George Foster walked to the side of the carriage and spoke in a low voice.

The middle-aged man inside the carriage said calmly, “Ordinary people are of no concern.”

With these words, Henry Clark keenly sensed the murderous intent around them slowly dissipating.

In the afternoon, the caravan stopped at a desolate plain.

George Foster led people to set up camp, while Henry Clark squatted nearby, frowning and pulling at the withered grass left from last year, unsure whether he should remind them of something.

“What’s on your mind, young man?”

At some point, the middle-aged man had come up behind him. Though simply dressed, he exuded a subtle air of nobility.

Thinking of the free food and lodging, Henry Clark stood up and bowed, sincerely saying to his benefactor, “When I was starving before, I’d look for something to eat. If the room with food was tightly locked, I’d try every way to get in. But once, the room had a gap, and I went in happily, only for my mother…”

I shouldn’t call Mrs. Wang ‘mother’... Henry Clark felt conflicted again. “Mother was waiting inside, and after a beating, I never dared go near that room again…”

Why would a mother treat her son like that? Was it because they were so poor they couldn’t even cook a meal? How could the middle-aged man understand such troubles of ordinary people? He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the setting sun, as calm as the distant mountains beneath its glow.

Henry Clark saw the carriage that had been still all this time finally move. Two maids stood by the carriage, lifting the curtain… One of them glanced back and said disdainfully, “Turn around!”

Henry Clark hurriedly turned away, and then heard a young girl’s voice.

“Second Uncle!”

The middle-aged man, who had been about to speak, turned and smiled slightly. “Rest for now, we’ll eat later.”

A noble lady!

Henry Clark quickly stepped aside.

George Foster came over and bowed. “Second Lord.”

The middle-aged man walked slowly, with George Foster following at his side.

“This time, many in Chang’an know of my journey. The Wang family controls the mines, the Chunyu family forges weapons—together, they are a perfect match. But such enterprises attract many covetous eyes. There are plenty who want to strike at the Wang family…”

George Foster lowered his head. “We’ve encountered three assassination attempts along the way, but none were a real threat. Those people are nothing but clowns.”

“So you became careless in setting up camp?”

The middle-aged man’s voice was soft, yet it thundered in George Foster’s ears. He panicked, “I wouldn’t dare.”

The man glanced to the right and saw Henry Clark helping unload things. “The camp is sealed on all sides. If someone wanted to break in, could you guess from where, or how?”

George Foster shook his head. “I couldn’t.”

The man sighed. “If that’s the case, why not leave an opening, and set a trap behind it at night… People! They’re greedy. If there’s an open way, why not take it, instead of looking for trouble? That’s human nature!”

George Foster shuddered. “Second Lord, you are wise.”

The man pointed to Henry Clark on the right. “It was that boy’s idea.” He said lightly, “This way, we know ourselves and the enemy, while those spying on the Wang family know nothing. We gain the upper hand before the fight even begins. This boy… is quite interesting.”

It was him? George Foster glanced at Henry Clark, momentarily stunned.

“Second Uncle.”

The young lady wasn’t wearing a veil (upper four, lower li), probably bored from sitting in the carriage. Her beautiful hair hung down, her delicate face full of impatience, brows furrowed. “Second Uncle, I want to ride a horse!”

The man smiled slightly. “A Wang family lady galloping outside would make a fine story, but this is a remote area, and there may be bandits. Wait until we’re out of Yuanzhou.”

The girl pouted. “Second Uncle, you’re just trying to placate me. Huh! Who’s that?”

The man replied indifferently, “Just a country boy.”

“Oh!” The girl went back to pestering her second uncle for freedom…

Henry Clark had hoped only for free food and lodging—just some dry bread and hot water would do—but to his surprise, there was hot soup with smoked meat and even spices.

Henry Clark was a grateful person. After eating a hearty meal from the Wang family, he went to help clean up.

That night, he shared a tent with a man named Thomas Reed.

Henry Clark knew this was to keep an eye on him, but he didn’t mind and fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

Thomas Reed had never seen someone so carefree and was stunned for a moment, then laughed, “A country boy who doesn’t know the Wang family’s reputation—no wonder.”

Then began the long and tedious days of travel.

On the seventh day, as they were about to leave Yuanzhou, Henry Clark’s riding skills had improved a bit.

“Second Uncle, I feel sick.”

The girl clearly couldn’t take it anymore, constantly lifting the curtain to bother her second uncle.

After lunch, the middle-aged man finally agreed, albeit reluctantly.

“Don’t run off.”

But once given her freedom, the girl was like a wild horse off its reins, charging out with several guards.

Henry Clark caught a glimpse of the girl’s profile by chance, and his heart pounded.

A delicate face, a small but straight nose, lips like rose petals…

Charles Clark had said he’d arrange a marriage for him, to the daughter of a scholar. But now that he’d left, that was probably off. Thinking that the girl would be sad for not being able to marry him, Henry Clark felt a bit guilty. Later, he thought that with his own outstanding looks, he’d surely find a beautiful wife in the future.