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

Inside the Weiyang Palace, at the Shuixuan Residence.

"Ah Lang, take this!"

"Okay, come on."

Shen Lang and Jiang Mengxuan were sparring together.

The two exchanged playful banter and flirted with each other, creating a particularly romantic atmosphere.

This scene filled Qingwen and Amber, who were serving nearby, with envy.

"The Emperor and His Majesty have been married for five years, and their relationship has not become distant at all; on the contrary, it has become even closer than before."

"Isn't that right? I really envy the Emperor and His Majesty. They have been able to stay together until today without ever growing apart. There are very few couples in the world who are so loving."

The two maids smiled at each other. Since they became acquainted, Amber's personality had become much more cheerful, and she quickly became friends with Qingwen.

In the garden, Shen Lang's dagger flashed with light as he pointed it at Jiang Mengxuan and said thoughtfully, "Xuan'er, you must watch carefully the trajectory of this move, Tai Xu: Riding the Wind."

Jiang Mengxuan chuckled and pointed her longsword: "Come on, A Lang, I'm ready."

Just as Shen Lang got close, Jiang Mengxuan suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded, and at the same time, she felt a strange sense of fatigue.

"Xuan'er, what's wrong?"

Shen Lang noticed something was wrong with his wife, so he immediately sheathed his sword, calmed his anger, and rushed forward to support her.

Jiang Mengxuan touched her forehead and gently shook her head: "I don't know either, I just feel a bit tired lately, I've never felt like this before."

"Come, sit down."

Shen Lang immediately helped Jiang Mengxuan sit down in a pavilion not far away, and Qingwen and Amber hurriedly came forward to bring her fruit tea.

"Go and call the imperial physician."

Shen Lang gave the order, and Qingwen immediately walked quickly towards the Imperial Hospital.

"I'm not that delicate, I'll be fine after a rest."

"No, we need to have it checked thoroughly to be on the safe side."

At this moment, Li Jing reported from outside Shui Xuan Residence: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, General Wang Jian is requesting an audience outside the palace gate."

Upon hearing that Wang Jian had arrived, Shen Lang breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, this guy didn't do anything extreme. After receiving his own handwritten letter, he did go to the capital in person.

The letter contained only one simple sentence: Wang Jian is relieved of his post as military commander of Hezhou and will be reassigned to another post in the capital.

This actually put Wang Jian at ease, as it was far more reliable than those unfounded promises.

"Xuan'er, you stay here and rest well. I'll handle Wang Jian's matter."

Jiang Mengxuan nodded: "Okay, then I'll leave it to you. I'm exhausted, so I'll go back to my room first."

Amber helped Jiang Mengxuan carefully back into the house.

Shen Lang immediately left Shuixuan Residence and went to see Wang Jian with Li Jing.

……

Inside the Taiji Hall, Wang Jian sat silently at the lower end of the table, his gaze occasionally drifting towards Shen Lang at the upper end.

After a long while, Shen Lang picked up his teacup and quietly said, "Drink tea."

Wang Jian remained silent, mimicking Shen Lang's manner, picked up the teacup, lightly swiped the lid across the lid, and took a sip.

How was the tea?

"This humble servant is unfamiliar with tea drinking; please forgive me, Duke Zhenguo."

Do you know why I called you here?

"As long as the Duke of Zhenguo keeps his promise and does not harm the people of Hezhou City, this humble servant is willing to accept punishment!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang slammed the teacup heavily onto the coffee table.

"You, Wang Jian, even at this point, you're still trying to play the fearless card with me? When Jiang Chong was executed, the imperial court had already issued an edict..."

"I wouldn't make things difficult for ordinary people, but you, on the contrary, openly incited them to oppose the imperial court, resulting in over a dozen deaths. It's only right that I kill you!"

Wang Jian: "I know it's no use saying anything. As long as the people of Hezhou are safe and sound, I will die without regret."

Shen Lang narrowed his eyes: "Wang Jian, do you want to know my opinion of you based on what you just said?"

Wang Jian remained silent.

"You're just a scoundrel who seeks fame and fortune, no different in essence from those hypocrites who call themselves virtuous."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jian's pupils contracted.

Shen Lang didn't give him a chance to speak at all: "You don't need to put on that defiant look. Whether you admit it or not,

That's the truth. The moment you died, the people of Hezhou City believed the imperial court was plotting against them and saw you as a hero who protected them.

Then it will leave a strong mark in history, vividly depicting how indomitable you were.

The imperial court, on the contrary, has been branded as a traitor for framing loyal officials. Don't you think that's hypocritical?

Your death would end everything, but the court would be scrambling to deal with it.

"No, I have never thought that way!"

Wang Jian loudly defended himself.

"This humble official was truly only concerned for the safety of the people of Hezhou, and never intended to cause trouble for the imperial court."

"Duke Zhenguo, you can kill me, but you cannot slander my sincere feelings for the people of Hezhou like this!"

Shen Lang nodded: "Yes, you're so high and mighty, so great. You're the only one who cares about the common people. The court neglects its duties all day long and only thinks about how to torment the people."

I just don't understand why you wouldn't believe a document in black and white, stamped with the emperor's seal, even when it's presented to you.

But you insist on believing your own inexplicable judgment. I really want to crack open your head and see what's inside.

"You even plan to see His Majesty in person before releasing the city? What's wrong? His Majesty manages so many affairs of the world, you think you're already causing her trouble? Hmm?"

After being scolded, Wang Jian lowered his head in shame.

He was genuinely just afraid of retaliation against the people of Hezhou; he never imagined it would cause such a huge problem for the imperial court.

Seeing Wang Jian's pale face, Shen Lang softened his tone: "Alright, this matter needs a solution. Since you caused this, what do you suggest we do?"

"The memorials impeaching you from the court are almost filling an entire room; they all want you killed. Without a result, I can't suppress them."

Wang Jian said, "I know I have committed a terrible mistake and can only atone for it with my death. I will explain the reasons in my memorial and will not make things difficult for the court."

Shen Lang flicked his sleeve: "Your death solves the problem? To be honest, if it were before..."

I would not hesitate to kill you with my own hands, but if you die now, His Majesty will likely face public backlash.

Wang Jian: "Besides this, I really don't know what to do. I would like to ask the Duke of Zhenguo to point me in the right direction."

Seeing that the time was right, Shen Lang spoke directly: "You can no longer hold the position of military commander of Hezhou, and your current status is not suitable for serving as an official in the court."

Here's what we'll do: you'll first go to the Nanjing Military Academy as an instructor, with a salary equivalent to that of a fourth-rank official.

Write down your detailed mountain fortification strategy; it would be a contribution to future generations.

When Wang Jian heard this, he never expected it to turn out this way.

He asked uncertainly, "Is that all?"

"That's a nice thought."

Shen Lang snorted coldly.

"Within six months, the imperial court will establish a new government office to oversee all military and political affairs in the overseas exclusive areas. When the time is right, you will become its first military and political official."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jian immediately knelt before Shen Lang, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you, Duke Zhenguo."

"No need to thank me, thank Her Majesty instead. That was her intention. I was just a messenger."

Shen Lang walked up to him, helped him up, and said earnestly, "Your mountain city defense system is exceptionally well-designed. It was only after seeing it that His Majesty decided to make an exception."

Describe it all in detail, then improve it further. This will be useful after you take up your post overseas.

Can you really use your turtle-shell tactics to protect the maritime lifeline of my Great Chu and ensure that the people of Great Chu live a life free from worries about food and clothing?

Wang Jian immediately stood up to Bi Ting and replied loudly, "Your Majesty and the Duke of Zhenguo, please rest assured, this humble servant will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Shen Lang was satisfied. With Wang Jian, the overseas fortress cluster would be secured.

According to colonial tradition, after a few years, as the gap between the rich and poor in the colonial areas and the indigenous people widens, violent conflicts are bound to occur.

Shen Lang was taking precautions in advance to prepare for unpredictable changes in the future.