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

Eunuch Hu came down, took Nangong Wu's letter, and presented it to Emperor Mingde.

The officials sent by Prince Rui exchanged glances, their expressions displeased.

"This is impossible!" Nangong Xun jumped out again. "Nangong Wu, this must be another forgery by you..."

"Shut up!" Emperor Mingde roared, throwing two folding books at Nangong Xun.

He was furious because he had already read the contents of a secret letter.

Nangong Xun was so shocked that he knelt down. "Father, please calm your anger. Your son only..."

"Calm down, look at what this is for yourself!" Emperor Mingde threw two secret letters down from the stage.

Nangong Xun crawled on his knees to pick up a piece of paper and looked at it. The more he read, the paler his face became, and he dared not say another word.

Nangong Yi was curious and picked up a secret letter to read it.

The letter was written by the King of Wu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty to He Zhiyu, and it was stamped with his personal seal. The two agreed to meet at a certain place, and the meeting place was within the territory of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

Although it wasn't a major secret, meeting with a prince from an enemy country was enough to show that He Zhiyu was secretly colluding with the enemy country.

"Guards! Issue my decree: arrest all nine generations of He Zhiyu's family, imprison them, and seal off their residences. Once He Zhiyu is found, they will be sentenced." Emperor Mingde was furious.

"Injustice! These letters must be fake, Your Majesty, please investigate..." He Zhirong, He Zhiyu's younger brother, hurriedly cried out his innocence.

"Injustice?" Emperor Mingde stepped down and kicked He Zhirong in the chest.

"Since you've been wronged, then bring your brother back and let him explain this matter in person."

The Prime Minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it is unlikely that the people will be convinced to accept the decision to imprison the entire He family based solely on two secret letters."

The prime minister was a royalist and did not take sides, but he felt there were many suspicious points in this matter.

"My mind is made up." Emperor Mingde had already become suspicious and was determined to investigate this matter thoroughly. "First, throw them all into prison, and we'll deal with the matter of Minghe Zhiyu later."

Two imperial guards entered, removed He Zhirong's official hat and robe in the hall, and took him away.

Nangong Yi moved closer to Nangong Wu and secretly gave her a thumbs up.

His men spent the whole morning trying to persuade Prince Rui's men, but they couldn't win. She came in and wiped out the entire He family with just a few words.

Nangong Wu glanced at him indifferently, then said to Emperor Mingde, "Uncle, there are no great generals in the northern frontier. Would you like to recommend someone?"

"Oh? Who is it?" Emperor Mingde looked at her.

"It's Li Feng, the leader of the Flying Feather Guard." Nangong Wu pulled Li Feng over.

"No way!" Nangong Xun immediately objected. "He's just a guard. How can he shoulder the great responsibility of protecting the northern border? It's ridiculous. Anyone who doesn't know better would think that our Western Yan Kingdom has no one left to rely on."

"Second brother, what do you mean by that?" Nangong Yi contradicted him: "A hero's origins are irrelevant, but wealth and honor should be based on their cause."

Although Li Feng is only a Flying Feather Guard, he is a veteran who fought alongside the Princess on the battlefield. He's experienced in countless battles, so why wouldn't he be good enough? He's far better than those spineless cowards you just recommended.”

"Haha!" The Fourth Prince Nangong Heng and Prince Mu, who had been silent until now, couldn't help but laugh. "Coward, Third Brother, that's a very apt description!"

Nangong Wu ignored them and waited for Emperor Mingde to say something.

Marquis Wu'an stepped forward again, "Your Majesty, the northern border is the northern gate of our Western Yan Kingdom, a matter of great importance. Sending only a guard to garrison it is perhaps..."

"All of you, shut up!" Emperor Mingde was furious at the sight of him. "You were the ones who recommended He Zhiyu back then, and now he's suspected of treason and has disappeared. Don't you think you should bear the blame for this?"

Marquis Wu'an was startled, his knees buckled and he knelt down with a thud. "Your Majesty is wise. He Zhiyu's matter has absolutely nothing to do with me, and I would never do anything detrimental to the Western Yan Kingdom."

"Then shut up, all of you!" Emperor Mingde roared.

After what happened with He Zhiyu, he no longer believes anything these people say.

Now I'm more willing to trust people recommended by Nangong Wu.

Nangong Xun wanted to argue a few more words, but seeing Emperor Mingde's anger, he dared not speak again, his eyes surging with violence.

Emperor Mingde suppressed his anger and looked at Li Feng, slowly saying, "Since he is someone from Runing's side, then I grant his request!"

"I hereby bestow upon you the title of Second-Rank Martial General. You must guard the northern gate of the kingdom well for me!"

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

Li Feng knelt down to express his gratitude, "Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your expectations. As long as I am alive, I will guard every inch of the land of my Western Yan Kingdom and never allow the enemy to set foot on my Western Yan territory."

"Hmm." Emperor Mingde felt much better after hearing his words, and still felt that the people Nangong Lan brought out were reliable.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Xun and his party officials looked even more displeased.

After Nangong Lan's death, the emperor temporarily put He Zhiyu in charge of military affairs in the northern frontier. Five years have passed, and the emperor has never given him any additional rewards. He remains a third-rank deputy general, still receiving his original salary.

The emperor immediately appointed the person recommended by Nangong Wu as a second-rank official without saying a word, directly surpassing He Zhiyu by two ranks. How could they possibly accept that?

"Now that the candidate has been chosen, this morning's court session is over." Emperor Mingde had been bothered all morning and now had no desire to see these ministers.

Eunuch Hu immediately shouted, "Dismiss the court!"

Nangong Xun's face was terribly gloomy. He leaned close to Nangong Wu and said in a sinister voice, "Nangong Wu, being too prominent might not be a good thing?"

"What? Do you want to kill me?" Nangong Wu took two steps back in shock and complained to the emperor, "Uncle, Prince Rui... he threatened me."

Look at his eyes, they look like he wants to eat me alive, it's terrifying! I'm scared.

Emperor Mingde turned around and saw Nangong Xun's glaring, sinister eyes. "Prince Rui, are you dissatisfied with my decision just now?"

"Your subject wouldn't dare!" Nangong Xun cupped his hands in a gesture of respect. "Your subject takes his leave!"

Before leaving, he glared at Nangong Wu one last time, then turned and left, his back view filled with anger.

Nangong Yi suppressed a laugh and walked over, saying, "Sister of the Prince of Runing, let's leave the palace together!"

"Ru Ning, please stay here for now," Emperor Mingde suddenly said.

"Alright! Then I'll leave the palace first." Nangong Yi nodded to her and left with Nangong Heng.

After all the civil and military officials had left the hall, Emperor Mingde spoke: "Runing, tell me the truth, was what happened at the Marquis of Wu'an's residence last night related to you?"

"Uncle, are you doubting Runing?" Nangong Wu's face was pale, and her big eyes were filled with fear.

She's stupid! How could she possibly admit to doing something like that?

Emperor Mingde stared at her face, as if trying to find a flaw in her expression.

Since her break with Zhou Shaorong, many things have happened in Kyoto, and all the people involved have had grudges against Nangong Wu, making it easy for people not to suspect her.