Brian Baker had been practicing with the axe for several years now. Not only had his shoulders grown broad and his waist thick, but he’d also shot up in height, now even taller than David Johnson. As for his skills, they had only continued to improve. It was said that the old man of the Baker family, Peter Baker, could no longer keep his son in check, and had often come to James Johnson to complain, always bringing along a heap of thank-you gifts. Every time he thought of this, Henry Johnson felt a bit disgruntled—if anyone deserved those gifts, it should be him! If it hadn’t been for him telling the story of William Baker’s three axe moves back in the day, how would their son have learned the axe at all?

“Henry, you must be tired, right?”

A warm, damp towel was suddenly placed on his forehead. Henry Johnson opened his eyes and saw Emily Cooper standing there with a sweet, charming smile. He quickly shifted over to make room for her. He had been training with James Johnson for several years, and Emily Cooper had actually followed along for just as long. If nothing else, her devotion was truly extraordinary. Of course, the young lady hadn’t been idle either—she had learned the double-edged sword technique, and when she performed it, it had a certain flair reminiscent of a sword dance. If things kept going this way, the future title of “the world’s greatest sword dancer,” now held by the famous Lady Gongsun, might not exist at all.

“Sixth Brother really is enviable!”

Fresh from his resounding victory, Brian Baker saw Henry Johnson accompanied by a beauty and immediately raised his eyebrows in envy, then exchanged a sly glance with David Johnson. “David just said he’s going to watch the Kuchean dancers tonight. Since you have Cooper now, you don’t need to go, right?”

Of course Henry Johnson knew the two were teasing him on purpose. He shot a fierce glare at Brian Baker and David Johnson, then winked at Emily Cooper beside him. “Emily, what do you think, should we go?”

“Of course! If someone’s treating us, why not go? Not only should we go, we should spend so much that he goes bankrupt. Don’t you agree, Henry?”

Having come of age, Emily Cooper had grown into a graceful and lovely young woman. However, in the Johnson household, no one dared to cross her except Henry Johnson. Brian Baker and David Johnson had suffered enough at her hands, and now could only beg for mercy until she hurried out to wash her handkerchief. Only then did David Johnson grit his teeth and say, “Sixth Brother, I really don’t know what’s so great about you that makes Cooper so devoted!”

Envy was useless—this young master had his own magic!

Since they were going to watch the Hu dancers, David Johnson suggested they go to the Ankang Pavilion by the Luo River. Although Henry Johnson had often eaten and drunk with David Johnson and Brian Baker before, he had never been to a place like this, let alone brought Emily Cooper along. He felt a bit guilty, but remembering that David Johnson had said even nobles these days sometimes got drunk and sang in Hu taverns, he figured his appearance wouldn’t be too shocking—after all, hardly anyone knew him.

There were plenty of people watching the Hu dancers, but few brought their own female companions to enjoy the show. The four of them, along with their attendants, took seats in the Ankang Pavilion, immediately drawing countless glances. Most of those looks were sneaking peeks at Emily Cooper; even the Hu dancer in the center, spinning rapidly with her slender waist and vigorous moves, received less attention.

It was also Emily Cooper’s first time appearing in such a setting. Though she was usually bold, she found it hard to handle being the focus of so many eyes. After sitting in a daze for a while, she leaned over and whispered in Henry Johnson’s ear, “Henry, why are they all looking at me?”

“That’s because you’re too beautiful—you’ve outshone the main attraction!”

“Oh, so you’re making fun of me now!”

She pinched the soft flesh at his waist, making Henry Johnson grimace, but he felt quite pleased inside. In recent years, because Emperor Li Zhi had been suffering from vertigo, his affair with Lady Han had faded, and he had no interest in turning his attention to Emily Cooper. However, taking advantage of Li Zhi’s poor health, his formidable mother, Empress Wu, had finally started to intervene in state affairs. What a headache! How could he ensure he wouldn’t lose his life in the future?

It had to be said, the Hu dancer in the center was indeed young and beautiful, at the peak of her youth at fifteen or sixteen. Her long, slightly curly brown hair, honey-colored skin, and light blue eyes all exuded an alluring exotic charm. The pleasant jingling of the bells on her costume as she spun, and the floating ribbons in the air, added even more brilliance to the performance. Of course, for the lecherous, the most eye-catching thing was the beauty hidden beneath those thin layers of clothing.

Henry Johnson had grown up watching Western TV shows, so while the Hu dancer was attractive, the so-called exotic charm that captivated others didn’t really exist for him. He simply thought the dance was technically impressive. Though his eyes stayed on the stage, he was far more interested in whispering with Emily Cooper beside him.

When the dance ended, cheers erupted all around, and some enthusiastic spectators even tossed copper coins onto the stage. For a moment, the sound of coins clinking filled the air, and the wealthy even offered red silk and other gifts. After downing three large bowls of wine, Brian Baker, now tipsy, loudly praised the performance three times in a row. His voice was naturally loud, and each shout was louder than the last, instantly drowning out all other applause and chatter in the hall.

Seeing this, Henry Johnson immediately joined in the commotion, and since Emily Cooper always followed his lead, she cheered as well. Spurred on by the attention, David Johnson got carried away and tossed a whole ingot of pure gold, making everyone gasp in amazement. The Hu dancer, delighted, immediately came over to offer a toast.