William Thompson was also very curious about this Duke of Xingguo. He craned his neck to look and saw an elderly man of medium build and unremarkable appearance walking over. His hands were thick and strong, his face was full of wrinkles, and his dark face bore a kindly smile. If you ignored his luxurious clothing, he looked almost no different from the most ordinary old farmer in the fields.

“Hey~ Little Sam, you’re here too!” To William Thompson’s great surprise, John Taylor actually greeted Richard Thompson first, making it seem like he was quite familiar with Richard Thompson.

“Greetings, Uncle Taylor!” Richard Thompson seemed a bit embarrassed upon seeing John Taylor, but still stepped forward to pay his respects.

“No need to be so formal, you’re just too stiff. My Seventeenth still hasn’t forgotten you—come visit my residence more often when you have time!” John Taylor came over and patted Richard Thompson on the shoulder as he spoke.

Who is Little Seventeen? William Thompson looked curiously at his father, only to see Richard Thompson’s face turn bright red, a hint of shyness showing through his embarrassment. Fortunately, Philip Thompson stepped forward to smooth things over: “Uncle Taylor, you’re an honored guest. My father has been talking about you all the time—please, come inside!”

John Taylor seemed able to chat with anyone. Upon seeing Philip Thompson, he inquired about Samuel Thompson’s health, and was about to enter the main hall when he spotted William Thompson, causing him to pause and say, “You must be Little Sam’s son, right?”

“William Thompson greets Grandpa Taylor!” William Thompson also sensibly stepped forward to pay his respects. This Duke of Xingguo was a powerful figure—if he couldn’t latch on now, at least he could get his face known.

“Very good, very good. Little fellow, you look quite spirited, but your tolerance is a bit lacking. Remember, there’s no obstacle in this world you can’t get past!” After saying this, John Taylor gave William Thompson another gentle smile before stepping into the hall.

Hearing this, William Thompson showed a surprised expression. This John Taylor was indeed remarkable—he even knew so much about his family affairs. No wonder he was able to outlast so many founding heroes!

After a while, the steward suddenly called out, “The Marquis of Yihui has arrived!”

Hearing that his uncle had come, William Thompson immediately followed his father to greet him. Soon, Henry Clark and his son Edward Clark walked over.

Henry Clark was tall and fat, with fair skin. Although he was over fifty, there wasn’t a single wrinkle on his face. He walked with a steady, dignified gait—clearly a man from a wealthy family.

William Thompson followed his father in saluting Henry Clark. Behind him, Edward Clark winked at him, his face a bit anxious, as if he wanted to say something, but after glancing at Henry Clark in front, he didn’t dare speak.

After chatting with Richard Thompson for a bit, Henry Clark also inquired about William Thompson’s health. He had personally visited William Thompson a few days ago, so William Thompson was fairly familiar with this uncle.

But after talking with Richard Thompson, Henry Clark suddenly pulled William Thompson aside into a corner, lowered his voice with a serious expression, and said, “Edward has told me everything. What exactly are you up to, kid? Why won’t you let me get involved?”

“Since uncle already knows, I won’t hide it from you. When the nest is overturned, how can any eggs remain unbroken? Right now, I just want to find a way to survive in the midst of death!” William Thompson wasn’t surprised by this. With Henry Clark’s shrewdness, as long as Edward Clark let slip even a hint, he would definitely sense something was wrong. After repeated questioning, Edward Clark surely couldn’t keep the secret. That wink earlier was probably meant as a warning.

“Do you really think the mighty Duke of Han’s Mansion is in danger of collapse?” Henry Clark asked in disbelief. Although he thought Samuel Thompson would get into trouble sooner or later, he never dared imagine Zhu Yuanzhang would actually kill Samuel Thompson.

William Thompson gave a helpless smile, then pointed at the guests in the main hall and whispered, “Uncle, look—aren’t these guests the same group as the civil officials at court?”

Hearing this, Henry Clark glanced around the hall and drew a sharp breath. While not every official from court was present, at least seventy or eighty percent were here, and this was just the main hall—there were even more officials in the side halls. Nearly half the officials in the capital had come. If he were Zhu Yuanzhang…

Thinking of this, Henry Clark suddenly felt a chill run through his bones. He was ten years younger than Zhu Yuanzhang—not exactly childhood friends, but still familiar. He had even served as Zhu Yuanzhang’s personal guard. He knew Zhu Yuanzhang’s character better than anyone. With Samuel Thompson’s current behavior, it was only a matter of time before Zhu Yuanzhang decided to kill him.

“If you rely on a mountain, it may collapse; if you rely on water, it may flow away. The only one I can rely on now is myself. Uncle, you must not get involved—I have my own plans!” William Thompson once again solemnly warned. Anyone who got involved in Samuel Thompson’s affairs would be doomed.

Henry Clark looked conflicted, and after a long while, he lowered his voice again and asked, “How much confidence do you have?”

“I don’t know!” William Thompson replied with a bitter smile. As before, the initiative in this matter was not in his hands, but in his grandfather’s. All he could do was play it by ear!

Chapter Ten: The Crown Prince Arrives

At the Duke of Han’s Mansion, the place was packed with guests and filled with joy, lanterns and decorations everywhere. The main hall was full of guests, many of whom were relatives and friends. It was a rare opportunity for everyone to gather, so they formed groups, chatting and laughing, making the atmosphere lively and bustling.