The clan leader Edward Carter had four sons and one daughter. The most estranged among them was his youngest son, William, known as the “base-born son,” while his most beloved was his fourth daughter, Henry Blake.

Interestingly, among her several brothers, young Henry Blake was closest to William. In William Carter’s memory, perhaps it was because both of them lost their mothers during a great plague, and afterward, each saw the other—similarly lonely and forlorn—as a kindred spirit, forming a deep bond.

Although he had met Henry Blake many times since his rebirth, William Carter still couldn’t help but marvel from the bottom of his heart: this girl was only a few months older than him, just thirteen years old, not yet of age, yet already so stunningly beautiful. When she grew up, she would surely be a beauty capable of toppling cities and kingdoms.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel regret.

“Sigh, what a pity we’re siblings.”

Chapter 2 Henry Blake

When they saw it was Henry Blake, the stable boys and herdsmen in the stables all dropped to their knees in unison, pressing their foreheads tightly to the ground in a deep bow, not daring to lift their heads, as if even a glance would offend the pride of a noble lady.

This was an era where bloodline determined everything. The Spring and Autumn period was the last glory of the hereditary aristocracy. There were no commoners rising to high office, and no one dared to shout, “Are lords and generals born different?” Many ancient clans could trace their lineage back thousands of years to the times of Emperor Yao and Shun. Bloodline, knowledge, status, and surname were passed down from generation to generation. The gap between noble clansmen and commoners or servants was greater than the distance between heaven and earth.

Henry Blake didn’t even look at them, but eagerly urged her younger brother, “William, hurry up and continue.”

William grinned mischievously: “If you want to know what happens next, you’ll have to wait for the next installment.”

“Again with the ‘next installment’! William, can’t you just tell the whole story at once?”

Little Henry Blake pouted her cherry-like lips in disappointment, but quickly glanced around, straightened her face, and put on the air of an elder sister.

She reached out her fair, delicate hand, pulled William Carter out of the dark, gloomy stable hut, brushing the bits of grass from his clothes and smoothing his messy hair.

William Carter felt a bit awkward. Although this body was only thirteen, he was already tall and lanky. After crossing over, he had unhesitatingly smoothed out the childish “topknot” hairstyle, replacing it with a single conical bun, making him look more like a young man than a boy at first glance.

Now, the tall William Carter was being dusted off by his petite sister, swaying clumsily and awkwardly.

Yet his heart felt warm. In the entire Zhao clan, no one treated him better than his sister.

Although William Carter also carried the Zhao bloodline—the descendant of the fated black bird—he was humble due to his status as a concubine’s son, and his innate half-barbarian maternal blood made him even lower in status.

Only Henry Blake felt sorry for him, often speaking up on his behalf.

But he knew that, in history, the story of William and Henry Blake was a blood-soaked tragedy!

According to the script of history, a few years later, Henry Blake would marry into the northern state of Dai, while William Carter would rise above the rest, becoming the dark horse among the clan’s sons and inheriting the position of clan leader.

Before his death, Edward Carter’s final order to William was to destroy Dai—the very state where his most beloved daughter lived!

So, the first thing William Carter did after taking power was to don mourning clothes, ascend Mount Xiawu in the north, and invite his brother-in-law to a banquet. At the feast, warriors disguised as cooks raised heavy bronze ladles and smashed the King of Dai’s head, killing him on the spot!

A long-planned assassination, followed by a war of annexation.

Upon hearing of her husband’s death, the Queen of Dai, Henry Blake, said:

“To forget my husband because of my brother is unkind; to resent my brother for my husband’s death is unrighteous.”

Her feelings must have been extremely complicated. Should she rejoice that her brother had finally become a ruthless yet competent leader of the Zhao clan, or mourn her husband, whose brains had been dashed out?

She grieved bitterly, sharpening her hairpin and stabbing it into her slender, delicate neck, causing blood to bloom on the hillside.

Later generations called her “Lady Moji.”

Perhaps this was the “lifelong regret” the original owner of this body spoke of in his dreams—William Carter had driven his dearest sister to her death. Maybe it was this immense regret and sorrow that caused his transmigration?

Looking at the stunning girl before him, acting the part of the elder sister, William Carter couldn’t help but sigh with pity and gently took her slender hand.

As the poem says: “At the feast of youth, laughter and promises abound, never thinking they would turn against each other.”

I will definitely protect you!

That was the wish of another William Carter.

And now, it was the goal of this William Carter.

Little Henry Blake also took William by the hand and led him under the eaves. She instructed the servant girls to lay out bamboo mats and bring over a short, black lacquered table.

“The stables are dirty and smelly, and far from the main hall. Why did you come here so early, sister?”

“If I hadn’t come, wouldn’t you be eating breakfast with those lowly stable boys and herdsmen again?”

William Carter gave an embarrassed smile. In fact, being in the stables with the illiterate stable boys and herdsmen actually made him feel more at ease. It was better than facing those baffling pre-Qin rituals. Wasn’t it said that the rites and music of the Spring and Autumn period had collapsed? So why was everything still so complicated and tedious?