This isn’t because he disrespects his elders or lacks manners. Rather, in the memories of his predecessor, Henry Thompson had always behaved this way in front of his father—rebellious, indifferent, never taking his father’s authority seriously.

　　“If I hadn’t had someone follow you, how would I know you act so outrageously on a daily basis? Utterly disgraceful!”

　　Benjamin Thompson rebuked him sternly, then his expression softened as he stroked his long beard: “If it weren’t for the fact that you actually learned a thing or two from Frank Miller and managed to solve the case on the spot, saving our The Thompson Family from embarrassment, I would have made you kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and nights this time.”

　　The heir apparent, William Thompson, was deeply skeptical: “No way! He solved a case? Did you get it wrong, Father? I remember when he was an apprentice, he only showed up fifty days in half a year, and half of those times he just made an appearance and left. If he could really learn anything from Frank Miller, then pigs could fly!”

　　“Hey~ William, that’s not fair!” To everyone’s surprise, Benjamin Thompson actually spoke up for Henry Thompson: “Henry has always been clever; he just never applied himself before. I remember a few years ago, even the Imperial Preceptor praised his extraordinary talent and natural intelligence.”

　　“Father!” William Thompson was speechless, his face full of helplessness. “He was just being polite, and you actually believed it?”

　　“No one could help me with the Lan Yue Tower case.”

　　Henry Thompson had completely calmed down by now, his tense nerves relaxing a bit. He realized he had basically passed the initial test without giving himself away.

　　At this moment, his face was full of mockery, and he let out a ‘heh’ to show his disdain: “So what if I only went fifty days in half a year? I, Henry Thompson, am just that gifted and naturally intelligent—ten days, half a month, and I can learn most of it. If the old man hadn’t forced me into the Six Paths Division and barred me from the imperial exams, maybe I’d have earned a title by now. Some people, their mindset is all wrong—just because they’re dumb, they want everyone else to be dumb too.”

　　It’s worth mentioning that the original Henry Thompson truly dreamed of taking the imperial exams in his youth, and genuinely believed that with two or three years of effort, top honors would be within easy reach—so this wasn’t just Henry Thompson bragging.

　　William Thompson was left speechless by his retort, thinking, how can someone be so shameless? And he’s actually my brother?

　　Henry Thompson then turned his gaze to the Earl of Sincerity, his expression grave: “Old man, I heard you and my brother were both dismissed from your posts? What happened?”

　　He hadn’t expected to get an answer, but Benjamin Thompson glanced at him, then sighed: “No one in all of Southern Zhili is talking about it, but I doubt it can be kept secret. Just yesterday afternoon, the Second Prince, on imperial orders, returned to Nanjing to pay respects to the ancestors. On his way south from Yangzhou, he crossed the river and was attacked and went missing on the Yangtze.”

　　Henry Thompson’s face instantly turned pale: “Father, were you involved in the escort?”

　　“No, but as the commander of the river navy, I can’t escape blame.”

　　His face darkened, as if he’d aged ten years, and his next words were heavy with meaning: “Henry, in the past, no matter how much trouble you caused in the Six Paths Division, I could always clean up after you. But from now on, I’m afraid there won’t be such good fortune! This disaster may be more than our Earl’s household can handle. So, you must hold on to your post in the Six Paths Division no matter what. Even if our Earl’s household falls, you’ll still have food and clothing.”

　　“Is it really that serious? Old man, are you trying to scare me?”

　　Henry Thompson’s heart sank. In his memories, Benjamin Thompson was a man who cared deeply about saving face. Yet now he was saying things like “we might not be able to handle it” in front of both his sons—clearly, things in the household were dire.

　　“What do you think?” Benjamin Thompson sneered. “This isn’t just about a missing prince—the situation behind the scenes is extremely complicated. One wrong move, and our entire household could be destroyed. So don’t take this lightly. If you dare mess around outside again, I’ll break your legs! Henry, you’re already eighteen. I don’t expect you to be independent yet, but you should at least know a thing or two.”

　　Henry Thompson thought for a moment, then tentatively asked, “Today, Edward Sutton from the Ying Tian Prefecture seemed to be targeting me. Is it related to your dismissal, Father?”

　　“Now that the tiger’s fallen from the mountain, all the monsters and demons come out.” Benjamin Thompson first scoffed, then glanced at him: “Speaking of Edward Sutton, did he injure you today?”

　　“Just a minor injury, nothing serious.”

　　Henry Thompson subconsciously touched his chest. Edward Sutton was extremely strong and had probably used his full strength.

　　He looked fine on the surface, but in reality, his internal organs had taken a bit of a shock.

　　“You deserved it.” The Earl of Sincerity sighed helplessly. “Our family’s ‘Chilling Blade of Heaven’ and ‘Frost Breath Fiery Palm’ are among the top martial arts in the world. If you’d put your mind to training, you’d already be at the Fourth Level by now—more than enough to protect yourself. Why would you need to fear Edward Sutton?”

　　Beside him, William Thompson nodded in agreement. “Utterly disgraceful!”

　　Speaking of this, Henry Thompson was actually quite resentful. His predecessor had been far too lazy; the family’s ‘Primordial Celestial Art’ had only been cultivated to the second level, which left Henry Thompson speechless.