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

Nangong Wu was surprised to hear this. "He just left like that? Did that woman die later?"

Bei Chenyan shook his head. "No, that official's daughter and two maids were hiding in the shadows watching, but neither of them could swim. By the time they found someone, the woman had already drunk a lot of water and was sent home, where she was sick for more than a month."

This matter caused quite a stir at the time. The woman's father was the Vice Minister of Works, a third-rank official. Even though she was the legitimate daughter of the Qi family, she wasn't qualified to marry the legitimate son of the first-rank Duke of Zhenguo. So, she came up with this plan, thinking that by doing so, the Qi family would have no choice but to marry her.

"Since that woman is so willing to degenerate, then let her come into the manor as a concubine." Nangong Wu was also very annoyed by this kind of scheming woman.

"The Vice Minister of Works, believing his daughter's exaggerated claims, went to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion demanding that Qi Ziyang take responsibility. While this was causing a commotion, Miss Xi also came to the door with their betrothal gifts, assuming that Qi Ziyang and that official's daughter were having an affair and wanting to break off the engagement."

"So, Qi Ziyang, a noble young master, has been wandering with you for several years. Is it because of this?" Nangong Wu asked.

"Hmm." Bei Chenyan nodded. "The main problem is that no matter how Qi Ziyang explains it, Miss Xi insists that Qi Ziyang has an affair with that woman and insists on breaking off the engagement."

That woman even went to Prime Minister Xi's house to apologize, saying that she and Qi Ziyang had only exchanged some ambiguous words without being able to control themselves, and that she was willing to be a secondary wife and marry into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion together with Miss Xi.

This completely enraged Qi Ziyang. He took the daughter of the Vice Minister to the government office, and her two head maids, unable to withstand the torture, confessed everything!

When the emperor heard about this, he was very unhappy. He summoned the vice minister of the Ministry of Works and reprimanded him, saying that he had not managed his household properly. He demoted him to a seventh-rank county magistrate in Jizhou, under the pretext of self-reflection.

Qi Ziyang was exonerated, but he was disheartened. He left a letter at home and came to me to manage the business of Wujian Pavilion for me. It wasn't until I learned that my father was seriously ill that he was ordered to return to Yulong City to secretly control the court for me.

Nangong Wu frowned slightly. "What about that woman? She framed Qi Ziyang, and you're just letting it go like that?"

"The Vice Minister of Works has made some achievements in the Ministry of Works, but Father Emperor demoted him to the remote Jizhou as a county magistrate, which is almost like exile!" Bei Chenyan said.

"So, this Miss Xi regrets it? She's been waiting for him for years?"

"The matter has been investigated and cleared up. Miss Xi realized she had wronged Qi Ziyang and came to the Qi family to find him. The Duke of Zhenguo gave her a letter from Qi Ziyang, in which he said that if she could wait five years, he would marry her..."

The three children saw their parents whispering to each other, exchanged glances, and then nodded.

Nangong Xi spoke first: "Father, Mother, we need to go to the outhouse."

"Alright, Father will take you there." Bei Chenyan stood up.

"No need, Father. Aunt Li Shuang is outside. We can go find her ourselves."

The three children pulled him back down to sit.

"No, I'll take you to find Li Shuang." Bei Chenyan was worried and brought the three children out.

There are too many guests at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion today, all sorts of people. It wouldn't be good if someone set their sights on a few of the children.

Li Shuang and Li Ke came along and stayed with the guards of the Eastern Palace.

The guards brought by Bei Chenyan were all high-ranking, armed guards, people he would rely on in the future. The Duke of Zhenguo dared not neglect them and prepared a banquet for them.

However, as the Crown Prince's guards, they were required to serve him closely and be ready to be summoned at any time, so they had to take turns eating.

Bei Chenyan brought his three children out and saw Li Shuang and several guards, including Fang Jianxian, standing outside the door.

Upon seeing them emerge, several guards stepped forward.

"Your Highness."

"Aunt Li Shuang!" The three children came over and took Li Shuang's hand.

Li Shuang understood that the children needed to use the restroom, so she said to Bei Chenyan, "Your Highness, I will take them there."

"Hmm." Bei Chenyan handed the child to the guards and returned to the main hall.

Wei Yang was worried, so he ordered a few guards to stay here while he followed Li Shuang and the children.

After using the outhouse, none of the three children wanted to return to the banquet.

"Aunt Li Shuang, Uncle Wei Yang, we want to see the big red fish." Nangong Xi grabbed Li Shuang's hand.

Li Shuang looked around and asked Wei Yang, "Where is the pond in this Duke Zhenguo's mansion?"

"Yes, it's over in the garden. Please come this way, Your Highnesses." Wei Yang had been to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion many times before and knew where the fish pond was.

It's banquet time now, and there aren't many people in the garden.

Located in the southernmost part of the country, Nanqi has a subtropical monsoon climate. Although it is already late autumn, the garden is still full of flowers, and there are even butterflies and dragonflies.

The three children, who rarely get to go out, were overjoyed to see the butterflies and dragonflies. They chattered excitedly for a long time, studying the unfamiliar creatures.

Wei Yang and Li Shuang stood guard over them, one in front and one behind.

Seeing the butterflies and dragonflies, the children forgot to look at the fish and chased after them with laughter.

Li Shuang's expression suddenly changed. With a "whoosh," she drew her sword, deflected the incoming hidden weapon, and ran towards Nangong Xi, who was closest to her. "Watch out!"

Wei Yang also felt the powerful sound of something cutting through the air. He spun around to avoid the hidden weapon and pulled up Nangong Yu, who was closest to him.

Immediately afterwards, several more hidden weapons were shot at.

"Your Highness, be careful!" Li Shuang grabbed Nangong Xi with one hand and used her sword to block the hidden weapon with the other.

"Assassins!" Wei Yang shouted as he brandished his sword.

He knew that there must be secret guards and bodyguards from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion around here.

Suddenly, five masked men in black sprang out from the flower bushes, and four of them fired several hidden weapons at Wei Yang and Li Shuang.

A man in black grabbed Nangong Jue and flew away at lightning speed.

"Second Prince..." Li Shuang, holding Nangong Xi, leaped into the air, dodging the hidden weapons while drawing her pistol.

"Bang! Bang!" Two gunshots rang out.

"Ahhh..." She killed the two people who attacked her.

Wei Yang returned the hidden weapon, killing the two men in black as well.

Li Shuang carried Nangong Xifei to his side, extremely anxious, "Keep an eye on the two little princes, I'm going to rescue the Second Prince."

"I'll go." Wei Yang handed Nangong Yu over to her and flew off to chase after the man in black.

This was the first time Nangong Yu and Nangong Xi had experienced something so dangerous, and it happened so suddenly that they were both taken aback.

"Aunt Li Shuang, Jue'er has been kidnapped by bad guys." Nangong Xi's voice was choked with sobs.

"Don't be afraid." Li Shuang held the two children's hands tightly, looking in the direction Wei Yang had chased after, hoping he could rescue Nangong Jue.

The sudden gunshot immediately alerted everyone in the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion, and countless guards and bodyguards rushed in from all directions.

But the first person to arrive was Bei Chenyan, his voice deep and cold, "What happened?"