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

"Tuoba Ying, why are you silent? Is it because you cannot do it, or is there some other reason? Answer me!"

"Your Majesty, I am truly unable to give you a definite timeframe for the explanation. Please forgive me."

"what."

Jiang Yue smiled.

"So, I don't even have a single trustworthy person by my side? With such a lowly status, even if I were to storm the capital, how long could I remain on the throne?"

Suddenly, she turned around sharply and stared intently at Tuoba Ying.

"Since you are not capable of investigating this matter thoroughly, then I will ask someone else to help."

After saying that, she looked at Shen Lang and said, "Duke Zhenguo, why don't you investigate on my behalf?"

Shen Lang's lips curled into a smile as he cupped his hands and bowed, replying, "Heavenly Venerable, if I were to investigate the whereabouts of those who infiltrate the world, I fear I would offend many people."

After all, there are quite a few people in Blackwater City who would love nothing more than to kill me.

"With me here, who dares to kill you!" Jiang Yue pointed at Tuoba Ying and said, "Do you want to kill Shen Lang?"

Tuoba Ying was stunned, somewhat incredulous as to why Jiang Yue would suddenly stand on the same side as Shen Lang.

But he quickly replied, "Your Majesty is too kind. I would never dare to do so."

Jiang Yue: "You must be wondering why I suddenly gave Shen Lang such an important position? I might as well tell you, it's because of this man..."

It was Shen Lang who brought them here. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have known that there were actually imperial henchmen in Blackwater City!

Tuoba Ying remained silent, only to hear Jiang Yue continue, "Furthermore, if Shen Lang hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't have known that there was such a great hidden danger within Blackwater City."

Therefore, from now on, before the southern expedition, I intend to entrust Shen Lang with full authority over matters concerning spies within Blackwater City.

Tuoba Ying was taken aback: "Your Majesty, you may do whatever you wish, but how will you explain this to Madam?"

Jiang Yue's expression changed: "What? Does the decision made by the Heavenly Venerable Emperor need the Empress Dowager's approval?"

Or is it that in your eyes, Tuoba Ying, between the Heavenly Venerable and the Empress Dowager, you only have the Empress Dowager?

"My subordinates dare not!"

Tuoba Ying lowered his head, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Today, Jiang Yue gave him a feeling that was different from any other time. A sense of oppression from someone in a superior position made him feel breathless.

"Any further objections?"

"Everything is left to the Heavenly Venerable's decision."

Jiang Yue turned her gaze to Shen Lang: "Shen Lang, would you be willing to investigate the Blackwater City spy case for me?"

Shen Lang smiled knowingly: "I can investigate, but I have one condition: I don't want to be disturbed by anyone while I'm handling a case."

"That's right."

Jiang Yue agreed without hesitation.

"If anyone in Blackwater City dares to obstruct your investigation, you may act first and report later!"

Shen Lang smiled slightly: "Since the Heavenly Venerable trusts me so much, what else can I say? Please rest assured, Heavenly Venerable, I will investigate thoroughly and will not let anyone go unpunished."

As he said this, his gaze was fixed on Tuoba Ying.

Jiang Yue nodded in satisfaction: "Alright, I still need to continue my solitary confinement. You may all leave now."

"Yes."

……

Coming down from the back mountain, Tuoba Ying called out to Shen Lang: "Do you think you have victory in your grasp?"

Shen Lang crossed his arms: "I don't know what you're trying to say."

"What are you saying? Hmph, you know best in your heart."

He leaned close to Shen Lang's ear and whispered, "Shen Lang, you're still too naive. You think you can do whatever you want just because you've gained the Heavenly Venerable's trust?"

You're wrong. The true master of Blackwater City is the Heavenly Venerable's mother. The Heavenly Venerable is merely a puppet she raised.

Shen Lang replied with a smile, "Then I also want to tell you something: sometimes puppets can control the situation, it all depends on how they are used."

No matter what, Tianzun is still the undisputed leader of the Northern Martial Alliance. That's an indisputable fact. If something were to happen to her mother, then who would truly be in charge of Blackwater City?

"You want to seize power?"

"Even the Empress of Great Chu could take control of the court in the shortest time with my assistance, so what is a small Blackwater City compared to that?"

After leaving a message, Shen Lang gave Tuoba Ying a meaningful look and immediately walked towards his room.

"Hmph, I won't let you succeed. I must report this to Madam."

Tuoba Ying snorted coldly and turned to find Yu Ling Shuang.

……

That night, Jiang Yue had just finished her three-day retreat and returned to her palace when her servants informed her that Yu Ling Shuang wanted to see her.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Yue strolled over to the wooden house where Yu Ling Shuang lived.

As soon as she stood still, Yu Ling Shuang's resentful voice came from inside the room: "It seems that some people have grown too big for their britches and no longer listen to me."

Jiang Yue stopped, withdrew her hand from the door, and calmly replied, "What do you mean by that, Mother? Why don't I understand?"

"Bitch!"

With a sharp shout, Yu Ling Shuang opened the door and rushed to Jiang Yue, scolding her.

"Who gave you permission to talk to me like that?"

"What does Mother want me to say?" Jiang Yue turned to the side and gazed quietly at her mother. "I was just punished by Mother and returned home when I was informed that I was to come see Mother. Does Mother only want to scold me?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Ling Shuang was greatly surprised and looked at Jiang Yue with extreme astonishment.

Jiang Yue met Yu Ling Shuang's gaze without fear or flinching.

After staring at each other for a while, Yu Ling Shuang's chest heaved with anger.

Jiang Yue had never looked at her like that before, which made her very uncomfortable.

After composing herself and suppressing her displeasure, she finally asked, "I heard you promoted Shen Lang today and put him in charge of investigating the spy case?"

"Does Mother find anything wrong with it?" Jiang Yue asked in return.

Yu Ling Shuang: "Of course it's inappropriate. Shen Lang's identity is unknown. How can you give him such great power? What if he is a spy for the imperial court?"

Jiang Yue calmly replied, "Compared to the uncertainty surrounding Shen Lang, I am more suspicious that the Jianghu forces that entered Blackwater City have ulterior motives."

After all, Chu Youwei was affiliated with both the Zixia Sect and the Xuanyu Sect. She was with the Zixia Sect when it was taken over by the Empress.

Now they even dare to brazenly infiltrate Blackwater City. I even suspect that the southern sects have been destroyed, and the recent military camp in Puyang Prefecture in the north is now under the control of the imperial court.

Everything is inextricably linked to her. To put it more bluntly, she's just one of the pawns the Empress has placed in her game. Given this, how much credibility do those sects and forces still have?

Yu Ling Shuang frowned, as if she were seeing this flesh and blood that had fallen from her body for the first time.

Every word she said was logical and well-founded, and there was no way to refute it.

This caused a strange resentment to rise within her.

"Even so, you shouldn't trust Shen Lang. What if he's also someone from the imperial court?"

Jiang Yue disagreed: "The saying goes, 'If you employ someone, don't doubt them; if you don't doubt them, don't employ them.' What's wrong with me trusting him this once?"

"That shouldn't be at a time like this!"

“It is precisely at times like these that we must trust those who are capable.” Jiang Yue’s words brooked no argument. “After all, the southern expedition is imminent, and I do not wish for the court to know the military situation in Blackwater City. Don’t you agree, Mother?”

Yu Ling Shuang was stunned. Jiang Yue today felt very unfamiliar to her.

The unfamiliarity of the place instilled a sense of fear in her.

"You come in."

Yu Ling Shuang left a sentence and turned to go back into the house.