Tang Yuan wailed.

"What? Your grandfather wants you to become a eunuch?! Your grandfather is too open-minded!" Jun Mo Xie jolted, sitting bolt upright, his eyes wide as saucers.

"You idiot, who said anything about a eunuch!" Tang Yuan bristled with indignation. "Are there no other positions in the Imperial Palace besides eunuchs?"

"Of course, there are other positions, but none suit you quite as well. This one barely scrapes by as a suitable option!" Jun Mo Xie stroked his chin, his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"What do you mean? You think I’m only fit to be a eunuch? You’re making me furious!" Tang Yuan was utterly heartbroken, on the verge of tears.

"Then you tell me, what are your strengths?! What position could you possibly hold?" Jun Mo Xie ignored the furious and grieving Fatty Tang, smiling faintly.

"I have many strengths, for example..." Fatty Tang tried to list things for a long time but couldn't manage a single example!

"Stop trying to list them. Your grandfather wants you to substitute for Murong Qianjun’s position, right?" Seeing the fatty so embarrassed, Jun Mo Xie stopped teasing him, glancing at him with a knowing, half-smile.

"Yes! You hit the nail right on the head!" Tang Yuan slapped his thigh, then his face crumpled again. "My father, I don't know how he managed it before, but he said he had already smoothed over the connections and cleared all the hurdles. All that's left is passing the inspection conducted by the iron-faced Chief Eunuch Zhu. After that, the matter should be settled. What do you think I should do?"