Matthew Grant was stunned, raising an eyebrow, his eyes rolling around as he muttered, “What a clever move, once again cutting off the tail like a gecko, leaving nothing behind.”

“You’re too slow to react.”

“Matthew Grant admits his mistake.”

“Two things.” Lucy spoke arrogantly, “First, you are to cooperate with Philip Ross. Anyone who has any association with Brian Clark is to be taken down and interrogated with severe punishment. Alan wants the world to know what fate awaits those who support the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Second, regarding the Crown Prince sending people to burn Brian Clark’s study, you must find more conclusive evidence. What we have now is far from enough.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Matthew Grant quickly performed a cross-handed salute and said, “There is a way to search further, and I was just about to ask for your instructions, but I’ll need to mobilize the Right Cavalry Guard…”

Lucy listened, nodded, and said, “I’ll report back to Alan first.”

“Thank you for your efforts, my lady.”

Matthew Grant personally went to the gate of the Jingzhao Prefecture, watching as the beautiful lady rode away on her fine horse.

He returned to the office, picked up once more the long list of names confessed by Brian Clark, and read them softly, as if the King of Hell was calling out names.

“Governor of Beihai Benjamin Thompson, Governor of Zichuan Franklin Price, Literary Official Peter King, Top Scholar of the Guiyou Year Mark Hill…”

These people might be engrossed in calligraphy, or spending time with their families, or diligently working on official business. In any case, they surely wouldn’t think they had done anything wrong.

But Matthew Grant believed they were not wronged in the slightest.

Making friends with the wrong people was a capital crime—punishable by arrest, death, and exile of the entire family!

At the beginning of the year, countless people involved in the Simon Webb case were beaten to death, and before the year was out, he had another chance to launch a great purge of wrongful convictions.

“Ha, the road is blocked by ghosts; the King of Hell will be busy this year.”

His smile was a bit ferocious, and a spark of excitement lit up in his eyes.

……

On the outskirts of Chang’an, a fire was lit in a ruined temple.

“The fire’s started.” Ethan Green called out.

She was shivering from the cold, huddled by the fire, rubbing her body for warmth.

After a while, Charles Reed came in carrying an armful of firewood, shook the snow off his clothes, and seeing Ethan Green like this, took off his cross-collared fox fur coat, sat down beside her, and wrapped them both in it.

This was originally Edward Brooks’s coat, which he had put on before going to the Crown Prince’s villa to avoid drawing attention.

Ethan Green shuddered in surprise but didn’t pull away.

She didn’t dare make a sound, and cautiously stole glances at Charles Reed’s profile.

Charles Reed seemed to sense her gaze and said, “I’m so hungry.”

Ethan Green said, “We just ate at noon, and you ate quite a lot.”

“We just ate at noon.” Charles Reed repeated softly, shaking his head slightly.

Ethan Green asked, “Even the Crown Prince doesn’t want to save the The Brooks Family, is the The Brooks Family really finished?”

Charles Reed didn’t answer, staring blankly at the campfire.

Ethan Green realized he was just as helpless. With such a huge matter, what could two servants possibly do?

Thinking of the fate awaiting the The Brooks Family household, her eyes reddened and silent tears began to fall again.

After crying hard, she wiped her tears with the back of her hand and said, “My family name is Huangfu, and we were once a scholarly family. When I was six, Grandpa was beaten to death for being implicated in the deposed Crown Prince’s case, and the whole family was confiscated and made slaves. I, like you, have been a government slave.”

“Deposed Crown Prince?” Charles Reed asked, “There was already a Crown Prince who was deposed?”

He looked up in thought, finally recalling something, his lips moving silently as he muttered to himself, “Yes, he seems to have killed three of his sons.”

Ethan Green only heard his earlier question and replied, “Mm.”

“What were the details?”

“The world avoids talking about it, so I don’t really know.” Ethan Green shook her head. “I was lucky; not long after, the lady of the house bought me back to the The Brooks Family, and she treated me with great kindness…”

Thinking of all that had happened over the past nine years, she choked up again, sobbing uncontrollably.

“I always hoped to repay the lady’s great kindness, but I never thought, never thought the The Brooks Family would get caught up in such a big case again. Do you think… am I a jinx?”

“Don’t blame yourself.” Charles Reed said, “It only proves there are too many innocent people dragged into things like this.”

Ethan Green was comforted and felt much better.

Charles Reed sighed softly and murmured, “The heart of one man, the hearts of millions.”

Ethan Green didn’t understand, and still felt cold as the wind blew, unconsciously leaning closer to his warm body, only to quickly realize it was inappropriate and bit her lip awkwardly.

Outside, snowflakes drifted down. The two huddled by the fire for warmth, with darkness behind them.

Ethan Green gradually became preoccupied with other thoughts, her eyelids lowering slightly as she quietly asked, “If we really can’t save the The Brooks Family, what will we do?”

“I’m still thinking.”

Ethan Green lowered her head, hesitantly saying, “We’ve offended the Crown Prince. Maybe we should find a place to hide our identities, you know, the man farming and the woman weaving…”

“I can’t, and don’t intend to, farm.”

“I mean,” Ethan Green whispered like a mosquito, “maybe… maybe we could… become husband and wife…”

“Why?”

“Today you saved me, I’m willing to…”

“That makes no sense.” Charles Reed’s tone was gentle, with a hint of teasing. “Little girl, you’re greedy. Knowing I saved your life, instead of talking about repaying me, you want me for yourself.”

Ethan Green blinked several times to make sure she hadn’t misheard, then hurriedly said, “I mean… I just want to repay you…”