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

Over the next ten days, Shen Lang focused on only two things.

One task was to inquire about grain prices at various grain shops in Shu County, and the other was to ask about the yield of mulberry leaves.

After several days of visits, he has gained a general understanding of the current situation in Sichuan.

Now, all that's left is for the plan in Chang'an to be completed before the plan to reclaim power in Shu can be implemented.

Inside the Prince's residence, Jiang Chong learned that Shen Lang not only had no intention of returning to the capital these past few days, but even seemed to be planning to stay there for an extended period, which made Jiang Chong quite annoyed.

"What is Shen Lang thinking? Why hasn't he returned to the capital yet?"

Jiang Chong sat in his study, pressing his fingers to his temples, his face full of worry.

Tang Wan'er stood beside him: "Your Highness, you instructed us to monitor Shen Lang's every move, and we have been observing him secretly every day as instructed."

Currently, aside from his daily outings to various parts of the bustling city, Shen Lang spends the rest of his time in his official residence, either drinking tea or playing chess alone.

"There has been no overstepping of boundaries. May I ask, Your Highness, is it still necessary to continue monitoring and surveillance?"

Jiang Chong opened his eyes and said coldly, "It's better to be careful. After all, they are people from the palace. If anything happens to them, I can't bear the responsibility."

Tang Wan'er: "Then I'll have Xueyan continue to monitor us."

"Forget it..." Jiang Chong shook his head, "Let her take it down. Maybe you've already been discovered."

After all, this son-in-law of the Great Chu Emperor has served in the Jingwei Guard; his vigilance is higher than we think. It's best not to push him too hard.

Tang Wan'er: "Then I'll have my junior sister take it down."

Just as Jiang Chong was about to nod, a servant came in from outside the door to report: "Your Highness, someone from Chang'an requests an audience."

"What? People from Chang'an?"

Jiang Chong stood up excitedly.

"Could it be that powerful clans from Guanzhong are here to urge the purchase of silk?"

"No." The servant shook his head. "The person who came claimed to be a subordinate of General Guo, saying that he had important military intelligence that he had to tell the prince in person."

"General Guo?" Jiang Chong muttered to himself for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "General Zhenxi, Marquis Wuyi Guo Huaizhi! Quickly, invite him in immediately, without the slightest delay."

Guo Huaizhi, along with Wang Zhongsi, was known as the Iron Wall of the Great Chu and enjoyed extremely high prestige in the army.

He was the person Jiang Chong dreamed of befriending.

During the struggle for the throne among the seven princes, after Guo Huaizhi was dismissed from his post by the late emperor, Jiang Chong repeatedly asked him to assist him.

However, Guo Huaizhi didn't even let Jiang Chong enter his home, displaying an extremely arrogant attitude.

Even so, Jiang Chong did not dare to make things difficult for him, after all, any one of the powerful military families behind Guo Huaizhi was a general with the talent of a famous general.

Offending Guo Huaizhi is tantamount to making an enemy of half of the great Chu generals. Even if Jiang Chong is stupid, he wouldn't dare to show the slightest dissatisfaction to him.

Now that Guo Huaizhi's men have taken the initiative to come to see him, Jiang Chong is flattered and has personally gone out to greet them.

Outside the gate of the Prince's Mansion, an old general, clad in full armor, with a full head of white hair and a face etched with the marks of time, was gently stroking his mount.

The two guards standing outside the door did not recognize who the old general was, but the aura of death and blood emanating from him still made them dare not make any rash moves.

In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Jiang Chong had already arrived outside the mansion gate.

Seeing that the old general did not intend to pay his respects, Luo Hu, who was standing beside him, immediately shouted loudly, "Old Qiu, the prince has arrived, why don't you come to pay your respects? Do you not take my royal residence seriously?"

Snapped--

No sooner had he finished speaking than a crisp, loud slap landed directly on his still-healing face, causing an immediate burning pain.

Before Luo Hu could react, Jiang Chong shouted, "Useless thing! Do you have any right to speak here? If you dare to spout nonsense again, I'll tear your stinking mouth apart!"

Luo Hu immediately shrank back, covered his face, and retreated to the side, not daring to make a sound.

But he was indignant: "What's wrong with Your Highness? You actually hit me for the sake of Old Qiu? That's too much."

Jiang Chong glared at Luo Hu, then put on a smile and bowed to greet him: "General, have you come all the way from Chang'an?"

"I am being very polite. It was my fault for being impolite earlier. Please don't take it to heart, General."

Upon hearing this, the old general turned around, glanced at Jiang Chong, and lowered his hand from stroking the horse before asking, "Are you the Prince of Shu?"

"This humble servant is indeed Wang Zheng. May I ask your name, General?"

"Xu Rong."

He casually uttered two short words, crisp and concise.

But Jiang Chong was utterly shocked upon hearing the name "Xu Rong".

Xu Rong, one of Guo Huaizhi's four subordinates, was best known for his ability to repel 30,000 Annam rebels with only 500 infantrymen, and for beheading 3,000 in a single battle.

He then “used corpses as soup, placed ten pots in front of both armies, and personally cooked them to terrify the enemy. In one day, he captured nineteen camps, and the barbarian king submitted.”

It was a name that commanded great renown.

Now that this iron-blooded general is standing right in front of him, even someone as arrogant as Jiang Chong wouldn't dare to act rashly.

"I have heard of General Xu's reputation since I was a child. Please come in and have a chat."

"Ah."

Xu Rong remained indifferent to Jiang Chong's enthusiasm, simply responding before striding into the palace gates.

Jiang Chong followed Xu Rong like a grandson, and from time to time he winked at the accompanying attendants and staff, advising them not to offend this veteran general.

Upon arriving at the hall, Xu Rong merely glanced around casually before settling down to sit beside the throne.

Jiang Chong hurriedly took the tea handed to him by the servant and carefully placed it in front of Xu Rong.

"General Xu, you must be tired after your long journey. I will prepare a banquet to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."

“No need for that.” Xu Rong’s calm voice rang out. “This general is used to living a life of hardship and is not accustomed to welcoming banquets.”

Jiang Chong was taken aback: "Then, General, what are you doing now..."

Xu Rong stood up and took out a document from the Ministry of War in Chang'an from his pocket, handing it to Jiang Chong.

"Although the Qiang and Xia dynasties were destroyed, tens of thousands of remnants still roam around Liangzhou, seriously threatening the lives of millions of people in Guanzhong."

Therefore, General Guo submitted a memorial to the court, proposing to wipe out the remaining tens of thousands of Qiang soldiers once and for all. His Majesty and the Ministry of War have approved General Guo's proposal.

They were preparing for a final campaign to retake Liangzhou, but their limited military strength in Guanzhong prevented them from encircling the remaining Qiang forces.

General Guo's intention is to request that the King of Shu send troops to provide support from the side, advancing through Qidao to cut off the retreat of the remaining Qiang tribes. Would Your Highness be willing to cooperate?

Jiang Chong took the document, glanced at it, and replied directly, "Exterminating the remnants of the Qiang is the duty of a subject of our Great Chu."

General Guo values ​​me so highly, I should naturally send troops to assist you in recovering Liangzhou!

"Then please."

Xu Rong cupped his hands in greeting to Jiang Chong, then turned to leave the palace.

"General Xu, would you do me the honor of having a simple meal at my residence?"

"I appreciate Your Highness's kindness, but I am a rough man and I am afraid that I might offend Your Highness at the banquet. I would prefer to leave."

As he spoke, Xu Rong had already reached the outside of the Prince's Mansion. He took the reins of his warhorse, turned it over, and left the mansion like a shooting star.

Inside the Prince's residence, Jiang Chong held the document from Guo Huaizhi requesting aid in his hand and immediately said, "Notify the Dongzhou camp to allocate 200,000 troops to Qidao in two days to cooperate with General Guo in wiping out the remaining Qiang!"