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

Li Shuang replied, "Yes, Your Highness, the Third Prince of Bei Di is currently requesting an audience outside the palace gates, and he has brought quite a few gifts. Would you like to see him?"

"I won't see him." Nangong Wu refused to see anyone. "Go tell him that if he wants to see me, we will meet on the day of the Empress's birthday celebration."

This person arrived in Kyoto in the morning and couldn't wait to visit her in the afternoon. Was he trying to arouse suspicion from Emperor Mingde and his son, making them wonder if the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion had some kind of private relationship with the Northern Region Kingdom?

Although she wasn't afraid of Emperor Mingde, there was no need for her to be.

"Princess, I also think that the Third Prince of the Northern Region's grand visit to you is definitely not for good reasons," Li Shuang guessed.

Nangong Wu leaned back, her eyes cold and deep. "You're right. What these countries fear are my weapons. They'd love for Emperor Mingde to be suspicious of our Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion and then fight amongst themselves."

"Princess, these people are all too wicked. Do you think His Majesty would think that way?" Li Shuang was somewhat worried.

Although the princess had already planned to leave, she still didn't want things to get too ugly with Emperor Mingde.

"Yes." Nangong Wu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Envoys from the Eastern Jin and Southern Qi kingdoms might also come to visit, and we'll refuse them all!"

She had barely finished speaking when Li Zhan arrived.

"Princess, Prince Ji of the Eastern Jin Kingdom has also arrived. He is outside the palace gates and has delivered a letter of invitation, wishing to pay a visit to the Prince and you."

"The Prince of Ji of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Tang Jingli?" Nangong Wu murmured the name.

"Yes, this Tang Jingli is the younger brother of the current Emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, born of the same mother. He is twenty-one years old this year, and it is said that he wants to form a marriage alliance with our Western Yan Kingdom's princess. He has come to visit us today, could it be that he wants to..."

"I won't see them!" Nangong Wu waved her hand to interrupt him, then turned to Li Shuang and said, "Just refuse them as I said earlier."

"Yes!" Li Shuang bowed and withdrew.

Seeing that Li Shuang had left, Li Zhan also withdrew.

About 15 minutes later, Li Shuang returned and reported to her: "Princess, the Prince just announced that he will hold a homecoming banquet for the Crown Prince tomorrow."

"Did Father say that?" Nangong Wu was taken aback.

They originally planned to hold a homecoming banquet for their brother, but due to Empress Su's upcoming birthday, they decided against a large-scale event and declined visits from court officials.

Why did Father suddenly change his mind about what we had agreed upon? And at this crucial time, with Empress Su's birthday just two days away.

"Yes." Li Shuang nodded. "But the prince didn't send invitations to anyone. He just posted a notice outside the manor gate, saying that the young master was returning to the palace and that everyone who sincerely wished him well was welcome to come and have a drink of wedding wine. He also said that there would be a two-day banquet outside the manor gate."

"What?" Nangong Wu stood up after hearing this, finding it hard to believe that her father would make such a decision.

The day after tomorrow is Empress Su's birthday, and at this crucial moment, Father is throwing a grand homecoming banquet for my brother, saying that anyone can come to congratulate him, and that there will be a two-day feast!?

Once this news gets out, barring any unforeseen circumstances, people will flock to the Prince's residence to offer their congratulations. This homecoming banquet may be unprecedented and never to be repeated. Father is really going to slap Emperor Mingde in the face!

"It's true. His Highness has already instructed Steward Fang to post the notice. The Third Prince of the Northern Di Kingdom and Prince Ji of the Eastern Jin Kingdom saw it and left, saying they would definitely bring generous gifts to congratulate him tomorrow," Li Shuang said with a smile.

"I understand! Please inform them to call all our people back to ensure the safety of the Prince's residence for the next two days."

"Also, have Uncle Fang prepare more rice, noodles, meat, and vegetables. Set up a few more stoves outside the side gate of the Prince's Mansion today," Nangong Wu instructed.

Last time, the children's full moon celebration was a banquet held outside the main gate of the Prince's Mansion, which was quite chaotic. This time, it's just outside the side gate, and there are enough tables to fit in that alley.

"We also need to prepare bowls and chopsticks, at least ten thousand bowls," Li Shuang said.

"No need to prepare bowls and chopsticks." Nangong Wu took out a lot of disposable bowls and chopsticks from the supermarket in her space with her mind.

"Tomorrow, we'll use these bowls to serve food, so we won't have to wash the dishes."

After moving to Jianggang Prefecture, she will produce these things herself, so she is not afraid of people's suspicion; if there is any suspicion, she will simply not eat them.

"Princess, some people are greedy and insatiable. After receiving their share of food, they take it home and then have their children line up to get more food." Li Shuang felt helpless about such people.

"Isn't the banquet supposed to be a place where people only leave after they've finished eating? You need to make that clear beforehand. They can eat their fill, but they can't leave with a bowl of food still in their hands," Nangong Wu said.

"Understood!" Li Shuang also felt that this was better, otherwise, no matter how much food the Prince's Mansion prepared, it wouldn't be enough for those people to carry.

The two-day banquet was so lavish that even if everyone just ate their fill, the granaries in the Prince's mansion would be emptied.

"Go! Have the guards order meat and vegetables too. Tomorrow morning, have them deliver the food to the Prince's residence on time." After giving the instructions, Nangong Wu got up and left Zuimei Courtyard to go to Emerald Courtyard to see her father.

Inside the imperial city.

As soon as Huo Jing's announcement was posted, the news spread like wildfire, and the entire capital was in an uproar, especially the ordinary families and beggars living in the northern district, who were as happy as if it were New Year's Day.

The fact that the Prince of Zhenyuan's mansion hosted a two-day banquet was equivalent to saving them two days' worth of food.

"A few years ago, when Princess Runing's three children turned one month old, the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion held a grand banquet. There were not only white steamed buns and white rice, but also several large pieces of braised pork in every dish. It was really delicious." An old man recalled the banquet he ate at the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion a few years ago, and he still remembers it vividly.

"The Prince of Zhenyuan's mansion is hosting a banquet tomorrow, so let's cook less rice at home tonight and save room for a bigger feast tomorrow, where there will be meat."

"Let's go to the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion now and sign up to help prepare the food for tomorrow's banquet. Maybe we can get an extra steamed bun."

"I signed up too. I heard that the people who helped with the cooking last time took home all the leftovers from the VIP banquet at the Prince's Mansion. The dishes were so exquisite, they ate for several days!"

"Come on, let's sign up quickly, or we'll miss out..."

The next day.

The Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and everyone in the mansion wore a joyful expression.

The gates of the Prince's Mansion opened early in preparation for welcoming guests.

Huo Jing and his son waited in the main hall, Mingguang Hall, to receive guests.

The Seventh Prince is much better now. Hearing that the Prince's Mansion is hosting a homecoming banquet for Nangong Xiao today, he came early to help receive the guests.

Since anyone could come to offer congratulations, almost all the officials in the court came, all wanting to see what the newly found Prince Zhenyuan looked like.

"Prince Ji of the Eastern Jin Dynasty has arrived!"

"The Third Prince of the Northern Di Kingdom has arrived!"

"The Prime Minister of the Southern Qi Kingdom has arrived!"