Xie Xun gently smoothed away all the anxiety, unease, and hesitation within Fengyu’s heart. She had been probing, even prepared for the worst, yet was met with such tender words. Gazing into his familiar eyes, filled with deep love, attachment, and unwavering determination, Fengyu believed him—he truly was willing to forgo having descendants and grow old with her. Tears streamed uncontrollably from Fengyu’s eyes, the soft, bittersweet emotions spreading from the depths of her heart. Her eyes reddened as she tightly embraced the person in her arms. "I’m sorry, Zhixu..." "Ayu... silly girl." Xie Xun, aching for her, wiped away her tears. He still couldn’t bear to see her face stained with tear tracks, pained by the pressure Fengyu had endured. He wrapped an arm around her neck and gently kissed her tears away. "Don’t cry, be good." "I feel sad..." Fengyu choked through her sobs, burying her face into the crook of his shoulder. Xie Xun found the posture rather inconvenient but could only hold her gently and soothe her. "Don’t be sad, it’s a small matter." "If I say it’s small, then it’s small." Xie Xun wasn’t entirely truthful in claiming he didn’t care about descendants; that was to reassure Fengyu. Yet for her, it was clear — Fengyu mattered far more. The Ningzhou Iron Cavalry needed heirs; he needed heirs — one Ruyi wasn’t enough. Second Brother... forget it, he was unreliable! The Xie family still lacked suitable candidates from the royal branch; choosing one from the Yuwen Royal Family was hardly an option. Xie Xun said, "When Ruyi turns sixteen, we’ll arrange a marriage for him. Let’s aim for three children annually; we can take one for ourselves. It’s not such a big deal." Fengyu was speechless. Poor Ruyi—barely walking steadily, yet already shouldering the responsibility of perpetuating the family line. Xie Xun’s playful banter did lighten Fengyu’s mood, alleviating much of her gloominess. Having discussed the matter, she wouldn’t allow Xie Xun to backtrack in the future, nor would she dwell on it further—as if sealing a tacit agreement between them. Nuanyang and Feiying were in the rear courtyard. While Fengyu cared for Xie Xun’s injuries, they sensibly refrained from joining the commotion in the front courtyard. Otherwise, witnessing such an intimate scene would surely embarrass Xie Xun—he appeared so dependent and small in Fengyu’s embrace, an undeniably unusual sight. Finally managing to soothe Fengyu, Xie Xun was quick to rise from her arms. No sooner had Xie Xun stood up when he suddenly felt the earth quaking and the sky trembling. The ground beneath them seemed as though it was splitting; the tremors were so intense that neither Fengyu nor Xie Xun could keep their footing. Ten years ago, the Capital City had experienced a devastating earthquake, demolishing half the city—a catastrophe even worse than a snowstorm. Fengyu quickly pulled Xie Xun away from houses and trees, guiding him toward open ground. Outside, Ying Si rushed in, with Feiying and Nuanyang swiftly following. The tremors lasted for approximately the time it took to burn an incense stick. Fengyu stared at the shaking buildings, feeling as though they were about to collapse, then heard a deafening explosion from the direction of East City. Almost immediately, faint cries and screams followed. Xie Xun’s expression darkened—what had happened? "Ying Si, go investigate what’s going on!" The tremors subsided soon after. Nuanyang asked, "Master, was this an earthquake?" Xie Xun, deep in thought, turned toward East City. "...No, this tremor doesn’t feel like an earthquake. It seems more like the collapse of some structure." Fengyu furrowed her brows. "Even if one of the tallest towers in the Capital fell, it wouldn’t create such a commotion. Besides, in broad daylight, how could a building collapse?" Ying Si returned shortly after. Updates are released by 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦·𝘯𝘦𝘵 "Prince, the Hanguang Tower has collapsed." The incident had sent shockwaves through the Capital. It was so significant there was no need for probing; masses of civilians were already gathering around to watch. The Hanguang Tower sat on the eastern side of the Imperial City, standing fifty meters tall—a masterpiece built by the Yuwen Ancestor, long regarded as the heartline of the Yuwen Royal Family. Within the Hanguang Tower, the ancestral tablets of the Yuwen Royal Family were enshrined, holding immense symbolic significance. The entire structure had crumbled in an instant, shaking the earth and mountains. The reason the Hanguang Tower’s collapse could cause tremors throughout the Capital was due to the city’s intricate underground construction. The Imperial City, being a millennium-old capital, had undergone numerous renovations. Because of its terrain, it was prone to water accumulation, resulting in an extensive network of underground drainage channels. Five hundred years ago, when the Yuwen Ancestor’s army conquered the city, the aristocratic families had hidden most of their gold and silver treasures underground, practically creating an underground city. Over time, the Ministry of Industry filled in much of it, leaving only the drainage tunnels intact. The city’s foundation was far from solid—the underground remained hollow, thus the collapse of the Hanguang Tower affected both East and South City. "Why would the Hanguang Tower collapse when it was perfectly fine?" Fengyu asked in puzzlement. The tower held extraordinary significance for the Yuwen Royal Family, enshrining their ancestral spirits and serving as their clan’s sanctum—a lifeblood of the Yuwen lineage. Its collapse was akin to striking at the family’s very heart. "Half a month ago, I buried some gunpowder near the Hanguang Tower, intending to destroy it. With a nudge, the Astronomical Observatory would issue an unfavorable omen against Yuwen Jing—whether perceived as a warning from the ancestors or divine wrath. Either way, Yuwen Jing would be forced to appease the tumult. The Hanguang Tower’s collapse carries unparalleled weight. However... I hadn’t even begun my plans before it fell." Xie Xun mused in silence. Was it mere coincidence? Or deliberate sabotage? "Rest assured, Prince, I’ll uncover the truth," Ying Si assured before promptly leaving the courtyard. Xie Xun instructed Feiying to mobilize the Marquis Mansion’s deathsworn soldiers and old loyalists. "The collapse of the Hanguang Tower will throw the Capital into chaos—this is an opportune moment to get your grandmother and parents out of the city."