Suo Lun and Zhi Yan rushed into the Purple Jade Palace.
King Zhi Bian was still in a coma. Beside him, Zhi Ting tightly gripped his withered hand, his expression filled with panic and unease.
And Gao Yin had also arrived here in advance. He appeared very calm, but upon closer inspection, his gaze was indeed scattered.
Upon seeing Suo Lun, Zhi Ting said hoarsely: “Suo Lun, come quickly. Quickly wake him.”
Suo Lun stepped forward, gently pinching King Zhi Bian’s wrist pulse. He found it was already extremely weak, almost imperceptible.
“After the Princess and Lord Suo Lun achieved a great victory and entered the royal palace, His Majesty was very happy.” Gao Yin said: “Moreover, because he saw the young lord born to Princess Zhi Ning, His Majesty was even happier. That was his happiest day, and also the day he ate the most. But from then on, he ate less and less each day, until in recent days he could barely eat at all. Most of the time each day, he seemed to be in a drowsy sleep.”
Suo Lun knew why this was.
All these years, the reason he had stayed alive was because a belief supported him.
He wanted to live for Zhi Yan and Suo Lun. Before Zhi Li’s great defeat, he could not die. Once he died, Zhi Li would directly ascend the throne, and the Furious Wave Kingdom would become a colony of the Hidden Continent.
So, King Zhi Bian, who in principle could only sustain himself for a little over half a year, had actually sustained himself for over two years.
After Zhi Li’s great defeat, and Suo Lun and Zhi Yan successfully entering the royal palace, he completely relaxed, and this belief that supported him was also gone.
Of course, soon the Hidden Continent launched an attack, bringing a fatal crisis to the Furious Wave Kingdom. This gave him some belief again.
He wanted to live to see Suo Lun survive this crisis.
But soon, Suo Lun achieved a great victory in this crisis, not only completely surviving it, but also because of the internal struggles within the Divine Dragon Temple, making it impossible for the Hidden Continent to retaliate against the Furious Wave Kingdom for several years.
The Furious Wave Kingdom had entered a few years of golden time.
So the king had truly completely set his mind at ease, no longer forcibly sustaining his life, but letting nature take its course.
Of course, if one were to say what else he could not let go of in his heart, it would be Suo Lun and Zhi Yan’s wedding, and their child.
“Suo Lun, can you wake His Majesty?” Zhi Ting asked.
Suo Lun nodded and said: “I will try. All of you, go out first.”
Instantly, everyone went out. The entire palace was left with only Suo Lun alone.
Suo Lun gently took out a dagger, cutting a small opening at the back of the king’s neck, then cutting an opening on his own finger.
The moment Suo Lun’s finger was cut, fresh blood gushed out. But the opening on the king’s neck took quite a while before it seeped much blood. His vitality was already extremely weak.
Suo Lun’s heart instantly felt incomparably sour.
He pressed the two wounds together, letting their blood mingle.
The Demon Star transformed into countless energy tentacles that drilled into the king’s body.
“Demon Star, has the king had another stroke?” Suo Lun asked.
“No.” The Demon Star said: “He is simply vitality declining, oil exhausted and lamp dried out.”
“Can he be saved?” Suo Lun asked.
“No.” The Demon Star said: “This is natural death.”
Suo Lun said: “Then can he be awakened now?”
“This can be done.” The Demon Star said: “But after waking, he probably only has three to five days of life left.”
Suo Lun’s eye sockets heated up as he said: “Then let him wake up.”
“Yes.” The Demon Star released very weak energy, gently stimulating the king’s brain domain nerves.
Once, twice, thrice…
Suddenly, King Zhi Bian’s withered body trembled slightly. Then he used all his strength to open his eyes.
“Father-in-law.” Suo Lun said in a trembling voice. Then he was about to call the people outside to come in.
But King Zhi Bian directly grabbed his hand, then with difficulty made sounds from his mouth.
Suo Lun pressed his ear against the king’s ear, with difficulty understanding his words: “You, Demon Star, World-Destroying Demon Emperor?”
Hearing these words, Suo Lun’s body trembled violently, looking at King Zhi Bian in disbelief.
He actually knew?!
Like A Shi Li Ren, King Zhi Bian was similarly well-informed and experienced, possessing some understanding of the legendary Demon Star.
After all, Suo Lun was not the Demon Star’s first host.
For ordinary people, the Demon Star was certainly top secret. But for people at the level of King Zhi Bian and A Shi Li Ren, it was not completely unknown.
When Suo Lun used the Demon Star to save A Shi Li Ren, she had already woken up, but Suo Lun had fallen unconscious.
When she was conscious, the Demon Star was still devouring the icy cold energy within her body, so she thought of the Demon Star.
And King Zhi Bian at this time appeared to be in a coma, but actually he was conscious. Only his vitality was truly too weak, insufficient even to open his eyes.
He could perceive everything around him, but could not give any response.
So, he could also feel Suo Lun cutting his wound, and could also feel a stream of energy entering his brain, precisely stimulating his brain domain nerves.
Thus, he also thought of an incomparably mysterious and terrifying term, Demon Star!
The entire Purple Jade Palace was installed with a spirit power shielding energy formation, so any fluctuations inside did not need to worry about leaking outside. That was why the king could speak words like Demon Star and World-Destroying Demon Emperor.
After asking, King Zhi Bian’s dim and powerless eyes looked at Suo Lun, waiting for his answer.
Suo Lun’s face twitched, then he nodded.
Instantly, he felt King Zhi Bian’s hand gripping his tighten. Then he heard his difficult voice by his ear: “Child, do not let anyone know. Anyone!”
For the final word “anyone”, King Zhi Bian had almost used all his strength.
The “anyone” he spoke of, of course, included the most intimate people, such as family and wife, even Suo Ning Bing, Yan Nai Er, and Princess Zhi Yan.
Suo Lun’s eyes filled with tears as he nodded.
Then the king waved his hand, indicating for the people outside to come in.
Suo Lun went to open the door. Zhi Yan, Zhi Ting, and Gao Yin walked in.
The three people surrounded King Zhi Bian’s bed. Every person’s gaze was filled with love and worry.
The king smiled with difficulty. Whether in his gaze or his face, they all revealed an expression of happiness.
He did not need to speak, and others could understand his meaning.
He wanted to express that although as a king, he was not too successful. Because he did not understand compromise, in his final years he was actually hollowed out by nobles and nobles, and the Hidden Continent and Zhi Li seized the kingdom’s power.
But he was a successful father, a successful elder brother, a successful master.
At his deathbed, these people all surrounded him, filled with reluctance to part, filled with love.
How many kings, before their death, still had their sons harbouring sinister designs, fighting for power and profit, with no one caring whether he lived or died, even hoping he would quickly die so they could ascend the throne.
And in some dynasties, after the king died, his sons were still killing and fighting, letting his corpse rot and breed maggots.
But he, Zhi Bian, at his deathbed, had so many people who loved him.
So, he felt himself incomparably happy, and incomparably successful.
He with difficulty grabbed Suo Lun and Zhi Yan’s hands, trembling as he said: “Wedding, immediately wedding…”
Then, he clasped their two hands together.
At this, Suo Lun could no longer hold back. Tears suddenly gushed out.
King Zhi Bian clearly knew he was the master of the Demon Star, the World-Destroying Demon Emperor, yet still let Zhi Yan marry him, still entrusted the Furious Wave Kingdom to him?
Indeed, he was like Suo Lun, extremely emotional.
He truly was not a qualified king, but he was indeed a good family member.
And he wanted Suo Lun and Zhi Yan to quickly marry, because he could not hold on for much longer. And once he passed away, Zhi Yan would have to observe mourning for three years. Within these three years, she could not marry.
So, he wanted Suo Lun and Zhi Yan to quickly marry, before he died, to quickly marry!
“Alright, we will immediately marry.” Suo Lun said.
The king smiled with effort once more, then slowly closed his eyes. He wanted to rest.
Next, his only task was to try to live a few more days. If he could live three days, then three days. If he could live five days, then five days.
In short, he wanted to live until Suo Lun and Zhi Yan’s wedding ended, even though he could not attend this wedding.
“Husband, hand over all political affairs tonight, and send a flying goshawk message to Tianshui City, asking Sister and Nai Er to prepare the wedding. Tomorrow morning, we will ride griffon beasts back to Tianshui City to marry.” Zhi Yan said.
“Alright.” Suo Lun said.
Then, Suo Lun gripped the king’s hand tightly, then kissed his withered forehead.
In this world, his father was Count Suo Long.
But before he became Suo Lun, Count Suo Long had already passed away.
So in Suo Lun’s heart, King Zhi Bian played the role of a father. Both he and Yan Yan were fathers-in-law, but between him and Yan Yan, there was trust yet also a sense of separation.
Between him and King Zhi Bian, there was trust, and also thick familial love and intimacy.
…
Leaving the Purple Jade Palace, in the garden.
Suo Lun and Princess Zhi Yan walked hand in hand in the quiet night, with Zhuang Zhi Xuan following several metres behind.
“Yan, have you truly thought it through?” Suo Lun said: “If you are willing, you do not need to marry me. I will spend five years restoring the Furious Wave Kingdom to prosperity, and establishing the Southern Expedition Great Camp. Then I will completely withdraw, and you will personally take charge of the kingdom’s political affairs. If you feel my power is insufficient, you can make me serve as Cabinet Prime Minister and concurrently First Marshal of the Command Headquarters.”
Suo Lun’s attitude was serious!
After all, he was the master of the Demon Star, the World-Destroying Demon Emperor. Although this secret was known to no one.
But… he did not want to implicate the Furious Wave Kingdom, especially Zhi Bian’s Furious Wave Kingdom.
“No, don’t even think about it.” Zhi Yan stopped her steps, standing before Suo Lun, her star-like beautiful eyes looking at Suo Lun as she said: “Husband, I can’t. I am only interested in cultivation. If you make me govern personally, I will mess up the kingdom within a month. Moreover, you have slept with me at least several hundred times. You must take responsibility.”
Suo Lun smiled and said: “It was me being slept with by you several hundred times, right?”
Princess Zhi Yan said seriously: “Alright then, I will take responsibility for you. Tomorrow we will marry, and then for the next month, I will let you mount me every day.”
Mounting you, you mounting! There was a difference between these two!
“Alright, it’s a deal.” Suo Lun said.
“It’s a deal.” Princess Zhi Yan extended her little finger, hooking it with Suo Lun’s to seal the promise.
…
Returning to the cabinet, Suo Lun saw two long-unseen people kneeling there.
“This old servant pays respects to the lord.” Gui Xing Fu kowtowed repeatedly, his voice choked.
Yan Wu Zhi was not so shameless, respectfully kowtowing and saying: “This subject Yan Wu Zhi pays respects to Lord Duke.”
“You have finally come.” Suo Lun said.
At this time, the cabinet members of the Furious Wave Kingdom were all present. Prime Minister and concurrently Minister of Finance, Duke Zhi Ting.
Minister of Personnel Hei Mu, Minister of War Bei Bu Tuo, Minister of Rites Zhang Zhi Mu, Minister of Construction Zhu Ren Jie.
Apart from Hei Mu, the other three cabinet members had also once colluded with Zhi Li, and their corruption was not small.
However, especially Zhang Zhi Mu and Zhu Ren Jie, Suo Lun would definitely replace them in the future.
Of course, these two people’s lives could still be preserved, because at least their collusion with the Hidden Yuan Association was not deep. On the critical issue of selling out the country, the two of them still had some restraint.
As for the Minister of Punishments, he had embezzled over two hundred thousand gold coins, and had over a dozen Hidden Continent beauties as concubines in his home.
On the first day’s confiscation list, the first person was this Minister of Punishments.
“Gui Xing Fu, the position of Minister of Punishments is temporarily vacant. You will temporarily hold it for a period.” Suo Lun said: “Remember, Yin Du is an old minister of the Ministry of Punishments. You must consult him often.”
Gui Xing Fu instantly trembled with excitement, immediately kneeling and saying: “This old servant obeys the decree. Thanking the Regent King for his heaven-high and earth-deep grace.”
Seeing his posture, Duke Zhi Ting frowned, but let him be.
This Gui Xing Fu kept saying Regent King. The meaning was very clear. In this cabinet, he was Suo Lun’s person, not Zhi Yan’s person.
Regarding his attitude, Zhi Ting felt disdain and contempt.
Speaking of the closeness of the relationship with Suo Lun, I, Zhi Ting, far surpass you, Gui Xing Fu. In Suo Lun’s heart, I, Zhi, am family, while you, Gui Xing Fu, are merely a dog. Truly a wasted effort of a petty person.
“Yan Wu Zhi, from this moment you will temporarily serve as Governor of Zhi Du, and also enter the cabinet.” Suo Lun said: “Tomorrow morning, the decree will be issued immediately.”
Yan Wu Zhi knelt and kowtowed, saying: “This subject thanks Your Majesty for heaven’s grace, thanks the Regent Duke for his great grace.”
His attitude was normal, putting the king before Suo Lun, even though it was Suo Lun who promoted him.
But at this time, no words could express the excitement in Yan Wu Zhi’s heart, nor his gratitude towards Suo Lun.
From the position of Chief Scribe of the Southeast Province, promoted two levels in succession, becoming Governor of Zhi Du and entering the cabinet.
Yan Wu Zhi, who previously saw no hope, had finally reached the peak of civil officials, becoming a cabinet member.
However, Yan Wu Zhi secretly swore that this was merely the beginning. Next, his target was to冲击 the position of Prime Minister.
“Duke Suo Lun, I will let you see that I, Yan Wu Zhi, am a thousand-li horse.”
Suo Lun looked towards Minister of Rites Hei Mu and said: “Lord Hei Mu, from today, you will hold the position of Deputy Prime Minister of the Cabinet. Tomorrow Duke Zhi Ting will go to Tianshui City to attend my wedding. For the next two to three days, you will temporarily manage the cabinet’s political affairs.”
Hei Mu trembled, almost unable to believe his ears.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Cabinet?
This position, he had truly coveted for his entire life.
He was already old in years, knowing that the position of Prime Minister held no hope. His only thought was to be able to retire with the title of Deputy Prime Minister.
But he knew his hopes were slim. Suo Lun was dissatisfied with his performance. During the years of Zhi Li’s rule, although he, Hei Mu, had not gone along with the corruption, he had also been too concerned with protecting himself.
At this time, Suo Lun suddenly promoted him to Deputy Prime Minister, allowing his lifelong wish to be realised. Instantly, he was so moved he wept uncontrollably, trembling as he knelt and said: “This old subject thanks Your Majesty for heaven’s grace, thanks the Regent Duke for his vast grace.”
“Alright, the decrees for all of you will be issued tomorrow.” Suo Lun said: “For the next three days, the political affairs of the Furious Wave Kingdom will be entrusted to all of you.”
“This subject obeys the decree!”
The cabinet members present uniformly knelt and kowtowed.
…
Within the Yanjing Temple!
Fu Ling Xi was about to undergo execution by fire. The last-minute rescue did not appear.
With that priestess’s command, the torch directly ignited the pile of dry firewood beneath Fu Ling Xi!
“Boom!”
Fierce flames suddenly blazed up.
Terrifying flames instantly devoured Fu Ling Xi’s entire body.
“Ahh… ahh… ahh…”
The elegant and stunningly beautiful Fu Ling Xi let out an unprecedentedly mournful scream!
Boundless pain made her screams appear incomparably mournful and desperate!
“Ahh… ahh!”
Immediately after, a bizarre scene appeared!