The person leading the men in black was none other than Zhang Shirong.

As he crept into the dense forest beside the lake, he gave instructions.

"Remember, this mission is of utmost importance. You must remain hidden and absolutely cannot expose yourself!"

"Hmph! Don't worry, we frogmen are always meticulous in our work, especially on our familiar home turf!"

The person who spoke up had a ferocious expression, especially the terrifying venomous snake tattooed on his face, which added to his ruthlessness.

He was the true leader, known as the White Streak in the Waves.

"Hmm, I trust the frogmen!"

Hearing the response, Zhang Shirong showed a hint of satisfaction.

These men in black are the secret underwater assassins who have been infiltrating the Northern Darkness Sect for a long time. Few people know about them, and they rarely make a move, but once they do, they are sure to succeed!

They didn't have a name at first, but because of their super combat power in underwater warfare, the title of frogman came about.

The guy in the waves pulled out a long tube from somewhere and began to explain with a smug look on his face.

"Our frogmen have unparalleled underwater combat capabilities, and their equipment is also quite impressive."

"This is a specially made breathing tube. Although it looks similar to the reeds made by some fishermen and sailors, its actual usability is far superior."

Zhang Shirong curiously took it and examined it closely. The so-called breathing tube was well-made, and although he didn't quite understand the principle behind it, it looked like it would work very well.

The White Streak in the Waves spoke up again to explain.

"With such diving equipment, one can breathe freely on flat ground and will certainly not be detected."

It's clear that Langlibaitiao is extremely confident in his abilities, not only in himself but also in the entire frogman team.

This attitude and the exquisite tools he displayed immediately amazed Zhang Shirong.

After handing back the breathing apparatus, he solemnly instructed, "I won't say more, and I wish you all a resounding victory!"

The next morning.

The emperor, who came to court, displayed a completely different expression than usual. In the past, he would always slump on the dragon throne, looking lazy and listless.

But today, the emperor was overjoyed, his excitement almost written all over his face.

"My esteemed ministers, please speak quickly if you have any matters to report!"

After Song Zhenglian eased the hostility between himself and Sima Lie's faction, the atmosphere in the court finally became less tense.

The matters reported by many officials were all trivial and insignificant.

Qin Yu looked around and then said impatiently, "In that case, everyone should be alright now, right?"

After saying that, he gave Anfu a look.

The latter understood and announced it in a drawn-out voice.

"The weather has been dry and humid lately, and I am not feeling well. Now that the treasure ship has been completed, I plan to spend ten days on the lake to escape the heat and recuperate! I will depart tonight!"

Upon hearing this, the officials below exchanged bewildered glances.

It's true that the weather is hot, and it's also true that you're in poor health.

It's not impossible to escape the summer heat; there have been rumors for the past few days that the emperor is going on a boat trip to escape the heat.

But who could have imagined that this back-and-forth would take a full ten days!

As an emperor, this is going a bit too far!

Qin Yu frowned and asked, following the voice, "My dear ministers, are any of you unwilling?"

The court immediately erupted in boos, and after a moment, Sima Lie finally spoke.

"Your Majesty! There have been many trivial matters lately, a full ten days. Who should make decisions on state affairs now?"

Qin Yu smiled knowingly to himself.

Do you think I don't understand what you, Sima Lie, mean by saying that?

The response was quite powerful; Qin Yu waved his hand dismissively.

"State affairs? Isn't that handled by Chancellor Sima?"

"I have decided that, for the next ten days, all government affairs shall be decided and handled by the Prime Minister!"

Sima Lie was naturally overjoyed, but he did not show it on his face.

"This... Your humble servant is foolish and fears I am not up to the task!"

The officials were already showing their disdain; at this point, what was the point of pretending anymore?

However, the emperor actually entrusted nearly half a month's worth of political affairs to Sima Lie, which would only further amplify Sima Lie's lawlessness.

The emperor, standing before the dragon throne, laughed heartily.

"Prime Minister, please don't refuse! Let's settle this matter here!"

After only a brief pause, he gave instructions to Anfu again.

"By the way, that treasure ship is enormous. You and the Ministry of Rites should hurry up and prepare some rare and delicious ingredients, without delay."

"yes!"

These words made the mouths of the officials below twitch again.

Logically speaking, the preparation of ingredients was handled by the Imperial Household Department, and the money was spent from the emperor's private treasury.

So this tyrannical ruler is planning to use the national treasury's money for his own amusement again.

Of course, the amount of money wasn't much, and no one could say anything about it.

Qin Yu observed their reactions before continuing to explain his ultimate goal.

"By the way, prepare more abalone. The quality must be top-notch, of course. I love to eat it, and so does Consort Jing."

"There's no need to prepare the bear paws that the Empress loves. She gets seasick, so I won't be taking her this time."

An Fu bowed slightly, about to respond, when Sima Lie below was startled and interrupted him.

"Your Majesty, this is not right! This is against propriety."

Their main target on this cruise ship is Zhao Lan. If Zhao Lan doesn't go, then who are they going to kill?

"Improperly in accordance with etiquette? I am here for summer retreat and leisure; what etiquette do I need to conform to?"

Sima Lie immediately advised, "Although Consort Jing is my daughter, according to royal custom, only the Empress can accompany the Emperor on the cruise. Consort Jing cannot overstep this rule. If the Empress does not go, Consort Jing cannot go either!"

"How could I, Your Majesty, possibly stand idly by and watch you overstep the bounds of propriety for my own personal gain?"

As he said this, Sima Lie spoke with a pained expression, his old face earnest.

Those who didn't know him would really think he was the number one loyal subject of the Great Xia Dynasty!

Seeing how realistic Sima Lie's acting was, his cronies all chimed in with their advice.

"Your Majesty, this is not right! Just as the Prime Minister said, this is against propriety!"

"Indeed, Her Majesty the Empress is seasick, but there are other ways in the palace to prevent seasickness, so it shouldn't be a big problem."

"Even if you get seasick, you just need to get used to it." The voices of advice rose one after another. Qin Yu stood with his hands behind his back, pretending to listen attentively. Finally, he nodded and gave a wicked smile.

“You ministers are absolutely right. We must not overstep the royal rules.”

"Besides, seasickness isn't so bad; being half-awake and half-drowsy has its own unique charm."

The officials below were taken aback.

Your Majesty, is your interest serious?

Sima Lie felt contemptuous again, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

After the court session, Anfu, along with a group of trusted confidants, carried box after box of ingredients onto the treasure ship.

Since the emperor had just given instructions in court, naturally no one suspected anything.

"Let's act quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications!"

After greeting the guards on the treasure ship with a smirk, Anfu boarded the ship and immediately began giving orders to his trusted confidant.