World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 781: Three seven nine: Tuli Yang kneels in guilt! Besiege!

Chapter 781: Three seven nine: Tuli Yang kneels in guilt! Besiege!

The royal palace has always been the domain of the King!

There is the eunuch faction led by Li Chenglian, known as the Shadow Cabinet, and the Commander of the Imperial Guards Hei Ningqi, who is utterly loyal to the King!

Certainly, the Imperial Guards are not impenetrable, for over the years, Zhi Li has also bought over some of the generals. However, it’s not very useful because Commander Hei Ningqi has complete control over the Imperial Guards.

Once Zhi Li entered the palace, he felt like he was being monitored at every moment.

Therefore, as a regent, Shaojun Zhi Li always preferred not to handle state affairs in the royal palace.

But today, he led the generals from the Commander-in-chief’s Office, senior officials from the cabinet, and dozens of marquises into the royal palace hall!

The guards of the royal palace hall were loyal to the King’s Imperial Guards. Whatever matters Zhi Li discussed would quickly be communicated to Tian Shui City via carrier pigeon. But he didn’t care; today, he had officially challenged the King.

Today, he seized the opportunity, issuing a final battle to Suo Lun!

After receiving the blood-letter from Turing Duo, Zhi Li said, "Madam, please follow me into the palace."

Then, he helped Turing Duo up and entered the royal palace.

Meanwhile, the surviving samurai of the Tuli Family remained kneeling outside.

...

Zhi Li assisted Turing Duo into the main hall!

Inside the hall, most of the civil and military high-ranking officials of the Rage Wave Kingdom were present, with well over a hundred people.

Zhi Li took his seat beside the throne, the seat reserved for the regent Crown Prince.

"A few days ago, a shocking incident occurred in the kingdom! Due to political disagreements, a marquis was actually assassinated," Zhi Li declared coldly.

Of course, he was somewhat equivocating, as Tuli Yang was not yet a marquis, merely a marquis’s heir.

"If today, Suo Lun can assassinate Tuli Yang, then tomorrow he may assassinate those of you present," Zhi Li continued coldly. "Such flagrant trampling on the kingdom’s bottom line, such arrogance and unruly conduct, are you still going to indulge him?"

"Don’t think that sitting on the fence will keep you safe. On the agreement to oust Suo Lun from the other day, every one of you present has signed your name," Zhi Li continued. "Given Suo Lun’s vengeful nature, even if you sit on the fence today, will he spare you in the future?"

"Regardless of your final decision, I, Zhi Li, will rally the last soldier under my command to fight against Suo Lun. If the army is not sufficient, I will personally take to the battlefield," Zhi Li exclaimed loudly. "In any case, I shall not rest until Suo Lun is annihilated!"

At this moment, Duke Turing Tuo immediately stepped forward and declared loudly, "The thirty thousand troops of the Dragon Guard Legion shall obey the decree of His Highness Zhi Li, mobilize in full force, and fight against Suo Lun!"

Zhi Li said, "I have already informed the Xiliang Kingdom and the Flame Empire through the Dragon Temple, and they have expressed strong condemnation of Suo Lun’s crimes and resolute support for our punitive expedition. Therefore, I order the Northern Legion and the Southwestern Legion to temporarily leave their defensive lines and join the fight against Suo Lun. If this traitor is not dealt with, the country cannot be peaceful!"

Immediately, Jian Ze, Commander of the Southwestern Legion, and Chu Ye, Commander of the Northern Legion, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "We obey your decree!"

The Southwestern Legion mainly defended against the Night Orchid Duchy and Xiliang Kingdom. At its peak, with an army of well over thirty thousand, it had more soldiers than the Dragon Guard Army at the time, and the Commander of the Southwestern Legion was Turing Tuo, while the temporary Commander of the Dragon Guard was Count Suo Long.

Twenty years ago, Suo Long and Turing Tuo led hundreds of thousands of troops to besiege the Night Orchid Duchy and rescue Ashimo of Rouran City.

That battle almost decimated the Night Orchid Duchy and brought the Rouran Province completely under the control of the Rage Wave Kingdom. Turing Tuo was promoted to the kingdom’s top Commander and also served as Commander of the Dragon Guard Legion for his military exploits.

Since then, the Southwestern Legion began to shrink, and now it has only fifteen thousand men.

The Northern Legion’s primary duty was to defend against the Flame Empire, but decades ago, both countries signed a peace treaty committing not to station too many troops on the border.

Therefore, the current Northern Legion also comprises no more than two hundred thousand troops.

Jian Ze, Commander of the Southwestern Legion, is the younger brother of Marquis Jianyong, the dean of the Royal City Academy, and is thus directly aligned with Zhi Li.

Unfortunately, the Southwestern Legion is where Turing Tuo served, and all of its senior and middle-ranking officers are Turing Tuo’s old students. Hence, although Jian Ze is nominally the Commander of the legion, Turing Tuo still practically holds control over it.

"I am willing to lead a hundred thousand troops from the Southwestern Legion to fight against Suo Lun."

"I am willing to lead a hundred thousand troops from the Northern Legion to fight against Suo Lun!"

Now, two of the kingdom’s three great legions have already mobilized five hundred thousand troops against Suo Lun.

Zhi Li looked at the various marquises and said, "What about you? This time, the royal family is fighting for the interests of you marquises!"

At these words, the marquises sneered inwardly.

The greatest beneficiary of eliminating Suo Lun is clearly you, Zhi Li, yet you claim it’s for our benefit.

However, Suo Lun’s recent actions had indeed crossed the marquises’ red line. Even if you wanted to assassinate Zhi Li, why assassinate Tuli Yang? By doing so, how can any marquis feel safe in the future? This is a public enemy of all marquises!

Moreover, at this time, Suo Lun faced the encirclement of Yan Mo’s hundred thousand troops at sea. On land, Zhi Li had already mobilized five hundred thousand troops for the fight.

Even a god could not turn the tide, and Suo Lun was surely doomed!

This time, the tiger was genuinely being killed off!

With Suo Lun’s defeat certain and Zhi Li’s ascension a foregone conclusion, not sending troops today would mean earning Zhi Li’s ire, leading to endless troubles in the future.

At once, the Lord of Ironwood City—who had suffered greatly at the hands of Suo Lun—said, "I am willing to lead five thousand troops to fight against Suo Lun."