“Garci killed a blue-blooded baron, and he will pay the price!”
The Earl of Lanshan swore, his face dark with fury.
The noble commanders behind him also wore solemn expressions.
Even though the Windfly Plains had seen constant skirmishes, nobles of the rank of knight rarely perished in battle; even during the last great conflict between the lion and the tiger, no such casualty had occurred!
Yet now, at the very beginning of the war, a baron had given them a bloody warning with his life, showing clearly that this war was different from before!
“If that’s the case, why didn’t we press the advantage and pursue them?”
Wu Ming silently grumbled inwardly, though he understood the rules of nobility.
Even in times of war, when the opposing side actively withdraws, it signifies a symbolic submission. Truly noble gentlemen would leave them space to regroup and recover.
The etiquette and customs of nobility had long been deeply ingrained in these ancient blue-blooded families.
For example, once a knight was defeated, as long as he surrendered his sword and armor, he would be treated as a prisoner of war and no one could harm or humiliate him—even receiving preferential treatment in daily life.
Most importantly, even if surrounded and defeated, if the enemy’s lord attempted to flee, no noble or knight on the opposing side could pursue him, out of respect for the lord’s dignity.
“Actually… these seemingly cumbersome rules were created by the blue-blooded nobility to avoid internal depletion, yet they’ve labeled them with words like humility and courtesy… especially, even their descendants have been brainwashed by them!”
Wu Ming looked at Earl Lanshan with a hint of pity.
Clearly, that mighty lion from the Highlands was not of the same blue-blooded lineage, and would surely seize this opportunity to teach the earl a lesson he would never forget.
Baron Triff had already used his death to show Earl Lanshan that this was not merely an internal conflict among the blue-bloods—it remained to be seen when the earl would finally realize it.
“My knight, William!”
The Earl of Lanshan took a deep breath, perhaps treating the earlier baron’s death as an unfortunate accident.
However, Triff’s departure had left the cavalry without a commander, and someone needed to step in immediately.
Therefore, with little choice, he placed his sword on Wu Ming’s shoulder: “I hereby appoint you as commander of the cavalry, and this order takes effect immediately!”
Traditionally, only those with noble titles could serve as commanders of noble armies.
For a mere knight, commanding five hundred cavalry was somewhat beyond his station. Some perceptive individuals were already looking at Wu Ming with interest.
Because the earl’s action had already signaled to others that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, if Sir William could maintain his valor, after the war he might well be granted a baron’s title.
In the Earl of Lanshan’s view, offering a baron title and one of his daughters in exchange for the loyalty of William Wallace, along with substantial financial contributions, was a rather favorable deal.
Unfortunately, Wu Ming’s ambitions had already surpassed merely becoming a baron—he wanted much more!
“Thank you for your trust! I will certainly lead the cavalry and fight bravely against the enemy!”
He smiled slightly and replied succinctly.
…
The first day of battle ended quickly.
Although the death of a baron had cast a slight shadow over the opening of the war, the fact that the Blue Tiger banner gained the upper hand was clear for all to see.
After a brief moment of mourning for the baron, Earl Lanshan excitedly decided to hold a banquet, offering large quantities of salted meat, salt, and white bread to the soldiers, planning to crush the enemy forces the next day and force Viscount Garcia to surrender.
Wu Ming looked at the Earl of Lanshan, who was glowing with excitement, and inwardly estimated that the earl had probably already thought about how to make Garcia pay for his actions, even preparing a toast for the victory feast after the war.
He returned to his tent, gazing silently at the noisy encampment.
“My lord!”
A shadowy figure spoke in a low voice, stepping out from the darkness behind him.
“I am Clark, the liaison sent by the Church!”
“I sense shadow power within you…”
A glint of sharpness flashed in Wu Ming’s eyes, making Clark feel as if he were being stared at by ten tigers! No, even when he faced a pack of dire wolves alone, unarmed, he had never felt so helpless.
“My lord!”
Clark bowed again, his attitude extremely respectful: “The archbishop sent me here to fulfill any request you may have!”
“You’re a good assassin, and I understand the archbishop’s intentions, but that is not my way!”
Wu Ming shook his head.
That bit of shadow power could at most make Clark move faster and hide more effectively under the cover of night, undetectable to others.
If it came to assassination, it might even be possible to take the Earl of Lanshan’s life, but that wouldn’t be worth it. Even if the earl died, it would bring little benefit to Wu Ming.
Most importantly, any action taken would leave traces.
For someone who aspired to rule the entire Windfly Plains as a king, while he still had choices, he did not wish to let his crown be stained with too much darkness.
“But you are a good liaison! Listen!”
Wu Ming turned around, his piercing gaze seeming to pierce through Clark: “I need you to return immediately and inform the archbishop of several messages, and keep a close watch on the Highlands!”
“Your will shall be done!”
Clark bowed and disappeared into the darkness, vanishing who knows when.
To ordinary people, his movements were like ghosts or spirits, undetectable even to knights, but to Wu Ming’s perception and spiritual power, he was completely exposed.
Even though he had decided to cooperate with the Church, Wu Ming had still kept a few tricks up his sleeve.
Just like now, if one day Clark came to assassinate him, he would certainly die a terrible death.
“Avva!”
After Clark left, Wu Ming thought for a moment and then summoned his squire: “Go and invite Baron Triff, Baron Wilfer, and Lady Tana to come here!”
These minor nobles had now formed a small circle, with varying degrees of closeness, but under the premise of protecting their own interests, they were relatively united.
Sensing that major changes were imminent, Wu Ming began to do his best to rally those who leaned toward him.
…
Just as Wu Ming had reached agreements with the two barons and was dealing with the black widow, Lady Tana, at the center of the camp, the Earl of Lanshan was also not resting.
Nine candles burned fiercely on the golden candelabrum, their wax nearly filling the base.
The Earl of Lanshan sat on a rosewood armchair, before him lay numerous sheets of parchment and a chaotic array of various seals.
Messenger crows circled constantly above the camp, forcing him to deal with a vast amount of official business at all times.
Arranging the food, clothing, and accommodation for nearly ten thousand troops was, in ancient times, nothing short of a terrible disaster—not to mention the losses, the collection and transportation of supplies alone required multiple times the amount just to reach here.
And this disaster would continue.
Fortunately, from today’s signs, Viscount Garcia’s strength was clearly inferior. Perhaps he would wisely recognize the reality and the goodwill the earl had shown, choosing to surrender honorably tomorrow.
The Earl of Lanshan rubbed his temples in slight frustration. If that happened, when he returned to his territory, he might not have to see the treasurer’s face that looked like he was about to hang himself.
“My lord!”
At this moment, the tent flap was lifted, and another young noble entered.
He had a very androgynous appearance, with almond-shaped eyes, peach-like cheeks, and fair skin. With a little makeup, he could be more elegant and charming than many women.
And the fact that he could enter the earl’s tent without needing permission showed how “intimate” his relationship with the earl was.
Interrupted in his thoughts, the Earl of Lanshan frowned, but when he saw this noble, a smile still appeared on his face: “Richard, you’ve come at just the right time. I need your wisdom!”
This Honorary Baron Richard was not only the Earl of Lanshan’s close friend but also his trusted advisor.
“My lord, are you troubled by the issues after the war?”
Richard asked.
“That’s right. Even if Garcia is willing to compensate with large tracts of land, they cannot immediately be turned into golden dragons… and if the war drags on, our territory’s financial situation is no longer sufficient to sustain it…”
The Earl of Lanshan sighed helplessly.
“Therefore, you want to win over that golden knight?”
Richard smiled cunningly: “I’ve heard that the wealth of the Caros territory is more than ten times the treasure vaults of a single earl!”
“Haha… you also believe in such nonsense?”
Although the Earl of Lanshan was laughing, a sharp gleam had already appeared in his eyes.
“With all due respect!”
Baron Richard inwardly sneered, yet his face displayed concern: “While Sir William is a valiant knight, his loyalty to you is far less than that of the other knights from your own lands…”
“But… you must also admit that among all my knights, he is also the most skilled at making money and has contributed the most to me…”
The Earl of Lanshan twisted his body slightly: “And… he can use the Dragon Heart, and he also carries the blue blood. My little Eda is already sixteen…”
“One daughter and a baron title in exchange for all his wealth—perhaps Sir William might still not be satisfied…”
Hearing the Earl of Lanshan speak like this, Richard’s heart was nearly consumed by jealousy.
Even though he was favored by the Earl of Lanshan, he was only an honorary baron, but that William, a filthy commoner who had risen from the masses, was about to become a prestigious, hereditary baron and even marry the daughter of an earl!
“All of this should have belonged to me… Richard Biliz!”
Richard’s heart roared with rage, yet his words were as venomous as the poison from a snake’s fangs.
“Sir William’s loyalty?”
Indeed, as soon as he heard this, the Earl of Lanshan immediately began to hesitate.
After all, Wu Ming came from another world and naturally lacked reverence for nobility, and this subtle attitude had already been vaguely noticed by the earl.
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