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

"Oh, look at you, really! I invited you to dinner, and you're the one paying? If word gets out, I'll lose all face."

"Yes, Patriarch Shangguan, you've really put me and the Prince in an awkward position. We'll forgive you this time, but you can't do this again, understand?"

After paying the bill, Shen Lang and Jiang Shangxian, each with a toothpick in their mouths, walked out of the Zhiya Garden gate with an air of nonchalance, constantly berating Shangguan Yan for paying for the meal.

Not to mention Shen Lang, Jiang Shangxian went even further. After learning that Shangguan Yan had cleared all his debts from the past few months, he shamelessly ordered the same table and asked them to deliver it to the Prince's Mansion that night.

Shangguan Yan didn't feel upset at all by their reproaches; on the contrary, they relieved some of his unease.

"Your Highness, Regent, it's just a meal. It's a blessing I've accumulated over many lifetimes to be able to dine with you two important figures. Please don't take it to heart."

Jiang Shangxian patted his shoulder, adopting the posture of an elder brother, and smiled with narrowed eyes: "Patriarch Shangguan is indeed generous."

"Don't worry about the list this time. Just do as the Regent says, and your entire clan will have a bright future."

Shangguan Yan quickly bowed her head and thanked him, "Thank you, Your Highness."

She looked up at Shen Lang again, hoping he would give her an explanation.

After all, Shangguan Yan was well aware that, compared to Jiang Shangxian, Shen Lang's attitude was the only key to determining the future of the Shangguan family.

Shen Lang walked to the four-wheeled carriage. After the driver opened the carriage door, he turned to Shangguan Yan and said, "Alright, those people from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion have been waiting for a long time. Why don't you go and appease them for me tonight?"

Shangguan Yan was taken aback, but then realized what was happening and immediately knelt on the ground: "Thank you, Regent, for giving me this opportunity. Please give me some instructions!"

Shen Lang took off the waist tag hanging from his waist and handed it to Shangguan Yan.

"With this warrant for entry and exit from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, you may freely enter and exit the residence. Tell them that if they want to live, it depends on their sincerity."

The Northern Metro Line project is currently underway, but the imperial budget is only 70% of what it was expected to be spent. Money is needed everywhere; let them figure it out themselves.

Shangguan Yan instantly understood the intention, decisively took the scalding hot Zhenguo Duke's Mansion waist token, and carefully held it in her palm.

"If it's done, in two years the Changsun family will no longer be the leading family among the powerful clans of Guanzhong. Think about it carefully."

After leaning down and drawing a big pie in Shangguan Yan's ear, Shen Lang turned around and got into the four-wheeled carriage.

Jiang Shangxian patted Shangguan Yan on the shoulder and immediately followed.

But as soon as he entered the carriage and took his seat, the carriage immediately slid down a few inches, and the tires were squeezed to the ground.

"Respectfully seeing off the Regent, His Highness Prince Jing!"

Shangguan Yan bowed directly in the direction the carriage had disappeared.

Shen Lang's hints were quite clear: the Empress was already dissatisfied with the Changsun family and needed to support someone else to suppress them.

Shangguan Yan was naturally unwilling to miss this opportunity, and would do her best to complete the task assigned by Shen Lang, no matter the cost.

Inside the carriage, Jiang Shangxian couldn't help but ask, "Brother, isn't this letting them off too easily?"

Shen Lang smiled slightly: "What else can we do? Kill them all at once? Based on that list that Changsun Ying sent out in her death?"

Even if everything above is true, it would only punish a few insignificant people and wouldn't affect the overall situation.

What I want now is not a scene of bloodshed and widespread panic, a scene of apocalypse. I simply want the people of Guanzhong to participate in the benefits brought about by the transformation of the Great Chu.

Even if they only have a little more meat broth now, that's still a small step forward.

Jiang Shangxian: "Brother, I've noticed that you seem different from before. In the past, you would just eliminate anyone who disagreed with you, but now you consider the bigger picture."

Shen Lang shook his head: "I haven't changed at all. I will still annihilate any enemy standing on the opposite side without hesitation."

But for those who can be won over, I will try my best to win them over first.

Whether aristocratic or commoner, as long as interests are balanced...

They can then get along peacefully, and the purpose of the reform is to benefit all the people of the country.

Rather than prioritizing the interests of a small minority and making more people bear the burden of the drawbacks of change, such change is worse than no change at all.

Jiang Shangxian: "So, your purpose in involving these powerful families in the industrial sector is..."

It means making them give up all the land they have and redistribute it to the people.

This gave people more land, and their lives were better than before.

While established families could earn more money by running factories and mines, they could also provide employment opportunities for many ordinary people.

The industrial products produced sold well, satisfying the tastes of various related fields.

The profits generated can also drive the development of other small industries in the surrounding area.

Finally, the imperial court can also collect more taxes than before, which can be used for more administrative arrangements.

In this way, people from all walks of life, from the highest to the lowest classes, can all benefit from it, making it a win-win situation.

This is your plan, right?

Shen Lang smiled: "Your Highness, I suddenly realize that your mind is very clear, and what you said is completely correct."

"Tch, I just don't bother using my brain. It's not like I'm brainless. I've followed you for so many years, I could have copied it by now."

Now you're having Shangguan Yan incite these powerful clans in Guanzhong to fund the construction of the northern railway, your aim is to keep yourself in the background.

If something goes wrong later, it will be an internal matter among the powerful clans of Guanzhong, and you can still stand up and completely absolve yourself of any responsibility.

At worst, I'll just kill Shangguan Yan or Changsun Yang to appease their anger. See how clever I am? I saw right through your plan.

Your goal is to instigate infighting among the powerful clans of Guanzhong, then profit from it, gaining firm control of Guanzhong without firing a single shot.

"Isn't that your goal?"

Unexpectedly, Shen Lang asked a question in return.

"Your Highness, when you came to Chang'an with me, knowing that His Majesty had appointed me as his prospective son-in-law, you still arranged for Changsun Ying to meet with me."

Is it really just because you were drunk? After all these years together, do you really think I don't know your character?

From the very beginning, you had already planned to use that fool Changsun Ying to lay the groundwork for various factions in Guanzhong.

The Changsun family wields too much influence in Guanzhong; shaking their power is not something that can be done overnight. Any action that could have far-reaching consequences is the worst possible strategy.

"By using Changsun Ying to leave a stain on the Changsun family's reputation for forced marriage, isn't it just a way to use this as a backup plan to suppress the entire Guanzhong clan in the future?"

Jiang Shangxian blushed slightly: "Please don't take offense, I only acted on a whim at the time."

No specific plans have been implemented yet; we can only gamble on your feelings for His Majesty.

"If you really do get accepted as a son-in-law by the Changsun family, then all of my efforts will have been in vain."

"You're really daring to gamble."

Shen Lang sighed helplessly.

"But I have to say, you made the right bet."

Jiang Shangxian gave an awkward laugh: "Hehe, it's all in the past, brother, you don't need to take it to heart anymore."

Shen Lang: "I'm just very curious, if I had really agreed back then, how would you have explained it to His Majesty?"

Jiang Shangxian immediately waved his hand: "No, I trust your character. We've been through thick and thin together. I could tell at a glance that your heart isn't with that woman."

A spoiled, willful, and somewhat morbid young lady is nowhere near as alluring as my Empress niece. Besides, you're just a smooth talker with a silver tongue.

But in all those years in Bingzhou, you've never once gone to the north bank of the Han River to have some fun. I knew then that you were a decent person.

See? My judgment is excellent, isn't it? Since you came to the capital, our Great Chu has undergone earth-shattering changes.

"No, I must submit a memorial later, requesting His Majesty to erect a shrine for me. Without my foresight back then, there would be no flourishing of the Great Chu today."

Shen Lang was almost speechless: "I've never seen anyone as shameless as you, Your Highness. I'm curious if your skin is harder than the tires of this car."

Just as Jiang Shangxian was about to speak, a tire suddenly burst, and the two of them were jolted in the car.

"Your Highness, you really should lose weight. Even a four-wheeled carriage can't support your weight."

"What I call magnanimity is utterly ignorant. You know nothing."

"Get out of the car, we need to change a tire!"

"Help me out first."

Just as the two got out of the car to change the tire, a group of figures suddenly rushed in front of them and knelt down in the street.

The leader immediately knelt down, pleading, "Principal! Please allow me to return to the Great Song Dynasty and save the people!"