I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 322 The Grand Duke of the North
……

……

Outside the city gate of the border town.

Two convoys slowly approached from the south and west.

The road was covered with thick snow, and the wheels made a crunching sound as they rolled over it.

The eldest princess's motorcade was at the very front.

Three carriages were lined up in a row, with shield badges bearing crack patterns hanging on their sides.

The royal guards were all dressed in exquisite silver armor, the surface of which reflected the faint winter sunlight.

Their warhorses wore iron helmets and heavy armor on their backs, making them look dignified and majestic.

The horse's hooves left a neat trail of marks on the snow.

The Duke of Flowers' convoy followed closely on the other side of the road, also consisting of three carriages.

The car is decorated with a family crest of intertwined roses and thorns.

The two teams maintained a delicate distance on the road, neither speeding up.

But just as the eldest princess's entourage was about to reach the city gate, several guards from the Duke of Flowers' envoy group suddenly spurred their warhorses, raised their flags, and rushed forward at high speed.

These guards stood directly across the road to the south, blocking the princess's entourage.

"His Majesty Aegon's delegation is about to arrive!"

The captain of the guard's voice was so loud that it reached the ears of every member of the princess's delegation.

The so-called King Aegon is the youngest prince.

"Everyone stay put!"

The guard held his head high, his face clearly showing provocation.

The next moment, the eldest princess's royal guards responded.

Five guards clad in silver armor swiftly broke out of the ranks and charged forward.

"Her Majesty the Queen's envoy has arrived! Get out of my way, all of you!"

The royal guards roared and spurred their warhorses, charging directly at the guards of the Duke of Flowers' envoy delegation!
The charging royal guards were fierce and sharp!
The guards blocking the way were startled when they saw this.

They originally thought the royal guards would stop to negotiate, but they didn't expect the other side to launch a direct attack!

The imposing momentum of the charging warhorses made them nervous, and they quickly made way for them!
"Oh!"

The royal guards who rushed up to them reined in their warhorses.

The warhorse reared up, drawing an arc in the air, startling the guards into retreating once more!

The royal guards spread out aggressively to block the road on both sides, clearing the way, and glanced contemptuously at the guards beside them.

Although he didn't say anything, his face was full of arrogance.

That condescending attitude made it seem as if he were looking at a group of ignorant country knights.

"The False Queen's henchmen!"

The guards of the Duke of Flowers' delegation felt insulted, and their faces turned bright red.

"How dare they offend His Majesty Aegon's delegation!"

The guards all drew their longswords!
The royal guards, of course, would not back down and drew their swords in response!

A metallic clanging sound rang out, particularly jarring on the open snow-covered ground!
The tension at the intersection instantly escalated!
The guards on both sides glared at each other, and the warhorses, sensing the tense atmosphere, began to breathe heavily.

"Relay Lord Rhodes' order!"

Just then, a stern voice suddenly rang out, interrupting the tense standoff between the two sides.

All eyes were instantly drawn to the owner of the voice.
—It was none other than Rhodes's Winter Knight Commander, Sao.

Sao urged his warhorse forward and slowly approached from the direction of the city gate.

He was followed by a dozen or so Winter Knights, all of whom were dressed in heavy armor.

São's gaze swept coldly over the crowd confronting him. He ignored the drawn swords and the anger on the faces of the guards on both sides.

He simply announced it loudly and calmly:
"Recently, ferocious and hungry beasts have been appearing around the border town!"

"To ensure the safety of the city, the city gates will close earlier!"

"Those who want to enter the city, hurry up!"

"Otherwise, let's continue spending the night in the wilderness!"

After saying this, Sao ignored the two delegations, spurred his horse slightly, and turned to gallop towards the border city gate.

The Winter Knights who were escorting the two delegations also spurred their warhorses in perfect unison, breaking away from the delegations and following Sao.

This situation immediately put the guards on both sides in a stalemate.

They held swords in their hands, but didn't know what to do next.

The Winter Knights were too indifferent, as if they didn't care about their argument at all.

The feeling of being ignored made the guards on both sides somewhat embarrassed.

The tense atmosphere gradually dissipated, replaced by a subtle silence.

Soon, two noblemen alighted from their respective carriages.

The two exchanged a few words in hushed tones, and then dismissed their guards.

Then the two nobles walked into the border town side by side, and the caravan behind them slowly followed, stepping into the border town one after another.

On the city wall at this time.

Rod and Durant stood behind the battlements, quietly watching everything unfold.

"It seems that you hold a high place in their hearts."

Durant's face showed excitement.

Since getting the gauntlet, Durant has been smiling a lot more than before.

Of course, it's also possible that he was infected by spending too much time with Gunther.

Rhodes nodded slightly.

He watched the two caravans slowly enter the border town, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I didn't expect that these people could be so flexible and adaptable."

Rhodes had no malicious intent; he didn't deliberately let the two delegations arrive at the same time to watch them clash and make a fool of themselves.

Rhodes just wanted to test how much his words would affect their conflict.

This way, we can see whether these two delegations truly value us.

Judging from the reactions of the two delegations so far, Rhodes already has a good idea of ​​what's going on.

They do care a lot about their attitude.

"Let's go back and see how to deal with these two delegations."

Rhodes was about to turn and leave the city wall.

Suddenly, he saw a girl wearing a white fur coat jump down from the carriage below.

She looked up, as if sensing something, and glanced at the city wall.

Rhodes frowned slightly.

He murmured softly:
"To get me to take sides, they'll have to start playing the emotional card."

……

……

The reception room of the Border Town Manor.

The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly.

Rhodes sat in the main seat on the high platform, waiting quietly.

A short while later, two nobles, led by guards, slowly entered the hall.

A middle-aged man dressed in a magnificent purple suit, with a gold royal crest pinned to his chest, stepped forward first and bowed to Rhodes.

"The esteemed Lord of Blackpine Ridge, the Dragon Rider, Baron Rhodes Tulip,"

“I am Eunice Mufeng, the 25th Emperor of the Shattered Rock Empire, and the envoy of Her Majesty Atreus Shattered Rock.”

After introducing himself, the nobleman in purple took out a scroll of parchment bound with a gold ribbon from his bosom, which looked extremely formal.

He unfolded the parchment and quickly announced loudly:
"By the Empress's will, and for the long-term peace of the Empire, the Empire hereby confers upon Rhodes Tulip the title of Grand Duke of the North."

This was to recognize his unparalleled military prowess in restoring order in a chaotic land and protecting the lives of the people of the North.

Rhodes Tulip will rule the northern frontier, becoming the guardian of the Empire's north and its shield.

The title will be linked to the Rod Tulip family for generations to come, never to be relinquished.

"Ok?"

Rhodes looked at the purple-clad nobleman in surprise.

So he's already proclaimed himself Grand Duke of the North?
Why does that sound so casual?

The reason sounds too far-fetched, doesn't it?

Moreover, the specific boundaries of the territory were not mentioned.

Does that mean everything you occupy is yours?
Rod found it somewhat amusing.

I was reminded of a scene from a mythological story from my past life, where the Heavenly Court bestowed upon the Monkey King the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

This title was forced upon them because they didn't want to cause trouble.

But aren't you afraid of chilling Marquis Hanren's heart?

Although Rhodes had questions, he didn't say anything.

The nobleman in purple put away the scroll, and seeing that Rhodes did not rise to receive the investiture, he showed no embarrassment whatsoever.
He continued, "Congratulations on becoming the ruler of the North, Your Excellency the Duke."

"To recognize your achievements, Her Majesty the Queen has specially presented you with some gifts..."

"Cough cough!"

A loud cough suddenly interrupted the purple-robed nobleman's words.

The voice was deliberately drawn out, full of a warning.

Another elderly nobleman dressed in a dark green suit stepped forward and slowly pulled a roll of parchment from his sleeve.

The parchment was sealed with red sealing wax, making it look equally formal and solemn.

"Your Excellency Lord Rhodes, you must be the Duke of the North."

He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over the purple-robed nobleman, his voice shrill, deliberately raised.
"But a true dukedom should be conferred by the true Emperor."

"The appointment of a false emperor is merely a phantom in a dream, and ultimately it cannot be counted."

“However, you need not worry. His Majesty Aegon the Rockbreaker, the 25th King of the Rockbreaker Empire, has commanded me, Cruz Blackchrysanthemum, to bring you a true imperial decree.”

The old man in green didn't even have time for a formal self-introduction before unfolding the parchment.

"Rhodes Tulip possesses courage and strength that surpasses that of other nobles."

"To subdue the evil dragon that roams the north and protect the people from disaster."

"In recognition of Rhodes Tulip's outstanding achievements, he is hereby conferred the title of Duke of the North, who shall have the authority to govern all nobles in the North."

"This title will forever belong to the person and his/her descendants, and will be passed down from generation to generation."

The words fell.

An eerie silence fell over the hall.

The two envoys stood still, each holding up their respective investiture decrees.

They remained locked in a stalemate, neither willing to back down an inch.

The firewood in the fireplace suddenly popped with a crisp sound.

Sparks flew, landed on the floor, and quickly went out.

Rhodes sat on the high platform, watching the scene before him, and couldn't help but laugh.

Both sides generously made empty promises.

However, it seems that neither of them really cared about this land in the north, otherwise they wouldn't have given it to them so easily.

Seeing that Rhodes remained silent and did not accept any of the investiture decrees, the purple-robed nobleman turned to look at the green-robed elder beside him.
"Aegon, that kid who always wets his pants?"

The purple-clad nobleman's voice was icy.

Does he know what a duke is?

"I doubt he can even write his own name clearly."

The man in purple spoke with utter contempt.

"His Highness the Regent understands Lord Rhodes's merits."

The old man in green replied without changing his expression, "This investiture was written by His Highness the Regent at the behest of His Majesty Aegon."

"The Regent?"

The man in purple sneered, his words laced with sarcasm, "Just an ambitious traitor."

"His Highness the Regent's loyalty is understood by all the nobles!"

The old man in green blushed deeply.

"And your so-called Empress Artemis, she is the usurper who seized power from the empire!"

"Insolence!" The man in purple took a step forward.

……

The two started arguing, and their voices grew louder and louder.

Rod remained seated, quietly watching the two argue.

When the two were arguing face to face, their spittle almost flying into each other's mouths, Rod suddenly stood up.

The two envoys stopped arguing abruptly and turned to look at Rhodes.

"I appreciate both of your kind offers."

Rhodes looked at the two envoys, his voice calm.

"However, the title of Grand Duke of the North doesn't seem to be something that can be given to just anyone."

The two envoys froze simultaneously, about to say something, but were stopped by Rhodes.

"I need time to think about it."

Rod sat back down in his chair.

"You two have been working in the wild for so long, you need to rest well."

His tone left no room for argument, and he then instructed Vivian beside him, "Have Sao take them to the best tavern in town to stay."

"Yes, my lord."

Vivian responded softly and instructed the guards to take the person away.

The two envoys exchanged a glance, both seeing resentment in each other's eyes.

But Rhodes' attitude was firm, so they could only bow and then follow the guards out of the hall.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the hall returned to silence.

Rod leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

He cannot easily express his opinion.

Even without Count Aura's backing, Rhodes would not be able to choose between two identical investiture decrees.

It's like two guys you don't really like pursuing you, both of whom are taking you out to dinner, movies, and bubble tea—it's all so ordinary and unoriginal.

At least give away some computer peripherals, or a watch, leather strap, or room key, right?
These current actions, while seemingly showing importance, are actually perfunctory.

Because neither of these two people could be considered a true emperor.

"Your Excellency, there is a young woman outside requesting an audience."

Vivian interrupted Rhodes's thoughts and said, "It's from the Duke of Flowers' delegation. She said she's your sister."

"Okay, let her in."

Rhodes nodded slightly.

He got up himself and walked towards the entrance of the hall.

Soon, a young girl cautiously walked in, her eyes curiously surveying everything around her.

Her long hair was tied back with a simple headband, and she was not wearing a gorgeous dress, but just ordinary aristocratic women's clothing.

She was not wearing any expensive jewelry around her neck or wrists.

The girl looked somewhat similar to Rod.

But she has a round face, and her eyebrows give her a gentler temperament.

"Good day, Your Excellency Baron Rhodes."

Seeing Rhodes approaching, the girl quickly averted her gaze from wandering around.

She bowed respectfully, her face showing a hint of nervousness, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Rod quickly stepped forward and helped the girl up.

"Dora".

Rod's warm smile was as gentle as the rare winter sun.

"You don't need to do this between us."

Rod said sincerely.

Dora was also Baron Tulip's illegitimate daughter, three months older than Rhodes.

However, Dora's background is slightly better than Rhode's.

Because Dora's mother was the daughter of the butler of Tulip Castle—at least she had a respectable identity.

Because they were about the same age, Dora and Rod practically grew up together.

Of course, if that's all there is to it.

As a time traveler, Rhodes didn't actually have any special feelings for Dora.

The key point is that after Rhodes traveled through time, Dora took meticulous care of the injured and weakened Rhodes.

Later, it was Dora who first revealed the news of the bloody edict to Rhodes.

This gave Rhodes the opportunity to step forward and take the initiative to accept the task.

These were all things that Rhodes had personally experienced, and the bond they formed during those times was self-evident.

"so far so good."

Dora breathed a long sigh of relief upon hearing Rod's words and patted her flat chest.

"My grandfather said that people always change once they have power."

A hint of worry flashed in Dora's eyes. "I'm afraid you'll end up like them."

As she spoke, she took a few steps closer, reached out and took Rod's hand, tilting her head up to examine it closely.
"It's good that nothing has changed."

After confirming, Dora's face lit up with a bright smile, her eyes curving into crescents.

After saying that, she continued to look around the hall with curiosity.

Her words were filled with surprise and excitement.

"I never expected this!"

Dora's gaze swept across the spacious hall.

"You've become so amazing in just two years!"

"They actually own such a large estate!"

Her voice was filled with pride for Rhodes.

Dora suddenly remembered something, and quickly walked back to Rhodes' side, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

She grabbed Rod's arm and asked in a low voice:
"That Viscount Cruz said the border town and the entire wasteland are yours,"

Dora's eyes widened. "Is this for real?"

"There's still a small matter that hasn't been resolved."

Rhodes smiled and nodded, his tone relaxed. "But it's about right."

"Is it true that His Majesty bestowed upon you the title of Duke of the Northern Territory?"

Dora was shocked and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that even greater than Father's title?"

"That sounds like it."

Rhodes explained:
"But the nobles in the North are much poorer than the nobles in other parts of the Empire."

"He's a duke, too!"

Dora was still amazed. "It seems you made the right choice back then!"

Her eyes sparkled with joy for Rod.

Rod smiled but didn't say anything.

At that moment, the maids came in carrying trays with steaming teacups on them.

Rod picked up a glass and personally handed it to Dora.

"The North is very cold, nothing like Tulip Castle. This will warm you up."

"OK, thanks."

Dora took the cup with both hands, carefully holding it and feeling the warmth emanating from the cup.

Steam rose from the rim of the cup, swirling around her face.

"It's really cold here. I wasn't used to it when I first arrived. It was so cold that I couldn't feel my ears anymore."

"But you'll get used to it after a few more days."

Dora said with a smile, "And the air feels cool and refreshing, it's very comfortable."

"Then you have a strong ability to adapt," Rod said with a smile.

"Hehe, don't you say that's one of my strengths?"

Dora, holding her cup, sat down in her chair and suddenly changed the subject, asking, "Then will you accept the Regent's investiture?"

Dora's gaze fell on Rhodes' face, and her expression became serious.

Rod didn't answer immediately. He slowly walked over and sat down next to Dora.
"Did Count Tulip send you to test me?" Rhodes asked calmly.

"No."

Dora shook her head slightly. "My father asked me to win you over, saying that you are very powerful now, with two dragons, and could very well influence the situation in the empire."

Dora's words were surprisingly straightforward.

"You're still so honest, just blatantly telling me everything."

Rhodes shook his head, his eyes filled with a helpless smile.

"Because once you've made a decision, no one can stop you."

Dora paused, then continued, "Just like when you accepted that bloody decree, I clung to your leg and tried to stop you from going, but you still insisted on going."

"And my grandfather said that you would treat me better than my father, and he told me to listen to everything you say."

“Your grandfather is right.”

Rod nodded slightly, "Don't worry about this, Dora, I'll handle it myself..."

Did your father arrange a marriage for you?

"Rhodes suddenly asked."

Dora paused for a moment,
"There is one, Sir Harris's youngest son,"

Dora replied, "But nothing is certain yet."

Dora's tone was devoid of emotion.

Even noble ladies cannot control their own marriages, let alone illegitimate daughters.

"So do you like him?"

"never seen it."

Dora shook her head slightly and glanced at Rhodes. "I heard he's a fat guy, not as handsome as you."

"...Don't compare yourself to me in this kind of thing."

Rhodes thought for a moment and said directly, "Since it's not confirmed, then don't go back. Stay here with me."

Dora grew up with the butler, so she is quite knowledgeable and well-educated, and her management skills are self-evident.

More importantly, Dora is straightforward, has an emotional foundation with Rhodes, and can be trusted.

Rhodes is currently lacking such people around him.

“I will arrange everything for you,” Rhodes said earnestly.

"Yeah, I listen to you."

Dora agreed without hesitation, a happy smile spreading across her face.

"That way I can take care of you again... By the way, where's your fiancée?"

"I heard she's a very beautiful and gentle noblewoman. Well, only someone of that status is worthy of you."

"She's in my Frosttown, and she has other things to do."

Rod smiled and said, "She'll come over in a few days when things are a bit more stable."

"You must have suffered a lot on this journey. What would you like to eat? I'll have the kitchen prepare it for you."

Rhodes stood up. "Some seafood just arrived from the east yesterday. You can try some."

"seafood?!"

Dora looked at Rhodes in surprise, then pursed her lips and said, "Okay, okay!"

Rhodes nodded slightly, turned around and gave Vivian a few instructions, who immediately went to inform the guards.

"Oh right, right, Father has one more very important thing to tell you!"

Dora suddenly remembered something and hurriedly looked at Rhodes.

"No matter which side you stand on, as long as our Tulip family stands together, we will gain the greatest benefit."

"……etc,"

Rhodes paused slightly, his brow furrowing, and pressed on, "The Earl of Tulips hasn't sided with the Duke of Flowers yet?"

(End of this chapter)