William Bolton was not surprised. He smiled and said, “Benefactor, you are right. Now is indeed not the time to leave General Harris. On the contrary, we need to give our all to help General Harris defend Haozhou. Only by repaying General Harris's kindness can you plan your next move!”

He spoke with such conviction that it made John Washington hesitate. He wasn’t trying to persuade him to leave… so what was this about?

“Benefactor, we just discussed General Harris's character. You can see it from how he handled the grain issue this time. As the lord of this region, he should have stepped forward himself, decisively dealt with the grain merchants, rallied the people, and defended the city against the enemy. That’s what a true leader should do. But General doesn’t dare offend the wealthy merchants in the city, always thinking of using others to do his dirty work, trying to avoid offending anyone. With this kind of character, I fear he won’t even be able to hold onto Haozhou in the future.”

William Bolton was not making things up. A quick look at the historical records shows that if it weren’t for having George Washington as a son-in-law, James Harris would only be listed under “others” in the annals, not even comparable to Liu Futong or Xu Shouhui.

“Benefactor, you assisting General in defending Haozhou is absolutely the right thing to do. You still need to build your reputation and abilities, and wait for the right moment. But if, because of this, you become blindly loyal and obedient, just being a pawn for General, I truly worry that one day General will discard you. After all, General lacks vision and is fond of playing political games—it's truly dangerous.”

Old Mr. Washington was startled. William Bolton's words were almost treasonous, sowing discord between him and General.

But it hit right at the heart of John Washington. Under James Harris, his situation was far from ideal, and the biggest problem was Michael Harris. For some unknown reason, this young commander just looked down on John Washington and made things difficult for him at every turn. If James Harris listened to his son, he’d be in real trouble.

Moreover, within Haozhou, the other Generals were also scheming against each other, not at all like people who could accomplish great things.

Striking out on his own was clearly the best path.

Old Mr. Washington couldn’t help but be tempted, but the timing just wasn’t right yet.

William Bolton had perfectly grasped John Washington's heart.

“Little sir, I understand what you mean… You’re saying that since I’m working for General, I should naturally do my best. But I can’t just be a fool—I need to make General realize my value! That’s why you’re helping me build my reputation among the people!”

William Bolton smiled and said, “Benefactor, you see clearly. General has cunning and skill, but he’s not a decisive leader. Blind obedience won’t bring any benefit. Showing some of your own strength will make General respect you more. In short, you must fight for what you deserve, and don’t hold back your anger when it’s justified!”

John Washington couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. He quickly understood William Bolton's point: just like at Huangjue Temple, if you always work honestly and quietly, you’ll never win the favor of those above—you’ll just be seen as easy to bully, and everyone will push you around.

This time, with James Harris being unfair in rewards and punishments and using him as a tool, he might as well show his strength and let James Harris see it. At such a critical moment, James Harris surely wouldn’t cut off his own right hand!

John Washington figured it out. “Little sir, let me ask you again—do you think General will give in?”

“He will! Very soon! To deal with Jia Ru and defend Haozhou, only you can do it, Benefactor. General Harris will definitely come to ask for your help!”

John Washington continued, “Then what should I do?”

“Of course, you should agree, and be very happy and grateful about it.”

John Washington shook his head. “I mean, what should I do next? Should I hold back?”

“Hold back? Why hold back? Benefactor, you should be even more decisive and bold, forging ahead without hesitation. The morale of the troops and the people of Haozhou all depend on your attitude. If you become timid and overly cautious, those people who just started to have hope in you will only be disappointed. In short, act boldly, but be careful in your personal conduct!”

Old Mr. Washington felt another surge of excitement, his face showing delight. After weighing it over and over, he fully understood William Bolton's thinking. This young man had seen through James Harris and knew that with a great enemy at the gates, the people desperately needed someone to rely on—so he wanted him to step up and shoulder this responsibility.

Truly impressive!

“Little sir, was all this written by your esteemed father?” Old Mr. Washington suddenly asked.

William Bolton was taken aback, almost losing his composure. He quickly replied, “I just tried to figure it out myself based on the writings. It may not necessarily be right…”

John Washington just smiled and said nothing more.

At that moment, there was suddenly a commotion outside the courtyard gate—James Harris, accompanied by several guards, had actually come in person.

John Washington was startled. “Little sir, your predictions are uncanny.” Turning around, he hurried out…

Chapter Ten: The Lady Takes Action

James Harris's sudden arrival also caught William Bolton off guard.

Although he had seen through James Harris's weak nature, as long as John Washington was capable enough, James Harris would eventually yield. The only problem was that he yielded too quickly, leaving William Bolton a bit bewildered.

Could it be that this old man had finally reached his breaking point, and truly couldn’t hold out any longer?

William Bolton speculated wildly. With Old Mr. Washington gone, he had no other sources of information. Fortunately, there was still Madam Adams.

Perhaps it was because she had big feet and walked fast, or maybe she was just well-informed, but in less than an hour, she had figured out what was happening outside. With a worried look, she hurried back to discuss it with William Bolton.