This was also a truth he only understood today, after injuring Andrew Foster with those two items.

At that time, if Matthew Bolton hadn’t been there, he would have been doomed. But with these two things, he gained the ability to wound Andrew Foster.

The contents of “Detailed Explanation of Weapon Crafting” were indeed costly, but they were truly a force he could fully control. They would never betray him, and whether or not to use them, and when, was entirely up to his will.

Matthew Bolton raised his thick eyebrows slightly. Charles’s words sounded odd, but after serving as master and servant with Charles for three years, how could he not understand what Charles meant?

After a brief thought, Matthew Bolton nodded slightly and said, “It was my mistake. These mechanical hidden weapons do have their merits. Also, just now, that Second Young Master was actually wearing inner armor.”

Even he now felt that with these two self-defense weapons in Charles’s hands, he could be much more at ease.

It was just a pity that the items were still a bit weak, only posing some threat to a sixth-rank martial master like Andrew Foster. If the latter had been wearing ink armor, there’s no way Charles would have succeeded so easily.

“I told you! How could there be only such a minor injury after being hit by this sleeve dart?”

Charles laughed heartily, carefully reloading the marble box and flying knives into the mechanism. Now, these two things had become his treasures.

Chapter 8: The Phoenix Body of the Mother of the Nation

So-called friends may be like-minded, may share similar interests, or may simply be fellow sufferers.

The three others who, over the past few years, had hung around with Charles—known as the Four Tyrants or Four Wastrels of Xianyang—were just such companions.

The heir of the Marquis of Pingliang, Robert Hill, and the heir of the Marquis of Yongchang, Brian Clark, both came from noble families, but for various reasons, their hopes of inheriting the title were slim. Still, with illustrious backgrounds and the care of their relatives, they lived rather freely.

The Zhou clan of Tianshui and the Zhuang clan of Yongding, like the Ying clan of Wuyang, were all military families with great influence in the army. The Left and Right Valiant Guards among the sixteen imperial guards were now controlled by these two families. So, in Xianyang city, as long as the two didn’t provoke the truly powerful, they could do as they pleased.

Then there was the fourth-rank Cavalry Commandant, John Carter. His ancestors held no noble title. The “Cavalry Commandant” was merely an honorary post; though it was only one rank below his uncle William Foster, the Grand General of Huaihua, it actually held no real power.

However, in terms of deep background among the four, John Carter ranked first. He was the only beloved son of the current Princess Xuan Yang, deeply favored by the present emperor, and a member of the Xue clan of Wanshan Hall. So even though John Carter could not practice martial arts and had no fighting ability, he was destined for a life of wealth and privilege, with prospects far greater than those of the other three titular heirs.

When Charles arrived at Qingyun Tower, he found the three indeed gathered there, seeking pleasure. They had booked an entire floor, each accompanied by a beauty, holding fragrant waists and jade arms, nestled among flowers and willows, with laughter and merriment filling the air.

“You three are really too heartless!”

As Charles walked upstairs, he complained indignantly, “I’m still recovering from my injuries, and you’re here enjoying yourselves.”

Brian Clark was not surprised at all, his expression simple and wide-eyed as he asked, “Charles, how did you find us here? Who told you?”

When preparing for this gathering, they hadn’t planned to notify the Duke of Anguo’s residence, knowing that even if they sent someone, old Lord Anxi would have stopped them.

But John Carter was not surprised. He was the sharpest among the four, and with a quick thought, he understood: “Today is the preliminary selection of palace maidens—how could he not know we’d be here?”

Charles burst out laughing, swaggered over, and directly snatched a courtesan from Brian Clark’s side, pulling her into his arms and asking, “Is there anything interesting to see today?”

Every three years, Great Qin would select maidens from among the people to enter the palace, enriching the emperor’s harem.

This year’s selection was especially different. The Empress Dowager was gravely ill, so the emperor issued an edict to marry off the princes to bring her joy. And this year, four princes had come of age and needed to choose imperial consorts. So, in addition to the commoner girls selected from the populace, there were also dozens of noble ladies from aristocratic families.

This Qingyun Tower faced the eastern Shixiu Palace, and the seventh floor—the highest—offered a superb view, allowing them to overlook the scene from above. Though it was five or six li away, each of the four had a “thousand-mile eye” specially made by the Ink Workshop, so even at that distance, they could see everything in Shixiu Palace clearly.

“They’re all noble ladies—nothing much to see. There are some pretty ones, but most are like wooden dolls.”

Robert Hill was peering through his thousand-mile eye, gazing in that direction, when his expression suddenly changed: “Hey! This girl is nice—she looks much better than those ordinary painted faces.”

His words drew playful complaints from the girls beside them, while Charles and the other two exchanged glances, all knowing that Robert Hill was a veteran among the flowers with a discerning eye. They all picked up their own thousand-mile scopes and looked in the direction Robert Hill was watching, just in time to see a young girl walking out of the palace doors.

Brian Clark and John Carter both let out a surprised exclamation, their eyes lighting up. The girl’s features were as if painted, her nose delicate and straight, her beautiful eyes captivating, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall, and her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. Not only were her features stunning, but her temperament was also truly pure and genuine. Unlike the other girls beside her who feigned aloofness, she appeared even more real and lively.