Richard Carter grabbed his shoulder and forcibly kept him in place.

Richard Carter looked much more serious than usual. He frowned, actually showing a bit of George Carter's demeanor. "Why do you want a sword? Is someone bullying you?"

"Bullying me???"

Charles Carter was stunned, hurriedly shook his head, and then explained in detail his plan to improve the spinning wheel to Richard Carter.

Contrary to what he expected, from beginning to end, there was not a trace of mockery on Richard Carter's face. He listened very seriously to his little brother's idea.

After he finished, seeing that Richard Carter was unmoved, Charles Carter felt a bit dejected.

No one believes in me at all.

"This idea isn't bad... It's rare that you think of mother..."

Richard Carter took the sword from his waist, and just as Charles Carter reached out to grab it, Richard Carter pulled it away.

"You just kicked me today, and if I give it to you just like that, I feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick."

"Then you kick me back, I absolutely... won't fight back for now."

"Hahaha, forget it. How about this, you call me 'Third Brother,' and I'll give it to you."

Charles Carter frowned and called out in a muffled voice, "Third Brother."

"Hey! I didn't hear you clearly... what did you call me?"

"Third Brother!!"

"Hahaha, here you go, little brother!"

Just as Charles Carter ecstatically grabbed the sword, a big hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his forearm. Charles Carter angrily looked up, and the person holding his arm was Henry Carter.

"Third Brother... you can't give him the sword... it's too dangerous. What if he hurts himself?"

"Mind your own business! Let go!"

Henry Carter just calmly shook his head, then looked at Richard Carter.

"Elder brother, you'll harm him by doing this."

Richard Carter didn't dare argue any further, withdrew his hand, and took back the sword.

This made Charles Carter furious. He had finally found someone willing to believe in him, someone who would actually let him do something, but it was ruined by Henry Carter. At this moment, Henry Carter even surpassed Richard Carter, becoming the person Charles Carter disliked the most.

Richard Carter looked helplessly at Charles Carter, as if to say, don't blame me.

For the rest of the banquet, Charles Carter was very unhappy. He pouted, sat angrily in his seat, and even the beef didn't taste as good as before. George Carter was dead drunk, and after singing, he personally got up to dance. Although he was swaying, his dancing somehow became even more charming.

He was in a great mood, and for once, pulled William Carter up to dance with him.

This was probably the happiest day for William Carter, not because his position as crown prince was secure, but because of his father's rare display of affection. Back then, all of George Carter's thoughts were on his grand ambitions, so he could abandon his wife and sons, and even when the enemy threatened to eat his father, he could still laugh and ask for a share.

He had no mind to care about his family's feelings. Peter Carter and William Carter grew up during that time.

Only after he achieved his great enterprise did he have the mind to enjoy life. By then, Peter Carter and William Carter were already grown, and they could only watch enviously as George Carter held their younger siblings, watching him pour the fatherly love on them that they themselves had never received.

But to say that George Carter didn't love his two eldest sons would be wrong.

George Carter gave the richest land of Qi to Peter Carter, who was born of a concubine, and sent his most trusted and beloved talents to assist this son. The prime minister of Qi was named Cao Shen, who ranked second in merit at the founding of the nation, just after Xiao He.

When William Carter was ill, George Carter lost his appetite and stayed by his son's side all day, inviting the best doctors from all over the country.

It's just that, facing a son who was already almost as tall as himself, George Carter found it hard to express his feelings, especially toward William Carter. He was extremely strict with him. From childhood to adulthood, William Carter never received a single word of praise from his father. In order to gain his father's approval, he kept working hard, making himself better and better.

At this moment, as George Carter pulled him up to dance, William Carter smiled, and from time to time, tears would fly off his face.

Throughout the banquet, except for Lady Qi, Richard Carter, and Charles Carter, everyone was very happy.

At the end of the banquet, Lady Qi struggled weakly to get up. Richard Carter helped her up. Because of Charles Carter's earlier interruption, he was in a much better mood and was now softly comforting his mother. Charles Carter stood angrily beside Empress Lü, gritting his teeth and glaring at Henry Carter in the distance.

As usual, Lady Qi stayed behind to attend to the emperor, while Empress Lü took Charles Carter and left first.

Inside the Jiaofang Palace, it was cold and deserted. Since Charles Carter came here, he had never seen his father visit. Empress Lü's temperament had become increasingly lonely. In his few memories, he had seen his mother smile, seen her holding him and playing in the palace.

But now, Empress Lü rarely smiled. Even when she did, it was just a polite, uncomfortable "smile."

Candles were lit in the Jiaofang Palace. Empress Lü sat alone in front of the spinning wheel, weaving cloth.

Little Charles Carter sat obediently by her side, pouting and complaining about his unlucky day.