Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 537 It's that time of year again for the annual assessment, Earl Su Li?

When Oliver heard Su Li ask about the nobles who had submitted, a slightly mocking sneer appeared on his face. He bowed slightly and replied:

"Your Excellency is wise. When Lord Hilde's army was advancing, and with the main force of Litanel destroyed and Mudcrown Castle sunk, there were indeed no fewer than three barons and eight knights of the kingdom who chose to submit, hoping to preserve their titles and territories."

“However,” he changed his tone, his voice turning icy, “just as the sun’s rays dispel shadows and scorch creatures accustomed to darkness, the true nature of these so-called ‘nobles’ will soon be revealed under our subsequent rule and scrutiny. In the past month, we have carried out a necessary round of… ‘cleaning.’”

He began to explain the situation point by point, his tone as calm as if he were listing goods:
"First are the three barons. The baron of Greywood, as you already know, has been uprooted along with his family because of his collusion with Slaanesh, and his territory is now under our direct control."

"The other one, the Baron of Blackwater, after surrendering, secretly colluded with the remaining swamp monster forces of his former master, Litanel, in an attempt to plot a rebellion. He was caught red-handed by our patrol and has now been hanged along with his core followers on the gallows in the town square as a warning to others."

"Now, only the last baron remains—Baron Kasper of 'Ravenwood Castle,' who is rather... pragmatic."

"As for the eight knights of the kingdom," Oliver continued, with a hint of disdain in his voice, "one of them, shortly after surrendering, attempted to flee to Maleburg with his confidants and valuables, but was caught by our border cavalry, and his head is now hanging on a stake at the tax post."

"Two others, after being examined by the priests of Lieyang, were found to have engaged in long-term bloody human sacrifices in order to survive in the swamp, and to have prayed to some unspeakable evil creatures of the swamp. Their souls were already tainted and did not meet the 'purity' standards of the imperial nobility. They have been stripped of their knighthood, sent to the stake, and their families have been demoted to servants."

"Therefore, at present, only five Kingdom Knights are truly recognized by us and allowed to retain part of their territory and titles."

Oliver then gave a brief introduction to the six “survivors,” painting a picture of the typical chaos and decadence of the border princely nobility.

Baron Kasper of "Ravenwood Castle," a fat, cunning middle-aged man. His castle sits on a relatively dry highland, renowned for its hard, black wood used to make bows and crossbows. A man of utter disloyalty, he has spent his life opportunistically oscillating between Litanel, Maleiburg, and various border warlords. His survival to this day is solely due to his keen sense of smell and timely act of submission. How long his current "loyalty" will last depends entirely on whether the blade of the Hessian territory remains at his throat. He is currently trying to place his daughter in a bureaucracy within Hessian territory, seeking a new patron.

"Anvil" Hans, a knight of the Kingdom, is a rare, and somewhat "upright," knight. He rules a small iron mine and its associated villages. A warrior, simple-minded, and devoted to strength, he feels more fear than loyalty towards Ritanel. He submits to Hilder's formidable military power, and accepts it willingly. As long as the Blacksem territory remains powerful and provides him with basic respect and opportunities to fight, his loyalty is relatively reliable. He is currently preoccupied with how to increase iron mine production to meet the targets set by the Blacksem territory.

The knight of the Kingdom of Georg, known as the "moneylender," is more of a merchant in armor than a knight. His "territory" is a small town at the crossroads of an old trade route, and his main wealth comes from usury, running inns, and warehouses. His only reason for submitting is to avoid disrupting his business. This man is shrewd and profit-driven, actively gathering information on the details of the new tax laws and commercial regulations in the Hessian Territory, trying to find new avenues for profit. The priest of the Church of the Blazing Sun describes him as having "a soul filled with the stench of money, but so far, no trace of chaotic corruption has been found."

"Veteran" Warner, a knight of the Kingdom, is a scarred and taciturn old soldier. His territory is the most barren, consisting of only a few swamp villages that rely on fishing and moss gathering for sustenance. He was once a captain in Litanel's army, earning his knighthood through meritorious service. He submitted because he was tired of pointless fighting and believed that the rule of the Black Forest Territory at least brought order. He has little ambition and mediocre administrative skills, and is currently struggling to adapt to the requirement of paying taxes to the new lord.

"Widow" Margarita, a female knight of the Kingdom. A young woman who inherited her deceased husband's title and territory. Her territory includes a small valley suitable for growing hardy crops and a lumberyard. It is no small feat that she managed to retain her lands despite the covetousness of Litanel and the surrounding male nobles. She submitted readily and quickly expressed a "strong interest" in the Goddess of the Sun. She is using her gender and beauty to try to establish "good relationships" with mid-level officers and officials in the Blacksem territory in order to gain a foothold in the new power structure.

The Knight of Lucas, the "Pious One," is an unexpected figure. He rules a relatively isolated village near the Twilight Mountains, where the villagers mostly make their living by hunting and mining. A fervent follower of the Sun Goddess (possibly even earlier than some in the Blackwood Territory), he submits to Suli with an almost pilgrimage-like mentality. He believes Suli to be the goddess's messenger sent to unify the North and purify the darkness. His loyalty is extremely high, but his religious fanaticism can sometimes be a headache; he is actively demanding that the Sun Cult establish a holy site in his village and hopes to join the crusade against "heretics."

Oliver concluded, “My lord, these are the only six remaining members of the old nobility. They are of different personalities and have impure motives, but at least outwardly they have all submitted and begun to act in accordance with our laws. We will continue to monitor them; those who are useful will be kept for now; those who are useless or have ulterior motives…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Su Li nodded slightly. This group portrait was exactly what he had expected; the nobles of the border princely territories were always such a mixed bag. Being able to select these few who were temporarily usable was already a good result.

They will be mere embellishments and tools for the Blacksene Territory to rule this new land, but certainly not a reliable foundation. True rule will depend on the Blacksene Territory's own military strength and the faith of the Sunfire Cult.

Then, a question came to mind, and he asked casually, "What happened to those territories whose titles were revoked and whose property was confiscated? Have any fools caused trouble by using the name of their former masters?"

Oliver was prepared for this and calmly replied, “My lord, small-scale disturbances and discontent are inevitable. As the old proverb reveals, in the Old World, the followers of Lanod and the resentful rebels always existed like mold in the shadows, in the cracks of any territory, colluding with each other and waiting for their chance to strike.”

He then changed the subject, his tone filled with absolute confidence: "However, in the face of the might of your army, these sporadic acts of resistance are like fireflies in the blazing sun, utterly insignificant. Several foolish attempts to rally the fleeing troops, attack tax collectors, or burn granaries were swiftly quelled by the local garrison or patrolling 'Steel of Atonement' squads. As a result, they had virtually no impact other than providing us with a new batch of slaves for dangerous labor."

However, Oliver then mentioned a noteworthy phenomenon: "However, one thing is worth mentioning. Most of the surviving core members of the families whose titles we abolished did not choose to stay in their homeland and futilely resist, but instead... packed their belongings and went to Maleburg."

"Oh?" Su Li raised an eyebrow, showing interest. "Go to Maleburg? Seek the protection of their Lord Joachim?"

“It’s not just Lord Joachim,” Oliver corrected. “Their primary target is the Electoral Council’s residence in Maleburg. They’re going there to lodge a complaint and accuse us of our ‘atrocities.’

He emphasized the word "atrocity," his tone tinged with sarcasm: "In the traditions and cultural understanding of the Empire, for a nobleman to arbitrarily abolish another nobleman's title and forcibly annex his territory without the formal ruling of the Electors' Council or His Majesty the Emperor is itself an unforgivable atrocity that disrupts the feudal order. In their eyes, the actions of our Hessian Territory have undoubtedly trampled on the cornerstone upon which the Empire has been sustained for thousands of years."

Upon hearing this, Su Li first clicked her tongue slightly, then a look of absurdity and understanding appeared on her face.

“Atrocity?” He repeated it softly, as if savoring the weight of the word, then shook his head and murmured in a slightly mocking tone, “This is nothing… They probably haven’t seen the real, annihilating atrocity yet. Sometimes, I really don’t understand some of the unspoken rules of this world, always leaving a way out, lacking that… well, ‘clan elimination’ kind of thoroughness and efficiency.”

Oliver couldn't fully grasp the deeper meaning of his sentiments from another world, but he could sense that the lord didn't seem to find the current handling of the situation "clean and efficient" enough.

However, Su Li quickly came to terms with it. He smiled calmly and waved his hand, "Fine, let them be. Let them make a scene in Maleburg, the bigger the scene, the more they cry, the better."

His eyes gleamed brightly: "The more they tearfully denounced our 'atrocities,' the more embarrassed and powerless those bureaucrats in the Electoral Council became. Just think, so many nobles who had passed the imperial examinations and were officially recognized—from powerful counts like Litanel to knights of the kingdom, including several barons who were pillars of the state—and what happened? In just a few months, a pioneering lord whom they deemed 'not even up to the lowest standard of a knight of the kingdom' wiped out more than half of them with overwhelming force."

“That slap was incredibly loud.” Su Li could almost picture the officials’ furious and helpless expressions, and a sense of amusement crept into his heart. “The ones who will lose face are not our Black Forest Territory, but those blind, greedy, and corrupt council officials. Just imagine them in their mansions right now, facing these weeping, impoverished nobles, and that still-smelling Litanel head, their anger, resentment, and utter helplessness… Heh.” He chuckled a few times, then his smile faded. Remembering another crucial matter, he lightly tapped the armrest of his throne with his fingertips, his tone tinged with amusement and anticipation:

"Speaking of which, it's almost the end of the year again. As is customary, it's time for the Electoral Council to assess noble titles and review promotion applications. I'm really curious how our 'friends' stationed in Maleburg plan to handle this year's 'promotion application' from our Hessian territory, after all this commotion. I want to see how they plan to clean up this mess they created themselves."

His gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, fixed on the beleaguered city to the west, awaiting the start of the next act of the drama. The Electoral Council was now in a dilemma; acknowledging Su Li's status would be tantamount to slapping themselves in the face, while continuing to reject him might provoke an even more intense reaction. Regardless of their choice, the initiative was firmly in Su Li's hands.

The city that Su Li was gazing at, the Electoral Council residence in Maleburg, was no longer as bustling and arrogant as it once was. Instead, it was filled with a deathly silence and a heavy smell of blood.

In the square in front of the official residence, the enormous head that belonged to Litanel had been swept away. But the terrifying atmosphere it left behind did not dissipate at all; on the contrary, it became even more chilling now, because not far from it, on the crenellations of the city wall and on the rows of makeshift gallows deliberately erected at the edge of the square, hung another kind of "spectacle"—dozens of corpses dressed in the uniforms of low-ranking imperial bureaucrats, swaying gently in the winter wind.

The most striking figure was Commissioner Helmut, who had been responsible for reviewing promotion applications in the Hessian Territory. His face, once etched with harshness and coldness, was now twisted and purple with suffocation, his eyes bulging, filled with the fear and disbelief of his impending death. Not only him, but all the commissioners who had ever been involved in the assessment and management of the Litanel lineage of nobles, regardless of their rank, had been uprooted and hanged on the walls of this city.

The Electors' Council's fury was not diminished by distance. When the lords of Terra received urgent battle reports from Maleburg and the lamentations of the impoverished nobles, especially upon learning that Litanel's head had been thrown at the gates of the mansion and that the eastern trade route had been completely blocked, their rage nearly lifted the dome of the council.

Although the harsh evaluation standards and the corruption inherent in those unspoken rules were tacitly approved or even condoned by the parliament, such a huge oversight caused the empire to lose face and create such a terrible enemy out of thin air, so someone had to take responsibility. The high-ranking officials naturally wouldn't admit their mistakes, so all the anger was directed at these "incompetent" frontline bureaucrats.

A ruthless purge quickly unfolded. Hundreds of Electoral Council officials stationed in Maleiburg were arrested, interrogated (often in a very brief manner) on charges of "dereliction of duty," "seriously damaging the interests of the Empire," and "causing border unrest," and then sent to the gallows in droves. During that period, the gallows in Maleiburg were almost constantly in operation, with the cawing of crows and the stench of rotting corpses becoming the new background noise of the city.

However, amidst this bloodshed, one extremely conspicuous figure managed to survive—the obese Baron von Kleist.

While his colleagues were being led to the gallows, the committee chairman, who was initially considered primarily responsible, was merely dismissed from his post and placed under house arrest at his residence. This unusual leniency shocked and bewildered all the survivors. After all, the anger of the council's higher-ups had been so intense, and their methods so ruthless; how could they have spared him alone?

The answer was soon revealed with the arrival of a newly appointed high-ranking official.

Duke Bohemond, from the province of Suland, with his stern demeanor and formidable strength, assumed supreme power in the Electoral Council office of Maleburg. He was one of Princess Phyllis's most trusted and capable lieutenants. The implication of sending him to clean up this mess was self-evident—the "special relationship" between Princess Phyllis and Suli of the Hessian lord had long been known throughout the land, becoming a political reality that the lords of Terra could no longer ignore and exploit.

With the arrival of Duke Bohemond, Baron von Kleist's unexpected background finally came to light. This seemingly foolish and greedy fat man was actually suspected to be the brother-in-law of a powerful Elector! This hidden kinship became his lifeline at a crucial moment, allowing him to survive the purge storm in Parliament.

Duke Bohemond acted swiftly and decisively. He ignored the impoverished nobles still weeping in the city, hoping the council would "take charge" for them, and he didn't bother to appease the furious but helpless Lord Joachim. His mission was clear: to quell Su Li's anger at all costs, stabilize the situation in the northern border princely territory, and prevent the already established behemoth of the Black Forest from continuing to stir up trouble and disrupt the peace of the border princely territory.

After reviewing all the documents and fully assessing the current situation, Duke Bohemond sent a firmly worded report to Terra. Soon, the Electoral Council reached a consensus, and an unprecedented decision was swiftly passed and sent to Maleiburg in the highest-level official document.

The core message of the document is contained in a single, brief, yet earth-shattering sentence:
"By unanimous decree of the Holy Empire's Electoral Council, the title of Imperial Earl is hereby conferred upon the Pioneer Knight Su Li Bauhinia, effective immediately, granting him jurisdiction over all territories under his actual control."

He rose from a commoner pioneer knight, bypassing all intermediate ranks such as kingdom knight and baron, and was directly promoted to imperial count!
This is unprecedented in the entire history of the border princely territory! The Electoral Council has acknowledged Su Li's strength and status in this way, which is almost a slap in their own face, and has also declared the complete bankruptcy of their previous bureaucratic assessment system.

All of this is both a compromise with reality and a subtle indication of the invisible influence of the princess who is far away in Suland and has a close relationship with Su Li.

When the document was presented to Duke Bohemond, the duke, known for his aloofness, merely glanced at the gilded coat of arms and brief text. Instead of showing any relief, he let out a deep sigh.

Instead of immediately ordering the documents to be sent to the Black Forest Territory, he convened a small, core meeting. Attendees included several of his trusted advisors and a few distinguished guests with powerful presences.

One was a burly man clad in the iconic black and gold plate armor of the Flame Sun Knights. His hair and beard were fiery red, his face resolute, and his eyes sharp as an eagle's. Just sitting there, he exuded an invisible heatwave. He was none other than Adelbert Franz Joseph, the legendary Grand Master of the Flame Sun Knights, one of the most powerful armed forces under the command of the Goddess of the Sun.

The other was an elderly man dressed in the robes of the Archbishop of Eternal Flame, Dean Hector. His face was kind, but deep within his eyes lay a faith as fiery as molten lava. As the Dean of the Eternal Flame Cathedral in Maleburg, he held a highly respected position within the Church of the Blazing Sun.

Duke Bohemond gently placed the promotion document on the table, his gaze sweeping over Adelbert and Dean Hector, his voice low and solemn:
"The document has arrived, but this thin piece of parchment is unlikely to truly quell the burning anger and surging ambition in the heart of that Bauhinia Knight."

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed eastward, as if he could see through the mountains to the rising castle of the new elite.

“You know better than I do that Earl Su Li… what he lacks now is not the title of earl, nor even the belated and forced recognition from the Electoral Council. What he lacks is merely the foundation accumulated over time and some nominal ‘legitimacy.’ And these things are being rapidly made up for in the face of his invincible military might and the legendary power of that Holy Lily Knight.”

He turned around, his gaze first falling on Grand Master Adelbert of the Flame Sun Knights, his tone carrying an unprecedented solemnity:
"Your Excellency Adelbert, you are the sharpest sword of the Church of the Sun, the wrath of the goddess walking among men. I am afraid that my own words or a document from the Council alone will not be enough to truly stop that ambitious young count. Therefore, I implore you, in the name of the Sun, to come with me to Hessenburg."

He paused, then looked at Dean Hector, and at another knight sitting beside Adelbert, a man of calm demeanor and intelligent gaze—Paulus Friedrich, the vice-commander of the Knights of the Flame Sun.

"And Vice-Commander Paulus, Dean Hector. As far as I know, you two have a long-standing friendship with Count Su Li, are both favored by the goddess, and are brothers and sisters walking on the same sacred path. Your advice may reach his ears more effectively than any diplomatic rhetoric."

Duke Bohemond's voice was full of sincerity; he slightly opened his arms, as if to demonstrate his unreserved stance:
"Please believe me, I am of one mind with you and with the Province of Surland. The bond between Princess Phyllis and Earl Suli is unwavering, and Surland and Hessen are blood-bound, unbreakable allies. Our journey here is not to suppress or condemn, but to guide, to ensure that this powerful force, blessed by the goddess and rising in the North, moves in the direction most beneficial to the Empire, the Church, and our common cause."

(End of this chapter)