He personally handed a cup of water to Robert Benson, and only after watching his grandfather swallow it down safely, making sure he wouldn’t choke, did he calmly say, “Grandfather, actually…”

Robert Benson looked up to listen to his grandson.

“I gave up my spot at the Imperial Academy…”

Robert Benson nodded with a smile.

“I gave it to Charles Foster!”

“What did you say? Say it again!?”

Henry Benson took two steps back, ready to run, but raised his voice: “I gave up the opportunity to go to the Imperial Academy and gave the spot to The Foster Family.”

Crack—a perfectly good clay cup was crushed in Robert Benson’s hand, and the kindly smile on the old man’s face instantly turned into uncontrollable rage.

“Rebellion, utter rebellion!”

Chapter 3: If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them

Robert Benson wasn’t one for empty threats—he cursed as he got up, grabbed the fire tongs nearby, and went straight for Henry Benson.

If Henry Benson had run just a bit slower, he would have taken two hits to the legs with the tongs—it hurt like hell.

He hurriedly fled in a sorry state. A light beating you endure, a heavy one you escape.

Fortunately, the kitchen was crowded; everyone from the cooks to the head servants, all relatives in some way, rushed over to intervene.

“Old master, you can’t hit him!”

“If you injure the young master, who will inherit the ancestral shrine of The Benson Family?”

“That’s right, this little rascal is just trying to anger you to death so he can inherit the family estate!”

Robert Benson was truly furious and cursed, “To think he would hand over the Imperial Academy spot I worked so hard to secure! If this huge family business falls into his hands, he’ll probably squander it all in no time. Might as well beat him to death now—after all, I have plenty of cousins and nephews! Am I supposed to worry about having no one to attend my funeral?”

Despite his words, being held back by the others cooled his anger somewhat.

That’s right—his two sons and one grandson had all died years ago in that great plague, leaving only Henry Benson as the sole heir. If he really hurt him, wouldn’t that just benefit those relatives he looked down on? Besides, Robert Benson had always doted on his grandson; even if he beat him black and blue, he’d feel sorry afterward.

In the end, Robert Benson didn’t utter any harsh words like “expel you from The Benson Family.” He just hurled the iron tongs hard in the direction Henry Benson had fled, then sat down on the well’s edge, panting.

Only then did Henry Benson cautiously circle back. The old man had a fiery temper—nothing you said would get through when he was enraged, but once he calmed down, you could reason with him.

He offered the fire tongs with both hands. “Grandfather, please let your grandson explain. If you’re still angry after hearing me out, you can beat me then.”

“I don’t want to hear it!”

With a splash, Robert Benson tossed the fire tongs straight into the well. He turned his face away, not wanting to speak to his grandson, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He turned back, pointed at Henry Benson, and scolded, “No wonder you haven’t even opened a book in half a month! Every day you just pester me to teach you wrestling and fighting, or go to the county town to make friends with merchants from east of the Pass and wandering swordsmen, neglecting your studies. So your mind was never on the classics to begin with.”

“Yes.” Henry Benson bowed to Robert Benson. “Grandfather, I feel that studying the Five Classics is of little use.”

The old man was stunned, his eyes full of complicated emotions. He sighed, patted the edge of the well, and motioned for Henry Benson to sit down, speaking earnestly:

“Lun’er, over fifty years ago, when I was your age, I too thought studying was useless. I followed my companions and became a roguish young swordsman, mocking the pedantic scholars and using their tall hats as chamber pots.”

“Later, I was hunted by the Jingzhao Prefect and had to flee to the frontier as a soldier, thinking to emulate Fu Jiezi and Zheng Ji, earning a marquisate through military merit and returning home in glory—wouldn’t that be grand?”

Henry Benson nodded. The war his grandfather had joined was the last great battle between the Western Han and the Xiongnu. Robert Benson, as a lowly soldier, followed Chen Tang and Gan Yanshou on an expedition to Kangju, killed Zhizhi Chanyu, and left behind the bold words: “Those who offend mighty Han, no matter how far, will be punished!”

Robert Benson’s eyes were full of memories of those glorious years. “Fighting alongside Marquis Yicheng and Captain Chen was exhilarating! We crossed snowy mountains and deserts, marched into Kangju, stormed five-layered cities, seized the banner of the Marquis of She, beheaded Zhizhi, and hung our standards thousands of miles away! The cities of the Western Regions all trembled in fear, and the Hu girls lined up for us to sleep with. Each of us got plenty of money, silk, and exotic treasures.”

His gaze dimmed. “But do you know what awaited us when we returned home?”

Henry Benson shook his head—he didn’t know what happened after that.

He heard Robert Benson say bitterly, “There were no crowds welcoming us, and certainly no marquisates or rewards. As soon as the army entered the Jade Gate Pass, the Inspector of the Capital sent a decree, accusing Captain Chen of forging orders and calling for his arrest. They also had the local officials inspect all the goods we’d seized from the Xiongnu and Kangju, confiscating everything! There must have been Xiongnu spies at court, wanting to investigate us for avenging Zhizhi Chanyu!”

“Captain Chen appealed his injustice, and only then did Emperor Yuan order a welcome for the returning army. But after we got back to Chang’an, the rewards were endlessly delayed. It was years before Gan and Chen finally received their marquisates, and we ordinary soldiers got almost nothing!”

In Robert Benson’s view, this was all because of treacherous ministers at court! Pacifist scholar-officials had interfered, and Prime Minister Kuang Heng and the inner-court eunuch Shi Xian colluded to block the rewards. Later, they even dismissed Chen Tang from office. Captain Chen may have been greedy and lustful, but his merits far outweighed his faults—why harp on minor mistakes?