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

"Father..." Nangong Xiao hugged Huo Jing and cried like a child.

From the time he could remember, he never allowed himself to show vulnerability, because his nanny told him that crying meant weakness, and weakness meant death, and he didn't want to die.

Now, in his father's arms, he can finally let down his guard.

When the three children saw them crying, they thought something bad had happened, so they all ran over to Bei Chenyan and Nangong Wu.

Nangong Xi was a little scared, her voice trembling with tears, "Father, I don't want Grandfather and Uncle to cry."

"Xi'er, be good." Bei Chenyan picked her up. "Grandfather and Uncle aren't crying, they're happy."

Nangong Xi was skeptical, but didn't ask any more questions, thinking that people should laugh when they're happy.

When Old Steward Fang and Granny Feng heard the news, they rushed over and saw the father and son hugging and crying. Their eyes instantly turned red as well.

"Father, brother, please don't cry!" Nangong Wu felt bad when she heard them crying. "Brother is back. We should be happy."

"Yes, yes, we should be happy." Huo Jingcai released Nangong Xiao and looked at his face carefully again. "He looks a lot like your mother, and half like your father."

"Your Highness, Your Highness, please sit down before we talk!" Bei Chenyan said to them.

His use of the term "Young Master" caused Huo Jing to frown slightly and glare at Bei Chenyan.

Bei Chenyan smiled back at him.

Granny Feng and Steward Fang stepped forward to offer their congratulations.

"Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations on finally finding the Heir Apparent!"

"Great!" Huo Jing was very happy.

"Father, my brother is back. I've already asked Uncle Fang to prepare a banquet," Nangong Wu said.

"Okay." Huo Jing was in a great mood and said happily:

"Tonight, we'll have a family dinner. Tomorrow, I'll announce to the whole world that my son has been found! Then we'll send out invitations and throw a grand feast!"

"Then this old servant will go and prepare now." Steward Fang bowed and went to prepare the banquet.

"Xiao'er, sit down quickly!" Huo Jing pulled his son to sit down with him. "Tomorrow morning, I will go to court and tell His Majesty that you have found it."

Nangong Wu looked at Yu'er, thought for a moment, and then said to Huo Jing:

"Father, now that my brother has been found, the position of heir should belong to him. When you go to the palace tomorrow, please tell Uncle Huang about this and return the position of heir to my brother."

"No need, no need." Nangong Xiao quickly waved his hand, "Yu'er should remain as the heir."

"Little sister, you are more capable than your brother. You've been the one who held up the Prince's mansion. The heir should be Yu'er."

Nangong Wu's abilities and ambition are far superior to his, and her children will certainly not be ordinary people in the future. It would be much better to entrust the royal palace to them than to him.

"Xiao'er is right." Huo Jing nodded approvingly to his son. "Don't worry, Xiao'er. Although you can't be the heir apparent, I will still ask for a title of Prince for you."

"Father, you don't need to worry about me. What have I done for the court? I'm afraid that requesting an official title will cause dissatisfaction among other officials."

"Let's see who dares to complain! Hmph!" Huo Jing snorted coldly, his tone full of disdain.

"Your mother sacrificed her life for the country, your grandfather and father both made great contributions in battle, and your sister also eliminated treacherous officials and quelled internal strife for the court. She even went to the Eastern Jin Kingdom alone to assassinate the Eastern Jin Emperor and the King of Wu, which brought peace to the Western Yan Kingdom today."

"In terms of merit, none of the court officials are as great as your sister. Our family also donates hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to the court every year. Who dares to utter a single word of dissent in front of me? I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget!"

Bei Chenyan felt a surge of anxiety; it seemed Huo Jing was determined to take his son away from him.

Seeing that he was getting agitated, Nangong Xiao quickly comforted him, "Father, don't be angry, I will listen to you."

"Hmm." Huo Jing nodded, but his face suddenly darkened again. "But the Crown Prince..."

Nangong Wu's eyes flickered slightly. "What's wrong with the Crown Prince? Didn't my uncle already confine him to his quarters for three months?"

"That was just His Majesty putting on a show for others, putting on an act." Huo Jing snorted again, displeased. "Five days from now is Empress Su's birthday, and His Majesty used that as an excuse to lift the Crown Prince's ban yesterday."

"It seems that Uncle Emperor will no longer investigate the Seventh Prince's poisoning." Nangong Wu's gaze turned cold immediately. "Father, I will go to the palace with you tomorrow."

"No need. Those people can't do anything to me." Huo Jing waved his hand. "Your brother just got back today. Let's not talk about these unpleasant things."

"Okay." Nangong Wu originally wanted to go to the palace with him to ask Emperor Mingde for a fiefdom and then leave the capital, but seeing that her father did not want to talk about these things, she could only wait until later.

The return of Nangong Xiao filled the entire Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion with joy.

The Seventh Prince was still recuperating in the Prince's Mansion when he heard the news that Nangong Xiao had been found, so he came over to congratulate them.

That evening, the Prince's Mansion held a banquet, and everyone in the mansion was as happy as if it were New Year's Day.

The next day, Huo Jing, who had not attended court for a long time, appeared at the Zichen Hall.

When Emperor Mingde arrived, he was greeted with three shouts of "Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise, my beloved ministers!" Emperor Mingde's gaze swept across the hall, and he was surprised to see Huo Jing. "Prince Zhenyuan, you are truly a rare sight!"

"For four years, you've paid no heed to matters of state. What has brought you here today?"

Huo Jing stepped forward, a smile playing on his lips. "Your Majesty, I have come to deliver good news."

The matter of her son's return was a private matter and should have been discussed privately with Emperor Mingde after the court session.

But he insisted that his son's affairs were also matters of state and that everyone should know about them.

"Oh?" Emperor Mingde frowned slightly. "What joyous occasion has made you so happy? Is it that Runing wishes to remarry?"

Nangong Wu's marriage was indeed a major event in the court, even affecting the political situation.

"No!" Huo Jing cupped his hands in greeting. "It's my son, Nangong Xiao, who has been found!"

"What?" Emperor Mingde was taken aback. "Really?"

A strange light flashed in Nangong Chengkun's eyes as he stood below the imperial platform. "Uncle Zhenyuan, Nangong Xiao disappeared after a full month, and then suddenly he's found again. You haven't been tricked, have you?"

"Your Highness is too kind. How could I possibly mistake my own son? Xiao'er was found by Runing, there is absolutely no mistake," Huo Jing said with certainty.

Emperor Mingde's eyes were dark and unfathomable. "Prince Zhenyuan, what the Crown Prince said is not without reason. There are many swindlers outside who will do anything for wealth and glory. Even Runing can be wrong sometimes."

A courtier, having received a hint from Nangong Chengkun, stepped forward and said, "Prince Zhenyuan, the matter of the Crown Prince is of great importance; you need to be even more cautious."

Huo Jing glanced at him coldly, ignored him, and said to Emperor Mingde, "Runing has already found out that Xiao'er is my son."