Chapter 234: Secret Plot
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Luo Ningcha officially took her veil off on the day when Bighead Kingpin's coffin was brought into Jade City. She had never worn it since then.
The Supreme King declared that the Iron Mountain was Golden Roc Fort's for. Furthermore, he also announced that a proper burial ceremony would be held for Bighead Kingpin. Shangguan Nu had followed his father's orders. He had not only delivered Bighead Kingpin's corpse but also a considerable amount of Iron Mountain's wealth back to Stone Castle. This act signified his loyalty.
The father and son used this method to prove to naysayers that Golden Roc Fort was not suffering from any internal discord.
The amount of people that surged onto the streets were ten times more than the time when Luo Ningcha was married to Golden Roc Fort. The onlookers were curious when they saw the enormous coffin of the Bighead Kingpin. The city gates were usually half opened, however, the gates were wide open today.
Eight strong, healthy oxen walked slowly into Jade City and they appeared to be sad. Dozens of coffin bearers looked solemn and every one of them was carrying a giant flag of Iron Mountain. The flag waved in the wind and the spear that was emblazoned on the flag was moving like a snake.
The residents seemed to be infected by the atmosphere as they showed their reverence toward him. They involuntarily took several steps back and bowed to pay their respects. They had heard about outlandish rumours like how Bighead Kingpin had to eat several humans daily. However, he was now being remembered as a warrior who had died on the battlefield. Some even shed tears.
As soon as Bighead Kingpin's coffin arrived at the city center, the sad atmosphere was disrupted by a commotion.
The commotion started at the North City gates and started to quickly spread onto the streets, as if it was a burning rope. At that moment, no one was interested in Bighead Kingpin's coffin. Everyone stretched their heads to look behind and whispered: "That woman has finally shown her bare face."
From this day on, these terms, "that woman" and "that woman of the Stone Castle", belonged exclusively to Luo Ningcha.
She was walking alone on the cobbled path without her attendants. Her servants and followers were trailing ten steps behind her. There were people on both sides of the street and they were quiet. This was her first time taking off her mask in public and it felt as if she was walking on the streets while naked. The people were glancing at her and their gaze was like daggers which could tear her skin and pierce her heart. Every step she made was sapping much of her strength. Yet, the future still seemed bleak.
The men were silent yet excited, but the women were ashamed and jealous. The nearly two hundred thousand residents had the same idea that Lady Meng must have been severely mistaken. How could she have abused someone who looked like a fairy? The woman before their eyes looked surreal. How was it possible for her to commit evil?
Luo Ningcha saw the coffin in which her father was lying inside. He was her backer, her support, her everything but now he was dead. His corpse was cold and emotionless, just like the walls of the Stone Castle.
Luo Ningcha had been feeling terrified recently as she had felt nothing towards her father's death. But now, the feelings of longing and grief surged when she saw the massive coffin. She seemed to be greatly affected by her father's death as the image of Bighead Kingpin seemed to appear before her.
Her father was truly dead. Luo Ningcha's body trembled and the crowd cried in sympathy. Countless hands stretched out for their master, hoping to support this battered woman.
However, Luo Ningcha steeled herself. Her pale and weak fingers caressed the coffin as she slowly walked around the coffin. She took a deep breath, lifted her head, escorted her father's coffin through the Northern Gate and walked towards Golden Roc Fort.
It was a long journey. Several determined residents followed it all the way up until where their path was blocked by the stone bridge of Golden Roc Fort. Many were lingering around at night so they can catch a whiff of the fragrance that had been left behind by "that woman".
As soon as she entered the Stone Castle, Luo Ningcha collapsed into the arms of her servants. She proudly turned her head to look at the killers behind her, then she closed her eyes and slept.
She had completed Slave Huan's task.
On the night when the Supreme King was dealing with a crisis, Gu Shenwei and Luo Ningcha had a deep conversation. There were only the two of them in the house as Maid Lotus had brought the blind and mute Maid Cui out of the house.
"Miss, you have no other option." Gu Shenwei did not use the term "we" because he knew that Luo Ningcha did not care about anyone except herself.
Luo Ningcha kept her composure. However, she wasn't calm. She was like a small beast, which had been cornered. She was stunned. "My husband..."
"Eighth Young Master would never return to the Stone Castle ever again. Everyone knows that he has betrayed the Supreme King. The Lord's praise was only a delaying tactic."
"Should I leave the Stone Castle? Bighead Kingpin has left me a large amount of inheritance."
"Firstly, the Stone Castle will never let you go. Secondly, without the protection of the Stone Castle, Bighead Kingpin's inheritance will only spell disaster."
Luo Ningcha slumped onto the bed and sobbed. Selfishness often caused her to misjudge. However, she was not stupid as she knew that Slave Huan was speaking the truth. Both her father and husband, who were her pillars of support, had collapsed at the same time. She was really at her wits end. Currently, Lady Meng was busy augmenting her power, but soon, she will take her revenge on Luo Ningcha.
Gu Shenwei waited until she stopped crying and said: "There is a chance to turn the tide. Do Miss have the courage to make a last stand?"
Luo Ningcha, who was behind the screen stood up. "What do you mean? Do I still have a chance to protect myself?"
"Yes." Gu Shenwei had deliberated for a long time before uttering this word. This made Miss ecstatic.
Luo Ningcha stood up. "Slave Huan. Good Slave Huan. Quickly tell me your plan!"
"Some people are in power but that power does not belong to them. There is always a source and that source would be more reliable than your father or husband."
"You mean... the Lord?"
"Yes."
"But, he will never protect me. Without Bighead Kingpin, why would he protect a helpless woman?" Luo Ningcha did not understand.
"Lady Meng has an average relationship with her husband's family but she is favored by the Lord."
"The twenty slaves that father had sent! If only we could use them to gain the Lord's favor..." Luo Ningcha slightly raised her voice as she became excited.
"Lady Meng would not let them be seen by the Lord," Gu Shenwei said. He had initially wanted to use those twenty slaves, but now he changed his mind.
"What should I do now?"
Gu Shenwei was silent for a moment. "Please forgive this Slave Huan's bold suggestion."
"Speak. You can ask for anything." Luo Ningcha spoke hurriedly as though she was drowning and was grabbing onto a piece of wood.
"Could Miss walk out of the screen and take down your veil?" After saying this, Gu Shenwei went down on one knee immediately. He looked down as if he was asking for forgiveness.
There was a long period of silence behind the screen. Luo Ningcha gradually understood Slave Huan's plan. Initially she was angry, then shameful, and finally humiliated. She finally understood that everything in this world was an illusion. She could only rely on her father for a short while and wasn't able to rely on her husband at all. The only person whom she could rely on for life was not these two people nor Slave Huan nor the Lord, but was herself.
Gu Shenwei heard a rustling of the veil and fine footsteps. Then, a very light voice spoke. It was different from the Miss' usual tone. "Lift your head up," she said.
Gu Shenwei raised his head and gazed at Luo Ningcha who was standing under the lamp. He lowered his head again after a long time. "Those twenty slaves could not compare with a single strand of Miss' hair."
Luo Ningcha felt light-headed after removing her thick veil. She felt lighter. Apart from her father and her husband, Slave Huan was the third man who made her feel jumpy.
"The problem still remains. I'm still unable to meet the Lord."
Gu Shenwei's confidence increased tremendously. "Man proposes, God disposes. Miss, you need not worry. I have my plans. However, I still have to ask you a few questions."
"Just ask. You will call the shots, as long as you can save me from this predicament."
"That Elderly Zhang..."
"Haha," Luo Ningcha laughed. "Haven't you told me that 'the most loyal people are often the best betrayers'? Elderly Zhang was the most loyal to Shangguan Nu so I tested this logic out on him. It seemed that you were right. He pledged loyalty to me when I removed the first layer of my veil. However, he's just a horsekeeper. He is useless. I could only get him to help me hide something."
Gu Shenwei had once imparted the knowledge, which was taught by Zhang Ji, to Luo Ningcha. He had forgotten much of the details and hadn't expected that Miss would take him so seriously.
"I want to hear the details of the secret, which Miss had been keeping from Bighead Kingpin."
Gu Shenwei had learnt about one of Luo Ningcha's secrets and he knew that she had killed someone who was very important to Bighead Kingpin. However, he was not very sure about the details. Hence, he took this opportunity to ask about it.
"Didn't you know about it?" Luo Ningcha was alerted as Slave Huan had once claimed that he knew everything.
"Yes, but I want the details."
"Is this related to the plan that we are talking about now?"
"Once the news regarding me plotting something for Miss gets out, I'll not be spared from death. Hence, I hope that Miss could prove that you fully trust me."
Luo Ningcha retreated behind the screen. Habits died hard as she felt more relaxed behind the screen. "There are no details. I have a brother who Bighead Kingpin was very fond of. I wasn't happy so Mama Xue killed him. She then told me that she had killed him for me. However, she was actually trying to use this method to control me."
Luo Ningcha's voice turned cold, as if she was narrating someone else's story. Gu Shenwei guessed that Mama Xue had kind intentions but Luo Ningcha must have been very supportive of Mama Xue's actions. Luo Ningcha was indeed a member of the Shangguan family.
"It's similar to what Mama Xue had told me," Gu Shenwei lied. Luo Ningcha was fickle-minded and easily irritable, hence it was hard to handle her. Gu Shenwei had to be like Mama Xue, whereby he had to use Luo Ningcha's secrets to control her.
"It's time for you to tell me about your plan on how to let the Lord see me." Luo Ningcha was very proud of her own looks and was now more confident than Slave Huan.
"It's difficult for the Lord to see you. It's almost impossible. We have to let him 'hear' you."
Luo Ningcha was lost in thought. "Is it that simple?"
"Of course not. The Lord has countless women. Is Miss able to capture his heart?" Gu Shenwei had to ask this question. Shangguan Nu had met Luo Ningcha before and was infatuated with her for a while. However, he still left her in the end as he was not worried about betraying the Stone Castle and his father.
Gu Shenwei seemed to be too blunt. Luo Ningcha flared up, and asked. "What do you mean?"
"Miss needs a master." Gu Shenwei wasn't bothered about all these as he was ruthless in all his strategems. He wouldn't be able to achieve anything if he was shy. As for the "Master", he already had a suitable person in mind. He had initially sent Xu Yanwei to the Stone Castle to save her life and to use her to deliver information. But now, she has more uses.