Chapter 291 Banquet, Dukedom, Yeats's Coronation (7K)

It was a cool autumn night, and the Thames flowed quietly under the silver moonlight.

In the distance, the Lion Palace on the top of the mountain is magnificent.

The dinner was held in the Amber Room of the Lion Palace.

The carved corridor faces the palace garden, candlelight illuminates the blooming colchicums, and the walls are decorated with amber and luxurious tapestries.

This palace, famous for its red and gold dyes, is where the Golden Lion royal family holds important ceremonies, and has strict and complicated dress requirements for guests.

Under the vigorous promotion of the followers of the God of Love, who are famous for their hedonism, the clothing style in this world is unexpectedly fashionable and gorgeous.

Women's clothing includes corseted dresses, floor-length skirts with whalebone petticoats, lace-embroidered dresses...which have developed into the Renaissance period.

Men's clothing must be strictly in accordance with their rank, such as military uniforms, noble cloaks, velvet jackets, etc.

Yeats changed into a red satin cloak inlaid with pearls, with silver armor underneath, and wore the Order of the Golden Fleece on the cloak. He adjusted his collar in front of the floor-length mirror to ensure that the etiquette was in compliance with the regulations, and then hung the scabbard around his waist.

The Earl dressed up for today's royal dinner, making all the maids blush.

Yeats was already handsome, and clothes make the man, so at this moment he looked extraordinary and in high spirits.

Zuanya commented: "He is comparable to the handsome men chosen by the gods in ancient times."

As we all know, being a handsome man in ancient Greece was a high-risk job and one could lose one's job if one was not careful.

Ye Zhi coughed lightly, and told the butler to prepare the carriage so that Phocas could go to the Lion Palace with him.

The moonlight is bright.

The carriage crossed the misty Lundu Bridge and arrived at the atrium in front of the banquet hall.

Maids and musicians stood in the courtyard, and the orchestral music welcoming guests floated in the night.

Several knights and nobles gathered together to discuss.

When the carriage decorated with the Bronty family crest arrived, all eyes were focused on it.

"Did you see the owner of that carriage? It's Yeats from the Bronte family, the man who won three championships in a row at the competition!"

"Your Majesty's confidant is so young, I would not be surprised if he is promoted to Duke in the future."

"Duke? That's unlikely..."

After being promoted to the fifth ring, Ye Zhi's five senses became more acute, and even the suppressed discussions could not escape his perception.

Only a master-level aura could catch Yeats's eye.

The Royal Knight, Colin.

Upon hearing that Yeats had arrived, Colin came to greet him personally and invited Yeats into the main hall.

Colin always represented the king's position. In other words, Yeats was invited into the hall by the king.

This honor is unique among all the guests.

Everyone cast glances at Yeats' back with envy, doubt, or deep thought.

How could Yeats be qualified to have the royal knight come to greet him personally? Was his personal relationship with His Majesty closer than imagined?

Is Yeats's position to support Her Royal Highness? Is he not afraid of offending both the Lannister and Wick families?

All kinds of questions appeared in everyone's mind.

There are many dukes in attendance at today's dinner, and news of the Scarlet Society's demise is gradually spreading.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that something big was bound to happen at this dinner party...

The damp autumn wind in the courtyard was chilly, and in the thick night, an extremely luxurious dinner slowly began.

Crystal chandeliers illuminate the magnificent hall.

Dozens of long tables were set with silverware, flowers, plates and bread. Court musicians and bards played banquet tunes on the second floor of the hall, and the air was filled with the aroma of wine and delicacies.

The guests were dressed in their best, like proud swans and peacocks with their tails spread.

Although ordinary food cannot provide mana, it can provide the energy needed for the body and combat skills. Out of interest as a chef, Yeats looked at the list of ingredients. This banquet used a total of thirty cows, three hundred sheep, twenty peacocks, two thousand chickens, and tens of thousands of eggs... fully demonstrating the extravagance of the Middle Ages.

In addition to ordinary food, there are also extraordinary delicacies cooked by professional caterers at the banquet, such as bipedal fire dragon pie, honey electric fish pie, lantern lemon cake... The nutrition provided by these extraordinary foods is several times that of ordinary food, and they are deeply loved by knights.

"My Lord, would you like some wine?"

The beautiful maid was wearing a white off-shoulder shirt and a red long skirt. She held a silver tray in her hand and smiled gently at Yeats.

"Two."

June Lannister, dressed in men's clothes, took two glasses of wine and smiled beautifully at the maid.

"Thanks."

June's men's clothing was ahead of the times, and her smile was so heroic that the maid's heart fluttered. She lowered her rosy cheeks and whispered to retreat.

Then, June drank the wine while handing another glass of wine to Yeats, raising her eyebrows, as if to say that she would be disrespecting her brother if she didn't drink it.

Yeats took the goblet and struck the same pose as in "The Great Gatsby".

June was stunned for a moment and thought that this guy was quite charismatic.

June had only experienced this kind of aura in five-ring heroes similar to her father, and couldn't help but wonder, has Ye Zhi already been promoted to the fifth ring?

Then, June shook his head and laughed at his own guess.

How long has it been since Ye Zhi reached the fourth ring? How could he possibly break through again?

"I have heard that Lord Blood Spider was executed and the Scarlet Society was destroyed."

June stopped smiling and said seriously, "You should have participated in this battle, right?"

Yeats acquiesced and asked, “What’s the problem?”

June breathed a sigh of relief: "No, I just wanted to confirm with you. It seems that the threat of the blood clan has been officially eliminated... Now with His Majesty's prestige, no one can oppose him anymore."

Ye Zhi nodded slightly and sighed: "What a pity..."

"What a pity?" June asked puzzled.

Ye Zhi was silent for a moment and was about to speak.

“Bang——”

Hearing the wrong notes on the harp, Yeats, with his extraordinary hearing, cast a glance in the direction of the musician.

The court musician, dressed in a gorgeous long dress, has a beautiful face. Her slender fingers pluck the harp. In her eyes, Yeats in silver armor is reflected. She lowers her head shyly, and her snow-white neck with one shoulder is already covered with a light blush.

June crossed her arms, pondered for a moment, and glanced at Ye Zhi and said, "Could it be that she played it wrong on purpose... in order to attract your attention?"

Ye Zhi: “…”

Only a bard would pay attention to the wrong notes, which makes sense! At this time, the high-pitched entrance music sounded.

Surrounded by court officials in front and behind, the tall and majestic King Lionheart, wearing an elegant and luxurious royal robe, walked slowly into the banquet hall with great majesty.

Beside King Lionheart was a beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a snow-white off-shoulder long dress, a diamond necklace and a ruby ​​crown.

Princess Theresa had the figure of a swan. For some reason, her eyes were fixed on Yeats, examining him carefully, and then she looked away.

All the guests present, including Yeats, bowed their heads as a sign of respect.

The Lionheart King looked across the hall with a majestic gaze and said slowly, "Today's dinner is to celebrate... the official collapse of the blood clan's conspiracy, and the glory of the Golden Lion will shine with the sun."

This sentence contained a huge amount of information, causing some nobles to be shaken and shocked.

"Everyone, please take your seats!" The Lionheart King extended his hand to the nobles and said proudly:

"I have specially ordered the bard to compose poems about the events of recent days - please drink with me, listen to the heroes' triumphant songs, and enjoy the sweetness of victory!"

In an instant, the music at the banquet became more enthusiastic and louder.

Under everyone's attention, the Lionheart King waved and called out, "Yezhi, come sit next to me!"

Ye Zhi was stunned, and June beside him was also a little surprised.

Immediately, in a somewhat subtle atmosphere, everyone watched Yeats slowly walk to the seat next to the king and sit down, with different thoughts in their minds.

The seating order at the banquet had strict etiquette. The closer the guest was to the king, the more honorable and trusted the king was. Yeats was seated on the king's right hand side, between the princess and Colin.

This position has profound significance, and the fact that the old king chose to let Yeats sit there is really thought-provoking.

Even William, the military chief who had long been trusted by the king, was ranked behind Yeats, but he was not jealous... William participated in the operation to destroy the vampire dungeon with Yeats, and was one of the few confidants who knew the king's decision in advance.

At this moment, he looked at Yeats with respect and admiration.

There were many nobles who showed the same expression, and Calvin, the son of Duke Thomas, was one of them.

"Father, Earl Yeats played a great role in this incident... I should also learn from Earl Yeats and solve problems for the kingdom and the people!"

Calvin, wearing knight armor, looked at Thomas, who was eating buttered bread beside him, and said seriously.

Thomas paused, swallowed the greasy bread, and said in a low voice: "The rise of Yeats means his expansion in the northern provinces, which is not good for us..."

"Then we'll see the truth on the battlefield." Calvin said with a determined look, "Whether we win or lose, justice will belong to the knights who uphold virtue!"

Thomas was a patient and cunning man throughout his life.

He stared at the honest and upright Calvin, as if he had witnessed the change in the situation in the northern province, and smiled with relief: "You are right... No matter what means you use, you will eventually have to decide the winner on the battlefield!"

Yeats's brother, Wilson Brown, also attended the party.

He sat at a dining table far away from the main seat, staring at Yeats above his perspective, feeling as if a stone was blocking his chest.

The Countess noticed Wilson's complicated expression, held his hand under the table, and whispered, "Be happy, Wilson. Your brother is trusted by the king. This is the honor of the Brondi family."

"I am indeed happy for him, but I never thought that the gap between us would become so huge..."

Wilson stopped talking, shook his head, picked up the red wine glass and drank silently.

Maids delivered dishes to dozens of tables, including grilled game, fried sea fish, egg and milk desserts... the ingredients were transformed into works of art by the hands of the court chefs, and each dish used expensive spices.

Wizards in the southern continent believe that spices can help nourish the human soul, even for extraordinary people. Foreign spices such as saffron, pepper, and cloves are often used in potion making. They are as precious as gold and are inexhaustible in banquets.

It is customary to have performances to liven up the atmosphere during banquets.

The joker Mormo was supposed to perform a funny trick called "Transfiguration". He was good at transforming into a giant guinea pig and stepping on a ball to entertain the guests.

However, this time, King Lionheart himself stood up and walked to the center of the banquet.

"Someone, bring me my sword!"

He was already a little drunk, and his demeanor became even more heroic.

Soon, a knight came with a wooden box, inside which was an exquisite scabbard inlaid with rubies.

The Lionheart narrowed his eyes and ordered again: "Bring some wine!"

The maid knelt before King Lionheart and handed him a bottle of fine wine in a jade container.

Clang——

The Lionheart drank the wine in one gulp and drew his gleaming sword.

All the music stopped instantly and the Amber Room fell into silence.

The musicians and guests looked at the king nervously.

But the old king laughed loudly: "Today is a happy day, let me recite a poem to liven up the mood——"

"play music!"

The tense atmosphere eased slightly, and the high-pitched music continued to linger.

The Lionheart, holding a sharp sword and with red eyes from drunkenness, walked around the hall.

As the Duke of Lannister, the Duke of Alba and others walked by with gloomy faces, the Lionheart read aloud:

"A traveler returning from overseas once saw an ancient desert country. "There was a stone statue that was half destroyed, with only its huge legs left, "crouching in the sand. The head of the statue fell, "half buried in the sand, but the face was still formidable, "the sneer, the arrogance of giving orders, "it was obvious that the carver saw through the owner's heart, "so he carved the stone to look like the real one,

"But the hands that carved the image and the heart of the image's owner have long since turned to ashes.

"Like the words written on the seat—"

Boom!

The deafening rebuke exploded in everyone's ears like thunder.

The old king stood in the center of the hall, his back straight like a military flag, majestic and awe-inspiring, holding a sword and shouting:

"I am the King of Kings.

"A peerless achievement that would even make the gods bow down to you!"

There was silence in the hall.

Yeats lowered his eyes, his mind active.

This poem is Shelley's "Osmanthus"... It was taken away by this guy Lorraine and copied into the "Lorraine Poems".

Please...collect 6...9...books...!

Yeats also wrote down all of Lorraine's poems to avoid colliding with this guy's poems when copying poems in the future.

They are all plagiarists. The eldest brother doesn’t laugh at the second brother.

Now, King Lionheart drew his sword and wrote poetry, quoting famous poems from the "Poetry of Lorraine" to demonstrate his ambition.

The drunken eyes of the Lionheart shot out a blazing majesty, fixed on the silent faces of the Duke of Lannister and others, and said in a deep voice: "Since I was crowned, I have conquered the foreign races in the east and killed countless enemies. The Pope must also greet me."

"Then we marched north to attack the orcs, crossed the Great Ridge, and launched a surprise attack on the northern border, forcing the orcs to flee in panic."

"During these days, I have uncovered the traitors, eradicated the Scarlet Society, and personally killed the Blood Spider Duke who attempted to usurp the throne!"

"I ask you, are my achievements worthy of my throne?"

"Praise your majesty--!"

"Praise the Golden Lion——!"

Amid the uniform singing, Yeats keenly noticed that some guests were beginning to feel uneasy.

Resistance is bound to arise under power. There were many opponents of King Lionheart at this banquet. King Lionheart had just drawn his sword and counted his achievements in order to "establish his authority" and pave the way for his subsequent remarks.

If any noble dared to oppose his decision, King Lionheart would not mind more bloodshed at the banquet. After all, King Lionheart himself started out as a military man and was very familiar with iron-fisted methods.

However, his achievements and deeds are indeed convincing, which invisibly increases the weight of the old king's words.

The chanting continued for a long time, and no one dared to stop first, until King Lionheart calmed down his hands and the hall became quiet.

"The Duke of Suffolk was afraid of death and surrendered to the vampires. He has now been executed."

King Lionheart calmly revealed the shocking news.

Amid the stunned and shocked gazes of the crowd, he made his decision: "The Golden Lion Kingdom has had a tradition of six dukes since ancient times, and the position of duke cannot be vacant, so I have decided to confer another earl as the new duke of the Golden Lion Kingdom—"

"This earl followed me in the battle against the blood clan and fought against Lord Blood Spider, paying a huge price. I have seen his contributions. With his abilities, he will undoubtedly make greater contributions to this country and its people..."

"I want to confer the title of Earl, Yeats Brown, upon this Earl, the Duke of Morning Frost!"

The words fell.

One stone can cause a thousand ripples.

Everyone present was shocked and astonished! Yeats Brown was made Duke!

These two words are difficult to connect together.

After all, Ye Zhi's qualifications were still young, but now that it came from the mouth of the Lionheart King, it became extremely important! Duke, there are only six nobles in the entire Golden Lion Kingdom who can hold this title.

This person is already a powerful figure at the pinnacle of secular power, and has the qualifications to establish a duchy! June murmured in disbelief: "It was Yeats... It was Yeats who conferred the title of Duke?!"

How long had it been since he was made an earl? In just one year, he had risen from a baron in a remote area to become the Duke of the Kingdom of Golden Lion! Wilson Brondi stared in disbelief.

The Bronti family was once one of the three major families of the Golden Lion, but their hereditary dukedom was abolished and they no longer have the glory they once had.

Wilson had also imagined revitalizing the family and restoring the style of the Duke of Bronte, but he did not expect that his younger brother would take the lead and be named Duke by His Majesty the King! In an instant, the Amber Hall fell into an uproar.

At dozens of tables, almost all the high-ranking nobles of the Golden Lion heard the decision of the Lionheart King, and noisy discussions broke out one after another.

"This is absolutely not feasible... Yeats is too young!"

"Youth is not a problem. The Duke of Cornwall is only eight years old. The key is whether it is legal or not."

"The Bronte family did produce a duke in history, so it is not a precedent for Your Majesty to confer the title of duke on Yeats. But... does Yeats have the ability to do so?"

The bombshell news caused a stir in the banquet hall.

Many eyes were focused on Yeats, some questioning, some surprised, some flattering.

Yeats sighed inwardly, knowing that once he became the Duke, it would be impossible to keep a low profile, and he would most likely be regarded as a thorn in the eyes of the two major families of Wick and Lannister.

Even Thomas, the original ally, will become an enemy again because of his change of position.

However, since he is a young man, why should he be too modest? He should have the pride of a young man! Yeats stood up, walked calmly to the center of the hall, knelt on one knee, and performed the chivalric salute: "Yeats Bronte, thank you, Your Majesty!"

Yeats was very grateful for the Lionheart's kindness. Without the king's strong support, Yeats would not have been promoted from earl to duke so quickly.

But he knew in his heart that King Lionheart did this so that he could assist Princess Theresa and gain more bargaining chips for himself in the civil war that might break out in the future.

Candela is about to break through the Holy Land, a new era is coming, and the era of the Lionheart King is about to end...

Thinking of this, Ye Zhi felt a little sad, and his eyes flickered slightly.

The drunkenness in the eyes of the Lionheart had dissipated, and he looked at this young knight who had made a big splash, feeling infinite emotion in his heart.

If I were twenty years younger, I would never promote Yeats with such unremitting efforts. Instead, I would keep him by my side, cultivate him, and promote him slowly.

"But I don't have much time left..."

King Lionheart was filled with hope.

'Yeats is the strong supporter I have chosen for Theresa... I hope I am right.'

"Get up, Yeats."

The Lionheart said hoarsely: "In a week, I will personally hold the Duke's coronation ceremony for you at the Saint Chapel in Lundu Tower...

"By then, you will become one of the six dukes of the Golden Lion Kingdom, the duke of the Morning Frost Principality in the northern province!"

The coronation of a duke is a demonstration of the duke's authority and legitimacy, usually held in the duke's territory. Only when the duke has a close relationship with the king will it be held in the royal palace to emphasize the duke's loyalty to the king and the king's recognition.

Yeats' authority and legitimacy came from the king, so according to legal principles, it was reasonable to hold it in Lunduta.

Immediately, the Lionheart King looked around the noisy banquet hall and said coldly: "If any of you have any objections, you can raise them now... I am not a petty king, I will not take it to heart."

"His Majesty--"

A figure stood up from the crowd and said in a stern voice: "Holy Light, in my opinion, this matter still needs to be discussed!"

The Lionheart King raised his eyebrows slightly, silently made a note in his mind, and said:

"Duke of Alba, do you think there is anything else that needs to be discussed further?"

"Since ancient times, only heroes with five rings are qualified to be dukes and have the ability to defend the glory of the duchy and the nobility."

The fanatic Duke of Alba glanced at Yeats coldly, his eyes showing his disgust for the pagan, and said: "Although the Duke of Cornwall is young, his extraordinary bloodline is destined to make him a hero... But Yeats is inexperienced and incapable. He is a poet chosen by God but does not have the strength of a hero, so he is not qualified to take on such a great responsibility!"

These words resonated with many people in the banquet hall, and many people nodded secretly.

The Lionheart King noted down the nods one by one, glanced at Ye Zhi, and said calmly:

"What do you think, Yeats?"

Ye Zhi said calmly, "I think what the Duke of Alba said makes a lot of sense. Only a five-ring hero is qualified to become a duke."

The Duke of Alba smiled wryly, thinking that Yeats was sensible for compromising so quickly.

The Lionheart King remained calm and said, "So?"

“So, I am a hero.”

Ye Zhi's eyes narrowed slightly, and the aura on his body suddenly spread out, revealing the will of the Five Rings Hero.

"Then I am qualified to be a duke!"

The fierce aura turned into a tangible strong wind, blowing through the entire hall.

Everyone present was moved.

June couldn't help but hiss.

Yeats really became a hero!

A year ago at Jianhe University, Ye Zhi was just a low-level knight, but now he has mastered the heroic will! This is simply a monstrous promotion speed, and the demigod heroes with divine blood flowing in the epic are no more than this!

Duke Thomas couldn't help but put down his fork and looked at Yeats deeply, then scooped a big mouthful of cheese and put it into his mouth, thinking... Yeats can't be understood according to common sense, I'll eat some cheese first to calm my nerves! Duke Lannister, with a gloomy face, stared at the red agate ring in his hand, like a still sculpture. At this moment, he finally looked up at Yeats, with deep suspicion and fear in his eyes.

For the Lannister family who are plotting to seize the throne, Yeats is an extremely unstable variable and must be guarded against!

Immediately, the Duke of Lannister glanced at the red-faced and embarrassed Duke of Alba, with a hint of sarcasm on his lips, thinking: "Since the old king has made Yeats the Duke, he must have made a perfect plan."

"Only a brainwashed fanatic like Alba would be the first to jump out and oppose..."

'Ye Zhi's ability is quite outstanding. He has been promoted to the fifth ring in such a short time. Even June can't compare with him... Humph, forget it. Now is not the time to conflict with him!'

"Yeats Brown's Duke coronation is an opportunity that can be used... I can also use the necromancers and vampires hiding in his territory as leverage!"

"Duke of Alba, do you have any other opinions?" King Lionheart asked disdainfully.

Alba gritted his teeth and could only swallow the broken teeth into his mouth, but his eyes were still unconvinced.

"Back then, Fred the Great personally led his knights to fight all over the world and made his fortune through force. Since you still have doubts about Yeats's strength, why not have a duel with him here?" The Lionheart King said calmly, "Duke of Alba, Yeats, what do you think?"

Alba is a long-established five-ring hero. He snorted coldly, "That's just what I want!"

Ye Zhi nodded and said, "I will obey your majesty's order."

As early as when he was in the fourth ring, Ye Zhi had accomplished the feat of killing a fifth-ring vampire. Now, facing the Duke of Alba who had neglected his training for many years, Ye Zhi decided to show no mercy and end the battle quickly.

The duel begins.

In the center of the banquet hall, Alba took the initiative, dark golden fighting spirit ignited on his body, the steel swords clenched in both hands were powerful and heavy, and the Holy Light Knight's iconic "Holy Flame Slash" surged with holy flames, rushing straight towards Ye Zhi!

Bang! Ye Zhi used the "Combat Skill: See Through" to penetrate the trajectory of Alba's sword. He lightly tapped the swift sword and moved forward with a nimble step. While avoiding the sword, the sharp stabbing sword had already touched the Duke of Alba's neck! A strange color flashed in Colin's eyes.

It seems that being promoted to a five-ring hero has further improved Ye Zhi's swordsmanship skills, and has reached the quasi-master level.

It was effortless to face the Duke of Alba.

The winner was decided in just one round!

The banquet hall was silent.

The Duke of Alba's face turned pale.

Even he himself had never expected that he would be defeated so quickly! "I know that you, Duke of Alba, underestimated the enemy just now." Ye Zhi smiled, "How about another round?"

The Duke of Alba was about to speak when he agreed.

"Don't you think this is embarrassing enough?" the Lionheart King said angrily, "Get out of here right now!"

The Duke of Alba's face turned pale and blue, he sighed dejectedly, and retreated to the table.

The way people looked at Yeats changed quietly, and doubt was replaced by flattery and awe, and some noble daughters even flirted with him frequently.

It is impossible for such a young, powerful, and unmarried duke not to be favored! "Since no one has any objection..."

The Lionheart King inspected the hall and said calmly:

"In a week, Yeats's coronation as Duke will be held at St. Chapel, Lunduta!"

(End of this chapter)