World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 900 - 423: Turing Tuo kneels? By the King’s command!

Chapter 900: 423: Turing Tuo kneels? By the King’s command!

After killing Jian Ze, Suo Lun met with the generals of the Southwestern Legion and the officials of the Southeast Rebel Army in his tent on the mountain.

In the first day’s battle at Tianlang Pass, Jian Ze had taken a desperate gamble by attacking the pass, resulting in over fifty thousand casualties, all of whom were soldiers of the Southwestern Legion.

Now, the entire Southwestern Legion was left with only slightly more than forty thousand men. However, there were still nine centurion-level officers left, with only one dead.

The Southeast Rebel Army, on the other hand, was formed by local officials hiring riffraff and bullies to please Zhi Li after Suo Lun abandoned the Southeast Province; it numbered a full one hundred thousand strong.

In the battle of Tianlang Pass, Jian Ze didn’t even let the so-called Southeast Rebel Army fight.

This rabble would be utterly useless on the battlefield, only capable of spoiling the situation. Their sole purpose was to rampage, pillage, and plunder Tianshui City after breaching Tianlang Pass.

Thus, up to now, the hundred thousand Southeast Rebel Army had suffered almost no casualties. However, following yesterday’s news of Zhi Li’s defeat, forty to fifty thousand had already fled, with the remaining half also ready to escape at any moment.

As for the officials of the Southeast Province, more than half of them fled, leaving a small number who realized that the whole Rage Wave Kingdom was Suo Lun’s territory, questioning where else they could flee to. So, gritting their teeth, they stayed behind to grovel before Suo Lun.

"Is it true that Duke Turing Tuo sent someone to persuade you to lead your troops to Baiyun County and join him?" Suo Lun asked.

"Yes!" The generals of the Southwestern Legion bowed.

"Then why didn’t you go?" Suo Lun asked.

The generals of the Southwestern Legion looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.

After all, they hadn’t yet come to a consensus on Duke Turing Tuo’s character—neither speaking well nor ill of him seemed appropriate.

After a moment of contemplation, one centurion said, "We are generals of the Southwestern Legion. Our course of action should follow the royal command. It should be the decree from the Commander-in-chief’s Office with His Majesty’s Jade Seal, not a private order from Duke Turing Tuo!"

See, there’s no lack of acting talent anywhere.

Suo Lun said, "So are you saying you wish to follow the King’s will?"

All the generals present knelt down and said, "Your subordinates shall heed Your Majesty’s will!"

Everybody knew that the King’s Jade Seal was in Suo Lun’s possession, and all edicts were drafted by Suo Lun himself.

Immediately, Suo Lun produced an edict, saying, "Count Tuli Yun, receive the order!"

Lord Tuli Yun immediately knelt down.

Suo Lun said, "By the mandate of the Dragon heir, the King decrees that the City Lord of Luan Yang, Tuli Yun, is to provisionally assume the role of Commander of the Southwestern Legion. Let this be respected!"

"Your subordinate receives the decree, and thanks Your Majesty for the grace!" Count Tuli Yun kowtowed.

Count Tuli Yun was appointed as the acting Commander of the Southwestern Legion, but what about the affairs of Luan Yang City? This wasn’t something the King could meddle in. Generally, it would be the heir to the City Lord who takes over the matters of the territory.

Of course, according to the traditions of the kingdom, nobles should not hold positions within the kingdom, nor enter the Commander-in-chief’s Office or the Cabinet.

But... all rules are made to be broken.

Count Suo Long had previously served several times as the Commander of the Dragon Guard Legion, but as an upright man, he indeed never entered the Commander-in-chief’s Office. Moreover, he only assumed the role of Commander during times of war. Each edict was written clearly, stating it was only a temporary assignment.

At this moment, Count Tuli Yun was also provisionally appointed as the Commander of the Southwestern Legion, but how long this temporary period would last was entirely up to the King’s discretion.

The King could declare fifty years as temporary, and no one could do anything about it.

"Do any of you object to Count Tuli Yun becoming the Commander of the Southwestern Legion?" Suo Lun asked.

"Your subordinates will obey the decree!" Several centurions kowtowed and then perked up their ears to listen to what was most important to them next—their own fate.

After all, following Zhi Li to campaign against Suo Lun was a great sin, but law does not punish the masses; one couldn’t possibly execute all of them, right?

And in a civil war within the kingdom, whoever won would need to show magnanimity.

Suo Lun said, "One of the ten centurions of the Southwestern Legion has died; his place will be filled by Jian Ning! Jian Ning, come and meet your colleagues!"

Jian Ning stepped forward and bowed, "I have met my colleagues. From now on, we shall be comrades sharing the same pot."

The generals present couldn’t help but admire him. When Zhi Li His Highness was in power, he was the trusted confidant. Now that Zhi Li His Highness has lost, he has become a confidant to Suo Lun.

It seems the scions of great families are truly extraordinary.

"Let the so-called Southeast Rebel Army return to their hometowns; anyone who does not leave camp by tomorrow will be executed without exceptions," was Suo Lun’s final command. "The original Southwestern Legion shall temporarily stay at camp."

...

One day later, inside Baiyun County City!

Duke Turing Tuo was in a rage because he had learned from yesterday that Earl Chu Ye was leading an army of two hundred and thirty thousand men across the Nu River at Nanlin Ferry, steadily entering Baiyun County!

What was his intention?

If he wanted to attack Suo Lun, he should cross the river at Nanlin Ferry, not Baiyun Ferry.

If he intended to lead his troops back to their barracks, he should be heading directly west, and certainly not entering Baiyun County.

His grand entry into Baiyun County could only mean one thing—that he was after Duke Turing Tuo himself!

Based on Chu Ye’s own courage, even with ten times the guts, he wouldn’t dare to attack Duke Turing Tuo on his own. It had to be that Suo Lun promised him something.

What could Suo Lun have promised Chu Ye?

Of course, it would be to replace Duke Turing Tuo!

This filled Duke Turing Tuo with rage, "Well done, Suo Lun. You can accommodate Chu Ye, you can accommodate Jian Yong (unknown to him that Jian Ze had died, but he knew Jian Yong had surrendered to Suo Lun), why can you not tolerate me, Turing Tuo?"

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.