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

As Jiang Lan followed Shen Lianyi through the gates of the Southern Garrison, she was immediately met with a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere.

He followed cautiously behind Shen Lian, glancing occasionally at the busy Jingwei Division members.

"How dare you! You still dare to argue!"

Suddenly a loud shout startled Jiang Lan.

Looking up in the direction of the sound, they saw a member of the Jingwei Division on their left slapping a low-ranking official of the eighth rank hard across the face.

"My lord, I'm innocent!"

"Innocent? Everyone who enters this Jingwei Division claims to be innocent, so one more won't make a difference. I'll give you some face now."

I asked you to honestly confess the amount you embezzled, but you don't want to save face.

"Let's talk somewhere else then! Xiao Yi! Take Doctor Zhang to interrogation room number seven and give him a proper welcome."

A member of the Jingwei Guard, with an embroidered spring knife at his waist and wearing a dark brocade robe, passed by Jiang Lan and, without saying a word, grabbed the physician and headed towards the inner room.

No matter how much he shouted, it was to no avail.

This scene made Jiang Lan break out in a sweat.

Shen Lang was already used to this, and simply turned around and smiled, gesturing to Jiang Lan, "Your Highness, please."

"Uh……"

Jiang Lan was already in a panic and could only let Shen Lang do as he pleased.

The two entered the dark inner room and stopped in front of the iron gate guarded by two members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Greetings, Commander Shen!"

Upon seeing Shen Lang, the two men respectfully bowed to him.

Although Shen Lang is now the Regent, within the Jingwei Division, his position is still that of a centurion, and there is absolutely no problem with that title.

"Open the door."

Shen Lang raised his arm, signaling for someone to open the iron gate.

With a dull thud, the iron gate opened for a moment.

"Ah~ I was wrong~"

"Stop hitting me, I'll confess, ah~"

Heart-wrenching cries and pleas for mercy, along with the sounds of whips and branding irons, reached Jiang Lan's ears, instantly stunning him and causing him to tremble with fear.

Shen Lang smiled and comforted him, "Your Highness, please come with me."

"Uh, yes."

Jiang Lan had been completely reduced to a puppet, and followed Shen Lang into the inner room.

Once inside, Jiang Lan felt the intense heat mixed with a burnt smell in the air, which kept irritating her nostrils.

As he passed an interrogation room, he heard the prisoner's heart-wrenching pleas for mercy coming from inside:

"Sir, I really didn't do that. My stepmother forced me. She said my father was useless and couldn't satisfy her, so she wanted me to cuckold my father so they could plot to seize the family fortune."

But I only touched him a few times, I didn't do anything serious, sir, I'm telling the truth, I really didn't do anything serious, my father just died of anger because of me, dying of anger isn't a crime, right? Ah~~"

A piercing scream rang out, making Jiang Lan's eyelids twitch. She hurriedly followed Shen Lang to the next location.

As we passed another interrogation room, we heard from inside:

"I really am Zhao Huaishan, you have to believe me, you absolutely have to believe me, ah~"

I'll call you Dad, okay? Oh my god, why does nobody believe me when I tell the truth?!

Jiang Lan had to practically hold onto the wall to walk, barely managing to avoid falling.

Having finally reached the innermost room at the end of the corridor, Jiang Lan expected to see some gruesome and bloody scene the moment the door opened.

Unexpectedly, the clean and tidy interior was completely out of place with the outside environment.

"Go and brew a pot of tea for the prince."

Shen Lang strode inside, casually gave instructions to a subordinate of the Jingwei Division, and then invited Jiang Lan to sit down with him.

Once the door was closed, it was as if all the smog and pollution outside had been shut out.

Seeing Jiang Lan fidgeting and pale-faced, Shen Lang simply smiled and said, "Your Highness, you must have been frightened."

Jiang Lan quickly wiped the sweat from her forehead and replied awkwardly, "It's alright, it's alright. May I ask what the Regent has summoned me for?"

Shen Lang said, "I already told Your Highness outside that family scandals should not be aired in public. It's better to resolve this matter privately."

"Family scandal?"

Jiang Lan frowned.

"I wonder what the Regent is referring to..."

"Bring it up."

Shen Lang slapped his hand directly.

Soon, Pan Shijun and Xiangling, covered in bruises, were dragged to Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan didn't recognize the two at first, but after looking closely, her pupils shrank.

"What are you doing here? What are you all doing here?"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, the two snapped out of their daze and looked up.

Upon recognizing Jiang Lan, the two seemed to have found a lifeline and instinctively tried to crawl forward.

"Your Highness, please save me! I don't want to die!"

"Your Highness, I know I was wrong. Please have mercy and save my life."

Unfortunately, their shoulders were firmly held down by Jingwei Si from behind, making it impossible for them to move even a fraction of an inch.

Jiang Lan looked at Shen Lang in confusion: "Regent, what crime have they committed?"

Shen Lang pulled a booklet from his pocket and threw it directly on the coffee table: "These are the statements of the two men. Your Highness, please read them yourself. His Majesty has entrusted this matter to me. I would like to hear the opinion of the Prince of Xiang."

Jiang Lan opened the booklet and glanced at the statements recorded inside.

Upon seeing it, I felt as if I had fallen into a freezing cellar, and the sky was about to collapse.

"You two bitches, where did you get the guts!"

Jiang Lan couldn't help but rush forward and kick them both to the ground.

"One dares to seduce the current emperor, and the other actually dares to have fantasies about His Majesty. I must have been blind to bring you into the palace!"

Pan Shijun hurriedly got up and knelt down again, trembling as he replied, "Your Highness, please calm down. It was all the Princess's doing."

"I am of lowly status, and if I do not obey the Princess, I fear my life will be in danger. This is truly a last resort."

Xiangling quickly replied, "Your Highness, I am of lowly birth. If it weren't for the Princess's orders, even if I had ten thousand lives, I would not have..."

We dare not seduce the Regent; we beg Your Highness to have mercy and grant us a way to survive.

Jiang Lan's face turned cold: "You have committed such heinous crimes, yet you still dare to hope for your lives? Humph!"

Then he looked at Shen Lang, respectfully cupping his hands in a bow: "Regent, this matter is due to my lax discipline."

These two servants have committed such a grave error; I will certainly give you and His Majesty a satisfactory explanation.

The tea had already been served.

Shen Lang picked up a cup of tea, smelled it, and didn't respond to Jiang Lan's words at all, not even giving her a glance.

Jiang Lan felt increasingly cold inside, thinking that the Prince of Xiang's mansion was probably doomed.

The mere act of engaging in debauchery within the harem could strip one of their noble title, and even reduce their entire family to commoners.

This is still based on the empress valuing blood ties; more likely, her entire family would be exiled and enslaved for three generations.

Thinking of this, he suddenly knelt down in front of Shen Lang: "Your Majesty, Regent, please give me a way out. What can I do to appease His Majesty and you?"

Shen Lang then put down his teacup and replied expressionlessly, "Your Highness, please get up and sit down before we talk."

Jiang Lan rose and sat down anxiously, only to hear Shen Lang continue, "Your Highness, since His Majesty is unwilling to make this matter public, it is clear that he does not want to cause any further trouble."

After all, the prince must have been unaware of this beforehand.

Therefore, His Majesty's intention is that this matter should be handled according to family rules; as for how to handle it, that is up to you, Your Highness.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lan breathed a sigh of relief: "Please convey to His Majesty that I will definitely give her a satisfactory explanation in this matter."

Shen Lang: "So, how does the Prince of Xiang intend to explain himself?"