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

Inside Blackwater City, the Celestial Venerable talked incessantly to the crowd about what he would do after ascending the throne, and the response from the crowd was very enthusiastic.

Shen Lang was speechless.

At least they had champagne for half the night, but these idiots...

It's just like that bizarre couple who fantasized about winning five million in the lottery, then got divorced because they couldn't split the spoils—it's utterly incomprehensible.

Shen Lang did not speak at all until the end of the meeting, and even kept his eyes closed.

Because the entire meeting contained absolutely no important clues or information, and was far too complicated. Even a detail that had absolutely nothing to do with the main plot could be rambled on for hundreds of sentences, which was really a waste of time.

The only thing that interests him now is the identity of this Celestial Venerable, which, just as he guessed, is his wife's twin sister.

That evening, after returning to his room, Shen Lang lay on the bed, still pondering his next move.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Shen Lang, the Celestial Venerable requests your presence."

A hoarse voice came from outside the door.

Shen Lang got up and opened the door, only to be met with the cold metal mask of the golden-armored warrior.

"Shen Lang, the Celestial Venerable requests your presence."

Seeing that he didn't react, the golden-armored warrior repeated the sentence, then turned and left.

Shen Lang didn't have time to think and immediately followed.

The two walked for a while without saying a word.

The golden-armored warrior's emotionless voice rang out just before they were about to reach the Celestial Venerable's palace.

"Did you injure Loulan?"

Shen Lang stopped in his tracks: "You want to avenge him?"

Golden-armored warrior: "Even when someone at the peak of the Innate Realm ambushed you, you were able to counterattack. It seems you are quite extraordinary."

Shen Lang frowned.

"If I have the chance, I, Jin Yuanhao, would like to spar with you and see if your blade can break through my indestructible body."

After speaking, Jin Yuanhao said nothing more and continued walking forward.

He stopped in front of the palace.

"The Celestial Venerable is waiting for you inside."

Leaving behind a single sentence, Jin Yuanhao turned and left without looking back.

"Jin Yuanhao? I've seen this person before?"

After thinking for a moment, Shen Lang pushed the door open and went inside.

As soon as I entered, I heard the sound of porcelain shattering.

Immediately afterwards, the Heavenly Venerable's frantic voice rang out.

"A bunch of useless trash. You can't even handle this small matter. What use are you to me?"

"And you, didn't I say I wanted to use the finest bird's nest for rinsing my mouth? Where did you find this piece of junk? How dare you give it to me?"

"I am of noble birth, the sovereign who reigns over the world, how can I use such lowly things!"

The next moment, a series of ghostly wails and howls rang out.

It's obvious that Jiang Yue has started abusing the servants again.

Shen Lang frowned slightly and stepped into the inner room.

As you pass the screen, you see a group of handsome men who have been castrated, carefully cleaning up the broken porcelain pieces scattered all over the ground.

A maid standing nearby was covered in bruises, tears welling in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall.

The Celestial Venerable sat angrily at the table, arms crossed and legs crossed.

Judging from the beautiful woman's demeanor alone, Shen Lang would have thought he was seeing Jiang Mengxuan.

After all, when Jiang Mengxuan was in a good mood, she would cross her arms and legs, and look at herself with great interest through her clear and charming peach blossom eyes.

That gaze, so tender and gentle, easily stirred Shen Lang's heart.

But this one...

Upon closer inspection, although the two made the same gesture, their temperaments were completely different.

Jiang Mengxuan's movements were natural and graceful, without any stiffness, giving people an impression of elegance and composure.

And this person in front of me...

Only two words came to Shen Lang's mind.

shrew!

"Hurry up and pack your things, then get out of here right now!"

Upon seeing Shen Lang arrive, the Celestial Venerable seemed to become even more irritable, and kicked a eunuch to the ground.

Finally, after a cup of tea, the eunuchs left the palace trembling with fear.

The Celestial Venerable then smoothed his hair and gave Shen Lang a smile: "You've finally arrived. Sit down."

Shen Lang sat down in the lower seat: "I wonder if the Heavenly Venerable has summoned me here so late at night to discuss some important matter?"

The Celestial Venerable said, "You are the Empress's husband, aren't you?"

Shen Lang didn't answer, but gave her a look that said, "You're talking nonsense."

The Celestial Venerable continued, "Since you are the Empress's husband, you should have guessed my identity, right?"

After all, I've heard that I have the exact same face as my sister.

Shen Lang: "Are you the Empress's sister?"

The Celestial Venerable nodded: "Now that things have come to this, it's alright to tell you. My name is Jiang Yue."

Empress Jiang Mengxuan of the Great Chu is my elder sister, born of the same mother; I was only half an hour after her.

After a moment's thought, Shen Lang said, "It is indeed somewhat unexpected, but how come I've never heard of the Empress having a full sister..."

Jiang Yue laughed: "Have you never heard anyone mention this before? Of course, that's not surprising."

Because I was taken out of the palace from birth,

Even the late emperor didn't know of my existence, so how could my sister know?

Shen Lang: "Then who was the one who took you out of the palace?"

"Hahaha……"

Jiang Mengxuan smiled.

"You may not believe it, but the one who took me out of the palace was my mother, who is also the birth mother of the current Empress of Great Chu."

Shen Lang was taken aback.

The absurd idea from before has finally been proven true at this moment.

According to royal records, Jiang Mengxuan's birth mother, Lady Yu, passed away shortly after her birth and was posthumously honored as Empress Xiande by the late emperor.

But now, hearing Jiang Yue reveal this astonishing secret in person, it still feels utterly absurd.

Seemingly sensing Shen Lang's thoughts, Jiang Yue said, "Everything I said is true. The Empress Dowager was originally the daughter of a wealthy family in Mingzhou, Jiangnan, and was already engaged."

However, Emperor Jiang Yan of the Great Chu Dynasty happened to be on a southern tour. When he passed by his mother's house, he became lustful towards her and used extremely despicable means to seize her.

My mother lost all her innocence and, under pressure from her family, was forced into the palace. It was then that she discovered she was pregnant, which led to the birth of my sister and me.

When the Empress Dowager learned of this, she was filled with resentment and hatred towards the late Emperor. She wanted to use a potion to abort us, but the late Emperor discovered it in time and stopped her.

But my mother was determined to escape the palace. On the night she gave birth to my sister, she bribed a palace guard and fled.

Unexpectedly, my mother was pregnant with twins, and gave birth to me shortly after leaving the palace.

Shen Lang remained silent, but in his mind he began to judge how much truth there was in her words.

Jiang Yue continued, "My mother originally intended to abandon me at will, after all, in her eyes I was just an illegitimate child."

However, my mother had a sliver of conscience left and couldn't bear to abandon her newborn child in the wilderness, so I survived.

After a pause, Jiang Yue continued, "Since the Empress Dowager fled the palace, she naturally couldn't return to this family. So she planned to seek refuge with the Ji family, with whom she was engaged."

He didn't want to wait until he arrived in the town where the Ji family lived to find out that the Ji family's young master had already married the Liu family's daughter.

In utter despair, the Empress Dowager hated the late Emperor intensely; it was he who had ruined her life's happiness.

He vowed that one day he would take revenge on the Jiang royal family, so he brought me to the north and found a famous master to teach me martial arts..."

At this point, Jiang Yue stopped talking and just stared blankly at Shen Lang.

"I truly envy that elder sister I've never met. When the Empress Dowager learned of her ascension to the throne..."

They then inquired about her behavior from various sources, and had me diligently imitate her every move.

"Shen Lang, according to our status, shouldn't I call you brother-in-law?"

So, brother-in-law, do you think I resemble your wife now?

If you still have feelings for your sister, why not use them on me?

I will definitely give you an experience you can't have at your sister's place.

Jiang Yue's words were practically a veiled hint, and Shen Lang, being no fool, naturally understood.

But he just chuckled lightly: "To be honest, you're nothing like her. What's the point of living your whole life in someone else's shadow?"

These words instantly darkened Jiang Yue's expression.