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

That night, in the Blackwater City palace, the maid Amber, shivering, brought a basin of hot water to Jiang Mengxuan's side.

"Heavenly Venerable, it's getting late, it's time to rest."

Jiang Mengxuan ignored Amber and instead focused on reviewing the list of generals and noble families from various northern regions that Yu Ling Shuang had given her at her desk. The more she looked at it, the more disheartened she became.

Six or seven out of ten generals in the northern provinces had some form of collusion with the Northern Yan.

Of course, most of them were coerced into rebellion after being caught violating the Great Chu's prohibitions by reselling goods to the border of Yan for profit.

Jiang Mengxuan was torn about what to do with these people.

"Heavenly Venerable, you should wash up and rest now."

Amber's voice came again.

Jiang Mengxuan then closed the register and looked up to examine the thin maid in front of her.

Seeing Jiang Mengxuan looking at her, Amber was so frightened that she immediately knelt on the ground: "This servant deserves to die, I have offended the Heavenly Venerable, I deserve to be punished!"

As she spoke, she began slapping herself in the face.

Jiang Mengxuan frowned slightly and said softly, "What are you doing? I haven't offended you."

Upon hearing this, Amber immediately stopped what she was doing, lowered her head, and said, "Is the Heavenly Venerable not going to punish this servant?"

Jiang Mengxuan smiled and shook her head, then got up and walked to Amber's side, raising her hand to help her up.

"hiss--"

As a result, as soon as Jiang Mengxuan's hand touched Amber's arm, she couldn't help but let out a suppressed groan.

"what happened?"

Seeing her pained expression, Jiang Mengxuan was somewhat surprised.

"Thank you for your concern, Heavenly Venerable. I am fine."

Amber responded, forcing herself to endure the pain.

Jiang Mengxuan seemed to have thought of something, and released her hand, saying, "Roll up your sleeves and let me see."

Amber was taken aback, then shook her head blankly.

"This is my order. Let me take a look."

Amber then carefully rolled up her sleeves.

In an instant, a series of horrifying scars appeared before Jiang Mengxuan's eyes, stretching all the way to the part covered by the cloth, with no end in sight.

Jiang Mengxuan took a deep breath, closed her eyes and pondered for a while, then asked uncertainly, "Did I do it?"

Amber was so frightened that she knelt on the ground again and pleaded, "It is already the greatest favor the Heavenly Venerable has done for me not to kill me. I am willing to let the Heavenly Venerable vent his displeasure with my lowly body."

Jiang Mengxuan was stunned. She never expected her younger sister to be so ruthless, taking her anger out on others at the drop of a hat.

However, considering that she could kill people for fun in the palace, what we see before us is not surprising at all.

"Alright, get up now. Don't worry, I won't hit you anymore from now on."

But you must obey me. If you betray me, I will show absolutely no mercy.

Upon hearing this, Amber quickly bowed to Jiang Mengxuan and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, this servant will stay by your side for the rest of my life."

Jiang Mengxuan: "From this day forward, stop calling me Heavenly Venerable and address me as Your Majesty."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Amber didn't think much of it; as long as she wasn't punished, she didn't care what she called the woman in front of her.

However, she noticed that Jiang Yue seemed different today than usual.

Although there was still a sense of oppressiveness that made him difficult to approach, he spoke much more gently and no longer went crazy and threatened to kill people at the drop of a hat.

"By the way, Amber, what is your cultivation level now?" Jiang Mengxuan suddenly asked.

Amber replied truthfully, "Your Majesty, my current cultivation level is at the peak of the Transformation Realm."

Jiang Mengxuan smiled slightly: This girl seems quite reliable. Why not take her back to keep Qingwen company? Perhaps she can become one of my confidantes in the future.

"Amber, go and make the bedding for me."

"Okay, Your Majesty, I'll go right away."

As Amber was busy with her work, a knock sounded at the door of her bedchamber.

"Your Majesty, Tuoba Ying requests an audience."

"Let him in."

Before long, Tuoba Ying entered the outer hall of the palace under the guidance of Jin Shixian.

"Heavenly Venerable One, are you planning to send troops across the river tomorrow?"

Jiang Mengxuan nodded: "Now that things have come to this, instead of sitting here waiting to die, we should take the initiative."

"I intend to take advantage of the Chu army's inability to react, seize the outer defenses of Jinling first, and then directly storm into the city."

Tuoba Ying: "Heavenly Venerable, have you thought this through? If we fail, we will be doomed forever."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan crossed her arms, crossed her legs, leaned her back against the chair, and gazed quietly at Tuoba Ying.

Tuoba Ying had seen this posture countless times, but this time, he felt that the aura of the Celestial Venerable before him was completely different from before.

The feeling was as if he were seeing a supreme ruler sitting vividly in front of him, which made him feel somewhat ashamed of himself.

However, he still did his duty and advised again, "Heavenly Venerable, please reconsider. Sending troops now is not a good opportunity."

"Tuoba Ying, how many years have you served the Empress Dowager?"

"Reporting to the Heavenly Venerable, according to the timeline, it has been seventeen years."

"Seventeen years... Tuoba Ying, if it weren't for you back then, Mother would probably be long gone by now, wouldn't she?"

Tuoba Ying remained silent.

Jiang Mengxuan continued, "You were originally the most promising heir to the Tuoba clan, a noble family of the Great Yan, and..."

Yet he sacrificed so much for a mother and daughter who were completely unrelated to him, even giving up his prestigious status.

"Why would you give up your spot in the Eastern Sacred Land to help me reach the Immortal Realm?"

Tuoba Ying lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, still not saying a word.

Jiang Mengxuan sighed: "Actually, you have feelings for Mother that are more like children, don't you?"

"Your subordinate wouldn't dare!"

Tuoba Ying hurriedly knelt down and replied.

Jiang Mengxuan: "If it weren't for the Empress Dowager, why would you follow her so devotedly without any regrets?"

Furthermore, during the Battle of Fengsui Fortress, half of his face was burned off. I truly do not know what kind of emotion could make you give up everything.

Tuoba Ying cupped his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, I admit that I did indeed have improper thoughts about you, Madam."

But I know I am unworthy of you, Madam. You are so noble, like a plum blossom braving the cold mountains, while I am but a hideous, shameful devil…”

He involuntarily touched the Yaksha mask on his face, his hand beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

His face was ruined in that seemingly insignificant battle of the beacon tower.

Back then, Tuoba Ying reached an agreement with the Murong royal family, secretly funding Yu Ling Shuang and her daughter to establish Blackwater City, which would then control the entire Northern Martial World of Great Chu.

However, he never imagined that the price would be so severe.

In fact, Tuoba Ying suffered burns not only to his face, but also to multiple parts of his body and arms.

In order to prevent Yu Ling Shuang from seeing his horrific wounds, and also for the sake of his own dignity, he could only wrap himself in heavy armor all day long, making himself look neither human nor ghost.

"Tuoba Ying, my mother doesn't deserve it. You should leave, the farther the better."

Jiang Mengxuan's words startled Tuoba Ying.

"Heavenly Venerable, what did you say?"

Jiang Mengxuan turned around and said, "I have said that my mother is not worth your life's devotion. You should live the rest of your life for yourself."

"Tianzun!"

The sound of the armor plates shaking suddenly rang out.

"Seventeen years have passed. I have served you for seventeen years. Are you going to drive me away like this? Why are you being so cruel?"

Is it worth it for a woman who never loved you?

"worth!"

Tuoba Ying's answer was resolute.

"As long as the Heavenly Venerable doesn't send me away, I'm willing to be the first to leave the city tomorrow to launch an attack."

Jiang Mengxuan gently shook her head, turned around and said, "Then you should go back. Tomorrow at midnight, the Swift Wind Team will assemble outside Blackwater City."

"Yes, sir!"

Having received the order, Tuoba Ying turned and walked out of the palace.

Just as he stepped across the threshold of the palace, he deliberately paused for a moment, and then stepped into the darkness.

After he left, Shen Lang entered through the side door, looked in the direction where Tuoba Ying had disappeared, and said to Jiang Mengxuan:

"Tuoba Ying has already seen through your identity, but he is a smart man, or rather, even if he knows the truth,

He could only continue to conceal the truth, clinging to that last glimmer of hope as he faced his fate.

Jiang Mengxuan took a deep breath: "Then do we need to change the plan?"

Shen Lang shook his head: "No need. He did it for your mother, so let him be a devoted lover and leave with his last wish."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan closed her eyes and gently shook her head.

"Mother..."