565 Borrowing Another’s Sword (1/2)

Luo Ningcha had had the busiest year of her life, and yet in a sense, she should thank her former servant.

Servant Huan's change of attitude had had a huge impact on her which even outweighed the combined impact of her being forced to marry a disabled husband and her father dying. Although the shock she felt was not emotional, since she had never been emotionally invested, it had finally forced her to recognize how much power could change a man.

The former conspiracy teacher who always behaved humbly and racked his brains trying to please her had become a ruthless man that had mistreated her when they met again. How did this complete 180 change happen? Her breathtaking beauty hadn't abated, and neither had her bad temper grown worse, or at least, most men didn't notice it being any worse.

'So it's not my problem,' thought Luo Ningcha. She had managed to climb out of the mud of self-pity and arrived at the conclusion that there was one thing that Servant Huan had gotten wrong. Female power and status didn't solely come from their husband and father. Power produced power, and power could only be born from power; all other methods were merely mirror images and illusions.

Lady Meng, for example, used to be dominant in the castle but had been left in the cold in the blink of an eye. People like the Unique King and Big Head God could be defeated over and over again or even killed, but no one could deprive them of their power at will.

It took Luo Ningcha about a month to realize all this.

She was slow to think but quick to act.

Actually some of Big Head God's former subordinates had come to her seeking refuge, but she didn't take any of them seriously and made them leave after giving them several taels of silver. She had never met any of them in person. Now, she had realized how foolish she was, as she had actually refused the most important legacy left behind by her father.

After this epiphany, she immediately had her maidservant summon those seven or eight sub-chiefs of Iron Mountain who still remained in Jade City. Then she went down the mountain in person to meet them as the lord.

The Miss's abrupt behavior startled the sub-chiefs, but they were all veterans and knew how to appropriately cater to powerful eccentrics that were willing to pay them.

Luo Ningcha was rich. She used to regard gold and silver as one of the sources of power, and every year she would ask for a large sum of them from the Big Head God. Now, she still valued them as a fertilizer of power, as only with them could the flower of power bloom faster and more vigorously.

The sub-chiefs were given the order to gather the former men of Iron Mountain. As for whether they would continue living as bandits or seek a new trade, Luo Ningcha hadn't decided yet. It was a bit too difficult for her to think of a long-term plan.

The sub-chiefs promised readily, as they only cared about one question: Whether the Miss's action had the permission of the Unique King.

Luo Ningcha nodded without hesitation. She didn't tell her first batch of men that she had not seen the Unique King for a long time, but she had a trump card in her hand — the tenth son of the King Lord. From this, she felt that she could not be punished in any way by virtue of her son's status as a future young master.

The Unique King soon discovered this woman's mischievous act but didn't stop her. Instead, he acquiesced at her mischief and even sent a deputy saberlord to help her with property management and to control the growing number of old subordinates of the Iron Mountain.

Luo Ningcha was overjoyed and thought that the King Lord still lusted over her appearance. So for a period of time, she dressed up every day in the hopes of receiving favor once more, but all she got was a disappointment.

Luo Ningcha finally realized that she had been used when Golden Roc Castle suddenly swept across the Western Regions. But that deputy saberlord had firmly gripped the former subordinates of Iron Mountain in his hand, leaving her as the nominal lord of these people.

So when she bragged to the Dragon King that she had built an army, she was actually full of bitterness.

But this army still brought her some benefits. She was listed when the Second Consort of Norland invited all the prestigious women of the various Western Regions' countries and all the Prairy tribes.

Luo Ningcha didn't want to come all the way to see the so-called Second Consort because in this world the most unbearable thing for her was to lower her head to another woman.

But after being persuaded by various people around her, she changed her mind. She would not only go to see the Second Consort but also become the first guest to reach the Royal Court.

The impact of Gu Shenwei using female archers in the Land of Fragrance far outweighed what he and Shangguan Ru had imagined. Even Luo Ningcha suddenly came to understand that women could also be generals and soldiers. Such an army would surely be more loyal to a female lord than those rude men of the former Iron Mountain.

Luo Ningcha went to the Royal Court but had uncharacteristically kept a low profile, so only a few people in the castle knew about her visit. The Unique King was one of the few who knew but still tacitly approved and indulged her.

The Second Consort of Norland was surprised at this guest who had arrived early and treated her with special courtesy and enthusiasm.

Luo Ningcha also proved herself capable of pleasing women. She had little experience in this respect, as the only person she could imitate and learn from was Xu Yanwei. She somewhat missed that maid and former prostitute and didn't understand why Xu Yanwei would choose to follow the Dragon King rather than stay by her side.

In short, she did it very well. The two even lived under the same roof and ate at the same table. The prestigious women who came later didn't even know the beautiful woman around the Second Consort was also a guest, and they instead treated her as another important consort of the royal family and flattered her, which Luo Ningcha enjoyed very much. The only person she avoided was Shangguan Ru.

”I'm talking to you on behalf of the Second Consort. She knows that we have a special relationship.” Luo Ningcha had changed her way of looking at the Dragon King, thinking that all powerful men were almost the same. Servant Huan was becoming more and more like the Unique King in temperament except that he was much younger and more handsome. If she could gain his assistance, it would be more helpful than a great army.

Gu Shenwei had severed all the past views he had held about Luo Ningcha. This was a negotiation, and like any other he had to deal with it calmly. ”Very good, what does she want?”

”Don't you want to know what she can offer first?”

Gu Shenwei actually knew already, but he still nodded and said, ”Tell me.”