Lazily squinting his eyes, the same expression could produce completely different effects on different faces. On Robert Bennett, it looked fawning and ingratiating, while on Little William, it appeared sophisticated, elegant, and classy. Of course, there was nothing noble about a fool, but when this body was suddenly endowed with the consciousness of a medical doctor, his every move became lively and wise: “What is there to be happy about?” Language certainly wouldn’t be an obstacle on Little William’s path forward. He had mastered the six most representative languages in the world by the age of twenty. The language and script of Dakang were not much different from the past—like a variant of Chinese characters, just with slightly different pronunciation and a semi-classical, semi-vernacular vocabulary. For someone who had easily obtained a master’s degree in Chinese studies, this posed no problem at all.

Robert Bennett bowed and said, “Young master, I heard that the master and madam have just arranged a marriage for you!”

Upon hearing this, Little William’s expression instantly turned gloomy and troubled. In Dakang, free love was not yet advocated; parental orders and matchmakers’ words still held absolute sway. Although there was no freedom in love and marriage, there was one advantage: polygamy was legal in Dakang. As long as you had money and power, you could marry as many wives as you wanted. This was an era where the strong ruled; as long as you had enough strength, you could seize as many resources as possible—money, land, property, beauties...

Arranged childhood engagements were also popular in Dakang, with an emphasis on matching social status. Someone like Little William, a second-generation official, was naturally in high demand. When his mother was three months pregnant, a marriage had already been arranged. The in-laws, Samuel Clark, had once been a top-ranking official, serving as Dakang’s Right Prime Minister, Crown Prince’s Tutor, Hanlin Academician by imperial decree, Chancellor, and Senior Pillar of State—truly illustrious in Dakang. For the The Howard Family, it was a prestigious connection. Although Edward Howard held the purse strings of the state, he was only a third-rank official. But when Little William was two years old, word got out that the The Howard Family’s son was an imbecile, so the in-laws didn’t hesitate to break off the engagement.

A higher official rank crushes those below. Edward Howard naturally dared not say anything in front of a top-ranking official; he could only obediently accept the annulment, not only smiling apologetically but also repeatedly expressing regret, though in his heart he hated Samuel Clark to the core. Three years ago, the Crown Prince Brian Grant was deposed after falling out of favor. As the Crown Prince’s Tutor, Samuel Clark was inevitably implicated, and Edward Howard did not miss the chance to kick him while he was down, joining other ministers in impeaching him, which directly led to Samuel Clark being stripped of his office and made a commoner—a long-awaited revenge.

Although Little William’s idiocy was almost universally known in the capital, suitors still came in droves, though all were lower-ranking officials. No one truly wanted to marry their daughter to a fool; what they coveted was the power of the Minister of Revenue, Edward Howard.

Having served as an official for many years, Edward Howard was well aware of these people’s true intentions. Though he was skilled at political maneuvering, he secretly despised these sycophants. He refused them all outright. His son might be a fool, but he would not let others use him so easily. After several rounds of this, Little William reached sixteen without any marriage prospects.

Edward Howard had originally planned to support his foolish son for life. With the boy’s abilities, he clearly couldn’t bring honor to the family, but under his protection, at least he could live a safe, carefree, and happy life. Edward Howard was not without ambition, but even the greatest ambition must bow to reality.

Little William’s sudden awakening brought Edward Howard both joy and a rekindling of his long-buried ambitions. He quickly selected a marriage for Little William. The in-laws were David Thompson, Military Governor of Jian’nan Xichuan, Grand Master for Glorious Happiness, Acting Minister of War, Chancellor, Prefect of Xizhou, Founding Duke of Xichuan, and lord of three thousand households. Although he and Edward Howard were both third-rank officials in Dakang, David Thompson was a true regional power and deeply trusted by the current Crown Prince Eric Grant. When the Crown Prince ascended the throne, it would be David Thompson’s time to shine. In the court, one must know history, understand the present, and look to the future. Edward Howard’s initiative to propose a marriage alliance with the The Thompson Family was precisely for political reasons.

In fact, Edward Howard had long hinted at this. The marriage was a pretext; the real goal was an alliance. The The Thompson Family had a daughter who was paralyzed and, reportedly, extremely ugly. Even so, David Thompson would never have agreed to marry his daughter to a fool. But after confirming that the The Howard Family’s young master had suddenly regained his wits and ability to speak, David Thompson finally agreed. The two families exchanged birth dates and set a wedding date. The wedding was scheduled for the sixth day of the tenth month—less than half a year away.

A single marriage contract made Little William instantly realize that his dream of a leisurely life had become a luxury. To marry a wife he had never met, who was paralyzed from the waist down and, by all accounts, hideously ugly—what happiness could there be in that?

So when Robert Bennett brought up the matter, it immediately soured Little William’s mood. He sighed and said, “Let’s not talk about it!”