Chapter 1120 - 172: Dark, Corrupt Assessment Standards and the Empire’s True Strategy in the Border Prince’s Territory

Chapter 1120: Chapter 172: Dark, Corrupt Assessment Standards and the Empire’s True Strategy in the Border Prince’s Territory

The assessment team from Marle Castle arrived much faster than anyone anticipated. It seems they had no interest in assessing the political, military, and other matters of Hesse Territory, heading straight for Heisen Castle.

Soon, a column of black dots appeared on the snowy plains of the Central Plain, moving toward Bauhinia Castle under the leaden sky. Su Li stood at the window of the highest tower of the main castle, his gaze penetrating the swirling snowflakes, and fixed on the dark trail pressed into the snow. Behind him, Hilude meticulously fastened the silver button on the last piece of his dark woolen cloak, while Ilya silently handed him a sword adorned with the Bauhinia Emblem.

"I hate winter, hate snowy weather," Su Li frowned, feeling more connected with this world. He, like others, started to have an innate aversion to winter. It seemed that winter here was somehow entwined with hardship and challenge.

Problems of various kinds arise with the advent of winter.

Hilude responded resolutely, "Lord, everything that is happening now hardly qualifies as a tough challenge for us. You need not concern yourself with this assessment team. If they cannot give you a satisfactory result, we can simply eliminate them, forcing the Imperial Elector Council to send more. With Philis, even the Electorate Council won’t dare do anything to you."

This was something Su Li did not doubt. After all, these arriving assessors were merely workers for the Elector Council. Officially, they were called officials, but in reality, they were the Electors’ lapdogs. No one would engage in a fierce dispute with an Elector over mere lapdogs. If Philis insisted firmly, the Electorate Council would certainly suppress the matter.

However, this did not align with Su Li’s wishes. He didn’t want Philis to become an enemy of all Electors on his behalf.

So Su Li waved his hand and said, "My dear, you’re too sharp. I merely see them as a nuisance, not necessary to be exterminated. Philis has enough on her plate already, let’s refrain from causing her more trouble."

"Come, let’s go meet them," Su Li turned, striding down the spiral stone stairs, then asked Hilude beside him, "Where is our Marshal?"

Upon hearing, a smile appeared on Hilude’s face. When the Lord inquired about the Marshal’s whereabouts, it implied he was contemplating utilizing military means. The territory cannot solely rely on appeasement; otherwise, these corrupt imperial bureaucrats might get overly bold.

She promptly replied, "Marshal Orstein and Deputy Leader Bradley are already waiting at the gate."

Su Li raised his eyebrows, asking, "Deputy Leader Bradley is here too?"

"Yes. The Eternal Light Knight Order indeed ranks among the top knight orders in this world. If Bradley were not the Deputy Leader but the Grand Leader, he could sit with the Shepherd Leader of the Church of the Goddess of Justice and the Grand Prince of Sulande Province at the same table."

"So his presence is capable of monitoring these bureaucrats from the Elector Council, preventing extreme corruption. Rumor has it Bradley is competing for the Grand Leader position."

Su Li looked at Hilude and noted this information. Clearly, Hilude was suggesting that he might support Bradley.

However, this matter required long-term planning. Supporting a top-level Grand Leader is not easy. The most effective method would undoubtedly be to elevate Bradley’s power to Legendary Level.

But this method, albeit effective and direct, is not quick at all. To elevate a Divine Chosen Knight to Legendary Level is a monumental challenge, one that Su Li currently lacks the opportunity and intelligence for. The only opportunity he ever encountered was the Shalya’s Tear, which the God of Fraud, Lanode, used to directly become a deity after consuming! Such a Holy Tear could instantly upgrade any knight by one rank.

However, Su Li already used Shalya’s Tear on Dietrich, elevating him to Divine Chosen Level. Su Li regretted none of this choice. Without Dietrich’s power boost, the battle for Blue Mirror Territory might not have been won. Even if won, it would be a pyrrhic victory. Had Hilude or Orstein died in battle, Su Li would have regretted it lifelong.

Apart from this opportunity, Su Li was clueless about how to enable a Divine Chosen Knight to break through to Legendary Level. Even if such an opportunity existed, Su Li would find it difficult to give it to Bradley. The benefits of elevating Hilude or Orstein to Legendary Level overshadow those of Bradley.

For now, dealing with Marle Castle’s territory assessment team remains the most crucial business for the territory.

Heisen Castle’s gate was already open, with Bradley draped in the silver-gray robe of the Eternal Light Knight Order, his Vibranium Plate Armor shimmering with rigid light under the snow’s glow. Next to him stood the tall figure of Marshal Orstein, clad in the signature vermilion war robe of Hesse Territory, with a heavy two-handed warhammer hanging at his waist. Two squads of knights stood solemnly on either side—gold-armored knights of Heisen Castle, resplendent and majestic, with the emblem of the Bauhinia Clan proudly displayed on their chests. As they lined up here, their presence was indeed dazzlingly radiant and imposingly mighty.

Hoofbeats sounded hollowly on the stone bridge as the assessment team finally arrived.

At the forefront was a slightly weary imperial warhorse, carrying a man dressed in the imperial official’s dark-blue uniform, cloaked in a thick black bear fur. His face, turned blue by the cold wind, had tightly pressed lips and long eyes that scanned the knights standing solemnly on both sides of the gate before ultimately settling on Su Li himself. Behind him followed dozens of elegantly attired officials and soldiers whose unified armor styles carried eyes of keen interest surveying the castle’s defenses. Two thickly felt-covered carriages followed closely behind, leaving deep ruts on the snowy ground.