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

In a small tavern on the streets of Shu County, Xu Rong was enjoying a large pancake rolled with mutton and a bowl of wine, feeling quite content.

Fa Xiaozhi, sitting next to him, had a big smile on his face, and occasionally glanced at Shen Lang on the other side.

Shen Lang was the same, silently munching on a bowl of Mapo Soup, his eating manners equally unrefined.

"Oh, you two, what am I supposed to say?"

Fa Xiaozhi shook his head.

"One is the Emperor of Great Chu, the Duke of Zhenguo, and the other is the fierce general of the Northwest, the Ghost-Scared-Up General."

They were all important and influential figures, yet they ended up like hungry ghosts reincarnated.

It's like he's never eaten in his entire life. If word got out, who would believe it?

After saying that, he shouted directly to the counter, "Shopkeeper, is the boiled fish ready yet? Hurry up!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang and Xu Rong both looked up and exchanged glances with Fa Xiaozhi.

"Hahaha……"

Inside the tavern, three people immediately burst into hearty laughter.

Xu Rong patted the crumbs off his hands and looked at Fa Xiaozhi, saying, "You are, after all, a descendant of a noble family in Dongzhou. How come you're willing to hang out with a roughneck like me?"

Fa Xiaozhi shrugged: "So what if he's a roughneck? When the Great Ancestor of Chu first established the country, who among those who received titles after him wasn't a roughneck?"

However, as time goes by, future generations will likely forget all the hardships their ancestors endured. Alas, one must never forget one's roots.

Shen Lang: "Alright, stop with your sentimental remarks and focus on your own business. I'll make sure you revive the glory of Legalism."

Fa Xiaozhi: "Then we shall wait and see. The Duke of Zhenguo is a man of great importance, and I feel very comfortable following you."

Shen Lang smiled and shook his head, then looked at Xu Rong and said, "General Xu, please thank General Guo on my behalf."

Xu Rong waved his hand and said, "Little Shen, you're too kind. It's just a small favor. Besides, given General Guo's relationship with His Majesty, he'll definitely help."

"But there's something I don't understand, and I'd like to ask you, Xiao Shen, to clarify it for me."

"General Xu, please ask whatever you wish."

Xu Rong: "You can directly hand over the military dispatch document to Jiang Chong."

Why go through the trouble of sending it from Chang'an? Is there any particular reason behind it?

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang turned his gaze to Fa Xiaozhi.

Fa Xiaozhi immediately analyzed for Xu Rong: "It's very simple. If the Duke of Zhenguo directly hands the dispatch document to Jiang Chong..."

Given his attitude towards the court and His Majesty, would he obey orders?

It's obvious he wouldn't. In his eyes, the documents from His Majesty and the Ministry of War were just scraps of paper, utterly useless.

But if it were sent from Guanzhong, it would be a different story. Jiang Chong was already actively trying to win over the powerful clans of Guanzhong, and General Guo's attitude was especially important.

This time, General Guo sent General Xu with the document requesting military assistance, which will surely make Jiang Chong believe that this is General Guo's initiative to win him over, and that sending troops is inevitable.

Xu Rong feigned sudden realization: "So there are so many twists and turns involved. It seems that matters between the imperial court and the local authorities..."

This is really not something a mere warrior like myself can interfere with. I'd better stick to my duty and lead the troops into battle."

Fa Xiaozhi: "Compared to the military career of a general, our methods are really not up to par, hahaha."

Shen Lang smiled and asked, "General Xu, what is the current situation in Liangzhou?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Rong gave Shen Lang a thumbs up: "Little Shen, speaking of this, not only us old folks, but even General Guo praised him highly."

Since you destroyed the Qiang and Xia, hundreds of forces of varying sizes have suddenly emerged within Liangzhou, claiming to restore the glory of the Great Xia.

Fortunately, most of them were just bandits shouting slogans; they could be wiped out in a single battle.

However, a few stubborn forces have occupied some mountainous areas and frequently raid the heartland of Liangzhou.

Dealing with these guys was quite difficult at first, but ever since you had the Ministry of War send the first batch of weapons,

Those remaining forces were no longer able to cause trouble.

Their fortified towers and stone fortresses were incredibly sturdy, but once the artillery was deployed and bombarded them, the rest was easy.

The remaining Qiang forces of Xiliang are no longer a threat.

This is a perfect opportunity to annihilate them in one fell swoop and completely pacify the Guanzhong and Northwest regions.

Shen Lang: "That's excellent. General Guo, if you have any other needs, please feel free to ask."

Xu Rong immediately replied, "Of course! General Guo heard that you were in Shu, and he repeatedly urged me to meet you."

We hope you can provide a few more cannons and shells, and transport more at once.

"We used up so many rounds recently, basically every round we fired is one less left, and our ammunition stockpile is running low."

At this point, he added, "Damn it, those bastards, ever since they got cannons and rifles, they look down on the swords and bows they have."

Shen Lang waved his hand and said, "Alright, I'll talk to His Majesty about sending them to Guanzhong first."

"That's great, General Guo will be very happy to know."

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Come on, let's have a drink."

They immediately raised their glasses, clinked them together, and drank.

"Boiled fish is served."

Just then, the waiter brought an iron pot to the table and placed it there.

Then, a spoonful of oily soup was poured over it.

swoosh-

Immediately, a pleasant sound echoed.

Looking at the pot of oil glistening with chili oil, still boiling, and then at the pieces of fish, one's appetite is immediately whetted.

"Come, come, try it! This is a specialty of Sichuan! Hurry up and try it."

Fa Xiaozhi warmly invited the two of them to taste the food.

Shen Lang picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. Instantly, a spicy and fragrant sensation filled his taste buds, making his pores feel refreshed.

After the three of them had a hearty meal, Fa Xiaozhi looked at Shen Lang and asked in a low voice, "Duke Zhenguo, the Shu army is about to set off. This time, 200,000 troops will march westward to Qidao."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to return for several months. It's perfect timing, since no one's looking after Shu right now. You'd better seize this opportunity."

Shen Lang chuckled lightly: "Whether Jiang Chong leaves Shu or not, I will not let him go. But if Jiang Chong is not here, who will take care of Shu?"

Fa Xiaozhi said, "Jiang Chong has a few people he trusts most, one of whom is Wang Jian, the garrison commander of Hezhou."

Another was Li Ye, the prefect of Yong'an, and the third son of Prime Minister Ye was Ye Fan.

"Ye Fan?"

Shen Lang frowned.

Fa Xiaozhi laughed and said, "However, this Ye Fan has no other official position; he is a personal disciple of Fairy Xuan Yue from the Shu Mountain Sword Sect."

What Jiang Chong valued in him was merely Ye Fan's identity and the Shu Mountain Sword Sect behind him.

"Of the three, Wang Jian is in Hezhou, so it's highly likely that Li Ye will enter the Prince's Palace to take charge of the overall situation."

As for Ye Fan, he has already become a suspect of Jiang Chong, and Jiang Chong would definitely not let him take charge of the overall situation.

Moreover, Ye Fan has never had experience managing a large-scale operation on his own, and he is no longer in Shu. No matter how you look at it, Li Ye is the most suitable candidate to manage the Prince's residence.

Shen Lang nodded: "Then who will be looking after the Dongzhou camp?"

"It must be Cao Meng without a doubt," Fa Xiaozhi said. "Cao Meng's cultivation is at the peak of the Innate Realm, and he is also well-versed in military strategy."

He has been by Jiang Chong's side since childhood, and is utterly loyal. Jiang Chong would only feel at ease if he were in charge of the granaries of the Dongzhou camp.

"okay, I get it."

Shen Lang blinked, already having a plan to destroy the grain in his mind.