Henry Sullivan narrowly escaped death, utterly confused, and asked, “Mr. Carter, my elder brother…”

“What about your elder brother?” Edward Carter asked in puzzlement.

Henry Sullivan hurriedly recounted what had happened to William Sullivan, anxiously saying, “I’m afraid I’ve implicated my brother.” Edward Carter burst out laughing, “Don’t worry. The man you killed just now was a follower of the Maitreya Sect. Not only were you not at fault, you actually did a good deed. As for you taking Matthew Clark hostage… he deserved to die anyway. Harboring rebels is no small matter. Even if he and his son weren’t beheaded, they’d be exiled. Your brother doesn’t need to go on the run anymore.” As he finished speaking, an imperial guard hurried over and whispered a few words. Edward Carter’s expression changed slightly, and he said, “Alright, I’ll go at once.” He looked at Henry Sullivan and said, “I’ll wait for you here in three days.”

Henry Sullivan nodded. Seeing Edward Carter leave, he finally plopped down on the ground, thinking back on what had just happened as if it were all a dream.

Little Henry stepped forward to bandage Henry Sullivan’s wounds, choking up, “Henry Sullivan, you’ve suffered so much.”

Henry Sullivan suddenly remembered something and quickly said, “Little Henry, you mustn’t tell my brother about me joining the army.”

Little Henry was slightly taken aback, “How could we possibly keep that from him?” She already knew that Henry Sullivan had joined the army in exchange for the happiness of William Sullivan and herself, and she was deeply grateful.

Henry Sullivan looked up at the sky, seeing the gentle breeze and drifting clouds, and said helplessly, “Let’s keep it from him for as long as we can.”

Three days passed in a flash. Henry Sullivan was troubled, unable to come up with an excuse for leaving home. Henry Sullivan knew his brother only hoped he would live an honest life; if he found out he’d joined the army, he would surely be heartbroken.

After the magistrate Zhao and his son were executed, Henry Sullivan took Little Henry to Fanyang Slope. William Sullivan had already woken up by then. Learning that Henry Sullivan had gone to the county office for his sake, he was both shocked and worried, and insisted that Brian Miller take him to the county office. Brian Miller was at a loss, but just then Henry Sullivan and Little Henry finally arrived. William Sullivan was both surprised and delighted, and Henry Sullivan simply said he’d met a good official and not only wasn’t in trouble, but had even earned some merit.

After hearing this, William Sullivan had wanted to scold Henry Sullivan, but seeing his younger brother covered in blood, wounded on the shoulder, and having suffered so much for him, how could he bear to say anything more? William Sullivan was relieved that everything had turned out fine, feeling it was the blessing of their ancestors, and took Henry Sullivan to their parents’ graves to offer incense and prayers. After this incident, Mr. Bolton, afraid his daughter would never marry, changed his stingy ways and actually urged William Sullivan to marry Little Henry as soon as possible. After just a brief discussion over tea, it was decided that the wedding would be held the next day.

Although William Sullivan was lame, he had found fortune in misfortune and was overjoyed. Henry Sullivan and Brian Miller immediately set about making preparations. The Di family was poor, so the arrangements were simple, but red decorations were hung everywhere, creating a festive atmosphere.

Henry Sullivan worked through the night, finally getting the house in order. Before dawn, he had already chopped enough firewood to last several months, and only then did he sit in the courtyard, staring blankly at the sky.

He was about to leave; he could not break his promise. What’s more, he suddenly realized that there was a much wider world outside, which was a great temptation for him. But his elder brother was lame—how could he leave him behind with peace of mind?

Footsteps sounded. Henry Sullivan didn’t turn around, knowing it was his brother approaching. William Sullivan walked over and sat beside Henry Sullivan on the steps. After a long silence, he said, “Brother, do you remember what Father once taught us?”

“What?” Henry Sullivan asked absentmindedly.

“He said the most important thing in life is the word ‘trust.’” William Sullivan said slowly, “A person cannot live without trust, or he will have no place in the world.”

Henry Sullivan, full of worries, said, “That’s right. Not only did Father teach us that, but you’ve always taught me the same. I’ve never dared forget it.”

“So… you should go.” William Sullivan took Henry Sullivan’s hand and placed something in it. Henry Sullivan saw it was a silver ingot and was startled, “Go? Go where?”

William Sullivan smiled, “To the place you promised to go.” Henry Sullivan suddenly understood, “Brother, you knew all along?” William Sullivan said, “Little Henry told me everything. Don’t blame her. I can tell you don’t want to break your word. I didn’t want you to join the army at first because I’d seen too many soldiers behaving badly and didn’t want you to pick up those bad habits. But now I understand—an eagle has its own sky to soar in; it can’t be raised like a chicken in a courtyard. Henry Sullivan, you’ve grown up. You know right from wrong, so I can rest easy. I don’t have much saved up, just this bit of silver. Take it with you for the journey. Don’t refuse—listen to your brother.”

Henry Sullivan gripped the silver tightly, his nose stinging with emotion, “Brother, but…”

“But what? My leg may be lame, but I can still support the family.” William Sullivan smiled, “Go without worry. Don’t be concerned about me. I heard the Zhao father and son have been imprisoned and sent to the Fen Prefecture prison—they’ll never trouble us again. Brother, when you’re out in the world, take good care of yourself. Remember, if you ever run into trouble, you’ll always have a home here.”

After a long pause, Henry Sullivan finally said, “At least let me wait until the bride is welcomed.” William Sullivan smiled, “Alright.” But as he turned away, he couldn’t help but wipe the corner of his eye with his sleeve.

The brothers had depended on each other for years. With Henry Sullivan leaving, William Sullivan felt a deep reluctance, but he saw his brother’s dilemma and knew his younger brother had greater ambitions. There wasn’t much he could do—he only hoped he wouldn’t hold his brother back.