Grand Duke Arges, I'm Totally Screwing You Over!

Harry trotted along eagerly behind Du Chen, burdened with bags of all sizes. Today, after several hours of confidential discussions with Mas and other Holy Church representatives, Du Chen was preparing to leave Saint John City.

Although Lady Belmonde had privately gossiped with Harry, suggesting that their master’s hurried departure was an escape from marriage, Harry, observing his expressions, sensed something was amiss. As a Shieb skilled in flattering and currying favor, Harry, based on his recent understanding of his master, believed Du Chen's intent to leave before the engagement ceremony was twofold: first, it was a deliberate act of defiance against Grand Duke Arges, a blatant effort to humiliate him greatly. Second, and more likely, he wished to avoid publicly rejecting Lady Avril at the ceremony itself. Leaving early was surely more acceptable and allowed Lady Avril to retain some noble dignity, rather than saying, 'My lady, I truly do not wish to marry you,' in front of a large crowd.

If that were truly the case, then his master didn't actually dislike Lady Avril!

Harry covertly glanced at Du Chen, who was striding ahead, holding his daughter. He then buried his thoughts deep within his heart, understanding that a servant's duty was not to dwell on what was beyond their purview.

Compared to when he arrived, Du Chen was now accompanied by over a dozen people. All of them would follow him to the Newin River territory. These individuals, originating from the Southern District's impoverished populace, had received immense benevolence from Du Chen and were, without a doubt, loyal—at least for now. Moreover, they had performed outstandingly in the Lotus Charitable Foundation's enterprises and possessed great potential for development. Thus, Du Chen was sending them to the territory to study under Imperial officials. In the future, these individuals would become the primary administrative officials of the Newin River territory, and Du Chen's trusted subordinates.

Presently, one of them inquired, “Lord, weren’t you supposed to meet your fellow students in the embassy district, then take a Wyvern Carriage from the orchard to inspect your territory? Why are you still wandering idly through the Southern District with your luggage?”

“Leave? Some people won’t let me depart Saint John City so easily!” Du Chen shrugged with a smile. “It’s better to be proactive than to be ambushed at the city gates!”

The man, having distinguished himself among thousands of employees in the Foundation's enterprises, naturally possessed a certain level of intelligence. He pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Ah, is it about your engagement ceremony with Lady Avril? Hmm, if you leave like this, Grand Duke Arges’s dignity…” He left the sentence unfinished.

Du Chen interjected with a laugh, “Don’t emulate those nobles in the Imperial Capital. In front of me, say whatever you have to say, and speak truthfully! In the future, even when you become officials and nobles in the territory, I still hope you’ll speak your minds, just as you do now!”

The man gave an embarrassed smile and, along with the dozen or so companions, nodded. Their hearts swelled with gratitude towards Du Chen—who could have imagined that a year ago they were miserable wretches in the slums, and a year later, they were being groomed as future leaders of local government, with the dream of becoming noble officials no longer a distant fantasy. All of this, Francis had bestowed upon them!

*Boom, boom!* The thunderous, yet orderly, hoofbeats approached from a distance. Du Chen’s eyes narrowed, and a cold smile touched his lips.

*Grand Duke Arges, I knew you wouldn’t let me leave Saint John City just like that!*

The Imperial Vice-Commander-in-Chief’s face was livid with rage, and the fifty-plus red-armored Holy Flame Knights behind him wore grim expressions, exuding murderous intent. Witnessing this scene, pedestrians on the street scrambled to get out of the way, fearing they might be implicated. *Heavens, was this not the same scene when Marshal Arges went to war?*

Deboning also smirked. “Young Master, Arges is wearing Sigurd’s battle armor, bearing his Holy Flame Longsword, riding an Eight-Star Aberrant Beast, the Flame-Scaled Lion, and has brought the fifty most elite Holy Flame Knights. It seems… he intends to use force to compel you to submit and stay for the engagement!”

Du Chen rubbed his nose and chuckled. “As expected. Our Grand Duke Arges will do anything for his prestige, even things he’s incapable of!” With that, he gestured for his dozen future mainstays to step back, while he and Deboning advanced to meet them.

“Francis! Dare to take one step out of Saint John City and see what happens!” Arges reined in his Flame-Scaled Lion, drawing his longsword with a *clink*, and thrust it into the ground before Du Chen. “The engagement ceremony has already been announced to all the great families of the Imperial Capital! If you leave the city before the wedding, what will become of the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate’s dignity? How will the descendants of Ancestor Sigurd face the other great nobles of the Imperial Capital?! Hmm?!”

Du Chen calmly looked up at the sky, seemingly oblivious to Arges’s furious demeanor. After a long moment, he slowly and deliberately said, “Grand Duke Arges, it seems you should pay a visit to a confessor, because your memory seems to be quite problematic! I believe I’ve made myself clear enough. Was what I said last time unclear, or did you simply not understand?!”

Arges’s face grew sinister, and he glared at Du Chen with overflowing killing intent. “You disobedient son…”

“Careful! Please mind your words. I recall someone already having cast me out of the family! I am no longer a direct descendant of Ancestor Sigurd! Especially not someone’s son!”

“Fine, you can deny being my son, but you cannot change the fact that you are a descendant of Ancestor Sigurd! Francis, do you intend to bring shame upon Ancestor Sigurd’s glorious name?!”

Du Chen shrugged. “The Ancestor’s prestige was earned on life-and-death battlefields through glorious military achievements, not through the deceitful methods of the incompetent, such as political marriages! Do you understand? Grand Duke Arges, you should know who truly brought shame upon the Ancestor’s name!”

This was an open and blatant insult, calling the Imperial Vice-Commander-in-Chief incompetent and despicable! Arges’s face instantly turned ashen. He dismounted, and with a *whoosh*, pulled his longsword from the ground! His mount, the Flame-Scaled Lion, also bristled, baring its fangs and preparing for battle!

*Swish!* The Holy Flame Knights drew their swords!

Du Chen gave a look to the ready-to-act Deboning, signaling him to be patient, then chuckled, “Your Excellency, the Vice-Commander-in-Chief, do you truly intend to murder an Imperial Earl and a Lord in broad daylight?!”

Arges sneered, “Holy Church law stipulates that the patriarchs of Divine Scion families possess partial divine authority! My killing you in the name of the Ancestor would be absolutely lawful! Francis, as long as you return with me and dutifully go through with the engagement, I will spare your life!” He glanced at Deboning, sneering inwardly. *Indeed, your subordinate is very powerful, powerful enough to easily kill me. But do you dare order him to kill the Imperial Vice-Commander-in-Chief on the street? Hmph, today I hold the winning hand. I will certainly teach this defiant son a harsh lesson!*

In truth, Arges had no idea that if Du Chen truly wanted to do so, Deboning would eliminate Arges without hesitation. What did being the Imperial Vice-Commander-in-Chief matter then?!

Noticing the growing crowd of onlookers, Du Chen suddenly curved his lips into a smile, his expression betraying the triumphant smirk of a successful schemer. Then, as if in an instant, his tone shifted, and he cried out sorrowfully, “Are you truly going to force me into a political marriage for your own selfish motives?!”

The voice was mournful and raised in pitch, utterly unlike the low, insidious whispers he had used to taunt Arges moments before.

Arges was stunned. *What was happening? When did Francis start speaking so ‘softly’?*

Du Chen’s loud cry carried far, reaching many commoners hiding in the distance to watch the spectacle. In their eyes, they hadn’t heard a single one of Du Chen’s previous, almost arrogant, words of rebuke to Arges. They had only witnessed Arges’s murderous intent, treating his own son with the same hostility he would an enemy beastmen army like McAllen’s. How were the commoners to perceive this? What was Du Chen’s standing in their hearts now?

This was the Southern District’s commoner area, the heartland of Du Chen’s Charitable Foundation!

Indeed, ordinary commoners naturally wouldn’t dare to confront the heavily armed Imperial Vice-Commander-in-Chief. However, among the Foundation’s workers, who owed their well-being to Du Chen, there were always a few impassioned and daring individuals. Gradually, whispers began to reach Arges’s ears.

“What’s going on? The Vice-Commander-in-Chief is going too far. How can he treat his own son like that?”

“Exactly, it’s outrageous!”

“Do you know what? A few days ago, southerners who came to the Imperial Capital to seek justice for Lord Francis told me privately that Grand Duke Arges stripped Lord Francis of his right to ancestral worship because Lord Francis used a massive sum of ten thousand Gold Coins for disaster relief!”

“What? How can disaster relief be wrong? Grand Duke Arges cares so little for the lives of us common folk… If only Lord Francis were the Vice-Commander-in-Chief!”

Rumors, as always, tend to distort as they spread. The crowd of onlookers grew, and the murmurs intensified. How could an Eight-Star Battle God like Arges not hear any of this?!

Slowly, Arges began to lose his composure!

Du Chen, his face etched with sorrow, leaned closer to Arges. He looked like an abandoned child, deeply wronged, pleading for his father’s forgiveness. Yet, the words Du Chen whispered into Arges’s ear were venomous. “Your Excellency, the Vice-Commander-in-Chief, whether you believe it or not, if you dare to lay a hand on me today, I will bankrupt your reputation among the commoners of Lanning! I will make them curse you even in their dreams!”

“Hmph! Mere commoners, what can they do to me?!”

Even as Arges stubbornly uttered defiant words, his heart was already losing confidence. Public reputation and political achievements—without a good reputation, how could there be achievements?

Du Chen gave a sinister smile. “Commoners? Let me tell you something: the people’s will is the foundation of the nation! His Majesty will not allow a Duke cursed daily by the common folk to remain in the position of Vice-Commander-in-Chief of the General Command Headquarters! Otherwise, when your General Command Headquarters goes to recruit soldiers, how many commoners will voluntarily enlist? When your General Command Headquarters tries to gather logistical supplies, how many merchants will be willing to contribute military provisions? Think about it. On the battlefield, if the parents of your soldiers are cursing you, how many soldiers will be willing to fight for you then… Ha! You’re still young, not senile yet, so you should be able to grasp the pros and cons of this situation!”

Arges stared at Du Chen with hateful eyes, grinding his teeth. The hand gripping his sword hilt hesitated. He forced himself to say, “Francis, enough nonsense! Hmph, which official of many years hasn’t been slandered? Your tricks have already been overused by my political enemies!”

“Yes, your political enemies have indeed slandered you, but can their influence among the commoners compare to mine? Ha, tell me, if your political enemies slander you, how many commoners will believe them? But if I were to say you’ve taken bribes, how many commoners would *not* believe it? At least the two hundred thousand commoners of Saint John City and the people along the eight hundred-li stretch of the Newin River would believe it implicitly. Am I right?”

*What to do? If I let him go, my reputation among the nobles will be completely ruined! Capture Francis… Leaving aside my reputation among the commoners, just the Nine-Star Battle God beside him is enough to make my group reconsider!*

To be honest, Arges’s interception of Du Chen today was more due to Du Chen’s refusal of the marriage, which made him lose face. At the very least, he needed to put on a show to preserve noble dignity. But unexpectedly, now he was losing even more face!

Arges was caught between a rock and a hard place, but Du Chen smiled, continuing in a low voice, “Your Illustrious Vice-Commander-in-Chief, can’t you make a decision? It seems not only is your memory poor, but your mind is also problematic. Why are you still silent? Is your tongue also malfunctioning? How pathetic! The dignified direct descendant of the God Sigurd, the more I look, the more he resembles an imbecile!” Du Chen, through this mix of grievances and insults, thoroughly vented his long-held resentment.

Arges was almost driven mad by Du Chen. “You beast, I will kill you today!” Arges raised his sword, as if about to give the command to attack.

Du Chen, smiling, restrained the vigilant Deboning. His Lotus Internal Force had informed him that the outcome of his several hours of confidential discussions with Mas and the Holy Church officials had arrived… Help was here!

A majestic voice rang out: “Your Excellency, the Vice-Commander-in-Chief, what are you doing? Are you attempting to attack God’s favored, His Excellency Francis?” This helper was naturally Ferdinand, the Godfather of the Lanning Diocese.

Ferdinand approached Du Chen with a benevolent expression. “My dear child, Francis, you are leaving Saint John City today, but why didn’t you inform me in advance so I could see you off?”

Du Chen also replied with a beaming smile, “Dear Godfather, I simply wished to avoid becoming a sacrifice to a political marriage, and also to avoid conflict with Lord Arges, so…”

Ferdinand asked in surprise, “Your marriage? How is it that I know absolutely nothing about this? This isn’t a joke, is it?!”

*You don’t know?!* Arges’s words caught in his throat. *This matter has already been announced to all the great families of the Imperial Capital, and you, as the Lanning Godfather, claim to know nothing?!*

*They must be putting on a show for me, and for the nearby commoners!*

Yet Arges dared not lose his temper with Ferdinand. Hearing Ferdinand’s question, he quickly explained Du Chen’s engagement and invited Ferdinand to attend, observing all noble courtesies.

Then, the few of them gathered, their voices lowered so much that the surrounding commoners couldn’t hear a single word!

Ferdinand stared sternly at Arges, saying coldly, “Your Excellency, the Vice-Commander-in-Chief, Grand Duke Arges, I must inform you that the wedding of Francis and Lady Avril will likely be impossible to hold! Because at their wedding, no priest would dare to declare the marriage valid!”

Arges was dumbfounded. “You, what are you saying? This marriage was decided by me and Antoine! It’s a private matter between our two families, how could there be a problem?”

Ferdinand still spoke coldly, “I regret to inform you, Francis is God’s favored. He is now a White-Robed Archbishop of the Holy Church, and… his marriage will likely require the Pontiff’s direct approval!”

“What? You say this beast is a White-Robed Archbishop of the Holy Church? You must be mistaken, surely?” Arges was greatly shocked!

“Grand Duke Arges, you have just insulted a White-Robed Archbishop of the Holy Church. If His Excellency Francis pursues this, you could be in a great deal of trouble!” Ferdinand glared at Arges with an icy gaze!

Du Chen watched the show with a beaming smile. Then, with a hint of awkwardness, he whispered, “Grand Duke Arges is a direct descendant of the God Sigurd, I cannot pursue this matter, and besides, he is, after all…” Du Chen didn’t finish his sentence. He swiftly walked to Arges’s side, leaned in, and discreetly tapped his shoulder with a finger.

“A trade. Today, I will give you a way to save face in front of everyone, and not offend the Holy Church, and the Holy Church will also grant you greater support in the future! But in return, I want the right to freely enter the Ancestral Mausoleum, and all of my mother’s personal belongings from when she was alive! *All* of them!”

Arges smiled, but it was a grimace! He was utterly helpless against Du Chen now; he had no choice. His cast-off son had actually achieved so much in such a short time—an Earl’s noble title, a territorial Lordship, and even a White-Robed Archbishop of the Holy Church. If only time could flow backward…

Du Chen also smiled, his mood truly uplifted. But now it was time to give everyone a way to save face. He turned to the onlookers and, with grandiosity, laughed loudly, “Actually, Your Excellency, the Vice-Commander-in-Chief, misunderstood me. I am not resisting this wedding, nor do I intend to disobey the clan patriarch’s orders! On the contrary, I deeply respect the patriarch! However, I, Francis, have made a Battle God Oath: as long as there is one commoner suffering from cold or hunger along the eight hundred-li stretch of the Newin River, I will never marry! This oath… is witnessed by His Holiness the Pontiff!”

Ferdinand smiled. “Lord Arges, do you understand now? As long as there is a single impoverished person in His Excellency Francis’s territory, he will not marry! If you wish to force him to marry, you must first overturn the will of the witness of this oath, His Holiness the Pontiff!”

Arges didn’t know what to say or do, so he simply stared blankly as Du Chen put on his performance!

He had never imagined that Du Chen’s influence was enough to invoke the name of His Holiness the Pontiff to interfere with this marriage!

“What is Lord Francis saying… did you hear?”

“I heard! Heavens, why am I not a commoner along the Newin River…”

“Ah, I truly envy the commoners along the Newin River. They have met what might be the kindest, most benevolent Lord on the Three Continents!”

“But can the contents of this oath truly be realized?”

Amidst the commoners’ exclamations, Arges gave two dry chuckles, playing along. “So that’s how it is. It seems I was negligent! I never imagined, Francis, that you would make such a magnificent oath, witnessed by His Holiness the Pontiff! Heh heh, a matter witnessed by His Holiness the Pontiff, neither Prime Minister Antoine nor I will object! Very well, the engagement ceremony is canceled!”

Ferdinand spread his arms with a benevolent smile. “The glory of God shines upon all! Your Excellency the Duke, by acting according to God’s will, you shall surely receive God’s favor…”

In a carriage in the distance.

Antoine, hearing Du Chen’s Battle God Oath shouted with battle qi, sighed forlornly. “Avril, Grandpa…”

“No, Grandpa! Francis made a Battle God Oath for the common folk. I should be happy to have such a lover! I am willing to wait, no matter how many years it takes!” Avril said earnestly, though an inexplicable pang struck her heart.

Antoine, looking at his granddaughter, also felt a pang of pain, and anxiously said, “My silly girl, let Grandpa tell you the truth: Francis is implicitly rejecting the marriage! He simply doesn’t want to marry you! It’s just that neither Arges nor I expected him to come up with such… a brilliant scheme—making an oath and having it witnessed by His Holiness the Pontiff! This way, Francis controls his own marriage, and no one else in the world can interfere!”

Avril gave a tragically beautiful smile. “Avril knows, Avril isn’t silly! And your granddaughter understands very well that Francis is handsome, wealthy, and impeccable in character. He also possesses the Heaven-Bestowed Hydro-Body, and at such a young age, he commands eight hundred li of territory, becoming a regional feudal lord… There are too many women who like a man like him, so he might not favor me! If I were to obtain his person through the old methods, I would never truly win his heart. What I want is his heart. Besides, what has he done wrong?!”

“Ah? Granddaughter, are you perhaps ill?… Alas!” Antoine sighed heavily!

Avril pulled back the carriage curtain, gazing into the distance at Du Chen, who was leaving with Arges. She said resolutely, “Grandpa, Avril knows everything you’ve been doing recently! Give up those political schemes. Avril’s happiness must be fought for by herself!”

“You…”

“This year’s Battle God Examination is about to begin… I will prove to Francis that I am the one who loves him most! And the best choice for his fiancée!”

Antoine shook his head, sighing endlessly in his heart.

Saint Sigurd Cain Estate.

Du Chen, smiling, arrived at his mother’s former boudoir, receiving all items related to Phil. He then walked around the room once more. “Your Excellency, the Vice-Commander-in-Chief, is this all?”

Arges, in his own home, showed Du Chen no pleasantries. He said coldly, “Everything is here!” He added through gritted teeth, “Your Excellency, the White-Robed Archbishop!”

Du Chen glanced at him coldly. “Unsatisfied? Let me tell you plainly, I knew you would try to stop me from leaving the city, so I deliberately wandered through the most crowded areas of the commoners’ district with my luggage, luring you here. Then I used public opinion, prestige, and the imposing pressure of the Holy Church to force your hand and make you lose face! Hmph! But what does it matter if you know?”

Just then, Old Foye was brought in by two Grand Matriarchs. Du Chen quickly went to meet him, affectionately taking Old Foye’s hand. “Uncle, you served my mother for many years, so you must know her belongings very well. Please help me take inventory! My father just agreed to give me all of my mother’s relics from when she was alive!”

Old Foye was overjoyed and quickly began to help Du Chen inspect the items. Suddenly, he said, “Grand Duke, where is that Sacred Artifact Box that your wife left for you before she passed?”