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

While the Cloud Kingdom was in chaos, Shen Lang arrived in the Taiji Kingdom as scheduled.

"Greetings, Regent."

Ban Dingyuan and Wang Xuance bowed to Shen Lang in unison to welcome him.

"Alright, I am no longer the regent, so please don't call me that again."

After correcting their explanation, Shen Lang said directly, "Tell me, what exactly is the problem? Why are you recruiting people from the Cloud Kingdom?"

Ban Dingyuan immediately began to complain: "Duke Zhenguo, the military preparedness of Taiji Kingdom is really hard to describe. It is simply impossible to rely on them to restrain Goguryeo."

After a moment's thought, Shen Lang immediately said, "Take me to see the Taiji Kingdom's camp."

"Yes."

Led by Ban Dingyuan and Wang Xuance, Shen Lang personally visited the Taiji Kingdom's military camp to observe the military formation.

It would have been better if he hadn't looked at it; once he did, he immediately felt his blood pressure rise.

Leaving aside the conditions of the training grounds for soldiers, Shen Lang is like a cheat code, which is really unfair to the Tai Chi people in comparison.

However, the drills themselves were rather disappointing.

Li Shunlong stood in the crowd and shouted loudly, "Thrust! Attack!"

Then, these ragged Taiji soldiers, carrying long spears, charged forward with loose steps.

Stop!

Shen Lang couldn't stand it any longer and questioned loudly.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Li Shunlong turned to look at Shen Lang and asked sharply, "Who are you, and why are you interfering with my training of troops?"

"presumptuous!"

Upon hearing this, Ban Dingyuan shouted angrily.

"This is the Emperor of Great Chu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies of Great Chu! How dare you shout like this? Kneel down now!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shunlong felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately knelt down, pressed his head to the muddy ground, and said in a trembling voice, "The people of this humble country were unaware that the Emperor of the superior nation had graced us with his presence. Please forgive us!"

Shen Lang completely ignored him and walked straight up to the Taiji Kingdom soldiers. He snatched a gun wrapped in burlap, examined it carefully, and then weighed it in his hand.

Suddenly, he raised his spear horizontally and then slammed it hard into his own knee.

With a crisp "crack," the spear, less than two meters long, snapped in two.

"I won't even talk about the spear blade, but don't you understand something as simple as the fact that the shaft of a spear needs to be made of hardwood?"

"With weapons like these, there's no way they can win on the battlefield!"

After saying that, he kicked a swordsman and shieldman directly.

With a loud "bang," the swordsman and shield bearer, along with more than a dozen infantrymen behind him, were all kicked down by Shen Lang, falling five steps away.

"The swordsmen and shieldmen rely heavily on their lower body, their purpose being to clear a path for the spearmen behind them and provide protection."

"But they can't even stop a light kick from me now, how can we expect them to withstand a thousand troops?"

"What use is an army like this on the battlefield, except to send them to their deaths?"

Shen Lang's voice echoed across the simple training ground, causing the Taiji Kingdom soldiers to lower their heads in shame, while simultaneously harboring a thousand grievances in their hearts.

"Ban Dingyuan!"

"The humble position is here!"

Ban Dingyuan immediately stood guard beside Shen Lang.

"Don't you know how to revise the training plan?"

Ban Dingyuan glanced at them, then shook his head.

"Duke Zhenguo, it's not that I'm unwilling, but that I don't have the time."

"There really isn't enough time, so we have to resort to some special methods."

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang drew the sword from Ban Dingyuan's waist and struck him hard with the back of the blade.

"stand up!"

"Yes!"

Li Shunlong quickly got up and straightened his helmet.

Shen Lang said bluntly, "From now on, I'm giving you a month. Within a month, I want to see this bunch of trash in front of you get motivated and go to the battlefield. Can you do that?"

Li Shunlong bowed his head and replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, it's not that I'm unwilling to improve training standards, but rather that there's too little money to be made in the army, making it impossible to train effectively."

Ban Dingyuan: "Duke Zhenguo, what he said is true. Currently, a large amount of grain in Taiji Kingdom is concentrated in the hands of those wealthy households."

The army's rations were barely enough for two meals a day, and meat was out of the question; after all, the market in Pingjing only sold three sheep a month.

A pound of mutton costs four thousand coins, which is four taels of silver. Even the king couldn't afford it, let alone the soldiers. Even wealthy families had to pool their money to buy a few pounds together.

"Where's the pork?"

Shen Lang countered with a question. He knew mutton was expensive, but such an outrageous price could only mean that the livestock industry here was severely lacking, and they could only rely on pork.

"Pork is also scarce. In Pingjing City, the most a family raises is only three pigs, and a pound of pork costs two hundred coins."

"Where's the fish?"

"The pirates from the Cloud Kingdom have taken control of this sea area, making it impossible for us to go out fishing."

"Haha."

Shen Lang laughed, a chilling laugh.

Ban Dingyuan felt a chill run down his spine again, realizing this was a prelude to Shen Lang's anger.

Sure enough, Shen Lang almost grabbed his ear and said in a deep voice, "Do you know who you are? You are Ban Dingyuan!"

Can you broaden your horizons a bit? If Pingjing is out of food, why don't you look to other prefectures and counties?

"If all else fails, we can go and negotiate with a tribe in the north. You're a diplomat from our Great Chu, can't you be less rigid?"

Ban Dingyuan rubbed his ears, looking aggrieved, and said, "Lord Zhenguo, please calm down. Actually, I have also considered negotiating with those northern tribes."

But they seem quite hostile towards us Chu people. However, the Kingdom of Yunshang can gather a group of people to fight for them.

Alternatively, we could request the Duke of Zhenguo to dispatch an army to garrison the area.

"Do you think stationing troops is that easy?" Shen Lang was speechless for a moment. "The supply of troops, the soldiers' treatment, the promotion time, and the number of personnel all need to be taken into account."

We need to wait at least another three months, and ensure the situation in Korea is stable.

Ban Dingyuan lowered his head and remained silent, feeling extremely distressed.

"Alright, this isn't your fault. I'll personally go to the Cloud Kingdom. Find someone familiar with the Cloud Kingdom to come with me."

"Yes."

Ban Dingyuan responded and said, "Cui Mingji is very familiar with the Cloud Kingdom, so perhaps..."

"Where is the general of the superior nation, Simida..."

Just then, Jin Zizai's voice rang out from outside the school gate.

Shen Lang and Ban Dingyuan looked over at the same time and saw Jin Zizai running towards them with a look of anxiety on his face.

"May I ask where the Great General of the Supreme Kingdom is?"

When he ran up to the two of them, Jin Zizai asked again.

Ban Dingyuan roared, "Jin Yizheng, you are truly audacious! How dare you shout at the Duke of Zhenguo of Great Chu? Do you believe I will chop you up right now?"

Jin Ziyi was stunned. He glanced at Shen Lang and then promptly knelt down and kowtowed.

"Great General, please calm your anger. I am Jin Zizai, and I am willing to serve you with utmost loyalty!"

Just as Ban Dingyuan was about to expel him, Shen Lang stopped him.

He leaned down and asked, "You must be Jin Zizai? What did you just say, that you would serve me like a dog or a horse?"

"Yes, it is my honor to serve the Great General of the Great Kingdom. I beg the Great General to give me a chance!"

He was humble and obsequious, like a dog.

Just when Jin Zizai thought Shen Lang would say a few words of encouragement, he was surprised to hear him change his tone: "Say it, what do you want? Don't talk nonsense to me."

Jin Ziyi was taken aback, but immediately gritted his teeth and said, "This humble official dares to ask the General to allow me to stay by your side and serve you!"

"I understand, you want power over the Taiji Kingdom?"

"Taiji Kingdom belongs to Great Chu. As long as the General employs me, I will definitely guard this land for Great Chu. Let me be Great Chu's most loyal dog! Seriously!"