Munitions Empire

The news of the Emperor's demise in the Dwarf Empire of the North hadn't spread, and the change of hands of Furnace Fortress was still fresh news, yet all of this seemed unrelated to the distant southern regions.

In the Empire of Nanla, within the Imperial Capital's Imperial City, a grand palace stood where a woman listlessly fiddled with the leaves and branches on a windowsill flowerpot with her fingers.

She was stunningly beautiful, yet a persistent fierceness lingered in her brows as if she were troubled by some vexing matter.

"Your Highness!" a maid entered nervously, reminding her mistress that she had urgent matters to report.

The woman didn't turn around, instead she lazily and coldly commanded, "What is it this time... Go on."

Lately, her mood had really been terrible, another new Imperial Concubine seemed to carry the Emperor's child, whether a boy or girl was still unknown, which was absolutely another new threat to her.

How many days had it been since the Emperor last visited her? She could barely remember, probably twenty days?

Clearly, newcomers were more pleasing. For a man, a newcomer signified freshness, also representing the lust for conquest and other mixed feelings.

In any case, keeping a man's long-term affection for one woman was certainly not easy—especially for an Emperor.

Of course, history had seen many Emperors who were devoted to one person, so nothing was absolute...

Actually, the last time the Emperor came here, she had been quite pleased, and she even mentioned a suggestion from her father regarding the procurement of arms.

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Then, His Majesty the Emperor hadn't visited her for twenty whole days, which left her with deep regret, regretting why she bothered to help her father with that damned arms business when she had nothing better to do.

The maid spoke cautiously, "Your father is outside..."

Previously, the Imperial Concubine had ordered not to see anyone—for a female officer, a servant, it was really not easy to leave the powerful father of the Imperial Concubine, a prominent official of the Empire, standing outside.

"Not seeing him! Not seeing him!" the daughter of Mo Kangsen, the distinguished Imperial Concubine of the Empire with faint wrinkles now appearing at the corners of her eyes, a beautiful woman, agitatedly refused.

"Hahaha! Daughter! I know you are angry with me, but this time, you really should see me." The corpulent Mo Kangsen burst into his daughter's room without giving the guards any face.

After all, Mo Kangsen's uncle was the top official of the Empire, and Mo Kangsen himself wielded great authority; the guards certainly didn't dare to mess with him.

Following Mo Kangsen was an equally stunning woman, dressed in an exquisite gown the Imperial Concubine had never seen before, reeking of wealth and commanding respect.

"Humph!" Still harboring resentment towards His Majesty's attitude, the Imperial Concubine turned her head away, though she showed no intention of having the attendants who followed evict anyone.

"This is the person you've been longing to meet; I, your father, have brought her to you. Why do you still wear that expression..." Mo Kangsen carelessly pulled up a chair for himself and plopped down onto it.

His weight actually made walking difficult, and since his return to the Empire of Nanla, his health had become somewhat... frailer.

Thus, he missed his time in Brunas even more, where he could do anything he wished with the assistance of women, truly a nostalgic indulgence.

Unfortunately, here in his homeland, Mo Kangsen had to maintain some decency. If he were as extravagant as he was in Brunas, his reputation would surely crumble.

"Who?" It was only then that Mo Kangsen's daughter, the Imperial Concubine, turned her attention to the woman who had entered the room with Mo Kangsen.

To be frank, the woman who entered with Mo Kangsen was indeed beautiful but not of the Imperial Concubine's caliber.

But this woman was exceptionally well-maintained, her skin radiant and smooth, and she wore jewelry that screamed wealth, indicating she wasn't of common birth.

This was a cultivated aura of nobility, formed through frequent appearances at high-society banquets, not something that could be developed overnight.

But even so, the Imperial Concubine could see at a glance that this woman posed no threat to her; she could even be sure that not just His Majesty, but her own father wouldn't fancy this woman!

Because what this woman lacked was... indescribable. It was a kind of presence, a trait that allowed those in power to recognize their peers at first glance.

Without this trait, the woman before her, though clad in luxurious garments and adorned with extravagant jewels to an astonishing level, ultimately lacked something.

"This is Miss Susan! The singer from Laines that you've always wanted to meet," Mo Kangsen introduced.

"Oh?" Indeed, upon hearing this name, the Imperial Concubine's eyes lit up, clearly regarding the woman before her more highly.

She truly wanted to get to know Susan because, among the noble ladies of the Empire of Nanla, Susan was practically a spokesperson for fashion.

The clothes transported from the west, as well as the cosmetics like lipstick, were of the highest and finest quality from the Great Tang Group. And Susan was the image ambassador promoting these products.

Therefore, these noble ladies yearned for the untouchable, distant Mr. Tang, the fashion godfather they dared not fancy, yet they held great admiration for Susan.

As women, they deeply understood their glory and wealth all came from men, and the foolish act of seeking a one-night romance with the fashion godfather was something they wouldn't dare consider lightly.

However, becoming faux sisters with an ultra-fashionable female star, adding a dash of gold to their own faces, was something they eagerly pursued.

"Miss Susan! I've actually been following your fashion manual all along," said the Imperial Concubine, her face breaking into a smile. She reached out and touched Susan's hand in a symbolic gesture.

Susan had seen her share of such important figures; she used to feel inferior in their presence because power was an insurmountable divide, and money was likewise a barrier separating two worlds.

But now, she had gained some confidence, as those important figures would show her a certain degree of respect on account of the Great Tang Group.

After all, no one could be sure whether this rather plain-looking woman, whose savvy seemed unremarkable, might actually be Mr. Tang's canary.

A woman's social status is the most elusive of all, as it's entirely possible that in the span of an afternoon, some woman might suddenly become the President's wife, a CEO's lover, or a hero's lady...n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

In tales and anecdotes, numerous villains have met their fate over this very matter. They start by looking down on a woman, never imagining she might be the heroine, and when the hero arrives to mete out justice, the short-sighted villain meets his end...

As the saying goes, it's better to strike the rod and look to the master; even when chastising a dog, one must consider its owner. Those who mixed in the mainstream noble circles weren't fools, so they too would give Susan some respect.

Only the people within the Great Tang Group knew that Susan had only met Tang Mo a few times; she wasn't nearly eligible to climb onto his bed...

However, the tiger skin of the Great Tang Group was very intimidating, and the aura of a fashion star was something to behold, so Susan's current situation was much better than before—far, far better.

"Do you really think that my visit to Brunas was just for fun and games?" Mo Kangsen defended himself shamelessly, "My daughter, I went there for you! Brunas, the capital of fashion, how could I return empty-handed!"

In truth, he went on a public-funded spree, but upon realizing that everything there was different from what he expected, he remembered his official duties.

But it was still like adding a feather to his own cap, so why not seize the moment to pull at the heartstrings of his daughter?

While speaking, Mo Kangsen pulled out his handkerchief with exaggerated sorrow and wiped his face.

The keen-eyed Imperial Concubine winced when she spotted the luxurious trademark "T" in the corner of the silk handkerchief.

Anything bearing this symbol was a rarity and a luxury in the Empire of Nanla, and just this silk handkerchief would cost at least 20 Gold Coins!

After all, the design was what mattered most, what held the most value! This luxurious "Great Tang fashion" silk handkerchief, being perfectly square, contained so much more design language than those of other brands!

"Your Highness! This item isn't worth much, there's nothing special to see here," Susan said, noticing the fleeting pang of desire in the Imperial Concubine's eyes. She knew exactly why she was there, so she quickly spoke up.

As she spoke, she cozily moved closer to the Imperial Concubine: "During my visit to the Empire of Nanla, I've brought… many gifts for you."

She knew that as long as she offered up these gifts, not a single woman would despise her, so she fearlessly approached, worrying not whether it would irk the Imperial Concubine.

Sure enough, upon hearing the word "gifts," the Imperial Concubine's mood improved, or rather, she became visibly excited: "Miss Susan... what gifts are you referring to?"

In the Empire of Nanla, Susan, the much-adored fashion icon among the noble ladies, didn't need her gifts to be overly extravagant; just a few clothes that others didn't have were enough to delight Her Highness, the Imperial Concubine.

Thus, the Imperial Concubine was full of anticipation, looking forward to the gifts that Susan, the singer from Brunas, might have brought—gifts she had long coveted.

"Imperial Concubine Your Highness, there are so many gifts, so many that... I don't even know where to start," said Susan, her face brimming with a victorious smile that carried a hint of disdain, contempt, and a touch of… condescension within her own domain.