Grace Carter's favorite food since childhood has always been fried eggs. After eating them for over ten years, she never got tired of them, but the family cook did, so she started making them herself. Over time, she developed a special fondness for the frying pan used to make eggs. While other girls liked phoenix hairpins, lucky knots, pearl strings, and pink gauze accessories, she carried a frying pan around all day as a weapon, battling among a group of rowdy boys wielding knives, spears, swords, and halberds.

When she was fifteen, her third uncle specially gave her a small frying pan ornament made of pure silver, which she hung at her waist. Over time, "frying pan" became Grace Carter's nickname.

"So what if it's fried duck eggs!" Grace Carter's eyebrows gradually arched upward. With her hands on her hips, she said, "Do you really want to eat fish and meat first thing in the morning? Isn't something light better?"

"I'll eat! I'll eat, okay?" Henry Bolton quickly raised both hands, a trace of warmth in his eyes. Although he ate her fried eggs every morning, bringing him breakfast was the one thing she never forgot.

For this alone, he should be grateful...

Chapter Two: Playing the Pipa (Part One)

The The Bolton Family clan estate was located on the southern side of Taiyuan City, occupying nearly half a ward. The residence was deep and layered, with courtyards of all sizes scattered throughout.

The The Bolton Family ancestors included Thomas Bolton, a great general under the founding emperor, who rendered outstanding service to the Tang Empire and was granted the title Duke of Tan. Thomas Bolton died young, and his descendants were originally scattered across various places, but for the family's prosperity, they gradually moved back to the main branch in Taiyuan over the past century, eventually forming the Hedong The Bolton Family, ranked second among the great families of the land. Unfortunately, due to internal unrest, their ranking had slipped to fifth over the past ten years.

In fact, after a hundred years of evolution, the Hedong The Bolton Family had already split into hundreds of branches, with clear distinctions between legitimate and secondary lines. The number of descendants was so large that even they couldn't keep track of their relationships, so they established a clan hall specifically to verify bloodlines.

But one thing was clear: the higher one's status, the deeper inside the estate one lived. It was like a head of cabbage—the core was the essence, and the place where Henry Bolton lived was like the outermost, half-withered leaves, right next to the moat protecting the residence.

After breakfast, Henry Bolton set off for the academy. As a The Bolton Family descendant, studying until the age of twenty-three was his duty. He had already studied at the academy for four years. While studying, The Bolton Family descendants received a monthly stipend and rice allowance—not much, but enough to support himself and Uncle George.

Like other great families, the The Bolton Family placed great importance on the education of their descendants. From the age of five, all The Bolton Family children, whether from the main or collateral branches, had to attend private school to learn to read and recite. At ten, they entered the formal academy, and at eighteen, they moved on to the higher academy, graduating at twenty-three to prepare for the provincial exams.

Private schools and academies only accepted The Bolton Family children, but the higher academy was open to talented students from all over the country—this was also a way for great families to recruit talent.

The The Bolton Family academy was located in the southern suburbs of Taiyuan, covering nearly a hundred hectares. Its official name was Jinyang Academy, and it was even grander than the government-run Taiyuan Academy, enjoying a national reputation. Students who studied here were exempt from the local exams, and after five years, they would automatically qualify as recommended scholars and could go directly to the capital to take the Ministry of Rites' provincial exam.

So every autumn, the entrance exam for Jinyang Academy was a grand event, with fierce competition. Talented youths from all over the country gathered here to compete for the mere three hundred spots. They weren't just seeking exemption from the local exams—they wanted status, to become disciples of the Hedong The Bolton Family. Otherwise, even if they passed the provincial exam and became scholars, they could only stay in the capital as reserves. "Disciples of the Seven Great Families"—that was the real dragon gate the carp had to leap over.

After just a fifteen-minute walk, Henry Bolton arrived at the academy in the southern suburbs. He walked briskly and soon entered the grand gate with flying eaves and painted beams. The academy's main gate was built on a long, artificial mound, requiring more than twenty steps to ascend, symbolizing the pursuit of knowledge. On both sides were lush pines and cypresses.

The gate was carved from a single massive piece of white marble, with three doors in total—one in the center and one on each side—imposing and majestic. The plaque above the central archway bore the four characters "Jinyang Academy," written in a vigorous hand by Emperor Taizong himself. Only the The Bolton Family's Jinyang Academy and the The Clark Family's Qinghe Academy enjoyed this honor.

Today was supposed to be an ordinary day, but because the family head Edward Bolton had returned home to visit and would be inspecting the academy, it became special. All students were required to report to the academy.

"Qubing!"

Henry Bolton had just stepped onto the stairs when he suddenly heard someone calling him from behind. Turning around, he saw two excited young men hurrying toward him. "Ha! It's Brother Frank and Brother Charles. When did you return?" Delighted, he stepped forward and playfully punched each of them.

These two were Henry Bolton's closest friends at the academy. One was Frank Harris from Jiannan Shujun, and the other was Charles Bennett from Guangling in Huainan. Two months ago, they had traveled throughout the twelve counties of Hedong to write a paper titled "A Study of Salt and Iron in Hedong."

"We just got back yesterday. We were just talking about finding Jack for a drink, and here you are! How about tonight, same place as always?" said the short, chubby Frank Harris. At the thought of the Huji girls at the Gaochang tavern, his broom-like eyebrows started to dance. He came from a wealthy family and was generous and open-handed—the final bill was always on him.