The palace maids and eunuchs had long since fallen silent, kneeling all over the floor.

In the heavy, oppressive silence, Edward Harris finally couldn’t hold back. He cautiously sniffled the snot choked out by his coughing, “Sniff—”

He tried to gauge the emperor’s expression. “If… there’s a pension.”

William Thompson, “………”

After a moment, the large hand gripping his cheek finally let go, leaving behind two faint red marks.

William Thompson looked at Edward Harris, lips tugging into a slight smile. “I was joking.”

With that, he rose and walked back to the desk, picked up the brush, and began writing again. “David Harris was personally appointed by the late emperor as a minister to assist in governance. I have just ascended the throne—how could I discard a meritorious official like a worn-out shoe?”

Edward Harris: ………

Then why are you here playing Lego with his old lady, making up nonsense for half the day?

When William Thompson finished writing, he dusted off the paper bearing the imperial seal. “Receive the decree, David Harris.”

Edward Harris’s fingertips trembled. “…Your subject, thanks Your Majesty for your grace.”

·

Edward Harris withdrew from the imperial study.

He gave Brian Clark, who was forcing a rather unnatural smile at the door, a mournful grin, glanced up at the sky, and drifted away unsteadily.

Brian Clark was left utterly confused by his smile.

Is he being sent to the imperial prison?

“Brian Clark.” A low call came from inside the imperial study.

“Your servant is here!” Brian Clark hurriedly collected his thoughts, bowed deeply, and scurried inside. Approaching the imperial desk, he saw William Thompson frowning as he reviewed memorials. “Your Majesty, what is your—”

William Thompson didn’t even look up. “What did Henry Harris give you?”

There was a chilling insight hidden in his calm tone.

Brian Clark was so startled he shuddered and dropped to his knees with a thud! Cold sweat broke out all over him.

Giving gifts to palace staff was always an unspoken rule in the palace. At best, it was a tip; at worst, it was bribery before the emperor—a beheading offense.

Brian Clark began to tremble like a leaf.

William Thompson looked up. “Put it here. I won’t hold you accountable.”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

Under the emperor’s gaze, Brian Clark shakily pulled a handful of small walnuts from his sleeve and dumped them onto the desk with a clatter—

Then he prostrated himself on the floor, confessing with snot and tears, “Your Majesty, these are the little walnuts that Lord Harris bribed me with… four and a half in total, not a single one missing, all here! Your Majesty, please spare me!”

William Thompson, “……”

Author’s note:

Brian Clark: My family has been eunuchs for generations—we’re terrified of being poor!

Edward Harris: …For generations, eunuchs?

William Thompson: ……

Chapter 4 Palace Banquet

Brian Clark was sent out, sobbing and sniffling.

Only four and a half little walnuts remained, rolling around.

William Thompson stared wordlessly at the walnuts for a long while, then suddenly spoke. “Eleanor.”

From the shadows in the corner of the imperial study, a figure silently emerged. William Thompson glanced toward the door, and the figure melted back into the darkness.

……

It was half an hour later when Edward Harris finally got back into his carriage.

Eric Young lifted the curtain for him. “My lord, you don’t look well?”

Edward Harris sank into the cushions, gazing deeply out the window. “Losing it is my fortune, gaining it is my fate.”

“……” Eric Young: He’s started talking nonsense.

“Let this old servant fetch a doctor to take a look at you, my lord.”

“No need.” Edward Harris pulled himself together. “When we get back, gather everyone in the residence. I have something to announce.”

“Yes, sir.”

Before putting down the curtain, Eric Young glanced into the carriage again, only to see the fruit plate was already empty. “My lord, you finished all the walnuts?”

Edward Harris waved his hand dismissively.

“Gave them away on a whim.”

·

Harris Mansion was located in a quiet alley in the capital.

The residence wasn’t large, but its understated elegance left nothing to criticize for a fifth-rank official.

Upon returning to Harris Mansion, Eric Young gathered all the servants.

Edward Harris dragged a grand armchair into the courtyard, sat with a plate of melon seeds and tea snacks, and swept his gaze over the dozen or so servants, pondering:

Resigning is out of the question, and my memory is still fuzzy.

I can only take things one step at a time and first figure out everything related to myself.

“My lord, everyone is here,” said Eric Young.

Everyone in the courtyard bowed their heads nervously, awaiting their fate.

“Everyone’s here, right?”

Edward Harris set down his teacup, straightened up, cleared his throat, and said, “Come on, praise me.”

“……”

Everyone looked up in confusion: ?

Thick-skinned, Edward Harris repeated, “Praise your lord.”

The crowd exchanged glances, but in the end, the maid Grace was the quickest to catch on and eagerly chimed in:

“My lord, you are as radiant as the clouds and moon, a man of great talent—no wonder you were the famed top scholar of the capital in your youth!”

The rest finally caught on.

In an instant, words of praise blossomed in the courtyard like a riot of flowers—

After listening for a while, Edward Harris gradually pieced things together:

“Henry Harris” had not yet come of age and was the youngest fifth-rank official in the current dynasty. Orphaned young, he rose from humble beginnings to become the top scholar, caught the late emperor’s eye, entered the Hanlin Academy, and advanced smoothly ever since.

Later, he successfully chose the right side in the struggle for the throne, helping to install the new emperor, William Thompson.

To outsiders, he must have seemed to be at the height of glory.

So where exactly did “he” offend William Thompson?

……