103 The Final Battle (Part 2)
◎Huo Yan: Do you want to die?◎
After Wei Qing arranged the routes for each unit, he divided the troops into different groups.
Huo Yan said goodbye to Cao Xiang and left with Li Guang. Being marginalized in Li Guang's army was perfectly normal for Huo Yan; he'd known that since arriving. But he hadn't expected someone to be so reckless. Some people don't consider their own status; they should consider the status of others. If it weren't for his fear of Li Guang messing things up, Li Guang wouldn't even have the chance to speak to him. Since he's so arrogant, then let him die for his country.
Huo Yan had already made up his mind that he was going to die, but he was not in a hurry at all. He walked around the wounded camp, as if he was there just to be a medical officer.
The brave Li Guang's attitude towards him also changed from resentment at being supervised to disdain. In his opinion, Huo Yan's failure to fight to go to the battlefield and save the sick and the dying was a sign of cowardice.
Huo Yan didn't bother to deal with a guy like him who was all brawn, no strategy, and only knew how to charge forward. He had been training medical officers and instructors for the army since the sixth year of Yuanshuo. Although Li Guang had brought with him a considerable number of troops, most of them were from good families recruited by the Han army. All of these children recognized him. Even if someone didn't recognize him, his instructors would introduce him. Even worse, if no one introduced him, these people still had a good impression of Huo Yan, who worked hard to save their comrades.
The situation in the army now is that no one meets each other and no one looks down on anyone else. Zhang Qian, the Marquis of Bowang, who is caught in the middle, looks around and decides to continue to play the peacemaker.
Now that we're in the desert, we'll just live like this.
The wind from the northern desert, carrying sand and biting cold, howled recklessly across the vast Gobi Desert. Banners rustled in the wind, armor felt icy cold, and war horses blew white mist. The same old rolling sand dunes, exposed black gravel, and dead thorns whimpered in the wind. Fatigue weighed like a heavy lead block on every soldier's shoulder, and also on Li Guang's heart.
Li Guang reined in his restless mount, his eyes anxiously scanning the almost identical desolate scenery before him. The cruelest joke of the desert once again began to play tricks on this veteran who was famous for his bravery but suffered from the curse of "getting lost".
He was lost again.
"Where is the scout?!" Li Guang's voice was hoarse and urgent, and it sounded particularly harsh in the empty desert.
A scout captain galloped up, a subtle hesitation on his face as he clasped his fists and said, "General! About fifteen miles northwest, scouts have discovered a large, fresh, and chaotic hoof print, along with discarded leather bags and bone tools. It seems a large Xiongnu tribe has recently been routed!"
"The defeated Huns?" Li Guang's cloudy eyes suddenly burst into a burning light, as if a drowning man had grabbed the only life-saving straw. The frustration of marching for days without seeing the enemy, the fear of getting lost, and the desire to establish merit and wash away the shame were instantly ignited.
He suddenly drew the sword from his waist, and the blade flashed a dazzling cold light under the bleak sun, pointing straight to the northwest.
"Order! All troops turn northwest! Pursue the defeated enemy! Whoever captures their head will be rewarded handsomely!"
"General, the general wants you to come to the siege, not to engage in direct combat."
A clear, gentle voice, like the gentle strokes of a jade chime, pierced through the whistling wind and Li Guang's heavy breathing. Huo Yan rode forward, his dark blue armor brimming with the north wind. He rode alongside Li Guang, his gaze sharp as a sword, fixed on the agitated veteran. "General, have you forgotten the Grand General's orders?"
He turned his horse around, passed Li Guang and gave the order directly, "General's order, move forward!"
The north wind from Mobei raised a small cloud of dust. The army hesitated for a moment and then followed Huo Yan's order. Only Li Guang's troops stood still and blocked the way.
Until a whip hit the face of the soldier who was blocking the way, leaving his skin and flesh torn.
Huo Yan felt that he had a very good temper. He put away his whip and said coldly, "Do you want to die?"
The young man looked like he was being stared at by a tiger, his back covered in sweat. He could only look at Li Guang for help. Huo Yan whipped him again, his leg leaving the stirrup and kicking him on the shoulder. With such force, he stomped him to the ground. The young man looked down at the retreating troops behind him, his eyes cold. "Anyone who dares to stop my army from marching, my general orders, and whoever interferes with my battle, will be trampled under my horse and crushed into a pulp."
As he spoke, he controlled the horse with one hand and was about to lead the people in the direction set by Wei Qing.
"You slave-born son!" Li Guang turned his head suddenly at this moment, the anger in his eyes like lava about to erupt. He stared at Huo Yan, "You also want to stop me from achieving success!"
His voice was hoarse and distorted with excitement, and the knuckles of his fingers gripping the hilt of the knife turned white from the force.
Huo Yan then turned his gaze to Li Guang. The blood on his whip was still wet, and he shook it off, his face showing his usual, slightly distant coldness. "General, calm down. Conquering great achievements is what we strive for. However," he changed the subject, his tone still cold, "the traces of the fleeing troops seen by our scouts are heading northwest. However, our army is heading to the battlefield of General Wei's main force, and their encirclement point is due northeast. Although the northwest has the advantage of fleeing troops, the route is unknown, and we may enter the desert, a desperate area, or be a Xiongnu lure. If we delay the encirclement plan by pursuing a small group of fleeing troops, allowing the main force of the Chanyu to escape, even if we cut off a thousand heads, I am afraid it will not be enough to withstand the wrath of His Majesty, and we will fail the trust of General Wei."
He paused, then smiled sarcastically. "Based on your past behavior, you could have taken the lives of these ten thousand soldiers lightly, but not Huo Yan. Huo Yan is a relative of the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, the nephew of General Wei, and the brother of Marquis Guanjun. You absolutely cannot joke with the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers. So if you want to go, go after them yourself. General, please show off your courage for a moment, but don't bring trouble to my thousands of good men, and don't make my men's parents and wives cry."
Zhang Qian's face was solemn. He met Huo Yan's gaze and advised, "Ah, Yan, General Li is just a little impatient."
Huo Yan ignored him and led his troops forward.
"Get lost!"
His horse straddled the body of the troupe, which frightened the man so much that he quickly scrambled to his feet.
If he delays any longer, his uncle will be in danger, so he can go to hell.
The army was in good order, and several generals and captains followed him without hesitation, forming a long black line.
"General, please take a look. According to the atlas of the Western Regions brought by Marquis Bowang, following the shadow of this mountain, you'll find the remains of an ancient river channel. Although it's dried up, the terrain is flat and there's little quicksand, making it a smooth route to the heart of Mobei. General Wei's main force must have already advanced along this route." Zhang Qian looked anxious. He advised Li Guang, "What Marquis Tai'an said is absolutely true. General Li, encircling the Chanyu is the important task entrusted to us by Your Majesty. The small gain of a defeated army is not worth the greater good. Please reconsider!"
However, the words "Wei Qing", "delaying the overall situation", and "Your Majesty's thunderous wrath" were like red-hot irons, burning Li Guang's sensitive and proud heart. He seemed to see Liu Che's disgusted eyes and hear the snickering of his colleagues behind his back. Years of accumulated humiliation, fear of his own "bad luck", and the anger of being questioned in public by a young boy completely overwhelmed his reason.
"Shut up!" Li Guang roared like a wild beast. His eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead were knotted like earthworms. He suddenly clamped his fist on the horse's belly, and the warhorse under his crotch stood up! The ring-headed sword in his hand broke through the air with a shrill sound. "Go!"
He rode his horse towards Huo Yan.
"Ayan!" Zhang Qian exclaimed.
[Ayan!]
[Xiaobao!]
[later! ]
Li Guang was as tough as an animal. He rode his horse right up to Huo Yan, the tip of his knife nearly stabbing his nose. A chilling murderous aura, mixed with the white mist from his mouth and nose, rushed towards him.
Huo Yan's eyebrows didn't even move.
"Huo Yan, you little brat! You're relying on the favor of His Majesty and the protection of the Champion Marquis, and you dare to defy me again and again and shake the morale of the army! What a bullshit overall situation! What a bullshit encirclement! When I chopped off the head of a Xiongnu on the battlefield, you were still in your mother's womb! I won't chase you in this northwest! I'll fight you with real swords and guns!"
Huo Yan unsheathed the dagger in his left hand, held the slender sword horizontally, and casually deflected a knife that was slashing towards him. The edges of the two sharp blades rubbed lightly, making a long and reverberating sound of metal and stone.
Li Guang's sword split open, and Huo Yan's right-handed sword suddenly rushed towards his face. Li Guang barely avoided it, but Huo Yan slashed again, a fatal blow. He came too fast, and Li Guang didn't avoid it this time. The sword tore through the shoulder armor on his arm, revealing the bloody flesh.
Huo Yan was about to strike again, his murderous intent was already aroused. If it weren’t for your uncle being surrounded, you wouldn’t feel sorry for him, right? Just die.
Being stared at by those eyes, Li Guang felt like he was being stared at by a hungry wolf. His eyes widened and he stared fixedly at Huo Yan. He had not expected Huo Yan, who had always appeared weak and frail, to be so strong. Even Zhang Qian was surprised and puzzled, and he quickly reined his horse forward to grab Huo Yan.
"Chunhe, calm down."
He no longer called him Ah Yan, but Chun He instead. Characters are usually used by peers or younger generations to show respect. He was willing to lower his position just to let Huo Yan put down his knife.
Half of the young man's face was hidden in the shadow of the flag. He put away his knife. His overly gorgeous face looked particularly cold and grim without a smile. He whipped Li Guang hard and glanced at him coldly, "Get lost."
This condescending attitude reminded Li Guangmu, who was being beaten, of his uncle.
That year, his entire army was wiped out, and that year, the young man Longcheng won a great victory on the battlefield for the first time.
Another year passed, and he had not achieved any success. The eighteen-year-old boy was like a gust of wind, carrying the heads of the Huns. The boys behind him were dressed in iron armor, breaking through the wind like a group of wild wolves.
There really are natural born generals in this world. Not only the Huns, but even he was terrified of them...
He said that he was jealous of Huo Qubing and Wei Qing, but in fact he just hated his own incompetence. But how could a person admit his own incompetence? He could only pour all his hatred on Wei and Huo, and now on Huo Yan as well.
"Alas, General Li, the Marquis of Tai'an is still young after all."
Zhang Qian came over to smooth things over, but Huo Yan ignored him. After Li Guang snorted disdainfully, the storm was barely over.
Hundreds of miles away from Huo Yan and his men, deep in the Mobei region, Huo Qubing's 50,000 elite cavalrymen, like a red-hot blade, galloped freely across the vast Mobei hinterland! They had only one goal: to slay the Xiongnu king!
"Abandon the baggage! Travel light and advance quickly!" Huo Qubing's command was terse and brutal. In pursuit of extreme speed and impact, he ordered most of the heavy food and fodder to be abandoned, leaving only a few days' worth of rations and the necessary arrows. The entire army, carrying the surrendered Xiongnu, charged forward like an arrow, advancing at an astonishing pace, day and night, at full speed!
Huo Qubing's tactics were simple, direct, brutal, and effective: find the enemy, defeat them, and crush them! No probing, no holding out, only relentless attack! His troops were like tireless war machines, leaving the Xiongnu dead everywhere they went, their tribes burned, and their cattle, sheep, and horses all taken as spoils!
The Xiongnu tribes, guard troops, and even some royal troops that tried to rally for resistance encountered along the way were easily torn, crushed, and cut like rotten wood in the face of this force that would kill any god that stood in its way. The battles often turned into one-sided massacres at the moment of contact!
Huo Qubing led the charge, lightly armored and unstoppable on the battlefield. Every swing of his lance carried the force of thunder! Zhao Po Nu, Gao Bu Shi, Pu Duo, and the others, like sharp blades, closely followed their leader, expanding the gaping hole Huo Qubing had opened. The impact and discipline of the Han cavalry, along with the fervent fighting spirit ignited by Huo Qubing, expanded endlessly in the northerly wind of the grassland.
The Champion Marquis, who grew up in Chang'an of the Han Dynasty, led the men of the Han Dynasty and wielded the sharp spear of the Han Dynasty to deal the most fierce blow to the despicable enemies in the Mobei grassland who dared to covet the Central Plains.
Only the richest land and the most powerful nation in the world can raise such a young man.
He has a wild heart and a strong character, and is extremely talented.
Break the straight spine of the Huns! Shatter it!
"kill--!"
Half a month passed, and no letter from home arrived in Chang'an.
On that day, a star appeared in the east.
Everyone's heart was hanging in the balance.
The people of the Han Dynasty were concerned about their sons who were traveling far away, and so were the court officials of the Han Dynasty.
But Liu Che was not alarmed, for his alchemist Shao Weng had long ago predicted that this was a good omen. Liu Che had come to trust Shao Weng because of his ability to summon Lady Wang's spirit from behind the curtains, and now that Shao Weng had predicted celestial phenomena, he was even more convinced that he was a celestial being. As a result, Shao Weng was favored and rewarded with millions of gold.
He has been in high spirits recently and believes in the brocade bag so much that he regards it as a divine command.
Huo Yan was not in Chang'an, but his Han youth were still exerting their strength. Many people therefore studied the celestial phenomena and naturally understood where these phenomena came from. The scholars competed in arguing about them, and there was less panic.
The salt and iron industry was run in an orderly manner. When Sima Qian heard that Huo Yan had reached adulthood, he was so angry that he not only failed to get the chance to be a guest of praise, but he even failed to attend the banquet.
Letters came pouring in, but the recipients were already thousands of miles away.
It was difficult to get news from Jiaodong, and Sima Qian only learned the news after sending more than ten letters. He told Wei Bu and Du Zhou immediately. It was a turbulent time, and since A Yan was not there, they had to hold on.
But the unexpected came even faster.
On a summer day in Jiaodong, the air was thick with the distinct salty, pungent smell of the sea breeze, oppressive and damp, weighing heavily on the people. In the prefectural office, Sima Qian was buried in a mountain of bamboo slips. A small lamp on his desk illuminated his gaunt, weary face. The sound of waves outside the window accentuated the stillness of the room. He rubbed his swollen brow, his gaze falling on the spread-out letter paper. It was densely written with the various methods of obstruction by powerful officials, how to respond, and his vision for further reforms in the future. The handwriting was elegant, reflecting the man himself.
Sima Qian sighed again and again.
Since the implementation of the state-run salt and iron industry in Jiaodong, there have been numerous disturbances, both large and small. Recently, the powerful families have caused trouble again. They have united and closed all their shops. The people can't buy food or cloth, and Sima Qian is worried.
The door was gently pushed open, and a wet, salty sea breeze rushed in. Sima Qian looked up and saw that it was Du Zhou. Du Zhou was followed by another person. The person smiled when he saw Sima Qian and said, "Prime Minister Sima, my master asked me to help you."
The person who came was covered in dust and the scar on half of her cheek was not clear under the light. It was Zhao Xiniang.
Sima Qian was overjoyed. "Is this the bride Ah Yan mentioned?"
Zhao Xiniang smiled and invited him to see her boat and the supplies she was going to give him.
"The master has already instructed that from today onwards, the shops under the Jiaodong Huo family will operate as usual. Please rest assured."
Sima Qian just felt happy and nodded.
Du Zhou was shocked by Huo Yan's strength. He was shocked but also a little proud. He found a big backer in the court. This backer was stronger than he thought. More importantly, this backer was young and he might be able to rely on him for the rest of his life. Du Zhou felt more and more that he had a good vision.
Zhao Xiniang handed over the items one by one, arranged the shop affairs, and returned. Within half a month, the grain and cloth shops of the Huo family began to expand throughout Jiaodong. Many local shops were built on the land. There was no need for Sima Qian to call on people. When people saw the Huo family sign, they would go in voluntarily.
In the seaside fortress of the Tian family in Jimo City, a huge bronze ice mirror emitted a hint of cold air, but it could not dispel the almost frozen gloom in the hall.
"Bang!" An exquisite lacquer-handled cup was slammed to the ground, shattering into pieces. Clear wine splashed onto the brocade lichen. Tian Ben, the head of the Tian family, had a scorched face, puffy bags under his eyes, and his chest heaved violently. His voice was hoarse like sandpaper rubbing against the ground. "Snow salt! That damn snow salt again! It's as cheap as water, not bitter or astringent. The salt fields of my Tian family, which have been run for three generations, are now completely burnt out! The salt in the granary has piled up like a mountain!"
His bony fingers nearly pricked the nose of a wealthy middle-aged man standing nearby. "Mr. Xu! Those privately minted copper coins of your Xu family were so popular back then. But what about now? With the official coins now in place and the currency values standardized, melting down your private coins and selling them as copper is a waste of firewood!"
He suddenly turned to the other side, facing a tall, thin man in brocade clothes with a gloomy face, "Mr. Chen! When has your Chen family's lending business not always been profitable? Now that the salt and iron industries are state-run, and the Huo family has helped the court establish a price stabilization system, even those lowly people and salt workers can get loans from the government to make ends meet! Where are you lending that interest rate to?!"
The faces of Xu Mao, the head of the Xu family, and Chen Ping, the head of the Chen family, who were named, twitched, their eyes flashing with resentment. Xu Mao clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Sima Qian...it's that Sima Qian!"
"Murdering parents?" Chen Ping interjected sinisterly, his voice like a venomous snake. "They're trying to dig up the roots of the powerful people of Jiaodong! Salt, iron, money... which one isn't the foundation of our livelihood? Now that everything is in the hands of the imperial court, we... we're nothing more than fish on the chopping block."
"So what? He has the Marquis of Tai'an behind him!" Xu Mao continued, "I don't need to tell you who the Marquis of Tai'an is."
Desperate silence fell upon the hall again.
The waves tirelessly pounded against the rocks, creating a hollow roar that only added to the desolation of the end. Tian Ben's bloodshot eyes slowly shifted, scanning every face filled with resentment and fear, finally settling on a middle-aged man in a scholar's robe who had remained silent in the corner. "Prince," he said, "what do you think?"
The prince stroked his sparse beard, his eyes gleaming with calculation. He spoke slowly, his voice low but like a poisoned needle, "Everyone, please be patient. Sima Qian is just a scholar, relying on the power of Huo Yan in Chang'an to act so arrogantly. Huo Yan is far away in the northern desert, out of reach. As for Wei Bu..." A hint of contempt curled his lips, "He's just a reckless man with empty martial arts skills, easily deceived and cowardly. He only guards Sima Qian, and he will never amount to anything."
He stood up and walked to the center of the hall. His voice suddenly lowered, carrying a kind of bewitching power. "Sima Qian's implementation of the new law in Jiaodong seems vigorous and resolute, but in fact, its foundation is shallow, and it all depends on Huo Yan's reputation. He is alone here, like a rootless duckweed. All we need to do is..." He made a hollow hand gesture, "be patient for the time being, show weakness to the enemy. Isn't he trying to educate us, to ask us to join in the great cause of salt administration? Very well! Let's put on a show that will make him sincerely convinced!"
Tian Ben's cloudy eyes suddenly lit up, "What do you mean...?"
"Hold a banquet!" the prince said firmly. "Under the pretext of discussing salt policy and putting aside past grudges, we cordially invite Prime Minister Sima Qian to the banquet! We can simply arrest Sima Qian and tell everyone he fell drunk and needs a few days of rest. Without a leader, Jiaodong will be in chaos! The salt fields will cease operations, trade routes will be blocked, and the people will panic. The court, under pressure, will dare not renegotiate with us. Huo Yan is thousands of miles away, so what can he do?"
"Great!" Xu Mao slapped his thigh, and the flesh on his face trembled.
Tian Ben took a deep breath, a sickly flush on his sallow face. His voice was filled with desperate sternness, "Let's do it! Prepare a banquet! Prepare the strongest wine! Have someone harness the horses, and we'll go and invite Prime Minister Sima personally!"
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