So he deliberately let him leave the palace, and deliberately had Andrew Bolton help him, just to see where he would go next, to check if he had accomplices outside. As for having Little Princess follow him...

"Why are you looking at me?"

Little Princess looked at the gaze Edward Clark had fixed on her face, and said unhappily.

"What kind of bait do you use for fishing?"

Edward Clark asked a guard.

"Qu shan eel."

The guard replied coolly, with a cold face.

"I'm looking at a really big qu shan eel!"

Edward Clark said to Little Princess with a straight face.

Of course, it couldn't really be called a qu shan eel. More accurately, it was a lightbulb, a burden. After all, it would be easy for him to hide and escape alone, but with such a burden, he couldn't hide or run. One has to admit, His Majesty the Emperor truly acts like a real emperor—he's not afraid to use his own daughter as a tool, baiting this wolf with her.

"Hmph!"

The qu shan eel snorted and happily turned to walk inside.

Edward Clark held his rifle and, surrounded by guards, also entered the Prince of Zhongshan's residence.

Chapter 10: Strange Sights Witnessed in the 25th Year of Hongwu

The rear residence of the Prince of Zhongshan.

The cheerful-looking Theodore Roosevelt glanced at Edward Clark, then turned his gaze to his aunt.

"Fourteenth Aunt is an elder to me. Although leaving the palace without permission is not right, it is not for us juniors to comment. But I must report this matter.

Please, Fourteenth Aunt, stay here for now."

He put on a mature-for-his-age demeanor as he spoke.

"You..."

His aunt's expression changed, and she immediately grabbed him.

"Princess Fourteen, this is the duty of the imperial grandson. Please wait here for His Majesty's orders."

Andrew Bolton hurriedly stopped her, while signaling to Edward Clark.

Edward Clark acted as if he hadn't seen anything, admiring the Xu family's garden.

However, by this time Xu Da had been dead for many years. The real resident here was his son, Duke of Wei, Xu Huizu. The residence was quite large, but not particularly luxurious—at least, compared to those prince's mansions preserved into modern times, it was much more modest, especially in terms of ornate beams and painted rafters...

"Brave Clark?"

Andrew Bolton quickly called out.

"Ah, let's just wait here!"

Edward Clark replied perfunctorily, successfully drawing attention.

Theodore Roosevelt, taking advantage of his aunt's anger shifting toward Edward Clark, quickly broke free and walked out, followed by the guards who also left.

In the blink of an eye, only the three of them were left.

"Let's go!"

Edward Clark shouldered his large bag and walked out, with Little Princess staring in confusion.

"Princess Fourteen, the imperial grandson has arranged everything. We'll leave through the back door—someone is waiting outside. After leaving the city, we'll be escorted north. The imperial grandson is being filial to you; after all, if you return to the palace, you will inevitably be punished. But he also dares not deceive His Majesty, so this is the only way. We'll head north first, hide out with the Prince of Liao for a while, and when His Majesty's anger subsides—he does love you, after all—you'll naturally be summoned back to the palace."

Andrew Bolton quickly explained to Little Princess.

"Hmph!"

Little Princess snorted contentedly.

Then she followed Edward Clark out. Andrew Bolton had clearly been here before and directed them from behind, and the three of them walked deeper into the garden.

"Why is there hardly anyone here? This is a prince's residence, shouldn't there be crowds of servants?"

Edward Clark said, looking at the empty garden.

"Brave Clark must be joking. According to His Majesty's regulations, the three dukes may not have more than twenty household slaves, unless granted extra by imperial favor. Otherwise, they may not exceed the limit. The Duke of Wei, as a first-rank commander, has only twelve household slaves. Even if there are some hired servants in the residence, they are not numerous. There are also 120 imperial bodyguards, who are military households under his command, but they are all with the Duke of Wei drilling troops in Shaanxi now."

Andrew Bolton explained.

"So a dignified duke only has twelve household slaves?"

Edward Clark said in surprise.

Andrew Bolton nodded.

"Wait, he's the second generation. Didn't his father leave him any?"

Edward Clark asked.

"The household slaves of the Prince of Zhongshan Wuning belonged to him personally, not to the Duke of Wei. After the Prince of Zhongshan Wuning passed away, the slaves had to be registered and returned to the state as commoners."

Andrew Bolton said.

"So the slaves can't be inherited?"

Edward Clark said in surprise.

As he spoke, his hand in his pocket pulled the trigger...

"Bang!"

A gunshot suddenly rang out.

The bullet hit the stone slab at Andrew Bolton's feet. Amid flying debris, Matthew Bolton cried out in alarm. The next moment, all the people hiding around them jumped out—some with crossbows, some with hooked spears, some with fishing nets—all looking rather awkward in their ambush stances. Behind them stood Franklin Pierce holding a big stick, and a young man of about twenty in armor, holding a sword.

"I knew it, a prince's residence couldn't be this deserted."

Edward Clark said with a smile.

"Seize this demon!"

Franklin Pierce shouted, waving his big stick.

"Thomas Brooks, how dare you be so rude!"

Little Princess shouted angrily.

The armored man froze for a moment, looking at her in confusion...

"P-Princess Fourteen?"

He stammered.