“By the King’s decree, the rebellion in Tianshui City has been quelled. Any royal army must immediately withdraw from Tianshui territory, or else be executed without mercy!”
From a distance of several thousand metres, Eunuch Gao Yin’s voice already resounded across the entire battlefield.
Behind him, Suo Lun heard the voice neither too loud nor too soft, forceful and rhythmic, clearly distinguishable.
And Yan Naier, who was a full several thousand metres from Gao Yin, heard his voice as if it were right beside her ear, seemingly just as clear.
“By the King’s decree, the rebellion in Tianshui City has been quelled. Any royal army must immediately withdraw from Tianshui territory, or else be executed without mercy!”
Gao Yin’s voice rang out again and again, reaching the ears of every soldier.
Count Wey turned a deaf ear. He had already decided that he would rather defy the King’s decree than capture Tianshui City and annihilate the Suo clan.
As for the consequences? At worst, he would lose his position as Governor of the Southeastern Province, and his noble rank would be reduced to Marquis or even Count. More seriously, he would merely be imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court.
As for execution without mercy, that was complete nonsense.
He was a Duke in his own right, a true son of the previous King. Even the King would not dare kill him.
When Bian ascended the throne that year, virtually all princes who participated in the succession struggle died unnatural deaths. This caused Bian to face enormous criticism, forcing him after his accession, even though he did not like Wey, to grant him high office and generous position, in an attempt to salvage his reputation.
And now, because Bian had no sons, although he was still the supreme King, he was already like the setting sun. Meanwhile, Weili was like the rising sun, steadily ascending.
Therefore, Count Wey did not believe that Bian would dare kill him at this time.
“Attack, continue attacking…” Wey roared loudly.
Whether for the greater good or out of anger in his heart, he would destroy Tianshui City.
But while he did not care about the King, the warriors and soldiers below still greatly feared royal authority. Upon hearing Gao Yin loudly proclaim the King’s decree, they immediately hesitated and stopped.
Wey flew into a rage, saying, “Why have you stopped? Continue attacking, flatten Tianshui City.”
“But… His Majesty the King’s decree has arrived,” a ten-thousand-man commander said tremblingly.
Wey suddenly drew his great sword and placed it against this ten-thousand-man commander’s neck, saying fiercely, “Do you dare disobey orders? Continue attacking. Whoever speaks of retreat shall die. Whoever shows cowardice in battle shall die. Any consequences, I shall bear.”
Immediately, ten ten-thousand-man commanders were overawed by Wey, ordering the army to continue the attack.
The hundred thousand strong army still surged towards Wind Thunder Fortress like a tide.
Seeing this, Gao Yin immediately shouted angrily, “Count Wey, are you defying the decree?”
His voice was like thunder from the nine heavens, deafening to the ears.
But Wey turned a deaf ear, as if he had heard nothing.
Gao Yin rode his griffin to block the hundred thousand strong army, then suddenly dived towards Count Wey, carrying the momentum of thunder, charging fiercely to within one metre of Wey.
“Count Wey, are you defying the decree?” Gao Yin said coldly.
Wey said coldly, “Who knows whether the decree in your hand is true or false? His Majesty the King has not appeared for a long time. Perhaps it is you, this inner palace treacherous eunuch, forging a false decree?”
Gao Yin said, “By the King’s decree, you are ordered to withdraw immediately. Will you withdraw or not?”
“I will not,” Wey said. “Unless the King personally comes to issue the decree, I will believe it is genuine.”
Gao Yin suddenly raised the Divine Dragon King’s Staff, saying coldly, “I hold the Dragon King’s Staff, which is as if His Majesty the King were present in person. I may execute first and report afterwards.”
After speaking, he injected powerful dragon force into the Divine Dragon King’s Staff.
“Roar…” Instantly, the Divine Dragon King’s Staff released dazzling light, as if emitting a majestic roar.
A powerful aura of majesty enveloped the entire battlefield, filling people with the impulse to kneel.
Then, Gao Yin slowly placed the King’s Staff upon Count Wey’s head, saying word by word, “Count Wey, will you withdraw your troops or not?”
The dragon force condensed within the King’s Staff grew stronger and stronger. Wey immediately felt a terrifying pressure like Mount Tai pressing down upon him.
He mobilised his dragon force, struggling to support himself, sweat raining down, his face pale and colourless.
His martial arts were far too inferior compared to Gao Yin’s. Moreover, this was the King’s Staff, a true execute-first-report-afterwards King’s Staff. Within a short moment, he could barely support himself.
“Roar…” Suddenly, the King’s Staff emitted a dragon’s roar, then smashed fiercely down towards Count Wey.
“My life is finished!” Count Wey was terrified out of his wits. In the instant death descended, he immediately roared loudly, “Lord Gao, stay your hand! I obey the decree!”
When true death arrived, he still could not withstand it.
Although he had always felt that Gao Yin would not dare kill him, he truly did not dare gamble.
After shouting these words, all of Count Wey’s fighting spirit drained away completely.
And his warhorse, completely unable to withstand the imposing manner of the Divine Dragon King’s Staff smashing down just now, directly knelt to the ground.
“Count Wey, what did you say? I did not hear you,” Gao Yin asked.
Wey said with bitter hatred, “I obey the decree, I withdraw!”
This time, the high-ranking warrior officers beside him all heard, immediately shouting impatiently, “Cease attack, cease attack, withdraw immediately!”
Instantly, the hundred thousand strong army, surging like a tide, all stopped, heaving a long sigh of relief in their hearts.
From the depths of their hearts, they did not wish to defy the King’s decree, because King Bian’s renown over these several decades had truly penetrated deep into people’s hearts.
Gao Yin said, “Count Wey, you dispatched troops without authorisation into a feudal lord’s territory. His Majesty orders me to arrest you and bring you back to the capital to face charges.”
Then, Gao Yin took out a yellow paper cangue and placed it upon Wey’s body. This scene was exactly the same as when Duke Weiting was arrested.
Count Wey said to the ten ten-thousand-man commanders, “You lead the army back to Baiyun County, each returning to your original posts.”
“Yes,” the ten ten-thousand-man commanders said.
Count Wey then turned towards Suo Lun, revealing bone-deep hatred, saying word by word, “Suo Lun, remember this. You will not live much longer!”
Then, he leapt upon the griffin, saying to Gao Yin, “Lord Gao, let us go. Take me back to the royal city to face charges.”
This arrogance far exceeded that of Duke Weiting on that day.
…
Gao Yin left, Wey left, and then his hundred thousand strong army also withdrew completely.
The crisis in Tianshui City was thoroughly resolved.
Suo Lun had finally, at the last moment, turned back the situation on the brink of destruction.
The soldiers within Wind Thunder Fortress clearly tasted the flavour of survival after catastrophe. Just now, they had truly been only one step from death.
This Lord Suo Lun before them had once again turned the tide single-handedly, saving everyone.
Among this army were Tianshui City garrison troops and Silver Wolf Legion troops. Their contact with Suo Lun had not been long, but within this short time, this lord had already performed several miracles, completely winning them over.
Seeing Suo Lun walk into Wind Thunder Fortress alone.
“Long live the City Lord!”
Someone started it, and more and more people knelt down, shouting loudly.
“Long live the Lord!”
“Long live Lord Suo Lun!”
Densely packed, soldiers in every corner knelt towards Suo Lun.
…
Naier was angry. After surviving the catastrophe, she did not rush up to him immediately, but instead hid in a room within Wind Thunder Fortress.
After Suo Lun asked which room was hers, he was about to go up to find her, but was blocked by Yan Yan on the stairs.
“Yan Yan pays respects to the Lord.” This King of Silver Wolves knelt on one knee towards Suo Lun.
However, because he was several steps above, even kneeling down he was still taller than Suo Lun.
“I dare not. Father-in-law, you shorten my life,” Suo Lun quickly stepped forward, helping Yan Yan up.
“What have you done to wrong Naier?” Yan Yan’s gaze was like lightning, staring at Suo Lun.
Suo Lun lowered his head, saying, “I slept with Weining.”
Then, he waited for Yan Yan’s furious outburst.
However, Yan Yan’s fury did not arrive. Instead, he continued staring at Suo Lun for quite a while, then stepped back and said, “Naier is in the room on the top floor. What do you plan to do?”
Suo Lun patted the brand new washboard on his back, saying, “Privacy between husband and wife is not something to be shared with Father-in-law.”
“Take care of yourself,” Yan Yan said. “You know, if you dare hurt her again, I guarantee I will tear you limb from limb.”
After speaking, Yan Yan directly walked away.
Suo Lun came to the room on the top floor. He had thought the door would be tightly shut, and no matter how he called it would not open. Unexpectedly, the door was simply standing open.
Naier was standing at the doorway, as if waiting for him. She stood there so prettily, her incomparably beautiful face filled with severity.
“Suo Lun, Weining said you raped her. Is it true or false?” Yan Naier said coldly.
“It is true,” Suo Lun said directly.
Instantly, Naier’s eyes reddened, saying, “How could you do this? I, I will not forgive you.”
Suo Lun’s expression was cold. He drew the washboard from his back and fiercely threw it before Naier.
“Bang!”
Naier involuntarily retreated a step. Seeing Suo Lun’s cold expression, she could not help saying, “You, what do you mean by this? Are, are you going to break up with me again?”
Without another word, Suo Lun’s knees buckled, and he directly knelt upon the washboard.
“Ahh…” Naier was greatly startled, crying out in surprise, “You, what are you doing?”
“I have done something to wrong you. Whether you wish to beat me or kill me, I am at your disposal,” Suo Lun said. “A true man takes responsibility for his actions, admits his mistakes when he knows them. But no breaking up, no cold war!”
Naier had truly been very angry, and had made up her mind absolutely not to forgive Suo Lun.
But Suo Lun actually… was so shameless…
In the instant he knelt down, her mind almost exploded.
In an instant, her heart was completely thrown into chaos. This world was one where men were supreme. Kneeling to a woman was utterly unimaginable.
“You, what are you doing? Quickly get up. If others see this, how can I still live?” Naier said in panic.
“Then have you forgiven me?” Suo Lun asked.
“I… I…” Naier suddenly did not know how to answer.
“Then I shall not get up,” Suo Lun said.
“You, you are shameless,” Naier said tremblingly.
Suo Lun said, “I have always been this shameless. You know that.”
“Quickly get up. If others truly see this, I will never be able to enter your family’s door,” Naier pleaded.
“Then have you forgiven me?” Suo Lun asked.
“Fine, I forgive you, I forgive you, you scoundrel…” Naier said in exasperation. She was truly in a complete panic right now. If others truly saw Suo Lun kneeling to her, Suo Lun’s skin was thick enough that it did not matter. But she truly would not be able to live.
Moreover, if word reached Suo Ningbing’s ears, she would certainly have a poor opinion of her. The Suo clan’s retainers would certainly consider her extremely overbearing and rude.
“Then from now on, will you let me touch you?” Suo Lun said.
Naier did not hear clearly for a moment, nodding muddleheadedly, “Yes, yes, quickly get up.”
Suo Lun pressed his advantage, saying, “I must reach inside your clothes to touch, not only your chest, but your bottom too.”
This time, Naier heard clearly. Instantly, she was completely unable to endure her exasperation. She grabbed Suo Lun and gave him a fierce beating.
Suo Lun immediately howled and wailed miserably. Clearly it did not hurt much, yet he cried out loud enough to shake the heavens, frightening Naier into thinking she had truly hurt him. She quickly stopped.
Who would have known that in the next second, Suo Lun pounced upon her like a hungry tiger upon a lamb, throwing her down onto the ground. His large hand decisively burrowed into her garments, grabbing fiercely.
“Darling, today I shall certainly eat you. Even if you scream your throat hoarse, it will be useless.” Suo Lun cackled, then his mouth was like a wild boar, arching and biting towards the great peaks upon Naier’s chest.