The education Samuel Webb received from a young age would never allow him to display overly intense behavior in front of those of unequal status.

However, his eyes widened as he ate, indicating that the food in his mouth brought him a great deal of surprise.

He made no verbal comments; instead, he simply tasted dish after dish, and later launched an assault on the ones he liked best.

Ethan Clark knew that nobles valued the principle of “no talking at the table,” so even though he wanted to act as a commentator, he had to restrain himself.

During his banquet, household servants came and went, constantly reporting news to Grandmother.

Naturally, the servants could not enter the room; they were not even allowed within five steps of the house. They could only peer in from the main gate at a distance, then run off to tell Grandmother about some of Samuel Webb’s actions.

Due to their limited vocabulary and experience, the servants could only repeatedly use phrases like “eating in haste,” “frequent use of the spoon,” “fierce expression,” and so on.

Grandmother needed a strong imagination to figure out what was happening. She guessed that if someone could eat to the point of a contorted face, it meant Samuel Webb was more than just satisfied—he must have been moved to his very soul.

When Samuel Webb could eat no more, he put down his utensils and, while still seated, performed a formal bow to Ethan Clark.

He stood up, hesitated as if wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He bowed once more, then turned and left.

This departure involved leaving behind some gifts and taking his people to leave The Clark Family directly.

The gifts included a carriage of unknown contents, as well as nearly two hundred people.

Among these two hundred, there were forty various craftsmen, a hundred and ten young maids and manservants, and fifty warriors.

As a retainer of the Wei clan, Walter showed Ethan Clark far more respect this time than before, first presenting an incomplete list of gifts—a string of bamboo slips—but did not mention what form the cooperation would take.

Since they had come, how could the Wei clan not have prepared a plan for cooperation?

The fact that nothing was said could only mean one thing.

After meeting with Ethan Clark, Samuel Webb felt that the previously agreed-upon method of cooperation was no longer suitable and needed to return to discuss a new plan before finalizing it.

Although Ethan Clark did not understand the social customs of the Spring and Autumn period, that did not mean he was a fool.

Before leaving, Walter handed Ethan Clark a box containing the indentures of the servants.

The indenture was a contract written in red cinnabar on bamboo slips, signifying the sale of oneself. Now that it was in Ethan Clark’s hands, it meant they would henceforth belong to The Clark Family.

Walter’s expression was strange as he said, “The indentures for the craftsmen and warriors will be delivered (later).”

This indicated that the Wei clan had not originally intended to give the craftsmen and soldiers to The Clark Family.

And now, giving people as gifts was not considered a big deal.

To Old Clark Family, these might seem quite valuable.

To the Wei clan, it was nothing more than plucking a hair.

Everyone who was supposed to leave had left.

Ethan Clark needed to carefully recall the entire process of hosting Samuel Webb in his mind.

But Grandmother had the Elder summon Ethan Clark over.

“Wu, from now on, you need not report (to me) about such matters.” Grandmother deliberately concealed her excitement and said calmly, “Take full responsibility (as long as you can revitalize the family, do your utmost).”

Previously, Ethan Clark had noticed that Grandmother looked at him strangely. Some things he did unintentionally, others he did deliberately, repeatedly testing Grandmother’s “bottom line.”

Now, he knew that for some reason, Grandmother had stopped observing him.

If The Clark Family did not change, decline would become a foregone conclusion—it was only a matter of time before they ceased to be nobles.

This year, the state was planning major actions.

As for supplies, The Clark Family actually still had some for the time being.

But warriors would need to be hired from outside.

If Old Clark Family could make it through this year, perhaps they could last a few more years, but for how long?

Now, Ethan Clark had only made a trip to Clarksville, yet managed to attract a direct descendant of the Wei clan, and was clearly valued.

Grandmother had worked hard and might not have succeeded in hiring warriors, yet she saw Ethan Clark easily obtain fifty warriors from the Wei clan.

Whether it was soul exchange or something else, Grandmother cared only that Ethan Clark carried the blood of The Clark Family.

In fact, even if Ethan Clark was not of The Clark Family blood, as long as he revitalized The Clark Family and served the ancestors, that would be enough for Grandmother.

In the Spring and Autumn period, what mattered was not whose blood ran in one’s veins. Adoption among nobles was commonplace; as long as one could perform ancestral rites, it was not an issue.

Of course, since Ethan Clark did not understand the social customs of Spring and Autumn nobles, it was only from some of Walter’s words that he realized those people left by Samuel Webb would henceforth belong to Old Clark Family.

After leaving Grandmother’s residence, he hurried to the craftsmen.

On the way, he ran into Elder.

“Master.” Elder knelt and bowed, pressing his head to the ground, and said in a trembling voice, “The families of the craftsmen and warriors (must) be discussed with the Wei clan.”

From Elder’s limited vocabulary, Ethan Clark understood.

In other words, until the families of the craftsmen and warriors were brought over, even with the indentures, it was not considered complete.

Ethan Clark was not concerned with this; he simply nodded and continued straight to the craftsmen.

Nowadays, craftsmen were not of low status, but it was still necessary to distinguish between family slaves and free men.