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

Nangong Wu looked puzzled, but didn't ask any more questions and went in to see the assassin.

The assassin, who was in his forties, was tied to a rack. He had been transported from over a thousand miles away and had been beaten many times along the way. He was half-dead.

"He's a tough nut to crack."

His ten fingers were crushed bit by bit. He fainted and was then revived by water, but he refused to say a word.

Nangong Wu took out a "Mid-March" poison pill and had Li Feng feed it to the assassin.

"What did you feed me?" the assassin finally spoke, his voice hoarse and rough like dried sand.

"Why don't you ask me who I am first?" Nangong Wu said coldly.

The assassin looked at her with a puzzled expression, but said nothing.

"I am the sister of the child you kidnapped from the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion eighteen years ago," Nangong Wu told him.

"It was you..." The assassin's pupils suddenly contracted. "Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. We, the Nine Nether Sect, are just doing things for money. If you want revenge, you should go find the person who wanted to harm you."

"Haha!" Nangong Wu sneered twice, "She's quite good at exonerating herself."

You even dared to steal from the young master of the Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion. The fact that you and that Jiuyou Sect member have survived until now can only be described as a sign of great fortune!

From this day forward, the Nine Nether Sect will be placed on the kill list by my Zhenyuan Prince's Mansion. A hefty reward will be offered for the Nine Nether Sect Master and all his disciples.

The assassin shuddered at the sight of her chilling killing intent.

"Ah!" he suddenly cried out in pain.

The poison that Nangong Wu fed him took effect, and his whole body felt as if it were being bitten by thousands of poisonous ants.

Xiao Lin stepped forward and dislocated the assassin's jaw to prevent him from biting his tongue and committing suicide.

"This dungeon is cool and shady, go back and rest! I'll handle these matters."

"Your Highness, Old Man Ma next door is on a hunger strike and hasn't eaten anything for a whole day!" Li Zhan reported.

"Then force it down his throat." Sima Ji hasn't arrived yet; this old man Ma can't die.

Just as Nangong Wu finished speaking, Li An came down as well. "Your Highness! General Sima Ji has arrived."

"Really?" Nangong Wu turned around.

Li An nodded. "Yes, we are waiting in the main hall now."

"I'll go see General Sima first. You all keep a close eye on that guy surnamed Ma," Nangong Wu instructed before leaving the dungeon.

Sima Ji was already over sixty years old, with completely white hair, but he was a man who had fought alongside the old prince on the battlefield, and his posture was still upright, and his eyes were still sharp.

Upon seeing him, Nangong Wu exclaimed, "General Sima, you've arrived!"

Sima Ji hurriedly stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and knelt on one knee, saying, "This old minister pays his respects to Your Highness!"

"General, there's no need for such formalities!" Nangong Wu stepped forward and helped him up. "There's a reason I rushed you to the capital; please forgive me!"

"Your Highness is too kind. As long as you still have any use for this old minister, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!" Sima Ji bowed.

"General, please sit down first. I'll tell you the story slowly..." Nangong Wu helped Sima Ji sit down and then told him the whole story.

"General, are Nangong Qi and Nangong Chen not actually your biological sons?"

Sima Ji's expression changed, his eyes filled with doubt. "Your Highness, who told you this?"

That matter was handled so discreetly that only he and the old prince knew about it.

The old prince has passed away, and he has never mentioned this matter to anyone, unless... could it be that person?

"I learned about it from the Wujian Pavilion, and I've also caught that man surnamed Ma! General Sima, I already know everything that happened back then, so I..." Before Nangong Wu could finish speaking, Li Feng and Li An escorted Old Man Ma to his destination.

"Kneel down." Li Feng pressed Old Man Ma down to his knees.

"What is he doing...?" Sima Ji asked, puzzled.

"He is the man who ran away back then, ran to the Northern Wilderness, married and had children, and was able to live to a ripe old age. But he was a scoundrel, with a huge gambling debt, and he let it slip..." Nangong Wu told him everything she knew.

Sima Ji was shocked. "He's actually Ma De? You really didn't die."

Old Ma knelt there, head bowed, without saying a word.

Judging from Sima Ji's reaction, Nangong Wu realized that he knew about what happened back then.

"General Sima, my grandfather valued you the most in the past, so he must have known that Nangong Qi and Nangong Chen were not my grandfather's bloodline."

"What a tragedy!" Sima Ji sighed, tacitly agreeing. "Your Highness, what do you wish for this old minister to do?"

"Since those two are not my grandfather's bloodline, the Prince's Mansion cannot keep them." Nangong Wu wanted to start a massacre.

In the past, out of respect for my grandfather, I didn't kill Nangong Qi's family. Now that I know they are not of royal blood and have done so many evil deeds, they absolutely cannot be spared.

"I hope you can come with me to the palace to meet the Emperor and explain this matter to him."

"Your humble servant obeys!" Sima Ji had no choice but to comply.

That matter really needs to be resolved.

"It's getting late, and you must be tired from your journey. Go and rest for the night, and we'll go to the palace to meet the Emperor tomorrow." Nangong Wu saw that he looked travel-worn and must have been traveling for days.

"Very well!" Sima Ji originally wanted to say that he could enter the palace now, but looking at himself, he realized that going to see the emperor in such disheveled clothes would be a crime of disrespect.

"General, please." Li Feng led Sima Ji away to rest.

The next day at 9:00 AM.

Nangong Wu and Sima Ji entered the palace.

The old man and the assassin were in the carriage behind.

Xiao Lin also disguised himself as a guard from the royal palace and followed them into the palace.

At this time, all the civil and military officials had finished their morning court session, and Emperor Mingde was handling official business in his study.

Eunuch Hu entered and bowed to report, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Zhenyuan has arrived and says he wishes to see you."

"Ru Ning?" Upon hearing her name, Emperor Mingde's face darkened, recalling the unpleasant events at the Imperial Noble Consort's birthday banquet.

"Let her in."

It seems like anything related to her is never a good thing.

Eunuch Hu went outside the room and said, "Prince Zhenyuan, His Majesty requests your presence."

Nangong Wu brought Sima Ji in. "Ru Ning greets Imperial Uncle."

Sima Ji knelt down, "This humble subject, Sima Ji, kowtows to Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

Upon hearing his name, Emperor Mingde paused, pen in hand, and looked up at the kneeling man. "Are you General Sima, who serves by the Prince's side?"

"It is indeed I, Your Majesty. Thank you for remembering me," Sima Ji replied. "I pay my respects to Your Majesty."

"So it really is you. Get up and speak!" Emperor Mingde thought he had encountered some trouble, so he asked Nangong Wu to bring him into the palace to plead for him!

"Your Majesty, I am guilty!" Sima Ji kowtowed heavily to Emperor Mingde.

"You…" Emperor Mingde looked at Nangong Wu with a puzzled expression, "Runing, what exactly do you want with me?"

"Bring them in," Nangong Wu called out to the outside.

The door opened, and Li Feng dragged Ma De in and forced him to kneel down.