He quickly supported Samuel Foster, and behind him came the sound of wailing and crying: “Something’s wrong, something’s wrong, Lord has fainted, hurry and get a doctor, please get a doctor quickly.”

The The Foster Family was already in chaos, everyone running around in a panic.

Charles Foster took a deep breath. Seeing everyone at a loss, he felt guilty, but had no choice but to pull himself together and said loudly, “Henry Baker, go get the doctor yourself. William Carter, fetch a towel and wet it.”

Charles Foster checked Samuel Foster’s breathing—fortunately, it was still steady, and though his pulse was weak, it was not irregular. He let out a sigh of relief.

That damned prodigal… Charles Foster didn’t know if he was cursing the former self or himself now.

Luckily, with everyone in the household in chaos, no one noticed anything unusual about this Young Master Foster.

……

The warm chamber of the Forbidden City.

Emperor Washington had not been well lately, but he had always been diligent. Even when unwell, he dared not neglect state affairs.

Not long ago, someone had reported that Lord of South HarmonySamuel Foster had returned victorious from quelling the southwestern Tusi rebellion and had entered the capital. He would soon enter the palace for an audience.

Emperor Washington’s face immediately lit up with joy and excitement.

He leaned against a cushion, and while waiting to receive Lord of South Harmony, he held an essay titled “On Debating the Treacherous” in his hands. Meanwhile, the crown prince George Washington stood carefully by his side, his face ashen.

George Washington was the only son of President Washington, and was naturally doted on. Looking at the young crown prince before him, Washington’s eyes were full of fatherly affection: “I’ve heard that your tutors have been teaching you ‘On Debating the Treacherous’ by Su Xun lately. Though the essay is a bit harsh, it has its merits. Have you studied it thoroughly?”

“Yes… I have…” George Washington lowered his head, not daring to look at Washington.

Just as he feared, Washington smiled and said, “Since that’s the case, recite it for me.”

George Washington’s eyes instantly reddened, and he stared at his boots, stammering, “Things… things must… must happen, reason… reason…”

He struggled for a long time but couldn’t recite any further.

Washington leaned forward slightly, displeased: “You’ve studied for half a month and only memorized these five words? The tutors of the Privy Council have taught you diligently, and you haven’t taken in a single word?”

George Washington hung his head: “Your son knows his mistake.”

Washington frowned, his expression stern: “You are the crown prince, destined to inherit the throne. If you don’t study, how will you understand reason? If you don’t understand reason, how will you govern the world?”

George Washington trembled: “Your son… your son…”

Seeing how frightened George Washington was, President Washington’s heart softened, and his stern gaze melted. He sighed, “Ah, you’ve been spoiled by your mother. You mustn’t go on like this. You need to study diligently from now on.”

A sly look flashed in George Washington’s eyes. In the past, whenever his father scolded him, as long as he looked scared, his father would always soften. Today was no exception, so he quickly said, “Your son will remember.”

Emperor Washington shook his head with a wry smile. “You…”

He wanted to scold a few more words, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. So he simply said to the eunuchs nearby, “Didn’t Lord of South Harmony enter the capital? Why hasn’t he come for an audience yet? I’ve been waiting here all this time. Go to the Office of Transmission and urge them.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Chapter 0007: Reaching the Emperor’s Ears

The eunuch received the order and hurried off.

But before long, the eunuch returned: “Your Majesty, something’s wrong, something’s wrong! The Office of Transmission sent someone to the The Foster Family to inquire, and it’s said that Lord of South Harmony… has fainted…”

George Washington, who had been sitting quietly as if reflecting on his mistakes, perked up at the mention of someone fainting, his eyes lighting up. But as soon as he met his father’s gaze, he quickly lowered his head as if he’d done something wrong.

Emperor Washington was surprised and asked urgently, “Fainted? He’s in his prime and a valiant general, just returned victorious—what on earth happened?”

The eunuch, half crying and half laughing, said, “It’s said… it’s said he was angered by his son. While Lord of South Harmony was away at war, his son Charles Foster sold off all the The Foster Family’s land. And that’s not all—even the jars and vases at home were sold off. Your Majesty, this is a case of the son selling off the father’s property. In common parlance, he’s a prodigal son. Not only that, but he spent all the money he got on ebony wood. When Lord of South Harmony heard this terrible news, he was so furious he collapsed. It’s also said that not only did he sell off the ancestral property, but even the family heirlooms…”

Emperor Washington couldn’t help but say, “Is there really such a person?”

The eunuch, afraid the emperor wouldn’t believe him, said, “Your Majesty, you may not know, but this heir of Lord of South Harmony, Charles Foster, is already notorious in the capital as a prodigal son. He’s never liked studying since childhood, idles about all day, indulges in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling—he’s an expert at all of it. His bad reputation is well known. He’s the only son of Lord of South Harmony, who has always spoiled him, so he acts without restraint. Everyone in the capital knows about him…”

Emperor Washington frowned and said, “Such wickedness—I’ve never heard of the like. Poor Lord of South Harmony, fighting for the court and earning great merit, only to have trouble at home. ‘At the beginning, human nature is good’—this is the result of excessive spoiling. Pass down my decree…”