Chapter 278: Chapter 278

"An accident is an accident, rewards and punishments must be clear." The noble representative finally found the opportunity to retaliate, holding onto this point firmly. At this moment, smiles appeared on the faces of the other nobles.

"Is that so? It seems that you did not say so in the past. I remember the young lad from the third squad, he obtained his noble title because of his merit in the war two years ago. If my memory serves me right, in that battle, he sent many soldiers to their deaths and killed even more by mistake. What was it that you said at that time?"

"They all said those people were lowly individuals and dying for the nobility was their honor." A nearby officer said loudly. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩

That incident infuriated them, but they were powerless. The imperial laws and the noble codes did indeed specify this.

Giving their power and glory to the nobility had many provisions. But sacrificing their elite troops like that was unacceptable.

"That incident was only an accident."

The city lord sneered, "An accident? Regardless of whether or not it was an accident, rewards and punishments should be clearly distinguished, right? He wasn’t a noble at that time. According to the law then, what kind of punishment should he have received?"

"No, although he was not a noble, he was an heir to the nobility, which is different from the common people."

"What about Lord Du You then? He is already a noble, holding the title of a lord."

Both parties argued fiercely, neither willing to concede. This was no longer a dispute about rewards and punishments, but a dispute about the authority between the city lord and these nobles.

"Alright, alright, let’s not talk about this for now, after all, it’s a matter between nobility and commoners. We do not interfere with how commoners live." Suddenly, an elderly noble proposed.

The other nobles widened their eyes in disbelief, questioning how this man could betray them.

However, in the next moment, the senior noble pointed at a picture and said, "Don’t move, go forward a bit, there it is." Suddenly, following his words, the people nearby stopped the image.

The elderly noble said, "Forget about the common people, look here at this one who was injured by mistake, he’s not a commoner. If I remember correctly, he is the son of Viscount Lulol. Look, his leg was injured by mistake."

The nobles’ eyes lit up. Indeed, that guy’s leg was hit by a stray Light Arrow. However, the subsequent image showed the injured man, directly ordering his guards to carry him and run, not caring about the ongoing battle. His attitude was completely different from those around him, drawing a lot of disdain.

The nobles felt humiliated, but at this time, they could not give up the argument.

"Wait a minute, does Viscount Lulol have this son? I remember he only has two sons, this one isn’t either of them." Suddenly, a high-ranking military officer spoke in confusion.

The elderly noble’s complexion changed slightly, saying awkwardly, "Not of the legitimate line, he’s an illegitimate child. But no matter what, he is still the son of a viscount, and injuring him by mistake is not justifiable."

"Humph, an illegitimate child, the noble code does stipulate it. Illegitimate children do not possess inheritance rights and are not recognized by the nobles. How could one say he is of noble origin?"

Now the city lord used the noble code to argue his case. Regardless of the time, anything that is advantageous to oneself must be emphasized, anything that is not beneficial, must be objected to the end, this is the way of the noble.

"Oh right, this guy’s desertion must also be seriously investigated."

The city lord said without hesitation. Regardless, the city lord is a count, and a noble of substantial power, not a mere viscount can resist. Let alone, this is just an illegitimate child.

"But he was injured. It’s normal to retreat once wounded, isn’t it?"

"What’s this about, others are also injured, why didn’t they retreat, is he special? Besides, if he wants to withdraw, he can go by himself, why make others carry him, reducing a significant fighting strength. Yes, that man is his subordinate, but it’s also true that it reduced our fighting strength on the battlefield."

"The issue here is not desertion, but accidental injury. Even if it’s an illegitimate child of a noble, he can’t be injured at will, it must be resolved in a manner befitting the nobility."

The topics of the two sides’ discussion are becoming stranger. However, this is not the issue that affects the growth of White Stone City. The city lord did not hesitate to retort, wanting to vent all the anger he had endured earlier. As the argument escalated, the tension became more palpable.

In fact, later on, they did not even remember the original subject of the debate. Both parties were only concerned with getting the upper hand, not discussing Du You’s reward. As time passed, a high-ranking military officer could not stand it any longer. Their time was wasted, they would be better off doing more productive things.

In the end, both parties compromised and finally resolved the matter.

After resting at home for a day, finally, someone came to see Du You at noon the next day.

"Lord Du You, the city lord requests your presence." Du You nodded lightly. He knew that his reward had finally been decided. Du You’s demands were not high. All he wanted was the authority over some territory.

Following the attendant, Du You arrived at the City Lord’s Mansion. This attendant was not a military envoy, but a noble attendant.

Because this time was for rewards of merit and since Du You was not a military man, who couldn’t be promoted, he could only be rewarded with noble rank and status. Different tasks meant different people were assigned.

This was the first time Du You met City Lord Duka and saw the flashing level 30 label above the city lord’s head too.

He didn’t expect the city lord to be a tier 3 pinnacle existence who could possibly break into tier 4 at any time. No wonder he could suppress everything in White Stone City, becoming its strongest defender.

Seeing Du You arrive, the city lord nodded in satisfaction, "Very well, very well, come, sit. We have already recognized your contributions. However, given your commoner origins, the resistance is comparatively high, so your reward will be discounted, but do not mind this."

Du You froze for a moment, then quickly understood that since he was not one of them, the nobles naturally did not want an outsider to rise in status.

"I understand. I will continue to work hard to prove myself."

The city lord was pleased with Du You’s tactful response.

"No problem, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future, I believe in your abilities. After our discussion, we have two options for your reward, the choice is yours."