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

Jinling City, Weiyang Palace.

Jiang Mengxuan sat upright in front of the imperial desk in the imperial study, with Jiang Chaoyun and Liu Qinghuan sitting on either side of her.

"Your Majesty, the war in Liaodong has broken out. The Northern Yan army, led by Murong Chui, has advanced 300 li into Goguryeo territory with unstoppable momentum."

"Is Goguryeo so easily defeated? I've heard that Goguryeo's strength is not much weaker than that of Northern Yan."

"The strange thing is that when faced with the Northern Yan cavalry's breakthrough, the 150,000-strong Goguryeo army all retreated into their fortified cities and did not come out, allowing the Northern Yan army to rampage through their territory."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan stopped writing with her imperial brush.

"What's going on in the Taiji Kingdom?"

"Your Majesty, the Duke of Zhenguo has recruited two thousand wanderers from the Kingdom of Yunshang, and together with fifty thousand troops from the Kingdom of Taiji, they have marched thirty li towards Rangzhou under the leadership of Li Shunlong."

Jiang Mengxuan couldn't figure out what Shen Lang was up to.

But she still firmly believed that Shen Lang had his reasons for everything he did, and that the process didn't matter until the results were in.

"Immediately send someone to the Taiji Kingdom and tell the Duke of Zhenguo that he can ask for anything he needs, and I will satisfy him."

Jiang Chaoyun was about to accept the order, but Jiang Mengxuan rejected it again: "Forget it, let the Duke of Zhenguo handle the Liaodong matter himself."

If he has any needs, he will surely bring them up with me. How is the situation in Song?

Jiang Chaoyun: "Through the Jingwei Division's private propaganda, the soldiers and civilians of Song have learned that it was all the work of our Great Chu in saving them and defeating the Jin people. They are willing to welcome Your Majesty as the ruler of Song."

Upon hearing this, the Empress's lips curled slightly: "Isn't anyone going to object?"

Jiang Chaoyun: "There are still some aristocratic families who insist that His Majesty send back Zhao Ji and his son, saying that if the State of Song were to fall to the State of Chu,

The Chu state is indeed a faithless and opportunistic scoundrel, unharmed by the Jin people. However, these opinions are negligible compared to the outcry from the entire Song army and people, and Your Majesty need not concern yourself with them.

Jiang Mengxuan continued to review memorials at her desk: "Select all the powerful families who oppose me becoming the ruler of Song, compile a list, and send it to me."

Jiang Chaoyun immediately cupped his hands and bowed: "Your subject obeys!"

After Jiang Chaoyun left, Liu Qinghuan said impatiently, "Junior sister, this is a list of the sects that have been destroyed in the past few days. They all used the Seven Star Sword Technique of the Shu Mountain Sect."

"Thank you for your hard work, Senior Sister." Jiang Mengxuan tapped her fingers lightly on the table, seemingly deep in thought.

"Junior sister, what are you thinking about? Do you need my help?"

"The Jingwei Division has sent intelligence that a group of Tantric disciples have entered our Chu Kingdom and are colluding with the remaining rebels. I would like to ask Senior Sister for your help."

"Junior sister, please rest assured, senior sister understands."

After several operations, Liu Qinghuan understood what Jiang Mengxuan was planning and immediately accepted the order to go and share the burden.

Jiang Mengxuan: "It's really unfair to make Senior Sister do these things."

Liu Qinghuan quickly said, "Junior Sister, please don't say that. Actually, I'm not wronged at all."

Now that I can help my junior sister, I'm truly happy.

Jiang Mengxuan stood up and smiled slightly: "Senior Sister, after you deal with these Tantric disciples, please refrain from further action for the time being. The situation has already become chaotic."

The esoteric sect and the Shu Mountain Sword Sect will inevitably harbor resentment, thus achieving the objective of this scheme. Afterwards, the Zixia Sect will become the sect of the Great Chu Kingdom.

I'm planning to appoint my eldest sister as the National Protector Preceptor. What do you think?

Liu Qinghuan immediately knelt down: "Thank you for your kindness, Junior Sister!"

Jiang Mengxuan quickly helped her up from the ground: "Senior sister, what are you doing?"

I said, we're from the same sect, we should help each other. Now that you've become the Imperial Advisor, you can be there to help me more, right?

"Ah."

Liu Qinghuan nodded blankly.

"By the way, is Senior Sister Qingyin still unwilling to forgive me?"

“Junior sister, you don’t need to worry about her. I will talk to that girl. I believe she will understand your actions that day before long.”

Jiang Mengxuan shook her head: "After I'm done with this busy period, I will personally go back to the Zixia Sect. After all, this matter started because of me, and I can understand why Senior Sister Qingyin resents me."

Liu Qinghuan nodded: "If Junior Sister has nothing else to do, I'll go and make preparations."

"Be careful."

"Do not worry."

As Liu Qinghuan left the study, she ran into Mu Qingqiu, who had just arrived.

The two exchanged a smile and bowed to each other.

Upon entering the Imperial Study, Mu Qingqiu went straight to the point with Jiang Mengxuan: "Junior Sister, Wu Jie just sent intelligence from Shu County, saying that the Shu Mountain Sword Sect plans to turn him against them and is now secretly plotting to raise an army."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan smiled faintly: "The Shushan Sword Sect finally couldn't help but jump out. Since they have taken the initiative to show themselves, I will accept this great gift without hesitation."

Mu Qingqiu: "It seems that Junior Sister is very confident."

Jiang Mengxuan smiled slightly: "Knights who break the law with their martial arts, a group of self-proclaimed righteous wandering knights..."

Using the guise of acting on behalf of Heaven to commit evil deeds will only bring turmoil and unrest to the entire nation.

Ultimately, they're just a bunch of mindless brutes, more trouble than they're worth.

Mu Qingqiu: "That may be true, but you still have to be careful. The Shu Mountain Sword Sect is no small sect; it has countless experts among its disciples."

I've heard there's someone at the Breakthrough Realm in charge, and even a rumored Unity Realm expert. If these brutes suddenly turn on us, I'm afraid we'll have a hard time dealing with them."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan put down her imperial brush and said to Mu Qingqiu, "Second Senior Sister, do you know why I haven't recruited any top-tier martial artists to protect me yet?"

Mu Qingqiu shook her head: "I really don't know. What could be the reason?"

Jiang Mengxuan: "Because it's not necessary, come with me."

As she spoke, she led Mu Qingqiu to a secluded courtyard of a palace.

Upon entering the courtyard gate, one could see a group of Central Army soldiers operating a large-caliber rifle at a distance of fifty paces.

The rifle muzzle was aimed at a rock about half a person's height a hundred paces away.

A thick iron plate was placed in front of the rock.

Mu Qingqiu frowned: "This is..."

"This is a 37mm anti-armor gun designed and developed by my husband himself. Compared with ordinary artillery, its biggest feature is that it can achieve long-range horizontal firing."

"And this distance of over a hundred steps..."

After a pause, Jiang Mengxuan did not continue speaking, but instead gestured for the archer to demonstrate the operation himself.

The gunner immediately pulled the breechblock and loaded a specially made tungsten armor-piercing bullet, which was about the thickness of two thumbs, into the chamber.

Once everything was ready, the archer crouched down and aimed at the rock in front of him.

boom--

The moment the trigger was pulled, a stream of hot air shot out of the barrel.

boom--

The scorching bullet pierced through the iron armor and then chipped away at the rock, causing it to crack and crumble.

"This……"

Seeing this, Mu Qingqiu broke out in a cold sweat.

The firing effect of this 37mm anti-armor rifle is enough to tear apart the aura of an Immortal Realm cultivator.

"Second Senior Sister, do you understand now?" Jiang Mengxuan smiled slightly, "The era of martial artists has truly come to an end."

Mu Qingqiu nodded helplessly: "Then how should we respond to Wu Jie?"

Jiang Mengxuan walked to the heavy gun, bent down to pick up the spent cartridge, and slowly replied, "Tell Wu Jie that if you're going to act, you should at least make it convincing."

Ideally, all those colluding with the Shu Mountain Sword Sect should be brought to justice. I want to force all hidden forces within the Great Chu territory to surface as quickly as possible.

"You mean, it's not just the Shu Mountain Sword Sect?"

"Given the intelligence of the sects, they wouldn't target the railways. There must be local gentry plotting behind the scenes, forcing them all out, and then..."

Jiang Mengxuan gripped the spent cartridge case tightly, her eyes sharp.

"Let's just wipe them all out in one fell swoop!"