82 Just Do It?! (1/2)
Jun Zhan Tian did not speak but in his heart, he was silently supportive of it. He was despondent and overwhelmed with despair for the events that happened in the past few days. Initially, he had wished to die with all of these people but His Majesty stopped him. Coupled with the safe return of his grandson, Jun Zhan Tian was already gradually feeling more positive. Even if everything had gone according to His Majesty’s wishes, any of the other great families would have been obliterated by now if not for the Jun Family! In hindsight, it was truly a precarious and terrifying moment.
”Grandfather, your unwavering loyalty to the Imperial Family cannot be questioned, but that is only you,” Jun Mo Xie said. ”Although the Jun Family seems to be capable of controlling the entire world, in reality, our family power only depends on a single Imperial Decree from the Emperor! With just one decree, our family could be erased in an instant! I am not used to this, and I believe neither will Third Uncle be too!”
”I have never fancied the notion of placing my own fate in the hands of others. This is why I would rather be a free wanderer for the rest of my life. However, since my life as a wanderer has now been forced to cease, there is a need for change, and the premise for this change is…is to hold the fate of the Jun Family completely within my own hands!” Jun Mo Xie looked genuinely at Jun Zhan Tian. ”This is my greatest aim and my ultimate intention, and even more so the cardinal tenet that governs all my actions!”
”To place our family’s fate within your own hands? This is a rebellious thought!” Jun Zhan Tian shuddered and stared fiercely at Jun Mo Xie.
”Grandfather, you have misunderstood me. In my opinion, those who strive to become the Emperor or have already become Emperors are all fools. In fact, those who seek to become upright and renowned Emperors are fools amongst fools!” Jun Mo Xie scoffed. ”Even if I can control the whole world, become the lord of all men and have a thousand beautiful women by my side, they are all meaningless to me. I am not interested in these at all.”
”You!” Jun Zhan Tian’s chest heaved up and down heavily, his white beard scattered messily by the wind. As a man who was nonpareil in his loyalty to the king, these words were utter insults to his most revered superior! If the one speaking had been someone else, the person would have been killed dozens of times!
”Grandpa, an honest man does not hide things, today I shall speak my mind! His Majesty would never allow the Jun Family to possess the great power or any exceptionally skilled descendants! Allowing them to rise to power would only threaten the Emperor’s throne! One day, I will find out the true reasons behind the deaths of my father, Second Uncle and my two brothers. If there is any conspiracy behind their deaths, I will certainly demand justice from whoever involved!” Jun Mo Xie asserted calmly. ”Since I have already admitted that I am Jun Mo Xie, I must at least do something for this family; This matter is probably the biggest wound in the Jun Family’s history.”
Jun Zhan Tian gave a long sigh. He ruminated for a moment before standing up and answering. ”Back when the First Emperor was laying the foundations of Tianxiang Empire, he deliberately moved several powerful families into Tianxiang City and conferred them potent positions and nobility. There were two benefits behind this move: Firstly, it is easier to control the great families when they are grouped together. Secondly, the great families would act as mutual restrains for one another, creating a balance of power amongst the greatest families. With this system in place, the Imperial Family would then be able to instill order and control the greater picture.”
”With the exception of the Ye Family that was removed years ago, the powerful families in Tianxiang City currently includes the Jun Family, Li Family, Dugu Family, Murong Family and Tang Family. Each family is located in different segments of the city and each held a mutual understanding of non-violence. In recent years, there was also the addition of the Meng and Song Families. But upon closer inspection, one would realize that these two are actually over-glorified clowns. Their capabilities are nowhere near the existing families that have been around since the establishment of the Empire.”
”Military affairs are under the charge of the Jun Family and the Dugu Family. Although the Murong Family is currently trying to meddle with military powers, they will never succeed as long as Dugu Family and I exist! On the other hand. the Li and Meng Families continue to be our greatest rivals. They are always finding ways to subjugate our power. In addition, there are also some marriages between these two families. Among the new generation of the Li Family, there emerged a young man of exceptional talent, Li Youran! This increased the threat posed to us.”
”On the other hand, the Song Family have always maintained a low profile and can be ignored for now. In terms of military affairs, our family and Dugu Family have always been competing against one another and having arguments every other day. Dugu Zongheng has always been unhappy with me. However, this is not the main point. Although our families serve to keep one another in check, we share the same loyalty towards the Imperial Family. We would never truly go all out against each other. This is something you must remember. This is also the main reason why the Jun Family could survive this long in the Imperial Court!”
”Among the various great families, the Murong Family is the most ambitious. This is something that must be guarded against, but not necessary to act upon.”
”Each of these families has their own intentions. Until the day His Majesty chooses to change the entire structure and reshuffle the balance of power within Tianxiang Empire, the great families will remain safe and protected. This is something that all the great families have understood.”
”Currently, we are at a moment where members of the younger generation like you start interacting with one another and causing mischief. The adults would only observe the exchanges and interactions from afar but at the same time, we are also noting down who are the more capable and threatening ones among the younger generation. I am very pleased that you are able to understand this.”
Jun Zhan Tian had deliberately shifted away from the subject of the deaths of the two generations of Jun Family members. Instead, he decided to share an analysis of the current political situation within the city.
”Three years ago, His Majesty had planned to appoint a Crown Prince. But after a series of trials and tests, His Majesty had decided to forgo the plan. Instead, he wanted to let the three Princes compete against one another while he observes from behind the scenes. His Majesty believed that his three sons are all wolves! In the competition among these three wolves, there will be one eventual winner. This winner would then become His Majesty’s successor.”