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

The next morning, at the Duke's Mansion.

Yue Pengju suddenly sat up straight in bed, clutching his aching head, and looked around.

"Where am I?"

Just as I was wondering what was going on, the door was pushed open and two maids carrying washing utensils came in.

"Sergeant Yue, you're awake? Come and wash up."

"This is where?"

"The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the Regent brought you back last night, but you were so drunk you were unconscious, so we arranged for you to rest early."

Upon hearing this, Yue Pengju immediately got out of bed and dressed.

He slept fully clothed last night, only needing to put on his general's uniform, so he wouldn't feel so awkward in front of women.

Where is the principal?

Who is the principal?

The two maids didn't understand what Yue Pengju was saying and both looked completely bewildered.

"That is the regent."

"Oh, the Regent said that after you wake up, wash up and go to the front hall to find him."

Upon hearing this, Yue Pengju immediately put on his shoes and military cap, and rushed out the door without a second thought.

"Sergeant Yue, you haven't washed up yet! Sigh..."

The maid looked helplessly in the direction where Yue Pengju had disappeared, and finally could only start cleaning the room.

After a while, Yue Pengju finally found the front hall, where he saw Shen Lang sitting at the table, savoring a bowl of egg drop rice wine soup.

The table was laden with breakfast items such as steamed buns, fried dough sticks, pastries, and eggs.

"sit down."

When Yue Pengju arrived, Shen Lang didn't even look up, but simply gestured for him to sit down opposite him.

After Yue Pengju sat down, Shen Lang personally placed a peeled egg on his plate.

"There's soy milk in the pot, help yourself."

"Yes."

After Yue Peng got up and poured himself a bowl of soy milk, the two of them remained silent and focused on eating.

Perhaps he was really hungry, because he swallowed eight fried dough sticks in one go, drank three bowls of soy milk, and ate two eggs.

After finishing the last bowl of soy milk, Yue Pengju put down his chopsticks and picked up the tablecloth to wipe his mouth.

Shen Lian put down his chopsticks and asked, "Are you full?"

"Ah."

Yue Pengju nodded in agreement.

"Come back to military academy with me."

"Yes."

The two stepped out of the Duke's mansion one after the other.

After getting into the carriage, Shen Lang finally asked, "If the grapes aren't growing well, can we find someone who knows how to grow them?"

Yue Pengju was taken aback, then lowered his head and clenched his fist.

"Why don't you answer my question?"

"The student doesn't know how to answer."

"Are you unaware, or are you afraid?"

Yue Pengju turned his head to look out the car window, gazing at the slowly receding street scene, seemingly lost in thought.

"Think about it slowly, and tell me your thoughts before you go back to military academy."

After saying that, Shen Lang didn't speak again.

The carriage slowly drove out of the city gate and sped off towards the army academy.

It wasn't until the decorated building of the Army Academy came into view that Yue Pengju realized he had unknowingly arrived at the Army Academy.

Stepping down from the carriage, I saw a couplet hanging on either side of the decorated pavilion: "Those seeking promotion and wealth, please go elsewhere. Those who fear death, do not enter this gate."

Yue Pengju stared at the couplet, lost in thought for a long time.

Have you figured it out yet?

"Figured out."

"Tell me."

Yue Pengju turned to look at Shen Lang and said firmly, "The Song Dynasty has fallen, but the people living on its land have not perished. What I want to save is not the corrupt and incompetent rulers and ministers, but the entire nation!"

Shen Lang smiled and said, "Come to my office."

"Yes."

Upon entering the military academy, one can see students from various classes and departments sweating it out on the training ground. Shen Lang and Yue Pengju, walking along the corridor, can feel the intense atmosphere.

Upon arriving at the principal's office, Shen Lang, without saying a word, pulled a transfer order from his drawer and threw it in front of Yue Pengju.

Yue Pengju looked down and saw the seven large characters "First Independent Brigade Dispatched Abroad" clearly printed on the folder.

"Go back and pack your things, call Han Ming and the others, we'll report to the Independent Brigade tomorrow, let's begin."

You are now the commander of an independent brigade, with four thousand soldiers under your command. The latest military equipment will be delivered to you by the quartermaster department shortly.

Yue Pengju had no idea what this meant: "Principal, why is this?"

"Weren't we supposed to save the vineyard? From now on, this entire brigade of four thousand men will be under your command. All the soldiers in the army are citizens of the State of Song who came to the State of Chu to seek refuge."

"The people of Song defended Song territory; you need not doubt their loyalty in the slightest."

"These four thousand men have all undergone basic military training and are quite familiar with the handling of weapons. Rest assured, they are all equipped with the latest equipment."

They cannot form effective combat capability in a short period of time; it would be best to conduct intensive training for another one to three months before going to the battlefield.

"With your top grades in both practical and theoretical skills across the entire school, plus the assistance of Han Ming and the others, you should be qualified enough to be an instructor."

Yue Pengju gripped the document in his hand and cried out in a sob, "Principal!"

Only now did he realize that Shen Lang had already begun planning the situation in Song and had arranged everything properly.

"Alright, is there anything else you're not satisfied with?"

Shen Lang interrupted him impatiently.

"Remember what you said: you saved the people and the nation, not a foolish and incompetent ruler."

Yue Pengju immediately gave Shen Lang a solemn military salute.

Shen Lang replied, "Yue Pengju, remember this: you are a member of the first class of my Jinling Army Academy. No matter where you go, never forget your identity!"

Upon hearing this, Yue Pengju silently took a step back and then bowed deeply to Shen Lang.

"Humph."

Shen Lang gave a light snort and lowered his head to handle his official duties.

Only after Yue Pengju left the office did he reveal a slight smile and shake his head almost imperceptibly.

I got up and walked to the window, watching the students doing their morning exercises in the military academy and listening to the teachers lecturing in the classrooms, quietly feeling the vibrant atmosphere.

A short while later, a familiar voice rang out from outside the door: "Commander, were you looking for me?"

Shen Lang turned around and saw Lin Fei standing outside the door with an indifferent expression.

After inviting him in, Shen Lang went straight to the point: "Commander Lin, I need to ask for your opinion now. Are you willing to temporarily relinquish your position as division commander and serve as the chief of staff of the independent brigade?"

Lin Fei's expression remained unchanged: "What does the Commander need me to do?"

Shen Lang opened the bottom drawer, took out a stack of fried soybeans, placed them in front of Lin Fei, and calmly said, "Assist Yue Pengju and help the Independent Brigade win this war."

Lin Fei grabbed a handful of soybeans, popped one into his mouth, frowned and thought for a moment before nodding vigorously: "Thank you for your trust, Commander. I understand what to do. Don't worry, I will not let the Song royal family affect Yue Pengju."

Shen Lang: "In that case, I'll leave it to you."

Lin Fei didn't speak, he just nodded.

Not arrogant or impatient, but shrewd and calculating.

This was Shen Lang's assessment of Lin Fei from the very first time they met.

……

Time flies, and half a month has passed, and it's already early July.

At dawn on the tenth day of the seventh lunar month, the Northern Yan envoy Murong Ke and his imperial uncle Murong Si led their delegation into Jinling City.

"Is this the capital of the Chu Kingdom? It is indeed a place of great prosperity and splendor."

Murong Si, whose weight was comparable to Jiang Shangxian's, rode on horseback, full of curiosity about the beautiful scenery before him.

Especially when passing by a tavern, the aroma of wine wafting out quickly tempted me to drink.

He immediately looked at Murong Ke, revealing a fawning expression: "Nephew, you see, this uncle hasn't had a decent drink in months, how about we..."

Murong Ke interrupted him ruthlessly: "Uncle, please bear with it for now. After you see Shen Lang, I will take you to taste this fine wine of Jinling."

"Oh, okay."

Murong Si could only sigh softly, then looked towards the tavern, licking his lips repeatedly.

After a large-scale famine broke out in Northern Yan, Murong Zhao issued a mandatory ban on alcohol. No one, whether a prince or a nobleman, was allowed to brew alcohol with grain. Anyone found doing so would be exiled to Ningguta.

This law truly treats everyone equally. Several members of the Murong clan refused to believe it and insisted on trying to prove it to you, but the next day they were sent to Ningguta to grow crops.

Amidst the nationwide panic, only Murong Si was spared punishment for brewing wine, because he did not use grains to brew wine, but instead invented the "bran brewing method" to satisfy his cravings.

Leaving aside the taste of the wine, Murong Si took advantage of the loophole in the prohibition order and openly brewed wine. After Murong Zhao said that bran was also considered grain, he immediately developed the "Platycodon grandiflorus brewing method".

In Murong Si's dictionary: Everyone must die, but one cannot go without drinking wine.

No matter the subjective or objective circumstances, nothing could deter his determination to drink.