World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 896 - 421: Fang Qingzhuo resolutely! Jian Ning offers his wife!_2

Chapter 896: 421: Fang Qingzhuo resolutely! Jian Ning offers his wife!_2

However, his image in the eyes of King Zhi Bian of the Rage Wave Kingdom was actually not very favorable. Despite having saved the King’s life, received an ennoblement, and been promoted in military rank, the King was not close to him thereafter.

Because in the reports to the King during the war with Rouran, Count Suo Long made very unfavorable comments about Jian Ze. He described him as brave but boastful, careless with soldiers’ lives, and reclusive and gloomy.

So even though Jian Ze had saved the King’s life, the King did not like him. Zhi Bian was quite temperamental; if he disliked something, he wouldn’t even pretend, which led to him being labeled as erratic by the former king and as stubborn, stingy, and ungrateful by the nobility.

Normally, saving a life would not merit the title of Earl, but the King still granted Jian Ze the title, considering the life-saving debt repaid.

So, Jian Ze was maligned on both sides, his days were extremely difficult.

These hard days continued until Zhi Li returned!

After returning to Zhi Du from Yanjing, Zhi Li was made Shaojun, just half a step away from being the Crown Prince.

Moreover, the nobles and lords who traditionally opposed the King, saw Zhi Li as rain after a drought. They quickly gathered around him, pushing Zhi Li to the frontlines against the King.

Zhi Li also desperately sought and promoted his own support within the crowd. He immediately took a liking to Jian Ze, this outcast who displeased everyone.

He knew he couldn’t sway the powerful Turing Tuo, so he had to rely on him. Hence, Jian Ze became the first real military supporter that Zhi Li drew to his side.

After being neglected for decades, the 47-year-old Jian Ze suddenly found kindness and zeal for capable people in Shaojun Zhi Li, like parched land meeting rain, a frozen body basking in the sun.

It was as if a widow who had slept alone for over a decade suddenly had a handsome, gentle young man in her bed. They hit it off right away, and Jian Ze became Zhi Li’s top confidant in the military.

After that, Jian Ze felt the clouds part and the sun shine through, believing his good days had finally come!

However...

The good days did not arrive; although the nobles of the Rage Wave Kingdom treated him much better, and he was finally promoted from Grand Commander of the Zhi Du City Defense Army to Commander of the Southwestern Legion.

Being one of the four great Legion Commanders of the Rage Wave Kingdom was almost the pinnacle of a military career.

But upon his transfer to the Southwestern Legion, Jian Ze found it worse than being in the Zhi Du City Guards. The entire Southwestern Legion was full of Turing Tuo’s people, who tightly surrounded him.

The legion’s officers completely lifted him onto a pedestal!

He, the Supreme Commander of the Southwestern Legion, had no financial or promotional power and was merely a figurehead.

With Zhi Li’s cooperation, he struggled to interfere in the Southwestern Legion, ceaselessly vying for authority.

However, even though Jian Ze had the ability to fight wars and jostle for power—if one said he did—his temper was too hot, his mind too narrow, lacking patience, with a heavy killing intent, and he wasn’t good at pretending. So after four to five years, he still hadn’t secured the Southwestern Legion.

Among the kingdom’s four great legions, Duke Zhi Wei of the Southeast Corps enjoyed both supervision and command, was a member of the royal family, and could control great power and gain loyalty without any pretense.

Turing Tuo’s influence was deep-rooted and overwhelming, but his acting skills were top-notch.

Chu Ye of the Northern Legion relied solely on careful and cautious warfare, almost strictly following the textbook approach. Yet, his excellent acting ability, crying ’Dad’ one day, ’Mom’ the next, and displaying roughness to his soldiers to win their hearts, ensured the secure position of his Legion Commandership, with the Northern Legion firmly in hand.

Only Jian Ze, the Commander of the Southwestern Legion, felt so suffocated in his role.

It was only on the battlefield that he had an opportunity to shine!

Finally, during the campaign against Suo Lun, Jian Ze once again demonstrated his brilliance.

Chu Ye of the Northern Legion, and Qili of the Central Army, fought as poorly as dirt, but only Jian Ze at the Tianlang Pass battlefield managed to breach Tianlang Pass.

However, just as Count Suo Long had assessed, Jian Ze had little regard for the lives of his soldiers. His style of warfare was like the Seven-Injuries Fist, harming the enemy a thousand and self-harming eight hundred. His eyes saw only the target, not human life.

Moreover, from the first day he breached Tianlang Pass, only to be retaken by the Rock Thieves Corps, the subsequent battles yielded no achievements.

Because in the first day’s battle, nearly 60,000 were lost, with the Southwestern Legion suffering over half the casualties. Afterward, he was no longer able to command his troops.

Of course, he also had the so-called Southeast Rebel Army at his disposal, a full one hundred thousand strong. But this bunch was made up of the local riffraff from the Southeast Province, unfit for any real battle!

...

At the Tianlang Pass battlefield, within the great camp of Jian Ze!

Jian Yong appeared within Jian Ze’s Central Army tent, while his son, Jian Ning, had surrendered to Suo Lun, and was now a hostage and prisoner at the Wind Thunder Fortress Defense Line.

"Zhi Li His Highness has been defeated," was the first thing Jian Yong said.

Jian Ze’s eyes widened in shock as he hissed, "How is that possible? His Highness Zhi Li had an army of four hundred and fifty thousand. He staked it all on a frontal assault on the Wind Thunder Fortress Defense Line; even if it were an iron wall, it would have been breached. If I had been in command, victory would have been secured long ago."

Two to three days had passed since Zhi Li’s massive defeat.

But the distance from the Wind Thunder Fortress Defense Line to Tianlang Pass was a full four hundred li, and taking a detour made it even over five hundred. The battered soldiers had not yet reached Tianlang Pass.

Moreover, no one had informed anyone via carrier pigeons, and now the Royal City thousands of li away knew of Zhi Li’s defeat, while Jian Ze remained unaware, showing his failure as a person.

Jian Yong said, "He talked a big game, and indeed, he gambled it all. But at the critical moment, he was still conniving with Turing Tuo, intent on preserving his strength. When the battle turned sour, he immediately abandoned everyone and fled. There were still over two hundred thousand troops on the battlefield, and had he led from the front, there was still a chance of victory. But the moment the tide of battle showed signs of defeat, he fled."

"He’s a useless general who’s cost the lives of thousands," Jian Ze slammed the table angrily.

Jian Ze was less than 1.7 meters tall and looked quite aged, much like a farmer, yet his eyes were always fierce and intimidating.

Jian Yong continued, "Not only was Zhi Li’s military defeat catastrophic, but politically he’s been utterly disgraced. His collusion with Turing Duo, his murder of Tuli Yang, and his scheming to seize control of Luan Yang City have all become public knowledge. Now he’s utterly detested, hopeless."

Painful convulsions crossed Jian Ze’s face. Zhi Li was the first lord to appreciate and use him, and now to see such an abject defeat, what was Jian Ze to do next?

Jian Yong said, "Now that Zhi Li is hopeless, nothing can stop Princess Zhiyan from ascending the throne, and nothing can stop Suo Lun from taking control of the kingdom. Ze, it’s time for your opportunity."

Jian Ze asked, "You mean to say, I should pledge loyalty to Suo Lun?"

"Yes," Jian Yong replied, "Once Suo Lun takes power, he will certainly purge Rage Wave Kingdom. Coincidentally, he is short on capable people. You have the ability, but you always fail at politics. Now, all you need to do is go to the Wind Thunder Fortress Defense Line and kneel to pledge your loyalty to Suo Lun. I assure you, the position of the Dragon Guard Legion commander is yours, and it will be a position of true power!"

Jian Ze’s gaze flickered, then he picked up his smoking pipe and took a heavy draw, saying, "Wanting me to pledge loyalty to him? Fine! Let him, Suo Lun, come and request it himself. Zhi Li stood in my courtyard for three days before I agreed to serve under his banner. I only know how to fight, not how to act. Kneeling and fawning over him is something I won’t deign to do. If he wants a fine steed, he must present the courtesy due to the wise. I won’t need him to stand for three days—two will suffice!"

...

Within the Wind Thunder Fortress Defense Line!

Suo Lun was dining with Tutor Niya, and took the opportunity to call over the captive Jian Ning as well.

This man, who once had been the youngest of the Dragon Samurai commanders, was now nearly kneeling as he ate, his neck as if afflicted with cretinism, never daring to raise his head.

He had once offered his wife to Zhi Li for power and position. Now, for the same reasons, he could certainly offer everything to Suo Lun.

Suo Lun did this partially to vent his frustration on behalf of Tutor Niya.

"I’m a simple man, and truly, it was a pearl cast before swine when Niya was with me," Jian Ning humbly sighed. "It’s only with Lord Suo Lun that she truly finds her match, where strings meet in harmony."

Tutor Niya truly felt the utmost sorrow, and the absurdity was laughable.

Was this the same man she had once married, and once admired?

At that moment, Zhuang Zhixuan came from outside with a secret letter and handed it to Suo Lun, which read: "Jian Ze is willing to submit, but the lord must personally request his service, bestowing honor upon the wise as a considerate liege. Three visits to the thatched cottage will suffice."

...

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