Hurt my loved ones? I'm not guarding this country's borders anymore!

Cangcheng, Wangjiang Tower.

The most elegant, and also the most expensive, place in the city.

Normally, only ordinary people can get in.

But today, the entire building has been booked by Princess Huimin.

This was the second time she had sent an invitation to Shen Jinglong.

he came.

The private room on the top floor was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Princess Huimin didn't wear her palace clothes; instead, she changed into a simple white dress and personally poured Shen Jinglong a cup of pre-rain Longjing tea.

"Shen Longshuai, please."

She adopted a very humble posture, with a business-like smile on her face.

"I know you are eager to avenge your family. But some things cannot be solved by killing alone."

She pushed the teacup in front of Shen Jinglong, her tone incredibly sincere.

"The fact that the four major families have been able to entrenched themselves in Cangcheng for so many years must mean they have some kind of connection with certain forces in the capital. If you keep killing like this, you'll only make more and more enemies."

"I've heard a little about your enemy. I can assure you that if you're willing to temporarily quell your anger and return to the capital with me, I'm willing to use all my power to mediate and give you justice."

That's a nice way to put it.

They're making grand promises while simultaneously giving you hard lessons.

First, they tell you you're in danger, then they promise to help you settle things.

Typical imperial tactics.

Shen Jinglong sneered inwardly, but his face remained expressionless.

"You want me to bow down? Sorry, that word doesn't exist in my dictionary. You high and mighty royal nobles will never understand what a blood feud is."

He picked up the teacup, but didn't drink it; his fingers merely gently caressed the warm rim of the cup.

"I appreciate the princess's kindness."

His voice was as calm as water.

"But I'm used to getting my own justice."

Princess Huimin's smile froze on her face.

This man is completely impervious to reason.

She was about to say something more.

The door to the private room was knocked on from the outside.

A maid entered, bowed, and reported, "Princess, Zhou Wanshan, the head of the Zhou family, and Zheng Qian, an elder of the Zheng family, have come to see you. They say they have important matters to report."

Princess Huimin's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but immediately relaxed, and a smile of anticipation appeared on her lips.

She glanced at Shen Jinglong and said, "Let them in."

Soon, Zhou Wanshan and Zheng Qian crawled in, almost using both their hands and feet.

These two men, one the head of one of the two remaining major families in Cangcheng, and the other the most senior elder of the Zheng family, were now cowering and lacked any semblance of authority.

With a "thump," he knelt down in front of Princess Huimin. In front of him were several heavy boxes filled with dazzling jewels.

"Zhou Wanshan (Zheng Qian), a sinner, pays his respects to the Princess!!!"

The two men kowtowed repeatedly, their posture extremely humble.

"Princess!!! You must stand up for Cangcheng!!!"

Zhou Wanshan sobbed, tears streaming down his face, "That Shen Jinglong is a devil! He slaughtered the Wu family, wiped out the Wang family, and now he wants to exterminate us all!"

"My poor son, he just went to argue with him for a few words, and he had both his hands broken!!!"

Zheng Qian, standing nearby, cried and wailed, "Please, Your Highness, have mercy! Please, Your Highness, give us common people a way to survive!!!"

They cried and talked, secretly glancing at Shen Jinglong out of the corner of their eyes, their eyes filled with resentment and fear.

Shen Jinglong scoffed inwardly.

"That clown thinks he's found a new backer? How laughable."

"Perfect, saves me the trouble of going to find you all one by one."

He remained seated, quietly watching the two perform, as if he were watching a farce that had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Princess Huimin didn't speak, but simply picked up her teacup and gently blew on the tea leaves floating on top.

She is waiting.

Waiting for Shen Jinglong's reaction.

This was her way of intimidating him.

It was also a test of him.

It wasn't until Zhou Wanshan and Zheng Qian were almost hoarse from crying that Princess Huimin slowly put down her teacup and turned her gaze to Shen Jinglong.

"Shen Longshuai, you saw it too."

Her voice betrayed no emotion.

"If you continue like this, you will only create panic throughout Cangcheng."

"I'll give you one more chance."

Her gaze changed instantly, becoming sharp and carrying a condescending scrutiny.

"If you spare those two families for my sake today, I will believe that you are not completely out of control."

"When the time comes, I will immediately petition my father and the king, personally guaranteeing that we will uncover the truth of what happened seven years ago. What do you say?"

This is no longer about winning them over.

This is a blatant act of pressure and a test.

The air in the private room seemed to freeze instantly.

All eyes were on Shen Jinglong.

What will he choose?

Is it to accept the princess's so-called "goodwill" and temporarily compromise?

Or~~~

Shen Jinglong smiled.

He slowly placed the cup of tea he hadn't drunk from on the table.

Then he stood up.

He didn't look at Princess Huimin.

Instead, he strode over to Zhou Wanshan and Zheng Qian, who were kneeling on the ground, looking at him expectantly.

He looked down at them with an expression as if he were looking at two ants he could crush at any moment.

"You're saying I slaughtered the Wu family and wiped out the Wang family?"

His voice was soft, yet it carried a chill that sent shivers down their spines.

The two of them felt a chill run down their spines from his gaze and subconsciously nodded.

"No."

Shen Jinglong shook his head, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

"That's not called slaughter, that's not called annihilation."

That's called cleaning up trash.

As soon as he finished speaking, he slowly opened his mouth and issued his final ultimatum.

"I'll give you three days."

"Within three days, hand over all the property of your two families to compensate the people you have bullied for the past seven years."

"Then, take the core members of your two families to the ruins of my Shen family's former residence, kneel down and repent until you die."

His voice was calm, but every word was like a cold wind blowing from the deepest hell, instantly freezing all of Zhou Wanshan and Zheng Qian's hopes.

It's over... It's all over!!!

Even the princess couldn't protect us!

He's a madman, a complete and utter madman!

Three days... We only have three days left!

"otherwise..."

Shen Jinglong paused, his cold gaze sweeping over their despairing faces.

"Your fate will be a hundred times worse than the Wang family's."

The entire private room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Zhou Wanshan and Zheng Qian were completely drained of their strength, collapsing to the ground, their faces as white as corpses.

Princess Huimin's face had long since turned ashen.

Shen Jinglong's words were not merely a death sentence for the Zhou and Zheng families.

It was an incredibly loud slap, delivered fiercely and in front of everyone, right across the face of this noble princess!

He refused!

He rejected her advances and so-called "test" in the most forceful and ruthless way possible!

it is good! ! !

What a Shen Jinglong!

You're really asking for it!

Princess Huimin suddenly stood up, and for the first time, real anger burned in her beautiful phoenix eyes in front of Shen Jinglong.

She stared intently at Shen Jinglong, squeezing out each word through gritted teeth.

"Shen Jinglong, you'll regret this."

After saying that, she turned her head and left without looking back!

She didn't even bother touching the two stray dogs kneeling on the ground, or the several boxes of priceless jewels.

In the private room, only Shen Jinglong and the two living dead people lying on the ground remained.

He thought to himself, "Huimin, don't blame me for disrespecting you. Before the blood feud between my sister and my family, everyone else's face is worthless. Anyone who stands in my way will die!"

Shen Jinglong turned around and left the teahouse without pausing.

……

Half an hour later.

Zheng Family Courtyard.

Zhuque and Sima Nantian were already waiting here.

"Commander Long!"

The two men immediately bowed when they saw Shen Jinglong return.

They already knew what had happened in the teahouse, and their expressions were particularly grave.

"What about the princess..." Sima Nantian asked worriedly.

"Ignore her."

Shen Jinglong interrupted him directly, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

He knew very well that Princess Huimin's patience had run out.

His so-called alliance with the princess has completely broken down.

Next, that woman will definitely use all her power to get back at me.

He had to act swiftly and decisively before Huimin or other forces in the capital intervened!

"The three-day deadline is just for show."

Shen Jinglong's voice was cold and devoid of any warmth.

"Tonight, I will ensure that the Zhou and Zheng families cease to exist in Cangcheng!"

"Vermilion Bird".

"exist!"

"Your intelligence network should have already located all the core members of the Zhou and Zheng families, right?"

"Reporting to Commander Long, we've locked onto them all; not a single one has been missed!"

"very good."

Shen Jinglong nodded and looked at Sima Nantian.

"Sima Nantian!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Sima Nantian straightened his chest.

"Tonight, I want your military command to cooperate with Suzaku's men to seal off the entire city."

"I want the Zhou and Zheng families to be so isolated that not even a fly can escape!!!"

Sima Nantian was startled.

"Is it finally time to make a move...? In the end, Commander Long has chosen the most difficult path. Fine, I owe my life to Commander Long, so even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, I'll go with Commander Long through it all!"

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

He knelt on one knee and spoke in a strong and resonant voice.

"Your humble servant obeys!"

"By order of Commander Long, the Cangcheng Military Command will fight to the death!!!"