Chapter 597: Only I Am Unique in Law Chapter 597: Kowtowing to the Grand Duke

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Every Temple War required several hundred to over a thousand city-states, mobilizing millions of soldiers and tens of millions of laborers for years or even decades. The supplies consumed per soldier were counted in hundreds of tons, and the total logistical pressure was simply unimaginable to modern people.

They were essentially supporting a prolonged world war with transportation conditions from a thousand years ago. The victors often gained a Pyrrhic victory, while the losers fared worse, with expulsion, extermination of tribes, and the collapse of entire nations being common occurrences.

Basically, it was common in the later stages of war for three to fifty city-states to be dragged down, and one or two temples to be overturned.

Chen Yi provided supplies in large quantities and at low cost using an industrialized classification method, greatly shortening the war's duration and inevitably weakening the economic crises of other city-states.

Although the total amount of supplies could not compare to other city-states, if calculated annually, the scale of West River City-State was about 15% or more of the Water Dragon Temple side, exceeding 50% of all city-states under the Water Dragon Temple.

Any city-state leader who could achieve this would have been promoted to a high noble rank half a year ago. It was only because Chen Yi's identity differed from West Continent natives that the High Priest of the Water Dragon Temple hesitated again and again.

However, as the main part of the war was declared over, a large number of Temple Knights returned to rest, and the Temple believed its control had been restored. Coincidentally, it was time for merit-based rewards, so Chen Yi's promotion was only a matter of time.

They did not know that Chen Yi had recently acquired over eighty Divine Art Knights, otherwise they would never have been so generous.

Zhou Zhixue and Maxim did not quite understand the meaning of Grand Duke, but one thing was clear: it seemed they were about to fall behind again.

"Mr. Maxim?" Zhou Zhixue asked the Russian tentatively. He could not produce much heavy metal.

"I'll apply domestically," Maxim understood in his heart that if he became West Continent Governor, the issue of noble rank was ultimately an obstacle he could not bypass.

Just look at these natives—without a noble rank, one was practically a second-class citizen.

However, the priests' appetites were too big, and Chen Yi's demands for channel fees and taxes were so high...

Maxim sighed helplessly and went back to his room with one thing on his mind: writing a report.

Moscow also held intense discussions on this.

During the time Maxim was away from West River City-State, the Russian Observation Team, besides paying attention to news of the giant dragon, mainly observed Chen Yi's noble rank information.

They also wanted to figure out exactly what a Grand Knight could do.

Although the information obtained from West River was not enough, the Grand Knight was truly the most legendary noble rank on the West Continent—the man with the most lovers, the man of young girls' dreams, the man soldiers worshipped, the natural commander on the battlefield, the protector of cities.

Of course, tax exemption, tax farming rights, and judicial immunity were also natural rights of a Grand Knight, and in some places, a Grand Knight could designate exclusive mining areas and retain an escort guard and a personal retinue...

What Moscow valued most, however, was the Grand Knight's voting rights and political participation rights. If operated properly, a Grand Knight was equivalent to a representative of city-state interests—apart from heavy bribery, only a rank of Grand Knight or above could make one's voice heard in the Temple.

Otherwise, no matter how wealthy the Russians were, they would not catch the eye of West Continent natives.

After careful consideration, the Moscow side agreed to Maxim's application.

However, they were unwilling to pay the terrifying channel fees and special taxes, so they submitted an access request to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hoping to negotiate through this.

This access outline was naturally given to Chen Yi as well. Within the Channel Committee, voices were raised to the point of hoarseness, while Chen Yi himself scoffed at it.

Where in the world is there such a good thing?

As soon as Maxim arrived at the Temple headquarters, he received the news.

The only reason he held back from stopping it was that he wanted to make a big profit.

In fact, the bribery list produced by the Shouzheng Dajisi was also something he helped piece together. It consisted entirely of West Continent embargoed or high-tax products, whose cost might only be on the scale of tens of millions of US dollars, but after all sorts of miscellaneous fees, it amounted to tens of billions of US dollars, fully conforming to Chinese-style commodity circulation rules.

All this money would be used to subsidize Martial Arts Hall expenses. As Combat Skill Level students appeared one after another, this expense was indeed not small.

Since Chen Yi was involved, the Russians' visit ended without result before it even arrived. Xijing had set its target on payment methods from the start—tens of billions of US dollars in expenditure, and the Russians definitely could not produce cash unless they did not plan to survive the second half of the year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' attitude was tough, Maxim urged them tightly, and Moscow, gritting its teeth, decisively sold three oil and gas wells to offset the expenses.

Chen Yi reluctantly agreed, only then allowing a ship of supplies to set sail.

Several big beards in the West River Region painfully escorted the ship to the port near the Temple, and had the priests under the High Priest come to receive these supplies worth more than an aircraft carrier.

Thus, the High Priest of the Water Dragon Temple thought he had received a valuable gift, Moscow thought it had paid a valuable price, while the intermediate profits and taxes accounting for over 90% were all taken by Chen Yi.

Two weeks later, Li Feng went to the Temple on behalf of Chen Yi to receive the Grand Duke rank.

Nine High Priests of the Water Dragon Temple, six High Priests from other Temples attending as observers, as well as dozens of Grand Dukes and countless Grand Knights, were present to offer blessings.

Also to be awarded were three other Grand Dukes and over thirty Grand Knights. The former stood on the platform with Li Feng, while the latter had to wait another day before going on stage to cheer.

The haggard Maxim and Zhou Zhixue had paid a high price, yet were not valued, and were ordered to guard near the Altar without moving an inch. The Russian hairy child wanted to run around, but after walking out for two minutes, was dragged back by the neck by a Combat Knight. Zhou Zhixue looked closely—his wrists and chest were covered in bruises.

The wrists were one thing, but what about the marks all over his chest inside the clothes torn to shreds?

Zhou Zhixue truly did not want to know.

But in the following days, he was as well-behaved as could be.

"Everyone, salute the newly promoted Grand Duke. Thank the Grand Dukes for their dedication to the Water Dragon Temple over these past years, thank them for the work they have done for all of us, thank them for their efforts for the continuation and prosperity of the Temple..." The master of ceremonies priest was handsome like a star. His voice had excellent rhythm. Although the translated meaning was halting, it sounded extremely pleasant to the ear.

Zhou Zhixue and Maxim had no time to regret eating konjac before they began bowing and saluting along with a group of Grand Knights. Their hearts turned cold, and they complained endlessly: they hadn't even received the Grand Knight title yet, yet they were already bowing lower than Chen Yi.

Just look at the numbers of Grand Knights and Grand Dukes—the former were at least a hundred times the latter.

If one said a Grand Knight was the ruling force of a city-state, then a Grand Duke was the ruling force of a Temple. Compared to Chen Yi back then, they had spent as much as three to five Chen Groups.

The last evening of the ceremony.

Water pillars sprayed around the Altar, and the shadow of a giant dragon appeared and disappeared, almost identical to the image Maxim had seen in Moscow.

He shrank his neck and said in a low voice, "Could there really be a giant dragon?"

"Shh, be careful of being overheard."

"Impossible." As soon as Maxim finished speaking, he felt the giant dragon infinitely magnify before his eyes, as if staring at him face to face.

Eyeballs as big as a building stared at people—no matter how you thought about it, it was chilling.

Maxim made an "eng" sound and fell into Zhou Zhixue's arms.

The Grand Knight standing in front granting the award stared at Zhou Zhixue with a contemptuous gaze, extended one finger, and used another finger to make a breaking motion.

Zhou Zhixue felt this was more like a threat than an explanation.

However, thinking about it, it was indeed quite disgusting. Zhou Zhixue suddenly shook his hand and dropped Maxim onto the floor.

The ceremony finally ended.

After receiving the Grand Knight title, Maxim seemed startled and demanded to return immediately. This time they also chose land route plus water route; the different kinds of jolting, the transport beasts from the outward journey and so on could only be left behind.

After a series of twists and turns, seeing West River City-State's buildings again, the two of them were filled with myriad emotions.

"You're the newly appointed Grand Knights, right?" Before they even entered the city, someone recognized them.

Maxim said delightedly: "You recognize us? How did you know I'm a Grand Knight?"

"We're from the Martial Arts Hall." The two students stared at them amusedly.

"Not natives..." Maxim murmured a sentence, asking: "How do you Martial Arts Hall people know I'm a Grand Knight?"

The Martial Arts Hall students laughed strangely: "Grand Duke Chen Yi wants to see you."

"What for?"

"Since you've become Grand Knights of the West Continent, then you must pay respects to higher-ranking nobles according to the West Continent's rules. And you must perform the West Continent's etiquette." This was the reason the students laughed strangely; the West Continent's standard etiquette includes kneeling, and it is an extremely humble kneeling.

Usually speaking, Grand Knights no longer need to perform humble kneeling, but if the superior demands it, then kneeling is unavoidable; these scenes were what they had seen at the ceremony.

Zhou Zhixue was fine with it, but Maxim said dissatisfiedly: "I am a Diplomat."

"Ever since you became a Grand Knight, you no longer are. We don't understand those laws; in any case, it's just like this." The student brooked no refusal, dragging the two away; the accompanying soldiers dared not use their guns, and so became mere displays.

Arriving at the Government Office, naturally someone guided them to begin the audience ceremony from Downstairs.

Kneeling outside the door, kneeling in the corridor, barely managing to see the person, it was also kneeling; once inside, Chen Yi said directly: "In the name of the Grand Duke, I order you to guard Black Port, go."

"What?"

"You are now Grand Knights of the Water Dragon Temple, you must defend the Temple's territory. I give you 20 soldiers, and allow you to lead 50 personal guards; depart for Black Port now. Without my direct order, you are not allowed to return, nor allowed to leave Black Port."

That place is precisely the most dangerous place; the two naturally would not be willing, but Chen Yi waved his hand, chasing them out.

Maxim stood outside the door for a while, stamped his foot in anger, and left.

Several tens of billions spent, and it actually turned into a guard post; who knows what Moscow will think.

A few days later, Maxim's competition failed, and he set out with his two squads of soldiers.

What he did not know was that several tens of kilometers behind him, there was also a squad of Divine Art Knights and a Missile Vehicle following.

……(Unfinished. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian. com) to cast Recommendation Tickets and Monthly Tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)