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

The next morning, before dawn, Zhang Gui led Ji Yun, Guan Mao, Wang Shanshui, and their group toward Zhongdu.

Meanwhile, outside the gates of Zhongdu, a brigade of 3,500 Chu soldiers and an artillery battalion, along with two support units of 6,200 men, had assembled, totaling 12,000 men.

After inspecting the troops on horseback, Shen Lang immediately ordered: "All troops, listen up! Destination: Shengjing! Move out!"

"Drink~"

With thunderous shouts, the Chu army soldiers were in high spirits and, under the command of officers at the company and battalion levels, began their final assault on Shengjing City.

The army set off, and halfway there, they happened to meet Zhang Gui and others who had come to negotiate peace.

Upon seeing such a well-organized military formation, Ji Yun, Guan Mao, Wang Shanshui, and other Li Hong supporters were terrified.

They, who are usually eloquent, were so shocked that they couldn't utter a single word.

Zhang Gui, however, showed no fear and quickly blocked the Chu army, shouting loudly, "I am Zhang Gui, a diplomatic envoy personally appointed by the Emperor! I want to see your Duke of Zhenguo, Shen Lang!"

……

Inside the makeshift field tent, Shen Lang sat expressionless, holding a teacup and watching the few tea leaves floating in it.

Pei Ju, standing beside him, pretended to be looking at the marching route map.

The two men had different expressions, but the former remained remarkably calm.

Meanwhile, Ji Yun, Guan Mao, Wang Shanshui, and the others sitting opposite Shen Lang were trembling like leaves, completely stunned by the imposing aura before them and speechless.

After a long silence, it was the mature and composed Zhang Gui who finally spoke: "Duke Zhenguo, why are you doing this? If the army appears outside the capital, do you know what the consequences will be? Are you trying to drive my Wuzhao Kingdom to its doom?"

Shen Lang put down his teacup and sneered, "General Zhang, the reason I was willing to temporarily halt my troops to see you is because I have great respect for your life."

Although you are a Di person and hold the rank of a first-class duke in the imperial court, you are an honest and upright official who often uses your meager salary to help the poor.

Moreover, he was brave enough to fight to the death and was willing to share weal and woe with his soldiers, making him a rare talent for military command.

In addition, your efforts in managing the waterways within Wuzhao's territory, thus sparing countless people in the interior from floods, are also immeasurable merits.

A person like you, even in the officialdom of my Chu state, could at least command a division as a general, enter the court and be appointed to the Ministry of Revenue, and would certainly be nominated by the cabinet.

It is precisely because I know your past that I am willing to halt the march for you. If it were someone else today, they would probably have already been used as a sacrifice to the flag.

Zhang Gui gave a wry smile: "I never expected that the Duke of Zhenguo, a foreigner, would know so much about my life."

Even among my fellow officials, perhaps none know me as well as the Duke of Zhenguo. Now it seems that Wu Zhaoguo's defeat was truly deserved.

Shen Lang chuckled lightly: "Speak, what message did Li Hong ask you to deliver?"

Just as Zhang Gui was about to speak, Guan Mao immediately bristled and mustered his courage to say to Shen Lang, "How dare you casually utter the name of His Majesty?"

"Who do you think you are?"

Shen Lang glanced at Guan Mao coldly, his tone full of disdain.

"I'm speaking with Zhang Gui, what right do you, a mere servant, have to interrupt?"

Guan Mao was taken aback and immediately began to introduce himself: "I am Guan Mao, a fourth-rank official of the Imperial Academy of Literature."

Shen Lang closed his eyes, his disdain undisguised.

"I wonder which dog is barking. So it's you, Guan Mao, who even changed the origin of his own ancestors, keeps singing praises to tyranny, and only focuses on attacking the evils of the previous dynasty?"

Guan Mao's face immediately stiffened: "You actually know me?"

"Ban Dingyuan told me your whole life story. You were originally from within the Great Wall, but after failing the imperial examinations several times, you voluntarily became a bondservant to the Di nobles."

During this time, he gained the favor of the Di people's master by praising the Wu Zhao Kingdom, and was recommended to enter the palace. He then began to glorify the legitimacy of Wu Zhao's seizure of the previous dynasty's throne without any scruples.

Completely ignoring the catastrophic harm the Di people caused to the people within the pass after entering the pass, you adorned your head with the official hat by singing praises of this foreign tribe.

To be honest, I truly envy Li Hong for having a servant like you. With you around, public perception will be endlessly distorted, creating an unparalleled and prosperous image.

"Good, that's wonderful! What a treacherous, ungrateful lackey who forgets his roots and distorts the truth!"

"you you……"

Guan Mao was instantly trembling with anger. He pointed at Shen Lang, wanting to argue, but when he met his eyes, he couldn't utter a single reasonable word.

"Shut up, you lackey! I know what you're going to say the moment you open your mouth. You're using rumors from the previous dynasty as a stain on our reputation, and praising a blood-stained butcher as a hero."

"A lackey like you, with no moral compass, is not worthy to speak to me."

Guan Mao felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, and he almost fainted if Wang Shanshui hadn't pulled him up.

After finishing with Guan Mao, he glanced at Wang Shanshui and said, "You must be thinking about the incident where His Highness Taihua was besieged and rendered incoherent by those so-called remnants of the previous dynasty, right, Wang Shanshui?"

Wang Shanshui: "Indeed, may I ask what advice you may have?"

Shen Lang: "Birds of a feather flock together. You and Guan Mao are a perfect match. You're both born to be lackeys, relying on your half-baked knowledge to swindle and deceive."

"You're only fooling those illiterate commoners. Anyone who's read even a few history books would think that even a dog that's read a few books could completely utterly humiliate you, a mere bannerman."

Wang Shanshui's face darkened with anger, but he could only hold back and dared not speak.

Zhang Gui sighed: "Duke Zhenguo, you don't need to lower yourself to the level of these two good-for-nothing servants. I have come here today on the Emperor's orders to discuss a peace agreement with you."

Shen Lang asked directly, "What did Li Hong say?"

Zhang Gui: "His Majesty said that he is willing to negotiate with your country, but the conditions listed by your country are seriously inconsistent with our country's situation. We hope that your country can be lenient and not be so aggressive."

"Then let Li Hong come and talk to me in person."

After Shen Lang finished speaking, he stood up and said to Pei Ju, "Order the army to continue marching towards Shengjing."

"The Duke of Zhenguo!"

Zhang Gui stood up and shouted.

"Do you really intend to drive my Wu Zhao Kingdom into a corner? How could the Emperor possibly come to negotiate with you? This is utterly treasonous!"

Shen Lang immediately turned around and replied, "So, I know Li Hong is unwilling to talk to me, then I will go to Shengjing myself to talk to him."

I'd like to see if he can still sit still in the Forbidden City when all the cannons are firing and the city is filled with mourning!

If he still refuses, then I will storm the Forbidden City and talk to him face to face in person!

This is outrageous! I am not a subject of the Wu Zhao Kingdom. Even if I demolish Li Hong's ancestral graves, he can't do anything to me!

Let me tell you, Zhang Gui, you don't need to feel this is unfair; it's actually very fair! It's because your Wu Zhao Kingdom is unambitious and complacent.

Even without my Chu state, there would be Qin, Zhao, Yan, and Wei states, and they would all attack your Wu Zhao state just the same.

When you rule this land and its people with barbaric and violent means, you should be prepared to be devoured by civilization.

Li Hong is a god in your eyes, but in my eyes, he's just an arrogant and ignorant brute!

Zhang Gui was about to say something when Shen Lang interrupted her: "Besides, the agreement that Baierjia sent was a notification, not a discussion. I will absolutely not let this go until I see Li Hong!"

"Pei Ju! See off guests!"

After saying his last sentence, Shen Lang left Zhang Gui and his group behind and strode out of the military camp.

"Please leave, everyone."

Pei Ju walked up to Zhang Gui and gestured for him to enter.

"Now that things have come to this, I urge General Zhang to try and persuade your Emperor again. I can offer you a word of advice: ever since I met the Duke of Zhenguo..."

This is the first time I've seen him so angry. He absolutely won't let this go until there's a reasonable resolution. You'd better watch yourselves.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui slumped weakly into her chair.

"How did Wu Zhao Kingdom fall to such a state?"