Why is it another prince again? Wait, this George Washington seems to be different from Thomas Jefferson...

James Bolton racked his brains, finally recalling who this George Washington was, and his earlier joy instantly turned into a cold sweat. He vaguely remembered that this was someone who had achieved great military merit on the battlefield, but suffered a crushing defeat in the struggle for the throne. Then, all of a sudden, he remembered that earth-shattering, soul-stirring "Nine Dragons Struggle for the Throne" from a popular historical novel—affairs of the imperial family like this, if you pick the wrong side, there’s never a good ending!

But then he thought again and felt something was off. The reason the Duke of England, the The Bolton Family, could almost be called the number one noble family in Ming, was because three generations of that family were all posthumously granted the title of king, and the duke title was hereditary. With just Edward Bolton and Robert Bolton, that’s only two generations, which proves that the The Bolton Family must have remained prominent for a long time afterward, and didn’t seem to have suffered any losses in the struggle for the throne.

Although he breathed a slight sigh of relief, this matter still stuck in James Bolton’s heart like a fishbone, making him deeply wary. So, when that uncle finished handing out the meeting gifts, he didn’t even notice that he only received two books, while the brothers Charlie Bolton and Jack Bolton each got a short sword said to be crafted by a famous artisan, with a value worlds apart.

That evening, when the moon was just above the treetops, Henry Bolton finally stepped into his own west courtyard. Learning that his elder brother David Bolton had returned early, his expression shifted slightly, and he immediately gave a wry smile to Bennett: “I happened to be delayed today, so I’m afraid the old lady will have something to say about it again. In a bit, I’ll go with you to the main house, so the old lady and big brother don’t think I’m being disrespectful.”

But Bennett just sat there in silence. It wasn’t until her husband came over, sat down beside her, and gently asked what was wrong, that she finally spoke about the meeting gifts David Bolton had given the three children today, her tone rather indignant: “The two short swords for Chao and Qi are inlaid with gold and jade, and they say they can cut through iron like mud—obviously good stuff. But what did he give Yue? One ‘Collected Annotations of the Analects,’ and one ‘Zuo’s Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals’—how much are those worth together? That’s just too biased!”

Seeing his wife’s face flush with anger, Henry Bolton could only hold her hand and quietly comfort her: “Second brother’s birth mother was the second wife whom the old lady herself brought in, and when she was alive, she was very good at pleasing the old lady, so she was always looked upon more favorably. That’s why big brother and second brother have always been closer since childhood, so it’s not strange that he favors Chao and Qi. Hasn’t it always been like this?”

“But now Yue is also... in the old lady’s good graces...”

“The old lady has only been paying more attention to Yue for just over a month. How would big brother know? Even if he does, big brother’s son Joe will be back in a couple of days. Not just Yue—even Chao and Qi might not get much attention from the old lady then. He may be the youngest, but he’s the legitimate eldest grandson of the main branch—no one can compete with that. Don’t think I’m putting so much effort into preparing a birthday gift; honestly, I just want to win a little face for our third branch. As long as the old lady remembers Yue as her grandson, I’ll be satisfied.”

By the door curtain, James Bolton heard the voices inside gradually quiet down, so he tiptoed back a few steps, feeling quite moved by his father’s efforts. However, as he was retreating, he suddenly felt himself bump into something soft. Just as he was wondering what it was, a low “ouch” sounded behind him. Realizing he’d startled his parents, he hurriedly turned around and saw Ethan Clark standing there, clutching her leg with a strange expression. He quickly shot her a few pleading looks and then scrambled onto the bed, yanking the quilt over himself.

Chapter Ten: The Heart of Parents Everywhere

He had just lain down when Bennett’s voice came to his ears.

“What happened?”

“Madam, it was just this servant tripping by accident.”

“We’re going to the main house for a bit. Watch over Yue carefully, and be quiet—don’t wake him up!”

After the footsteps faded, James Bolton quietly opened his eyes, propped himself up halfway, and peeked outside. At that moment, Ethan Clark happened to walk over, and seeing this, she scolded, “Young master, it may be spring, but it’s still chilly at night! If the master and madam had seen what just happened, I’d be in big trouble. And if you catch a cold, that’s even worse! Lie down, quickly!”

Forced down by Ethan Clark, James Bolton had no choice but to lie back, though he was far from sleepy at this hour, and even the pillow under his head felt uncomfortable and lumpy. So, seeing her about to leave, he didn’t know where the strength came from, but he instinctively grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

Caught off guard, Ethan Clark lost her footing and fell onto the bed. Seeing James Bolton staring straight at her, she couldn’t help but feel a little flustered, but quickly put on a stern face and said, “Young master, if you keep this up, I’ll tell everyone you were eavesdropping on the master and madam just now!”

James Bolton knew Ethan Clark was only trying to scare him, so he shamelessly pleaded, “Ethan Clark, I just can’t sleep, okay? Since father and mother aren’t here, could you bring me the book I brought back today?”