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

Bei Chenyan walked in, looking at the things inside, his face turning grim.

"Wan Jia is truly wonderful!"

Nangong Wu followed her in. "It seems the Wan family is really desperate. In order to get rid of you, they've gone to Beichen Zhan and Ling Yangzi to conspire against a tiger."

"Those two are no good either. They just think the Wan family is easy to use. If their conspiracy succeeds, Bei Chenzhan and Ling Yangzi will divide the Nanqi Kingdom equally, and the Wan family will only end up being discarded like a dog after the rabbit is killed." Bei Chenyan's eyes were full of sarcasm.

Wan Jia is restless, and no emperor would use such a person; once they've been used, they're no longer useful.

"Let's go check out the other rooms."

"Um!"

The two searched the entire farm, but found no one except for a hidden underground room.

"They only took the prepared caltrops and left no one behind. It's highly likely they realized they'd been discovered by our people!" Nangong Wu guessed.

There are still so many things left uncollected, which shows that the people here left in a hurry.

"Let's go back first!" Bei Chenyan pulled the dagger from the dog's head and wiped the blood off it with a handkerchief. "They'll be here soon."

"Let's go then!"

The two left the farm and took Zhang Qing back to Yulong City.

Bei Chenyan escorted Nangong Wu back to the East Palace and then went to his study to attend to other matters.

Nangong Wu entered the space, took a nightgown, and wanted to take a shower before going to sleep.

Eileen suddenly ran out, "Master, Zhou Shaorong has been vomiting blood all day; he might be dying!"

Nangong Wu was taken aback. "Zhou Shaorong has been vomiting blood all day? What happened?"

"It might be related to his health. Why don't you go take a look? If it doesn't work, just throw him in the crematorium and burn him!" Eileen suggested.

"Let's take a look."

Nangong Wu flashed into the small dark room where Zhou Shaorong was being held.

It was called a dark room, and it truly was a dark room.

There were no windows, and the room was pitch black as soon as the door was closed.

Once the door opened, the inside was as bright as day.

Nangong Wu entered the room and saw Zhou Shaorong lying on the ground, disheveled and groaning. There were several pools of blood next to him, which he must have vomited.

When Zhou Shaorong saw that it was her, he crawled towards her on all fours, pleading, "Nangong Wu, I'm dying, please give me the antidote..."

"Antidote?" Nangong Wu stepped on one of his hands. "Zhou Shaorong, you should have died long ago. It was Xuan Qingzi who shortened his own lifespan and used evil magic to lend you my life, which is why you've lived until now. Now you still want me to save you? Dream on."

Zhou Shaorong shook his head hurriedly. His face was so thin it was unrecognizable, his eyes were sunken, and his eyes were full of longing for life.

"I don't want to borrow your life anymore. I only need a little of your heart's blood as a medicinal ingredient to save me. As long as you save me... I'll do anything for you..."

"You want a little bit of my blood as a medicinal ingredient?" Nangong Wu asked, half-squatting down. "If you want me to save you, tell me first, what method did Ling Yangzi use to keep you alive until now?"

Even though she understood Qimen Dunjia, she couldn't figure out what kind of evil magic Ling Yangzi used to save Zhou Shaorong.

"Ling Yangzi is my biological father. Every six months, he uses his heart's blood to make medicine for me. My master also said that you have a phoenix destiny that is rare in a thousand years, and it is best to use your heart's blood..." In order to survive, Zhou Shaorong revealed all his secrets.

"Master, he said you have the destiny of a phoenix, a rare find in a thousand years?" Eileen laughed upon hearing this, clearly not believing it. "What are you? You think you can have your master's heart's blood?"

"He's just an idiot!" Nangong Wu didn't want to waste time here, so she said to Eileen, "Throw him into the spring pool and let him soak in it."

"If he survives, he's lucky; if he dies, throw him into the crematorium."

The spring water in her space has a certain healing effect; it might be able to save him. If it can't, she'll throw it away and burn it. If it can be saved, she'll keep it to continue using it as leverage against Ling Yangzi.

"Okay!" Eileen lifted Zhou Shaorong up and headed towards the spring pool.

"Want my heart's blood? Wishful thinking." Nangong Wu sneered and went back to her room.

The next day.

As expected, no one from the Wan family attended the court assembly in the Southern Qi Kingdom.

Bei Chenyan stood before the civil and military officials, her face somewhat sorrowful, and said, "My father's health has been poor. From today onwards, I will move to Yikun Palace to serve him wholeheartedly."

"I entrust the affairs of the court to Prime Minister Xi and all my esteemed ministers."

"How could this happen?"

A murmur rippled through the hall.

"Your Highness, didn't you say a few days ago that His Majesty's health had improved?" an official asked.

"It did improve a few days ago, but..." Bei Chenyan paused deliberately at this point.

But to the officials below, his demeanor suggested that he was hesitant to speak, that he didn't want to say anything unpleasant.

A minister knelt down and said, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, blessed by Heaven, and will surely enjoy long life and happiness for ten thousand years!"

All the ministers knelt down.

"Your Majesty is blessed with boundless good fortune; Heaven surely protects you!"

News of Emperor Nanqi's critical illness quickly spread throughout Yulong City after the court assembly, sparking much speculation.

The people all thought that the emperor might not survive this time.

A day passed, and all was well in Jade Dragon City.

But that was only on the surface; beneath the surface, undercurrents were surging.

"Father, I have received conclusive information that Prince Jing has not left the capital." Bei Chenyan felt it was necessary to tell his father.

Otherwise, once war breaks out, it will inevitably be a fight to the death.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor of Southern Qi's face darkened. After all, this was his own son, and it was very painful for him to see him in this state.

"Prince Jing is my first child with the late Empress. He was once my most valued child, and I have been grooming him as the heir apparent ever since I ascended the throne."

"Alas! A pheasant is just a pheasant; it will never become a phoenix. He has disappointed me greatly! Now he's going to commit fratricide. How could I have given birth to such a wretched child?"

"Father, Prince Jing has colluded with Lingyangzi and is now working with the Wan family. They are just waiting for the death knell to sound so they can raise an army to rebel and kill their son, the Crown Prince!" Bei Chenyan said quietly.

"He dares!" The Emperor of Southern Qi suddenly slammed his hand on the armrest, his beard bristling with anger.

"Father, Bei Chenzhan is willing to rebel in order to seize the throne. Why don't I give him the position of Crown Prince? That way, Prince Jing won't keep thinking about killing me!"

"Now that you have a crown prince, I can go to Runan City with Nangong Wu to live." Bei Chenyan finished speaking and looked at the Southern Qi Emperor's expression.

If the Emperor is unwilling to get rid of Bei Chenzhan, then he can only abandon the Southern Qi Kingdom, return to Runan City with Nangong Wu and the children, and never again concern himself with the affairs of the Southern Qi Kingdom.

"Crown Prince, I know you're blaming me." The Southern Qi Emperor looked at the sky, knowing he had to make a decisive move. "Go and toll the death knell!"