Lord Brooks was overweight, and just like Physician Sullivan always had a pair of dark circles under his eyes, his own face was always adorned with a doughy, kindly smile. As soon as he entered the room, he repeatedly apologized: “Sorry I’m late, sorry I’m late, I ran into some tricky matters at the last minute. Prime Minister, please forgive me, esteemed sirs, please forgive me.” As he spoke, he spun in circles, bowing nonstop, his smiling face tinged with embarrassment, and within that embarrassment, a hint of anxiety, as if he was truly afraid of being blamed by everyone—nothing at all like a venomous snake that could swallow a man whole, skin and bones.

As soon as this man arrived, more than half of Prime Minister Foster’s doubts were dispelled. He strode forward to greet him, laughing: “How can you say you’re here to apologize? That’s not real—only a wine penalty is real!”

Old Brooks also burst out laughing: “If Prime Minister says so, never mind a wine penalty—even if it’s chili oil, I wouldn’t dare object… But let’s put the chili oil aside for now, I have something to tell you first.” As he spoke, he pulled out a red slip of paper from his robe and handed it to Prime Minister Foster: “For your fourth son’s hundred-day celebration, I really couldn’t think of any present worthy enough, so I’ll just give you this!”

On the red paper, at the top, was a name: Eric Brooks. Below that was a set of birth date and time.

Prime Minister Foster was momentarily taken aback. He knew that the Eric on the red paper was Old Brooks’s youngest daughter, born last spring. Of course, he also understood Old Brooks’s intention: to propose a childhood betrothal. Such a grand gesture needed no further explanation, but this wasn’t how things were supposed to be done…

Among officials, marrying off children to each other was common enough, but both he and Old Brooks held such high positions that if they became in-laws, it would be seen as blatant factionalism, sure to arouse the emperor’s suspicion. With Old Brooks’s shrewdness, how could he make such a taboo mistake? Besides, even if both sides were interested in a match, the engagement should be discussed slowly, starting with comparing the children’s birth dates to see if they were compatible. But Old Brooks’s move was simply to present his daughter as a gift.

This gift was as precious as it was weighty. And Lord Brooks’s action was as strange as could be.

Chapter Two: Ethan Clark

Old Brooks had already made his move, and at a banquet, in front of all the officials, there was no way for the Prime Minister to refuse. Once everyone figured out what the “gift” was, no matter what they thought inside, they all put on expressions of great joy and offered their congratulations. The already lively scene became even more heated.

The banquet, which began at the hour of You, didn’t end until halfway through the hour of Hai. The officials took their leave, exchanging the usual pleasantries. Nothing unusual happened—except for Physician Sullivan, who looked back three times with every step as he left, gazing longingly in the direction of Brian Carter, his face full of reluctance to part…

By the time everything had settled down, it was nearly midnight. But Old Brooks hadn’t left; he waited patiently to the side. When he saw that Prime Minister Foster was finally done with his duties, he stepped forward—not addressing him by title, nor beating around the bush, but going straight to the point: “Old Foster, I have something to discuss with you.”

“Perfect, I have something I want to talk to you about too. Come with me.” Prime Minister grabbed Old Brooks by the wrist and led him toward the inner hall, heading straight to Brian Carter’s room before continuing with a smile: “I was actually planning to ask you to be this boy’s godfather. He doesn’t have a courtesy name yet—I’ve been waiting for you to come. I didn’t expect you’d want to be his father-in-law instead… Haha, well, that’s fine too. But as for his courtesy name, it’s still up to you to bestow it. Please, go ahead.”

According to the customs of the Central Plains, a man came of age at twenty, called “weak crown,” and only then would he receive a courtesy name. But there was no harm in deciding on one in advance.

Brian Carter was woken by the voices. He opened his eyes—earlier a skinny guy had left, now a fat one had arrived. What Prime Minister Senior said left him a bit puzzled. He really didn’t have a courtesy name yet, but he’d heard the “parents” chatting before and knew that Prime Minister Senior had already come up with seven or eight possible names for him, just hadn’t decided which one to use.

“Waiting for the fat guy to bestow a name” was never part of the plan.

Prime Minister had his own thoughts. He knew all too well the venomous nature of the man surnamed Xie, and the childhood betrothal was indeed suspicious. He couldn’t see through what was happening, so all he could do was use his son to draw their families closer, hence the matter of the courtesy name.

Then, Prime Minister looked at his youngest son, not caring whether a hundred-day-old baby could understand, and continued with a smile: “You’re a lucky boy, becoming the son-in-law of a famous martial arts master of the Great Yan Kingdom. In the future, you can learn a move or two to counteract the scholarly mustiness of our The Foster Family.”

Old Brooks chuckled: “With my meager skills, you’re too kind to joke about me!” Soon, when the servants brought ink and brush, he had already decided on Brian Carter’s courtesy name. With a flourish, he wrote two characters on the paper.

Prime Minister had been smiling, but when he saw the name the fat man had written, his expression changed instantly. He softly read: “Ethan Clark?”

The “弭” of “to dispel.”

The person who dispels.

His fourth son was someone who should not have lived.

Brian Carter could only hear the words, not see the characters, and was still muttering to himself: Brian CarterCharming Carter? That name… does the fat guy even know what he’s doing?

Old Brooks put down the brush: “There’s a confidential matter. Once it leaves my mouth, it can only enter Old Brother’s ear.”

Prime Minister understood, and coughed lightly. Outside the window and at the door, several shadows flickered by… The Prime Minister’s ever-present bodyguards melted away into the darkness.