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

"Your Majesty, the interrogation results are in. This is Shu Yue's confession. Please take a look."

As soon as the interrogation results came out, Jiang Shangxian personally delivered her confession to the Empress at Changle Palace.

Jiang Mengxuan looked at Shu Yue's confession in her hand, her face extremely cold.

"Ugh……"

After a long while, she calmed down, sighed softly, and seemed to have expected this outcome, showing her helplessness.

Where is Shu Yue?

"They are still being held in the Jingwei Division. Your Majesty, please make your decision."

"Alas, I wish to see her. Imperial Uncle, lead the way."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

In the pitch-black interrogation room of the Jingwei Division, Shen Lang leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, looking at Shu Yue, whose face was already pale from the torture, and comfortably propped his legs up on the table.

Wang Rui, who had already been appointed as the commander-in-chief, immediately stepped forward with a smile: "Commander-in-Chief, how about I give you a shoulder massage?"

Shen Lang did not refuse: "Is it not difficult? If it is not difficult, then I will trouble you."

Wang Rui was delighted and immediately began to massage Shen Lang's shoulders and back, his attitude and expression very focused.

Shu Yue glanced at Shen Lang and snorted, "Shen Lang, don't be so smug. By protecting the Empress like this, you've already offended all the forces inside and outside the palace."

The situation is far more complex than you imagine. Even with your current military achievements, the Empress cannot protect you; your fate will be incredibly tragic.

Shen Lang said nonchalantly, "The water is deep? But I'm a good swimmer and won't drown. As for the Empress not being able to protect me, so what? I can just run away."

Instead of worrying about my fate, you should consider your own. Your crime will likely land you in the brothel, and your entire family could be exiled. Go back and think it over.

"Heh, just you wait and see. I believe that one day you will regret everything you've done today."

As soon as he finished speaking, the interrogation room door opened, and Jiang Shangxian guided Jiang Mengxuan inside.

"His Majesty……"

The moment Shu Yue saw Jiang Mengxuan enter, she suddenly became agitated.

"Your Majesty, would you be willing to forgive this servant this once? This servant was forced into this situation."

Jiang Mengxuan's expression remained unchanged. After Shen Lang got up from the interrogation table, he sat down directly.

"Uncle, you go and wait outside the door."

"Yes."

Jiang Shangxian immediately went out, and Shen Lang followed closely behind.

"Shen Lang, you stay and protect me."

Jiang Mengxuan called him back and insisted on keeping him by her side.

"Yes."

Helpless, Shen Lang could only stay behind Jiang Mengxuan.

Seeing Shu Yue's disheveled appearance, Jiang Mengxuan sighed softly: "Shu Yue, how many years have you been with me?"

“Your Majesty, I have been serving you since I was five years old, for twelve years, nine months and twenty-three days.”

"I ask you, how have I treated you all these years you've served me?"

"Your Majesty treats me like family, which moves me deeply."

"Since you already knew all this, why did you still betray me?"

Shu Yue lowered her head and remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "This servant had no choice."

Jiang Mengxuan gently closed her phoenix eyes: "Shuyue, I knew from the beginning that your staying by my side was all arranged by the Empress Dowager."

Is the purpose to monitor my every move so that I can report to her at any time?

Last year, when the Empress Dowager returned to the palace ahead of schedule, it was you who secretly tipped off Qingyu Peak.

Actually, I knew all of this a long time ago, but I didn't expose you. Do you know why?

Shu Yue was taken aback: "Since Your Majesty already knew, why did you still keep this servant?"

Jiang Mengxuan said, "Because I was too naive, naively believing that as long as I treated you well enough, you would tell me the whole truth."

I have always regarded you as family. Even knowing that you are a pawn left by the Empress Dowager to be by my side, I have always hoped that one day you would take the initiative to confess to me.

Unfortunately, you ultimately failed to live up to my expectations. I know that the Empress Dowager was like a second parent to you.

But I also treat you as a sister. You and Qingwen have been with me since childhood, and to me, you are both family.

I understand your difficulties, but even if you are unwilling to be loyal to me, you shouldn't harm me like this.

If it weren't for Shen Lang today, I really can't imagine what I would have become.

Is this what you wanted to see?

Upon hearing this, Shu Yue immediately protested, "No, Your Majesty, this servant never intended to harm Your Majesty. When the Empress Dowager gave this pill to this servant..."

They only told the servant that this pill would make His Majesty fall in love with Shu Yingwen at first sight, without mentioning such serious consequences.

"Your Majesty, I truly never intended to harm you."

"So, you and Shu Yingwen are really siblings, right?"

One sentence left Shu Yue speechless.

"You don't need to be surprised. When you kept mentioning Shu Yingwen to me recently, I already guessed about your relationship."

After the Jingwei Bureau's investigation, I learned of the decline of your Shu family. I feel great sympathy for this. I originally intended to wait until the selection of a son-in-law was completely finished...

I have made an exception and appointed your elder brother, Shu Yingwen, to serve as a local official in Ninghang, in order to restore the prestige of your Shu family. However, you have truly disappointed me greatly.

At this point, Shu Yue finally panicked: "Your Majesty, please spare my brother! He is the last male heir of the Shu family!"

"It's all my fault, I was too greedy. I came to participate in the selection of a son-in-law without my brother's knowledge, all to restore the Shu family's reputation. Actually..."

"Shu Yue." Jiang Mengxuan ruthlessly interrupted her explanation, "At a time like this, you still won't tell me the truth?"

"Do you still think I'm just a clueless little girl? If it weren't for powerful forces pulling the strings behind the scenes, how could someone like her, with no status or power, have even qualified to be chosen as a son-in-law?"

Shu Yue remained silent.

"Actually, it was all arranged by the Empress Dowager, wasn't it?"

Shu Yue closed her eyes and remained silent, which was tantamount to acquiescing.

"Ugh--"

Jiang Mengxuan sighed and shook her head.

Do you have any last words?

Upon hearing this, Shu Yue looked up sharply and stared at the Empress in disbelief.

"Your Majesty, am I really not going to survive?"

"I gave you a chance. You secretly colluded with the Empress Dowager and reported my whereabouts. I can find reasons to convince myself of this and give you a way out."

But regarding the matter of using witchcraft against me, do you think you still have the face to beg for life? This has already exceeded what I can tolerate.

Shu Yue remained silent again.

"Besides, even if I spare your life, do you think the Empress Dowager will spare your life?"

"Shu Yue, this is the consequence of choosing the wrong side. Even if you had confessed everything to me during the day, you wouldn't have ended up like this."

"Your Majesty, what about my elder brother..."

"He, because of your ignorance, will soon be joining you."

Shu Yue felt completely exhausted and collapsed onto the interrogation chair.

At that moment, she finally understood how helpless the fate of a chess piece was.

"However, you can rest assured that, considering the years you have served me, I will arrange for your brother to continue your Shu family bloodline before he dies."

This is the only mercy I can bestow upon your Shu family; whether your bloodline can revive the Shu family is now up to fate.

After saying that, Jiang Mengxuan stood up, glanced at Shen Lang, and left the interrogation room together.

Shu Yue, on the other hand, was completely like a dead person, utterly devoid of energy and spirit.

After leaving the Jingwei Division, Jiang Mengxuan said directly to Shen Lang, "Shen Lang, accompany me to Ganquan Palace."

Shen Lang frowned: "Your Majesty, are you planning to confront the Empress Dowager now?"

Jiang Mengxuan: "There are some things I cannot keep backing down from. Since the Empress Dowager is putting me in such a predicament, if I do not fight back, I fear there will be endless troubles in the future!"

Shen Lang: "Your Majesty, I understand the reasoning, but..."

Jiang Mengxuan stopped and turned to look at him: "What do you want to say, to advise me to continue to endure?"

"no……"

Shen Lang shook his head.

"What I meant to say was, could you please not involve me in this matter? My current position is not suitable for handling His Majesty's family affairs."

Jiang Mengxuan stared at him without saying a word.

After a long pause, he said, "It's alright. Soon you will be the son-in-law of the Great Chu Emperor, that is, my husband. Today is just to let you get used to it in advance."

Shen Lang was speechless: "Your Majesty, what is it about me that you see in me? I am but a commoner, not worthy of your concern."

If Your Majesty's sole aim is for the Chu Kingdom to become strong, then how about we become business partners?

"You contribute money, I contribute labor, and we can still make Chu strong. That way, we'll both have a bright future."

Jiang Mengxuan smiled faintly: "But I believe that nothing is more secure than our marriage, because no matter how reliable a business partner may be..."

Over time, differences will inevitably arise due to issues of mutual benefit.

Only by becoming husband and wife and supporting each other can we advance and retreat together, right? Alright, I have made my decision on this matter.

Don't overthink it anymore, because marrying you wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-considered one.

Having said all this, do you still think about how to refuse me?

After saying that, Jiang Mengxuan turned and walked towards Ganquan Palace.

Shen Lang shook his head and followed behind her, while simultaneously plotting how to escape this farcical marriage.

Little did they know, what awaited them was a drama that would shatter their worldview.