Exploiting the Power of a Nation, Enticing a Ruler’s Favor

Sun City was an excellent area densely filled with resources, and just like Rhein Headquarters had established West Farms here, many other totem aristocratic families on the same scale or higher also established resource gathering locations.

Of these establishments, the ones who held the most influence were West Farms, as well as the Rhein Headquarters’ rival—Sommer (苏摩尔) Clan’s ‘Suzanne’ (苏珊) Farms.

In a struggle over resources, the two large-scale farms had already gone through a bloody history of enmity for tens of years. One could say that it was a rivalry where ‘enemies could not live under the same sky, so no rest until death’

Sauron was the number one overseer of Suzanne Farms, as well as Sun City’s number one expert.

He had slaughtered at least one hundred or more overseers from West Farms!

Therefore, when she first saw Sauron, Miss Weylin didn’t reveal any kind of pleasant face, “Sauron, why is a lowly person like you not hiding at home like a cat in winter, and rather running to this woman’s farm?!”

“Maybe it’s to discuss something, or maybe… it’s to kill someone.”

Sauron licked his lips and chuckled faintly and sauntered through the farm’s gates. When he passed by Jiang Nan, he spoke sinisterly: “Weylin, this slave knows no etiquette, how about I kill him in your place?”

Saying this, Sauron unexpectedly really extended his hand out to grab Jiang Nan!

“Mister, it’s alright, isn’t it? All I did was take a glance at you.”

Jiang Nan hastily explained himself! However, right after he spoke, he realized something. Sauron wouldn’t care about something so trivial as a simple face expression—Sun City’s number one expert wasn’t so petty. He was only purposely killing a person to establish his authority and demonstrate it to Miss Weylin!

Killing several slaves to flaunt his power was to increase his negotiating power, and which was a common method of aristocratic families.

Jiang Nan smiled bitterly then closed his eyes…

Pa!

At the most critical point, Weylin suddenly drew out her leather whip, and lightly cracking it, she coiled it around Sauron’s arm, “You lowly person, it isn’t your business to teach this woman’s slaves. If you want to fight, then come at me!” (TL: bro)

“Heh, you still have this temper of yours. Alright, I was just joking. Let’s head in to talk.”

Sauron playfully swept his gaze over Jiang Nan, then walked into the farm with his eyes crinkling happily.

“So powerful…”

Jiang Nan who had just escaped death only felt his whole back prickling, his shirt already soaked through.

Just then, Sauron’s grip didn’t contain strength able to shake the heavens and the earth, nor was there any ingenious technique behind it. However, just a casual gesture caused Jiang Nan to feel as though he was completely incapable of fleeing, that he could only await death!

Was this the power of totems?!

If he himself possessed this kind of strength…

Jiang Nan suddenly felt that he was quite laughable. He was just a useless piece of trash that had no innate talent, just a slave. Thinking such things… was there any meaning in doing so?!

   ……

On the other hand, Sauron had already reached the courtyard at the back of the farm, and strode casually, seeming as though he had reached his own house’s courtyard.

Weylin didn’t call any servants to receive him and serve tea, and simply stood at the entrance to the courtyard, coldly saying: “There are no more outsiders now. Speak. Exactly what’s the matter?”

Sauron smiled lightly, then adjusting his shirt, he spoke: “Weylin, you are Sun City’s most beautiful and strongest woman. However, when speaking of the whole continent, there is yet another stronger than you, lovelier than you… Do you know who I’m speaking of?”

“Yulianne?!”

Weylin’s face changed, “Don’t tell me that this matter has to do with Yulianne?”

“Correct! There’s news from *Yanjing. The continent’s number one beauty, owner of the fastest blade, the number one chef specialized in knife work, Yulianne… is about to arrive at Sun City!”
(*TL: IDK what that is, but we will see… I will figure it out…)

Sauron’s face grew solemn, “We’re both very clear on the matter that happened three years ago. Yulianne killed the Golden Lion amidst that *cavalry of ten thousand men, rescuing the fate of the empire. However, she wasn’t willing to receive the gratitude or title given by the empire, and even left without letting anyone know.”
(TL: Okay I’m confused, but just don’t question it. I don’t think it matters too much, except for the fact that she killed the Golden Lion in front of a huge number of people.)

“What’s the point?”

“What other point is there? Yulianne’s bewitching blade and her power to fell a thousand-troop army in one stroke changed the whole history of the continent with just a casual swing of her hand. What emperor wouldn’t want to curry favor with such an expert, and what emperor wouldn’t want to bring such a beautiful woman into his harem?!”

Sauron eyes emitted a mocking light, “In order to get into Yulianne’s good graces, His Majesty the Emperor has exhausted all kinds of methods these past three years. This time is not an exception either: His Majesty has secretly commanded that when Yulianne arrives, Sun City is to have all powers attempt to find favor with Yulianne at all costs! Furthermore, His Majesty has also said… whoever is able to make her the happiest…”

He let out two rounds of unbridled laughter, “will receive a sufficiently significant reward!”

“That reward… is how significant?”

“Whoever is able to make Yulianne laugh and ally with the empire, His Majesty will permit that person to view the ‘Tortoiseshell of Destiny!” (TL: Sorry, I’m dying. Oh my, the tortoiseshell of destiny!)

The Tortoiseshell of Destiny…

“You lowly person, you lowly son of a b****!”

Weylin suddenly roared. Although others didn’t know what the ‘Tortoiseshell of Destiny’ was, as one of the respective leaders of the Rheinhardt Clan, she was extremely clear on this subject!

To curry favor with Yulianne, His Majesty had even taken out the ‘Tortoiseshell of Destiny’! This was basically ‘exploiting the power of a nation to entice Yulianne’s favor’!

Rhein Headquarters had actually neglected to promptly send news of such a major affair, and instead allowed her archenemy, a person belonging to ‘Suzanne Farms’, to notify her! This, this… what a f***ing son of a b****!

During this time, Sauron had been watching Weylin with a gleeful smile on his face. Only after waiting for her rage to gradually dissipate did he slowly and deliberately say: “Miss Weylin, the matter is like this. In order to obtain the opportunity to view the ‘Tortoiseshell of Destiny’, each respective power of Sun City will definitely flock to welcome Yulianne, sparing no effort or resource to rope in the continent’s number one beauty, but…”

Turning the direction of the conversation, he continued, “Sun City’s larger and smaller powers amount to 137 families. With so many powers swarming around, it’ll definitely be a scene of chaos, leading to Yulianne’s displeasure… Therefore, the lord of our Suzanne Farms has a bit of a proposal!”

“If you have s***, then let it spew!”

Weylin glared icily at Sauron.

“S***? Ai, it’s really hard to imagine that such a vulgar and filthy word came out of the mouth of such a beautiful lady…”

Sauron chuckled, then resumed the topic, “My farm’s Lord’s proposal is this: that all 137 powers of Sun City ally together and form a ‘reception committee for Yulianne’ with my farm’s Lord taking on the role of committee president, leading everyone to welcome her altogether.”

If Suzanne Farms’ Lord took on the position of president, once Yulianne was roped in, then when His Majesty bestowed the reward of viewing the ‘Tortoiseshell of Destiny’, it would naturally fall solely on Suzanne Farms!

No matter how much Weylin thought about it, she couldn’t understand.

Furthermore, she had also thought of the fact that Suzanne Farms’ Lord might take advantage of the opportunity to suppress each power, exclusively monopolizing Sun City’s abundant resources!

So Weylin laughed frostily: “Your farm’s Lord really is quite calculating!”

“You flatter me!”

Sauron chuckled faintly: “As of this moment, twenty-seven farms, fifteen mines, and four livestock managements have already acknowledged my farm’s Lord as president! On the other hand, there were several farm lords who were quite stubborn and refused my farm Lord’s good will… Of course, I’ve already made it so that they will will never have the chance to nod again… Miss Weylin, do you recognize my farm’s Lord as president?”

After he finished speaking, he directed an indifferent gaze towards Weylin. Clearly, if Weylin dared to say the word ‘no’, he wouldn’t mind taking advantage of his identity as Sun City’s number one expert to kill someone in a fit of rage!

“Sauron, you lowly son of a b****, don’t go too far!”

Facing such humiliating conditions and such forceful oppression, Weylin had become furious to the point that her veins were bulging!

However, after roaring in such a manner, she suddenly clenched her fists, squeezing out a thread of a smile, “But this woman appreciates your strength, so return and tell Suzanne Farms’ Lord that when Yulianne arrives, West Farms will acknowledge her as our lord and listen to all that Suzanne Farms commands!”

A cold gleam flashed across Sauron’s eyes, and fixing his gaze at Weylin for a long moment, he suddenly praised her: “It is truly the fortune of Count West that West Farms has you in charge!”

At this, Sauron blew out a long whistle, then disappeared into the obscurity of snow.

As for Weylin, she stood there in the snow, grinding her teeth. Suddenly, she lashed out her whip and with a ‘boom’, she broke a large tree whose trunk was as thick as someone’s waist!

“Suzanne Farms, this woman will remember the shame of this day!”

After a while later, a manager on the farm hastily ran over, “Miss, there’s news from Headquarters saying that the continent’s number one beauty, Yulianne, is about to…”

“A lowly thing like you doesn’t need to run his mouth off, this woman as long since found out!”

The manager stared blankly, “*You already know?”

Weylin waved her hand to cut him off, and narrated to him what had just happened. The manager then responded in alarm: “Miss, Suzanne Farms wants to take the chance of viewing the ‘Tortoiseshell of Destiny’ for themselves, and even wants to seize the opportunity to suppress our farm, *you, how could *you accept!”

“Then would it be okay if this woman refused?!”

Weylin pointed at the empty farm, “Overseer Ceci has taken two thousand of our strong men at once! If I didn’t accept and started a fight, what would I make use of to battle with someone?! With the current offensive force of this farm, we wouldn’t even be able to withstand three hours of onslaught!”

The manager also understood this and laughed bitterly: “That’s true, it’s not the time to start fighting right now. Not to mention others, just Sun City’s number one expert Sauron himself, even if it was Miss, *you might not be able to resist him.”

“Hmph! As long as you understand! Go on then, spare no effort to accommodate Suzanne Farms in welcoming Yulianne. In order to protect our future, even if it’s humiliating, even if it’s infuriating, this woman must… bear it!”

Weylin limply gestured, indicating that the manager could take his leave.

And then she secretly let out a sigh.

Weylin was only a young woman of twenty years, and a woman as young as her was solely responsible for the lives of several thousand people. There was also inner turmoil within the farm, and external pressure from Suzanne Farm’s aggressive negotiators. It was really too exhausting…

But no matter how bitter or tiring it was, Weylin still had to persevere. After all, who told her older brother, Count West, to be such a playboy? Besides herself, the farm had no second backbone.

Ai, if only at this time, a reliable man stood forth and bore part of the responsibility with her, how nice it would be!

The heavy snow scattered in all directions, and in the world of ice and snow, Weylin let out a sigh.

   ……

For the upper levels of the farm, there were already turbulent undercurrents. However, for the slaves of the lower levels, they didn’t care much for this, and instead only worried about whether they’d be able to eat their fill the next day.

After sending Weylin off, Lola brought Jiang Nan and the two overseers to an empty space next to the pigsty, then commanded Jiang Nan to assemble all the slaves in charge of caring for the pigs.

During this time, Jiang Nan had also understood the process of Lola’s promotion: it turns out, Weylin’s personal maid was also taken away by Overseer Ceci, and below her, there was nobody she could use. Thus, Weylin promoted Lola who at least seemed a bit quick-witted, and from that day on, Lola started to assist Weylin in managing the farm. She could be considered as Jiang Nan’s immediate superior, and partially his master.

Late at night, at ten, Jiang Nan finally assembled all the slaves in charge of raising the pigs and stood in the empty space, and Lola shouted in declaration before them: “You guys better listen up! From this day forward, I am the manager of affairs of this place, and all of you must obey my orders, understand?!”

A lowborn person’s dream come true!

A number of slaves curled their lips disapprovingly, replying quietly: “We got it already…”

Being unable to get an answer, Lola’s face turned a bit green. Her gaze inspected the crowd as she thought in her heart, “Oh no, all these old foxes of a slave don’t accept me, what should I do? Let the overseers pressure them into submission… No, no, there are too many slaves. If I do that, I might incite rebellion.”

Shifting her eyes, she thought of something: “Right, Miss Weylin said that under these circumstances, I should punish someone as an example and straighten out the strongest slave to establish my authority…”

In the next second, Lola’s eyes settled on Jiang Nan, “Rodi, you get your lowly ass out here!”