At that very moment, Philip King pressed his hand to his cheek, and in a daze, he seemed to see two fire dragons coming all the way from the direction of Lulong Fortress, getting closer and closer... He knew that the Han reinforcements had arrived, but he couldn't utter a word, and was also terrified by the archery of that man called Edward Benson. In his panic, this Xianbei grand commander lost his nerve and actually turned and fled! His several personal guards looked at each other in silence, then let out a shout, turned around, and protected their lord as they escaped.

Thus, the last breath left in the Xianbei camp also scattered, and next, as the Han infantry from the fortress successfully joined the battle, the situation for the Xianbei naturally collapsed completely!

"What a pity!" Thomas Harris rode forward, sighing repeatedly. "The reinforcements have arrived, and we almost managed to keep him here. This Philip King is a major figure among the central Xianbei, the chief of the great Xianbei tribe directly under Tanshihuai."

"Fortunately!" Edward Benson shook his head, then, with no regard for his image, tossed aside his bow and arrows and plopped down to sit. "To be honest with you, Brother Yigong, I'm actually at my limit. That last arrow hitting his face was already thanks to divine protection... If those Xianbei mixed-bloods had really managed to stab me with their spears, I'm afraid I'd be meeting Marx today."

"Marx... who is that?" Thomas Harris was also left with lingering fear, but since the battle was over and victory was certain, he was in the mood to ask idly.

"Uh, it's said to be a deity of a Western sect called the 'Communist Faith,' also the founder and patriarch, kind of like the Buddha of the Shakyamuni sect. My mother is a devout believer in this faith." Edward Benson spouted nonsense without missing a beat.

"I see." Thomas Harris burst out laughing. "I've seen a Buddhist temple in Zhuo Commandery, but never a temple of this 'Communist Faith.' Since we won this time, it must be thanks to divine protection! I, George Harris, swear here: if one day I am ennobled and enjoy wealth and honor, I will build a grand temple for this 'Marx Immortal' of the Communist Faith!"

Knowing the truth about Marx, Edward Benson didn't expose it, just laughed heartily. Although his voice wasn't as loud as his cousin William Benson, at this moment his laughter was especially bold and heroic, echoing throughout the camp!

...

"At the age of eighteen, Emperor Wu of the Taizu served as an official in the commandery. When the Xianbei raided the border, he led thirty cavalrymen out of Lulong Fortress at night and routed them, thus making his name known throughout Hebei." — "Old Book of Yan," Volume 1, Annals of Emperor Wu of the Taizu

Chapter Eight: After the Battle

"Your name is John Price, styled Demou?" Early the next morning, in the post-battle Lulong Fortress, Edward Benson stared curiously at the man before him... Well, he couldn't help but be curious. He had thought that, with his family in Liaoxi, meeting someone like Thomas HarrisGeorge Harris in such a remote place was already a pleasant surprise, but he hadn't expected to encounter the foremost Tiger General of Jiangdong as well!

Moreover, with these two together, it seemed to further confirm their identities and his mother's stories—the only thing he couldn't complain enough about was, if not for his own involvement, why would these two end up heading south in the near future?

One from Liaoxi, one from Youbeiping... Why?

"I dare not address you as 'sir' in front of the young lord." John Price, with his square face, was after all a commandery official and clearly somewhat educated, so his bearing and demeanor were much better than Thomas Harris's. "I am John PriceStephen Price."

"In any case, I truly must thank you, Brother Demou, for saving my life this time." Edward Benson came back to his senses, and despite being covered in blood and dust, he immediately seized the opportunity and grasped the other's hand.

Don't think shaking hands is something trivial—in the Han dynasty, a handshake was a very intimate gesture. The great archmage Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu used the idiom 'shake hands and talk cheerfully' to win over countless famous generals.

Of course, for Edward Benson, who was raised alone by a transmigrated female web novelist, this simple yet effective way of winning people over was an essential skill for home, travel, and taking advantage of opportunities—everyone in Yangle City knew that the assistant scribe Deputy Benson loved to shake hands whenever he met someone!

In fact, just before the battle yesterday evening, he had shaken hands and chatted happily with Thomas Harris!

"Oh, Robert Benson." John Price glanced down at his hands being held, and for a moment couldn't pull away, so he just let it be. "Although I led the troops to reinforce last night, the enemy camp had already collapsed by the time we engaged, so I dare not claim credit... Besides, your bravery is what truly won everyone's admiration. Although the enemy routed quickly, there were nearly three hundred beheaded, a rare great victory for the commanderies of Youzhou in recent years. Your fame is being spread throughout Lulong Fortress."

"Ah!" Edward Benson shook his head repeatedly. Three hundred beheaded was indeed a rare great victory for the border commanderies in recent years, but isn't this the beginning of troubled times? What kind of fame is three hundred heads?

Besides, this achievement is useless to him! According to Han dynasty regulations, since he had not yet come of age, he could only remain in the position of assistant scribe with a salary of two hundred bushels; he couldn't officially serve as a commandery chief, let alone a court official. Plus, he still needed to go on a study tour, so this military merit could only be distributed to others. He'd have to exchange it for something else.