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

"Come, today is the Daughters' Day, and it's also the day I return from my expedition. It's time to be joyful!"

"Anyone who can please me can take any of the gold coins on this table."

Inside the main hall on the second floor of Shuyu Tower, Jiang Shangxian lavishly booked the entire place and excitedly summoned twenty beautiful courtesans to dance, intending to indulge himself completely.

During his trip to Chang'an, he received a large amount of wealth from the powerful families of Guanzhong, and instantly felt that he could stand up straight.

Upon returning to Jinling, he went straight to Shuyu Tower, intending to splurge.

"Let me indulge myself completely this once. After all, we've won such a great victory, can't I have some fun?"

Jiang Shangxian shifted his plump body and leaned comfortably against the table.

Inside the hall, singing and dancing filled the air, and women personally fed him wine—a truly romantic scene.

Such a sense of ritual instantly made Jiang Shangxian close his eyes comfortably.

Just then, a series of noisy footsteps approached.

The music in the hall stopped abruptly the next moment.

Jiang Shangxian frowned, then patted his belly: "Why did you stop singing? Keep playing the music and dancing! I haven't had enough fun yet."

But the entire place was completely silent, devoid of any of the atmosphere one would expect from a place of entertainment.

"what happened?"

Jiang Shangxian immediately sensed something was wrong and slowly opened his eyes.

What came into view was a face of unparalleled beauty, looking at her with a half-smile.

"Oh, Mother!"

With a startled cry, Jiang Shangxian, as if he had seen a ghost, rolled over and fell backward.

"You, you, how did you get here?"

Chu Wanrou slowly pulled a ribbon from behind her waist, wrapped it around her jade-like hand a few times, and walked towards Jiang Shangxian with a smile on her face.

"Your Highness, today is the Qixi Festival. I learned that Your Highness has returned from your distant expedition, so I rushed back to the capital as fast as I could."

A banquet has been prepared at the manor to welcome you back, Your Highness. But this is the first thing you've done upon returning to the capital.

"So you come to this filthy place to fool around?"

"Nonsense. The first thing I did upon arriving in the capital was to see His Majesty. Don't try to slander me out of thin air."

"Oh dear, it is I who am wrong, Your Highness. Please forgive me."

"Don't come over."

Jiang Shangxian was so frightened that he immediately hid under the table and crawled around like a dog.

"Your Highness, what kind of behavior is this? It's making you a laughingstock. Please come back to the manor with me."

"No, I'm not going back."

Jiang Shangxian clung to the corner of a table, his face filled with fear.

"If I go back, I'll definitely be punished beyond repair. I'm not leaving, I'd rather die than leave!"

"Jiang Shangxian!"

Chu Wanrou roared in fury and flung the ribbon, sending the table flying.

"Oh my god! I'm going to die!"

Instantly, Jiang Shangxian was so frightened that he crawled back and forth in the shadows on the ground like a fat cockroach.

Chu Wanrou chased after him, waving her ribbons, until she cornered Jiang Shangxian in a dead end before stopping.

"Jiang Shangxian, tell me, how could you do this to me?"

"I married you when I was fifteen, and it's been eight years now. Have I ever done anything to disgrace your royal family?"

"What do you think I'd be after? Would I really be after your royal wealth and status?"

At this point, Princess Jing's eyes were already red, and she looked disappointed and disappointed.

"I know I come from a martial arts sect, and my personality can't be like those refined young ladies."

But I've tried my best to change for you. Marrying you was only possible with the Emperor Emeritus's approval.

"Wasn't it because you used sweet words to promise to treat me well for the rest of my life that I wholeheartedly married you?"

"But we've only been married a few years, and you're always running off to other places, always avoiding me."

"If you don't like me, just write a letter of divorce to His Majesty! Why torture me like this?"

Jiang Shangxian, holding onto a pillar, slowly rose and replied, "Don't you know why I don't want to return to the palace?"

"Every time I come back from official business, I am already exhausted, both physically and mentally, and then I have to see your cold face and be scolded by you. When will you ever be able to say a few words of comfort to me?"

"Furthermore, I have many social engagements, yet you have transferred every last penny of the royal salary to your own account. Have you considered my feelings?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Wanrou laughed in exasperation: "You said you were very busy and tired from working outside,..."

Have you ever considered who manages everything in the Prince's mansion, inside and out? Don't I get tired too?

"Also, you said I took over the Prince's Treasury, wasn't that to prevent you from spending money recklessly outside?"

After all, the monthly salaries of over two hundred people in the entire government need to be paid! Have you even bothered to check on it for a single day?

Jiang Shangxian retorted, "Then you should at least give me something. I have so many social engagements..."

Every time I go out, I'm always being paid for by others. A prince like me is treated like a freeloader; do you think it's easy for me?

Chu Wanrou: "You work for the palace, you get to eat the palace food, and you can also receive some bonuses from time to time. Do I care about these things?"

Not giving you money is all for the sake of ensuring the smooth operation of the Wangfu family. You say you've lost face in front of outsiders? Jiang Shangxian, you'd better ask yourself honestly.

Whenever you attend official banquets outside the home, have I ever treated you poorly in the slightest? Everything you wear and use, I provided with funds from my own dowry.

Did I mention any of this to you? Tell me, get down here! You dare climb up again? If you move again, I'll smash this pillar, you believe me?!

Jiang Shangxian was so frightened that he immediately shut up, but then he started to argue again, "Even so, can't you change your temper?"

If you had been any kinder to me, I wouldn't have come to this kind of place to relax.

"I'm a man, after all. To be punished by kneeling for every little mistake I make—wouldn't everyone in the manor laugh at me?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Jing flew into a rage: "Gentle, is that it? Do you want me to become like the prostitutes in this filthy place to be considered gentle?"

"Let me tell you, that's impossible! Are you asking for it, or do you need a beating?! You dare sleep with other women behind my back?"

After saying that, the ribbons were raised high again.

"No! Help!"

The scene was instantly a mess, and the sounds of slaughtering pigs echoed throughout the entire red-light district.

Fifteen minutes later, Chu Wanrou dragged Jiang Shangxian out of Shuyu Tower by the ear.

"Madam, spare me! Spare me! I swear, although I've encountered many seductive and shameless women along the way..."

But I've never betrayed you, not even once. If you don't believe me, call Brother Shen here; he can vouch for me."

"Come back to the manor with me first and we'll get to the bottom of this. As for whether you've slept with those slutty, cheap women, I'll find out tonight after I check!"

Hearing him say these words, Chu Wanrou felt much better. She pulled Jiang Shangxian into the carriage and then pulled back the curtain, saying to the driver, "Back to Prince Jing's residence."

The carriage slowly made its way towards Prince Jing's residence...

Holding a cornbread bun in her hands, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably...

"Try singing another one if you dare!"

"Why is my life so miserable?"

Jiang Shangxian leaned against the car window, looking utterly dejected.

The temple of the Old Man Under the Moon was crowded with young men and women who came to pray for marriage.

People keep hanging their wishes under the marriage tree.

"Ah Lang, help me hang up the wishing charm."

"Okay, leave it to me."

In the crowd, Jiang Mengxuan, like a fairy untouched by worldly affairs, watched with rapt attention as the young man in brocade robes hung a red ribbon, a prayer for marriage, on the treetop.

Several self-proclaimed dashing young men in the distance were immediately captivated by Jiang Mengxuan's face, their eyes lighting up and their hearts fluttering. They instinctively wanted to approach her and strike up a conversation.

As soon as they made a move, a group of plainclothes officers from the Jingwei Division stopped them and dragged them into a dark corner for a double lesson, both physically and mentally.

This concerns the happiness of the Empress and the leader of the Jingwei Division, as well as her own future. How could she tolerate these clueless people ruining it?

Seeing her prayer charm hanging on the Matchmaker Tree, Jiang Mengxuan closed her eyes, clasped her hands in front of her chest, and silently prayed that her marriage would be happy and fulfilling.

As for Shen Lang, after spending half a day with Jiang Mengxuan, he was no longer nervous, and their relationship had become much closer.

Perhaps, deep down, she had already fallen in love with this aloof and somewhat arrogant empress.

If it weren't for his status as an emperor, he might have already opened his heart.

"Mengxuan, you've hung it up. Where do you want to go next?"

Jiang Mengxuan opened her eyes and smiled: "I heard that people release lotus lanterns at this time every year, but I've never participated before. Ah Lang, will you take me to release a lotus lantern?"

"OK, all right."

Shen Lang took Jiang Mengxuan's hand and they walked together toward the lotus pond.

Jiang Mengxuan slightly tightened her five fingers, connecting them with Shen Lang's ten fingers.

Looking at the heroic figure beside her, her eyes crinkled into a smile.

"Ah Lang, having you in this life is the blessing I, Jiang Mengxuan, have accumulated over many lifetimes. Please don't leave me, okay?"

Shen Lang was slightly taken aback. Although he did not reply, he tightened his grip on his fingers.

Jiang Mengxuan's cheeks flushed red, understanding that this was the most powerful response the man could give her.