Half a month later, the Zhongcheng mercenary group officially surrendered to the Tiexue mercenary group.
Of course, this was also because Zi Lingling deliberately kept Sun Shangde and the other two waiting for a few extra days.
After all, her elixirs were not acquired out of thin air, so the Zhongcheng mercenary group had to show sufficient sincerity.
From then on, the mercenary organizations in Xianhe Town were completely unified, and the Tiexue mercenary group was renamed the King mercenary group.
Zi Lingling spent three days completely reorganizing the members of the mercenary group, dividing them into four divisions based on their respective abilities.
The first division: King's Spear.
Primarily for combat, all members were spiritual practitioners at the Spirit Gathering Realm and above, forming the main force of the King mercenary group, mainly undertaking high-level missions.
Where the spear points, victory is assured.
The second division: King's Wings.
Primarily for support, all members were spiritual practitioners at the Qi Induction Realm. When the King's Spear was not available, they undertook mid-level missions.
Concurrently, they were responsible for transporting resources and caring for the wounded during battles fought by the King's Spear.
Where the wings fly, lives are protected.
The third division: King's Shield.
Primarily for defense, all members were spiritual practitioners at the Body Tempering Realm. They were responsible for guarding Xianhe Town, ensuring its safety, and handling mission handovers, while also diligently cultivating to improve themselves.
Where the shield stands, there are no worries about the rear!
The fourth division: King's Heart.
Composed of individuals who were injured during missions and were no longer suitable for combat.
They were primarily responsible for logistical work, including food, clothing, housing, and transportation.
The heart of the King provides for sustenance and comfort.
Furthermore, Zi Lingling borrowed Mu Qingyan and his subordinate generals from Ye Lingyuan to train the members in cooperation and teach them simple cooperative formations.
Of course, in order to extract some of Mu Qingyan's most treasured skills, Zi Lingling directly transcribed Sun Tzu's Art of War and the Thirty-Six Stratagems from her previous life and gave them to Mu Qingyan in exchange.
Not only that, Zi Lingling also transferred people from the Ghost Touch organization to fully integrate them into the King mercenary group.
It could be said that the King mercenary group was Zi Lingling's first privately built force.
With the emergence of the King mercenary group, the business of the mercenary guild drastically decreased, yet they made no move.
Of course, this was because Zi Lingling ultimately agreed to cooperate with the mercenary guild, but demanded sixty percent of the profits.
Although the head of the mercenary guild felt the pinch, they did not refuse.
While the demand for elixirs was not high in the Xianhe Town branch, the mercenary guild had more than just the Xianhe Town branch. Su Dan Novel Network.
Therefore, even with only forty percent, they could still make a fortune.
Before handling matters in Xianhe Town, Zi Lingling had summoned Fu Liuyun and instructed him to quickly take over the territories and industries of the Hundred Flowers Palace.
However, by the time Zi Lingling had finished dealing with matters in Xianhe Town, there was still no progress from Fu Liuyun, which displeased Zi Lingling greatly.
Just as she was preparing to personally visit the Liuyun Sect, two events occurred.
One was that Ye Moyuan suddenly issued an imperial decree, bestowing ten beauties upon Ye Lingyuan.
This was not a major issue in itself, but the problem lay in the fact that among these ten beauties was an acquaintance of Zi Lingling – Princess Qionghua, Chu Keran.
According to the imperial decree, Chu Keran was here for a marriage alliance and was to temporarily reside in the Underworld King's mansion to cultivate their relationship.
As it concerned the alliance between the Tianqi Kingdom and the Qionghua Kingdom, and the Qionghua Kingdom's army had already amassed at the border, threatening to commence hostilities if the marriage alliance was not agreed upon, Ye Lingyuan had no choice but to accept.
Although Ye Lingyuan possessed immense cultivation, he was still outwardly the Underworld King of the Tianqi Kingdom and bore the responsibility of protecting the people of Tianqi. Therefore, Ye Lingyuan did not refuse and directly brought the ten beauties into his mansion.
The other matter was that the Jinsha Kingdom's army was pressing forward, demanding that Zi Lingling release the four people, Zi Donglai and his companions, whom she had imprisoned, and personally go to the Imperial City's Zi family to beg for forgiveness.
The moment Zi Lingling heard this news, she was summoned to the palace by an imperial decree from Ye Moyuan.
This time, Ye Moyuan had learned his lesson and did not summon Zi Lingling to the Imperial Study, but directly to the main hall.
When Zi Lingling arrived, the hall was filled with dozens of ministers in addition to Ye Moyuan.
To her surprise, Ye Lingyuan was also seated in the hall.
After a moment of thought, she understood.
"Patriarch Zi, we meet again!"
Ye Moyuan spoke first, without waiting for Zi Lingling to bow.
Of course, he also knew that even if Zi Lingling bowed, it would be perfunctory, and it would be he who lost face.
Zi Lingling casually sat down next to Ye Lingyuan and said calmly, "May I know the reason for His Majesty's summons?"
"Bold!"
Before Ye Moyuan could speak, an old man among the ministers stood up and reprimanded Zi Lingling!
Zi Lingling sneered, "Bold? If we are talking about boldness, I, this Princess Consort, am no match for you!"
"Nonsense! Seating yourself without the Emperor's permission is treasonous. You show no remorse and instead accuse this old man, your intentions are punishable!"
"Not being allowed to be seated without the Emperor's permission is for you commoners. I, this Patriarch, am a cultivator and naturally transcend such rules, so what is wrong with it? Conversely, you shouting at me, this Princess Consort, is that not boldness?"
It was an unwritten rule that the powerful were not bound by royal authority.
Therefore, Zi Lingling's action was reasonable and justified.
Shi Kelang was speechless.
How could he forget that, despite her young age, she was the Patriarch of the Zi family, one of the eight great noble families, and naturally a person of the cultivation world, unbound by worldly rules.
Moreover, recently, she had been in the spotlight, first destroying the Hundred Flowers Palace and then unifying the mercenary groups. Where did rules exist in her eyes?
"By the way, who are you to disrespect this Princess Consort?"
Zi Lingling did not even lift her eyelids, but the sharpness in her voice was no less.
"He is the Imperial Tutor Shi Kelang!"
Before Shi Kelang could speak, Ye Lingyuan's clear voice rang out.
"Shi Ke Lang? That's a peculiar name." Zi Lingling's lips curved into a slight arc.
"You... you are disgracing scholarship! Disgracing scholarship!"
Shi Kelang was so enraged that his chest heaved violently, as if he might breathe his last at any moment.
Zi Lingling raised an eyebrow, "Scholarship? Can it be eaten? Or drunk? You are merely a pedantic old man feigning erudition, and you dare to talk about scholarship?"
"You..." Shi Kelang was furious.
He had devoted his life to his studies, and describing him as erudite would not be an exaggeration, otherwise, he would not have been entrusted with the important role of Imperial Tutor.
Now, someone was saying he was feigning erudition, truly not afraid of the wind being too strong and flashing his tongue.
He stamped his foot in agitation and said, "Ignorant child, how dare you! How dare you!"
Zi Lingling sneered, "Hmph! Ignorant? You mean to say I am wrong?"
Shi Kelang snorted coldly, implicitly admitting it.
"Very well then! I, this Princess Consort, shall test you on the spot!"
Shi Kelang was dismissive. He, a generation's Imperial Tutor, how could he be tested by a mere young woman?
He sarcastically asked, "With you?"
Zi Lingling nodded, "With me!"