He was very confident in his swordsmanship, and felt that even if something went wrong, it would be no problem to kill the old and the young of this household on some dark and windy night, and escape under the cover of darkness.

While Ethan Clark was deep in thought, if he had known that Andrew Price had come with the intention of killing and stealing, he would have immediately summoned the warriors and chopped him into mincemeat, no matter what.

“Your talents are not what (my family) needs.” Ethan Clark didn’t actually notice Andrew Price’s ill intentions, and continued calmly, “But perhaps you could stay as a guest for now?”

Andrew Price understood what Ethan Clark meant.

The old Lü family could not take Andrew Price in as a retainer, but was willing to temporarily shelter him.

Ethan Clark gave Andrew Price no chance to speak again, summoned Elder Scott inside, and instructed him to prepare accommodations for Andrew Price.

Andrew Price clearly showed disappointment. After bowing, he followed behind Elder Scott and left.

If it weren’t for knowing that the orphan of the Zhao clan would one day restore the Zhao (main) family, Ethan Clark wouldn’t even have the thought of temporarily sheltering this old and young pair.

As for reporting them?

Ethan Clark knew that the ruler of Jin and the nobles were still hunting down the remaining members of the Zhao main clan, and the reward was generous, but he had no intention of reporting or capturing them.

It wasn’t out of kindness, but simply because he vaguely remembered that the Han and Zhao clans were staunch allies.

If he really reported or captured the Zhao orphan, would you believe that the moment Ethan Clark received the reward, a few days later the Lü family would be trampled flat by the Han clan’s private army?

“Forming a good relationship isn’t bad at all…” Ethan Clark sat in his seat, continuing to ponder, “This Andrew Price is bold enough. He must know that the sons of the Wei and Han clans have been here, yet he still dares to openly bring the Zhao orphan. Isn’t he afraid of being recognized?”

He knew he was taking a risk, felt a bit uneasy, and ordered a servant to bring Elder Scott over to ask how the old and young pair had been arranged.

“Master.” Elder Scott was quite puzzled and said, “Talented, but not hired?”

For a family with no ambition, it doesn’t matter whether they have talented people or not.

But once there are signs of prosperity, the more talent, the better.

After talking with Andrew Price, Elder Scott considered himself inferior in ability, and sincerely hoped the family could attract such a talented person.

If it were anyone else, even if their ability was just average, Ethan Clark would, for the sake of reputation, not only hire them but also give them treatment beyond their abilities, to show his determination and generosity in valuing talent, hoping to attract more capable people.

But the key is, this is Andrew Price and the Zhao orphan!

Ethan Clark didn’t bother to explain further, just asked about the arrangements for the old and young, and instructed Elder Scott to settle them in an inconspicuous place without leaving any traces.

Elder Scott wasn’t clever or particularly knowledgeable, but that didn’t mean he was brainless—he immediately sensed something was off.

“No need to pay special attention to them,” Ethan Clark added, “but don’t neglect them either.”

Elder Scott left, full of doubts.

The arrival of the old and young was just a minor episode for Ethan Clark.

He kept an eye on the follow-up, but most of his energy was still focused on building up his fief.

Half a month after the old grandmother left, she returned.

The number of people who left was the same as those who returned.

At the same time, there were no new carriages added.

Naturally, Ethan Clark went to greet her. Seeing that the group hadn’t changed, and noticing that the old grandmother looked even more aged after just half a month, he understood in his heart that she had not gained any support from her family, and had only brought back sadness and disappointment.

To this day, he only knew that the old grandmother had married into the Lü family from the Han clan, but didn’t know exactly which Han family.

Moreover, since nobles usually only married other nobles, it meant that her family, at the very least, was a minor noble house.

“Wu.” The old grandmother only seemed to come to her senses when she reached the entrance of the residence, and said, “You may take whatever you need from the storehouse.”

Ethan Clark had never been polite about it before—he took whatever he needed.

This sudden instruction from the old grandmother probably meant that her request for help had failed, and she was in a bad state of mind, feeling she could no longer help revive the family, and was ready to let go completely.

“Grandmother.” Ethan Clark reached out and tugged at her long sleeve, saying, “Come see with your grandson.”

Just now, the old grandmother had looked lost and dazed, but her eyes had caught sight of the new changes in the Lü family, and her mind probably hadn’t processed the signals.

Supported by Ethan Clark, the old grandmother took a tour around the Lü household.

This time, she didn’t subconsciously ignore things. After finishing the tour and returning to the residence, she didn’t go straight to her own room, but brought Ethan Clark to the ancestral hall.

As soon as she entered, the old grandmother’s eyes filled with tears. Using all her strength, she pulled Ethan Clark to the place where the ancestral tablets were enshrined, and knelt down first.

Ethan Clark looked at the few tablets, hesitated for a moment, then knelt down as well.

Kneeling, the old grandmother began to mutter and ramble endlessly to the tablets...

Chapter 11: Stillness Breeds Restlessness

According to the Rites of Zhou, a man holds his capping ceremony at the age of twenty, and only then is considered a true adult.

This “adult” means being able to help the family fulfill certain responsibilities and take on some positions.

But it’s not strictly necessary to wait until twenty for the capping ceremony; it can be done at any special time.

Ethan Clark had only recently learned that “he” was actually just fourteen years old.

And the reason he found out was that the old grandmother, in the presence of the only family retainer, Scott, had held the capping ceremony for Ethan Clark.