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

"Your Majesty——"

Cao Meng reacted quickly and rushed forward to help the unconscious Jiang Chong.

Jiang Chong slowly regained consciousness, gritting his teeth as he said, "My troops actually... Quickly, take me to the Eastern Prefecture camp..."

Li Ye: "Your Highness, please calm down. No one knows the exact situation at the Dongzhou camp right now. Why don't you let me go and investigate first before making a decision?"

Jiang Chong looked at Li Ye and sneered, "You're going? You want to tip off Shen Lang, don't you?"

"Your Majesty!"

Li Ye said with red eyes.

“I have been following Your Highness since the fifteenth year of the lunar calendar, and it has been ten years since then. From Your Highness’s struggle for the throne to following you into Shu, have I ever betrayed Your Highness in the slightest?”

Why would Your Highness listen to such rumors? If I truly wished, I would have followed the Duke of Zhenguo when Your Highness went on the expedition. Why would I remain here to stand by Your Highness through thick and thin?

Li Ye's words touched Jiang Chong's heart, and his gaze softened as he looked at him.

But Cao Meng, standing to the side, said, "Your Highness, don't believe this man's nonsense. He must think Your Highness is currently in a state of decline, so he's just playing the victim to deceive you."

This must have been a plan he and Shen Lang devised to kill the prince.

"Cao Meng! You scoundrel!"

Li Ye practically gritted his teeth and roared at Cao.

"At a time like this, you still want to sow discord? Aren't you worried things aren't chaotic enough?"

"Isn't this situation your doing? Who are you trying to fool with all this?" Cao Meng stared coldly at Li Ye. "I even suspect that you and Shen Lang started the fire at the Dongzhou camp, otherwise the situation wouldn't be in such a passive position."

Li Ye was furious: "You scoundrel! Why are you framing me like this without any evidence?"

"No evidence? You still haven't explained the matter of the communication jade slip!"

"How many times do I have to tell you before you believe me? That's taking things out of context!"

"Enough! Stop arguing! Your noise is giving me a headache!"

Jiang Chong, with a dark expression, stopped the two from arguing.

"I don't have time to care who's right or wrong between you two right now. I just want to go to the Eastern State camp and stabilize the morale of the remaining troops!"

Li Ye advised again, "But Your Highness, no one can say for sure how far the situation in the Dongzhou camp has developed."

"No need to say more, I have made up my mind."

Jiang Chong gave a deep shout and said firmly.

"I am the ruler of Shu. The Eastern State Camp was built by me with six years of painstaking effort. Every soldier in it is a stepping stone for my struggle to dominate the world!"

No matter what happens, as long as I appear in the Dongzhou camp, they should prostrate themselves to greet me, for I, Jiang Chong, am the true emperor of Great Chu!

After saying that, he shrugged, pushed Cao Meng's hand away, and strode out of the palace gates towards the Dongzhou camp...

Inside the Dongzhou camp at this time.

"Whose food do you eat?"

"His Majesty!"

"Whose salary are you receiving?"

"The imperial court's funds!"

"Whom do we obey?"

"His Majesty!"

A large group of soldiers surrounded Wu Jie, shouting their replies in a question-and-answer session.

"Okay, good point!"

Wu Jie was very satisfied with their performance, then pointed to the table beside him: "Since they are all soldiers of the imperial court, they should receive a salary."

Those who wish to stay will receive two taels of silver per month; those who do not wish to stay will receive five pecks of rice and five taels of silver for travel expenses, and will be allowed to go home. Go and register them!

"Long live your Majesty!"

Amidst the soldiers' thunderous cheers, everyone ran to the table at the back and lined up to receive their first paycheck in their military careers.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly rang out outside the Dongzhou camp.

Jiang Chong, along with his trusted confidants Li Ye and Cao Meng, finally arrived at the Dongzhou camp.

"His Highness has arrived! Why haven't you all formed ranks to welcome him!"

Seeing the noisy scene in the camp, Cao Meng immediately shouted.

Many soldiers were initially taken aback, and upon seeing Cao Meng's fierce face, they instinctively wanted to go and greet him.

But soon, a companion reminded him, "What are you doing? You won't get any pay following him. General Wu said..."

Now we are all local garrison troops reorganized by the imperial court, no longer under the prince's command, but only obeying the Duke of Zhenguo and His Majesty.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers ignored Cao Meng and continued to line up to receive their pay or demobilization allowance.

Upon seeing this, Cao Meng was furious and immediately brandished his cold, sharp saw, crafted from top-grade spirit ore: "Did you all go deaf when I told you to form a battle formation?"

"Who are you?"

Suddenly, a group of heavily armed Central Army soldiers stopped the group.

Looking at this army, whose uniforms and demeanor were completely different from those of the Dongzhou camp, Cao Meng and Jiang Chong were momentarily stunned.

"Who are you?"

"We are soldiers of the 11th Division of the Central Army, and we have been ordered by our division commander to take over the Dongzhou camp here."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chong instantly flew into a rage.

"Who let you in? How dare you trespass on my territory, Jiang Chongxiang's territory? Where is Shen Langren? Tell him to get out here!"

"How dare you! Who do you think you are? How dare you address the Commander by his name?"

A slick-haired officer with a beard and a submachine gun immediately retorted with a question.

"I am Jiang Chong, the Prince of Shu, appointed by the imperial court! I am a prince of Shu. What is your status that you dare to speak to me like this?"

Jiang Chong's face turned as red as a monkey's bottom.

He had never been looked down upon so much by an insignificant soldier in his entire life, and he couldn't help but roar.

result……

"What kind of bullshit Prince of Shu is this? Our commander has already said that he's just a traitor. How dare you, a traitor, come here and swagger around like this? Do you think the guns of the Central Army are made of paper?"

"What did you just call me?"

Jiang Chong was completely stunned. Why was he being insulted?

Traitor?!

"Traitor! You, Jiang Chong, are a traitor who will be infamous for eternity!"

The slick-haired officer mocked them without restraint.

"Kill him for me!"

At Jiang Chong's command, Cao Meng gathered his energy and raised the Cold Beauty Saw to strike.

Bang bang bang bang bang——

After a burst of gunfire, Cao Meng's mount was startled and was thrown to the ground along with its rider.

Jiang Chong was also surprised that the Chu army's firearms were so powerful, so he quickly dismounted and covered his head, hiding on the side of the horse.

"Hahaha……"

The soldier who was firing the gun burst into laughter upon seeing this.

The soldiers waiting around for their pay also laughed.

They never imagined that one day they would see those high-ranking figures in such a sorry state.

"Stop! The commander is here!"

Just then, Ma Guocheng's voice rang out.

Shen Lang strolled out from the crowd, and everyone spontaneously parted to make way for him.

"Your Highness, why didn't you inform me of your return? I could have prepared a banquet to welcome you. How is the battle progressing at the front?"

Shen Lang's questions were like earrings, mercilessly slapping him across the face.

"Shen Lang! Did you do this?!"

Upon seeing Shen Lang, Jiang Chong could no longer control his emotions and loudly questioned him.

"Yes, I did it."

Shen Lang replied with a smile.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have known that the Prince of Shu could support such a large army. It has truly broadened my horizons."