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

The next morning, Jiang Lan finally woke up from her dream.

"My lord, are you awake?"

As soon as I sat up, I heard Changsun Ying's voice in my ear.

Jiang Lan gently rubbed her still slightly dizzy head, looked at Changsun Ying sitting in front of the dressing table getting ready, and couldn't help but ask, "Did I drink too much yesterday?"

A cold glint flashed across Changsun Ying's lips: "Your Highness really drank too much last night, but we're all family, it's only natural to be happy."

"Oh dear, this is so unbecoming of me."

Jiang Lan sighed, then quickly got out of bed and began to dress.

"By the way, where is Xiangling? Where did she go?"

Changsun Ying feigned ignorance and sighed softly, "I'm looking for her too. I haven't seen her since I went to Shuixuan Residence last night. Could she have gotten lost in the palace? I'll ask the people in the palace later."

She then looked up at Musk Moon: "By the way, Musk Moon, have you ever met Xiang Ling?"

Musk Moon shook her head: "Madam, this servant has never seen it either. Perhaps it stumbled into some palace gate by mistake and can't find the exit."

Jiang Lan was somewhat annoyed upon hearing this: "This Xiangling really has no manners at all. This is the imperial palace. How can she be allowed to wander around at will?"

"If they were captured as thieves, what would become of the reputation of my Prince Xiang's mansion!"

Changsun Ying smiled and said, "Why is Your Highness so angry?"

As she spoke, she picked up a bowl of hangover soup and walked to Jiang Lan: "Your Highness, this is a hangover soup that I asked the Imperial Kitchen to send over. Please have a few sips to calm yourself down, as we have a formal banquet to attend today."

"Mrs. I'm here."

Jiang Lan took the hangover soup and drank a big gulp.

Just then, Qingwen's voice rang out from outside the courtyard: "Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence for a talk."

Jiang Lan was taken aback, and quickly put down her soup bowl to greet him: "What brings Your Majesty here to summon me?"

Qingwen shook her head: "This servant does not know. His Majesty has ordered that if the Prince of Xiang sobers up, this servant shall immediately take you to see him. The carriage is ready. Please wash up and set off immediately, Your Highness."

"Very well, I will be there immediately."

Jiang Lan quickly washed up, changed into new casual clothes, and prepared to go out.

"Your Highness, please wait a moment."

Changsun Ying suddenly called out to Jiang Lan, walked up to him, straightened his collar, and then smiled faintly: "Go on, but don't lose your composure like you did yesterday."

"Please rest assured, Madam, I understand."

Jiang Lan gave a perfunctory reply, then left the palace and boarded the carriage that had been prepared.

After watching the carriage depart, Changsun Ying couldn't help but smile slightly.

Musk Moon said from the side, "Madam, this is..."

"It seems that Pan Shijun has successfully seduced the Empress. Now that the matter has been exposed, we will probably have to discuss with the Prince how to deal with it."

Changsun Ying scoffed dismissively.

"I knew this empress was inherently lustful. A few words from her could easily make her itch with desire for someone like Pan Shijun."

However, for a powerful empress, keeping a few male concubines is not a big deal. But Shen Lang's heart will no longer linger on these withered beauties.

Musk Moon was still somewhat uneasy: "But Madam, I just don't feel at ease. Why is there no news from Xiangling's side?"

Changsun Ying said with absolute confidence, "If one of them makes a mistake, that's enough. Men are the least able to accept infidelity from the one they love."

The Empress is no longer pure. Knowing Shen Lang's personality, he will definitely leave her. Even if the Empress regrets it, it will be too late.

Musk Moon sighed softly, "Madam, so many years have passed. Is it really worth doing this for a man who doesn't love you?"

"Musk Moon, you don't understand. Feelings are something you can't control. Only when the Regent leaves the Empress's side will I have a chance to rekindle our relationship."

Once I melt his wounded heart, he will be captivated by me, driven mad by me, and may even conquer an empire for me.

Do you believe me, Musk Moon?

Hearing Changsun Ying's words, Musk Moon didn't know how to describe her feelings at that moment.

I feel like doing this is just too crazy.

……

"Miss Qingwen, this doesn't seem to be the way to Shuixuan Residence. Where does His Majesty summon me?"

"Your Highness, there's no need to rush, we'll be there soon."

On the other side, the carriage left the palace and headed towards the North Palace.

It wasn't until Jiang Lan realized something was wrong and lifted the carriage curtain to look that the four characters "Southern Garrison Command" came into view in the distance.

"parking!"

Jiang Lan exclaimed in surprise.

Qingwen was taken aback: "Your Highness, what's wrong with you?"

Jiang Lan suddenly lifted the carriage curtain and looked at Qingwen: "Miss Qingwen, tell me honestly, what exactly does Her Majesty want to say to me? At least let me know."

At this moment, he was so frightened that he was about to cry, trying hard to think of what he had done wrong in the past few days that had aroused the murderous intent of his elder sister.

But thinking about it carefully, it doesn't seem like that. If it were because of yesterday's banquet, it wouldn't have waited until now.

"Could it be that……"

Suddenly, Jiang Lan thought of a possibility: that when she was in Xiangyang, she had been having a lot of frivolous conversations with a group of cronies, discussing the drawbacks of the new policies.

"Could it be that the Jingwei Division already knew about my private discussions of state affairs?"

After all, the Jingwei Division is omnipresent; their presence can be found everywhere, making them impossible to guard against.

Jiang Lan became more and more frightened as he thought about it, and he regretted why he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

To be fair, he was just like any other keyboard warrior, posting a few idiotic threads to make himself known. In reality, he had no courage to overthrow the court, nor did he even have that idea.

Qingwen asked, puzzled, "Why does Your Highness say such a thing?"

Jiang Lan pointed to the plaque of the Southern Garrison Command in the distance and replied, "Miss Qingwen, if I'm not mistaken, you're planning to take me to the Jingwei Command, aren't you?"

I've long heard of the Jingwei Division's methods. An innocent person who enters leaves barely alive. At least let me leave with some clarity.

Qingwen shook her head: "Your Highness, you are overthinking it. People who come and go from the Jingwei Division are not necessarily criminals. You will know when we get there."

Seeing that Qingwen refused to speak, Jiang Lan had no choice but to sit back in the carriage.

From that moment on, he was filled with anxiety.

The carriage stopped and the curtain was lifted.

"Your Majesty, please."

"It's you, Shen... the Regent?"

Upon seeing that the person in front of her was Shen Lang, Jiang Lan was shocked, and her heart sank heavily.

After getting off the carriage, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said, "Regent, I confess my guilt. Please don't torture me. Just ask me anything you want to ask."

Shen Lang: "What crime has the King of Xiang committed?"

Jiang Lan: "I have privately made unwarranted comments about state affairs and expressed many dissatisfactions with His Majesty, but these were merely my jests."

"I urge the Regent to convey to His Majesty that, out of consideration for our shared kinship, the Prince's residence should not be implicated in this matter."

Shen Lang chuckled and shook his head upon hearing this: "Your Highness is overthinking it. There are plenty of people who privately discuss state affairs, and Your Highness is not an exception."

If they really wanted to arrest people for this, even if each member of the Jingwei Division were divided into ten, they still wouldn't be able to handle it.

Jiang Lan frowned: "Then why did you call me here...?"

"Family scandals should not be aired in public, Your Highness, please come with me."

After Shen Lang finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the gate of the Southern Garrison Command.

Jiang Lan quickly followed.