He had never paid any attention to William Carter before, and even felt some aversion and distance toward him. But at this moment, that sturdy young man riding alone, though still with a baby face full of youthful innocence, exuded a spirit of vigor and ambition—it was clear that he would surely become a valiant warrior in the future.

Wasn’t he a bit like his younger self?

It was fortunate that for more than ten years he had hardly paid any attention to William Carter and was unaware of his temperament and speech; otherwise, he would certainly have been suspicious of his son’s drastic change in character.

At this moment, Edward Carter’s appreciation for talent was suddenly aroused, but he was still somewhat unconvinced by what William Carter had said, so he lowered his head and asked his charioteer: “Mark Allen, my concubine’s son speaks so eloquently—what do you think? Can simply changing a piece of tack really make such a difference for a lone rider?”

Although the Zhao clan had been skilled with horses for generations, after several centuries of living as pampered nobles, their ancestral skills had become somewhat rusty.

But the lower official Frank Bell was a true horse expert, known as a modern-day Bo Le, and was more familiar with the temperament and uses of horses than with his own wives and concubines.

With his bearded face, Frank Bell had been squinting and watching all along. He commented, “My lord, the young gentleman is right. Chariot formations are slow to maneuver—that’s a weakness. A lone rider is fast and agile—that’s an advantage. I think riders can serve as the eyes of the main force, used for scouting and vigilance, tracking and pursuing targets, and attacking scattered or fleeing prey and enemies.”

Seeing that the horse expert Frank Bell did not refute William Carter, Edward Carter made his decision.

“In that case, since you made this saddle, you’ve earned a small merit. I’ll temporarily pardon your offense of breaking formation!”

Now it was David Carter and his charioteer Paul Evans who were dumbfounded—was the matter just brushed aside like that?

William breathed a sigh of relief; he had finally managed to fool his stingy old man.

But the still unconvinced David Carter was not about to let it go so easily.

He immediately requested of Edward Carter, “Father, words alone prove nothing—the truth is shown on the hunting ground! Which is better, chariot or rider? May I compete with William?”

This suggestion was exactly what Edward Carter wanted, and since there was to be a competition, all four sons might as well take part! He took up his bronze axe and began directing the chariot teams.

“Family marshal, heed my command—reform the formation. John Reed, you’ll be the central force; David Clark and George Lane, you’ll be the right wing; William, you’ll be the left wing.”

“Since you’ve praised lone riding so highly, let me see how much game you can catch. If you get less than your elder brothers, don’t blame me for punishing you. The three of you must not hold back—do your utmost to hunt! If any of you lose to a twelve-year-old boy, you’ll go home hungry today!”

Everyone answered solemnly, “Yes, sir!”

Only William Carter muttered to himself, “Actually, I’ll be thirteen in August…”

……

From a distance, the Grand Minister of Works of Song, Peter Wright, watched this scene. He turned his head and asked his chariot companion, who was also an important minister, Henry Brooks, “James Allen, what do you think of the Zhao clan’s army?”

Henry Brooks, courtesy name James Allen, looked at the Zhao clan’s chariot teams, which had quickly shifted from disorder to order, and replied, “In my opinion, if Edward Carter is present, or if his minister Andrew Grant is present, the Zhao clan’s army is like tigers and wolves. If Edward Carter is absent and there is no good clan leader to command, the Zhao clan is nothing but a pile of loose sand!”

“So, although Robert Green is greedy and base, if you wish to turn and befriend the Zhao clan, in my humble view, it is still too soon…”

Peter Wright sighed. On this diplomatic mission, he was well aware that the Jin state’s government was divided, the ducal house was weak, and it would be impossible to guarantee the safety of the Song envoy. Once they set foot on Jin soil, they would become the target of competition among the six noble clans, and would have to choose sides among them. This was like stepping into a rain of arrows and a forest of blades—one misstep could mean utter ruin.

That was why, after his advisor Philip Scott had cast a dire divination for this journey, he resolutely named his eldest son as the family heir, so that if anything happened to him, there would at least be someone to look after the family.

Another retainer, Henry Brooks, had suggested that perhaps they should just hold their noses and attach themselves to the strongest among the six clans.

But among the six clans, who was truly the strongest? The Fan clan currently held power, but its leader was old and might not have many years left. Edward Carter was in his prime and tough in his ways, not to be underestimated, but even if Robert Green died tomorrow, the ruling power in Jin would go to the Zhi clan, not him. The other clans—Zhonghang, Han, Wei—were not easy to deal with either. The situation in Jin was so complex, it was as if a heavy curtain blocked any clear view.

Moreover, the Song state, after all, was a descendant of Wei Zi and the only remaining ducal state in the world. Even the Zhou king treated them as honored guests. Had it really come to this, serving foreign nobles? Before coming, Peter Wright still harbored a sliver of hope that he could openly form an alliance with the Duke of Jin and bring the alliance treaty back to Song’s capital, Shangqiu, with honor.

Who would have thought that upon arriving in Jin, the Fan and Zhao clans would be openly and covertly fighting in court, dragging the Song envoy into the fray? After Robert Green lost control of foreign affairs, he took out his anger on them, refusing to let the Duke of Jin receive the Song envoy. Thus, to complete his mission and return home safely, Peter Wright had no choice but to rely on the Zhao clan’s help.

At this moment, Edward Carter’s chariot had already returned. He apologized, “My sons were fooling around and made John Wright laugh at us.”