Henry Bolton finally understood—no wonder he could guess it was his doing. Now that he realized this, Henry Bolton sincerely said to Edward Bolton, “Family head, the Lin family are benevolent doctors who treat the poor without charging a single coin. They enjoy a stellar reputation in Taiyuan City. What the eldest young master said yesterday was indeed inappropriate.”

“With me here, this matter is not for him to decide. I won’t touch that piece of land belonging to the Lin family. However…” As he said the word “however,” Edward Bolton’s eyes narrowed, his gaze suddenly turning sharp. “However, you must remember: our Zhang family ranks fifth among the great clans of the realm, not because of charity or kindness, but because we fought our way through blood and storms. Those who accomplish great things must be ruthless when necessary—never show even a hint of misplaced mercy. Do you understand?”

A shock ran through Henry Bolton’s heart. He quickly stood up and bowed, saying, “Eighteenth son will remember!”

The sharpness in Edward Bolton’s eyes gradually faded, returning to his usual gentleness. He stepped forward, patted Henry Bolton on the shoulder, and smiled warmly. “A true man, born between heaven and earth, should never allow himself to be insulted. But neither should he act rashly, killing at the slightest provocation—that’s the way of a brute. That’s why I appreciate your method of using another’s hand to do the deed. You are a great talent of our Zhang family. Go now!”

After Henry Bolton slowly withdrew, Edward Bolton suddenly called out coldly, “Third brother, is that you outside?”

A cough sounded beneath the rear window. After a moment, a thin, small middle-aged man entered through the main door. His features bore a faint resemblance to Edward Bolton, but his eyes had more white than black, giving him a somewhat lecherous look. He was Edward Bolton’s third brother, James Bolton. Due to poor health, he had not entered officialdom. When Edward Bolton was away, the daily affairs of the Zhang family were managed by him.

Seeing that his elder brother had seen through his attempt to hide outside, James Bolton smiled awkwardly and said, “I just happened to have something to discuss with you, big brother. I didn’t mean to intrude. Please forgive my rudeness.”

“Sit down! We’re brothers—no need to be so formal.”

Edward Bolton invited him to sit, then sat cross-legged on the luohan bed himself, smiling lightly. “Third brother, are you here about the Lin family’s land? If so, let’s not bring it up again.”

“Well…”

James Bolton was at a loss for words. Yesterday, David Bolton had come to him to reclaim the Lin family’s land. Normally, his word would be final on such matters, but with his elder brother home these days, he dared not overstep. Yet David Bolton was pressing him to settle it within three days, so James Bolton had no choice but to consult his brother. But now that his brother had made his stance clear, he could not mention the Lin family’s matter again.

After a moment’s thought, he smiled and said, “Xuan’er is deeply attached to his concubine. Though there was a wicked servant involved, Madam Hua is innocent. Please, big brother, spare her this once!”

When Edward Bolton exposed Henry Bolton, he had been standing by the window, so James Bolton hadn’t dared approach and thus missed Edward Bolton’s first words. He didn’t know that last night’s incident was actually Henry Bolton’s doing.

Edward Bolton glanced at him and said coldly, “Did Xuan’er ask you to come? Hmph! He moves quickly.”

“Big brother, I know you’re strict with Xuan’er, but everyone knows Madam Hua did nothing wrong. Even if she’s driven out, she can’t remarry. If she’s forced into prostitution, it would disgrace our Zhang family. Please, big brother, let her off this once!”

“If Xuan’er weren’t the heir, I wouldn’t interfere. But since he wants to be the family head, there can be no leniency in this matter!”

Edward Bolton paced a few steps with his hands behind his back, his expression shifting. Suddenly, he said, “I only said she can’t stay in the Zhang residence—I didn’t say she must be divorced. Does Xuan’er not understand the difference?”

“Big brother, you mean to have Xuan’er set her up in a separate house?” James Bolton suddenly understood. His brother was actually compromising, only asking Madam Hua to move out, not to be divorced. He was probably worried that if she left, she might become a prostitute and disgrace the Zhang family.

Now that he understood, James Bolton dropped the subject. He gave a wry smile and couldn’t help but add, “Big brother, you seem a bit too strict with Xuan’er. He’s still young—you should give him more opportunities. For example, letting him gain some experience in officialdom would do him a lot of good.”

Edward Bolton shook his head. “I’ve thought about that too, but he’ll be taking the imperial exams next year, so these six months don’t matter much.”

He sighed, then earnestly said to James Bolton, “While I’m away from Taiyuan, I hope you’ll be stricter with the younger generation. Yesterday, I visited the academy and found many Zhang clan youths behaving terribly. Falling asleep during lectures is one thing, but some even dared to harass women at the academy gates. Third brother, though a large clan is bound to have both good and bad, we can’t be careless. I don’t want the Zhang family to fall in their generation.”

James Bolton rose and bowed deeply. “Big brother, your advice is right. I will remember it!”

He was just about to take his leave when Edward Bolton called him back with a smile. “Just now, that eighteenth son from old sixth’s family—I quite admire him. I’m planning to put him in charge of the Zhang residence’s finances. What do you think, third brother?”

A cold sweat suddenly broke out on James Bolton’s back. His brother’s intention was to have him hand over control of the finances. Could it be that he had heard some rumors about that matter?

Chapter Six: Lin Zhitang (Part One)