That's so fucking dumb.
There's no reason for Duke to behave like this, author just make him bad for no reason. Hate when they doit it like this, just making someone bad for the sake of it, without any proper motivation behind it.
@cyphexada No this is nothing that uncommon, even in these modern times there are alot of people like that.
Their reason is often simply wanting to be the middle point, and also belittling his deed so that they can act magnanimous that they let him into their banquet while also sending a unspoken message like: that alone is reward enough, know your place.
In china's upperclass, it happens still often but not that dumb, plump and open. (While the meritorious deed is not saving a princess, but mostly bringing or saving alot of money to/for the company.)
A example would be:
Like Han Yun saved his company 1 billion yuan, he was invited to a outing in a nice restaurant everyone smiles at him congratulates him for his good deed, but sadly has Han Yun no real connections and comes from a poor background so while everyone smiles at him they may make constantly jokes about him behind his back, they belittle him and in the end the reward may be the restaurant invite and some money(nothing over 25k yuan) or a present like flowers and alcohol. (Well sometimes it could also be something like a promotion, not into the upper echelon of the company naturally.)
Well something like that~ gonna hit the sack now good night~ 😴