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

Time flies, another month has passed, and in the blink of an eye it's March, the season of spring warmth and blooming flowers.

Jingzhou, the Prince of Xiang's residence.

The news that Shen Lang had become regent and that Jiang Mengxuan was pregnant quickly reached the Prince of Xiang's residence.

When King Xiang, Jiang Lan, learned of this news, he immediately looked worried.

"Shen Lang is now the Regent, and His Majesty is pregnant. In this situation..."

"In the future, the Great Chu court and the country will inevitably be dominated by Shen Lang, and it is hateful that the eight-hundred-year foundation of my Great Chu is about to be destroyed by Shen Lang."

Jiang Lan has always harbored resentment towards her cousin Jiang Mengxuan, who is only one month younger than her, for marrying Shen Lang.

They believed that Shen Lang's ability to enter the palace and become the Emperor of Great Chu was entirely due to some underhanded means.

He repeatedly smeared Shen Lang in private, slandering him for his malicious intentions, and even claimed that the Great Chu kingdom would eventually be usurped by Shen Lang.

However, as time went by, the power of the Chu Kingdom grew stronger and stronger, and Shen Lang's reputation spread far and wide throughout the court and the country.

This made Jiang Lan feel extremely anxious every day.

Although no one knew exactly what he was anxious about, he was anxious nonetheless! He would occasionally display Shen Lang's crimes in the study.

However, these actions were all done in private and very discreetly. In public, he was an absolute supporter of the new policies of the imperial court.

After all, while you can teach people a lesson with words, you're more afraid of being killed by machine guns.

Even if Jiang Lan were stupid, she wouldn't be stupid enough to stand up and openly oppose the Empress and Shen Lang.

"See you, Your Majesty."

Just as Jiang Lan was feeling heartbroken about the current situation in the court, Princess Consort Changsun Ying entered the study.

Ever since Changsun Ying was ordered by the royal decree to marry the Prince of Xiang as a concubine, she had cried and made a scene, even threatening suicide to force him to agree.

Because in her heart, only Shen Lang, this hero of the world, was her perfect husband.

Unfortunately, no matter how much Changsun Ying protested, she ultimately had no choice but to marry Jiang Lan and become a princess for the sake of her family's future development.

To be honest, Changsun Ying disliked Jiang Lan, her husband, from the bottom of her heart.

Although the two treated each other with respect after their marriage, and Jiang Lan did indeed give her all the treatment a princess should have.

But in Changsun Ying's heart, Jiang Lan was no match for Shen Lang.

Especially after marriage, Changsun Ying heard about the great things Shen Lang had done, and each and every one of them excited her, as if there was nothing Shen Lang couldn't do.

This is the kind of man Changsun Ying dreams of marrying.

As for Jiang Lan, apart from having a royal family background, she is utterly useless.

For example, Shen Lang was appointed regent this time because he got the position through his own abilities, while Jiang Lan's title of prince was obtained through hereditary succession.

People are most afraid of comparison, especially couples. The more they compare, the more they feel that the man (woman) beside them is useless.

In Changsun Ying's heart, Jiang Lan was inferior to Shen Lang in every way.

Even during their intimate moments at night, Changsun Ying would imagine Jiang Lan's face as Shen Lang's.

As time went by, Changsun Ying's obsession with Shen Lang not only did not subside, but became even more persistent, to the point of being somewhat pathological.

Originally, when she heard that Shen Lang and the Empress had not yet had children since their marriage, Changsun Ying, who already had two children, saw hope. She thought that the Empress was a barren hen and would eventually abandon Shen Lang.

But now that the Empress is pregnant, she maliciously believes that the child is not Shen Lang's, and feels sorry for Shen Lang.

However, like Jiang Lan, this couple never revealed their true feelings to the public, and lived together tacitly.

"Ying'er is here. Is there something you need?"

Upon seeing Changsun Ying, Jiang Lan's face lit up with joy, and she stood up to invite her to sit down.

After Changsun Ying took her seat, she asked softly, "Your Highness, yesterday my family in Guanzhong sent some local specialties. They are currently stored at the post station. When you have time, you can send a servant from the manor to collect them."

"For such a trivial matter, Madam can simply make the decision herself. Why bother reporting it to me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he realized it was inappropriate and added another sentence.

"By the way, have the accountant get some silver to go to the market and see if there are any rare or unusual items to send back as a return gift. It's only right to reciprocate. Since my father-in-law's family has treated us with such courtesy, I cannot be impolite in return."

"Thank you, Your Highness. I will have someone take care of it as soon as possible."

After Changsun Ying finished speaking, she added, "I heard that His Majesty is pregnant, and the former Duke of Zhenguo, Shen Lang, has now been appointed Regent."

"Your Highness, what are your thoughts on this arrangement, that you be in charge of all affairs both inside and outside the court?"

Jiang Lan: "What could I possibly think? Her Majesty's pregnancy is a joyous occasion for the whole country. As a prince, I should prepare generous gifts and personally send them to the capital to express my gratitude."

Changsun Ying: "Has Your Highness decided what gift to give?"

Jiang Lan: "Naturally, we should use a noble and elegant style to show the royal grandeur. The Empress's pregnancy is no small matter, so we must carefully select a lavish gift."

Changsun Ying thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "Your Highness, if you trust me, then I will be in charge of preparing the lavish gifts for your visit to the palace this time."

Men already find gift-giving a headache, especially the selection process.

Since Changsun Ying took the initiative to take on all the tasks, Jiang Lan was naturally happy to have some free time.

He immediately agreed: "Then I will trouble Your Highness to make careful selections. Please draw from the accounting office as needed. Do not try to save money for the Prince's Mansion. We must let the court know the sincerity of the Prince of Xiang's Mansion."

Changsun Ying rose and smiled gracefully: "Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will handle things properly."

The thought of being able to go to the capital and have the opportunity to see her beloved Shen Lang stirred a strong sense of excitement in Changsun Ying's heart.

This time, she wanted to seize the opportunity and completely capture Shen Lang's attention.

After Changsun Ying left, Jiang Lan resumed her writing, recording her evidence of Shen Lang's crimes in the book.

……

The opening of the railway in Xiangyang made it a transit hub connecting the southeast, northwest, and other regions, leading to a thriving commercial sector.

As early as the fourth year of the Xuanyuan era, the curfew in Jingzhou was abolished, which brought endless vitality to the city.

Many new workshops, such as textile factories, were also established in Xiangyang City. Just walking on the streets, you could see merchants coming and going, pulling cart after cart of freshly made cotton cloth to transport northwards.

"This is what my man brought, and only he can bring endless vitality to this city."

As Changsun Ying walked down the street, watching the endless stream of caravans, her eyes were filled with admiration and excitement.

She purchased a number of custom-made gifts along the way, each one of which was priceless.

As they passed a brothel, a beautiful young girl suddenly ran towards Changsun Ying.

"Madam, save me! Someone is trying to kill me!"

The girl saw Changsun Ying as if she had found a savior and suddenly made a move to pounce on her.

"How dare you! To offend the Princess Consort, you have no respect for your own life!"

Two guards from the Prince's Palace decisively stopped the girl and made a move to attack her.

"Wait!"

Changsun Ying suddenly stopped them and looked at the girl.

The girl had an extremely charming face and a slender figure, like a willow branch, making her exceptionally endearing.

Just as I was about to ask a question, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead.

"She's there! Grab her! Don't let her get away!"

A group of thugs from the brothel rushed towards Changsun Ying, clearly targeting the young girl.

"presumptuous!"

Changsun Ying let out a cold snort.

"Take them all down!"