Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

Late at night, in front of the Shen family's villa, Jiang Shangxian, who had come to Shen Lang to cancel his mission, found that the master was not home, so he simply sat on the steps and dozed off.

The thunderous snoring was deafening, playing a symphony in the dark night sky and attracting distant barking.

He didn't know how long he had slept, but suddenly he felt as if someone was slapping his face.

In my drowsy state, I heard someone saying, "Wake up, don't sleep."

"What's all the noise about? Let me take a nap a little longer, stop making a fuss."

But he immediately realized what was happening and sprang to his feet.

Under the light sign, Shen Lang's familiar face appeared.

"My dear brother, where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere."

But the next moment, a storage ring was thrown directly into Jiang Shangxian's hand.

"what is this?"

Touching the antique storage ring in his hand, Jiang Shangxian was momentarily speechless.

"The treasures of the Jinling Secret Realm are all inside. Take a look."

As he spoke, Shen Lang laboriously moved Jiang Shangxian's weight away from his body, then took out a copper key and unlocked the copper lock hanging on the courtyard gate.

It wasn't until the door opened that Jiang Shangxian finally snapped out of his shock and rushed to ask what was wrong.

"My dear brother, what exactly happened?"

"Where did you get this storage ring?"

"Could it be that you personally ventured into the Jinling Secret Realm? Trespassing into a royal secret realm is a serious crime."

What will you do if Your Majesty blames you? I'll cover for you, won't I?

"Say something, don't keep me waiting!"

Shen Lang did not immediately answer Jiang Shangxian's question. Instead, he untied the cloak from his shoulders, patted it off, and casually hung it on the clothes rack after opening the door.

Jiang Shangxian immediately wiggled his plump body and squeezed into the room, anxiously asking, "Tell me, what happened? Are you trying to worry me to death?"

Shen Lang's ears were ringing from the noise. He immediately unfastened his wrist guard, picked up a cannon model from the table, and began assembling it while saying:

"Didn't you ask me to deal with the trouble at Qingyi Tower? Well, I've already taken care of that trouble for you."

"What? It's solved?" Jiang Shangxian blinked, his chubby face jiggling. "How did you solve it?"

After Shen Lang loaded a copper-cased shell with a primer into the breech of the cannon, he squinted and aimed at a wooden target in front of him.

Then, casually, he said, "Isn't the best solution to prevent them from ever speaking up again?"

"What did you say? You... you slept with them all?"

Jiang Shangxian almost cried out in surprise.

Then he quickly closed the door, sat down in front of Shen Lang and said, "Did you really take care of all the people from Qingyi Tower?"

Shen Lang rolled his eyes at him: "What's wrong? You seem very dissatisfied. Are you planning to keep it until the New Year instead of getting rid of it? That's ridiculous."

"Ouch!"

Jiang Shangxian couldn't help but slap his thigh.

"You've gotten yourself into big trouble."

"What could possibly happen? Don't overreact!"

Shen Lang really didn't understand what the fat man was trying to say.

"Qingyi Tower was hired by Ye Mo. Now that you've put them in charge, isn't this just giving him a perfect opportunity to make things difficult for His Majesty?"

You've caused His Majesty a great deal of trouble! Oh, what are we going to do?

Upon hearing Jiang Shangxian's tearful complaint, Shen Lang immediately stopped pulling the fuse of the cannon model.

He straightened up and asked, "Your Highness, can you please stop being so dramatic in the middle of the night?"

Do you think the Prime Minister's residence wouldn't know about our little schemes? Actually, they're smarter than you think.

Jiang Shangxian's small eyes widened: "What do you mean by that?"

Shen Lang turned back to continue fiddling with the cannon model: "The Green Robe Pavilion belongs to a Jianghu organization."

"They actively participated in the Jinling Secret Realm; if something happens to them, who do you think will be held responsible?"

Jiang Shangxian asked in surprise, "But Ye Mo took the initiative to write a letter to them and they came. The Jingwei Division people took care of them all. If it's not our fault, then whose fault is it?"

"Did Ye Mo say they couldn't have any accidents?" Shen Lang glanced at Jiang Shangxian and asked back, "If something happens,

Is he going to use this matter to make things difficult for His Majesty? Wouldn't that be admitting to colluding with the Green Robe Pavilion?

If you were Ye Mo, would you be that stupid? Alright, this is just a small gamble.

The deaths of people from the Green Robe Pavilion can only be attributed to grudges and feuds within the martial arts world; there's no way to bring it all out into the open.

This matter won't even be mentioned; he and your empress will just keep it to themselves, and things will continue as usual.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shangxian nodded: "In that case, old man Ye Mo can only swallow his anger?"

Shen Lang readjusted the cannon's position: "Perhaps they didn't even take this to heart."

To put it bluntly, this was a test of the Empress and the Jingwei Division's bottom line.

Whether it succeeds or fails, the Prime Minister's mansion will suffer no loss.

After all, the Ye family has many cards to play; if they were to play them all, it wouldn't take more than three days.

Your empress will have to abdicate, and the Jingwei Bureau will be abolished.

Jiang Shangxian couldn't help but smile broadly: "That's wonderful! I'll go back and report this good news to His Majesty right away."

After saying that, Jiang Shangxian got up to leave.

Shen Lang suddenly said, "Your Highness, you're waiting at my door in the middle of the night, you didn't just come to ask me what I'm doing here, did you?"

Jiang Shangxian was taken aback, then slapped his forehead: "Look at my memory, I almost forgot the important matter."

As he spoke, he unbuckled his belt, opened his clothes, and then pulled a blue silk bag from between his legs.

After untying it, a stack of silver notes was clearly visible.

Jiang Shangxian rubbed his tongue with his fingers, then pulled out a card and slammed it on the table, saying with great gusto:

"Brother, you saw that? I got you the thousand taels of silver I promised. When we're in this business, we're all about keeping our word!"

However, Shen Lang's gaze was focused on the silver note he was clutching in his hand.

"Your Highness, where did you get so many silver notes?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shangxian quickly stuffed the silver note back into his underwear, and then said in a serious tone, "Don't ask about this, brother. I got you every penny of the reward money."

As he spoke, he put the silver notes back into the blue silk bag, tied them back around his waist, and prepared to pull up his trousers.

"Damn, that's going too far!"

Shen Lang immediately objected, grabbing his hand that was fastening his belt: "Tell me honestly, how much money did you ask the Empress for? You wouldn't..."

Thinking of something, Shen Lang revealed an expression that said, "I'm so shocked, my mom will be shocked for a whole year."

"You wouldn't even have the nerve to swindle money from your own niece, would you?"

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Jiang Shangxian panicked instantly, flung Shen Lang's hand away, and hurriedly re-fastened his belt.

"I am an honest and upright man, how could I do such shady things? This is all the money I have hidden away from your sister-in-law."

"You're supposed to be clean-handed? I know what kind of person you are."

Tell me, what kind of secret stash of money could be in the form of notes from the Royal Bank? Or in whole thousand taels?

Shen Lang was instantly flustered. The more he thought about it, the more he felt he was being taken advantage of, so he simply grabbed Jiang Shangxian and stopped him from leaving.

"Your Highness, one must act with a conscience. You are a member of the royal family, your status is extremely noble."

Don't you have any conscience robbing us, these beasts of burden? No way, you have to give me half too.

"What royal relative? My life is worse than yours!"

I've already given you what I promised, how can you go back on your word?

"Ouch, what are you doing grabbing my dragon root?"

"Damn it, I want a thousand taels of silver, but you told the Empress you wanted gold, right? If she asks about it later, I'll have to take the blame for you."

"Damn it, even capitalists wouldn't do something so shameless. At least leave half, or I'll never forgive you!"

"Brother, my life is too hard. You have to understand. Your sister-in-law is too controlling. Why don't you take this opportunity to make some extra money? I'm losing face when I go out."

"Whether you have face or not is none of my business. You have to take what's mine."

You dare to swindle money from your own niece? Have you no shame? Let go right now, or I'll bite you!

"Hey, can't you be a little more open-minded? I've treated you very well."

"Screw your 'open-mindedness'! You're not being stingy at all! I deserve all of this. I'll take the blame, but you have to pay me the full amount!"

"Well, I'll make this clear today: no money, no life, oh my god! Ouch! You little brat, how could you be so ruthless? You've really hurt me!"

After a struggle, Jiang Shangxian let out a pig-like scream and he and Shen Lang lay on the ground fighting.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Jiang Shangxian, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly roared.

"Alright, stop fooling around. Consider this a debt I owe you."

How about this, I'll take you to Shuyu Tower in the East City tomorrow night to see the scene?

"Is everything alright, then, on my behalf?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang immediately stopped arguing: "It's that Shuyu Tower where the entrance fee starts at a hundred taels of silver. When did you, a poor and stingy prince, become so generous?"

Jiang Shangxian squinted: "What kind of relationship do we have? You've helped His Majesty so much, so as your brother, of course I have to reward you properly."

Jiang Shangxian got up, straightened his disheveled clothes, and then casually tossed his head.

"You've clearly never had sex before. You handled this matter brilliantly. His Majesty will definitely look at you differently when he finds out."

So I've decided to bleed a little, and tomorrow I'll let you be a real man and experience what it's like to be in a gentle embrace.

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang chuckled and said, "That's more like it. As long as you satisfy me tomorrow, I won't hold it against you for hiding things from the Empress."

Jiang Shangxian narrowed his eyes: "Hehe, you just wait, kid. Tomorrow I'll let you experience the famous courtesans of Qinhuai."

Just how seductive and alluring she is, you can leave it all to me.

"I'll go to the palace now and report this to Her Majesty. She'll be very happy."

After saying that, he pulled up his trousers and squeezed out of the door, striding out into the courtyard.

The saying goes, "Food and sex are human nature," and no ordinary person can avoid these needs.

Shen Lang smiled. It wasn't that he was a brainless ladybug, but rather that entertainment options in this world were simply too scarce.

If he were given a computer right now, even if he installed Contra for the Famicom, he wouldn't be interested in that kind of place.

"Life is just so helpless."

Walking to the table, Shen Lang pulled the fuse of the cannon model.

boom--

With a soft bang, a flash of white light appeared at the muzzle of the cannon, and then the pungent smell of gunpowder filled the entire room.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw that a black hole the size of a fist had been blasted open on the wooden board in the distance.

"If technology and fantasy clash, which will prevail?"

Shen Lang gently stroked the cannon model, his eyes gleaming with cold light.

"Aside from top-tier combat power, the combined military output from World War I and World War II is enough to break the sects' monopoly on the continent."

If any emperor on this continent were willing to initiate an industrial revolution, then the future, an era belonging to dynasties and the people, would surely arrive.