The collapse of Hanguang Tower left Yuwen Jing in a furious rage. The Astronomical Observatory, located near Hanguang Tower, was also affected. Half of the office collapsed, leaving only broken and jagged walls. Director Li, clutching his official hat, stood trembling before the fallen Hanguang Tower, his face pale, utterly terrified, as if struck by a thunderbolt. Why did the Hanguang Tower collapse? The Hanguang Tower housed the ancestral tablets of the Yuwen Family—heroes who had been honored in the Imperial Temple since the founding of the dynasty. "How... how did it come to collapse... Why did it collapse..." Director Li fled toward the palace in a disheveled state. For an event this catastrophic, the Forbidden Army would have already reported to Yuwen Jing, but the Astronomical Observatory could not avoid being involved, so he had to present himself. He ran so hard that he was utterly out of breath. But how was he supposed to explain to Yuwen Jing? Why did the Hanguang Tower collapse? Should he suggest that Yuwen Jing conspired with the Beiman and that the ancestors were enraged, causing the Hanguang Tower to collapse? That would be a death wish! As the Hanguang Tower collapsed, Lin Helin and Zhang Boju were just walking from the council chamber to the outer palace grounds. They weren’t far from the tower when it fell, and they were utterly shaken. First, the ground trembled beneath their feet, then the muffled sound of an explosion reached their ears. Moments later, the entire Hanguang Tower crumbled into ruin. This tower, located on the eastern side of the Imperial City and once regarded as a beacon of the Yuwen Family’s prominence, was utterly obliterated. This Hanguang Tower, built by the Yuwen Ancestor, had stood for more than five hundred years. It had remained steadfast even through multiple earthquakes in the Capital City. On one occasion, half the city’s houses collapsed, yet the Hanguang Tower stood tall. Now, it had inexplicably fallen. "Something monumental has happened..." Zhang Boju, standing close enough to be choked by the dust cloud, waved his sleeve to clear the air in front of him. His heart leapt in terror. News of Yuwen Jing’s secret correspondence with Dugu Jing had already caused an uproar, sowing doubts about him among both the court and the public. And now, at such a coincidental moment, the Hanguang Tower collapsed. This was no mere coincidence! "Whoever dared to destroy the Hanguang Tower must harbor immense hatred for the Imperial Family." Otherwise, why target the Hanguang Tower specifically? This structure represented the glory and authority of the Yuwen Family, housing the imperial ancestral tablets. Its collapse resembled nothing less than a manifestation of ancestral wrath, admonishing their descendants. Such an omen would undoubtedly reinforce the populace’s belief that Yuwen Jing had indeed collaborated with the Beiman, betrayed loyal subjects, and angered even the ancestors into delivering judgment. No matter how much effort the cabinet exerted, they could no longer restore Yuwen Jing’s lost favor with the people. Following the exposure of letters proving his collusion with the Beiman, each revelation intensified the criticism against him. Over the years, Ningzhou, alongside Chaoyang, had worked tirelessly to strategize—even under threats from the Beiman—gathering a remarkable concentration of talented individuals, from military generals to wise counselors. They had poured heart and soul into extending the lifecycle of the Yuwen Royal Family for an additional three years. But now, they could keenly feel that their time was truly up. As far back as when Xie Xun rescued Yangzhou, both Lin Helin and Zhang Boju already sensed that the Yuwen dynasty’s days were numbered. Back then, it wasn’t yet utter desperation. Although Xie Xun had the people’s favor, the Yuwen Royal Family still held legitimate authority. As long as they governed diligently and restored stability to the realm, Xie Xun and Xie Jue would have no legitimate reason to raise armies against them. Check latest chapters at 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍 Whoever raised an army first would be the one to lose public favor. Who could have foreseen that both the Beiman and Sannan would raise armies simultaneously? The Beiman’s defeat was followed by the devastating revelation of Yuwen Jing’s collusion with the Beiman, which completely destroyed everything they had worked for over the past three years. All their efforts, lost in one fell swoop. To say they weren’t devastated would be a lie! Clearly, there had been a sliver of hope. Clearly, the Yanyang Court had shown signs of recovery. But once again, they were dragged into chaos. And this time, it was Yuwen Jing who interfered. As the sovereign of a nation, he dared to offer Yanyang’s three border cities—critical military strongholds defended by the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry for years—as if they were nothing more than trifles to be traded away. In his deepest despair, Lin Helin had even entertained the notion of rallying the noble families to force Yuwen Jing to abdicate. Even if it meant putting someone like Abao on the throne and finding someone from the royal clan to act as regent, it would surely be a better option than the current state of affairs! A noble family coup wasn’t unprecedented! It seemed Yuwen Jing had long anticipated this possibility, which was why the noble families remained divided over the matter of deposing him. The Lin Family and the Zhang Family, bound by mutual interests and ties through marriage, cooperated well, but others were harder to predict. In the end, Lin Helin and Zhang Boju abandoned their plans for a coup, largely because battles raged across both the northern and southern battlefields. Even if a coup succeeded, it would exacerbate internal strife and fail to thwart Xie Jue and Xie Xun’s ambitions to vie for supremacy over the realm. "Could this be Xie Xun’s doing?" Zhang Boju asked gravely. Ever since the correspondence was delivered to the cabinet, Lin Helin had speculated about the possibility. Xie Xun could very well be hiding in the Capital City. Why else would the Jinyi Guard conduct such intense inspections? Xie Xun was not in Ningzhou, nor at the Jiangnan front. If not in West State, then he had to be in the Capital City. Not only were the Jinyi Guard monitoring the Feng Family, but Lin Helin had also dispatched his own people to keep an eye on them. Fengyu’s fate remained uncertain. If she were still alive, and with such a significant upheaval in the Capital City, it was likely they were hiding here. But where could they possibly be? The Jinyi Guard had practically turned the Capital City inside out but had found nothing! "If it’s Xie Xun, I wouldn’t be surprised," Lin Helin said, rubbing his furrowed brow. Zhang Bolan, leading a detachment of Forbidden Army soldiers, swiftly passed by them, likely heading to manage the aftermath of the Hanguang Tower collapse. "If this really is the work of Xie Xun, that would actually be the best-case scenario. If it’s someone else, the implications would be far more far-reaching. Director Li is your man, right? Make sure he’s intercepted at the palace gates before he enters." Lin Helin lowered his voice and whispered instructions into Zhang Boju’s ear. "Understood!" Zhang Boju paused briefly and, with a meaningful tone, said, "Bai Qing, we should also consider... meeting Xie Xun. Given the current situation... the Yuwen Family cannot be saved." Lin Helin fully understood what Zhang Boju was implying. And yet, even after Zhang Boju departed and Lin Helin stepped into his carriage, he still hadn’t made his stance clear.