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

"Then I'll go and prepare the carriage." Seeing that she insisted on going, Li Shuang had no choice but to go and prepare the carriage first.

Before leaving, Nangong Wu went to see the three children one last time.

She left Xiao Lin at Zui Mei Courtyard, and had Li An, Li Cheng, and fifty Flying Feather Guards stay behind to protect him.

The capital city is still under lockdown, and that madman Nangong Xun could return at any time. We can't let him take Xiao Lin away.

"No one other than our people is allowed to enter this Drunken Plum Courtyard. Anyone who does will be killed without mercy!"

"Understood, Your subordinate will certainly protect the three young masters."

Li An and Li Cheng accepted the order, their eyes filled with unwavering determination.

When Nangong Wu came out of the gate of the Prince's Mansion, she saw that Li Shuang and Li Feng were already waiting outside the gate with the guards of the Prince's Mansion and about ten carriages.

When the old steward heard that they were going to collect the dowry, he went along too.

"Princess, our people have just found out that the Imperial Noble Consort has taken Madam Zhou away from prison, and the mother and daughter are now in the palace."

Zhou Zheng also sold a shop on Jinxiu Street to pay off the 160,000 taels of silver owed to Shangtong Firm.

"They repaid 160,000 taels of silver?" Nangong Wu was taken aback. She remembered that the Zhou family had borrowed more than 80,000 taels.

"And there are the things Zhou Shaorong bought on credit from Huo's shop. Over the years, they've been using your name to collect debts from various restaurants, teahouses, and cloth shops for food, drink, and clothing. The shopkeepers have all come to collect these debts as you instructed," Li Feng told her.

Li Shuang also said, "With His Majesty's decree, they dare not disobey."

"That's good." Nangong Wu's smile deepened.

She boarded the carriage, took out a gold token, and gave it to Li Shuang. "Let's go! This token will ensure we have a smooth journey."

This golden token was made by the late emperor for my grandfather; it allows him to go anywhere.

The carriage started moving and headed west of the city.

They were stopped at the corner as soon as they stepped out of the main street.

Nangong Wu opened the carriage curtain and saw that the road was blocked by several barricades, with about a hundred people guarding the place. Among them, more than a dozen were actually guards from the Prince Rui's mansion.

It seems that Nangong Xun knew she was going to the Zhou family to ask for her dowry today, so he deliberately waited for her here.

"This is Princess Runing's carriage. How dare you block the way?" Li Feng shouted.

"Princess Runing?" A man in a military officer's uniform stood in the middle of the road with a disdainful look. "This is His Majesty's decree. The city is sealed off today to search for assassins. All unauthorized persons are prohibited from passing through. Everyone must obey."

"How dare you!" Li Shuang dismounted and slapped the captain hard across the face.

"Snapped!"

Seeing her make a move, all the guards drew their swords.

A guard from Prince Rui's residence ordered: "You dare to disobey the imperial decree, which is tantamount to treason! Seize them! Those who disobey will be executed without mercy!"

"Let's see who dares to make a move!" Li Shuang opened the golden token and held it up in front of these people.

"This is a token bestowed by the late Emperor. Let's see who dares to disrespect the Princess!"

Upon seeing the golden token, all the men who had been pointing weapons at them knelt down.

The token was inscribed with the three characters "Zhenyuan King" in the center, and below it were the four smaller characters "As if the Emperor were personally present".

"Now, can we pass through?" Li Shuang asked the captain coldly.

The captain's forehead was covered in cold sweat. "Okay, but we need to check the carriage first."

This token was bestowed by the late emperor, and even if Emperor Mingde were here, he wouldn't dare to stop it.

"Then hurry up! If you delay the princess's affairs, you'll be in trouble!" Li Shuang scolded.

The captain stood up and led his men to inspect each vehicle one by one.

They naturally couldn't find anything out, so they had no choice but to let them pass.

Just as the carriage passed by, a guard from Prince Rui's residence mounted a horse and went to inform Nangong Xun.

Nangong Wu looked out through the small window and saw that there were no pedestrians on the street and all the shops had their doors and windows tightly closed.

With a single imperial decree, the city was sealed off. Not only were shops inside unable to do business, but people from outside were also barred from entering. Small vendors, fishmongers, meat sellers, and people who had traveled long distances to buy things were all prevented from getting in.

After walking down this main street, another checkpoint was set up at the intersection.

But with that token, no one dared to stop them anymore.

Upon arriving at the Zhou family's residence, they found the gate tightly shut.

Li Feng dismounted and went to knock on the door.

This time they didn't have to wait long; someone came to open the door.

A servant opened the door, and when he saw that it was them, he turned and ran away in fright.

Nangong Wu got off the carriage and started walking inside. "Li Feng and Li Shuang, come in with me. Luo Dayou, wait outside."

"Yes."

The three entered the Zhou residence, but there was no one in sight, so they had no choice but to continue walking inside.

She had been gone for less than ten days, and the mansion had already become desolate, with fallen leaves scattered all over the ground that no one had swept up.

Upon arriving at the main hall, I found it deserted.

"You surnamed Zhou! This princess has come to collect your dowry! Get out here now!"

"Princess, please wait here for a moment. I'll go find someone," Li Feng said to her before walking inside.

Li Shuang found a chair. "Princess, please rest for a while."

"Mm." Nangong Wu sat down.

She had just sat down when she saw Li Feng return, with Zhou Zheng following behind him.

Upon seeing Nangong Wu, Zhou Zheng knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling with tears, all his former arrogance gone.

"Princess Runing, please! Spare my Zhou family!"

Nangong Wu was taken aback when she saw Zhou Zheng's expression.

In just one day, Zhou Zheng had changed a lot, looking as if he had aged ten years.

He was still wearing yesterday's robes, which were wrinkled; his usually meticulously combed hair was somewhat disheveled, and his eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn't slept all night.

It seems that what happened yesterday dealt him a heavy blow: Zhou Shaorong fell into a coma; Zhou Chuchu was divorced; Madam Zhou was imprisoned and had to pay a large amount of debt. No one could withstand such a huge change.

"A kind person is often bullied, and a good horse is often ridden."

"Zhou Zheng, I used to treat the Zhou family as my own, but you took advantage of my love for Zhou Shaorong, making endless demands and humiliating me, which emboldened you! You wanted to kill me so you could take everything from the Huo family for yourselves."

Nangong Wu stood up, looking down at him. "I don't like Zhou Shaorong anymore! What do you think your Zhou family is in my eyes?"

"We know we were wrong, please forgive us!" Zhou Zheng kowtowed to her.

Nangong Wu was too lazy to waste any more words with him and directly gave the order:

"Li Feng, since they won't return my dowry, let our people come in and demolish this mansion for me, and take away all the valuables."

"Yes!" Li Feng went out and called the person in.

"Don't move it!" Zhou Zheng stood up. "Here's the dowry that Zhou Chuchu returned, as well as the farm, land, and shops..." Zhou Zheng took out several land deeds and handed them to her.

Li Shuang took the land deed, checked it over, and almost laughed in anger.

"Every item in the princess's dowry is priceless. You think you can match it with a run-down farm and a few shops?"

"No, no! There are still things that haven't been brought out." Zhou Zheng hurriedly ordered people to bring out the dowry that the Wu family had returned.

"Alright, then this princess will wait a little longer."

Nangong Wu had seen Zhou Chuchu's dowry list, and apart from her own belongings, the dowry prepared by Madam Zhou was of excellent quality.

"Nangong Wu!" A weak voice suddenly rang out.

She looked up and saw Zhou Shaorong walking slowly towards her, supported by a servant.

"Oh! You're still alive?"

"Cough cough..." Zhou Shaorong coughed twice, his face frighteningly pale.