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

"Hmph! Emperor Mingde doesn't dare to touch my Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion!" Huo Jing sneered disdainfully.

"Emperor Mingde and Nanqi Chengkun wouldn't dare." Bei Chenyan's eyes were deep. "My Wujian Pavilion has received news that Ling Yangzi may have already arrived in the capital of Xiyan Kingdom and secretly met with Nanqi Chengkun. I'm afraid this will be detrimental to the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion."

"So that's how it is. They really do court death!" Huo Jing sneered. "I thought the Western Yan Kingdom could hold out for a few more years, but it seems even the heavens are against them!"

Bei Chenyan said, "Your Highness, if Emperor Mingde does not change the crown prince, the destruction of the Western Yan Kingdom is inevitable."

Nan Qi Chengkun is of questionable character, selfish, and utterly irresponsible. Once he loses the support of the people, regional warlords and regional governors will seize power, leading to a chaotic power struggle, the fragmentation of the country, widespread warfare, and rivers of blood. Ultimately, it is the common people who suffer the most.

Huo Jing remained silent with a cold expression.

Heaven is determined to destroy Western Yan; what can he do?

Nangong Lan has already died fighting for the Western Yan Kingdom. Now, Emperor Mingde is incompetent and cruel, and he will not let his two children risk their lives for such a court.

"My idea is that if the Western Yan Kingdom truly faces internal and external troubles, you should rise up in rebellion; your call will surely be met with widespread support..."

"Your Highness need not say such things, I will not." Huo Jing raised his hand to interrupt Bei Chenyan. "Wuwu has already obtained the land in Jianggang Prefecture. Once she is settled there, Xiao'er and I will also go there."

"At that time, what becomes of the Western Yan Kingdom will no longer be of any concern to us."

"But the 300,000 Zhenyuan Army belongs to the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion and was brought out by the former prince. The eldest princess died in battle to protect the Western Yan Kingdom. If you abandon the Zhenyuan Army, have you thought about their fate once the military seal falls into the hands of Nan Qi Chengkun?" Bei Chenyan asked him.

Huo Jing raised his hand again, "You already said that the Zhenyuan Army belongs to the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion, so what does a military tally matter?"

If Emperor Mingde and Nanqi Chengkun dare to send the Zhenyuan army as cannon fodder, they will have to see if the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion agrees.

He didn't want to discuss these matters, stood up to take his leave, and said, "If the Crown Prince summoned me here only for this matter, then there's no need to say more. Farewell!"

If Emperor Mingde dared to take away the military tally, without him saying a word, the 300,000 Zhenyuan troops would surely rebel against the court, but he couldn't say that out loud.

"Your Highness, please take care." Bei Chenyan stood up to see him off.

The door closed, and Prime Minister Yu entered through another door: "Your Highness, it seems Huo Jingzhen has no ambition to become emperor. Nangong Wu..."

"Nangong Wu only wants to live a carefree and unrestrained life." Bei Chenyan raised his hand to him. "Don't worry, if the Western Yan Kingdom really reaches that point, they won't sit idly by."

"Your Highness, are you really going to return to the capital with us the day after tomorrow?" Prime Minister Yu asked.

"Go back. Some things have been dragging on for too long; it's time to go back and deal with them." Bei Chenyan's eyes turned cold.

"Go and keep an eye on things. Make sure Nan Qichengkun delivers 1.5 million taels of silver to the Imperial Palace before nightfall tomorrow. Otherwise, Nan Qichengkun will have to come with us."

"Your Majesty, I understand." Prime Minister Yu bowed and withdrew.

Bei Chenyan picked up the mask, put it back on, and left the room.

***************

When Huo Jing returned to the Prince's Mansion, he sent a guard to summon Nangong Wu to the Jade Courtyard.

A short while later, Nangong Wu arrived. Seeing his pale face, she asked, "Father, did you call me here for something?"

"I received a message from the Wujian Pavilion saying that Ling Yangzi has arrived in the capital and is secretly colluding with Nan Qi Chengkun, which may be detrimental to the Prince's Mansion. We must be careful," Huo Jing said in a deep voice.

Nangong Wu was not surprised. "Father, don't worry. I expected Ling Yangzi to come looking for Nan Qichengkun."

"You expected this all along?" Huo Jing thought about it for a moment and found it unsurprising.

These two people have a grudge against them, but they can also use each other, so they will inevitably collude together.

"Hmm." Nangong Wu nodded. "Nan Qichengkun is plotting with a tiger; he won't have a good ending."

"Daughter, that Ling Yangzi is quite skilled; he can use magic to control people's souls. You must be careful," Huo Jing said with some concern.

"Father, don't you know my abilities? If he were that powerful, how come I blew up Changyang Temple? Now he's a rat that can't be seen in the light, and everyone hates him." Nangong Wu comforted him.

"That's true." Huo Jing also realized he had been overthinking it. "But it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Ling Yangzi is like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to suddenly bite someone at any moment."

"Father, with my current abilities, neither open nor covert attacks will work on me," Nangong Wu said.

If it were when she had just transmigrated, she might have been afraid of Ling Yangzi.

But after a few years, her soul and body had completely merged, and she had picked up magic again to practice. She had also mastered the art of divination and escape, and she thought that one day she would face off against Ling Yangzi.

She broke into Changyang Temple at night. In her first confrontation with Ling Yangzi, it became clear that Ling Yangzi had lost.

"My daughter is the most amazing!" Huo Jing knew his daughter was very capable, but he still felt uneasy.

Seeing that he was still frowning, Nangong Wu had no choice but to say, "Father, I'll take my brother with me too."

As for Kyoto, I have already set up a trap in the Prince's residence. After we leave, you should feign illness and refuse visitors. If anyone dares to break into the Prince's residence at night, even if it is Ling Yangzi, the landmines I have planted will kill him.

Huo Jing was taken aback. "Xiao'er is going with you too?"

"I originally wanted him to stay and keep you company, but after what happened at the banquet today, I changed my mind. It would be good for my brother to go along and help out," Nangong Wu said.

"Alright, you may all go! I will stay in the capital and guard the palace." Huo Jing's tightly furrowed brows relaxed considerably.

"Yes, we'll leave tomorrow. If anything happens, just send us a message by carrier pigeon." Nangong Wu looked at her father, wishing she could take him with her, but someone needed to stay in Kyoto.

"Father, if Emperor Mingde demands that you hand over the military tally, give it to him. If he intends to harm you, leave through the secret passage and wait for me to return to you."

"I understand!" Huo Jing nodded.

"Then I'll go down and prepare! Tonight, my brother and I will bring the three children to have dinner with you." After reassuring him, Nangong Wu returned to Zuimei Courtyard.

In the afternoon, she ordered all the Flying Feather Guards who lived in branch residences outside the palace to temporarily return to the palace to avoid retaliation from Nan Qi Chengkun and Ling Yangzi's men.

Li Shuang wanted to go with her, taking the child with her.

"Alright, then get ready. After we go to Jianggang Prefecture, we won't be coming back!" Nangong Wu told her to go back and discuss it with Li Zhan.

Besides Li Shuang, there were also Li Zhan, Su Siyan, and Fu Daniu and his sister who went with them.