World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 711 - 351: Loyalty! Break Ling Ao’s legs!

Chapter 711: 351: Loyalty! Break Ling Ao’s legs!

Suo Lun looked at Yan Wuzhi’s stubborn yet handsome middle-aged face and sighed softly in his heart.

Although he disparaged Yan Wuzhi verbally, his actual opinion of the man was very high.

This was a person whose strengths and weaknesses were both quite pronounced, his talent in domestic affairs incomparable, and he possessed a deep understanding of human nature. He knew how to employ people well, was upright, and resolute.

The downside was his lack of emotional intelligence, arrogance due to his talents, and stubbornness.

Even though he was merely the Chief Historian of the Governor’s Mansion of the Southeast Province, he looked down on everyone, not holding his elder brother, Prime Minister Yan Wuji, much in esteem either.

Such talent definitely required someone very strong to keep him in check and to boldly delegate powers, to protect him so he could charge ahead.

The previous Duke Zhi Wei just barely qualified as such a person, with a broad mind and a strong enough background to entrust the entirety of the Southeast Province’s domestic affairs to Yan Wuzhi.

Yet even so, Yan Wuzhi did not hold Duke Zhi Wei in high regard, thinking of him as nothing more than well-born with no real ability.

Upon Duke Zhi Wei’s beheading by Suo Lun, Yan Wuzhi felt somewhat regretful, but that was it, and he wasn’t greatly saddened.

In his view, the Southeast Province was nothing but a stepping stone for himself, Yan Wuzhi, and Duke Zhi Wei was merely a collaborator, far from being his lord.

On the other hand, Suo Lun’s current status was gained entirely through his own efforts, starting from nothing and rising to power in less than two years, leaving Zhi Li beaten and disheveled.

So, it’s more accurate to say that Yan Wuzhi set his sights on Suo Lun early on, rather than Gui Xingfu having an eye for Yan Wuzhi beforehand.

Yan Tingyi was a fool, merely a loyal hound of Prime Minister Yanwuji.

But Yan Wuzhi, who had always been proud and ambitious since childhood, aspired to accomplish great things.

Due to the circumstance of legitimate birth, he had to live under the shadow of Yan Wuji from childhood, and in the future, beneath his nephew, Yan Tinglu.

How could he be content with that? But within the Yan Party Group, he would never have a chance to shine, and his greatest prospect in life was to enter the cabinet to safeguard his nephew Yan Tinglu. He had no place in the Zhi Li Group.

Therefore, Suo Lun was Yan Wuzhi’s only chance.

But the more desperate he was in his heart, the more he had to put on airs, making Suo Lun treat him with a mentor’s respect to ensure an equitable cooperative relationship between them.

In Yan Wuzhi’s view, in the future, Queen Zhiyan, as the sovereign, would not manage anything. Suo Lun, as the Regent King, would handle military affairs, and he, Yan Wuzhi, as the Prime Minister, would oversee the kingdom’s domestic matters. He and Suo Lun would be equal in power, one managing the pen, the other the sword, like two wheels of the kingdom’s chariot.

He also deeply understood that saying, "Strive for unity through struggle, and unity will survive. Seek unity through compromise, and unity will perish."

Therefore, he could hardly wait to give Suo Lun a taste of his power.

But to his surprise, a few slaps from Suo Lun stripped away his dignity completely, almost bending his backbone.

The Southeast Province official group that he prided himself on managing as tightly as a drum was shattered by Suo Lun in less than a quarter of an hour, with all officials switching allegiances, leaving him isolated.

What struck him even harder was Suo Lun’s profound understanding and analysis of human nature when dealing with Ding Meng and Qin Shizhong, as well as the words he uttered at the end, which showed that Suo Lun surpassed him in both assessing people and understanding the big picture.

Especially Suo Lun’s vision and insight into the situation were much deeper and more profound than his, delivering a tremendous blow to his prideful self.

Thus, at that moment, Yan Wuzhi truly felt as if his backbone had been pulled out, his back bending under the weight.

...

"I won’t kill you, go back," Suo Lun said to Yan Wuzhi with a wave of his hand.

Yan Wuzhi trembled, his mouth opening as if to speak, then hesitated.

Go back? Back to the Yan Clan?

Of course, when he returned to the royal city, he would surely have a good position, perhaps taking up an important official role in the royal city, or being reassigned to another province as the Chief Historian.

But from now on, he was doomed to live under his elder brother Yan Wuji’s thumb, never to be independent.

In the Southeast Province he had strived for seven or eight years, all his endeavors were here, how could he leave so easily?

However, to kneel down now and swear fealty to Suo Lun, he truly couldn’t bear it.

And in his eyes, Suo Lun simply had no one capable of taking up the position of Chief Historian of the Governor’s Mansion of the Southeast Province, not a single one!

"Bring Gui Xingfu to me," ordered Suo Lun with a wave of his hand.

"Yes!" a samurai answered.

Soon, Gui Xingfu was brought to the hall, where he knelt and kowtowed, "Your servant Gui Xingfu pays his respects to the Governor."

Suo Lun said with a smile, "Gui Xingfu, you’ve botched your task, haven’t you?"

Gui Xingfu kowtowed, "This servant is guilty, please punish me, my lord!"

This cunning old turtle was truly remarkable, his skin as thick as ever, now even calling out the word ’lord’ at this moment.

Suo Lun asked, "Chief Historian, are you appointed by the cabinet, the governor, or perhaps even His Majesty the King?"

According to the laws of the kingdom, the Chief Historian of the Governor’s Mansion was entirely a subordinate of the governor, solely appointed by him.

But as politics in the kingdom evolved, the Chief Historian gradually became a position used by the cabinet and the King to check the power of governors, turning into the highest civil official of a province.

But at least nominally, he was still a subordinate of the governor, with appointments made at the governor’s sole discretion.

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