As soon as she spoke, The Johnson Family's face immediately turned red. Being humiliated like this in front of her son, as a mother, she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.

Sizing up Mrs. Clark, Nathaniel Brooks's eyes slowly narrowed.

Perhaps Mrs. Clark was lucky, because suddenly voices came from outside. Otherwise, given Nathaniel Brooks's current state with lingering aftereffects from his recently merged memories, she might have been grabbed and thrown out by Nathaniel Brooks right then and there.

Someone outside shouted, "Good news! Good news! Is Nathaniel Brooks from Yongning Lane, Donghai County, here?"

Both The Johnson Family and Mrs. Clark were stunned. Mrs. Clark sneered, "Who is it this time, coming to collect debts and tease you two?"

But then, several yamen runners in black uniforms walked in from outside. Leading them was an official wearing a silver-banded belt and a dignified cap. His temples were slightly graying, but his eyes were bright and full of authority.

The one shouting the good news was a yamen runner. At this moment, the official smiled and said, "Nathaniel Brooks, and the old madam, come out quickly, there is an imperial edict!"

Nathaniel Brooks walked out, baffled, thinking to himself that these ancient people couldn't possibly know he was a special talent who had transmigrated here, so they wouldn't be recruiting him for that reason, right?

He bowed slightly. Although he didn't know if Tang dynasty etiquette required kneeling to receive an imperial edict, aside from his mother, Nathaniel Brooks didn't want to kneel to anyone.

A breeze blew by.

It was a bit cold, making Nathaniel Brooks pull his clothes tighter and shiver again.

"You are Nathaniel Brooks?" The official looked Nathaniel Brooks up and down. Seeing Nathaniel Brooks nod, not kneeling or calling his mother out, the official was momentarily taken aback, then gave a wry smile. As expected, he was a bit hysterical, and yes, it was him—a frail, sickly-looking youth who seemed like he could freeze to death in a gust of wind.

No wonder he achieved such great merit, and this reward was truly unprecedented. Yet, he wasn't brought into the central government as a pillar of the state.

Still, this reward was a bit too much. Since the founding of the Tang, there hadn't been any enfeoffments like those of the Han and Jin dynasties. This young man had, in effect, restored the pre-Sui and Jin system, making history.

The official's mind wandered as he unfurled the silk scroll in his hand and intoned, "To the subject! The rebel Zhou invades the south, the traitors ravage thousands of miles, bringing misery to the provinces. All commands have gathered troops to suppress them. Among them, the brave Nathaniel Brooks of Yongning Lane, Donghai County, has achieved repeated victories, and shot the false lord Guo Rong..."

The ornate, flowery language piled up. Nathaniel Brooks bowed and listened quietly as the official read the decree, catching the general meaning: he was being praised for fighting bravely on the battlefield and earning military merit.

But—what was this about shooting Guo Rong?

Nathaniel Brooks was suddenly stunned.

Vaguely, he remembered—while his memories were still merging in a daze, out of habit from his previous life, he had accepted a mission and carried it out. This time, the mission was to fight the Zhou army...

He had even made a bow and arrows himself at the blacksmith's shop in Shouzhou. In his previous life, his greatest hobby was crafting cold weapons and ancient firearms by hand, and now it had come in handy.

But—shooting Guo Rong?

That was a huge joke!

Guo Rong was the very same Chai Rong spoken of in later generations—the ruthless man who, while ruling Zhou, destroyed countless states and laid the foundation for the Northern Song.

But later, he died of illness, leaving behind a young son. Zhao Kuangyin then staged the Chenqiao mutiny and seized the throne, forcing his son to revert to the surname Chai.

The Song historians thus referred to Guo Rong as Chai Rong, because Chai Rong was the adopted son of Zhou Taizu Guo Wei. Zhou Taizu's surname was Guo, and the historical records were altered to change Guo Rong to Chai Rong, subtly implying that Chai Rong's claim to the throne was also illegitimate, thereby whitewashing Zhao Kuangyin's Chenqiao mutiny.

In any case, whether Chai Rong or Guo Rong, he was an absolute powerhouse of this era!

And now, he had shot this ruthless man dead with a single arrow?!

This, this...

The butterfly's wings had flapped, and it would surely bring about a storm of change in this world!

Nathaniel Brooks was a bit dazed.

It seemed that as soon as he arrived in this world, he had completely altered its history...

Meanwhile, the imperial envoy droned on, listing all the reasons why the holy emperor and the Secretariat were bestowing such rewards.

At the end, the official's voice became even more sonorous and forceful: "Enfeoff Nathaniel Brooks as Duke of Donghai County! Establish the Donghai State Office! Mother The Johnson Family, enfeoffed as Lady of Donghai Commandery! The official documents will be presented soon, to receive imperial favor!"

Nathaniel Brooks was stunned, not quite understanding the meaning of the edict.

The official beamed as he handed the edict to Nathaniel Brooks, his expression turning respectful as he bowed and cupped his hands, "Your Excellency, congratulations! I am a Hanlin Academician of the Secretariat, surname Qiao."

The official's name was Charles Bennett, a rather famous literary figure. Of course, Nathaniel Brooks showed no reaction to this.

Behind Mr. Bennett, another official stepped forward and bowed slightly to Nathaniel Brooks, "Your Excellency, I am the Assistant Prefect of Haizhou, David Johnson. Allow me to explain the contents of the edict to you."

Mr. Bennett felt a bit speechless. He thought, this reward could truly be called a great imperial favor, but this Duke of Donghai really was muddleheaded. No wonder even the Crown Prince had summoned him, but in the end, did not bring him into his service.

Moreover, though he was handsome, his physique was far too weak—he looked like he could freeze to death in a gust of wind. It seemed that shooting Guo Rong was just a stroke of luck, a sign that the dynasty was blessed by heaven.

Still, the reward did not disgrace his achievements—unprecedented, and in fact, contrary to previous practice.

No wonder the edict had been delayed for so long; naturally, the holy emperor and several high ministers had deliberated for a long time.

On the other side, as David Johnson explained, Nathaniel Brooks was also a little dazed.