“No~ No one bullied this servant. It’s just that I have followed Your Highness for more than ten years, almost never leaving Your Highness's side. A few days ago, Your Highness promoted me to chief steward, but now I can no longer be with Your Highness as before. Seeing Your Highness today, this old servant is so overwhelmed with emotion that I cannot control myself. I beg Your Highness to forgive this old servant’s disrespect.” As Harold Green spoke, he became emotional again and simply lay on the ground, sobbing loudly.

Louis Thompson was so startled by this ‘heartfelt confession’ from Harold Green that goosebumps broke out all over his body. If the other party were a young maiden, these words might have sounded pleasant, but for a middle-aged, overweight eunuch to make such a confession was a bit much to take. Still, it was genuine emotion, so Dennis Thompson had to offer a few words of comfort, and only after much effort did he get Harold Green to stand up and reply.

“Harold Green, you should know the affairs of the palace quite well. Tell me now, how is the Empress Mother’s illness?” Philip Thompson asked. Although she was not his real mother, she was the Empress, so Philip Thompson addressed her as Empress Mother. Just now, Henry Thompson had said that Empress Zhangsun’s condition had worsened, which made Louis Thompson think of some things. If he could seize this opportunity, perhaps he could win favor with the Emperor, and maybe he wouldn’t have to go so far away to serve as Governor of Yizhou.

“Yes!” Harold Green hadn’t expected William Thompson to really ask about the Empress’s illness, so he thought for a moment before answering. “Reporting to Your Highness, ever since the year before last, when Empress Zhangsun accompanied His Majesty Taizong to Jiucheng Palace to escape the summer heat, she fell ill. Although the imperial physicians have tried many treatments, her condition has fluctuated. At the beginning of this year, the Empress’s illness suddenly worsened. I heard from the palace attendants that… that…” At this point, Harold Green became hesitant, raised his head, and glanced furtively at Edward Thompson, seemingly afraid to speak.

“It’s all right, just say whatever you know. This matter is very important!” urged Jack Thompson. Harold Green had grown up with him in the palace and only left when he was made Prince of Liang. He had many old acquaintances in the palace and was very well-informed, so Charles Thompson specifically asked him about Empress Zhangsun’s condition.

“Yes! I heard that Empress Zhangsun is already critically ill, beyond the help of human effort, and may not survive the next hundred days…” Harold Green stopped here, looked up at Edward Thompson, and the rest went unsaid—Philip Thompson already understood.

Next, Steven Thompson asked in detail about who had treated Empress Zhangsun, especially whether that legendary person had been involved. When he heard that person hadn’t, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. But soon, Steven Thompson was filled with anxiety again: he hadn’t expected Empress Zhangsun’s illness to be so severe. If he remembered correctly, Empress Zhangsun would pass away in June this year, and her death would mark the beginning of the princes’ struggle for the throne. The most famous were the three brothers: Benjamin Thompson, Frederick Thompson, and Samuel Thompson. Unfortunately, none of them met a good end: Benjamin Thompson rebelled and was exiled, Frederick Thompson also vied for the throne and was exiled, and Samuel Thompson, the boldest and unluckiest, killed his chief steward Quan Wanji, then failed in rebellion and was forced to commit suicide, becoming the only son killed by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin. The other princes also lived in constant fear, and eventually, the lucky William Thompson became crown prince. But after William Thompson came to power, things didn’t get any better: first, Zhangsun Wuji held power, leading to the wrongful death of Henry Thompson, then Wu Zetian rose to power, and George Thompson’s family suffered greatly—exiled, killed, with almost none meeting a good end except for the thirteenth prince, Joseph Thompson.

It could be said that it was precisely because of Empress Zhangsun’s early death that the princes fought for the throne, resulting in the rise of the ninth prince, William Thompson, and ultimately the usurpation by Wu Zetian, which brought disaster to the Li imperial clan. Most of the royal family died unnatural deaths, and those who survived lived in misery. For example, Henry Thompson’s daughter, Princess of Xinan, didn’t marry until she was over forty. In history, Philip Thompson was also demoted to commoner and died in depression, with many of his descendants perishing during Wu Zetian’s reign. The rest of the royal family fared no better—either exiled or killed, with hardly any good endings.

Therefore, from George Thompson’s perspective, curing Empress Zhangsun’s illness would not only please his imperial father but could also change his own fate. If Empress Zhangsun lived a few more years, perhaps the later struggle for the throne could be avoided, William Thompson wouldn’t become emperor, and there would be no Wu Zetian. As a member of the Li clan, Philip Thompson would no longer have to worry about the safety of himself and his descendants—a win-win situation.

Of course, Philip Thompson knew this idea was a bit naive. Even if Empress Zhangsun lived a few more years, there was no guarantee that later events wouldn’t happen. But this was Frank Thompson’s attempt to change history. Whether it succeeded or not didn’t matter; there would be more opportunities in the future, and he would surely find a way to change history.

Thinking of this, Paul Thompson became determined: since he had already traveled through time and changed George Thompson’s fate, he might as well change the fate of the Tang dynasty as well. At the very least, he had to prevent Wu Zetian from coming to power. After all, he was a member of the Li clan and could not let himself and his descendants experience that catastrophe.

“Harold Green, go and help me with something right away!” Having thought it through, Louis Thompson immediately called Harold Green over, waved him forward, and whispered a few words in his ear.

“This matter is extremely important. You are the person I trust most. Do not let me down!” After giving his instructions, Thomas Thompson watched as Harold Green left in a hurry.