At present, things seem to be going quite well. David Carter steadied himself and said, “Your Majesty, right now there really aren’t any true military talents in the capital. If we’re talking about those who can lead troops, there are only three people. The foremost is King Todd; he’s fought in wars for decades and even quelled Fang La, earning considerable fame. But last December, he fled from Taiyuan in secret, and his decades of reputation vanished overnight. Next is Franklin Lane; he also led troops to suppress the bandit rebellion in Shandong. Unfortunately, when it came to fighting the Jurchens, he fled before the battle even began.”

David Carter paused. Both Samuel Todd and Franklin Lane came from eunuch backgrounds. Charles Harris had this flaw—he liked to put eunuchs in important positions. But when a real crisis hit, this bunch was rarely of any use.

“Your Majesty, the only one left is Grand Commandant George Hall. Although he has some military achievements, he’s never led troops independently. Moreover… he was promoted by the Retired Emperor and may not necessarily obey Your Majesty.”

William Harris frowned slightly. He was aware of this situation; otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited for Franklin Lane to be defeated before making a move against Charles Harris.

Samuel Todd and George Hall, two infamous traitorous ministers!

It really is a headache! If he wanted to get rid of them, there was no suitable candidate for now, so the only option was to buy them off. But the question was, at what price?

And, could these two be relied upon? If he entrusted them with important matters and they betrayed him, it would be like lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot.

William Harris pondered deeply, when he suddenly noticed someone peeking in at the palace door. At a glance, William Harris recognized him—it was James Lewis, who held the post of Palace Gate Attendant. This wasn’t a high position; he was responsible for ceremonial protocol during court sessions. In a way, it was similar to the Imperial Guards in the Ming dynasty—a prestigious military post. After all, to be able to serve in the emperor’s presence, as long as the sovereign favored you, success and promotion were just around the corner.

Moreover, James Lewis was naturally imposing and handsome, tall and well-featured, with a loud, resonant voice. Just standing nearby was enough to add to the imperial presence. He also came from a good family—a descendant of a military household—truly someone favored by fortune.

“Come in,” William Harris said, not loudly, but James Lewis heard him clearly. He hurried in at a trot, bowed, and saluted William Harris.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

William Harris smiled slightly. “You have something to say?”

James Lewis glanced at William Harris, then gritted his teeth, as if making a big decision.

“To answer Your Majesty, there is indeed something. I took the liberty to act on my own and ask Your Majesty to punish me.”

William Harris shook his head. “Punish you for what? How many people do I have at my side? As long as it’s for the greater good, I won’t blame you. Speak quickly! You’re a bold warrior—don’t be so hesitant!”

James Lewis shivered, encouraged. “Your Majesty, I know someone who, after hearing of Your Majesty’s resolve to live and die with Kaifeng, was deeply moved and even more ashamed. He is also willing to fight to the death for his hometown and people!”

William Harris frowned. “Is it Grand Commandant Gao?”

James Lewis nodded hurriedly. “Exactly, Your Majesty is wise!”

William Harris shook his head and laughed. “He’s from the streets of Kaifeng—I do know that much.” William Harris stood up and began to pace slowly. George Hall actually came to pledge allegiance on his own!

He had been hesitating about how to win over George Hall and Samuel Todd, but hadn’t expected one to take the bait on his own.

Could it be that George Hall was moved by his own impassioned speech in the main hall and came to pledge loyalty?

This guy really is a master at picking sides!

No, I can’t get complacent—I need to ask more.

“James Lewis, you’re speaking on behalf of George Hall—do you have some connection with him?”

James Lewis quickly nodded. “I wouldn’t dare deceive Your Majesty. Back in the day, my father Robert Lewis followed Samuel Todd in pacifying the Qiang people. My father devised the strategies and even sent my elder brother as a hostage, which finally led to the Qiang surrendering. Unexpectedly, the credit was stolen by Samuel Todd. Later, this matter reached Grand Commandant Gao’s ears. He spoke to the Retired Emperor, who then ordered an investigation. My eight brothers and I all received rewards. My promotion to Palace Gate Attendant is also thanks to Grand Commandant Gao.”

William Harris was a bit surprised at this point. “So, Grand Commandant Gao is even more popular?”

James Lewis nodded. “Your Majesty, over the years King Todd has been grabbing credit and shirking blame, which truly makes people despise him!”

William Harris pondered, staring at James Lewis. “Samuel Todd is a high minister of the court. If you speak ill of him before me without evidence, I will punish you!”

William Harris’s tone was stern. James Lewis steeled himself. “I dare not lie. In earlier years, King Todd did have some achievements, but in recent years, he’s become more and more deceitful. It’s not just my father—back in the fourth year of Xuanhe, he led troops to attack Yanshan Prefecture. After being defeated, he blamed Steven Stone, causing old Mr. Stone to be demoted. There are countless similar incidents!”

The Zhong family!

William Harris was stirred. Without a doubt, this was the foremost military family of the Western Army, the most powerful force. The court had already issued the edict to rally loyalist forces, and the greatest reliance was on the Zhong family army.

If Samuel Todd was at odds with the Zhong family, then he couldn’t be used. Otherwise, if the Zhong family became disheartened, the consequences would be unimaginable.

William Harris paced back and forth, making three circuits before finally making up his mind. He grabbed a treasured sword from the table.