Walt Whitman became famous throughout the land in his early twenties, but because of his proud nature, he was never able to gain the support of influential patrons. It wasn’t until he was forty-two that Lord Benjamin Franklin recommended him to the imperial court. Although His Majesty the Emperor greatly admired his talent, in reality, he treated him as a court jester who could provide lyrics for the palace at any time, placing him on the same level as Charles King and others, never truly entrusting him with important responsibilities.

All the hidden reasons behind this were, of course, beyond the understanding of The Carter Family’s chambermaid Violet. Even if she could see through it, she wouldn’t care. She only cared about her master’s mood and whether any troublesome issues might arise. After thinking for a moment, she actually managed to deduce a vague answer: “Walt Whitman holds an official position, so he probably wouldn’t go to Changle Lane to cause trouble on his own. That kid Edward Bennett likes to stir up trouble, but he’s always been fair when gambling. It shouldn’t be that he cheated out of desperation after losing money. I guess he and Walt Whitman have had some grudge for a while, or maybe he’s standing up for someone else!”

Truly, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly. Henry Carter had been puzzling over it the whole way without figuring it out, but with just a few casual words from Violet, the fog was pierced. Edward Bennett deliberately provoked Walt Whitman, not because he was desperate from losing money, but because he wanted to use the opportunity to teach Walt Whitman a lesson and make him suffer a big setback. But he’s barely read any books—what kind of grudge could he have with a great poet like Walt Whitman? Could someone else be manipulating him from behind the scenes? And who is that person, and just how much did they pay him to make him disregard even his childhood friends?

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy Henry Carter felt. He propped up his head, wanting to discuss it further with Violet, only to find that the beauty beside him had already fallen asleep at some point, her breathing steady and even.

Note 1: Guangzhou had already opened as a port during the Tang Dynasty. Historical records state that merchants gathered in the city, making it the most prosperous in the southeast. However, it was later destroyed due to the Huang Chao Rebellion.

Chapter One: The Sound of Autumn (Part Four)

Crimson candles, pale pink gauze curtains. Behind the thin veil, the sleeping beauty slowly opened her starry eyes and let out a lazy moan.

“Madam is awake?” The maid, who had been curled up pretending to nap on the tiger-skin rug beside the bed, heard the moan and jumped up joyfully, picking up the bowl of lotus seed soup kept warm in a woolen nest and gently placing it on the table before the newly awakened beauty.

“Mm!” Martha Washington let out another low groan, lifted herself halfway up, and drank a few sips of lotus seed soup from the maid’s hand. Then she stretched languidly and asked with a sigh, “What time is it? Rose, have those two children from the Qin family left?”

Though already in her early thirties, her skin was even more delicate than that of her sixteen-year-old maid Rose. Perhaps it was because she had just woken up, or perhaps out of habit, but without realizing it, most of her chest was exposed above the covers, two rosy points separated by a deep valley, proudly facing each other.

This sight would make even a woman dizzy and entranced. The maid called Rose placed the half-empty porcelain bowl by the bed, then slowly lowered her head, pressing her face against Martha Washington’s arm. “It’s already the second watch. Madam! The two young gentlemen from the Qin family are both afraid of their families’ discipline. Seeing that you couldn’t hold your liquor, they found an excuse and took the initiative to say goodbye. But you, Madam, fell into such a deep sleep!” She nuzzled gently, replying in a low voice. Her tone carried a huskiness quite at odds with her age, causing the candlelight nearby to suddenly flicker, brightening and dimming.

“Courting death!” Martha Washington slapped her, sending the little maid lightly flying away. “Stop bothering me here. Go find the clothes I’m wearing tonight. The one the merchant from Dashi brought last time. And bring the matching hairpins, jewelry, and makeup box as well!”

“You want that Dashi outfit?” Maid Rose dodged just out of arm’s reach, her brows lightly furrowed. “It’s not like summer anymore. The night wind is chilly. That outfit is just two pieces of sheepskin and a pile of silver ornaments—it won’t keep out the cold at all. If…”

“That old thing just likes it, what can I do?” Martha Washington put away her coquettish expression, a trace of helplessness appearing between her brows. “But maybe it’s for the best—let him feast his eyes. When he pounces, he’ll only have the strength for a dragonfly’s touch…”

“That old bastard!” Rose muttered with a frown. It sounded less like she was standing up for Martha Washington and more like she was jealous of someone.

“Enough chatter, go!” Martha Washington glanced at her and repeated softly. “Tell Scarlett to go out and check if the carriage is ready. As for those two horses from this afternoon, I wonder if they’ll ever be able to get up again?”

“It shouldn’t be a big problem! Don’t worry, Madam. That brute surnamed Lei used some trick. Although he knocked the horses down, he didn’t really injure their muscles or bones.” The little maid Rose walked out in small steps, reporting methodically as she went. “An hour ago, the steward called the vet to take a look. He prescribed a few calming medicines for the horses, then packed up. He said they don’t even need the medicine—just rest in the stable for two or three days and they’ll recover!”

“Oh!” Martha Washington’s mouth slowly formed a soft oval. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford to buy two more horses of the same color from Shiwei, she just felt sorry for the two animals. They’d been frightened so badly, and still had to take two heavy punches.