The next morning, getting dressed and then bathing was the most troublesome part. He had to stand naked and be attended by a team of eunuchs and palace maids. The paper packet was very small, but still hard to hide—palm, collar, belt, sleeve... James Foster kept moving this little secret around, and finally managed not to get discovered.

Then came the task of handing it over to Minister of Rites Benjamin Carter, which was even more difficult. There were always at least two eunuchs between James Foster and the ministers, so there was never a chance to make contact.

David Williams was still following in the retinue, and through eye contact guessed that the “edict in the sash” had already been written. He was even more anxious than James Foster. As the morning ceremony was about to end, David Williams tripped on the threshold and lunged forward, sending the whole procession into disarray.

James Foster finally had the chance to fall against the Minister of Rites.

After getting up, David Williams kept apologizing. To the officials and numerous eunuchs present, this was quite a mishap. No one dared to blame David Williams; instead, a group of people knelt down to plead for forgiveness, then discussed solutions to prevent any accidents during the official enthronement.

During the afternoon fast, David Williams seized the first opportunity to ask impatiently, “Did it work?”

James Foster nodded. He had already stuffed the paper packet into the Minister of Rites’ belt. Benjamin Carter must have noticed at the time, but didn’t show any reaction. This seemed like a good omen.

“The deed is done. Just wait, we’ll soon be free from the Empress Dowager’s control.” David Williams confidently made his prediction.

Chapter Seven: The Emperor’s Confession

That night, James Foster indeed awaited a major event.

James Foster sat on the edge of the bed, with two eunuchs helping to tidy his hair, as if even in his dreams the emperor had to maintain his dignity.

Both eunuchs were in their thirties, rarely spoke, and served the emperor with meticulous care. James Foster had just tricked them the day before, and felt a bit guilty, so he smiled at them and said, “Thank you.” The two exchanged glances, looking very nervous, and immediately bowed and retreated, standing with hands at their sides several steps away. They had to wait until the emperor lay down and fell asleep before they could rest—one would stay on a chair in the room, the other would keep watch outside.

Just then, Henry Clark arrived. Without any announcement, he pushed the door open and walked right in, as if he were the master of the room. He didn’t speak, but strolled around, looking everywhere, making half a circuit before finally stopping in front of the bedchamber door.

The two eunuchs immediately knelt down. James Foster looked up at the Empress Dowager’s attendant, realizing the matter had been exposed. It had been exactly one day since he wrote the “secret edict” last night.

Henry Clark stood for a while before bowing, then straightened up and said, “Your Majesty has disappointed the Empress Dowager.”

At this point, James Foster didn’t want to say anything, and even somewhat hoped the Empress Dowager would depose him in a fit of anger.

“What did Your Majesty write on the note?” Henry Clark asked, his tone not at all severe, but rather kind and curious.

James Foster still said nothing.

Henry Clark sighed. “Your Majesty is the ruler of the world and can do whatever you wish, but you also bear the greatest responsibility for the realm. Every word and deed of Your Majesty’s can have immeasurable consequences. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beams will be crooked. Even a small action by Your Majesty could undermine the foundation of Great Chu. The Empress Dowager asked me to remind Your Majesty: the empire of Great Chu was handed down by the ancestors, it does not belong to Your Majesty alone.”

“I’ve never thought the empire of Great Chu was mine,” James Foster finally spoke. The two eunuchs kneeling on the floor pressed themselves even lower, almost flat against the floorboards.

Henry Clark sighed again and turned to the two eunuchs. “Were you the ones who attended His Majesty last night?”

“Yes...” The two eunuchs trembled from voice to body.

“It’s not their fault.” James Foster got out of bed, standing barefoot.

“So it was all Your Majesty’s idea?”

“It was all my idea alone.” James Foster did not betray David Williams.

Henry Clark smiled. At that moment, the door to the warm chamber opened again. First in was Supervisor Samuel Clark, followed by David Williams. David Williams was no longer his usual overbearing self, but shrank back timidly. As soon as he entered and before he could stand firm, he blurted out, “I don’t know anything! He told me to pretend to fall. I had to obey the emperor’s order. I don’t know anything else.”

Samuel Clark looked at Henry Clark, who said, “His Majesty said the same.”

David Williams breathed a sigh of relief. “You still don’t believe me? Even if I wanted to collude with a minister, I wouldn’t have chosen the Minister of Rites!”

Samuel Clark knelt before the emperor, and Henry Clark stepped aside.

“Please, Your Majesty, put the nation above all else,” Samuel Clark said.

“Very well.” James Foster felt things weren’t too bad yet.

“What did Your Majesty write on the note?” Samuel Clark asked, just as Henry Clark had.

“Haven’t you already seen it?”

“This matter requires cross-verification. We hope to hear it from Your Majesty’s own lips.”

David Williams pointed at Samuel Clark, “Ha, you’re lying! You haven’t even gotten the note yet!”

Samuel Clark turned his head and glanced over. David Williams immediately fell silent.

James Foster thought for a moment. “I am the emperor. I don’t have to answer your questions.”

Henry Clark then knelt down. David Williams shot James Foster a look of approval, but suddenly noticed Samuel Clark was still staring at him, and hurriedly knelt as well. Now only the emperor remained standing in the room.

“We earnestly ask Your Majesty to understand the Empress Dowager’s painstaking efforts,” Samuel Clark continued to apply pressure.