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

"No gift."

Jiang Mengxuan spoke softly and raised her hand slightly, signaling everyone to stand up.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The new recruits stood up and bowed their heads in unison, standing ramrod straight.

This scene caught Jiang Mengxuan's eye.

In just one month, Shen Lang trained them to be so energetic?

She even suspected that these new recruits in front of her were not the same group of people she had forcibly recruited.

He walked up to Shen Lang and pointed to the 98K on his shoulder: "Is this the newly produced rifle you mentioned?"

Shen Lang patted the gun on his shoulder and replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Majesty, this gun is called Mauser 98K and is temporarily being issued as individual equipment for the new army."

"Take it down and let me see it."

Shen Lang didn't say much, and simply took the rifle and handed it over.

The moment Jiang Mengxuan received the 98K rifle, the still-warm barrel touched her palm, and she felt a strange sensation well up inside her.

"Where's the bullet?"

"Give."

Shen Lang placed the five bullets fired in parallel into Jiang Mengxuan's hand.

Just as he was about to instruct her on how to load the ammunition, Jiang Mengxuan skillfully pulled back the bolt, quickly loaded the bullets into the magazine, then swiftly engaged the safety, rested the butt on her shoulder, aimed forward, and pulled the trigger.

Bang~

A gunshot rang out, and a cloud of dust immediately rose from a stone wall three hundred paces away.

click-

Bang~

Unloading, reloading, aiming, and finally pulling the trigger again—the whole process was smooth and effortless, not at all like a novice handling a gun for the first time.

Even Shen Lang was dumbfounded, and even had the illusion that Jiang Mengxuan was also a time traveler.

The Empress's shooting skills, in particular, were so heroic and beautiful that they were difficult to describe with any words.

After firing five bullets in a row, Jiang Mengxuan was still not satisfied. She picked up the rifle, pulled back the bolt, and began to examine it carefully.

As for why she was so skilled at using a bolt-action rifle, it was because she had watched Shen Lang's entire shooting process.

Talent is a very mysterious thing, just like a primary school geometry problem. Some people can solve it at a glance, while others can copy the answer and still get it wrong.

Clearly, Jiang Mengxuan belongs to the former category.

"With such a powerful weapon in hand, one can truly suppress martial arts cultivators."

Jiang Mengxuan appeared calm on the surface, but was overjoyed inside.

Judging from the current combat power of the rifle alone, suppressing martial artists at the Acquired Realm is not a problem at all.

She composed herself and asked, "How's the gun production?"

Shen Lang: "Currently, we are in the trial operation phase, with a monthly production capacity of 5,000 firearms and 30,000 rounds of ammunition per day."

Once the equipment is properly debugged, the workers are skilled in operating it, and the raw material supply is sufficient,

Our ministry will build a second steelmaking furnace and add multiple production lines to ensure stable production.

"If the raw materials are stable and the production line is standardized, how many of these rifles can be manufactured in a year?"

Shen Lang's eyes sharpened instantly: "Two hundred thousand units as a minimum, and no less than four hundred thousand units in wartime!"

Jiang Mengxuan's pupils suddenly contracted, and her body trembled slightly.

"You mean you can produce 200,000 of these rifles a year?"

Shen Lang nodded: "However, the investment is also enormous. With the current finances, I'm afraid we simply can't afford to sustain it."

I believe that once firearms production stabilizes, we can engage in arms trading to generate profits.

"No! Absolutely not!"

Jiang Mengxuan refused without hesitation, even clutching the rifle in her hand tightly, a rare look of fear appearing on her face.

"How can such a powerful weapon fall into the hands of another country? Aren't they afraid it will pose a threat to our Chu state?"

Shen Lang hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, these rifles will eventually be replaced by more advanced firearms."

"If we don't find a way to dispose of these obsolete rifles, they'll just pile up in the warehouse collecting dust. It's better to trade them and earn foreign exchange."

"I will not agree, Shen Lang. I will grant you anything, but the nation's most important weapons must not be leaked for short-term gains. This is a military and state secret, and you must not mention it again."

Shen Lang immediately shut up.

Judging from Jiang Mengxuan's resolute attitude, she was clearly very opposed to the arms trade.

However, he couldn't discuss the supply and demand relationship with Jiang Mengxuan at the moment.

Simply put, if the buyer has no equipment and doesn't understand the process principles, what can they use to threaten the seller?

Even the maintenance of firearms and the supply of ammunition are firmly controlled by the suppliers, so it can be said that they make money without any effort.

Well, she'll understand eventually. After all, Jiang Mengxuan is still living in a time and space under feudal and conservative thinking. It will take time for her to accept a completely new supply and demand concept.

"Since Your Majesty insists, then this humble servant will comply."

Seeing that Shen Lang had agreed, Jiang Mengxuan finally felt relieved.

She looked at the new army and then said, "Soldiers, you are the first new army of our Great Chu, and also the only army that I can call upon."

I have come today because I know you have trained hard, and I have come specifically to express my appreciation and reward you.

Outside Shanglin Garden, there are more than a dozen carts laden with fruit, wine, and meat. After today's training, we can drink to our hearts' content.

"Tomorrow is also the Girls' Day, so I hereby grant everyone another day off so that everyone can have a good rest."

"Long live your Majesty!"

Three thousand five hundred officers and soldiers cheered loudly in unison; this was from the bottom of their hearts.

Shen Lang had some reservations about this.

Because he should be the one to say that. After a month of intense training, the new recruits met his expectations, and he had planned to give them a day off anyway.

As a result, this cunning woman snatched it away, which is really annoying.

Oh well, I guess I got on this sinking ship myself.

As long as the money is enough, she can play the good cop while I play the bad cop.

So he raised his arm and called out: "Ladies, since His Majesty has said so, let's take a day off. Starting the day after tomorrow, we'll add an extra cultural subject."

Within a month, each of you must learn at least three hundred characters for me, in unit A.

If even one soldier in the armor fails the test, the entire armored force will run two laps around Jinling City naked. Go ahead and try it if you don't believe me."

Xin Jun's face immediately turned ashen. Soldiers have to be literate? What's the use of being literate? To become a poor, pedantic scholar?

Furthermore, the thought of running naked through Nanjing city is enough to make one's breath suffocate.

Of course, the new recruits who were already literate were completely unmoved by this, and even wanted to laugh.

But considering this is a system of joint liability, I couldn't laugh anymore.

Jiang Mengxuan watched Shen Lang's performance with a smile on her face.

Only when a new round of drills began on the training ground did she walk up to Shen Lang and say, "Shen Lang, tomorrow is the seventh day of the month. Don't forget what you promised me."

Shen Lang: "Of course, don't forget the money His Majesty promised me."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan's face immediately darkened, and she turned and left without saying a word.

"What's going on?"

Shen Lang was somewhat confused about what Jiang Mengxuan was up to; after all, a woman's mind is like a needle at the bottom of the sea, truly difficult to fathom.

……

The next morning, Shen Lang was waiting outside Weiyang Palace very early.

At dawn, Jiang Mengxuan, dressed in a light blue robe and exuding a touch of ethereal beauty, quietly appeared before Shen Lang.

"Uh, you..."

"what happened?"

Catching the fleeting look of amazement in Shen Lang's eyes, Jiang Mengxuan gently smoothed her hair that fell over her shoulder and couldn't help but smile faintly.

"It's nothing, it's just that this is the first time I've seen Your Majesty like this."

"Cuckoo..."

Jiang Mengxuan couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

Just as he was about to tease Shen Lang a few more times...

"Your Majesty, please wait for me!"

Jiang Shangxian suddenly appeared, like a giant moving groundhog, yelling as he charged toward the two of them.

"Uncle, what brings you here?"

"Your Majesty, please take me with you! I've been cooped up in the palace for over a month and I'm about to die of boredom!"

"But the mastermind behind your assassination attempt has yet to be found. What if you, my royal uncle, suddenly appear...?"

"I'd rather be chased by assassins every day than stay in the palace all the time. Your Majesty, please let me go out for some fresh air. Otherwise, I won't leave today!"

In fact, he was afraid that if the Empress was not present, his own princess would storm the palace.

After all, news of his assassination attempt while visiting a brothel had already reached the princess's ears.

Helpless, Jiang Mengxuan turned her gaze to Shen Lang.

Shen Lang immediately turned his head away, looking at the scenery as if nothing had happened, displaying an indifferent attitude of "it's none of my business".

"Very well, then Imperial Uncle can come along for now, but you must promise me that no matter what happens, you will not leave alone."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shangxian was overjoyed: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I'm just following along for the novelty, and I promise I won't cause you any trouble."