With a warehouse full of supplies, I stood alone as king in this chaotic world, gun in hand.

"Bang!"

Zhou Shaorong was kicked hard in the chest by Emperor Mingde and rolled on the ground.

Seeing the emperor's anger, Nangong Qi and Zhou Zheng were so shocked that they also knelt down.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

"Calm down?" Emperor Mingde pointed at Zhou Zheng and angrily rebuked, "Ru Ning is a member of the royal family, a dignified princess. How dare your Zhou family bully her? Do you think I'm dead?"

Nangong Wu was secretly relieved; thankfully, the emperor hadn't been swayed by these people.

"Your Majesty is wise; this humble subject did not touch Nangong Wu's dowry," Zhou Shaorong said, painfully getting up and kneeling again, trying to justify himself.

"It was Nangong Wu who had an affair with another man and became pregnant with his illegitimate child, disgracing the Zhou family and tarnishing the royal family's reputation. According to family rules and clan regulations, she should be drowned in a pig cage."

However, out of consideration for our marital bond and for the sake of the Princess, I did not despise her and even allowed her to give birth to that bastard child, thus giving them, mother and child, a place in the Zhou family.

Unexpectedly, she was so ungrateful that she turned around and falsely accused my Zhou family, even saying that she would withhold her dowry.

"Nangong Wu, aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning for being so ungrateful?" He said the last sentence while glaring fiercely at Nangong Wu.

"Zhou Shaorong, if there is any retribution, your entire Zhou family deserves to be struck by lightning." Nangong Wu sneered inwardly, then said to the emperor:

"Uncle, what I just said is absolutely true, and I have witnesses."

"Then summon the witnesses," Emperor Mingde ordered.

"Li Shuang, go and bring the person here." Nangong Wu turned and called out to the entrance of the main hall.

Zhou Shaorong and Liu Yue'er exchanged a secret glance, their expressions both grim.

Emperor Mingde looked down at the people below, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

The hall fell silent as they waited for the witnesses to appear.

A little over fifteen minutes later, Li Shuang brought Qiao Yuan over, carrying her there on her back.

"Uncle, this person is called Qiao Yuan. She used to be my maid. She was bribed by Zhou Shaorong to drug me," Nangong Wu said.

Qiao Yuan had been tormented by the poison for two days and felt like she was really going to die. When she saw Nangong Wu, it was like seeing a lifeline. She crawled in front of her and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Princess, I know I was wrong. I don't want to die. Please give me the antidote..."

"Insolence!" Hu, the eunuch beside Emperor Mingde, sneered. "How dare a lowly servant girl be so disrespectful before the Emperor?"

Qiao Yuan then realized where she was. Terrified, she kowtowed repeatedly to Emperor Mingde, pleading, "Your Majesty, spare my life..."

"Qiao Yuan, His Majesty is here. If you confess everything that Zhou Shaorong and Liu Yue'er instructed you to do to me, perhaps I can spare your life," Nangong Wu said.

Anyway, the Duke of Wei's wealth is all in her space. She has time to slowly wear them down, and she also needs to use the emperor's hand to force them to hand over the original owner's dowry.

"I'll tell you everything." Qiao Yuan dared not hide anything anymore and told everyone what she had done and knew.

Zhou Shaorong immediately retorted, "That's not how it happened. It was Nangong Wu who poisoned this maid and forced her to defame us in order to cover up her shameful deeds."

Nangong Wu poisoned Qiao Yuan in public and even slashed Hua Yue'er's face with a knife. Many people witnessed this yesterday. I urge Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly.

Emperor Mingde sat on the dragon throne, his sharp eyes looking down at the people below, his fingers tapping absently on the armrests of the throne.

"Nangong Wu, it is an undeniable fact that you had an affair with another man and gave birth to an illegitimate child." Zhou Zheng pretended to be magnanimous.

"Your marriage to Rong'er was bestowed by His Majesty. Even if you have made mistakes, my Duke of Wei's mansion will not abandon you. As long as you stop causing trouble and go back to live a good life with Rong'er, the child you gave birth to can be registered under Rong'er's name as her son."

"You won't abandon me, Princess? Haha!" Nangong Wu scoffed disdainfully. "Why should my son be registered under your Zhou family's name?"

How could she not know what he was up to?

He planned to first threaten her with the fact that he had an affair, and then act magnanimous in front of the emperor, showing tolerance towards her and the child.

She thought the emperor would consider the dignity of the royal family and persuade her to return to the Duke of Wei's mansion. This way, she wouldn't have to return her dowry and could even extend the life of his son. What a shameless act!

"Uncle, Zhou Shaorong has harmed me so much, all to make room for Liu Yue'er as the principal wife. I will never again be husband and wife with the person who harmed me. I beg you, Uncle, to allow me to divorce Zhou Shaorong and punish them."

She didn't reveal the matter of the contract, intending to kill Zhou Shaorong silently and then ruin the Zhou family.

"You actually want a divorce?" Zhou Shaorong couldn't believe it. This woman loved him so much, she caused a scene at the wedding and scratched Liu Yue'er's face just because she was jealous. How could she possibly be willing to divorce him?

Nangong Wu remained silent, waiting for Emperor Mingde above to make a decision.

Seeing that Emperor Mingde remained silent for a long time, Zhou Zheng felt uncertain and kowtowed.

"Your Majesty, it is my fault for failing to protect Nangong Wu. This is because I failed to protect her properly. It is my fault."

Now that the child has been born, and Nangong Wu is Rong'er's wife, my Weiguo Duke's Mansion will provide them with a place to live. I only hope that the two children will live a good life in the future.

As for Liu Yue'er, since she has already married Rong'er, why not let her stay in the manor as a concubine?

"Father, you mustn't!" Zhou Shaorong immediately objected.

"What? You want me to be your concubine?" Liu Yue'er looked incredulous.

The Emperor Mingde above darkened his eyes, as if brewing a storm.

"Shut up!" Zhou Zheng glared at the two men.

Nangong Wu has really changed; she's not as easy to control as before. I can only try to coax her back first.

Otherwise, just repaying Nangong Wu's dowry would drain their entire fortune, and their son's life would be in danger.

"Guards!" Emperor Mingde suddenly spoke from the imperial platform. "Take this maid away for questioning and make sure the matter is thoroughly investigated."

A troop of imperial guards entered from outside the main hall.

Nangong Wu took out an antidote and fed it to Qiao Yuan, saying, "You can only live if you explain everything clearly."

Qiao Yuan's eyes were lifeless as she was led away by the Imperial Guards without struggling.

The Zhou family father and son, as well as Liu Zhizhen, all looked unwell.

Judging from the emperor's tone, he believes Nangong Wu's words and wants to thoroughly investigate the matter.

"Father, my face hurts so much." Liu Yue'er leaned into Liu Zhizhen's arms, hoping to use her injury to evoke Emperor Mingde's pity.

However, the opposite happened. Emperor Mingde spoke again: "Ru Ning was a princess personally appointed by me. Her mother sacrificed herself for the country. I will never allow her only daughter to suffer an injustice."

Ru Ning says her innocence was ruined by Zhou Shaorong and Liu Yue'er, while you two say she had an affair. Each has your own version of events, so let the three judicial authorities conduct a joint trial.

Zhou Shaorong and Liu Yue'er were both suspects, so they were taken away as well.

"No!" Liu Yue'er's eyes were filled with panic. "Your Majesty, I am innocent."

"Your Majesty, Yue'er's face is already so badly injured. If she is imprisoned again, her face will be ruined." Liu Zhizhen kowtowed and pleaded for his daughter's life.