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

Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Nangong Wu summoned Luo Dayou and gave him the following order:

"Close all the gates of the Prince's mansion. No one is allowed to leave. If even one person is allowed to go out, you will be held accountable."

"yes!"

Seeing that Nangong Wu was radiating a chilling aura, Luo Dayou sensed that something big was about to happen, so he quickly led his men to guard the gate.

Nangong Wu led the Flying Feather Guards towards the western district.

Li Zhan came over to report, "Your Highness, apart from Xie Shi and Nangong Jinggang who have just gone out, the people from Nangong Qi and Nangong Chen's factions are all in the mansion."

Should we go and bring that mother and daughter back?

"Go and bring him back immediately." Nangong Wu's eyes were icy cold.

Today, she will send all the wicked to hell.

Upon arriving in the West District, Nangong Wu first went to the residence of Consort Fang, Qixia Courtyard.

This concubine rarely went out, spending her days in her small Buddhist shrine, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers. The original owner of this body had only seen her a few times in all her years.

There were only two old women and two maids in Qixia Courtyard. When they saw them suddenly appear, they were so surprised that they knelt down.

"Greetings, Your Highness! May you live a thousand years!"

"Rise!" Nangong Wu stood in the courtyard, her voice calm. "I've come to visit the Dowager Consort. Is she in?"

"Yes, yes, the Dowager Princess is still in the Buddhist hall. This old servant will go and report right away." An old woman hurried to the small Buddhist hall.

"Your Highness, please go inside and rest!" Li Shuang said.

Nangong Wu nodded, walked into the main room, and sat down in the head seat.

Xiao Lin followed her in and stood next to her.

Another old woman busied herself bringing tea.

Fang Lao's concubine arrived quickly, dressed in a gray monk's robe and a matching monk's hat, holding a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, looking just like a person who practiced Buddhism with her hair still intact.

Consort Fang clasped her hands together and said, "I was unaware of Your Highness's arrival. I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive my rudeness!"

Nangong Wu looked her over. She was nearly sixty years old and had many wrinkles on her face, but judging from her bone structure, it was still clear that she was a beauty in her youth, even more beautiful than Consort Min.

Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Consort Fang couldn't help but turn the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.

"Grand Dowager, I've come here because there's something I'd like to ask you," Nangong Wu said calmly.

Consort Fang stopped. "Your Highness, please ask whatever you wish. I will answer to the best of my knowledge."

Just then, Nangong Chen arrived, walking hurriedly.

Nangong Wu glanced at Li Shuang.

Li Shuang understood and took the two old women away.

Nangong Chen entered and bowed, "Greetings, Your Highness! May I ask what brings you here today?"

Nangong Wu, however, answered irrelevantly, "I heard you work in the Ministry of Personnel?"

Although Nangong Chen is Ma De's son, he resembles Consort Fang in appearance, with handsome features and a refined demeanor.

He passed the imperial examination more than ten years ago, but failed the imperial examinations several times. Later, he found a job in the Ministry of Works as a sixth-rank official, and remained unknown for many years.

"Yes!" Nangong Chen replied with a somewhat cautious expression.

"I've found you another official position; go to Tonglin Prefecture as the prefect!" Nangong Wu's voice remained calm.

The prefect in the Western Yan Kingdom was a fifth-rank official.

Upon hearing this, both Nangong Chen and Consort Fang were taken aback, their eyes filled with confusion.

Nangong Wu continued, "From now on, your name will be Fang Chen. I will have someone deliver your appointment letter to you. After you receive the appointment letter and official seal, go to your post!"

Tonglin Prefecture is located at the southernmost part of the Western Yan Kingdom, about four thousand li away from the capital. He was ordered to change his name and move his entire family there. From then on, he was no longer a member of the royal family and was not allowed to return to the capital without an imperial edict.

Given his incompetence, he is unlikely to achieve anything significant.

"What?" Nangong Chen was shocked and glanced at Consort Fang.

Consort Fang remained calm, but her hand gripped the prayer beads tightly.

"What? You're not willing?" Nangong Wu's voice turned cold.

Nangong Chen hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Your Highness, may I ask why?"

To force his family to leave Kyoto and to make him change his surname to his mother's was to sever his ties with the royal family.

After thinking about it carefully, I realized that he hasn't done anything wrong recently.

"Is this His Majesty's will?" This was all so sudden.

"It is my will." Nangong Wu looked at Consort Fang, "Dowager Consort, do you still remember an old friend named Ma De?"

Consort Fang's expression changed drastically, and she swayed, unable to maintain her composure any longer.

Nangong Wu continued, "This person has already been captured by me and has now been executed by slow slicing by my imperial uncle."

Consort Fang's face turned deathly pale, and her body went limp and she collapsed.

"Mother, what's wrong..." Nangong Chen hurriedly helped her up.

Consort Fang pushed him away and kowtowed to Nangong Wu, saying, "It's all my fault. I'm willing to atone with my death. Please forgive Chen'er and the children, Your Highness."

"His Majesty already knows everything. If he wanted to punish you, it wouldn't be me who came here!"

That's all I have to say. I hope you will continue to act as before, not coveting what doesn't belong to you. When you arrive in Tonglin Prefecture, if you want to live longer, be a good local official." After saying this, Nangong Wu turned and left.

"Mother, what exactly happened? And who is this Ma De?" Nangong Chen asked Consort Fang, his deep-seated doubts growing ever larger.

From the time he could remember, his mother told him to be obedient and not to compete for anything or try to curry favor with his father. The two of them lived on the meager allowance the royal family gave them each month, and he felt that there was a secret he didn't know.

"Chen'er, don't ask anything anymore. Just do as His Highness says. We're leaving the capital, and from now on we'll no longer be royalty." Consort Fang held her son's hand, tears welling in her eyes. "When we get to Tonglin Prefecture, I'll tell you everything."

She thought that after the old prince passed away, the secret would be buried with him, and she would no longer have to live in constant fear, with both mother and son facing imminent death.

But she still couldn't get over that hurdle in her heart.

Unexpectedly, the secret was eventually discovered. Nangong Wu promoted her son and told them to change their ways and leave the capital, which meant that the emperor had let them go.

From then on, she, her son, and her grandson would go to a place where no one knew them, to live with dignity, and to get rid of the nightmare that had plagued her for decades.

"Okay, I won't ask anymore, please don't cry." Seeing his mother cry, Nangong Chen felt bad and stopped asking.

******

After leaving Qixia Courtyard, Nangong Wu went directly to Consort Min's Yueman Courtyard.

In the courtyard under the full moon, Consort Min lay on her side on a soft couch, a maid was massaging her legs, and another old woman stood by her side waiting.

"Ouch!" Consort Min suddenly cried out, kicking the little maid away. "You little wretch, do you want to strangle me?"

The maidservant turned pale with fright, scrambled to her feet, and kowtowed repeatedly, "Your Highness, please spare me! I didn't mean to..."