The original Tu Lingduo, although rather flat-chested, had a fit and healthy body, full of abundance and strength.
But now, she had lost a full circle of weight, her face so pale that not a trace of blood colour remained.
And she lay straight on the boat’s deck, unable to move at all. Most terrifying of all, her entire body was wrapped up like a mummy.
“Tu Lingduo, you… what happened to you?” Tu Liyang asked in a trembling voice.
Tu Lingchen, seeing this scene, also showed a moved expression, his heart contracting as he said, “You, you lost again. Was this caused by Sauron?”
Hearing these words, an incomparable sorrow welled up in Tu Lingduo’s heart. When her own brother saw his sister in such a state, the first thing he cared about was not whether she lived or died, but whether the plan had succeeded.
Previously, because of the relationship with Yan Nai’er, she had always thought her brother Tu Lingchen was a passionate man. Now it seemed that Yan Nai’er had exhausted all the emotion he possessed. The blood that flowed in him was indeed that of their father, Tu Lingduo, cold and ruthless, selfish and self-serving.
Of course, she herself was the same. The blood that flowed in her was also the selfish and ruthless blood of the Tu Ling family.
“Thrown from a cliff several hundred metres high, my body violently struck the seawater, and thirteen bones in my body broke.” Tu Lingduo said, “From the neck down, there is no sensation at all, completely paralysed.”
When Tu Lingduo said this, her tone was very flat.
Because more than ten days had passed, all the pain had already faded.
Moreover, she was a strong person. Showing pain would only invite ridicule. And sympathy was the most tedious and boring emotion in this world.
“Who was it? Who was it? I will go kill him, I will tear him into pieces…” Tu Liyang roared hoarsely.
“No, absolutely do not touch this person.” Tu Lingduo said, “He commands the most powerful pirates in this world. Not only is he our potential ally now, but in the future, when dealing with the Yingzhou Hai family, he will be our absolute ally.”
At this moment, Tu Lingchen finally asked, “Who injured you like this?”
“The new King of the Rock Pirates, Yan Mo.” Tu Lingduo said, “That is, Sauron’s half-brother from the same father.”
Originally, the relationship between Sauron and the Rock Queen was unknown to all except King Bian. But when Sauron stood out, many people came to the Pirate Harbour and unexpectedly discovered that the Rock King heir Yan Mo looked so similar to Sauron.
Thus, the Rock Queen’s affection for Count Sauron, and the relationship between Yan Mo and Sauron, could no longer be hidden.
“As you expected, Sauron still went?” Tu Lingchen said.
“Yes, he went.” Tu Lingduo said, “But he was incomparably cunning, using another person’s identity. Not only did he escape our pursuit, but he also obtained a powerful fleet. Originally he had already succeeded and was about to leave the Rock Islands with the fleet and return to Tianshui City. But…”
Speaking to this point, Tu Lingduo paused and said, “But, he committed a stupid act himself, acting on emotion. He actually ran back, attempting to stop the Rock Queen’s suicide. In the end, he did not save the Rock Queen, but got himself caught instead.”
Tu Lingchen was silent for a moment, then said, “Sauron only has this one character flaw. Is he dead?”
“Dead.” Tu Lingduo said, “At the last moment, I persuaded Yan Mo to kill Sauron. But at the time, I was somewhat carried away by success and tried to get Yan Mo to impersonate Sauron to harm Princess Bian Yan. This completely enraged him, and I was thrown from a cliff several hundred metres high.”
Luanyang City Lord Tu Li Wen said, “What kind of person is this Yan Mo?”
Tu Lingduo said, “Very similar to Sauron, equally cunning and intelligent, but even more ruthless and decisive than Sauron.”
Tu Lingchen suddenly said, “Now that Sauron is dead, should the military campaign to destroy the Sauron family continue?”
City Lord Tu Li Wen said, “Now more than half of the one hundred and ten thousand troops have already assembled. Of course we must continue. The war to destroy Sauron will proceed as normal.”
Tu Lingduo suddenly said, “Tu Liyang, I have become like this now, and basically can no longer bear offspring. Are you certain you still wish to marry me?”
Upon these words, City Lord Tu Li Wen fell into contemplation. For a noble family, heirs were the most important matter.
Tu Liyang immediately said loudly, “Yes, no matter what you become, I will marry you. If you do not believe me, we can marry tonight.”
Upon these words, Tu Lingduo could not help but be startled, then a trace of bitterness welled up in her heart.
Tu Lingduo said, “Then what about the future heir of Luanyang City? I basically can no longer bear children.”
Tu Liyang said, “I will find a woman to bear a child, then kill that woman, and bring the child before you to raise, treating it as our child together.”
Hearing this answer, Tu Lingduo’s heart could not help but contract.
After a long while, Tu Lingduo decided to pause this topic. Her gaze turned to a chest beside her and said, “Tu Liyang, go open the chest beside me.”
Tu Liyang stepped forward and opened the chest. Inside was a mirror, and the first thing he saw was his own reflection in the mirror.
Actually… so ugly and grotesque, he screamed in fright.
Then, his first instinct was to smash this mirror. He knew he was ugly, so he never looked in mirrors. Thus, over time, in his mind he was not that ugly.
Now, this clear mirror brutally shattered that illusion. He was uglier than he had imagined.
Instantly, he said painfully to Tu Lingduo, “Do you still look down on me so much, making me clearly see my own ugly face?”
Upon these words, Tu Lingduo could not help but be startled, then shook her head and said, “Of course not. City Lord Tu Li Wen, Brother, what do you think of this mirror?”
City Lord Tu Li Wen took the mirror and was immediately greatly startled.
This mirror, more than a foot square, was so incredibly clear and visible. Not to mention bronze mirrors, even crystal mirrors were far inferior to it.
Tu Lingduo said, “City Lord, how much do you think this magic mirror is worth?”
Tu Li Wen said, “It depends on how many there are. If there is only one, then it is priceless.”
Tu Lingduo said, “If there is more than one?”
Tu Li Wen said, “Then it depends on what price you want to set, and how many you want to sell. In any case, this is an astronomical number of gold coins.”
Tu Lingduo said, “This magic mirror was created by Sauron. As many as you want, there are as many.”
Upon these words, Tu Li Wen and Tu Lingchen’s bodies trembled, then their eyes burst with light!
This, this incredibly clear and bright mirror, far surpassing crystal mirrors, was actually manufactured, not treasure excavated from some seabed or cave.
Then, City Lord Tu Li Wen began to calculate the profits, but he gave up.
Because the profits here were simply impossible to calculate.
This magic mirror simultaneously possessed the attributes of both a necessity and a luxury, and was irreplaceable.
City Lord Tu Li Wen could imagine that once this magic mirror became fashionable, any noble, any socialite, if their home did not have such a mirror, it would be extremely embarrassing.
So, no matter how much it cost, she would buy it.
“I cannot calculate how many gold coins this magic mirror can earn.” City Lord Tu Li Wen said, “In any case, this is an industry even more profitable than the Rocky Salt Fields. The money it can earn is perhaps countless times that of the Rocky Salt Fields.”
That’s right, although salt was highly profitable, it was after all transparent. Moreover, there were countless salt fields throughout the human kingdom.
But this magic mirror currently had only one source, an absolute monopoly.
Tu Lingduo said, “Now that Sauron is dead, in one month, the destruction of the Sauron family of Tianshui City is already a foregone conclusion. But in the post-war division of spoils, there are only Tianshui City and the Rocky Salt Fields. There is no mention of this even more astonishingly profitable magic mirror industry. So how about we go and seize this industry worth several million gold coins right now?”
Upon these words, Tu Li Wen’s heartbeat immediately accelerated.
Tu Lingduo continued, “Sauron had a secret base specifically for manufacturing these magic mirrors. Moreover, when the Luanyang City fleet and the Linhai City fleet were on patrol, they once captured a supply ship filled with grain, meat, and all sorts of other things. Although they did not know where these things were being transported, it was certainly to some island near the coast of Tianshui City. So, Sauron’s magic mirror industry should also be on some secret island.”
Tu Li Wen said, “There are at least a hundred islands along the coast of Tianshui City.”
Tu Lingduo said, “The Sauron navy is utterly useless. Now you send out several thousand sailors disguised as pirates, and sweep through all the islands along the coast of Tianshui City. You will certainly find this magic mirror secret base. Once found, our two families will split this astronomical fortune equally. This industry can at least make our two families fabulously wealthy for several hundred years.”
Instantly, City Lord Tu Li Wen’s breathing became rapid. After a moment, he made his decision.
“I will immediately assemble five thousand sailors, disguised as pirates, and head south to thoroughly sweep through the islands along the coast of Tianshui City, and find this magic mirror base.” Tu Li Wen said loudly, then his gaze turned to Tu Lingduo and said, “Miss Tu Lingduo, you were truly born the wrong gender.”
These words made Tu Lingchen beside him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
“Someone, carry Miss Tu Lingduo back to the city lord’s mansion. Do not jostle her at all, or I will sever your hands and feet. Then, go and invite the best medical practitioner from the Divine Dragon Temple.” Tu Li Wen continued to give orders.
…
Ten hours later!
City Lord Tu Li Wen and Tu Lingchen personally led five thousand sailors and dozens of warships south.
Arriving in uninhabited waters, they raised pirate flags and charged towards the waters of Tianshui City to search for Sauron’s magic mirror secret base.
This magic mirror industry could bring a hundred years of wealth and power!
For nobles, having money meant being able to recruit soldiers and horses, to continuously grow stronger.
Moreover, the Tu Li family possessed a powerful navy. With money, they could also build ships and continuously expand, seizing islands.
When the Tu Li family possessed a thousand warships and over a hundred thousand troops, they would no longer be merely a noble.
So, this magic mirror industry must be seized.
In the Luanyang City Lord’s mansion, Tu Lingduo lay in a luxurious room.
The bed beneath her was very hard, because her bones were broken and she had to sleep on such a hard bed.
At this moment, the room was empty. Dozens of maidservants were outside, awaiting any of her commands.
Suddenly, she felt an itch between her thighs, so she silently reached out to scratch it. Under such wrapping, that place was most prone to itching.
But…
Was she not paralysed? She should not be able to feel an itch.
Moreover, her hand should not be able to move.
That’s right, after being thrown down by Yan Mo, the bones in her legs had broken in several places, but her lumbar and cervical vertebrae were fine.
After the pain, she suddenly had a thought. She thought of a way to escape the marriage contract with Tu Liyang.
So, she had someone break several sections of her vertebrae, merely breaking the bones without harming the spinal cord or nerves.
Therefore, her paralysis was fake.
She merely wanted to use the appearance of paralysis to make Tu Li Wen break off the engagement. To avoid marrying Tu Liyang, she had gone completely all out.
Because a paralysed woman could not bear children. And a noble heir would absolutely not marry a woman unable to bear children.
She was ruthless not only to others, but also to herself.
…
In a manor of the Divine Dragon Temple in Yanjing!
“Ugh…”
“Ugh…”
“Ugh…”
Princess Bian Ning vomited desperately. Although she was not yet showing, her pregnancy symptoms had started about ten days ago and had grown increasingly severe.
Now, she was basically vomiting everything she ate.
“Miss, your body is somewhat weak, so the reaction is so severe.” A matron gently patted her back.
After vomiting, Bian Ning’s little face had turned completely pale, gasping for breath.
Then she took a cup of water, rinsed her mouth first, then drank a few sips.
“Bring the food, I want to eat.” Bian Ning said.
The matron said, “But, you vomit as soon as you eat it.”
“That is why I must eat.” Bian Ning said, “Otherwise, the child will be malnourished.”
Just at this moment, a maidservant’s voice came from outside, saying, “Princess, Prince Ji Min of the Yan Empire requests an audience.”
Bian Ning suddenly trembled.
Ji Min? Her fiance!