All that could be seen was Samuel Carter dressed in black monk’s robes, his figure thin and gaunt, face full of wrinkles, with three wisps of white beard under his chin. His expression was kindly, but a pair of triangular eyes made his whole aura somewhat discordant, adding a hint of gloominess.

“A few days ago, someone was beating the war drums chaotically in the city. Even now, the echoes haven’t faded, and I, the old monk, of course haven’t been able to sleep.”

Samuel Carter fixed his deep gaze on Thomas Jefferson and spoke again.

“Well… heh heh, I acted on impulse, Your Excellency, please be magnanimous and don’t hold it against me!”

It was rare for Thomas Jefferson to actually admit fault to someone. After speaking, he pulled John Adams from behind him to the front and said, “John injured his head a few days ago and can’t remember anything. Please, Your Excellency, take a look at him!”

“John Adams greets the Master!”

John Adams hurriedly bowed to Samuel Carter.

Samuel Carter’s expression was originally calm, but when he saw John Adams, he suddenly froze for a moment, then beckoned, “Heir, come forward, let me take your pulse!”

John Adams complied, sat cross-legged in front of Samuel Carter, and extended a hand toward him.

Thomas Jefferson also nervously stepped forward, standing to the side with a face full of concern.

Samuel Carter reached out his thin right hand and immediately pressed down on John Adams’s pulse.

John Adams grimaced in pain. Don’t be fooled by how skinny this old monk was—his grip was strong. At the same time, he wondered, do monks always use so much force when taking a pulse?

Suddenly, Samuel Carter’s triangular eyes widened, his sharp gaze like two arrows, staring straight into John Adams’s eyes. “Ma… Master, why are you looking at me like that?”

John Adams felt extremely uncomfortable under Samuel Carter’s gaze. Under those piercing eyes, he felt as if he’d been stripped bare, as if all his secrets had been exposed.

“Heh, in medicine, we pay attention to observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking. My old eyes are dim, so of course I have to look more carefully!”

Samuel Carter was silent for a moment, then slowly broke into a smile, finally relaxing his grip as he spoke.

“Master, how is my son’s health? Can he be cured?”

Thomas Jefferson couldn’t wait to ask.

Samuel Carter didn’t answer immediately, but took John Adams’s pulse again before withdrawing his hand and saying, “The heir’s pulse is strong and his body is healthy. There’s no major problem.”

“No problem with his body? Then why can’t he remember the past?”

Thomas Jefferson asked with a frown.

“The heir suffered soul-loss after falling from his horse. As for the cause of this illness, there are many theories among physicians, but no consensus, let alone a cure.”

Samuel Carter sighed.

Hearing this, John Adams secretly nodded. Amnesia is a condition that even in later generations has no good treatment, let alone now—besides, he wasn’t really amnesiac at all.

“Then what should we do? Is there really no way to cure John’s illness?”

Thomas Jefferson immediately asked anxiously.

“That’s not necessarily the case. As it happens, I have some free time lately. Why not let the heir stay at the temple for a few days? I’ll observe him further—perhaps I’ll think of something.”

Samuel Carter replied with a cheerful smile.

“Stay here?”

John Adams looked reluctant. He had just gotten used to the Han Prince’s residence and naturally didn’t want to move to another unfamiliar place.

“Good, it’s settled then!”

Thomas Jefferson slapped his thigh excitedly and made the decision on the spot.

As the son of Zhu Di, no one knew better than Thomas Jefferson the position Samuel Carter held in his father’s heart. Although he believed the position of crown prince was already in his grasp, he still wanted Samuel Carter’s support.

Now that Samuel Carter wanted to keep John Adams, in Thomas Jefferson’s eyes, this was a sign of goodwill from Samuel Carter, so of course he wouldn’t refuse.

“Father, I…”

John Adams wanted to argue for himself, but Thomas Jefferson waved him off: “No need to say more. John, just stay by the Master’s side and follow all his instructions!”

“Yes!”

John Adams replied with a face full of grievance. Faced with his domineering father, he didn’t dare refuse.

Thomas Jefferson was in high spirits. He chatted idly with Samuel Carter for a while longer before finally taking his leave. As he left, he reminded John Adams to stay obediently by Samuel Carter’s side and not to leave without his permission.

Watching the elated Thomas Jefferson depart, only Samuel Carter and John Adams remained in the Buddha hall.

“Please instruct me, Master!”

John Adams politely bowed to Samuel Carter again.

“No need for formality. Just sit and listen to me recite the scriptures.”

Samuel Carter pointed to a nearby meditation cushion, then closed his eyes and began chanting sutras while tapping the wooden fish.

John Adams obediently sat on the cushion, boredly surveying the entire Buddha hall. But the hall was extremely simple—apart from the Buddha statues, there was nothing much to see.

Samuel Carter’s chanting continued. John Adams didn’t understand the scriptures and didn’t know whether he was reciting the Diamond Sutra or the Lotus Sutra—anyway, it definitely wasn’t the Dao De Jing.

At first, John Adams managed to stay alert, but as time passed, he felt Samuel Carter’s chanting become like a bewitching melody, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier, until finally he simply dozed off.

But just then, suddenly there came the sound of footsteps outside, followed by a voice at the door: “Master! The time has come!”