Chapter 1 Prologue: Find Him for Me

When a woman goes mad, it’s best to stay far away — Emperor Jiajing of Ming, “My Memoirs”

“Those crazy women!”

In the middle of the night, curses in the Anlu dialect echoed from the emperor’s bedchamber.

William Grant, on night duty, was dozing off. At the sound, he rolled his neck, glanced around, and closed his eyes again.

At dawn, a startled cry came from the emperor’s quarters.

“Mother, I was wrong, I’ll send someone to look for...”

William Grant opened his eyes, raised his hand, signaling the hurried palace maids and eunuchs to keep quiet.

He tilted his head slightly, and several eunuchs followed suit.

William Grant shot them a sidelong glance, and they sheepishly retreated.

William Grant was an old retainer from His Majesty’s days as a prince; even if he overheard secrets, he could survive. As for the others... they were expendable.

No one knew how much time passed before the emperor’s voice came from inside.

“Send for Charles Morgan.”

The voice sounded weak, tinged with complaint. The eunuchs didn’t understand.

But William Grant understood the Anlu dialect.

“...Uncle... probably died long ago.”

...

Charles Morgan was the emperor’s milk brother... his mother was Emperor Jiajing Abraham Lincoln’s wet nurse.

When the Zhengde Emperor died childless, Empress Dowager Zhang and the ministers deliberated and, following the tradition of “the brother succeeds the throne,” chose the Prince of Xing from Anlu, Abraham Lincoln, as the new emperor.

Abraham Lincoln arrived in the capital full of excitement, only to be repeatedly suppressed by Empress Dowager Zhang, the ministers, and the scholar-officials. Anyone else would have bowed their head and lain low, but Abraham Lincoln and his mother The Bennett Family were both stubborn by nature.

What?

You want me to change fathers?

Abraham Lincoln and his mother The Bennett Family flew into a rage, and thus began a great battle between ruler and ministers...

Though it seemed Abraham Lincoln emerged victorious, the seeds of division between emperor and officials were sown, lasting to this day.

This also led to Abraham Lincoln’s distrust of his ministers, which became even more pronounced after the palace coup in the 21st year of Jiajing — Abraham Lincoln simply moved to the Western Garden.

— In the 21st year of Jiajing, several palace maids conspired to assassinate the emperor. Fortunately, in the chaos, the rope was tied in a dead knot; otherwise, Abraham Lincoln would have surely died.

From then on, Abraham Lincoln only trusted his blood relatives and the old retainers of the Prince of Xing’s household.

Charles Morgan was half a blood relative.

Walking with a straight back, Charles Morgan kept his eyes forward as the eunuch ahead kept glancing back at him with a forced smile.

“Commander, please slow down.”

The Jinyiwei’s notorious reputation could make children stop crying at night outside the palace, but Charles Morgan was smart and never meddled in palace affairs.

He said in a low voice, “His Majesty summons me — how dare I delay?”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

Arriving outside the emperor’s Daoist hall, the eunuch went in to announce him.

Charles Morgan lowered his gaze slightly, the sounds around him faintly audible.

“...Last night... His Majesty... nightmare...”

“So scary.”

“...The Empress Dowager’s spirit appeared...”

No one knew how long it was before the clear sound of a jade chime rang from inside.

William Grant came out. “Follow me.” Charles Morgan bowed his head and entered.

Emperor Jiajing Abraham Lincoln, dressed in Daoist robes, sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, with a jade chime and other items arranged on the table before him.

“How is Samuel Cooper at home?” Abraham Lincoln’s voice was low.

The former Grand Secretary Samuel Cooper had been dismissed after being framed by Thomas Harris, and now waited at home, hoping Abraham Lincoln would change his mind.

“He has complaints,” Charles Morgan replied softly, though his back trembled slightly.

Thomas Harris could topple Samuel Cooper largely thanks to Charles Morgan’s efforts.

The expected anger didn’t come, and Charles Morgan couldn’t help but wonder about the content of Abraham Lincoln’s nightmare.

The emperor’s thin face twitched slightly, and a sigh escaped.

Charles Morgan remained motionless.

“My maternal grandfather had a son late in life. After my uncle was born, there were some strange omens...”

Tsk!

The word “omen” could only be used for nobles!

That imperial uncle, even if he were alive, would be no youngster. What omens? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?

Charles Morgan pondered the emperor’s words.

“My uncle loved to cry, but only smiled when with my mother. So, my mother often took him along...”

That’s the eldest sister acting as a mother!

“Before my mother married, the family took my uncle out to play, and he got lost...”

Charles Morgan was slightly moved. Even if the eldest sister acted as a mother, would she really be so attached? What made The Bennett Family and the emperor still miss that uncle after so many years?

“When the palace was choosing a consort for my father, my mother wasn’t considered outstanding.” The emperor’s voice carried a mix of gratitude and confusion; clearly, being emperor wasn’t all a blessing for him.

“Several sisters were candidates together, but the palace envoys favored someone else. At that moment, my uncle burst into the hall crying, clinging to my mother’s leg and refusing to let go...”

This...

This is private!

Charles Morgan wished he could cover his ears.

“After the palace envoys left, not long after, news came that my mother had been chosen.”