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

"Understood. Take them to Shuixi Palace to rest first. I will be there in a while."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Shu Yue accepted the order and left. As she passed by Shen Lang, a faint chill appeared in her eyes.

"Your Majesty, if there is nothing else, then this humble servant will take his leave."

Shen Lang cupped his hands in greeting to Jiang Mengxuan, then turned and left Chang Le Palace.

Jiang Mengxuan wanted to call out to him, but in the end she held back.

Shen Lang's straightforward attitude just now left her feeling very complicated, and for a moment she didn't know how to explain to him that she had just said it casually.

After composing herself, Jiang Mengxuan stood up and said, "Qingwen, help me change my clothes!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

……

"The manufacturing process of the bearings still needs improvement."

"The gears must be made of stainless steel. At present, the alloy steel process is just starting out, so carbon steel can only be used as a substitute for now."

"Steelmaking furnaces must use coke to raise the temperature. Currently, open-hearth steel furnaces only produce 150 tons of steel per day, which is still too little."

"It seems that to ensure the quality of steel, we still have to use the converter steelmaking method. Let's forget about electric arc for now and wait until the technology of the steam age is fully mature before we talk about it."

As he walked along the road outside the palace, Shen Lang kept calculating the production process of the textile machine, especially the need for standardized mass production of the materials for gears and bearings.

Unbeknownst to him, he passed by a man and a woman coming towards him without even noticing.

The moment Shen Lang left, the man who brushed past him frowned, glanced back at Shen Lang's retreating figure, and muttered to himself, "That guy..."

"What's wrong, Third Senior Brother? Do you know him?"

A woman in yellow standing nearby saw him stop and couldn't help but ask him a question.

"I don't know him, let's go."

Both of them were disciples of the Zixia Sect. The woman's name was Qingyin, and she was Jiang Mengxuan's fourth senior sister.

The man was Xu Jingyan, Jiang Mengxuan's idol from her childhood.

This trip to the palace is for one purpose.

On the seventh day of next month, Xu Jingyan will be holding his engagement ceremony with Chu Youwei, the prodigy of Xuanyu Sect, with whom he has been in love for thirteen years. He has come to invite his junior sister back to the sect to attend.

Actually, it would have been most appropriate for Liu Qinghuan to inform Jiang Mengxuan about this.

However, since being threatened by the Prime Minister's Mansion last time, Liu Qinghuan had not been able to help Jiang Mengxuan in any way, and felt that she was too ashamed to have any contact with her again. Therefore, she could only send Xu Jingyan and Qingyin to the capital to inform Jiang Mengxuan.

Counting the days, it had been many years since they had seen this junior sister.

Xu Jingyan still remembered that Jiang Mengxuan was only eleven years old when she left the Zixia Sect. During the years she cultivated in the Zixia Sect, he had never paid special attention to her, as he was always traveling around the martial arts world.

This visit to inform Jiang Mengxuan to return to the sect is merely an act of kinship.

After all, in Xu Jingyan's memory, Jiang Mengxuan was just a silly little girl who would occasionally hang around him, which often annoyed him.

He never expected that the silly little girl from back then would become the Empress of Great Chu in the blink of an eye. Xu Jingyan was truly at a loss for words to express his feelings at this moment.

At this moment, Shen Lang, who had just stepped out of the palace gate, was stopped by Zeng Qian, who was waiting in the shadows.

"Shen Lang, you're ruthless."

"Likewise, it's only fair to reciprocate."

Zeng Qian snorted coldly, moved closer to Shen Lang, and whispered, "Don't be so smug. No one who dared to offend me, Zeng Qian, has ever had a good ending."

Let me give you a heads-up: your dream of becoming a royal son-in-law is likely to be dashed. You'd better think twice.

Shen Lang leaned close to Zeng Qian's ear and whispered back, "Then I'll also remind Prefect Zeng: if someone treats me with respect, I'll repay them tenfold."

But if anyone crosses me even slightly, I'll make them pay dearly. You'd better kill me if you dare, otherwise you won't be able to let this go even if you want to.

Let me be frank with you, one of us is going to die sooner or later. If I don't let this go, your life will definitely not be easy from now on.

"Is that so?" Zeng Qian sneered. "Do you know how many powerful figures are supporting me? Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you have the Empress's favor?"

Stop dreaming. The Empress can't protect you. If you know what's good for you, hide right now, somewhere I can't find you.

Otherwise, I can make you live in fear for the rest of your life. Don't doubt it, I always keep my word.

"That's quite a coincidence." Shen Lang patted Zeng Qian on the shoulder. "These peaceful days have been so boring. I'd be more than happy to have you bring me some fun to relieve my boredom."

I'd like to see how you're going to keep me living in fear. But I must also remind Prefect Zeng, you'd better kill me in one fell swoop.

Otherwise, I could wipe out your entire Zeng clan, and even all the powerful figures supporting you, making them pay for your ignorance.

Got it? I'm waiting for you to make that move that'll get you killed. Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk.

"Hahaha."

Zeng Qian laughed until tears almost fell.

"Shen Lang, you're the most audacious person I've ever met. You dare to make such a boast, claiming you'll wipe out my entire Zeng clan?"

"If you're not afraid of making a big scene, why should I be afraid? I haven't even flinched in the face of mountains of corpses and seas of blood."

Are you afraid of some old codger like you who's half-buried in the ground playing those underhanded tricks?

There's a saying that goes, "Those with nothing to lose aren't afraid of those wearing shoes." I may be fine as long as I'm fed, but you, Prefect Zeng, have many more things to consider.

Think it over carefully. This is far from over. I hope you continue to court disaster so I can find an excuse to wipe out your entire family. That's all I have to say. A good dog doesn't block the way.

After saying that, Shen Lang shoved Zeng Qian aside and disappeared into the darkness without looking back.

Clutching his aching shoulder, Zeng Qian watched Shen Lang's carefree departure, his eyes darkening further.

"Don't be so smug. The day you're disqualified from the marriage selection will be the day you die!"

……

Inside the Water Stream Palace, the temperature was very comfortable due to the operation of the Water Spirit Array, which dispelled the chill of the sweltering heat.

Xu Jingyan and Qingyin sat quietly inside the hall, waiting for Jiang Mengxuan to arrive.

The long wait made Qingyin a little impatient, and she couldn't help but start complaining.

"After becoming the Empress, this junior sister has become far too arrogant, making us fellow disciples wait for so long."

In fact, from the moment the two entered the Water Creek Palace, it had been less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Xu Jingyan carefully wiped the blade of the Heavenly Grade Frost Sword in his hand. Hearing Qingyin mention it, he simply replied:

"Junior sister, please be patient. Junior sister is now the ruler of a country, so of course she has to prioritize national affairs. There's no harm in waiting a little longer."

Qingyin nodded, took a sip of the imperial tea, and then shook her head.

She didn't really like the courtly atmosphere and always felt somewhat out of place.

At that moment, Jiang Mengxuan's voice rang out from outside the hall.

"Senior brothers and sisters, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm late."

The two people who heard the sound looked up at the same time.

Empress Jiang Mengxuan's aloof figure quietly appeared inside the Water Creek Palace.

The moment Xu Jingyan saw Jiang Mengxuan, his eyes lit up.

Jiang Mengxuan was dressed in a pure white robe adorned with golden phoenix patterns, as light and ethereal as a white cloud, exuding an aura of nobility and mystery.

Her jet-black hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, gently brushing against her fair skin, shimmering with a captivating luster. Every strand of hair appeared so soft and smooth, as if it had been carefully cared for.

Her delicate features have long since shed their former childishness, and what is now presented to the world is a peerless beauty that could topple kingdoms and make fish sink and geese fall from the sky.

Her tall and slender figure, with its exquisite curves, exudes elegance and confidence.

With every gesture, Jiang Mengxuan exudes an elegant and irreversible noble temperament, which makes people fall in love with her.

"This...is this my junior sister?"

Xu Jingyan was stunned for a moment, unable to connect the noble and ethereal girl in front of him with the silly junior sister he remembered.

"Greetings, Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Sister."

Reaching the center of the hall, Jiang Mengxuan smiled slightly and bowed to the two of them.

"Junior sister was delayed by something and kept her senior brothers and sisters waiting. Please forgive her."

Xu Jingyan didn't react, but Qingyin smiled and got up to greet him.

"Junior Sister, oh my, I almost didn't recognize you! I can't believe it's only been a few years!"

She has grown into such a beautiful and charming woman! Tsk tsk tsk, I thought that hearing the Empress of Great Chu was the most beautiful woman in Chu was just a compliment.

I never expected to see you today; I'm so envious!

Jiang Mengxuan smiled faintly: "Fourth Senior Sister is too kind. I wonder if you and Third Senior Brother have come to the palace to see me today because you have something important to tell me, Junior Sister?"

Xu Jingyan didn't answer, his gaze remaining fixed on Jiang Mengxuan's face for the rest of his life.

He even developed a scumbag thought that "maybe my junior sister is the most suitable person to be my wife."