Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 308: Chapter 230: Go up and slap him twice_2

This scene, witnessed by all, only made the fat man seem more inferior by comparison. The soldiers knew *this* was the Lord they were sworn to serve.

The soldiers also quieted down, the anger gone from their eyes. Their gazes fell on their Lord, any negative emotions soothed away, leaving only resolve.

However, this scene deeply wounded the fat man. To him, being ignored was even more unbearable than being insulted. That man had merely glanced at him before seeking out the peasant. Damn it, who is the true master here?

I’m looked down upon by Nobility in the city, and now I’m scorned by peasants here. Did I come all this way for nothing?

Indeed, these peasants on the frontier are barbarians!

”I am the Lord here! How dare you, a lowly peasant, impersonate a noble!”

Hearing that ugly shouting, Lance glanced over, helped the wounded soldier to his feet, and then gestured with his hand towards the fat man. ”You, go and give him two slaps.”

This command left everyone present struggling to react; the wounded soldier actually walked towards the fat man. It wasn’t just about slapping him twice—right now, even if he were ordered to die, he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.

”Knights, protect me!”

The fat man screamed and hid behind two Knights. These unfortunate men didn’t know what to do. However, duty-bound, they prepared to intercept the soldier while speaking.

”There must be some misunderstanding. Our Lord is an Imperial Noble. Are you looking to challenge the Empire?”

”After he beat my man, it wouldn’t make a difference even if the Empire Emperor himself came today,” Lance stated coldly, pointing. ”Musketeers, ready. If those two dare to move, shoot.”

The soldiers didn’t hesitate for a moment despite the opposing side’s noble status. In an instant, hundreds of muskets were pointed their way, scaring the two Knights stiff.

It wasn’t just their arrogant words. More importantly, their armor was ordinary Knight’s Armor, unable to stop bullets. A volley of gunfire would certainly turn them into sieves.

In the face of the fear of death, some can muster strength beyond the ordinary, but clearly, these two could not.

The wounded soldier walked directly between the two. The fat man could feel his two Guards freeze in place. He hurriedly backed away, shouting.

”Damn it, why are you listening to him? I am the Lord! Save me, quickly!”

The two Knights didn’t move. They didn’t believe these people would truly dare to kill a noble; at most, he would just get a beating. Taking a beating is much better than us getting shot, after all.

They had never been devoted to this man. Being a Guard was just to gain a Knight’s status and a Fief. Now it seemed normal to make such a choice when there was no benefit and danger was present.

Glancing at the injured soldier advancing on him, the fat man seemed to realize something and kept backing up, shouting all the while.

”No! What are you going to do? I am the Lord here! I am a noble!”

This statement seemed to enrage the wounded soldier, who quickened his pace. The fat man, scared, instinctively sped up his retreat, but with his comically poor physique, he stumbled, and his obese body fell heavily to the ground, his exquisite clothes stained with mud.

The wounded soldier rushed over and, SMACK! SMACK!, slapped the fat man twice across the face.

He had never struck a noble before. The sensation is indeed especially thrilling; I can boast about this for a lifetime!

”Report, my Lord! Mission accomplished,” the wounded soldier turned back to report.

”Now do you know who the true Lord here is?” Lance said, appearing quite casual, a contemptuous smile playing on his face as he looked at the fat man.

The fat man covered his burning face. He had never been struck by anyone in his life, let alone by the peasant he had just beaten.

What was even more intolerable for him were the disdainful looks from those around him. Rage and frustration swirled in his heart. Under the immense pressure, he descended into madness.

”AAAHHH!!!”

”I will kill you!”

But Lance paid no mind to what he was doing. Instead, he turned his head towards the returning wounded soldier and questioned him loudly.

”Such trash couldn’t possibly have injured my soldier. Tell me what happened.”

The injured soldier briefly explained the situation. He and another soldier were on duty at an intersection when they encountered these three barging in. Naturally, they tried to stop them.

Upon hearing their claims of noble status, they were unsure what to do. All they could do was ask them to wait while the other soldier went back to report.

But it was clear the fat man’s temperament wouldn’t allow commoners to ”challenge” him; he directly incited his two Guards to strike down the soldier.

”To be brought down so easily? Tell me, how do you usually train? Go back, heal your wounds, and add two extra sets of basic training on your own.” Once the ”performance” was over, Lance adopted a tougher stance. The carrot and stick approach is the correct path; excessive leniency makes one appear weak.

”Yes!”

The wounded soldier didn’t feel there was anything wrong with this. Indeed, I truly embarrassed the Lord.

”Back to your unit.” Lance waved his hand, then turned his gaze to the two Guards wearing Knight’s Armor. The two men also realized the situation was not in their favor.

Looking them over, Lance spoke directly, ”I understand your duties. But you dared to lay hands on my men, and there must be a price to pay for that.

Now, I’ll give you a chance. I will choose two of my men to fight you. If you win, you live. If you lose, you’ll stay here forever.”

Lance wasn’t negotiating; this was a declaration. They had no choice in the matter.

”Reynard, teach them how to attack a Knight. Balistan, teach them how to defend against a Knight.”

Lance had no intention of getting involved himself. These small matters were not yet significant enough to warrant his participation.

Reynard stepped forward, sword in hand. Balistan also raised his new Shield. Neither showed much reaction, as if they weren’t facing Knights, but mere rabble.

Before Reynard and Balistan could move, the two Knights sprang into action, wielding their Knight’s Longswords and displaying solid combat skills.

Unfortunately for them, one opponent was a battle-hardened warrior who had survived the brutal Eastern Campaigns. The other was a veteran soldier who had stared death in the face countless times.

Only when the fight truly began did the two Knights realize the disparity in skill. But what was more terrifying was that their opponents weren’t trying to finish them quickly. Instead, they were slowly applying pressure, even toying with them...

”Watch closely. A lesson like this is rare,” Lance commented from the sidelines, occasionally pointing things out and explaining the Knights’ fighting styles and weaknesses to his soldiers. He was clearly using the two Knights as live training dummies.

Two Imperial Knights serving as practice for these soldiers? What a stroke of luck!

These two Knights, after all, had trained since childhood, diligently climbing from Retainers to their current rank. To them, this display was an utter humiliation!

They erupted with even fiercer attacks, pouring all their strength into trying to reverse the situation.

The old saying ”a retainer dies for a shamed lord” wasn’t much in vogue anymore, but right now, they were fighting for their own lives.

However, they weren’t like those zealots from the Ascension Church who could experience sudden bursts of power. If they truly possessed such strength, they wouldn’t be guarding this incompetent fool.

If Reynard and Balistan weren’t deliberately prolonging the fight, it likely would have ended the moment they clashed.

In less than five minutes, the two Knights were already exhausted. This was the limit for an ordinary person.

However, the two Knights realized there was still one way to escape their current predicament. And that was...

After an exchange of blows, one Knight feigned defeat and retreated rapidly. But instead of fleeing, he charged towards Balistan, forcing Balistan to shift his attention. Seizing the opening, the other Knight quickly disengaged from Reynard.

But these two weren’t aiming to escape. Rather, their obvious target was Lance, who stood to the side.

They could see that this man was the true person in control here. If they could take him hostage, they could turn the tables.

Do I look that easy to bully?

As the two assailants charged at him, an odd expression emerged on Lance’s face. He pressed down the musket that Dismas, standing beside him, had raised. ”Wang Cai, attack!”

The Knight who broke free couldn’t understand why no one else made any move to stop him. Why isn’t anyone trying to stop me?

But he couldn’t afford to dwell on it. He erupted with his remaining strength, gripping his Longsword tightly, preparing to...