After all, with age no longer on his side, coupled with numerous affairs and an unhappy mood, it was inevitable to feel weary.

Meanwhile, Richard Sullivan sat in the courtyard, looking up at the twinkling stars, his mind occupied with thoughts about Mark Sullivan.

“Richard Clark, why aren’t you back in your room resting yet?”

Mrs. Cooper walked over to him, holding a short-sleeved vest in her hand, and put it on Richard Clark. Then, she gently said, “Richard Clark, you seem to have something on your mind?”

“Mrs. Cooper, the Second Master is coming back!”

Mrs. Cooper always looked at Richard Sullivan with gentle, kind eyes, as if she were looking at her own child.

Richard Clark vaguely knew that Mrs. Cooper had a son about the same age as himself, but now his whereabouts were unknown.

Mrs. Cooper said, “I’ve heard about this. The Second Master didn’t have much success in Taiyuan, so it’s only natural for him to come back.”

“But I still feel there’s something strange about it.”

“Strange?”

Mrs. Cooper couldn’t help but laugh, rubbing Richard Clark’s little head as she said, “You’re still so young—do you even know what ‘strange’ means?”

“I…”

Richard Sullivan couldn’t help but smile bitterly in his heart.

That was exactly the problem. He was only five years old now, and trying to act mature only made people find him odd. This also made it hard for Richard Clark to freely express his opinions; sometimes, saying certain things would only backfire.

But if he didn’t say anything, it felt like a bone stuck in his throat.

“Mrs. Cooper, don’t you think it’s odd?

A few months ago, the Second Master sent word home saying he was doing well in Taiyuan. Why was he suddenly dismissed from his post?”

A strange glint flashed in Mrs. Cooper’s eyes as she glanced at Richard Clark.

“As the ancients said, serving the emperor is like living with a tiger.

How could we commoners possibly guess the temperament of the imperial family? Maybe the Second Master said something wrong or did something wrong, so he was dismissed. That’s perfectly normal. What are you letting your little head run wild for?”

As Mrs. Cooper spoke, she stood up.

“It’s late. Get some rest and don’t let your imagination run wild.

In just a few months, it’ll be New Year’s… Come to think of it, I heard the Second Master hasn’t been back for six or seven years.”

New Year, New Year!

David Sullivan said he would take Luoyang after the New Year, and Mrs. Cooper also mentioned the New Year.

Suddenly, Richard Clark remembered—it was already the third year of Renshou. In another year, Emperor Wen of Sui would apparently pass away, and Emperor Yang of Sui would ascend the throne.

Prince Han Yang Liang, Emperor Wen of Sui’s passing, Emperor Yang of Sui’s ascension…

When these three people were connected, Richard Sullivan seemed to suddenly understand.

He remembered that when Emperor Yang of Sui took the throne, Prince Han Yang Liang rebelled, but was quickly suppressed by Yang Guang. Yang Liang was the Grand Marshal, Governor of Bingzhou, commanding elite northern troops and possessing great strength. In terms of military achievements, he was no less than Yang Guang; in terms of reputation, he was not necessarily inferior either. The Crown Prince Yang Yong’s deposition probably made Yang Liang feel a bit threatened as well.

So, at the beginning of the year, Yang Liang advised Emperor Wen of Sui: “The Turks are strong; Taiyuan should immediately be made a key stronghold, and military preparations should be strengthened.”

David Sullivan had privately said, “Now the Prince of Han truly controls the elite troops of Bingzhou.”

At the time, Richard Clark hadn’t paid much attention to this, nor thought of it in a negative light.

But now, the return of Mark Sullivan had already affected him, forcing him to take this issue seriously.

If Mark Sullivan harbored ulterior motives, it could very well bring disaster to Anyuan Hall.

For a moment, Richard Clark seemed to understand the real reason for Mark Sullivan’s return…

……

Xingyang—more precisely, it should be Xingzhou.

It was a major stronghold in the heart of the Central Plains, with an extremely long history.

Having weathered countless changes and upheavals, Xingyang had both endured the ravages of war and grown through them.

Gradually, it had become the eastern shield of Luoyang, standing tall alongside Daliang and Luoyang in the Central Plains.

Mark Sullivan returned as expected!

Richard Clark was powerless to stop it.

On the day Mark Sullivan arrived in Xingyang, he joined the entire Zheng family in welcoming him outside the gate.

Dozens of carriages lined up grandly at the entrance of Anyuan Hall. Box after box of goods was unloaded from the vehicles, making Richard Sullivan secretly startled.

This didn’t look like someone returning in defeat at all—it was clearly a triumphant homecoming!

Mark Sullivan, over forty years old, had a dignified appearance and a slightly thin build. With three strands of black beard under his chin, dressed in a blue robe with a brocade coat over it, he exuded an extraordinary air. Compared to the slightly aged appearance of Zheng Dashi, this Mark Sullivan was much more energetic.

Behind Mark Sullivan followed two people.

One civil, one martial; one fat, one thin.

The fat one was dressed as a scholar, always wearing a harmless smile that made people feel at ease; the thin one, in tight-fitting martial attire, was lean and muscular, not very tall, but gave off a sense of great strength. Zheng Dashi and Mark Sullivan exchanged pleasantries at the door, then walked arm in arm into the main gate of Anyuan Hall. But when that thin man passed by Richard Clark, Richard Clark felt a jolt in his heart and instinctively took a step back… because he sensed an overwhelming pressure.

This pressure came from the strength of his vigorous qi and blood.

As the saying goes, when one’s qi and blood are strong, authority naturally follows—there’s truth in that.

After all, how could someone with depleted vitality ever make others feel pressured?