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

After Dang Rui's defeat and suicide, and the annihilation of his three thousand iron cavalry, the Taiji Kingdom army, after a brief rest, Shen Lang directly ordered the entire army to march towards Rangzhou City.

Although they paid a heavy price, this was the first time that the Taiji Kingdom had defeated the powerful Goguryeo. The morale of the entire army was soaring, and they all vowed to take Rangju City in one fell swoop.

Inside Rangzhou City, the defending general Xue Yan was deeply shocked upon learning of the defeat of the Dangrui army.

"The Taiji Kingdom actually defeated my Goguryeo army? This is impossible! I don't believe it! There must be other reasons!"

Enraged, Xue Yan smashed everything movable in the general's mansion to pieces.

"Three thousand iron cavalry, that's a full three thousand iron cavalry! They were all wiped out in one battle. If the Taiji Kingdom had such strength, why would it grovel before us, pay tribute, and become our vassal?"

There must be a reason, there must be a reason for this.

Just as Xue Yan was pacing anxiously back and forth in the general's mansion, a guard rushed in to report: "General Xue, something terrible has happened! The Taiji Kingdom's army has already besieged the city."

"What? So fast!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Yan immediately pushed aside the guards and hurried to the city tower.

Standing atop the city wall and seeing the endless sea of ​​people stretching as far as the eye could see outside, a chill ran down my spine.

"The Koreans are truly despicable and shameless! These traitors! If we had known this would happen, we should have slaughtered them all back then, and we wouldn't be in this situation!"

He patted the wall, his face full of regret.

"General, let's think of a solution. With so many people launching an attack on the city, we're afraid we can't stop them."

Xue Yan was taken aback upon hearing this, then his gaze turned extremely fierce.

“Even if we Goguryeo people fight to the last man, we will never surrender to those lowly Goguryeo people.”

"Issue my order: every man in the city who can wield a weapon is to be sent to the battlefield. This general will fight these Goryeo bastards to the bitter end."

Deputy General Lou Tai'a asked, "General Xue, should we inform the King of Wandu?"

"Your Majesty is currently engaged in battle with the Yan people at a critical juncture. Sending someone to inform them now would certainly affect the morale of the army."

Lou Tai'a looked troubled: "But the city is mostly inhabited by the elderly and weak, and I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to withstand the attack of tens of thousands of people."

Xue Yan confidently replied, "No, you don't understand those Koreans. They are arrogant and conceited, looking down on everyone and believing themselves to be the center of the world. In reality, they are just a bunch of weak and easily bullied sheep."

Even a woman or child from Goguryeo could easily pin their men down and humiliate them. Hmph, so what if they defeated three thousand of Goguryeo's iron cavalry?

That was merely their only victory in hundreds of years; as for conquering Rangzhou City, that was nothing but a pipe dream.

“But they’ve already reached the outskirts of the city. If Rangzhou falls, the king will be in a very difficult position.”

Upon hearing this, Xue Yan immediately grabbed Lou Tai'a by the collar and said sternly, "I am the commander-in-chief of Rangzhou City. Do everything according to my orders."

"Immediately gather all the men in the city who can carry weapons and bring them to the city wall! Go now!"

"Yes……"

Forced by Xue Yan's tyranny, Lou Tai'a had no choice but to obey.

Meanwhile, outside Rangzhou City, more and more neighboring tribes led their troops to join the Taiji Kingdom's camp, gradually gathering under the command of the Shatuo.

By noon, Shatuo had four thousand barbarian soldiers under his command.

After his strength increased dramatically, Shatuo approached Shen Lang and proposed new conditions.

"Duke Zhenguo, I think the conditions need to be changed."

Shen Lang was observing the terrain in front of a simple sand table inside the military tent when he heard Sha Tuo mention it, and he chuckled almost imperceptibly.

“Chief of the Shatuo, I remember we had already agreed on the terms before, and you agreed to them. How can you go back on your word?”

Shatuo waved his hand and said, "I've thought about it carefully, and this is really too much of a loss for us."

"Oh? How exactly did you suffer a loss?"

"If it weren't for the intervention of my Shatuo tribe, how could those Goguryeo cavalry have been so easily annihilated?"

Now that the army is at the city gates, we, the ethnic minorities of eastern Liaodong, will have to lend a hand, so the conditions must be changed.

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang chuckled and sat down in his seat of honor: "So, how do you plan to change the terms?"

Shatuo immediately said, "We want all the women and wealth that have been buried in Rangzhou for centuries."

"what."

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang immediately chuckled.

Cui Mingji, standing to the side, immediately said, "Chief of the Shatuo, your request is far too much. You've given you half the wealth and women of Rangzhou City, so what do we get in return?"

Moreover, if my Taiji Kingdom hadn't directly exhausted the Goguryeo cavalry's stamina and horsepower, how could you have defeated Goguryeo so easily?

Li Shunlong also said, "Yes, don't forget, those thousand armored cavalry were wiped out by our Taiji Kingdom soldiers with their lives. How can it be attributed to just you alone?"

Shatuo, however, remained indifferent: "I don't care about all that. If it weren't for the intervention of our Liaodong tribes..."

With your Taiji Kingdom's pathetic fighting strength, there's no way you could possibly conquer Rangzhou City.

Besides, we only want the women and wealth inside; we'll give you the entire city of Rangzhou. Isn't that enough?

Cui Mingji trembled with anger: "You're going back on your word like this, which violates our original agreement."

"so what?"

Shatuo spoke with righteous indignation.

“If the Duke of Zhenguo does not agree, then I will immediately lead my people back to the tribe.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang looked coldly at Shatuo: "Is there really no room for negotiation?"

His tone was unusually calm, making it impossible to discern the true meaning behind his words.

Shatuo: "Please, Duke Zhenguo, consider this carefully."

Shen Lang lightly touched his lips with his finger and smiled slightly: "Alright then, I agree."

"Since that's the case, then... what, you agreed?"

Shatuo, who was about to continue threatening to withdraw his troops, was surprised to hear that Shen Lang had actually agreed to such an outrageous request.

Shen Lang stood up and said, "Just as you said, all I need is Rangzhou."

As for the people here, I don't care. If you want them, then take them.

Now, Shatuo felt somewhat uneasy.

Because this Duke Zhenguo is just too easy to talk to, isn't he?

"Don't doubt my sincerity. Raising the price on the spot is just a negotiation tactic. If I were you, I might have done the same."

However, you must demonstrate whether you are worth such benefits. Do you understand what I mean?

"Uh……"

Clearly, these words touched on a blind spot in Shatuo's knowledge.

But since the other party has agreed, it means that the current terms have been agreed upon.

“Alright, since the Duke of Zhenguo has agreed to our conditions, Shatuo swears once again that he will never change the conditions again.”

"what."

Shen Lang chuckled softly and nodded in request of permission.

He completely disregarded the oaths made by these alien races.

After Shatuo left the main tent in high spirits, Shen Lang ignored the frustrated expressions of Cui Mingji and Li Shunlong, and instead summoned Wang Xuance.

"Go to a place and gather a foreign tribe for me."

"Lord Zhenguo, please give your orders, whom should be summoned?"

"Tell the Solon tribe of the Savage Mountains that as long as they are willing to become vassal states of my Great Chu, their people can migrate to the Liaodong region to live and thrive."

Wang Xuance was taken aback: "Solon tribe? Duke Zhenguo, how did you know about this tribe?"

Shen Lang smiled without saying a word. Could he be going to tell Wang Xuance that he had absorbed the characteristics of the intelligence system and could simultaneously grasp all clues within a certain area?