Since they had already sent pirates to try and silence him, why would he let them live to see the new year?
In truth, that wasn't quite it. Sir Shangke's original idea was just to attack Arthas's army, preferably causing him a major defeat to make him lose face. A prince who lost a battle would certainly not be popular, which would allow him to unite with other nobles to oppose Terenas and fight for more benefits. He had never actually thought of killing Arthas. But he hadn't considered what would happen if Arthas died in the attack.
Once a feud begins in battle, the best method is to grind the enemy to dust! Annihilate even their soul, otherwise they might run off to the Shadowlands and continue to cause trouble. This was a world of sword and sorcery, where the dead could go to the Netherworld and have a second spring. It was absurd.
"Your Highness, the manor has been cleared," Marlene said, approaching Arthas with a respectful and slightly apprehensive tone.
"Next, round up the surrendered nobles. Lock them up and give them the bare minimum of food; they still have their uses. Marlene, do you think I'm cruel? That I don't play by the so-called rules of the nobility?" Arthas chuckled softly. Punishment does not extend to the elite. This was Azeroth's version of that principle. Even in death, nobles were to die with dignity, and if they could be spared, they should be.
"No, I would never presume to guess Your Highness's reasons for anything. I will only carry out Your Highness's orders," Marlene said, still keeping her head bowed. She would neither acknowledge nor admit to such thoughts.
Walking over, Arthas wrapped an arm around Marlene and kneaded her perky buttocks. "In my heart, you are like a wife to me. I am not a faithful man; I may have many wives. But I will do my utmost to help, love, and cherish each of my wives. To be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to oneself. I don't want their descendants growing up to seek revenge on you. I can't guarantee that won't happen, so killing them all is the best solution. Marlene , we are husband and wife. If you have any concerns, you must speak up. Don't keep them bottled up inside. I like you."
"Your Highness!" Marlene was touched. At the very least, a man was willing to explain himself to her. Given Arthas's status and his recently brilliant prospects, there was a legion of women willing to lick his toes. For him to explain so gently was already giving her face, treating her as one of his own.
The reason mature women were mature was that they could reason with themselves and not get stuck on trivial matters. They weren't coy, and a mature woman could assist him and sate his carnal desires. It was killing two birds with one stone.
His subordinates were busy. It would take at least a week here. Arthas didn't plan to take Vanessa and her father with him. He had one more thing to do before that: kill the still-living Sir Shangke. If you don't cut the weeds by the root, they will grow again when the spring wind blows!
"We must cut the weeds by the root. With his nest raided, he will surely be unable to resist showing himself. When he does, we'll slaughter him, and then this land will be ours," Arthas said to Marlene. Marlene managed the army's affairs in an orderly fashion, handling many annoying and trivial matters very well. She had also quickly cultivated trustworthy subordinates, delegating authority to them—something Arthas himself couldn't do.
"My only fear is that he won't return. Your Highness, we must have a backup plan. If Shangke doesn't come back, we'll have to take the initiative. If he flees into another noble's territory seeking asylum and slanders your name, it will be a burden on you as well." Marlene frowned, looking at a map of the Eastern Kingdoms, her eyes searching for Sir Shangke's possible hiding places.
Marlene was right. If that old fox didn't return and just watched as Arthas occupied his territory, he could then file a complaint and use public opinion to counterattack, which would also be very troublesome.
Both were pondering the problem. Marlene's military talent was unparalleled, but when it came to scheming and intrigue, she was somewhat out of her depth. Otherwise, she wouldn't have struggled so hard as a remarkable woman on her own; she simply didn't understand how to play the games of the noble circles. Was it necessary to learn such a decadent and corrupt system? She would rather focus her energy on military matters.
Knock, knock, knock. The sound of a knock on the door. Arthas rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Come in."
Click, clack, click. The person who entered was Keristrasza, wearing a newly made pair of open-toed, strappy high heels. Her ten delicate, pink toes rested on the silvery-white heels, looking fresh and tantalizing.
"Your Highness, what do you think?"
Arthas's eyes lit up. High heels didn't exist in Azeroth, so he had thought about creating high heels and stockings for consumption. However, both products were very easy to copy, so he had temporarily dismissed the idea. But since the arrival of the Dragon ambassadors, another thought had sparked in his mind.
He could add magic and enchantments to the high heels and stockings. Magical stockings that could maintain temperature! High heels with a wind enchantment that made walking much lighter, and so on. He could add all sorts of unimaginable enchantments. This was something only a Mage could do, which meant the manufacturing cost would be much higher. But what did it matter? Products sold to nobles had to be of this fine quality. Magical Items with traces of magic and flashy, sparkling special effects would be enough to make them boast!
"Very nice. You look much sexier like this!" Arthas looked at the beautiful High Elf before him. Her snow-white, jade-like legs were clad in sexy black garter stockings, and she wore ten-centimeter high heels. Although she was still a bit unaccustomed to walking in them, the sight was enough to drive any man wild!
Marlene's eyes also lit up. There was no woman who didn't love beauty. She wasn't an old woman, just self-deprecatingly calling herself one. A thirty-year-old mature woman wasn't really old. Her eyes gazed at the sparkling, faintly shimmering high heels and stockings.
"Did you design them, Your Highness?"
"Yes. I plan to make thirty copies and send them to other lords, including nobles from other kingdoms. Let them advertise for me. When they wear them to banquets, it will definitely cause a sensation. Then we'll promote them as a product of Lordaeron, and there's no doubt they'll come to buy. I've also prepared some magical rings and necklaces. These are all money. After we return victorious from Quel'Thalas, their desire to shop will reach its peak. That's when we can sell them!" Arthas's tone was smug. These things looked so sexy on a woman. Forget women, even men couldn't resist!