Chapter 357: Chapter 238: Following Duke Augustus, There’s Meat to Eat (Part 2)

Within the marching Augustus Army, the banner of the two-headed eagle fluttered in the hands of a cavalry standard-bearer.

Fang Zhen, mounted on his Red Hare Warhorse, rode at the head of the army.

He wasn’t entirely sure where a commander-in-chief was supposed to position himself during a normal march. However, it was obvious that Count Quentin had neither the reason, the courage, nor the strength to launch a surprise attack, so there was no real danger of an ambush.

Even if there were, Fang Zhen’s own power left him with nothing to fear.

Riding near the front gave him a better view.

By now, he could already see Count Quentin’s party and their army.

From this vantage point, Quentin’s Army truly didn’t look like much. Only two-thirds of the soldiers had uniform attire; the other third looked like a motley crew, probably soldiers brought by his vassals.

Setting aside their actual combat strength, Quentin’s Army was more than a notch below the Augustus Army. Even the former Henry’s Army had looked more professional than Count Quentin’s forces.

Ottis rode up quickly from the rear, pulling up beside Fang Zhen. His gaze fixed on Count Quentin’s army ahead as he said, "My Lord, the tall, thin man in the hunting attire up front is Count Quentin. I’ve seen him a few times."

"What’s Quentin’s personality like?" Fang Zhen asked.

Ottis considered for a moment before replying, "Well, how should I put it... Count Quentin is actually a bit old-fashioned, and his abilities are... rather average. But he always wants others to think highly of him, so he tries his best to maintain a dignified posture in public. Unfortunately, neither his capabilities nor his character are as outstanding or brave as he’d like to appear."

Fang Zhen nodded slightly.

’So he’s mediocre, cowardly, and loves to put on an act.’

’I’ve got the general idea.’

Now that he mentioned it, it really did seem to be the case. Judging by the state of the opposing army, even the late Henry was probably a better commander than Quentin.

As for how Quentin managed to become a Count, that wasn’t surprising. In a world where power is passed down by blood, it was normal for there to be a fair number of mediocre lords. It would be abnormal if they were all exceptional. After all, no matter how glorious the ancestors, their descendants could always regress to the mean.

Besides, what world didn’t have its share of shoddy operations?

Fang Zhen wasn’t concerned. In fact, if Quentin was mediocre and cowardly, he would be easier to handle. He was here to negotiate today, and such an opponent was much easier to deal with than a capable one.

Mage Mansa also rode over at this time, slowing his horse on Fang Zhen’s left.

"My Lord, we’ve already entered the town. Should we have the soldiers halt here?" Mansa asked.

Mages didn’t typically lead troops personally—that was the Knights’ job—but the leader of the Mage Corps did have the function of a military advisor, acting as a deputy to the Commander-in-Chief.

Fang Zhen glanced at Quentin’s Army in the distance.

"No need. Bring the army right in. It will give us an advantage in the negotiations," Fang Zhen said.

Mansa nodded.

Fang Zhen’s army maintained its pace and continued toward the center of the town.

In the time it would take to drink two cups of tea, Fang Zhen had led his army to a position near the church. They now faced Count Quentin’s troops, separated by a narrow road—about fifteen or sixteen paces wide—that led to the church entrance.

Fang Zhen raised his hand, signaling for the army behind him to halt.

In the rear, capable Knights like Finn and Tahar naturally took charge, relaying the command to the troops.

Once the Augustus Army had stopped, Fang Zhen and the nobles on the other side found themselves unconsciously sizing each other up.

After a moment, many of the nobles with Quentin lowered their heads, their faces flushing red.

It couldn’t be helped. The Augustus Army was in perfect formation, their armor and clothing uniform, their morale high, and their weapons high-quality. They even had three hundred cavalry.

Moreover, the soldiers’ faces had a healthy, rosy color, some even shining with a bit of grease.

In contrast, there was Quentin’s Army. They might not have seemed so bad at first, but the side-by-side comparison was damning. Their formation was irregular, their soldiers looked tired and listless, and their equipment was a hodgepodge of mismatched gear. While their morale wasn’t exactly rock bottom, it certainly wasn’t good—they lacked any real spirit. Their weapons were a chaotic mix, with some men even carrying wooden clubs studded with iron nails. They had only a handful of cavalry, fewer than twenty men.

The soldiers of Quentin’s Army were listless and dejected, as if they hadn’t eaten properly. Many had a sallow, sickly complexion, and if you listened closely, you could even hear some of their stomachs rumbling.

It wasn’t just Fang Zhen who saw this. Count Quentin and his vassals noticed it too, and they immediately felt so ashamed they could barely raise their heads.

’Comparisons are odious, as the saying goes. This must be what it means.’

Fang Zhen hadn’t lowered his helmet’s visor. After sweeping his gaze over Quentin’s Army, he shifted his attention to the nobles.

The nobles of the Quentin Territory were unremarkable, with nothing worth mentioning. However, Fang Zhen’s keen eyesight noticed several nobles within Quentin’s ranks trembling, as if trying to forcibly suppress their nervousness and fear.

At their head was Count Quentin himself, dressed in brown hunting attire. He was tall and gaunt, with a rather sallow complexion and a meticulously groomed beard—an apparent attempt to project masculine authority. He was currently striving to maintain a calm demeanor, yet Fang Zhen could see his thighs trembling. The Count’s agitation was so palpable that even the yellowish-brown warhorse beneath him grew restless. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"I am Fang Zhen. As for my family name, you should already know it," Fang Zhen said, looking calmly at Quentin and the local nobles.

He had just finished speaking when Tahar, from the rear, let out a booming shout: "What is our Lord’s family name?"