A burst of urgent hoofbeats approached head-on. Edward Howard heard the sound of the guards outside drawing their waist knives. His two personal bodyguards were both top-notch experts, exceptionally alert. The guard Richard Howard shouted loudly, “Who goes there, daring to block Lord Howard’s carriage?” From the forcefulness of his words, it was clear he had already recognized the newcomer’s identity—at the very least, he was certain the other’s official rank was lower than Edward Howard’s, otherwise he wouldn’t dare speak so boldly. There are rules to officialdom.

The hoofbeats suddenly stopped. An anxious yet respectful voice called out, “This subordinate is Charles Carter from the Ministry of Carriages, here on urgent business to see Lord Howard!”

Edward Howard slowly lifted the curtain at the front of the carriage, and saw the Assistant Minister of Carriages, Charles Carter, dismounting from a snow-white steed. Although the Ministry of Carriages was one of the six ministries, it was subordinate to the Ministry of War and had no direct connection to the Ministry of Revenue overseen by Edward Howard. Charles Carter was merely a sixth-rank minor official, but he was quite well-known in the capital for his expertise in judging horses, earning him the reputation of a modern-day Bo Le. The Minister of War, Michael Bolton, valued him highly, and the two were close friends in private.

Charles Carter was tall and broad-shouldered, with dark skin—a trait inherited by all three of his sons. In contrast, his daughter Grace Carter was fair-skinned and strikingly beautiful. Anyone who had seen her in person found it hard to believe that old Carter could have such a lovely daughter. However, when it came to temperament, Grace Carter was very much like Charles Carter.

A sixth-rank official meeting a third-rank dignitary—dismounting was the minimum courtesy. Although Charles Carter was hot-tempered and secretly despised Edward Howard’s character and reputation, he still maintained a respectful demeanor on the surface. These capital officials were well-versed in the ways of officialdom. To survive in the treacherous court, one must first learn to dissemble. No matter how much hatred one harbors, not a trace can show on the face. The word “endure” has a knife above it, no matter how the anger burns inside.

Charles Carter dismounted, but Edward Howard made no move to step out of the carriage. He smiled and said, “So it’s you, Brother Charles. It’s been a while since we last met.” He didn’t ask what Charles Carter wanted, but had already guessed he was here for a favor. As the Minister of Revenue of Dakang, Edward Howard oversaw the empire’s lands, population, taxes, salaries, and all financial matters. He wielded enormous power, with subordinates in charge of minting coins, managing treasuries, and overseeing granaries and river transport—he was Dakang’s undisputed god of wealth. In Edward Howard’s view, Charles Carter was most likely here for some financial matter. Previously, the emperor had entrusted the matter of the Junshan Horse Farm to Charles Carter, and the funding for its establishment had been arranged by Edward Howard.

Charles Carter tossed the reins to his attendant, his heart filled with both worry and anger. Edward Howard probably didn’t yet know that his son had abducted Charles Carter’s daughter. Still, Charles Carter managed to keep his composure. He took a few steps forward, came to the carriage, and leaned in to whisper a few words in Edward Howard’s ear.

Even with Edward Howard’s composure, upon hearing Charles Carter’s words, his expression changed dramatically. This was outrageous—his son had actually done such a thing? In truth, Edward Howard didn’t know his son very well. It wasn’t for lack of care; he had always tried to provide his son with a comfortable life. Unfortunately, the boy had been born mentally disabled, and there had never been any communication between father and son. Only half a year ago had the child suddenly regained his senses and begun to speak, but his behavior remained odd, and there was still little interaction between them. While Edward Howard was delighted, he also found it strange, but in any case, it was a gift from the heavens.

Edward Howard had this son at the age of thirty-five. His wife, Mrs. Howard, had only ever borne this one child. Though Edward Howard was cunning by nature, he treated his wife and family extremely well. His feelings for his wife had never wavered; he had never taken a concubine or become entangled with any other woman. Recently, his wife had returned to her family home in Jinling, and he had been busy with official duties, so he had neglected his son somewhat. He hadn’t expected such a major incident to occur just five days after his wife’s departure. Edward Howard couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on, but as a seasoned official, he quickly regained his composure and said to Charles Carter, “Brother Charles, please step into the carriage so we can talk.”

At this point, Charles Carter was nearly consumed by rage, wishing he could sprout wings and fly to The Howard Family to rescue his daughter from the villain’s clutches. But he was well aware of the other’s status—Edward Howard was the Minister of Revenue, a third-rank official, not someone a sixth-rank official like himself could afford to offend. Even if all the right was on his side, he dared not rashly report the matter to the emperor. What’s more, his daughter was still unmarried; if the scandal became public, even if he managed to rescue her, her reputation would be ruined... The more Charles Carter thought about it, the more miserable and resentful he felt.

But no matter how much hatred he felt, he had to suppress his anger and entered the carriage. At this moment, Edward Howard summoned his personal guard Richard Howard, whispered a few instructions in his ear, and Richard Howard, upon receiving the order, immediately galloped off toward the Minister’s residence.

Chapter 6: The Wedding Abduction (Part 2)