Chapter 356: Chapter 237: There’s Meat to Eat with Duke Augustus (Part 1)

Fang Zhen maintained a calm expression, sipping his tea as he watched Mansa and the others’ reactions with great interest.

’Damn it...’ Mansa could more or less guess what Fang Zhen was up to.

A feeling that Fang Zhen was showing off for them welled up uncontrollably within Mansa.

But even knowing this, Mansa was still shocked. He had no choice but to give Fang Zhen the reaction he was looking for.

No one was forcing Mansa to react this way; it was just that Fang Zhen had genuinely pulled it off.

He hadn’t just brought supplies—he’d brought supplies of such a high caliber that the soldiers’ standard rations were now almost better than what the Mages under Tarrenno used to eat.

Even if they knew Fang Zhen was showing off, the man clearly had the means to back it up. It was a display of power based on genuine ability, leaving everyone speechless.

In truth, people don’t really mind when others show off. What they hate is when someone with no real ability tries to fake it.

When someone with real talent revealed it, that was called a demonstration of strength, not just posturing.

Fang Zhen was very satisfied with the reactions of Mansa and the others.

Mansa’s reaction was particularly gratifying. The shock on his face wasn’t faked, and his utterly bewildered expression was so genuine it was as if his very soul had been stolen away.

’This Elder Mage probably won’t get any sleep tonight trying to figure this out.’

Fang Zhen felt a thrill of satisfaction. It made all the trouble of hauling everything over, bit by bit like an ant moving its home, completely worth it.

’Appearing so impressive in front of everyone, and the effort behind it wasn’t even that bad. A little extra trouble was nothing.’

The expressions on Agatha, Tahar, Finn, and the others were also a pleasant sight.

Fang Zhen stood up, his playful demeanor giving way to a more serious and focused expression. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

His goal, after all, wasn’t something as superficial as simply showing off.

The true purpose behind stunning Mansa, Agatha, and the others was to establish his authority and build a magnificent, larger-than-life image of himself in their minds—an image of someone who could do anything.

Leading an army was just like leading any team. It wasn’t enough to simply have sufficient Combat Power; you also had to regularly do things that would shock people, earn their admiration, and surpass their wildest expectations.

After a few more displays like this, his subordinates would, over time, come to see Fang Zhen as omnipotent, immensely powerful, and someone whose capabilities would always defy their expectations. They would become subconsciously convinced of his superiority, which would in turn dramatically lower the cost of managing them.

When your subordinates respect and fear you, everything becomes much easier. Otherwise, with several thousand people, if they don’t submit to your authority, they’ll start causing trouble, and one person can’t possibly fend off all of it.

Fang Zhen knew he had to keep doing things like this to establish his authority in others’ hearts, making them follow him, execute his commands, and carry out his will with wholehearted conviction.

Moreover, Fang Zhen wasn’t afraid of anyone trying to discover the origin of his supplies.

Such matters, in truth, all depended on one’s status.

When your status is low, people will doubt you and try to dig up your secrets.

But when your status is high, others will automatically fill in the blanks. Even if they have questions, they won’t dare to ask. They’ll end up creating their own explanations for your actions, perhaps even mythologizing you.

Take the Great Mage Liu Xiu, for instance. The man supposedly summoned a meteor shower—it’s written in the history books—yet no one ever dared to ask him how he did it, or if he just got lucky.

As long as Fang Zhen’s status became high enough, then no matter how implausible his deeds, future histories would simply explain it all away with a phrase like "he was aided by gods and spirits."

"Alright, we have the supplies. Let’s return to the encampment."

"We’ll have a proper cook-up tonight. Let the soldiers have a good meal. And then," Fang Zhen said, his expression turning grave, "we march for Viscount Keton’s Territory to prepare to engage Duke Balenzuo’s army."

"But before that," he said, "there are a few things to do and several letters to send."

...

Fang Zhen returned to the main encampment with the supply train.

He quickly taught the army cooks how to handle the new provisions and issued new dietary standards. For that evening’s dinner, he had them prepare luncheon meat and some of the pre-made dishes to boost morale before the coming battle.

Ottis, in his role as acting Quartermaster, was left speechless when he saw the supplies. He felt that feeding the soldiers this kind of food was a bit too extravagant.

Fang Zhen was receptive to the feedback. ’It seems my ration standards are far too high for this world,’ he thought. ’I can scale them back a bit.’ He didn’t intend to cut them by much, however. He simply decided to designate the pre-made dishes and luncheon meat not as daily rations, but as rewards for exceptional performance in battle.

’You have to eat well to have the strength to fight, after all.’

As long as the army could help him maintain the rules and order he’d established, he had plenty of ways to generate wealth. The cost of these supplies was a mere drop in the bucket—less than nothing.

After settling these matters, Fang Zhen summoned his closest subordinates.

Matthew, Mansa, Ottis, Agatha, Finn, and Tahar were all summoned to the main tent.

Once his key subordinates had gathered, Fang Zhen looked at them and said, "I have resolved the issue of our military provisions. Next, I intend to unite the local nobles and have them recognize me as their new Lord."

"I will need your help with something."

"Matthew, Agatha, Mansa—you are people of the Tade Church and the Mage Association. As for Viscount Keton’s Lord... what is his name?"

"Viscount Keton’s Lord is Count Quentin, of Quentin Devon County," Ottis, who was well-versed in noble lineages, quickly replied.

"Mm," Fang Zhen nodded. "Matthew, Mansa, Count Quentin is sure to have Priests and Mages among his people. I want you to use your connections, act as intermediaries, and arrange a meeting. Get Count Quentin and his vassals to come out. I want to see them."

Fang Zhen already had a plan in mind for winning over these nobles of the former Tarrenno Duchy.

But first, he needed to meet them in person.

"On my end... it should be fine," Matthew said, though not with much confidence. "I know the Bishop in the diocese of Count Quentin’s Territory, but I’m just a church Priest from a Viscount’s Domain. I might not have enough influence..."

"Don’t worry," Agatha said. "We can make the request jointly. The Bishop there will show me some consideration."

Matthew nodded, though he seemed a bit crestfallen.

Fang Zhen nodded and turned to the Elder Mage.

"Mansa?"

Mansa, who was likely still pondering where Fang Zhen had procured those supplies, had been lost in thought.

He only snapped out of it when he heard Fang Zhen call his name.

"You wish to see Count Quentin?" Although old, Mansa was not frail, and his mind was still sharp; he had caught the gist of the conversation despite his distraction. "You don’t actually need to go to all this trouble," he said.

"The moment our army crosses his border, Count Quentin is bound to show himself. His army is subpar; he doesn’t have our numbers, nor does he possess adequate strength."

"March the army into his territory, and he will naturally come to you."

Fang Zhen chuckled at his words.

"Alright, I understand," Fang Zhen said. "But I’m not looking to eliminate him, just to talk. I want to allow him to save a little face."

"Let’s do that, then. A two-pronged approach. Matthew and Agatha, write a letter to the Tade Bishop in Quentin Territory. Ask him to act as an intermediary and arrange a meeting with Count Quentin, guaranteeing his safety."

"Understood," Matthew and the others replied, accepting the command.

...

「Noon on the third day after Fang Zhen returned with the supplies.」

He had led his army to the borders of Count Quentin’s Territory.

The great army, composed of fifty-seven hundred soldiers, had completely replaced its military banners. The old family crest of Duke Tarrenno was gone, replaced by the double-headed eagle banners of the Augustus Clan.

These military banners were also among the supplies Fang Zhen had brought back. He’d had a sales associate find a local factory in Xiahai that specialized in flags and promotional signs. After sending over the design for the Double-headed Eagle Badge, the factory’s graphic artist immediately colored it, created a template, and began spray-printing. By the end of the day, Fang Zhen had received over a hundred banners in various sizes.

Fang Zhen marveled at such efficiency.

’It really is great to have money.’

By noon, the army had reached a small town on the outskirts of Count Quentin’s Territory.

The town was similar to Redstone Town, though only home to a few hundred people. It did, however, have a small church, which served as a tiny parish for the Tade Church.

By the time Fang Zhen’s army arrived, the town was already devoid of civilians. Several nobles stood on the widest street, backed by more than seven hundred soldiers.

The nobles all looked quite uneasy. When the Augustus Army marched into town under the Double-headed Eagle Badge banners, and they saw the powerful, well-equipped soldiers, a few of the nobles began to tremble uncontrollably.

The man leading them—tall, thin, in his fifties, and dressed in hunting attire rather than armor—was Count Quentin. He had a somewhat rigid and neurotic look about him.

The Count pressed his thin lips together, trying to appear resolute.

However, if one were to lower their gaze to the Count’s thighs, they would see his muscles twitching, seemingly spasming from extreme tension...

They were waiting for the arrival of the powerful ruler and Samurai who called himself Fang Zhen Augustus.