Elder Li was wracked with pain, cursing Grandmaster Zhang for being complicit with evil. They were defenders of orthodoxy, and though they had undermined the Yuwen Clan's authority, they had never sought to usurp its throne.
Now that Xie Xun has overthrown the old dynasty, the blade of his new regime's policies strikes first at the clans. If the power of the clans is stripped away and imperial authority stands unchallenged, the hundred-year legacy of the clans will be destroyed in an instant. To rebuild them would be nearly impossible. Xie Xun would never allow the clans to revive from their ashes. The Lin Family submits because Xie Xun is their kin, bound by the deep ties of blood.
The Zhang Family submits because Zhang Boju and Lin Helin have formed an alliance as the heads of the next generation, linking their families in fortune and fate. They've reached an understanding and joined forces early on. But for those unwilling to submit—where will they go?
