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

Outside.

Emperor Mingde issued an order: "Issue my decree: the chief and deputy chiefs of the academy harbor evil intentions and have ulterior motives. They stole the seventh prince's life-saving medicine and deserve to die!"

"Execute these two individuals and their entire families immediately. All members of their nine generations shall be exiled to the desolate northwest, with no possibility of pardon!"

"As you command!" The accompanying central civil official accepted the order and immediately drafted the decree according to his instructions.

Looking at the two corpses on the ground, Nangong Chengkun felt hatred and humiliation, as if Nangong Wu was deliberately slapping him in the face.

This was the first setback he encountered after ascending to the position of crown prince.

Over the past few years, he has been engaged in open and covert struggles with the Four Princes' faction. Although he has not gained any advantage, he has at least driven those four people out of the capital and forbade them from returning without imperial decree.

This was his first encounter with Nangong Wu, and he was defeated. He lost two trusted imperial physicians and a capable bodyguard, and he also failed to obtain the Seven-Colored Lotus.

Over the past few years, he had been inquiring about Nangong Wu and knew that this woman was troublesome and difficult to deal with.

His plan to poison the Seventh Prince this time was based on his prior knowledge that Nangong Wu possessed the Seven-Colored Lotus, and he also had two imperial physicians inform his father that the Seven-Colored Lotus could be used as an antidote.

He thought that once the Seven-Colored Lotus fell into the hands of the two imperial physicians, it would be his for the taking.

Not only could they eliminate the Seventh Prince and obtain the divine medicine Seven-Colored Lotus, but they could also play tricks on Nangong Wu—a plan that killed three birds with one stone.

However, they forgot that the Seven-Colored Lotus had a fragrance, and after the small box was taken to the side room, they had the guards take it away directly.

Nangong Chengkun felt annoyed at this thought. If he had put some Seven-Colored Lotus in the medicine, none of this would have happened.

"Who is this person?"

After dealing with the affairs of the chief and deputy chief ministers, Emperor Mingde looked at the severed head that Bei Chenyan had brought and asked:

"Xiao Lin, how did you know it was this person who stole the Seven-Colored Lotus, and how did you manage to abduct him?"

"Your Majesty! The princess said that one should not have the heart to harm others, but one should not be without the heart to guard against others. When the princess received Your Majesty's decree, she was afraid that someone might have ulterior motives and secretly pocket the Seven-Colored Lotus, so she sent this humble servant to keep an eye on things."

Just as Princess Runing had predicted, the two imperial physicians went into the side room and soon after, this person came out. His furtive behavior aroused suspicion, so I followed him.

This man was cunning and afraid of being followed. As he left the imperial city, I stopped him outside the city and demanded that he hand over the Seven Clouds Lotus.

"This man refused to hand over the Seven-Colored Lotus, so we fought. He lost and then committed suicide by poison! After that, I cut off his head and brought it back." Bei Chenyan recounted the whole story to him.

"Crown Prince!" Emperor Mingde looked at Nangong Chengkun, his voice turning serious. "You insisted on having two imperial physicians prepare the medicine. Now that this has happened, what do you have to say?"

Nangong Chengkun's face paled slightly. "Father, are you doubting your son?"

This was the first time his father had looked at him with suspicion, and a sense of unease welled up in his heart.

"Such a thing happened right under my nose, shouldn't I be suspicious?" Emperor Mingde retorted, his voice filled with anger.

"It was you who insisted on having these two people prepare the antidote, and as a result, the Seven Clouds Lotus was brazenly taken away from them!"

If it weren't for Ru Ning being there and realizing that the medicine didn't actually contain Seven-Colored Lotus, the Seventh Prince would have died, and I probably wouldn't even know that someone had tampered with it!

"When things were exposed, you still pleaded for them. Can you say this has nothing to do with you?"

"Father, so this is how you think of your son?" Nangong Chengkun knelt down before him, his eyes reddening.

"Your Majesty, I was worried about you. I thought the two imperial physicians were the most skilled and could concoct better medicines. I never imagined that they would dare to embezzle the Seven-Colored Lotus..."

At this moment, he hated Nangong Wu to the core.

His father was well aware of his past struggles with the Four Princes' faction, but he only gave him a few perfunctory warnings behind his back.

This time, just because of a few pieces of Seven-Colored Lotus, he was publicly reprimanded, making the crown prince lose all face.

Emperor Mingde's heart softened for a moment when he saw his aggrieved look, after all, he was his most beloved son.

But seeing Consort Shu standing to the side wiping away tears, and thinking of her other son lying in bed, critically ill, anger rose in her heart again.

"Guards! The Crown Prince has misbehaved and is morally deficient. He is hereby confined to the Eastern Palace for three months to reflect on his mistakes! Without my decree, he is not to step out of the Eastern Palace even once!"

Furthermore! Investigate everyone in the Eastern Palace. I need to know all of the Crown Prince's social interactions, correspondence, and whereabouts—everything, big or small.

Emperor Mingde was determined to investigate the Crown Prince. He wanted to know what his son had been doing all these years, that he dared to steal the Seven-Colored Lotus right under his nose and try to kill the Seventh Prince.

"Your Majesty, we obey!" Several imperial physicians bowed and accepted the order.

The Crown Prince's behavior was improper and his conduct flawed; he was to be confined to the Eastern Palace for three months?! Nangong Chengkun was stunned upon hearing these words!

He couldn't believe his father would say such a thing to him. Wasn't his father the one who loved him the most? How could he punish him? And even investigate him!

"Father, you can't do this to your son!"

"Your Highness, please!" Two imperial guards came over and held him down.

"Father, I am your most beloved son. You once told me that you would not let anyone bully me..." Nangong Chengkun said, tears streaming down his face.

In the past, whenever he cried, his father would feel extremely sorry for him and would grant him any request.

Sure enough, when Emperor Mingde saw him shed tears, the anger in his eyes subsided somewhat.

Nangong Chengkun, observing the emperor's expression, saw a slight shift in his demeanor. He immediately broke free from the imperial guards' grasp, knelt down with a thud, embraced Emperor Mingde's legs, and cried out:

"Father, I know I was wrong! I will never trust anyone so easily again."

Having been immersed in the inner palace for many years, Consort Shu saw through the Crown Prince's methods. Fearing that Emperor Mingde would soften again, she covered her face with her handkerchief and began to weep once more.

"My poor son! He's been poisoned and his life hangs in the balance. Even the medicine meant to save him has been embezzled by that heartless person. If you die, I won't live either!"

Emperor Mingde closed his eyes and ordered again, "Take the Crown Prince away! Investigate according to my previous decree; anyone who dares to release him will be executed!"

"Yes!" Two imperial guards dragged Nangong Chengkun away.

This time, Nangong Chengkun did not struggle. He just looked at the Seventh Prince's door, his heart and eyes filled with hatred.

He underestimated Nangong Wu; in their first encounter, he suffered a major setback.

If he is confined to his quarters for three months, many things will happen in the court, and people will say that the emperor has abandoned him!

No! He won't lose!

He forced all the princes away, leaving only the seventh prince. If he didn't leave, he would kill him sooner or later. The entire Western Yan Kingdom was his, so why would he be afraid of Nangong Wu?