Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 421 The Dark and Corrupt Assessment Standards and the Empire's True Strategy in the Border Princely Territories
The assessment team from Maleburg arrived faster than anyone expected. They seemed to have no interest in examining the political and military affairs of the Hessian Territory and went straight to Hessianburg.

Soon, a line of black dots appeared on the snowfield of the Central Plains, moving towards Bauhinia Castle under the leaden sky. Su Li stood at the window of the highest tower of the main castle, his gaze piercing through the swirling snowflakes, fixed on the dark trail pressed into the snow. Behind him, Hilder meticulously fastened the silver buttons on the last of his dark woolen robes, while Ilya silently handed him a sword decorated with a bauhinia flower emblem.

"I hate winter, I hate snowy weather." Su Li frowned, feeling a deeper connection to this world. Like everyone else, he began to harbor a deep-seated aversion to winter. It seemed that winter in this world was inextricably linked to hardship and challenge.

Winter brings all sorts of troubles.

Hilde replied with a confident air, “My lord, everything we face now is hardly a challenge. You need not worry about this assessment team. If they cannot give you a satisfactory result, we will kill them all and have the Imperial Electoral Council send someone else. With Phyllis here, even the Electoral Council will not be able to do anything to you.”

Su Li had no doubt about this. Ultimately, these examiners were nothing more than a group of laborers for the Electoral Council. To put it nicely, they were officials; in reality, they were the Elector's lackeys. No one would risk a fierce conflict with their master for the sake of their lackeys. If Phyllis insisted forcefully, the Electoral Council would suppress the matter.

However, this was not in line with Su Li's wishes, and he did not want Phyllis to become an enemy of all the Electors because of his affairs.

So Su Li waved his hand and said, "My darling, you're being too sharp. I just feel they're a nuisance, and there's no need to wipe them out completely. Phyllis is already overwhelmed enough; let's not add to their troubles."

“Let’s go and meet them.” Su Li turned around, strode down the winding stone steps, and then asked Hilde beside him, “Where is our marshal?”

Upon hearing this, Hilder smiled. When the lord asked where the marshal was, it meant that the lord was already considering using military means. The territory could not be appeased indefinitely, otherwise these corrupt imperial bureaucrats would easily take advantage of the situation.

She immediately and clearly replied, "Marshal Orstein and Deputy Commander Bradley are already waiting at the city gate."

Su Li raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is Vice Commander Bradley here too?"

"Yes. The Knights of Eternal Light are, after all, among the top knightly orders in this world. If Bradley were Grand Master instead of Vice Grand Master, he would be on par with the Patriarch of the Church of the Goddess of Justice and the Grand Prince of the Province of Surland."

"Therefore, his presence can monitor these Electors' Council bureaucrats and prevent them from becoming extremely corrupt. There are rumors that the Bradley Chosen are vying for the position of Grand Master."

Su Li glanced at Hilde and noted down the information. Clearly, Hilde implied that he could lend him a hand.

However, this matter requires careful consideration; supporting a top-tier Grand Master is no easy task. The most effective method is undoubtedly to elevate Bradley's strength to Legendary level.

This method is effective and direct, but it's not quick at all. The challenge of elevating a chosen knight to legendary rank is simply too great. At least Su Li currently lacks the opportunity and information to do so. The only opportunity he's ever had is the Tear of Sharya. The God of Deception, Lanod, became a god simply by drinking a bottle of Sharya's tears! A single drop of this holy tear can instantly elevate a knight of any strength by one rank.

However, Su Li had already used the Tear of Sharya on Dietrich, which elevated him to the Chosen God level. Su Li had no regrets about this decision. Without Dietrich's increased strength, they might not have even won the battle against Blue Mirror Territory. Even if they had won, it would have been a pyrrhic victory. In that case, regardless of whether Hilder or Orstein died in battle, Su Li would have regretted it for the rest of his life.

Aside from this fortuitous opportunity, Su Li had no idea how to help the Chosen Knight break through to the Legendary level. Even if such an opportunity existed, Su Li would find it difficult to give it to Bradley. The benefits of either Hilde or Orstein reaching the Legendary level would be far greater than those of Bradley.

Right now, dealing with the territory assessment team in Maleburg is the most important matter concerning the territory.

The gates of Hessenberg were open. Bradley, clad in the silver-grey robes of the Knights of Eternal Light, stood before them, his vibranium plate armor gleaming coldly in the snow. Beside him stood the imposing Marshal Orstein, dressed in the crimson robes of the Hessian colony, a heavy two-handed warhammer hanging at his waist. Two squads of knights stood at attention on either side—the Hessenberg knights' armor gleamed, shimmering with gold, and, more remarkably, all wore the insignia of the Bauhinia family on their chests. Now arrayed here, they were indeed dazzling and imposing.

The horseshoes clattered hollowly on the stone bridge, signaling the arrival of the assessment team.

Leading the procession was a slightly weary imperial warhorse, upon which sat a man dressed in the dark blue uniform of an imperial official, draped in a thick black bearskin cloak. His face was pale from the cold wind, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his narrow eyes swept over the knights standing solemnly on either side of the city gate before finally settling on Su Li, who was at the head of the procession. Behind him followed dozens of richly dressed officials and soldiers, their armor uniformly styled, their eyes scrutinizing the castle's defenses with keen interest. Two carriages covered in thick felt followed closely behind, their wheels leaving deep ruts in the snow.

The official reined in his horse, his dismounting motion slightly stiff. He brushed non-existent snowflakes from his cloak, his gaze lingering briefly on the knightly insignia on Bradley's chest and the collar insignia of his Orstein battle robe before settling on Su Li. He unbuttoned his cloak, revealing a dark blue uniform with gold trim, signifying his status as a civil official in the Electoral Council, adorned with a small, winged golden lion badge on his chest.

“In the name of the Emperor, and with the authority of the Imperial Electoral Council,” his voice was low, hoarse from a long journey, and tinged with a pretentious stiffness, “I am Helmut von Klaus, commissioned to assess whether the Hessian Territory and its lord, Sir Su Li, meet the requirements of Imperial nobility law, and the rank and responsibilities they are entitled to.” He took out a roll of parchment from his inner pocket, bound with a black ribbon and sealed with scarlet sealing wax bearing the Imperial double-headed eagle emblem. “This is the Council’s authorization document; please examine it.”

Su Li nodded slightly, gesturing for Hilder behind him to step forward. Hilder took the heavy scroll with both hands, but did not open it. Instead, she carefully examined the integrity of the sealing wax and the clarity of the imprint, then nodded to Su Li in confirmation.

"Welcome to Hessen Territory, Commissioner Helmut." Su Li's voice was calm and emotionless. "You must be tired from your journey, and the wind and snow are bitterly cold. Warm food and drinks have been prepared in the fortress. Please, Commissioner and your entourage, rest first."

Commissioner Helmut's gaze swept over Bradley and the well-equipped knights again, finally settling on Su Li's face. His lips seemed to twitch slightly, forming a very faint, fleeting curve, more like a habitual expression than a smile.

"Thank you for your hospitality." He didn't stand on ceremony; clearly, the long journey had taken its toll on his pampered body.

The heavy oak doors of Hessenberg Castle slowly closed in the snow, keeping out the biting wind. The fireplace burned brightly, filling the warm, dry air with the aroma of pine and roasted meat. On the long table, a clean white linen cloth was laid out, and silver candlesticks and heavy earthenware platters held steaming hot roasted wild boar ribs, stewed fish soup, and various other Hessenberg delicacies.

Commissioner Helmut von Klaus sat in a specially arranged chair at the head of the long table, his posture so upright it was as if he had a ruler stuck behind his back. His eating movements were precise and rigid, and his silver cutlery barely made a sound as it clattered on the plate.

Su Li raised the silver glass filled with deep red wine and gestured to the commissioner: "Commissioner von Klaus, this glass is for your arrival, and also to welcome our fellow imperial colleagues."

Commissioner Helmut raised his eyelids and also picked up his wine glass, only symbolically touching the rim to his lips: "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Excellency Su Li. Due to my duties, I cannot drink more."

Su Li put down her wine glass, maintaining a polite smile, and decided to get to the point: "Commissioner, you must have had a long journey and have already formed an initial impression of the territory. I wonder what specific aspects the Imperial Council considers in its assessment of the pioneering territories? We can then fully cooperate to present the true state of the territory."

Helmut paused for half a second while chewing, his narrow eyes turning to Su Li, his gaze devoid of any emotion: "The evaluation criteria are a secret of the council. To ensure impartiality, I cannot disclose them in advance. Your Excellency Su Li only needs to ensure the smooth operation of all affairs in the territory, and that personnel files, tax records, military equipment rosters, and other documents are complete. We will verify them one by one according to the regulations." His fingers unconsciously caressed a small gold double-headed eagle cufflink on his uniform sleeve.

"Confidential? Impartial?" Su Li's smile faded slightly. He swirled the wine glass in his hand and asked sarcastically, "Do these two qualities still exist in the politics of the Empire? This is truly the first time I've heard of them."

The flames in the fireplace flickered, casting shifting light and shadow on Commissioner Helmut von Klaus's stern face. Su Li's undisguised sarcasm cooled the atmosphere somewhat.

The commissioner stopped chewing completely. He slowly put down his knife and fork, the silverware clinking softly on the plate, and then picked up a clean white linen napkin, wiping his mouth with extreme slowness and care.

When he finally raised his eyes to look at Su Li, a greedy glint appeared in his narrow eyes. He glanced at Hilder, who was standing behind Su Li, then at Marshal Orstein, who stood silently like a statue in the corner. Finally, his gaze lingered on the magnificent decorations and jewels in the hall for a full two seconds, and the habitual, cold smile on his lips seemed to deepen slightly.

Only the crackling of burning firewood and the faint howling of wind and snow outside the window remained in the hall. All the accompanying officials and soldiers stopped eating and put down their knives and forks.

Commissioner Helmut did not immediately respond to Su Li's sarcasm. He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table covered with white linen, his fingers interlaced.

His posture resembled that of a negotiator, not at all like the businesslike demeanor of an imperial official. His voice was low, hoarse yet steady, ensuring that only Su Li could hear him clearly.

“Lord Su Li,” he began, each word carefully chosen, “the empire’s territory is vast and boundless. The glory of order requires countless cornerstones to support it. The Expansion Territory is part of these cornerstones. Each cornerstone… has its rightful place and weight.”

He paused, his gaze fixed on Su Li's eyes. "The council sent us here to assess this 'weight.' Weight determines how much a territory can contribute to the imperial order, and also... how much space it can occupy on the imperial map."

Su Li calmly tapped her fingers on the table, simply watching him quietly.

Oliver asked from the side, "Your Excellency, what do you mean by 'weight'?" Commissioner Helmut shrugged, picked up his knife and fork again, and said with a smile, "It's about the weight of your territory! What title do you think it deserves?"

“Oh, by the way. It’s worth mentioning that you know about the swamp territory west of the Twilight Mountains, right? Earl Litanel truly lives up to his reputation as a powerful knight whose name resounds throughout the entire border princely territory. He carries a lot of weight, which is why he has been appointed as an earl. The documents have already been sent to Maleburg and the Imperial Elector Council, and I believe that I will soon be able to persuade all the electors to approve his appointment.”

“You really should meet him; he’s a very generous count.”

Upon hearing this news, Su Li raised an eyebrow, leaned back in his chair, and asked, "The Swamp Territory has been designated as an earldom?"

This is not good news for him.

If the Night Wandering Corpse doesn't make a move, Su Li will launch an attack on the Swamp Territory after the Warm Flowers bloom.

Border princely territories are so cruel, and politics is so ruthless.

Even though the Swamp Territory and the Blue Mirror Territory are completely different, and both have always stayed in their own territories and behaved themselves without provoking any disputes, war is still inevitable.

They blocked Su Li's way to Maleburg, so Su Li had no choice but to use his troops against them.

Unifying the border princely territories is Su Li's established strategy and the will of the entire territory, and it will not change under any circumstances.

So whether they actively provoke the war or remain peaceful, the Black Forest's military might will be directed west of the Twilight Mountains.

But an earl is quite a lot in this border princely territory.

There may not be 10 earls in the entire border princely territory.

More importantly, this pioneering knight had just been awarded the rank of earl by the empire, only to be killed by Su Li a few months later, which certainly didn't sound good if word got out.

This is a slap in the face to the imperial leadership.

In a country that values ​​aristocratic lineage, territorial annexation and forced unification are inherently acts of violence and detract from virtue.

It can be said that Su Li's attempt to unify the entire border princely territory is a defying-the-sky act that will encounter resistance from the entire world.

Otherwise, this territory wouldn't have remained fragmented. To unify a territory as large as a princely domain requires withstanding pressure from the entire world and intervention from countless allied forces.

If the swamp territory is upgraded to a count's territory, the obstacles it will bring to Su Li will be even greater.

Fortunately, Su Li quickly adjusted his mindset and replied calmly, "Oh? I just heard about this. So what makes them so influential? They actually managed to persuade all the electors to recognize him as an earl!"

It's important to understand that the interests of the various electors are not aligned, and many are even in conflict. What could possibly persuade all the electors to agree unanimously and satisfy everyone's interests… Su Li thought about it briefly, and it seemed there was only one answer: the Golden Crown!

So Su Li asked bluntly, "Or rather... how much money did he give you?"

Helmut leaned forward again, his voice so low it was almost a whisper, yet undeniably direct: "This weight, of course, needs to be measured. The title of Kingdom Knight is the Empire's initial recognition of the pioneers; it represents... the loyalty and strength embodied in ten thousand gold crowns." He looked directly at Su Li, his eyes sharp. "The Baron's scepter requires a more solid foundation; it demands that the territory prove it has the 'weight' to protect its territory and defend its borders... This 'weight' is usually determined as... the resources and determination represented by one hundred thousand gold crowns."

"Of course, if Your Excellency has higher aspirations and wishes for the territory to have a higher starting point and greater authority... for example, an earldom title worthy of its current territory, population, and military strength, and to ensure that the parliamentary report gives the Hessian territory's potential... 'unreserved' praise, making it a model for border princely territories... then this 'unreserved' praise needs a matching support that guarantees the report's 'perfection.' We believe that 50 gold crowns is... a number that reflects sincerity and foresight."

Su Li immediately laughed. He gripped the glass tightly with his right hand, and the wine glass shattered into countless fragments, spilling bright red grape wine everywhere.

No wonder the Black Forest Territory couldn't find out the evaluation team's assessment rules beforehand. Su Li even doubted whether they were honest and upright.

Looking back now, it's utterly absurd! With such a dark and corrupt political system in the empire, how could there possibly be a clean and honest team?
There's only one reason why bribery fails: the amount of money offered for bribery is far too little to warrant the risk of them leaking secrets.
Su Li gritted his teeth and asked, "So when you assess the strength of a territory or the level of a pioneering territory, you completely ignore the territory's politics, economy, and population! You don't even consider its military and finances, but only the amount of bribes the territory has received?"

This is truly in line with the empire's consistent corrupt practices!
Su Li had previously held some expectations for this evaluation and assessment team, but now it seems that their darkness and corruption are even more unscrupulous than she imagined, to the point that they have no bottom line whatsoever.

The firelight from the fireplace flickered on Commissioner Helmut von Klaus's face. The sound of Su Li crushing the wine glass and the splashing wine instantly silenced the entire banquet hall. The dozens of accompanying officials and soldiers all turned their gazes toward the head of the table, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

The commissioner's greed and fake smile vanished instantly, replaced by an offended, chilling annoyance. He put down his knife and fork and began to carefully wipe his cuffs, damp with a few drops of splashed wine, with a slow, almost suffocatingly slow motion.

“Your Excellency Su Li,” his voice was no longer lowered, but returned to its pretentious rigidity, even carrying a hint of admonition, “please watch your words and actions. You are facing an envoy representing the authority of the Imperial Elector Council.”

He raised his head, his slender eyes staring directly at Su Li. There was no panic in his eyes, only an arrogant condescension, as if he were stating some self-evident truth.

"Your question itself reveals your shallow understanding of the Empire's expansionist policies." The commissioner's voice was exceptionally clear in the silent hall. "What constitutes bribery? We believe this is the most direct and effective criterion. If a territory cannot even produce 10000 gold crowns, its strength is certainly negligible. Conversely, being able to produce 10 gold crowns is sufficient proof that their strength is worthy of the status of a baron!"

"Your thinking is too naive, Bauhinia Knight. Think about it from another perspective: why do the Electors of the Empire establish pioneering territories in the border princely territories? Why do they acknowledge the noble status of pioneers? Is it to appreciate the pastoral scenery, or to listen to a knight's personal 'virtue' story?"

He glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the indignant Black Forest officials and generals, before finally settling on Su Li's face.

"No! Of course not! All the grand plans and expansions of the empire are just excuses! In the end, it's all about reaping profits! If the expansion of the border princely territories doesn't satisfy the interests of the electors, why would they support this cause? Why would they recognize new nobles?"

"A territory that can't even prove its own 'weight' and can't provide substantial support to the imperial leadership," the commissioner said with disdain, "what is the point of its existence? Its so-called 'strength,' 'population,' and 'economy' are nothing but a bunch of worthless numbers if they can't be converted into actual resource input when the empire needs them to contribute!"

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a cold awl: "Count Letanel of the Swamp Territory, his 'weight' is crystal clear! He understands the immense pressure the Empire faces on its borders, and he understands the hardships the Electors endure to maintain the Empire's massive war machine! He generously donated nearly 50 gold crowns, ensuring every Elector has a tangible income! This proves his loyalty, and even more so, it proves that his territory possesses the strength and determination to support the Empire's great cause! Only such a territory deserves a higher status, and only such a territory is worthy of the Empire's greater trust and resources!"

"Your Excellency Su Li," the commissioner's voice carried a blatant threat, "you keep saying that Black Forest Territory is powerful and vast, even comparable to a count's territory. Then, prove it in the most direct way! Prove your loyalty to the Empire! Prove that your territory has the 'weight' necessary to support this status!"

He leaned back in his chair, crossed his hands on the table again, and resumed his commanding posture: "Ten thousand gold crowns are the threshold for a knight of the kingdom, proving that you are qualified to be a cornerstone of the imperial order. One hundred thousand are the cornerstone of a baron, proving that you have the ability to protect a region. Five hundred thousand are the cornerstone of an earl, proving that you have the potential to become a pillar of the empire on the borders, deserving the highest praise and recommendation in the council report."

"This is not a bribe, Your Excellency Su Li," the commissioner's voice was firm and authoritative. "This is a 'Special War Contribution Tax' that you and your territory are paying to the Empire. It is the only way for you to prove your worth and obtain your rightful status! It is the core of the Empire's expansion policy!"

"What the Empire needs are lords who can fight and spend money, not farmers who only know how to farm! So-called strength without the backing of gold coins is worthless on the scales of the Elector Council!"

(End of this chapter)