At this moment, if we get involved, there’s no guarantee we won’t suffer disaster as well…”

David Walker’s expression changed instantly.

He was just about to speak when the old man smiled and waved his hand, “David Walker, you have served the Zheng family for five generations and are already one of us. Back then, you severed your bloodline for my sake—this kindness, I, George Sullivan, will always remember in my heart.

Here’s what we’ll do: once we reach Sishui Pass, Samuel Lewis, send someone to investigate if any family has lost a child. If no one is found, then let David Walker raise this child… In the future, Charles Brooks will have his own people to serve him, which puts my mind at ease.”

One sentence first cuts off your hopes, and another makes you endlessly grateful—this is a kind of tactic.

George Sullivan’s meaning was simple: search again at Sishui Pass, so that no one will suspect William Thompson’s origins. After all, William Thompson is just an infant now—what could he possibly remember? This way, he wins over David Walker and solves the problem!

Samuel Sullivan nodded repeatedly in agreement.

David Walker was even more moved to tears, kneeling before George Sullivan, “Master, with such great kindness, this old servant is willing to give his all for the Zheng family!”

At this moment, William Thompson’s mind was in utter chaos.

As soon as George Sullivan mentioned ‘Duke of Tang’ and ‘Jiancheng’, he had vaguely started to suspect something.

Later, when George Sullivan spoke of ‘Prince of Jin’ and ‘Jiangdu’, William Thompson couldn’t help but gasp inwardly.

Before his rebirth, he had actually been quite interested in history.

And when he connected ‘Duke of Tang’, ‘Jiancheng’, ‘Prince of Jin’, ‘Jiangdu’ and other such terms, his confusion suddenly cleared: if this was the Sui-Tang period, then the Duke of Tang must be Li Yuan!

‘Jiancheng’ = Li Jiancheng;

‘Prince of Jin’ = Emperor Yang of Sui…

Good heavens, could this really be the Sui-Tang era? Have I actually been reborn at the turn of Sui and Tang?

Chapter 3 The Zheng Clan of the Aristocracy (Part 1)

When William Thompson was reborn, he was considered quite successful in his career.

He was the deputy mayor of the provincial capital in the Central Plains, in charge of agricultural production, with a calm and detached personality, quite content to go with the flow.

He had no real background, yet his official career had been smooth sailing.

This required not only exceptional ability and keen judgment, but also the benefit of a detachment honed over forty years. Not rejoicing over material gain, nor grieving over personal loss. As the saying goes, to fight is not to fight, not to fight is to fight—William Thompson had truly grasped this wisdom. While excelling at his job, he loved to read, and had memorized the entire Zizhi Tongjian.

With bronze as a mirror, one can straighten one’s attire; with people as a mirror, one can discern right from wrong; with history as a mirror, one can foresee rise and fall.

With this detachment, William Thompson had forged ahead through all obstacles.

Many of his former colleagues fought for the sake of fighting, only to end up in ruin, while he always stood firm, becoming deputy mayor at the age of forty—a truly promising future. But who could have imagined that just as he was riding high, something so bizarre would happen… When he woke up, the whole world had changed, and he felt even more anxious.

After deducing the era of his rebirth, William Thompson’s mind buzzed, and he felt exhausted.

Mentally, he had the maturity of a forty-year-old, but physically, he was still just an infant.

After inferring some clues from George Sullivan’s words, William Thompson felt utterly drained.

When David Sullivan took him from George Sullivan’s hands, he was in a daze, not even hearing what George Sullivan said afterward. In a muddled state, William Thompson fell asleep for the second time since his rebirth. Before drifting off, he vaguely thought of some things, but it was all too hazy to grasp.

The ‘Your Majesty’ mentioned by Edward Harris must be Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian!

So, who was his biological father after rebirth? If he was being hunted by Yang Jian’s men, it surely wouldn’t be simple.

Surname Li?

But which ‘Li’ was he, exactly?

……

The convoy continued on, the road uneven and bumpy.

Some say that newborn babies are no different from piglets: eat when full, sleep when tired, and repeat…

William Thompson was pretty much in this state.

But he didn’t sleep for long. In a daze, he heard people speaking in low voices.

“Mother, will Mr. Howard come looking for us?”

The speaker was probably the little girl named Lily.

He figured that after he fell asleep, he had been sent to Mrs. Cooper’s side. It seemed George Sullivan intended to take him away.

But if he was taken away, what if Henry Clark came back looking for him—what then?

At first, William Thompson didn’t pay much attention to the conversation between Mrs. Cooper and Lily, instead pondering his own future.

But Mrs. Cooper’s reply caught his attention.

“Lily, remember, once we reach Xingyang, you must never mention our past, and especially not anything about Chief Howard.”

“Mother, Lily understands… Lily is just worried about Mr. Howard and the others…”

“There’s no need to worry about Chief Howard for now. He’s highly skilled in martial arts, nearly at the level of a grandmaster—few can stop him.

Besides, he has many capable people with him. Even Franklin Reed and the others can’t give him much trouble.