The Knights before him were no different.

These Knights had, in truth, already been cowed by Fang Zhen’s martial prowess. Their refusal to obey stemmed from a refusal to accept his status.

’We’re all Knights. Why should we listen to you?’

Even if they were no match for him in a fight, they still wouldn’t submit.

Status, kinship, bloodline, title... These were the rules of the game in this world, ingrained in the hearts of its people and not so easily overturned.

"Hmph. Do you have any idea what Lord Fang Zhen’s full name is?" At that moment, Agatha suddenly spoke up.

Agatha’s words immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Agatha’s armor bore the equilateral triangle insignia of the Tade Church, instantly identifying her as an Order Knight.

Order Knights were relatively rare. Their training was more intense, their martial skills were superior to those of an average Knight, and they could even use Divine Arts. This made them more respected than ordinary Knights.

Seeing Agatha speak, the personal Knights grew curious as well.

For any Knight with knowledge of the nobility, the first reaction to such a question was that a family name was about to be declared—a contest of titles.

"What is Knight Fang Zhen’s full name?" the lead Knight asked.

"My lord’s full name is Fang Zhen Augustus!" Agatha declared.

As soon as she spoke, the surrounding soldiers and the personal Knights before them were stunned for a second or two before a thunderous clamor of astonishment erupted from the crowd.

Augustus!

There was only one noble family in the entire Kingdom with the surname Augustus, an ancient and venerable name.

At the mention of Augustus, the first thing that came to everyone’s mind was the legendary Sword Saint Augustus.

The four personal Knights stared blankly, as if they were seeing Fang Zhen for the first time. Their eyes were fixed on his face, their expressions a mixture of disbelief, as if they were looking at a dragon from the legends.

"Lord Fang Zhen is a blood descendant of Sword Saint Augustus. I can attest to this in the name of Tade, as can the Priest."

"According to the laws of the Kingdom, Lord Fang Zhen has the right to inherit the title of Duke."

"Is a status such as this enough to command your obedience?"

Agatha rebuked Henry’s personal Knights.

Instantly, the personal Knights lost all their bluster.

The reputation of the Augustus Clan was simply too great. These Knights had grown up on the legends of Augustus, and subconsciously, the mere mention of the name inspired automatic respect and admiration.

Having such a surname was an enormous advantage.

And Fang Zhen’s strength was more than enough to back up the name, making it feel all the more well-deserved.

"H-how can you prove it?" the lead Knight asked, his face a mask of shock.

This Knight still had enough composure not to believe it immediately and managed to ask for proof.

Fang Zhen said nothing. He simply reached into his King’s Belt and produced the Double-headed Eagle Badge.

"It’s the Double-headed Eagle Badge of the Augustus Clan!"

A Knight who knew its worth cried out in astonishment.

’An expert,’ Fang Zhen thought to himself, before pouring his primal energy into the badge.

Instantly, the badge flared with a golden light more dazzling than the sun itself.

The light was so brilliant that no one could look at it directly. Bathed in this holy radiance, Fang Zhen’s figure, mounted on his Red Hare Horse, seemed towering and majestic, like a god. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

After a few moments, the golden light gradually faded, and everything returned to normal.

But the way everyone looked at Fang Zhen had completely changed.

Among the soldiers, many gazes were now filled with adoration, reverence, and even fanaticism as they watched Fang Zhen.

The legend of the Augustus Clan was just that deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people.

Before, it had only been a legend. Now, Fang Zhen had made that legend tangible before their very eyes.

Fang Zhen himself was powerful enough to satisfy all the soldiers’ fantasies of an Augustus: the image, the physique, the temperament, the immense personal strength, and the formidable character.

When a man who seemed to have walked straight out of a myth appeared before them, most of the common soldiers were completely won over.

It wasn’t just the soldiers. After their initial shock, the defiant, argumentative expressions on the Knights’ faces gradually gave way to submission.

After all, this was an Augustus!

Fang Zhen looked at the now-submissive personal Knights and soldiers with considerable satisfaction.

’Having followers has its perks. When you’re out handling business, you don’t have to play good cop and bad cop all by yourself. People like Agatha and Matthew are naturally there to help.’

’All I need to do is keep proving my own worth and displaying my power.’

Before him, both soldiers and Knights were already seventy to eighty percent subdued.

Fang Zhen decided to fan the flames.

He looked around, adopting the posture of an orator, and announced in a loud voice, "Count Henry is, for all intents and purposes, bankrupt."

"He has no more money to pay your wages, nor can he afford the taxes owed to the King. In all likelihood, he is facing the loss of his title."

"You haven’t been paid in a long time, have you?"

As soon as Fang Zhen said this, cries of alarm, frustration, and even anger erupted from many of the soldiers.

It seemed he was right, and Fang Zhen wasn’t surprised by their reaction.

In fact, judging by their uniforms, Count Henry’s soldiers must have normally been a disciplined force. At the very least, they shouldn’t have behaved like the bandits and ruffians they had become upon arriving in the Ashton Territory.

The most plausible explanation for their behavior was that Count Henry had run out of money. Unable to pay their wages, he could only let his soldiers resort to robbery and plundering the common folk. This allowed them to acquire some supplies and, to an extent, vent their frustrations.

Soldiers require discipline; otherwise, their insubordination on the battlefield could prove disastrous.