Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in Yuan

Chapter 001: Mr. Carter Has the Spirit of His Ancestors!

The sixth year of Jiaping, September.

Yangping Commandery, Yuancheng County.

"I want to accuse Shuqu! This scoundrel actually ordered his wife to seduce me!"

"Offering one's wife—such a shocking act!"

"It truly destroys the ethics of humanity and corrupts the morals of men and women!"

"He has committed a grave offense against the world! He seeks to ruin my reputation!"

"Please, magistrate, send someone to arrest him at once!"

Inside the county office, a young man stood straight before the magistrate, loudly rebuking him.

The many officials in the office were already dumbfounded.

This young man was tall and slender, not very old, but already as tall as an adult.

He wore a triple-wrapped quju robe, a military cap on his head, a long sword hanging from his waist, and his appearance was fair as jade, with sword-like brows and starry eyes—extremely heroic and handsome.

Behind the youth stood more than a dozen burly men in coarse clothes, all with their hands on their sword hilts, squinting menacingly at the magistrate before them.

Beside the young man lay a beautiful woman, motionless.

The woman buried her head, her looks unseen, but her figure was alluring and seductive.

The magistrate, Ethan Brooks, glanced at the beautiful woman, then at the young man before him.

At that moment, his face was ashen, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

"Mr. Carter... why is this happening?"

"No reason, just here to file a complaint! What, the Wei dynasty forbids the imperial clan from interfering in politics, but it never said the imperial clan can't file complaints, right?!"

The magistrate, Ethan Brooks, with a goatee, was thin and upright in appearance, his expression proud and aloof.

But upon hearing the youth's words, his composure instantly broke.

In all the years of Wei, he had never seen such a brazen member of the imperial clan!

"Your Lordship, please do not bring trouble upon yourself."

Ethan Brooks squinted his eyes and said coldly, "You are a duke of noble rank; you really shouldn't come to the county office to stir up trouble time and again."

"Perhaps Your Lordship does not know, but the laws of Wei strictly forbid the imperial clan from associating with guests."

"You keep retainers with money, befriend ruffian leaders, shelter criminals, recruit knights-errant, command bandits, collude with merchants—any one of these is enough for execution."

"In my opinion, you'd best go home."

The young man stood with hands on his hips, his face flushed, a faint smell of alcohol lingering on him.

Hearing Ethan Brooks's words, he couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh.

"Who says I keep retainers? These are just my household slaves. What, does Wei law forbid the imperial clan from keeping slaves now?"

"As for sheltering, recruiting, commanding, colluding—those are just trumped-up charges."

"I have always been generous and charitable. Whenever people come to me for help, I always assist them. This is benevolence and good deeds."

"As for the identities of those who seek my help, that I do not know."

"My many good deeds are also thanks to your own efforts in moral instruction as magistrate. Of course, you can also report me to the authorities, hahaha! Who knows, maybe we'll end up sharing a prison cart!"

Ethan Brooks stared at the brazen imperial clansman before him, fists clenched, eyes nearly spitting fire.

Brazen beyond belief!! A scoundrel!!

The Wei dynasty had always strictly controlled the imperial clan, and the clan had always been grateful for Emperor Wen, Cao Pi's, great kindness.

He had established a new system for the imperial clan in Wei.

The imperial clan of Wei had no real power at all—could not conscript, could not collect taxes, let alone command troops.

Even the grand princes had only a handful of old, weak, sick, and disabled people around them.

They were always given the poorest lands, no stipends, not allowed to do business.

Other dynasties sent stewards to care for the princes, but only Wei set up supervisors and inspectors to watch over them.

They were not allowed to go more than thirty li from their residence, not allowed to meet relatives and friends, not allowed to use luxury goods, not allowed to write letters. Local officials could control them, and they were frequently relocated and reassigned, never allowed to settle.

In short, the princes of Wei lived worse than dogs!!!

Yet among this group of princes living such miserable lives, there emerged such an oddball.

He was brazen and reckless, never taking the supervisors, inspectors, or even local officials seriously.

He had committed nearly every crime a prince was forbidden to commit, and now he had come to the county office to make a scene.

"William Carter!! What exactly do you want?!"

Ethan Brooks demanded.

The young man, none other than the noble Duke of Wei, William Carter, laughed, walked around Ethan Brooks, and in a few steps sat down in the magistrate's seat.

The loafers followed him, standing by his side.

They began to talk loudly and brazenly, as if no one else were present.