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

"Bandits actually dare to rob the imperial court's grain supplies? I find that hard to believe!" someone among the onlookers exclaimed.

"When the imperial court transports grain, it's escorted by transport officials and grain commissioners, with at least 20,000 soldiers, plus laborers—a force of tens of thousands! Which mountain bandits are so powerful? I'm even thinking of joining them!"

"This shows the incompetence of the Western Yan court. How dare bandits rob the imperial supplies being escorted by tens of thousands of people? Is this an attempt to rebel?"

"How can you believe him so easily! Maybe he stole from his own comrades, or maybe he didn't have any food at all and said it was stolen by bandits, just an excuse to cover it up." This person saw through the truth.

"That's right. If I were in the position of such an immoral and incompetent ruler, I wouldn't continue to serve him either."

Most of the onlookers were江湖人 (jianghu people, people from the martial arts world), so how could they not see through these dirty tricks?

"Nangong Chengkun, since you and Emperor Mingde cannot treat the Zhenyuan Army well, and even want to starve and freeze the soldiers to death, then I will take the army away and support myself. From now on, the Zhenyuan Army will have nothing to do with your Western Yan Kingdom." Nangong Wu announced.

"Nangong Wu, the Zhenyuan army is the army of the Western Yan Kingdom. What right do you have to take it away? There is no one stationed at Lindong Pass. If the Eastern Jin army comes in, it will be those unarmed and innocent civilians who die. Don't you feel any remorse?" Nangong Chengkun first pinned the blame on her.

If the Eastern Jin army attacks, it will be her fault.

Nangong Wu sneered inwardly. This bastard is trying to morally blackmail her, isn't he!

"You son of a bitch, Nangong Chengkun, you dare to talk about conscience? If it weren't for the princess leading the army out of Lindong Pass, the soldiers would have frozen and starved to death in that cold winter!" Li Zhan clenched his fists, really wanting to punch Nangong Chengkun to death.

"Nangong Chengkun, so you also know that if Lindong Pass is left undefended, the Eastern Jin army will storm in and harm unarmed, innocent civilians? Then why did you cut off the Zhenyuan army's food supply?"

The Flying Feather Guards were all filled with righteous indignation.

But they knew that Nangong Chengkun was invited by Beichen Yan and was an envoy of the Western Yan Kingdom, so they couldn't let him die in Yulong City.

"You release the silk..." Yu pointed at the flying feathers, her words muffled, but one could make out what she was saying:

"His Highness the Crown Prince is... the heir apparent of the Western Yan Kingdom, and was once your master. How dare you disrespect him..."

"Tch!" Li Cheng scoffed dismissively.

Not only the Flying Feather Guards, but also the onlookers, all looked at Nangong Chengkun and his wife with disdain.

"Nangong Wu, it was the court's mistake that we failed to deliver the winter clothes and food to Lindong Pass in time, but my father and I have been trying to find ways to send food to the border and will never let the soldiers starve to death."

But you could have delivered the grain to Lindong Pass, yet you still took the Zhenyuan Army with you.

"If the loss of Lindong Pass allows the Eastern Jin army to enter the pass and harm the people, you will be the biggest sinner!" Today, Nangong Chengkun intends to pin all the blame for the failure of Lindong Pass on Nangong Wu.

"Hahaha!" A burst of laughter came from the back of the crowd.

Then another loud voice rang out, "The Crown Prince of the Eastern Jin Dynasty has arrived!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd parted to make way.

"Why is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Jin Kingdom here too?" Nangong Xiao's expression was rather unpleasant.

Why have all these envoys come here?

A young man in purple robes walked in, surrounded by a group of guards. He was about eighteen or nineteen years old and was holding a folding fan.

Nangong Wu was slightly taken aback, not expecting the Crown Prince of the Eastern Jin Kingdom to be so young.

I remember the Prince Ji I met last time; he was already over twenty years old.

Li Feng leaned closer to her and whispered to her about the situation of the Eastern Jin royal family: "This crown prince is the legitimate son of the empress. The current empress of Eastern Jin had three daughters before this crown prince was born. Above this crown prince, the emperor of Eastern Jin also has three sons born to concubines."

"I understand!" Nangong Wu nodded slightly.

The Crown Prince approached the steps and, with a smile on his face, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Nangong Wu and Nangong Hong.

"Greetings to the Heir Apparent of Zhenyuan and Princess Runing."

Nangong Xiao returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his attitude distant. "So you are the Crown Prince of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. I've heard so much about you."

"I have long admired Princess Runing and came here today to pay her a visit. However, I never expected to see such a shameless person and hear such shameless words here." The Crown Prince of Dongjin said these words while looking at Nangong Chengkun.

Nangong Chengkun's face darkened further upon hearing his pointed remark.

"Nangong Chengkun, you just said that our Eastern Jin army indiscriminately slaughtered the people of Western Yan? When did this happen? Do you have any evidence?" the Crown Prince of Eastern Jin asked coldly.

"For hundreds of years, your Eastern Jin state has sent troops to invade my Lindong Pass almost every year. How many people from my Western Yan state have been killed?" Nangong Chengkun questioned.

"For hundreds of years? Are you trying to trace history with me?" The Crown Prince of the Eastern Jin Dynasty sneered.

"A thousand years ago, Lindong Pass was originally the territory of my Eastern Jin Kingdom. At that time, the people of the Eastern Jin Kingdom were also killed by your Western Yan Kingdom soldiers!"

If you're going to settle scores with history, aren't you deeply sinful?

Nangong Chengkun gritted his teeth inwardly, "That was something the previous dynasty did a thousand years ago."

"So don't bring up anything from hundreds of years ago. Who will rule Lin Dongzhou in the future, we'll see on the battlefield."

At this point, the Crown Prince of Dongjin bowed to Nangong Wu again, saying, "Princess Runing, I have also seen the letter you wrote to my father!"

If we ever go to war with the Western Yan Kingdom again, I will never harm innocent civilians. I will conquer the Western Yan Kingdom with my strength.

They already knew about Nangong Wu's withdrawal of the Zhenyuan army, and later they received a letter from her.

The letter warned them that if they dared to enter the pass and indiscriminately kill innocent people, they would suffer the same fate as the last emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the King of Wu.

Therefore, the emperor hesitated for a long time about whether to send troops to Lindongguan.

He came in person for Bei Chenyan and Nangong Wu's wedding, wanting to find out Nangong Wu's true attitude towards the Western Yan Kingdom.

Having come here today and overheard the entire conversation between Nangong Wu and Nangong Chengkun, I now understand what to do.

As long as our army doesn't harm ordinary people, Nangong Wu will no longer care about the fate of the Western Yan Kingdom.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Nangong Wu.

Nowadays, wars are no longer about the size of the army, but about what Nangong Wu says. If she says we can't fight, then no one dares to move.

Nangong Chengkun naturally knew the gravity of the situation. "Sister Runing Wang, Lindong Pass was guarded by the old Zhenyuan Wang for decades, and the Eldest Princess also died in battle at Lindong Pass."

He was reminding Nangong Wu that it was Lindong Pass, which her mother had protected with her life. Giving it up would go against her mother's last wish, and it was just a matter of her saying a word.

Nangong Wu saw through his thoughts, but why should she do as he wished?

"So, the country that Mother protected with her life has been handed over to a heartless and unscrupulous person like you. You are not worthy to mention her."

Nangong Chengkun's face turned ashen, and his hatred intensified.

That vile woman! It was just a matter of her saying the word, and the Eastern Jin Dynasty wouldn't have dared to send troops.

The Crown Prince of Eastern Jin smiled broadly, feeling that his trip to Southern Qi Kingdom had been worthwhile.

Suddenly, with a loud "bang!", a figure crashed heavily to the bottom of the steps in front of the Huo residence, raising a cloud of dust.

Nangong Wu's expression changed, and she immediately gripped a pistol in her hand.