90 A lifetime of fame ruined in one night

◎Huo Yan: I hate~◎

After harvesting the rapeseed, Huo Yan and Wei Qing were finally captured and brought back to Chang'an by Liu Che.

The shameless bandits stole gold, silver and treasures. The protection of the handsome little dragon Huo Qubing, who was good at guarding his wealth, had long been useless. The only thing he could do was to make things difficult for the bandits.

How to make things worse? Of course, it is to show off his treasures and how much he cherishes himself.

Humph, my younger brother gives me everything, what about you?

He once again wore the shiny soft armor made for him by Huo Yan and swayed in front of Liu Che, which made Liu Che's eyes tear up. He threw a wooden stick at him and barely controlled his actions.

Huo Yan was happy to see this happen, since his brother didn't show up in front of him anyway.

Wei Qing was taken hunting everywhere by Liu Ju and could not be seen.

In the entire team, Huo Qubing only caused trouble for Liu Che, which made Liu Che so angry that he whined and scolded him every day. Huo Qubing turned a deaf ear to him, and when the wind blew, all he could hear was the wind.

That day, when crossing the Yellow River and preparing to rest, Liu Che once again picked up his sword and raised it to kill Huo Qubing.

"Huo Qubing, come here!"

The sound resounded through the sky, startling a flock of crows.

Huo Qubing dodged and dodged casually, and was only a foot away. His movements were smooth, and as he dodged the attack, he even felt like shaking his ponytail. He turned his head and shouted to Huo Yan, who was squatting on the ground with Huo Guang to catch grasshoppers, "Ayan, do you want to fight insects tonight?"

Huo Yan took the opportunity to pinch a green grasshopper half the length of his palm and showed it to him. "How about this one?"

Huo Qubing dodged the incoming sword once again and smiled happily, "Give me one too."

Huo Yan parted the grass again and tiptoed to pick another one.

Huo Qubing lived up to his nickname of Piao Yao. He was both fierce and fast. In a few steps, he reached Huo Yan's side and squatted in the grass to play.

"Ayan, yours is too small. I'll take you to catch a big one."

The dignified Marquis of Guanjun, the dignified future Prime Minister with a rank of 2,000 stones, the team he left for the Crown Prince can only play with bugs!

Where is the prince?

When Liu Che got tired of chasing after his bastard son Huo Qubing, he thought of his own son. Liu Ju, who was playing with insects with Huo Yan, felt his back getting colder and colder. He shuddered and complained, "Wei Kang'er, don't stand behind me. It's cold on my back."

Huo Guang, squatting on the sidelines and watching, was a perfectly sensible child. Upon hearing this, he immediately wanted to take Wei Kang away. However, he looked around blankly and didn't see Wei Kang. He guessed that he had gone hunting with the general again. He was about to speak frankly to Liu Ju when he looked up and met Liu Che's gaze. Liu Che had no intention of paying attention to the little boy that Huo Yan liked so much that he had decided to bring him to Chang'an. He just glanced at him and then his eyes fell back on Liu Ju with an unreadable expression.

Huo Guang, born with a keen sense of intelligence, was frightened by the sudden sight of the emperor. But now, seeing the look Liu Che was giving Liu Ju, his heart suddenly began to flutter, fearing that the crown prince, Liu Ju, might displease his father and the sovereign. He and Liu Ju, as Liu Ju had said, were ruler and subject, brothers. So, boldly, he placed his hand before Liu Ju's eyes, his index finger pointing in Liu Che's direction. Unexpectedly, Liu Ju grunted, then suddenly squeezed Huo Guang's hand with his grass-sweetened hand, grinning broadly.

"A Guang, you also have two nests!"

He was talking about the lucky charm on his hands, and then he showed off his hands.

"Brother, look at our hands, aren't they the same?"

Huo Qubing smiled lightly, pulled Huo Yan, pointed at his face and his own, and said, "That's what we call the same. Look how handsome Ah Yan is."

Huo Yan rolled his eyes to the sky.

"Don't drag me into this by praising yourself for being handsome."

After he finished speaking, they all laughed. Huo Qubing and Huo Guang also laughed. Only Liu Ju, who had been laughing foolishly, fell silent. He turned his head to look at Liu Che. Liu Che was still staring at Liu Ju. Seeing his eldest son looking at him, he smiled a friendly and perfect smile. "Ju'er, come here."

His voice was very clamped.

Liu Ju suddenly turned his head and patted Huo Guang's hand, leaving Liu Che with a dark back of his head, as if he didn't want to see Liu Che, leaving his old father heartbroken.

"My father is finding fault with me again. He's very annoyed. Just ignore him."

Liu Che could hardly hold back his smile, his heart broken.

The smile shifted to the faces of Huo Yan and Huo Qubing.

Liu Ju sighed and gave Liu Che another blow.

"Besides, what's the point of him having so many brothers? I don't like any of them."

He plowed the grass. "Father is so useless. He can't give birth to brothers or sisters who like me. He's useless and nagging."

Wow, that’s really the opposite of Tiangang.

Huo Qubing thought of the shy Liu Ju in the past, and suddenly understood what A Yan said: if there is a problem, solve the problem. If there is a problem with the person, just replace him.

As expected, Huo Yan sighed and suggested to Liu Ju, "Why don't you let him reproduce a little bit? You can pick one to train and raise him. I raised you with all my tears and snot."

Huo Qubing turned his head away and smiled, fearing that Huo Yan would become angry and embarrassed.

Liu Ju on the other side pondered for a moment, and it was obvious that he had heard it. He patted Huo Guang, raised his head confidently, puffed out his chest, and walked in front of Liu Che.

"A Guang, my new little brother."

He pointed at Huo Guang, like a little bird, with the little hair in his hair standing up, and he was very proud.

"How is it? Better than yours! Father, if your children are not lovable, just have more."

Everyone fell silent, only Huo Qubing was laughing so hard, he was simply making fun of Huo Yan.

It’s time to teach him a lesson, little Ayan.

Huo Yan couldn't help laughing. He never cared about causing trouble.

"Have fewer children, or you'll have to pay to raise them. Fewer and better children are the best."

Liu Ju nodded seriously. He was a prince who was good at accepting advice.

So he said, "If you are as obedient and smart as A Guang, I will raise you if you are an orphan. Otherwise, I will not raise you."

Liu Che was completely disheveled in the wind. After a long moment, he roared, "Huo Yan, this is how I want you to teach the Crown Prince!"

His voice made Liu Ju's ears numb, but what responded was Huo Yan's loud laughter.

Liu Che was furious. He looked at his three rebellious sons and the more he looked at them, the angrier he became. Unfortunately, he loved all three of them and couldn't bear to hit them. So he looked around and locked eyes with Huo Guang, beckoning him, "A Guang, right? Come here."

The three rebellious sons became nervous together.

Huo Guang stepped forward cautiously, knelt before him and bowed deeply. "Son of the magistrate of Pingyang County," he said before he finished speaking, and was pulled up by Liu Che. Liu Che pinched the child's face and looked left and right. Huo Guang was a pleasant-looking boy with bright eyes, but he did not look like a child of the Huo family, or like Huo Yan and Huo Qubing, but his expression was a bit like Wei Qing.

"I heard from Zhongqing that Ayan wants to take you to Chang'an to study."

After he finished speaking, he motioned for Huo Guang to speak, and Huo Guang told the truth. He spoke clearly, and although nervous, he was not stage-frightened and acted in a very confident and confident manner.

Liu Che nodded, feeling satisfied, especially when compared with his three rebellious sons, he felt even more satisfied.

"You can be a palace attendant first, and follow Ju'er on weekdays."

As he spoke, he wanted to reward him with an official position.

It is naturally good for good children to be friends with their own children.

Liu Ju's eyes sparkled and he pulled Huo Guang to clap his hands.

Huo Yan frowned. He hoped Huo Guang would go to the Imperial Academy and stay by his side. Being Liu Ju's study companion would be a good thing for others, but everyone knew that a study companion couldn't go beyond the crown prince's position, and interpersonal relationships were very complicated. He could protect Liu Ju and also find a better way out for Huo Guang, just like a pair of eyes.

"Uncle, I was the one who brought A Guang out."

He chuckled, "I'm already planning to look for Dong Zhongshu, but you can't let me be bullied by that old man for nothing."

Liu Che raised his eyebrows, "Then give birth to one."

The boomerang pierced his heart, and Huo Yan made up his mind, "Let him choose for himself."

Liu Che swung his sleeves and said, "I am the Son of Heaven, are you the Son of Heaven?"

Huo Yan immediately pouted and said aggrievedly, "Uncle, you don't listen to me. Even the emperor can't be so arrogant. I'll find Sima Qian and ask him to revise the history books and record you as a crime for not listening to the advice of his ministers. I won't help you deal with the editor, and let the articles criticizing you spread all over the world. I quit! Don't ask me to help you make pills!"

Liu Che had only intended to tease his rebellious son, but he hadn't anticipated Huo Yan's temper. Huo Yan, a fiery man who would lash out at the slightest insult, was truly formidable. This was going to hurt Huo Ayan, and not only Zhongqing Qubing, but even Zifu wouldn't let him off the hook, and even that old man, Zhufu Yan, would have a few words for him. Honestly, if it were anyone else, Liu Che would have killed him no matter what. But that was Ayan, and everyone in the Weiyang Palace, and indeed Chang'an, disliked Huo Ayan, including him.

Huo Yan suddenly turned defeat into victory. He stood up straight and leaned forward with a small face, looking fearless. "You should think that my godfather doesn't make as much money as I do!"

"Your face paled, I was afraid you would hit the pillar again, so I had no choice." Liu Che said this, and everyone's eyes widened. Huo Yan smiled, and he leaned down and glanced at Liu Che like he always glanced at Huo Qubing, "Uncle, you are not angry with me, are you?"

Before Liu Che could say anything, Huo Qubing said, "He must be angry, but he had no choice but to give in. So don't go to the battle, or he will take Huo Guang away."

As he spoke, he touched the corner of his lips and suddenly smiled at Huo Yan.

You wait for your brother to come back.

The dagger is revealed when the picture is revealed.

Huo Qubing was very good at speaking.

Liu Che kicked him directly and said, "Get out!"

Huo Yan smiled and touched Huo Guang's head.

"Make your own decision."

On the two ends of the scale, one end is the smooth path that his beloved second brother has carefully thought out for him, and the other end is the earnest gaze of the prince who treats him like a brother.

[Huo Guang, how do you choose?]

[You chose Ah Yan. In the future, just like before, you will be the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty.]

[Imperial College, selected as a filial and honest official, and ascended to a higher position by leveraging the power of the Huo family.]

[Don't give up the smooth road!]

Huo Guang's eyebrows dropped. He bowed to Huo Yan and held out his hands high. "Thank you, Emperor, for your reward."

The brocade robe that had not been worn for long was covered with the familiar yellow dust. The little golden phoenix emerged from the grass pile and its bent spine straightened again.

Huo Guang was willing to bet his life on Liu Ju.

Thaksin believed that this prince who wanted to relieve the suffering of all living beings would become a qualified emperor, and he was willing to go and accompany him once.

Huo Guang was willing.

The corners of Huo Yan's lips were dry. He lowered his gaze and turned his head away, seeming to be extremely disappointed.

The roar of the Yellow River is still ringing in my ears. It rains a lot in summer and it is the flood season of the Yellow River. However, this time the water is all blocked by the remote dikes, thread dikes, grid dikes and moon dikes designed by Huo Yan.

All you can hear is the unyielding sound of water crashing and eroding.

It was Huo Yan who controlled the Yellow River, and the historians also attributed it to Liu Che. Liu Che's heart softened when he looked at the Yellow River. He thought, "He's just a child. Why not just go along with Ah Yan's wishes?"

Then he heard Huo Yan suddenly say, "Uncle, you only rewarded an official, but you usually reward those swindlers with tens of thousands of gold."

Huo Qubing responded, "He is just picky with us."

Liu Ju nodded and went up to pull the jade pendant from Liu Che's body. "He gave all the brothers I disliked huge amounts of gold, but only gave A Guang an official title."

Several people were talking to each other, and visible anger flashed in Liu Che's eyes. Huo Guang stood in place and Liu Ju stuffed a piece of jade into his mouth.

Huo Guang accepted it obediently and roared, "Wei Zhongqing, these rebellious sons are going to rebel against the heaven!"

The emperor, who was originally high and mighty, jumped out of the car, ran towards Wei Qing who was riding a horse and carrying a chicken, and took the general's hand, as if he had found the greatest support in his life.

"I told you not to bully me!"

Wei Qing was pulled by Liu Che, and Huo Yan took the initiative to shut up, "Brother, Juer, Xiaoguang, look at my dam, let me introduce it to you."

"This one near the Yellow River channel is a thread dike, designed to guide water back to the canal, reducing the distance between the two dikes to contain the water and counteract the sediment. Beyond the thread dike is a remote dike, designed to intercept floodwaters and prevent them from collapsing. I built a horizontal dike between the remote and thread dikes so that when floodwaters overflow, the sediment will settle between the two dikes, strengthening the embankments. Logically, a moon dike should also be added to prevent major floods, but the water flow here is low and the rainfall is light, so there's no need for one."

Huo Qubing and his companions looked over seriously, pretending to be thinking.

Wei Qing also watched the tide and then distributed the berries he had picked.

A few people saw something fishy in the water and isolated Liu Che from outside.

Liu Che's sleeves were steamed, rustling in the wind. Wei Qing didn't understand why, but instinctively stuffed him with a handful of berries. The berries were bright red, and the general smiled gently, "Your Majesty, they're not poisonous, don't worry, they're very sweet. I relied on eating these to escape to Pingyang."

Wei Qing was the son of Wei Ai and Zheng Ji, who had an affair. He was treated like a slave in Zheng Ji's household, and his other sons treated him as a brother, often mistreating him. So his general escaped, saving his life, which later helped him establish his kingdom.

Liu Che's heart suddenly softened and he took a bite of the berries.

Then he said, "That old beast deserves to die eight hundred times!"

Huo Yan straightened up, and Huo Qubing also sat up. They both asked together, "Can we kill him?"

Then one of them got a brain-shattering blow from Wei Qing.

Liu Che took another bite of the berry, leaving pink juice on his fingers, and made eye contact with the two of them.

The three of them raised the corners of their lips together.

Then the twins got a brain explosion, and Liu Che also got an angry general.

"No, who killed him? That old beast was a very bad man, Zhongqing!"

Liu Che chased after the general. Huo Yan and Huo Qubing covered their heads and looked at Liu Ju, then they sighed together for some reason. Huo Guang and Liu Ju also sighed.

The wind on the Yellow River has died down.

It’s a pity that I can’t send him on his way.

After a month and a half of absence, the group finally returned to Chang'an. Huo Yan was dismayed to discover that, thanks to Huo Qubing's thorough plundering, the Huo family's home looked as if it had been bombarded. All the furnishings, large and small, had vanished from the house, leaving it completely silent and serene, save for dust and cobwebs. A casual glance around the house revealed a Tyndall effect.

Huo Yan stood at the door, still dazed.

"You're robbing me like a Hun."

Jia Cheng stood behind him in fear, not daring to look at Huo Yan's reaction.

He almost knelt down at that time, but the prince didn't listen and tied him up in the car.

[It's not easy for the Xiongnu to be remembered by Qubing for so many years.]

[Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter.]

[Oh my god!]

[This is something that even moving companies can’t do.]

[A man who is like a god of healing.]

[Yan, your bed is still there, right?]

Huo Qubing pointed to the left side of the house as if to seek credit. There used to be a grape trellis there, but now there was only a pile of wood left, which was put back to its original place from the carriage under the orders of the house steward.

"Look, I can give you a ride back later."

Huo Yan sighed, picked up his small bag, took Huo Guang's hand, called the servants at home, and the group turned around and left, just like an orphan and a widow taking their property to seek refuge with relatives.

Huo Qubing was surrounded by Zhao Po Nu and his men. They looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally they all chased after him, "What are you doing? You're not going to have dinner!"

They looked so innocent that Huo Yan was speechless.

"You treat this room like you're sweeping away the Huns. Where do you get the firewood? Where do you get the fire? You've even broken the pot, and you're still eating? You're eating like a fool."

Huo Qubing then remembered that they still had to live in this house, and Zhao Po Nu and his group laughed awkwardly.

Well, they are not in the Xiongnu territory, so they are used to plucking feathers when the geese pass by.

Huo Yan and Huo Qubing had an idea and made a decision at the same time. They went to Chen's house together. There was no other way. Their house had been looted, so they could only ask their mother for help.

The doorman at the Chen residence, who was Huo Yan's man, was overjoyed to see them and hurried off to pass on the message. The Chen residence's housekeeper also hurried out to greet them, calling them "Master" and "Lord."

It was obvious that the entire Chen Mansion was full of Huo Yan's people.

He said he wanted to stay here for a while, and the servants all responded. Wei Shaoer, who was in the inner room, heard them coming and couldn't stop smiling. He quickly got up and went out to greet them, calling them "my sons" all the time.

The evening meal had already been prepared, and now they were just waiting for Huo Yan and Huo Qubing to take their seats.

Chen Zhang was sitting in the chair, waiting for his meal. When he saw Huo Qubing coming, he immediately lowered his head, performed a great salute, gave up the chair, and called him Your Majesty.

Huo Qubing took the main seat at the top, Huo Yan took the second seat, and Huo Guang sat obediently below him, facing Wei Shaoer.

Ever since her daughter's marriage, Wei Shao'er had little to do except spend time with Zhuo Wenjun and hang out with other noble ladies like Wei Junru, discussing family matters. While her husband wasn't great, her son and brother were truly accomplished, a blessing for most of her life. She was naturally open-minded, and in recent years, everything had gone smoothly for her. She had long since let go of the past, and her complexion was radiant. She waved to Huo Guang, her beautiful eyes radiating both nobility and laziness. "Where did you steal this darling from?"

She teased Huo Yan and touched Huo Guang's head with her hand, "What's your name?"

Her hands were as delicate and white as porcelain, soft as goat's milk, and her whole body exuded the fragrant scent of roses.

It was the first time Huo Guang had seen such a noblewoman. Her hair was covered with hairpins and her body was covered with rings and pendants. She looked as rich and elegant as a goddess or fairy. He answered honestly, "My name is Huo Guang, madam."

Wei Shao'er nodded, and without giving it much thought, she smiled and gently told him to go back and eat the meat. She continued to talk to Huo Yan and Huo Qubing, "I think he's a good child. Your aunt also said in the imperial decree yesterday that His Majesty has appointed this child as a palace attendant and will soon enter the palace as a companion. Your eldest aunt is fine, but now the rumors are all about you two, and the respectful voices are making a fuss."

She has never been a scheming person. What she meant was that Huo Guang had taken Gongsun Jingsheng's place and Gongsun Jingsheng was making a fuss.

"You don't help your own brothers, but only praise outsiders. Qing'er is the same, and so are you two."

She was used to being straightforward and didn't notice that Huo Guang and Chen Zhang were still there, and she kept talking to herself.

Huo Yan and Huo Qubing were used to it. Huo Yan took a bite of the lamb chop. Seeing that he didn't want to talk, Huo Qubing took over and explained, "A Guang asked for it."

Wei Shao'er said, "You're just trying to trick me. My words are no match for you two. Entering the palace is fine, but I don't believe the palace official has no intentions of yours. Besides, Jingsheng has been in the palace since he was young, so why would I not want Jingsheng to enter the palace?"

Huo Yan wiped the oil from the corner of his lips, cut a piece of roasted meat for the embarrassed Huo Guang, and said leisurely, "Because Er is the crown prince, he is not a fool. He can still distinguish between relieving worries and adding to troubles."

Huo Qubing continued, "Before leaving Chang'an, I saw him drunk in the casino and beat him up."

Huo Yan echoed him, "A dog will always eat shit."

Chen Zhang coughed twice because he was choked by the soup, and his soup spilled. He also left. If he stayed any longer, he would not be able to help laughing.

Wei Shaoer also choked and coughed, then said, "We are brothers from the same family. For the sake of the eldest sister, even if you don't care about the respect, you have to show some respect."

Huo Yan raised his head, smiling widely. He had a beautiful appearance, cold white skin, a red mole under his lips, and his whole face was filled with arrogance, in other words, domineering.

"I can count on one hand the people in the entire Han Dynasty who need my respect, and he's not one of them. Mother, if it weren't for my relationship with my aunt, I wouldn't even bother looking at him. You say every day that I look down on him, but I've always saved him. The last time my brother spanked him, it was considered a warning. Don't bother me with him anymore, you know me, if I can't solve a problem, I'll just kill the person."

He complained as he took Huo Guang's plate and cut the meat into thin strips for him to eat. "Besides, do I need his permission to honor someone?"

"If he has the courage, let him come and talk to me."

Huo Qubing at the top was holding a cup of kumquat juice, which was actually a few drops of honey-juiced fruit juice mixed with tea. However, he looked like he was tasting some extraordinary masterpiece. He lowered his head and did not look at Wei Shaoer, allowing Huo Yan to go on a rampage.

He thought to himself, who should his Ah Yan give face to and who should he give in to?

It's fitting that everyone should give way to Ayan.

"Just beat him half to death, and then it'll stop."

After he said this, Wei Shaoer was speechless.

The mother and her two children stared at each other, and finally Wei Shaoer said, "What nonsense, Huo Qubing, you are always saying things that are against your conscience. He hasn't paid your younger brother back yet, and your younger brother doesn't want your aunt to pay him back. Now your aunt is upset and feels sorry for Ah Yan. She hopes that Jingsheng will be promoted to a palace official and get a monthly salary to pay him back. You only know how to smoke. How can you work to pay Ah Yan back after smoking? Your aunt will also be sick."

Huo Qubing was speechless, "I won't smoke anymore."

Huo Yan also felt guilty for the first time. He didn't expect that his aunt would take his casual remark to heart. He just wanted to destroy his aunt's precious egg. He felt really guilty.

He coughed lightly and said, "I'll go to my aunt's for lunch tomorrow."

They finally spoke normally, and Wei Shaoer smiled gently, "Mom will take care of it, you just need to attend the banquet when the time comes."

Huo Yan and Huo Qubing were not used to being together. Normally, their mother should be chasing them with a stick.

Wei Shao'er smiled at them and ordered more food for them. She said they were growing fast and that last year's clothes were probably too short, so she had them made new ones. Huo Qubing frowned, feeling unaccustomed to it. Huo Yan also looked closely, only then noticing the fine lines around her eyes. "Mother, you forgot to put on eye cream recently. I'll ask someone to bring it to you. Do you want rose perfume too?"

He spoke seriously, which attracted Huo Qubing to look as well. He also saw the fine lines under Wei Shaoer's eyes, then nodded and said to Huo Yan, "Don't ask, just give it to me. Mother is short of it."

Huo Yan hummed twice.

Wei Shao'er, a loyal fan who wore Huo Yan's full set of cosmetics and perfume every day, couldn't hold it in any longer. "You two damn bastards! If I weren't a lady now, I would definitely smack you both in the head!"

When she said this, Huo Guang thought of his own mother, who also called him a little bastard on a daily basis. It seemed that all mothers in the world were the same.

Huo Yan and Huo Qubing smiled in tacit understanding and changed the subject expertly. "Mom, we haven't sorted out the house yet, and we've been busy lately. I'd like to ask you to take care of Guang'er."

Wei Shao'er cried out and looked at Huo Guang. Huo Guang sat obediently and raised his dark and moist eyes, a bit like Huo Qubing and Huo Yan when they were children. She felt pity for him and agreed without hesitation, asking someone to clean up a big house for Huo Guang.

"Leave Guang'er to me. Sigh, when will you two give birth to a child for me to take care of? You're really causing me so much worry. The Queen even asked about it last time!"

The topic turned to the familiar topic of childbirth.

Huo Yan and Huo Qubing ran away decisively after finishing their meal. Huo Guang, held by Wei Shaoer, watched them leave with eager eyes.

Brother Zhong, you don’t take me with you again.

Later, when Wei Shao'er took him to a gathering with his sisters, Huo Guang finally understood why Huo Yan had asked him to accompany Wei Shao'er. It was because his son was so capable. Wei Shao'er had so many new and unique things that Huo Yan hadn't even had time to sell. She was a celebrity throughout Chang'an, and every gathering of noble ladies was a must-see. Huo Yan was indispensable to all the popular events in Chang'an. Even if Huo Yan didn't mention it, his sensible subordinates would give gifts to his relatives, so how could they dare leave out Wei Shao'er?

In addition, Wei Shao'er really enjoyed the hustle and bustle. In just three days, he took Huo Guang to five or six banquets and met almost all the noble ladies and their children in Chang'an. Wei Shao'er was straightforward and had a good reputation in public. When he brought Huo Guang to meet the ladies, he always called him "Xiao Guang", making it clear what the Wei family and her two sons were like.

She was so easy to guess, and had always been seen as a weathervane of the Wei family's attitude. Now that she was close to Huo Guang, who was dressed in fashionable gold, silver, and silk, those people had to put on a smile and greet him. Huo Guang also made a few friends along the way, and recently he had been getting along well with Li Ling, a member of General Li Guang's family, and they were often together.

The Longxi Li family had been aristocratic for generations, and Li Ling was reluctant to get close to Huo Guang, a country boy. However, his brother Sima Qian, a close friend of his, thought Huo Guang was truly wonderful, and Huo Guang often praised him. Therefore, whenever Sima Qian attended a banquet, he would bring Li Ling to Huo Guang and introduce them to each other. After a few interactions, Li Ling and Huo Guang became close friends.

Huo Guang was brought up by Wei Shaoer and saw a lot of the world, and grew up thoroughly. He was already excellent, and now his words and deeds were no different from those of a native of Chang'an.

Wei Shao'er was estranged from Chen Zhang and had only two sons and a daughter. Her daughter had married out of Chang'an, and her two sons were busy with government affairs. Now that she had Huo Guang, a handsome boy, she was overjoyed. Naturally, some people objected to her about Huo Guang's background, but Wei Shao'er didn't care at all. She had been attracted to Huo Zhongru since she was young, but now she had no desire for him. The fact that she allowed her two sons to bear the surname Huo and go to Pingyang showed that she had already let it go. She had always been a bold and daring person, and she didn't think she was petty, so she just vented her anger on him.

"If you've eaten too many sour grapes, drink more water. Otherwise, you'll be too idle."

In Chang'an, Huo Yan can act like a big shot. Since Wei Shaoer is Huo Yan's mother, she can also act like a big shot.

In terms of background, there are only a handful of people who can surpass her.

"Xiao Guang was brought to me by my husband, Ah Yan. He said he was very clever and was appointed a palace attendant the moment he met His Majesty."

Wei Shaoer covered his mouth with a rose fan and smiled softly. The ornaments on his head were exquisite and luxurious. "Ayan likes him very much. She was originally going to take him to see Mr. Dong!"

The ladies present were filled with envy, and Huo Guang's back straightened up all of a sudden.

Back to Huo Yan and Huo Qubing, they were really busy. The Battle of Hexi was about to start. Huo Qubing was busy training the troops, while Huo Yan was busy allocating supplies, opening up food routes, and staying up late with Sang Hongyang in the Grand Minister of Agriculture's Mansion.

Zheng was old, his eyelids drooping and sleepy. The Grand Minister of Agriculture's office was now Sang Hongyang's home turf. The sound of abacus calculations was incessant, and Huo Yan's head was spinning. The country was rich now, and he and Sang Hongyang sat across from each other, wondering if they could maintain people's livelihoods without raising taxes, even in the worst-case scenario after the war.

"Ayan, thanks to your reform of the wine industry, there is still grain in the treasury after the war this year."

Huo Yan held an abacus and rubbed his temples. "Haven't you finished writing the policy on state-run salt and iron yet? Why don't you give Huainan a try?"

The reform of the liquor industry has already opened the gap, and now the salt and iron industries will be reformed to completely eliminate the powerful.

Sang Hongyang chuckled, pulled out a three-fold document from his arms and handed it to Huo Yan.

It was dark that night, and the lights on the walls were dazzling.

But Huo Yan still read it through at a glance, because it was indeed the final draft of the state-run salt and iron policy.

The feeling of hugging ice in summer.

Once this policy was implemented, money could be accumulated, and the behavior of local wealthy businessmen who accumulated wealth through salt and iron operations, manipulated the market, and annexed land was completely eliminated.

Huo Yan breathed a sigh of relief. From his perspective, this was a perfect plan.

[My dear, the salt and iron industries were centrally managed by the government, lacking market competition. This led to a decline in the quality of salt and iron products in some areas. For example, some ironware was crudely made and difficult to use. The salt produced by the government was also sometimes of subpar quality. Furthermore, because the production process was strictly controlled by the government, producers lacked enthusiasm and motivation to innovate, making it difficult to improve production efficiency.]

[The country needs money but also needs to consider the people!]

Huo Yan looked at the comments anxiously and asked, "The price of state-run salt and iron has not yet been determined, so how can we guarantee the quality? Farm tools and salt are the foundation of people's lives."

The success of the wine industry reform is mainly due to the low price of Huo Yan’s wine, which can be diluted with water.

Now that the salt and iron industries are state-run, we should also produce more agricultural tools to increase salt production.

Sang Hongyang touched his hair without saying a word.

Huo Yan raised his eyes, "Godfather, are you unwilling?"

Sang Hongyang laughed. "It doesn't matter if the people suffer a little. What's important is that we can fight the wars abroad while maintaining domestic stability. Ah Yan, you should remember this in the future."

He smiled so kindly, he liked Huo Yan so much.

"The emperor comes before the people. Of course, the most important thing is to take care of yourself."

Huo Yan was not sure what he was thinking, as he leaned against the table with his chin supported by one hand. He was wearing a long robe with wide sleeves and a high collar, without a crown. The candlelight shone at a tricky angle on half of his body, and the shadow showed the young man's gorgeous face, as if placed in the darkness. He was the light and king.

Sang Hongyang patted his shoulder and said, "If you're tired, go back to sleep."

Huo Yan raised his eyes.

"No."

Sang Hongyang was stunned. He suddenly had an inexplicable intuition that Huo Yan's "no" was not only a refusal to go back to sleep, but he didn't want to listen.

He stood up and was about to leave, but Huo Yan's words made him turn back abruptly.

Huo Yan said, "First of all, the people will also be my priority, and the king will be second."

The young man's profile was calm and composed. "The uprising of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang is still recorded in history. Even a clay figure still has some earthiness. No one wants to endure hardship."

This statement was extremely treasonous, but since it was Huo Yan who said it, Sang Hongyang simply covered his mouth and said, "Okay, little ancestor, I'll present it to you when you return from the battle."

Huo Yan smiled and elegantly and calmly picked up a cup of hot tea from the table, "My foster father loves me."

Sang Hongyang took a sip of tea before saying, "But by the year after next at the latest, if you can't come up with a plan to increase production by then, then come over and help me with the work!"

"Okay. I will definitely satisfy my adoptive father." If it were someone else, Sang Hongyang would have had someone beat him out long ago, but it was Huo Yan who spoke. Huo Yan's expression and tone were so firm that Sang Hongyang couldn't help but believe him.

"You come back alive first."

Sang Hongyang walked by, and Huo Yan counted for a while, then closed the book and whistled.

He stood up and rubbed his calves, looking very unhappy.

"Oh, I'm numb from sitting."

As he spoke, he went out. Shi Ye, who was outside the door, saw him and immediately followed him, holding a lamp for him.

Huo Yan smiled.

"Shiye, let's go."

The road he was taking was not the direction of leaving the Huo Mansion, and Shi Ye followed him in confusion.

"Master, aren't you going home?"

Huo Yan sighed, "There's no one at home, I want to find someone to talk to today."

Shi Ye: Meow meow meow, am I not a human?

Huo Yan glanced at him and said, "You don't like listening to me talk about ghosts at night."

Shi Ye immediately fell silent, pretending to be a breathing stone, and then knocked on Sima Qian's door naturally.

There was a night curfew, but no one dared to stop officials like Huo Yan from leaving the palace late at night.

Sima Qian was still awake late at night writing a manuscript. When he saw Huo Yan coming, he put on an outer robe and sat down to talk with him.

The door closed gently, and a faint smoke came out of the incense burner, which was a light orange scent.

Huo Yan yawned, his posture sloppy and his sitting posture awful.

"Brother Sima, please do me a favor."

Sima Qian chuckled, "Yes."

Huo Yan yawned again and was about to speak when Sima Qian interrupted him with a smile and asked someone to prepare water for washing his face. "I promise you, stay here with me today."

As he spoke, he put clothes on Huo Yan.

"I'll send someone to tell your brother a message."

Huo Yan had been busy sorting out those accounts for days, and even though he was young and energetic, he couldn't help but feel exhausted after a few days. He was exhausted. When he heard Huo Qubing mentioned, he silently repeated the man in his mind twice, forcing himself to say, "No need. You can't find my brother. I don't know where he's gone to train the troops again."

Sima Qian laughed, "Champion Hou Shenwei, next time we will have another great victory."

Huo Yan waved his hand, indicating that he was tired of the flattery, and his eyelids unconsciously clung to each other.

He said this, but Sima Qian could tell from his relaxed expression that he enjoyed hearing it.

He continued talking for a few more words until Huo Yan fell asleep on the bed before leaving.

Ayan visits late at night and works hard for the country.

Well, he has to add this to Huo Yan's biography.

In the autumn of the second year of Yuanshou, the night watch drum sounded three times. I came to visit late at night, my leather shoes wet with dew and my jacket soaked with dust.

I noticed dark circles under his eyes, likely due to months of transporting grain and fodder to Longyou, which kept him awake day and night. He sat down and barely uttered a word before leaning back against his desk, closing his eyes and sneezing twice. A faint, nasal sound escaped his throat, as if he had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion.

Sima Qian said, "Yan aided the Han with his cunning and scheming, and was a drunkard who manipulated politics, plotting numerous wars." He yawned repeatedly during his nighttime conversations, yet he forced himself to hold on. His yawns and sneezes revealed his genuine sincerity. When Guan Zhong served as prime minister of Qi, he would inevitably show signs of fatigue, and his endearing qualities revealed his true nature.

Huo Yanwan never thought that just because he took a nap, it would be recorded by Sima Qian, who loved to record events. He also never thought that because of this passage, he would be given the elegant name Huo Mimi in later generations.

If he had known, he would never have been friends with Sima Qian or funded him to write "Records of the Grand Historian".

He wanted to leave his name in history, but not in this way.

【Author’s words】

OOC Small Theater

Sima Qian: When I wrote A Yan, I wrote 130,000 words just for daily essays.

Huo Yan: Thank you for deleting some of it. If I hadn't written my autobiography, future generations wouldn't know what we'd be like. Damn it! You've ruined my entire lifelong reputation! Stop right there and rewrite it!!! Delete all those yawns, and make it all about Huo Yan being unrivaled, just like my brother.

Sima Qian: How can you blame the mistakes of later generations on the people before you? And they thought you were cute. Your Majesty even called you Pigsy!

Huo Qubing: Huo Mimi? Ah Yan should be Huo Aoao.

Sima Qian (holding a pen): My lord, what do you mean?

Huo Qubing: He was cursing me in my ear, biting and swearing. So, if you don't delete it, are you waiting for him to get the whip and ask me to whip you?

Sima Qian fled.

Huo Yan: Aww~