Chapter 124 Empress Li Zhi is about to give birth!

That's of course...

No, that won't work!

Putting aside the cost of the elixir of immortality, an immortal emperor is not a good thing for the common people.

Moreover, Wei Qing had a vague feeling that there was a mad tiger in Liu Che's heart, and that once this tiger came out of the mountains, it would surely devour people.

What would the world be like if people could live forever?

Huo Qubing, who was about to reply, was silenced by Wei Qing's casual gaze, a gaze that held a hidden murderous intent. Although he didn't understand what was going on, he knew it was best to keep quiet at this moment.

My uncle's eyes were unfriendly.

Liu Che seemed oblivious to the tension between the two; his earlier remark was merely a casual remark, and once it was said, it was over.

The two stayed in the main hall for a while before leaving.

Huo Qubing had barely stepped out the door when he hopped on his little electric scooter. It was more durable than a fine horse, and it was the only one of its kind in the Han Dynasty, comparable to Qin Shi Huang riding a polar bear—quite a spectacle!

Who in Dahan has ever seen an electric scooter?

Countless young men from all walks of life longed to ride in Huo Qubing's back seat and experience the thrill of speed alongside him.

But Wei Qing was definitely not among these young people. Wei Qing looked at the black electric vehicle in front of him with a bit of speechlessness. It was estimated that everyone in the entire Chang'an City knew about Huo Qubing's little electric scooter.

Seeing that Wei Qing had no intention of coming up, Huo Qubing honked the horn again to urge him on.

Wei Qing looked at his smug nephew, then glanced at the metal wreck that constantly beeped, and a vein throbbed on his forehead. This thing was fast, but it didn't provide the same sense of security as a horse; he still vividly remembered the time it almost threw him off a sharp turn.

Not to mention that all the officials in the court were gossiping behind his back; what kind of decorum was that?

That's all.

Wei Qing sighed inwardly, lifted his robe, and straddled the back seat. He would spoil his own nephew; even if tomorrow the Censor-in-Chief's memorials impeaching them for indecent behavior filled the Weiyang Palace, he would still indulge the boy's madness today.

Otherwise, Huo Qubing wouldn't have let it go so easily. "Uncle, I said I can do it!"

Huo Qubing slammed the ignition on, and the electric scooter shot off like an arrow, the street scenes on either side rushing past, blurring into a blur of color. A gust of wind rushed in his face, making his robes flutter and his hair dance wildly. He could fill his mouth with wind with every breath, and even his voice trembled.

Wei Qing gripped the back seat armrest tightly, his knuckles white, but his face remained calm and composed—after all, he was a great general commanding thousands of troops; he couldn't afford to show weakness in front of his nephew. But when Huo Qubing made a sharp turn, the wheels jolting violently as they rolled over the cracks in the cobblestones, and Wei Qing couldn't help but hiss in a low voice, "Slow down! Are you planning to have the Imperial Hospital set my bones tomorrow?"

Huo Qubing laughed heartily, and instead of slowing down, he accelerated his turn into the alley.

The vendors in the narrow alley looked up at the sound and saw a dark shadow flash by, creating a whirlwind that overturned their sesame seed cake stall, scattering sesame seeds all over the ground. The stall owner was about to curse when he saw that it was the troublesome Champion Marquis, so he had to swallow his words and squat down to pick up the sesame seeds, resigning himself to his bad luck.

"Qubing!" Wei Qing finally lost his temper and slapped his nephew on the back of the head. "If you dare to act so recklessly again, believe me, I'll petition His Majesty tomorrow to lock this carriage in the lowest level of the armory?"

Upon hearing this, Huo Qubing immediately released the accelerator, and the speed of the vehicle dropped sharply. He shrank his neck and muttered softly, "Uncle, please don't! There's no other electric scooter like this in the whole world..." As he spoke, he even moved back a little to make room for Wei Qing.

Wei Qing snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over the few Imperial Guards peering around the street corner. Those soldiers, who had originally intended to pursue the madman riding his iron cavalry through the bustling city, immediately pretended to study the clouds upon seeing these two in the carriage. He shook his head helplessly, then suddenly caught sight of Huo Qubing's profile, reddened by the wind yet still radiating confidence.

......never mind.

Kids are just kids, there's nothing wrong with them having fun.

Wei Qing quietly loosened his grip on the armrest, and as his sleeves fell, he used them to shield his nephew from the side gust of wind.

While the Han dynasty was overjoyed to have received a million, other dynasties were in dire straits.

As soon as Bai Qi returned to Qin, King Zhaoxiang of Qin approached him and asked, "How was your day?"

This is a question asked as usual.

This had been a routine inquiry in recent days. Since the start of preparations for war, Bai Qi's training of troops had always been rigorous to the point of obsession; he would never easily send out troops until they were trained to his satisfaction. King Zhaoxiang of Qin was well aware of this, and had even habitually rehearsed Bai Qi's monotonous answers in his mind.

"Your Majesty, we are still training the troops today." Bai Qi clasped his hands in salute, his voice deep and steady.

The King of Qin nodded slightly, about to say a few words of encouragement, when Bai Qi suddenly raised his hawk-like eyes: "However, Huo Qubing led a thousand men and captured a city first."

What?

Five million is one million short!

That means he's even further away from the elixir of immortality...

King Zhaoxiang of Qin looked at his wrinkled hands; the passage of time had left its mark on his body, and he had inevitably become an old man. But he still had so many things he wanted to do.

He also has ambitions.

The same ambition also flowed through Qin Shi Huang.

The original plan was to replace Hei Fu with the veteran general Wang Jian—after all, Wang Jian was experienced, steady in his military tactics, and the most reliable choice. However, after a moment's hesitation, Ying Zheng said, "I want to go and take a look first."

Thus, today's court debate came to be.

Fusu stood below the steps, head bowed obediently, his posture respectful, yet he couldn't hide the eagerness in his eyes. Ying Zheng glanced at him, his brows furrowing slightly, but ultimately said nothing—the military situation was urgent, and it wasn't the time to instruct the crown prince.

"Does Your Majesty mean that Huo Qubing has seized the initiative and captured a city?" Wang Jian stroked his beard and asked in a deep voice. A hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of this veteran general who had experienced countless battles, but he quickly regained his composure, only unconsciously tapping his knuckles lightly on the hilt of his sword twice.

"Indeed," Ying Zheng said calmly, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the hall. "A thousand men, and the city was breached in half a day."

A collective gasp filled the hall. The young generals exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with shock and a hint of resentment. Meng Tian couldn't help but step forward: "This Huo Qubing is more than Bai Qi..."

Li Si took over the conversation, his tone complex.

"This boy should not be underestimated."

Wang Jian suddenly laughed: "What a fine Huo Qubing!" He turned to Ying Zheng, "Your Majesty, this old minister would like to meet this young general."

Not only did Wang Jian want to meet Huo Qubing, but Jiang Wei was also eager to try.

All heroes in this world possess a certain pride; who would willingly play second fiddle?

"Prime Minister, why don't you let me lead the troops to attack the city?"

The young general's voice was clear and resonant, each word ringing with conviction. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his silver armor and making it gleam. The other generals in the hall couldn't help but turn their heads—this Jiang Boyue certainly had reason to be proud; at such a young age, he had already achieved numerous military exploits, and what was even more remarkable was his sharp edge, like a drawn sword, its brilliance fully revealed.

Jiang Wei was young, confident, and powerful enough.

No rush.

Those two short words silenced the entire hall. Zhuge Liang's voice was calm and unhurried, as gentle as a mountain spring, yet carried an undeniable power. He lightly tapped the city captured by Huo Qubing on the sand table with his feather fan, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

Jiang Wei wanted to ask for permission again, but saw the Prime Minister shake his head slightly. His gaze held both approval and a deeper consideration. The young general immediately understood—the Prime Minister was waiting, waiting for a better opportunity, waiting for the opponent to reveal a weakness first.

Xiao Qiao knelt beside the brocade couch, her slender fingers gently folding Zhou Yu's official robes. Amidst the wafting incense, she suddenly looked up and asked, "Husband, do you think Huo Qubing was really that valiant?"

Zhou Yu was leaning against the window, wiping his sword, when he heard this, his hand paused slightly. He had just finished bathing and was only wearing a plain white undergarment. His still-damp black hair fell over his shoulders, glistening with moisture in the candlelight. Outside the window, a pear tree was in full bloom, and a few petals drifted into the room with the night breeze, landing on his clothes.

"The valor of the Marquis of Champion..." Zhou Yu's fingertips lightly traced the blade of his sword, the cold light reflecting off his handsome features.

Unparalleled in the world.

He recalled today when Huo Qubing led a thousand men to breach the city with lightning speed. People often say that Bai Qi was a brilliant strategist, but today's battle made him realize a new truth—the way of war is not only to be as steady as Mount Tai, but also as swift as a startled swan.

The candlelight on the table crackled and popped. Zhou Yu stared blankly at the flickering flame. At Huo Qubing's rate of conquest, it seemed that within two months, all five cities would belong to Huo. His long, slender fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the scabbard of his sword, calculating how to capture another city.

We need to get at least one million.

Seeing him deep in thought, Xiao Qiao didn't disturb him. She quietly put the folded clothes into the camphor wood chest and added a spoonful of styrax incense to the incense burner. She knew that at this moment, her husband's mind must be filled with images of thousands of troops and the clash of swords.

Meanwhile, in the Tang Dynasty...

As soon as Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde finished their reports, the ministers of the Zhenguan era looked at each other in bewilderment.

They had made thorough preparations, but they never expected that Huo Qubing would not play by the rules at all and would dare to attack the city without even training his troops.

What should they say?

"Truly worthy of being called the Champion Marquis." Cheng Yaojin suddenly broke the silence, his rough voice carrying a hint of admiration. "Back in the Battle of Mobei, wasn't he also..."

"Know your place!"

Changsun Wuji hurriedly stopped him, stealing a glance at the throne.

Li Shimin sat upright on the dragon throne, his slender fingers lightly tapping the armrests. His brow was furrowed all day, but his gaze passed over his ministers, fixed on the falling paulownia leaves outside the hall. He was not only troubled by Huo Qubing's surprise attack on the city, but also burdened by another matter—the Imperial Medical Bureau had reported yesterday that Empress Zhangsun was about to give birth, and Li Zhi, who would inherit the throne in the original history, was about to be born.

Will history repeat itself?

Li Shimin has been tossing and turning for a long time because of this matter. Will the Tang Dynasty be like it was in history?

"Your Majesty?" Fang Xuanling cautiously reminded him.

Li Shimin snapped out of his reverie and tapped his fingertips heavily on the armrest: "Issue my decree, Li Jing, immediately..."

Before he could finish speaking, a eunuch rushed into the hall and knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty! Her Majesty the Empress... Her Majesty is about to give birth!"

History may change in some ways, but it cannot be changed in others; this unchangeable part is what we often call fate.

Li Shimin and Li Zhi were father and son destined by fate.

Li Shimin gazed intently at the red-skinned baby monkey in the swaddling clothes. This was the unfilial son who had harmed him... The baby's little hands flailing in the air, accidentally grabbing Li Shimin's fingers and gripping them tightly.

Two hands, one big and one small, were intertwined like that.

Li Shimin's heart softened, but... he was still just a child.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Qin Shi Huang riding a polar bear [sunglasses][sunglasses][sunglasses]