Chapter 5: If I Were Emperor, What Then?

Charles Carter had been doing fairly well these days, especially since he had gained the emperor’s favor and become one of the Eight Commandants of the Western Garden, thus holding military power in his hands. In these increasingly chaotic times, this gave him a voice of his own.

But things weren’t entirely smooth. The establishment of the Eight Commandants of the Western Garden was a result of the emperor’s dissatisfaction with Grand General James Harris monopolizing power, so he came up with this method of dividing authority out of desperation. This much was clear from the fact that the Eight Commandants were placed under the control of Scott Kent—everyone knew that the current emperor trusted no one except a few close eunuchs.

In fact, Charles Carter was able to become one of the Eight Commandants precisely because he was a descendant of eunuchs; the emperor believed that someone of such background would be loyal and diligent in serving him.

But in reality? Not to mention that Charles Carter himself had no fondness whatsoever for the powerful eunuchs like John Bennett, and he was also considered a renowned scholar of the time. The hard-earned reputation he had built could not be ruined by such matters, so Charles Carter firmly stood in opposition to the eunuch faction.

More importantly, although the Eight Commandants were nominally under Scott Kent's control, not a single one of the eight military commanders was willing to take orders from a eunuch. Within the Western Garden Army, Samuel Young was the most respected—and Samuel Young was closer to Grand General James Harris. As a result, the emperor’s painstaking efforts to establish the Western Garden Army ultimately ended up putting it back in James Harris's hands after all the maneuvering.

Charles Carter saw the situation clearly. He didn’t believe that James Harris would simply set aside the Western Garden Army now that he had it in his grasp, so there was no way he would step forward at this time to declare something like: “I am willing to serve the emperor with utmost loyalty!”

Unfortunately, even though he had made his stance clear, his awkward background meant that James Harris didn’t think much of him either. In daily discussions and meetings, although he had a seat at the table, almost nothing Charles Carter said ever reached the Grand General’s ears—it was as if he was invisible and unheard.

“Perhaps seeking an external post is a way out?”

Though he stood on the platform watching the soldiers train, his mind was occupied with thoughts of his own future. Charles Carter was just over thirty, the prime age to accomplish great things. Wasting away here was not the answer; rather than being caught between two sides, it might be better to venture out.

“At the beginning of the year, Ethan Lewis suggested restoring the system of provincial governors, giving local officials great power. If I could become the master of a province, that would be quite an achievement!”

He turned these thoughts over and over in his mind, but could only sigh in the end. His original ambitions did not lie here, but that’s just how the world is—when does everything ever go exactly as one wishes?

As he was thinking, a soldier hurried over, saluted, and reported, “Someone claims to be a relative of Commandant Carter and is waiting outside the main gate of the camp!”

“A relative of mine?”

Charles Carter thought for a moment but couldn’t recall who it might be. The Carter clan was a large family with many relatives, but they didn’t often visit each other. Although Charles Carter had some reputation, he was far from being famous throughout the land, so it was unlikely that all sorts of distant relatives would come seeking him.

Still, it wasn’t impossible. After all, while Charles Carter wasn’t at the very top, he was much better off than most ordinary people.

With this in mind, Charles Carter assumed it was some distant relative who, upon hearing his name, had come hoping for some benefit.

“Let’s meet and see!”

Since the person claimed to be a relative, he had to meet them no matter what. If they were truly seeking help, it wouldn’t be right to drive them away directly. At worst, he could give them some grain, cloth, or silk to send them off—these days, with the emperor recklessly minting coins, the entire currency system was on the verge of collapse, and grain and cloth were gradually replacing money. That’s why Charles Carter thought of giving grain and cloth, rather than simply handing out cash.

He had the soldier lead the way, and as he left the training ground and approached the main gate, Charles Carter spotted the two people standing outside from a distance—Henry Lewis's figure was hard to ignore, and with his extraordinary bearing and unusual attire, Charles Carter noticed him at once.

With just one glance, Charles Carter was taken aback.

“It’s him?”

But then he was filled with confusion: “Why has he come to see me? Could it be some secret instruction?” The more he thought about it, the worse his expression became, and his steps unconsciously slowed.

The soldier beside him noticed and asked curiously, “Does Commandant Carter find something odd?” The soldier didn’t think much of it, assuming that if the two outside weren’t really Commandant Carter’s relatives, they could just drive them away.

At this question, Charles Carter was startled, but quickly regained his composure. “It’s nothing, they are indeed my relatives. I’m just surprised they’ve come to see me—perhaps it’s something urgent!” Then he instructed the personal guards following him, “Go back and take care of military affairs for now. I may be back late today!”

In a moment, Charles Carter had figured it out. Although he knew this person’s identity, it was not something he could speak of lightly. And at a time like this, who knew what might be going on? It was best not to make a fuss, and he could handle things as needed.

If he turned and left now, it would be hard to recover from that.

As for what the matter actually was, he couldn’t guess for now. He had a few ideas, but they were just guesses—he’d have to talk face to face to find out.

Having thought it through, his steps quickened, and in no time he was out the camp gate, greeting them with a smile.