After Jun Wu Xie departed, the expressions of Jun Xian and Jun Qing darkened.
"The matter about Lin Yue Yang is true?" Jun Qing brought up the discussion they had earlier before Jun Wu Xie came.
Jun Xian nodded solemnly, "It is strange, Lin Yue Yang has always been honest and upright and does not hold a high rank. But recently, the number of impeachments against him has been astounding, and the Emperor has ordered investigations into it."
"Lin Yue Yang saved the life of my brother, if not for his report on the spies within the army collaborating with the enemies, my brother might have lost that war." Jun Qing sighed at the favour the Jun Family owed to Lin Yue Yang.
"Yes, he is an honest man, and no fool. When he was promoted to an official post in the Imperial City, he distanced himself from Lin Palace. He might have sensed something and drew a clear line between us. For many years, we have not met him much though we all live in Imperial City. Lin Yue Yang has been subtle all this time, who would harbour ill intentions against him?" Jun Xian pondered, for a man holding an unimportant post, without any authority, not involved in Court matters, who can he offend?
"Are you going to investigate, Father?" Jun Qing queried.
Jun Xian sighed, "Your brother owes him a debt of gratitude, and he is an honest man. It it wasn't for that incident with our Jun Family, the Emperor would not even begin to suspect a border guard to be in collusion with our Jun Family. We are responsible for dragging him into this mess."
Jun Qing thought back to the past when Lin Palace was at its peak, before his brother died for the country, before he was crippled, its glory and grandeur covered and protected them. Since its decline, in the absence of its former glory, hidden dangers started to surface.
"Have someone look into it." Jun Xian shook his head, helpless. He cannot bear to see a just man framed like this.
An urgent knock sounded, interrupting their conversation.
"Come in." Jun Xian intoned.
A Lin Palace guard knelt at the door, the cold night wafting into the room.
"Reporting to Lin Wang. The General Li Ran requests for an audience."
"General Li Ran? What does he want from me so late in the night?" Jun Xian asked, brows furrowed.
"I do not know, the General has quite a few soldiers with him, and seems anxious."
"I'll go take a look." Jun Xian stood up, and Jun Qing tugged on his sleeve.
"The cold gets frosty, deep in the night. Father, take caution." Jun Qing implied.
Jun Xian nodded.
Just outside Lin Palace, a pair of soldiers brandished burning torches, driving back the night. General Li Ran, stood in front of his horse, looking anxious.
Seeing Jun Xian coming out of Lin Palace, Li Ran rushed up, and prostrated himself.
"Li Ran, what is this all about?"
"Lin Wang! Please help!" Li Ran pleaded, fist in hand.
Jun Xian raised a brow, "What happened? To make you come here so late in the night."
"Official Lin's….. household….." Li Ran hesitated.
Jun Xian's heart skipped a beat, but maintained his composure.
"What happened?"
"I was carrying out His Majesty's orders to bring Official Lin in for questioning in regards to corruption and bribery charges. When I arrived, the mishap at Lin Household had already happened. Official Lin killed thirty six people of his household, when I got there, I saw him holding on to the sword, insane, that was still impaled in the chest of his wife." Li Ran was bathed in cold sweat, unable to believe what he witnessed earlier.
"What did you say?!" Jun Xian stared, unable to believe what he just heard.
"Official Lin knows, His Majesty has been investigating his foul deeds, I do not know how he came to know about it. He suddenly killed everyone in his household, and I wanted to apprehend him just now. Little did I know, his skills far surpassed mine. He defeated tens of my guards, and escaped. I am not his match, hence, I came here to request for assistance from Your Highness! I implore Your Highness to lend a hand! If he escapes, His Majesty will not be lenient with me." Li Ran pleaded, kneeling before Jun Xian.
Hidden within Jun Xian's sleeves, were fists tightly clenched. Using all his might, he masked the shock that reverberated through him.
It was impossible that Lin Yue Yang, such an upright man, would kill his whole household over trumped up charges!
"Where is he now?" Jun Xian asked coldly.
"I had him followed. He has left the Imperial City, heading south east." Li Ran replied hastily.
"I will set off now." Jun Xian refused to believe Lin Yue Yang was capable of such atrocities, but with Li Ran bearing eye witness to Lin Yue Yang killing his wife, they will kill Lin Yue Yang right there and then if they get to him first.
The Jun Family was indebted to Lin Yue Yang, a point Jun Xian would never forget. He will handle this matter personally, bring Lin Yue Yang back to reveal the truth, in order to keep him alive.
The majority of the Lin Palace guards were out with Long Qi escorting the pills. Jun Xian gathered the remaining guards, though few in numbers, every single one of them a top fighter.
Without a moment's hesitation, Jun Xian was on the chase.
A hidden shadow, watched Jun Xian leave the City Gates. He grinned wickedly, shrouded in the darkness.
"Your Highness, as astute as you are, you will not allow your benefactor to die an ignoble death." The shadow in the darkness, let out a series of low laughter and turned, hands kept behind his back. Within the dark alley, pairs of cold and evil eyes looked at him intently, numbering in the hundreds.
"Is it certain, that most of the Lin Palace's guards are out of the city?" The hidden shadow asked cagily.
"I am certain! I saw a large number of guards escorting several horse carriages out earlier."
"Would you know, where they have gone?"
"I do not know, guards from the Lin Palace belongs to the Rui Lin Army, the terrain is too open after the City Gates and I dare not follow, fearing discovery. But I have also verified, most of the remaining guards in the Lin Palace have followed Lin Wang in pursuit of Lin Yue Yang. There will be no more than fifteen guards remaining in the whole of Lin Palace."
"Fifteen soldiers from the Rui Lin Army?" The dark shadow chuckled.
"I would like to see, if my suicide squad of three hundred, can annihilate the Lin Palace tonight! Convey my orders! Infiltrate the Lin Palace, turn it inside out, I do not want anyone in the household alive by sunrise! Especially Jun Wu Xie and that useless trash, Jun Qing, I want to see their heads!"
"It shall be done!"
In a flash, all the dark cloaked shadows in the alley disappeared.
The shadow who issued the order, ascended the tall tower in the Imperial City and peered in the direction of the Lin Palace.
After tonight, Lin Palace shall cease to exist! And the Jun Family shall be no more!
The bright moon slid behind dark clouds, obliterating the last vestiges of moonlight.
In the deathly still of the night, dark shadows infiltrated the Lin Palace.
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