The knight’s gaze bypassed him directly, looking toward the inner hall, and coldly demanded, “Where is the Noble Lord of Gaogui Township?”

Robert Grant’s face flashed with a trace of anger. He blocked the knight’s probing eyes and stared straight into the other’s, “I am the Assistant Commandant of the Noble Lord of Gaogui Township, Robert Grant. Who are you?!”

The knight was momentarily stunned and about to flare up, but the elder on the carriage finally ceased his statue-like silence.

“Do not be rude.”

He lowered his head, looked at the young man before him, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.

“I am Richard King, also Grand Minister of Ceremonies holding the imperial scepter, here by order of the Empress Dowager to see the Noble Lord of Gaogui Township. May I ask if he is in the residence?”

At these words, those around were instantly shocked.

Grand Minister of Ceremonies holding the scepter, bearing the Empress Dowager’s edict? Good heavens, what is this about??

Robert Grant was clearly shaken as well, but he quickly regained his composure.

“Greetings, Lord Wang. My Lord Cao is in the residence.”

“However, according to proper etiquette, I must ask all of you to dismount and enter the residence on foot!”

The knight grew furious, but Richard King only smiled and said, “That is as it should be.”

“No need for such trouble.”

A voice came from within the residence, and a youth was seen walking out, chest out and head held high.

Seeing this, Robert Grant was about to speak, but William Carter spoke first: “It’s fine. In the face of the imperial scepter and the Empress Dowager’s edict, how could we dare be negligent?”

He bowed to Richard King, “Noble Lord of Gaogui Township, William Carter, pays respects to the Grand Minister of Ceremonies.”

Richard King was taken aback for a moment, but did not return the bow. Instead, he raised the scepter high.

“The Empress Dowager has an edict!”

At once, everyone knelt in unison, whether knight or the assembled worthies.

Even William Carter was no exception.

Then, the same Harris Monument from before strode forward, produced the Empress Dowager’s edict, raised his head, and read aloud in a booming voice:

“The Emperor Fang is already of age, yet he neglects state affairs, indulges only those petty men at his side, and is obsessed with women, mingling daily with actors and entertainers!”

“The Emperor Fang condones all their disgraceful behavior, and has even summoned the families of the palace consorts into the palace to live in the inner chambers, destroying human relations and disrupting the morals of men and women!”

“The Emperor Fang’s respect and filial piety toward his elders has gradually withered, and his arrogance and recklessness have grown ever more severe!”

“Such an emperor cannot inherit the Mandate of Heaven nor serve the ancestral temples. Therefore, I now deem it right to send Lord Gao with the documents for Fang’s abdication, and use a great ox as a sacrificial offering to worship at the ancestral temple of the Cao clan and before the late emperors, and send Fang to the land of Qi to be its king, thus abdicating in favor of the worthy.”

“Prince Cao Lin of Donghai is the legitimate son of Emperor Wen, the great ancestor! Among Cao Lin’s sons, all are direct descendants of Emperor Wen. It is said that among Cao Lin’s sons, the Noble Lord of Gaogui Township, William Carter, possesses the capacity for great deeds and the bearing of his forebears. Now, he is appointed as the heir to Emperor Ming, that is, to the imperial throne!”

Harris Monument finished reading the edict.

At this moment, the edict thundered in everyone’s ears.

What?? The emperor has been deposed??

Upon hearing this, all those present—except for the envoys who already knew—were dumbfounded, some even collapsing to the ground in shock.

Robert Grant’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

And the latter part was an even greater shock.

To make the Noble Lord of Gaogui Township, William Carter, emperor.

Upon hearing this, Ethan Brooks collapsed to the ground, his expression blank, eyes filled with near despair.

It’s over. This time, it’s truly over.

And those retainers eavesdropping inside the residence were also dumbstruck. What’s going on?

Our Lord Cao is going to be emperor??

The only one present who could remain calm was probably William Carter.

He had imagined this day countless times, even considered all sorts of ways to respond.

Yet when the day truly arrived, his heart was calm, without the slightest excitement.

The envoys had long known the purpose of coming to Yuancheng.

But just now, the knight’s attitude—was that how one treats a future emperor??

No, that was how one treats a puppet!!

William Carter could almost see his future life: stifling and helpless.

Moreover, to welcome a new emperor, it should be a grand minister of the Three Excellencies who is sent, not a hastily arranged Grand Minister of Ceremonies with a Minor Treasurer and Palace Attendant to read the edict.

This was already a great slight to him.

William Carter also knew the reason: he was not the first choice for the throne in the eyes of the court.

In fact, the court—that is, the Sima family—favored supporting Prince Cao Ju of Pengcheng as emperor. He was the brother of William Carter’s grandfather, and a direct son of Emperor Wu, Cao Cao.

But Empress Dowager Guo absolutely refused, because if he became emperor, the generational order would be disrupted, Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, would have no heir, and most importantly, Empress Dowager Guo’s own status would be illegitimate.

As for why he himself was chosen, William Carter could more or less guess the reason.

His bloodline was closer to Emperor Ming, and he had no father, his mother died early, no maternal clan, his brothers were not close to him, he was young, unmarried, with no wife’s family—truly alone in every sense.

Sima Shi, after arguing with Empress Dowager Guo, chose to compromise, likely for this very reason.

William Carter slowly stood up and looked at the edict in Harris Monument’s hand.

Chapter 005: All in Vain