However, before that nursery rhyme became popular, only Robert Harris and David Harris could use this childhood nickname. William Harris had another childhood name, 兕子, which was relatively more common, and Emily Harris was more accustomed to calling William Harris ‘兕子哥哥’ (Brother兕子).

The young man called ‘big brother’ to the left and ‘big brother’ to the right, but there was not the slightest hint of respect in his words.

His name was Ryan Harris, the half-brother of William Harris, thirteen years old.

When Robert Harris remarried, he had intended to make his new wife the official wife. However, David Harris disagreed, which is why the matter has dragged on until now. Ryan Harris was clever from a young age and was much loved by Robert Harris, but he bore the reputation of being a concubine’s son, which made him quite unhappy.

William Harris looked at him and suddenly asked, “Ryan Harris, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” Ryan Harris burst out laughing. “What a joke, this is my home—why shouldn’t I come over?”

After speaking, Ryan Harris lifted his leg and stepped onto the porch.

But before his other foot could come up, William Harris suddenly raised his leg and kicked Ryan Harris square in the chest.

Chapter Four Brian Harris (Part Two)

This kick came without warning, but with astonishing force. Ryan Harris let out a miserable scream, his whole body flying through the air before crashing down in the courtyard.

Before he could get up, William Harris was already in front of him, stomping on his face.

“Brian, did I let you in?”

“Annie Harris, are you crazy?”

“I’m crazy?”

A cold, sinister smile appeared on William Harris’s face. He suddenly raised his foot and kicked Ryan Harris hard in the stomach. Ryan Harris screamed again, curling up like a big shrimp, unable to speak for a while. At this moment, The Harris Family finally reacted and hurried over. “Eldest son, don’t use force! If your father finds out, he’ll definitely scold you.”

Before The Harris Family could finish, William Harris placed the little girl in her arms.

“Scold me?

Even if I don’t use force, he still won’t look kindly on me.” As he spoke, he pushed The Harris Family aside and said in a deep voice, “This house was built by Grandpa, and he left it to me. This is my property. I want this guy to know that in this house, it’s not his place to throw his weight around. A concubine’s son—does he really think he’s somebody?”

“Annie Harris, I won’t let you get away with this.”

Ryan Harris struggled to his feet, pointing at William Harris and cursing.

Before Ryan Harris could finish, William Harris grabbed his arm, yanked him forward, making Ryan Harris stumble, and then kicked him again, sending Ryan Harris sprawling to the ground.

“You won’t let me get away with it?” William Harris sneered. “Perfect, I don’t plan to let you off either.”

“Annie Harris, what do you want?”

Ryan Harris was thirteen, while William Harris was already seventeen.

Most importantly, William Harris had practiced martial arts with David Harris since childhood. Even when his mind was unclear, Ryan Harris was no match for him.

It was just that the old William Harris would never strike so casually.

Grandpa had said that he was born with great strength, but his mind was not clear. If he started fighting, he wouldn’t know how to hold back, and it would be easy for something to go wrong.

The reason for teaching him martial arts was partly to strengthen his body, and partly to cure his illness.

Now, William Harris’s mind was clear, and he certainly wouldn’t show Ryan Harris any mercy.

“Annie Harris?” William Harris stepped on Ryan Harris’s chest and said viciously, “Are those three words something a concubine’s son like you can say? Brian Harris, don’t think that just because my mind was unclear, I didn’t know anything. I know very well what you’ve done… If you hadn’t come looking for trouble, I wouldn’t have bothered with you. But since you’ve come to me yourself, don’t blame me for settling the score… Tell me, who made up that nursery rhyme? Who spread it?”

Ryan Harris struggled desperately under William Harris’s foot, but that foot pressed down on his chest like a mountain—no matter how he struggled, it didn’t budge an inch.

“What are you talking about?”

Hearing William Harris’s words, Ryan Harris’s heart skipped a beat.

William Harris sneered, “Brian Harris, last year when Ma Yaozi retired, there was an open attendant position by Father’s side. By rights, even if I was a fool, that position should have been mine—how did it end up with you, a concubine’s son?

And just at that time, Xiao Huang ran away!

Then that nursery rhyme started spreading in the county, making Father lose face… After that, you became Father’s attendant. Don’t tell me this was all a coincidence. If there really are so many coincidences in the world, maybe you’ll be a dead man tomorrow.”

“You…”

Ryan Harris stared at William Harris in horror, swallowing hard.

This attendant position was originally just a servant’s job, but since the Sui dynasty, it had also come to mean a close personal attendant.

The New Book of Tang records: Sui general Zhang Xutuo led troops against bandits, Luo Shixin served as his attendant at age fourteen…

After entering the Tang dynasty, the attendant position became even more common, turning into a symbol of status. Generally, only officials with official rank would be assigned attendants, who were exempt from corvée labor and received a salary. According to Robert Harris’s ninth-rank position, he was allotted two attendants, who were registered with the government and received eighty coins per month.

So many low-ranking officials would assign the attendant position to their own relatives.