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

Early April, Weiyang Palace.

Jiang Mengxuan lay on the imperial desk, intently reviewing the memorials recently submitted from various regions.

Most of these were directives from local aristocratic families requesting permission to set up factories, hoping to purchase the necessary equipment as soon as possible so that production could begin soon.

Today, industrial zones are clearly divided into civilian and military uses.

Chemical plants, equipment manufacturing plants, iron smelting plants, steelmaking plants, gun factories, gunpowder factories, cement processing plants, coke plants, and fertilizer plants have been clearly categorized.

Watching the factories representing industrial technology rise up in the suburbs of Jinling, Jiang Mengxuan felt a surge of pride, as if she could already see the scene of the empire's complete rise.

However, her biggest concern right now is the situation in Luoyang.

Shen Lang has been away from the capital for over a month and has no idea how the battle is progressing at the front.

After reviewing the last memorial, she stood up and looked southwest at the palace built for her and Shen Lang's wedding, her heart filled with sighs.

Although Jiang Mengxuan was an emperor, she always lived a very frugal life, and devoted almost all her energy and resources to the construction of the Chu Kingdom.

Even though she has achieved personal financial freedom, she still maintains her original aspiration.

However, when it came to her own marriage, she didn't want to mistreat herself and Shen Lang.

She always remembered everything Shen Lang had done for her, both before and after they met.

Marrying Shen Lang was the Empress's heartfelt wish, unrelated to politics or other factors.

Perhaps there was also an element of taking advantage of Shen Lang; they valued his abilities, his talent, and his steady and shrewd approach to handling matters.

but……

For whatever reason, she genuinely wanted to become his wife, to face more challenges together, to witness the Chu Kingdom grow stronger and larger, to lean on each other and watch their children play by their side, and to share in the prosperity of the world.

"Your Majesty, the battle report from Luoyang has arrived."

Suddenly, Jiang Chaoyun's voice from outside the door broke her reverie.

Jiang Mengxuan closed her eyes, clenched her fists, and tried to calm herself down.

"read."

God knows how much courage it took for her to utter that word.

Jiang Chaoyun opened the battle report and was about to read it aloud when Jiang Mengxuan stopped him with her raised hand.

"Bring it here so I can see it with my own eyes."

Whatever the outcome, she had to see it for herself.

After receiving the hot battle report from Jiang Chaoyun, the Empress slowly walked to her desk and sat down.

She took a deep breath and gently unfolded a corner of the battle report with her jade-like fingers.

"Your Majesty, I, Jiang Shangxian, have come to report our victory..."

Upon seeing these lines, Jiang Mengxuan finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart.

Continue reading following the handwriting:

"...In the third year of Xuan Yuan, on the 27th of the third month, Shen Lang, the commander of the Imperial Guard, led his troops to break through the Blood Fiend Alliance. Late at night on the 28th of the third month..."

Lü Meng and Zhang Dingbian, officers of the Imperial Guard, led two thousand soldiers across the river in a surprise attack on Luoyang on the orders of Shen Lang. After a day and night of bloody fighting, they annihilated countless Western Xia enemy troops and completely controlled all the key roads in Luoyang.

On the night of March 29th, Shen Lang led the main force of his Imperial Guard in a surprise attack on the Western Xia headquarters, which was attempting to retreat westward. After a night of fierce fighting, the entire Western Xia enemy force was annihilated, and their leader, Helian Qianjun, was killed by artillery fire.

On March 30th, the Imperial Guard entered Luoyang for a temporary rest and reorganization; Luoyang had already been recaptured…

"call……"

Seeing this, the Empress finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Luoyang was restored, and in just two months, it finally returned to the hands of the Chu Kingdom.

Shen Lang never disappointed him. He not only recovered Luoyang, but also wiped out the evil Blood Fiend Alliance.

This achievement is worthy of being recorded in history.

However, Jiang Mengxuan suddenly realized that there seemed to be more content at the end of the battle report, so she continued to unfold it and read it.

"...Although the Imperial Guard has achieved a great victory, the ever-changing battlefield situation has led to an alarming consumption of ammunition. The remaining ammunition reserves are less than half of the standard allocation. Therefore, we request Your Majesty to urgently allocate ammunition from the depot to aid Luoyang."

This left the Empress somewhat puzzled.

Now that Luoyang has been restored, why is it necessary to transport ammunition there?

Is it because they fear that war will lead to rampant bandits running rampant in the Heluo region?

These matters can be left to the Ministry of War for follow-up. Once the handover is complete, we can return in triumph. What need is there for ammunition?

At the same time, Jiang Mengxuan was also surprised by the astonishing ammunition consumption of the Imperial Guard.

In just one month of deployment, they've already used up half their ammunition—that's a lot of money at stake!

Thinking about all this makes me feel a little heartache.

However, compared to the number of enemy troops killed and the results achieved, the consumption of these ammunition was insignificant.

So she continued reading.

What she heard next immediately made her breathing quicken.

"Shen Lang said, taking advantage of the Western Xia army's defeat and the fact that the Western Liang army had not yet had time to react, we should lead our troops westward."

"We will march straight to Chang'an, to reclaim the old capital for His Majesty, and to revitalize the land and civilization of our Great Chu!"

Jiang Mengxuan felt a wave of dizziness. After regaining her senses, she looked at the text description in the battle report and still couldn't believe it.

The recapture of Chang'an was the dream of successive Chu kings who migrated south, and it carried the aspirations of countless Chu people.

To avenge the humiliation and recover the shattered land was the long-cherished wish of all the subjects of Chu.

But as time goes by, how many people in the court and the public still have this long-cherished wish, and still remember that the true capital of the Great Chu was Chang'an?

After reading the battle report, Jiang Mengxuan remained silent for a long time.

It wasn't until Jiang Chaoyun softly called out, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Jiang Mengxuan immediately asked, "Who is in charge of the ammunition bureau now?"

"Your Majesty, it is Su Yun, Director Su."

"Order her to quickly compile a list of ammunition supplies according to the standard ammunition requirements of the Imperial Guard."

Then the Ministry of Transport will be tasked with transporting the goods, and all river vessels will be requisitioned to ensure the goods arrive in Luoyang within ten days, without delay.

"As ordered!"

Jiang Chaoyun immediately accepted the order and left.

"Shen Lang, how many more surprises do you have in store for me? I'm afraid if you keep going like this... I'll become unworthy of you..."

For a moment, Jiang Mengxuan felt nervous, and her ears started to turn red and hot.

……

April 6th, Luoyang City.

"Sir, would you like some stew?"

As Shen Lang and Jiang Shangxian were patrolling the streets, they were stopped by a woman dressed as a young woman when they passed a house.

"Stem? What kind of dish is that?"

Jiang Shangxian didn't understand what the young woman meant by that.

"Sigh, 'eating stakes' means prostitution..."

Shen Lang sighed softly and explained the underworld slang to Jiang Shangxian.

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shangxian narrowed his eyes and began to scrutinize the young woman in front of him.

The young woman, perhaps feeling that the two men were disgusted by her dirty and worn clothes, hurriedly said, "Guests, please, have some rice cakes. I have new clothes."

"I'll wash myself thoroughly before eating the stew, sir. Please, I don't need the steward's robe, I just need a liter of rice."

Just then, the sound of a child crying and a girl shouting came from inside the house.

"Mother, where are you? Bao'er is awake."

That innocent shout immediately extinguished the flutter in Jiang Shangxian's heart.

"Guests, please don't go, please don't go, I'll be right back."

The young woman, fearing that her child's actions would ruin her livelihood, immediately went inside.

Soon the child's crying stopped, and everything returned to calm.

After the young woman left, she tightened her tattered clothes and looked at the two of them with teary eyes.

"Let's go."

Shen Lang, expressionless, pulled Jiang Shangxian away.

It's not that he's heartless, but that he doesn't have time to help so many people right now.

Suddenly, the young woman knelt before the two men, pleading desperately, "Sirs, please have mercy and give me some food! My child is crying for food, and will starve to death if we don't get anything to eat soon!"

"How about this? I'll serve both of you myself, all I need is a meal. Please, sir, have pity on me, okay?"

Jiang Shangxian was immediately moved with compassion and said to Shen Lang, "Brother, how about we make an exception for you?"

His response was Shen Lang's icy reply: "The Imperial Guard's regulations forbid sexual misconduct against women and children while on the march, even if you offer money!"

Jiang Shangxian was taken aback: "What if I give them my own rations for free? Anyway, I'm not a member of the Imperial Guard, so that wouldn't break the rules, would it?"

Shen Lang looked at Jiang Shangxian quietly, then snorted softly and turned around.

This can be considered tacit approval.

Jiang Shangxian immediately took out a bag containing ten kilograms of rice, a small jar of cheese for marching, and a gold bean from his storage bag and handed them to the young woman.

"Alright, sister, things are tough for everyone during times of war and chaos. We are the imperial army, so don't be afraid."

Take these for now, and use them to cook a good meal for the children. Things will naturally get better once the imperial army's supplies arrive in a few days.

The young woman took the heavy bag from Jiang Shangxian's hands in a daze, her face full of disbelief.

"Sir, you..."

"Alright, that's enough. Let's go back now."

After saying that, he didn't dare to look and hurriedly followed Shen Lang away.

The young woman then realized what had happened and kowtowed deeply to the two who had disappeared.