Descending On France 1780
Chapter 36 - 36 033 Suddenly turned into a back-to-back duel

36: 033 Suddenly turned into a back-to-back duel 36: 033 Suddenly turned into a back-to-back duel Marquis Li Xia’er gritted his teeth, glaring at Anning: “A commoner like you, getting killed on my land is still getting killed!

At most, I’d just have to apologize to the Lord of Caen for killing one of his serfs!”

Anning: “First of all, my family are leatherworkers in the city and are no longer serfs, and secondly, times have changed.

Even if you’re a serf, you can’t just kill at will anymore.”

Marquis Li Xia’er sneered: “You’re dreaming!

Deluded by Rousseau’s fallacies!

France will always be the France of His Majesty the King.

A bunch of mud-rakers, do you really think you can take over the country?”

Anning turned to look at Duke Tolleson.

The Duke was also a supporter of Rousseau and Voltaire.

At this moment, with a furrowed brow, he said to the Marquis: “Times have indeed changed.

Now even the King must go through the Supreme Court of Paris if he wishes to send someone to the gallows.

Your recent shot at Mr.

Frost was indeed attempted murder, and he has the right to sue you.”

Marquis Li Xia’er froze, staring at the Duke: “Your Excellency, are you taking the side of this commoner?

He is just a leatherworker!”

The Duke shrugged: “I stand with the law.

What I saw was your attempt to murder him.

If needed, I will testify in court.”

Marquis Li Xia’er was silenced by the Duke’s rebuke.

He probably hadn’t expected the Duke to really stand on the side of a commoner.

At this time, the third-party witness, Talleyrand, also spoke up: “This is Paris.

Things are different here than in your own land.

I suggest you apologize to Mr.

Frost for a chance at his forgiveness, especially since the bullets from your gun haven’t actually been fired.”

Anning: “I do not forgive.

Don’t you understand?

He could still send someone after me at any time; I need legal protection.”

Talleyrand sneered: “What do you want then?

To have him sent to the Bastille?

That’s unrealistic.”

Anning thought about it and suddenly saw the rationale.

Right now, it was just attempted murder, unlikely to really get the Marquis sent to prison.

At most, he’d pay some compensation.

So the most reliable solution was—fencing, killing the Marquis off, and thus removing the future threat.

Anning looked down at his hands.

He wasn’t wearing gloves, unable to throw one down immediately…

Unexpectedly, at that moment, the Marquis himself took off his glove and threw it in Anning’s face: “The law is unreliable!

Now that there are witnesses from all sides, I demand a duel!

Choose your weapon!”

Anning smiled.

That’s more like it!

“I choose the pistol as the weapon,” Anning declared aloud.

Initially, he had thought to choose the sword to take advantage of the Marquis’s old age, but then he thought that even though the Marquis was old, he might have been trained in swordsmanship.

A pistol was better, considering how the Marquis’s hand was shaking when he had the gun.

He might not hit his target.

Talleyrand glanced at the witnesses on each side and tentatively said: “So…

do we proceed now?

The witnesses are all present.”

Duke Tolleson looked at Anning: “You have an injury on your shoulder.

You should propose waiting until you have recovered.”

Only then did Anning remember that he had been shot in the shoulder.

He had grown accustomed to the pain and forgotten it.

With the Duke’s reminder, Anning’s shoulder began to throb painfully.

Marquis Li Xia’er shouted: “He has already agreed to the duel; he can’t back out now!”

Talleyrand: “Mr.

Frost, are you alright?

Can you fire?”

Marquis Li Xia’er interrupted Talleyrand: “Of course he can fire.

He was shot after the first shot was fired, and then he completed the entire duel!

And according to the rules of dueling, after selecting the weapon, it is my turn to choose the time of the duel!

I choose now, immediately!”

Anning moved his arm a bit and felt that while his arm was in pain, it didn’t seem to hinder operating a firearm.

Perhaps this was Anning’s FPS system at work: In games, gravely wounded soldiers could still load and shoot without their aim being affected.

So Anning decided he might as well resolve this matter once and for all today.

He told Talleyrand, “Let’s do as he says and continue the duel.”

Talleyrand raised his voice, announcing to the surrounding onlookers: “Now, there’s a new development.

Marquis Li Xia’er is unsatisfied with the result of the duel and has decided to enter the fray himself!

Mr.

Andy Frost has accepted the duel, and his weapon of choice is still the pistol!”

As his words fell, Anning heard Christina’s voice coming from the audience: “No!

He’s already injured, it’s not fair!

I mean Andy is already hurt!”

Talleyrand glanced at Anning’s shoulder and said: “You can get bandaged.

Is there a doctor present?”

Anning waved his hand: “No need to trouble the doctor.

Do we have any alcohol here?

A bit of booze will do.”

The doctors of this era were not trustworthy; they had no concept of sterilization and might even think festering wounds were healing.

Talleyrand shouted to the crowd: “Does anyone have a drink?

Bring over a bottle!”

A young gentleman immediately ran over with a bottle of whiskey: “I have a drink here; feel free to have it, brother!”

He thought Anning wanted the drink for himself.

Anning took off his coat, bared his upper body, then grabbed the bottle of alcohol and poured it over his shoulder.

The sting twisted his face in pain.

Christina ran over, holding Anning’s arm: “What are you doing!

You need a doctor!”

Anning shook his head: “No, this is enough.”