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

"gather!"

The following morning, in the Guards' rest area, all troops were instantly assembled as sharp brass whistles sounded from all directions.

This scene sent chills down the spines of Ji Siheng and the other guards at the pass.

This was the first time they had ever seen such a disciplined and spirited army.

Shen Lang arrived in front of the neatly arranged military formation, gave a military salute, and then mounted his horse.

"All troops, advance beyond the pass!"

"Roar--"

With a shout of encouragement, the soldiers of the three armies immediately shouldered their rifles and stepped out of the gate toward Hukou Pass.

"General Ji, General Shen asked me to pass on a message to you. He said he appreciates your support in terms of supplies."

After the army returns in triumph, I will personally report to His Majesty and request commendation for you.

Jiang Shangxian grinned mischievously, patted Ji Siheng on the shoulder, and adopted a kind and understanding demeanor.

In one meal, Shen Lang took away 20,000 shi of grain, most of which were refined grains, which made Ji Siheng very distressed.

But when I thought about my future, I held back.

"Your Highness, do you really think His Majesty will marry General Shen?"

"Even more so than your father," Jiang Shangxian said in a low voice, squinting. "To tell you the truth, His Majesty is hopelessly in love with General Shen. If it weren't for this invasion by the Hu people..."

You should now address him as Emperor Shen, do you understand what I mean?

"Oh……"

Ji Siheng had a look of sudden realization.

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. Now that you've explained it, I understand."

Only a young hero like General Shen is worthy of His Majesty's prime years.

"It's good that you understand. In short, General Shen is very satisfied with your performance this time. Just stay here and do your duty. At the latest, the transfer order to the capital will arrive next year."

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I understand now."

As he spoke, he glanced around, then took a few steps closer to Jiang Shangxian and pulled out a money pouch from his pocket.

"Your Highness, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it as payment for your tea if you don't mind."

"What are you doing, huh?"

Jiang Shangxian immediately looked around, and after confirming that no one was paying attention to them, he quickly twisted his body to block any possible view.

"I am an honest and upright man, how could I let these worldly things cloud my judgment? Lord Ji, this is not right of you. Aren't you ruining my reputation in my later years?"

"Your Highness, my family has fallen on hard times. Now, we finally have a chance to revive the Ji family, and everything depends on Your Highness and General Shen."

Your Highness, please put in a good word for me with General Shen. If my family can return to the capital, I will certainly present you with a generous gift after the matter is settled. Please do not refuse, Your Highness.”

As Ji Siheng spoke, he opened a corner of the money bag.

Jiang Shangxian glanced at it sideways and saw a golden expanse of beans, which made him grin from ear to ear.

"General Ji, aren't you putting me in a difficult position? Oh dear, I'm completely incorruptible, don't you understand?"

"Your Highness need not worry. This is a humble gift from your general, and it will not tarnish your reputation."

"You, you, you... what can I possibly say about you? Sigh..."

Jiang Shangxian declined for a while, then looked troubled and grabbed his money bag tightly.

"This will never happen again!"

After saying that, he reluctantly and quickly put away the money bag and stuffed it into his pocket at the speed of light.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

When Ji Siheng saw Jiang Shangxian accept the gold, the tense expression on his face relaxed.

Actually, he originally intended to use the pen to curry favor with Shen Lang.

However, seeing Shen Lang's unpredictable attitude, Ji Siheng found it difficult to fathom and was afraid of displeasing him, so he turned to bribing Jiang Shangxian instead.

Anyone who can serve as an official or general in the capital of the Great Chu is a shrewd and astute person, adept at navigating interpersonal relationships and social interactions.

Moreover, Ji Siheng dreamed of serving as an official in the capital region, or at the very least, serving as a local official in coastal areas such as Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Yangzhou, and Mingzhou, which would be better than being a garrison commander at this pass.

After all, that's where aristocratic families gather, offering opportunities to network with powerful and influential figures.

As for military power, he didn't care at all; all he cared about was his own interests.

"Alright, don't overthink it. Hold on for another year or two, and the transfer order will be delivered. Now that I've said my piece, I'll take my leave."

"Congratulations, Your Majesty."

After watching Jiang Shangxian leave, Ji Siheng immediately became radiant.

The thought of leaving this awful place soon filled him with immense joy.

At this moment, Shen Lang and Li Jing rode side by side on the official road leading to Heluo.

The two lowered their heads, seemingly exchanging something.

"Deputy General Li, as shown on the map, is the Blood Fiend Alliance's stronghold located at Xulong Mountain, eighty miles south of Luoyang?"

"In reply to General Shen, yes, when General Han was alive, he inquired about the Blood Fiend Alliance more than once. Mount Xulong is the Blood Fiend Alliance's largest stronghold in the Northwest."

Shen Lang remained silent for a moment, then called out to his personal guards behind him, "Summon Lü Meng and Zhang Dingbian."

"Yes."

A moment later, Lü Meng and Meng Gong came to Shen Lang's side.

"Instructor, did you call us?"

These first batch of soldiers still habitually called Shen Lang their instructor.

Shen Lang dismounted and called the group to a relatively flat rock. He spread out a topographical map and pointed towards Luoyang City.

"Now I will give you the tactical instructions. Lü Meng, you and Zhang Dingbian will each select a thousand men from your camps."

Go straight up the Han River and find a way to take Luoyang within five days.

The remaining troops were temporarily placed under the command of Qu Yi and Meng Gong.

As for what methods you use to take Luoyang, this instructor will not inquire.

But one thing is certain: you must not take the city before five days, not even an hour earlier, understand?

Meng Gong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then stopped himself.

The honor of recapturing Luoyang was originally promised to him, but it was given to the strategist Lü Meng instead, which made him somewhat uncomfortable.

However, as a soldier, he naturally obeyed Shen Lang's orders without question.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingbian immediately patted his chest and assured him, "Instructor, don't worry. If we fail to take Luoyang, you can court-martial me."

Lu Meng frowned: "Instructor, even with sharp rifles, two thousand men without assault weapons will find it difficult to break through Luoyang's defenses."

Compared to Zhang Dingbian, Lü Meng considered the issues in much more detail.

Shen Lang: "That depends on how you perform. Warfare is based on deception."

In any asymmetrical war, the only way for the weaker side to turn the tide is through unconventional tactics.

Upon hearing this, Lü Meng frowned even more deeply.

He knew this was a test from Shen Lang, and he didn't want to disappoint his instructor or miss the chance to truly become a general.

The expansion of the Imperial Guard is a done deal, and no one can change it.

If we don't seize the opportunity now, it will be even harder to climb the ladder later.

"Please rest assured, Instructor, I will definitely take Luoyang City in five days!"

"Alright, I can rest assured now. Don't worry, after we take down the Blood Fiend Alliance, I will lead my troops to cooperate with you as soon as possible."

……

Yongzhou, Chang'an City, Changsun Mansion, back garden.

"Thump~"

An arrow hit the bullseye precisely; the archer was a beautiful young girl who had just turned eighteen and was dressed in a red outfit.

With her delicate makeup and beautiful features, she exudes both the strength and grace of a woman who is no less capable than any man.

The woman's name was Changsun Ying, the head of a powerful family in Guanzhong, and the youngest and most beloved daughter of Changsun Yang.

"Miss, you shot so accurately!"

The maid Caidie couldn't help but praise her.

"Even the royal Li family, the Wang family, might not have archery skills as exquisite as yours, Miss?"

Changsun Ying put away the carved bow in her hand and went to the golden basin to wash her palms.

"Hmph, I think the Li family is getting worse with each generation. Li Shaohao's sons are all good-for-nothings."

"As a non-Hu (non-Han Chinese), your horsemanship and archery skills are probably inferior even to mine, a woman."

Cai Die exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, please keep your voice down! If the master hears you, he'll lecture you again!"

"What are you afraid of?"

Changsun Ying wiped the water off her hands, her face completely unconcerned.

"Father is really senile. The Li family was able to control the two prefectures of Yong and Liang and stand on equal footing with the Great Chu, wasn't it all thanks to the support of the powerful clans of Guanzhong?"

All these years have passed, and they are still just as unruly, completely clueless about how to manage a place.

If things really come to a head, I think they'll have no choice but to slink back to the Qiang region of Liangzhou and continue being bandits.

Cai Die sighed helplessly, "Miss, you really need to change your temperament."

Master is nearly driven mad with worry about your marriage. Isn't the eldest son of the Hu family a handsome and talented man? Why don't you consider him, Miss?

Upon hearing this, Changsun Ying was quite disdainful: "Does Hu Tianqi even deserve to be noticed by this young lady?"

"Hmph, a dissolute playboy who only knows how to drown his sorrows in alcohol, spouting nonsense and whining all day long—is he worthy of my marriage?"

Cai Die: "Miss, if you don't even like someone like Hu Caizi, then what kind of person would you like?"

Changsun Ying said, "The man I want to marry must be a hero of our time, a man whose literary and martial arts are unparalleled in this era."

As for those Confucian scholars who only know how to dabble in literature, they only make this young lady feel nauseous.

Cai Die: "Miss, does such a man really exist in the world? Even if he does, he might not fall for you."

Changsun Ying: "If such a man really existed, I would even steal him from him."

I'd snatch him away to have him by my side, but alas, I'm afraid I'll never meet someone like that in my lifetime.