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

"I am also new here and have not yet settled in. Please forgive me, Mr. Changsun."

"General Shen, what are you saying? You launched a surprise attack and recaptured Luoyang in one month. No general in the world can surpass you in this feat."

"Mr. Changsun, you flatter me. Please take a seat."

"Thank you, General Shen. Please."

After a few polite exchanges, Shen Lang and his two companions took their seats.

Just then, Jiang Shangxian, with his round belly sticking out, came running over.

"I am late. This must be Mr. Changsun, the head of the powerful clans in Guanzhong?"

Changsun Yang was taken aback and looked at Shen Lang: "May I ask, who is this gentleman...?"

Shen Lang smiled calmly: "Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Changsun. This is His Majesty's uncle, Prince Jing."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Yang immediately stood up: "This humble one was unaware of Your Highness's presence, please forgive me!"

As he spoke, he was about to lead Changsun Ying to kowtow to Jiang Shangxian on the spot.

"Oh dear, Mr. Changsun, what are you doing?" Jiang Shangxian quickly stepped forward and pulled him back. "These formalities are too cumbersome."

"No need, no need. It's a rare opportunity to meet Master Changsun today, and I should keep you company. Come, sit down and let's talk."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Changsun Yang looked flattered and overwhelmed. After being comforted by Jiang Shangxian, he returned to his seat with tears of gratitude.

With the guests and hosts taking their seats, a unique banquet officially began.

"I am merely accompanying the army as a military supervisor on His Majesty's orders; today I am just here to keep you company with drinks."

"As for the relevant matters, Mr. Changsun, you can discuss them with General Shen. He's the one who makes the decisions here; you don't need to concern yourselves with me."

After Jiang Shangxian took his seat, he immediately threw all the core issues to Shen Lang to resolve, making it clear to Changsun Yang who the main character was today.

"Your Highness's magnanimity is admirable."

After bowing, Changsun Yang immediately filled his cup with wine and offered it to Jiang Shangxian.

"Your Highness, today I would like to offer you this fruit wine as a toast."

"It's easy to talk about."

Jiang Shangxian raised his glass, smiled and gestured, then drank it down with Changsun Yang.

After a few drinks, the conversation gradually got back on track.

Changsun Yang looked at Shen Lang and sighed, "General Shen is so young and promising. His military strategy is truly rare in the world. I admire him greatly."

Shen Lang waved his hand slightly, his expression calm: "Sir, you flatter me. Everything is thanks to His Majesty's support, which is why Luoyang was able to be recovered so quickly."

Changsun Yang thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "General Shen, we people from Guanzhong value generosity and straightforwardness..."

"I have come to Luoyang today to see you, and I dare to ask, what is General Shen's next move?"

This was a test, and also a topic that was out in the open, in order to find out what Chu would do next through Shen Lang's words.

Shen Lang's lips curled slightly, but he didn't answer the question immediately. Instead, he picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of vegetable on his plate.

After placing the vegetable leaves on his plate, he slowly began to speak: "I, Shen, come from a military background. I was originally an unknown soldier on the border."

If not for His Majesty's trust, I wouldn't have reached this point. As a soldier, the only thing I can do is...

Naturally, we must do everything in our power to clear obstacles for her, only in this way can we repay the Emperor's kindness.

Upon hearing this, Changsun Yang immediately frowned.

He hadn't expected that this young man was not as easy to deal with as he seemed, but rather so shrewd and calculating.

The words seemed to be a veiled reference, yet also seemed to be stating something trivial, leaving him somewhat puzzled.

So he continued to probe, "Yes, His Majesty is young and capable. Although I have lived in Guanzhong for a long time, I have heard quite a few rumors about the current empress."

With such a wise ruler and a young hero like General Shen to assist him, the Great Chu is truly blessed to all its people. I believe that under Your Majesty's rule, the Chu Kingdom will surely prosper.

Unlike the Guanzhong Plain, which was occupied by the Hu people and where the people suffered greatly, even those with lofty ideals who wanted to serve their country had no way to do so due to their lowly status.

Shen Lang sneered inwardly; this Changsun Yang was indeed someone who knew how to assess the situation.

The implication is clear: In the past, we, the powerful clans of Guanzhong, had no choice, but now we want to become officials and serve the court. We beg you to show us the way, or name your price.

Another meaning is: we surrendered to the enemy out of necessity, not willingly.

Shen Lang nodded in agreement: "Indeed, Your Majesty's grand ambitions far surpass those of mine. With such a great ruler, the restoration of Great Chu is just around the corner."

It's just Tai Chi, it's just official jargon.

No problem, I have plenty of time to slowly wear you down.

Changsun Yang smiled, knowing that continuing to engage in a verbal battle with the young man in front of him would only be a waste of breath and time.

So, they decided to go straight for a direct attack.

"Then may I ask General Shen, now that Luoyang has been restored, are you preparing to return to the capital in triumph?"

Changsun Yang eagerly awaited a clear answer from Shen Lang.

If Shen Lang were to return to the capital now, then there would be no need for him to stay any longer. After this meal, he could go straight back to Chang'an and everything would remain the same.

However, if Shen Lang intends to continue his advance into Guanzhong, then there are many more things he needs to consider.

Shen Lang sighed and said, "This is also what's giving me a headache right now. Although Luoyang has been recovered, the great cause of the restoration of the Chu Kingdom is not yet complete."

"I, Shen, am eager to continue westward and, taking advantage of the situation, recapture the old capital to relieve Your Majesty of a great worry, but I still lack the strength to do so."

These ambiguous words immediately made Changsun Yang exclaim, "Good heavens!"

After a little analysis, Changsun Yang roughly understood what Shen Lang was trying to say.

He intends to continue leading his troops westward into Guanzhong.

Otherwise, why would Hangu Pass have fallen into his hands?

As for why they suddenly stopped moving westward, it was because they were waiting for the attitude of the powerful clans in Guanzhong.

This pleased him greatly, indicating that the Empress still valued the past ties with the powerful clans of Guanzhong, and that returning to the Great Chu court was not a dream.

At this moment, Changsun Ying, who had been watching Shen Lang closely, spoke up: "General Shen, if I may be so bold as to ask a question..."

The Western Xia were known for their fierce and warlike people and their powerful army. The Chu soldiers were mostly from the south; could they possibly defeat the Western Xia?

Shen Lang calmly replied, "What Young Master Changsun said is correct. People say that the Western Xia army is brave and skilled in battle, and is the elite of the world."

However, in Shen's view, his troops were essentially bandits, which was why they gave off a strong impression.

It's all because of their inherent nature of bullying the weak; whenever they encounter someone brave enough to fight, their despicable nature is exposed without a doubt.

For example, in front of my Imperial Guard, they can only refrain from being impetuous or arrogant.

Changsun Ying raised an eyebrow: "General Shen, please forgive me for not agreeing with your words. The strength of the Western Xia cavalry is known to all those in Guanzhong."

If it were truly as wretched as you say, why did the Great Chu fail to recapture Chang'an for a full two hundred years?

"Kang'er, don't be rude!"

Changsun Yang sternly rebuked Changsun Ying's remarks.

He then clasped his hands in apology to Shen Lang, saying, "General Shen, please forgive me. This unfilial son has been spoiled by villains since childhood, and his words just now were quite offensive. Please forgive him."

Changsun Ying, however, was unconvinced: "Father, everything I said is true. If the Western Xia soldiers were really as incompetent as he described,..."

Why would the Great Chu state ever migrate south? Why has it been unable to conquer Guanzhong for centuries?

Changsun Yang got anxious: "You still dare to say that? I really shouldn't have brought you out!"

"Mr. Changsun, please don't be angry. I think your son's words make some sense."

After Shen Lang stopped Changsun Yang from being harsh on Changsun Ying, he responded with a smile.

"That's right. In the early days of the Great Chu, due to strategic mistakes, we were caught off guard by the Western Xia and had no choice but to move the capital."

As for the fact that Chang'an has not been recaptured for hundreds of years, that is also a fact, and there is no room for denial. But I wonder if Young Master Changsun has considered this?

It wasn't that the Great Chu was unable to reclaim its old capital during these two hundred years; rather, it was due to being entangled in numerous affairs that the process of recovering Guanzhong was forced to slow down.

After all, the Great Chu had a vast territory, and after the southward migration, it had gained a large area of ​​sea that needed to be supervised. In addition, the Yan Kingdom in the north and the Luchuan Kingdom in the south also needed to be closely guarded.

With so many things to do, how can one focus their energy on just one region, Guanzhong?

I only have one question for Young Master Changsun: how does the population of Western Xia compare to that of Chu?

To put it bluntly, if war were to break out with the Western Xia, even if ten Chu soldiers were traded for one Western Xia soldier, the Western Xia would absolutely not be able to afford the losses.

Not to mention that the Chu army is no longer what it used to be; if you don't believe me,

When Young Master Changsun returns to Guanzhong, he can take a closer look along the north bank of the Yanhe River and understand what Shen meant.