66 The Hun God Arrives
Huo Yan: I thought I was eating bitter food, but I was actually eating sheep.
Huo Yan seems to be doing what he says, but in fact he is not.
Every year his horse farm threatened to bring silk and tea to Yunzhong and Wuyuan areas to exchange for horses from the Xiongnu.
Although the Han and the Xiongnu were fighting each other to the death, the mutual trade system had always existed. This system had existed since the time of Emperor Gaozu of Han and was considered a form of the Han Dynasty's control policy towards the Xiongnu.
Even today, despite frequent warfare between the two sides, trade has not been completely interrupted. The continuation of this system is due to complex considerations of interest. For the Xiongnu, their predominantly nomadic lifestyle meant they could not self-sufficient in many of their daily necessities. Fine silk and ironware, for example, enabled their nobles to live a comfortable life. Huo Yan's tea was a treasure trove for the Xiongnu, and part of his wealth came from these trades. Furthermore, the Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty traded high-quality horses, which not only played a significant role in agricultural production but also played a key role in the Han army's powerful cavalry.
The locations of the trade were strictly regulated. Areas like Yunzhong and Wuyuan, with their relatively flat terrain and convenient transportation, facilitated the exchange of personnel and goods between the two sides. Furthermore, these areas were within the Han Dynasty's military surveillance, effectively preventing Xiongnu from harassing or engaging in other unlawful activities during the trade.
Huo Yan was about to take the caravan to the border.
Uncle Dan was terrified to hear him say he was going to Xiongnu territory. He knew Huo Yan wouldn't give up his plan just to get him to stay, so he picked out a few important matters, such as how to deal with the rumors about the King of Qi and how to deal with Gongsun Jingsheng. He tried to dissuade Huo Yan from thinking about it.
Huo Yan sneered, his eyes shifting to his face. "You're bothering me with things you can handle yourself, so why should I support you?"
His tone was cold, and Huo Qubing sat quietly, his emotions unremarkable.
He was determined to leave. Uncle Dan sighed and couldn't help but persuade Huo Qubing again, wanting them to think twice.
Huo Yan swung his sleeves and shouted, "Get out."
Uncle Dan had no choice but to prepare a caravan and travel passes for the two of them.
[You are absolutely crazy!]
[You are so proactive, you act as soon as you say something, like a wild horse running free.]
…
Huo Yan didn't want to read the criticisms in the barrage, so he just closed his eyes and thought about other things.
The Yunzhong Trade Fair in August.
August in the Hu land is considered cold, and all the grass has turned yellow. This is the last trade fair of the year. It is a rare sunny day, and the sun shines warmly on this special trading place.
When the caravan carrying tea arrived, the market was already bustling with activity. A cacophony of sounds intertwined: the rough shouts of the Xiongnu, the haggling of Han merchants, the neighing of horses, and the cries of livestock.
In the market, Huo Yan and Huo Qubing covered themselves tightly with masks and directed people to pack the tea neatly. As soon as the tea came, it exuded a rich aroma, which was a smell that the Huns could not resist. Many Huns had already started to lead their horses over.
Huo Yan chuckled as he interacted with the Xiongnu. He led Huo Qubing through the market, his eyes keenly scanning for gaps in Han patrols. His gaze was focused and determined, not missing a single detail. Suddenly, he stopped in front of a Xiongnu stall, and Huo Yan followed suit. "Can we go now?"
Huo Qubing shook his head and pointed to a horse in front of him, his eyes shining, "I want it."
Huo Qubing reached out and gently stroked the horse's neck. He was a cavalryman and naturally loved good horses. "Good horse, take it."
Huo Yan also observed the horse carefully. The horse was as black and shiny as lacquer, with long and powerful hooves and a look of agility and rebelliousness in its eyes. He believed in Huo Qubing's vision and only asked the people behind him to give money to the Huns who sold the horse.
The Hun wanted to introduce other horses, but was stopped by Huo Qubing. He could tell whether a horse was good or not at a glance and did not need anyone to introduce it.
Huo Yan asked someone to bring the horse and he followed him.
Huo Qubing became interested and picked out all the horses he liked in the market. Huo Yan chuckled, thinking that he liked this place, and couldn't help but jump on the horse with him. He thought he just wanted to lead the horse for a couple of laps, but he didn't expect Huo Qubing to run.
Huo Qubing loved this place very much. He rode his horse and whipped it, walking across the vast world, and smiled unconsciously.
"Ayan, follow me, rush out with me."
The wind was so strong that Huo Yan couldn't hear, and he coughed. Huo Qubing seemed to smile. He held the reins of his horse with one hand and Huo Yan's with the other. Huo Yan galloped like a kite, seemingly turning several corners on a mound. When he reacted, he realized that they had easily left the Han army's sight.
Huo Yan glanced into the distance while galloping. The horse had already turned into a small dot in the distance. He choked on a large mouthful of wind as he opened his mouth. Finally, he decided to hold on to the horse tightly so as not to affect his brother's performance.
Huo Qubing was pulling two horses by himself. The Huns' horses had no harnesses, and the horses he picked were all fierce and difficult to tame. Huo Yan found it too tiring to ride one, but in Huo Qubing's hands, the horses were as obedient as kittens. He pulled the two horses and galloped dozens of miles in a short period of time, but Huo Qubing did not feel tired at all, as if the shackles that had been in his body for a long time had been released. He blew a whistle, and Xiao Piaoliang stepped out, ready to go, and galloped across this vast world with his father like an arrow from a bow.
Huo Qubing's laughter grew louder. He wore no armor, only a loose-sleeved shirt, his sleeves bulging with air, and his eyes were frighteningly bright. Unfettered and free, he finally broke into a run, dragging Huo Yan over several more dirt slopes in one breath.
Huo Yan's face turned pale. He was so tossed around that he could only see his brother's sleeves being blown up by the wind and surging along with the waves of grass like a surging tide, extending all the way to the distant horizon and connecting with the clear blue sky, outlining the most vast boundary between heaven and earth.
The long wind blows by, and the white grass is ready to be broken.
Huo Yan lowered his head and leaned over his horse, and couldn't help but whistle along with Huo Qubing.
Even if this trip yields no results, it's still a good decision.
Brother, you have to run!
[The eagle in Chang'an is flying.]
[Eagles soar in the sky, fish swim in the shallows, all creatures compete for freedom in the frosty sky!]
[Ayan is like a pendant on a horse, hhh.]
[He is weak and vulnerable, yet he soars into the sky like an eagle.]
[Bingbing belongs to the sky and the battlefield.]
[Who controls the rise and fall of this vast earth?]
[Ayan is very happy. He is still smiling even after being thrown like this.]
[My brother wants to fly high.]
Huo Qubing drove the horse slowly for two steps before letting go of the hand that was holding Huo Yan's horse. His eyes fell on Huo Yan's pale face and he was suddenly stunned. He untied the water bag from his waist and handed it to Huo Yan, but saw that Huo Yan was smiling, a smile that was completely different from the one he had in Chang'an.
He couldn't help but laugh along.
Run!
The two men and the tiger were leisurely, but the Weiyang Palace was in an uproar.
The message left by the two eldest sons, saying that they were going to play somewhere else, made Liu Che's head buzz.
"Go out and play, go out and play, Chang'an can't accommodate them anymore. Your two brothers are both rebellious sons, and they don't know how to take care of me!"
He thought Huo Qubing and his companions had gone to play on the other side of the Yellow River, and he kept complaining to Liu Ju and Wei Zifu in his arms.
Wei Zifu, no, now she should be called Queen Wei, felt funny when she heard the emperor's childish remarks.
"They are young and playful, Your Majesty, please calm down."
Last year, as the position of empress had been vacant for over a year, the Grand Councillor Zhufu Yan wrote to the emperor, requesting that the prince's biological mother, Wei Zifu, be made empress. On the Jiazi day of March of the same year, Wei Zifu was officially enthroned as empress, a general amnesty was declared, and Liu Che's status was changed from the eldest son of a concubine to the eldest son of the emperor.
Liu Che raised his eyebrows with a smile and looked at her. He made Wei Zifu feel a little uncomfortable, so he slowly said "good-for-nothing" like an old fox.
Wei Zifu's heart was about to jump out.
She looked so soft and funny, so Liu Che gave up teasing her. He smiled and put Liu Ju's hand in his own.
His father and grandfather had all died young at fifty, so how could he be any better off? Perhaps when he died, Ju'er would still be immature, just like him. Zhongqing would probably be old by then, so he would definitely entrust Ju'er to Qubing and Ayan.
But the tempers of these two rebellious sons still need to be tempered, otherwise if he dies, his son will still be young and they will have to rely on him.
The emperor's thoughts are difficult to guess. He has a thousand thoughts in his mind, but he doesn't show any of them on his face.
Let’s talk about it after Zhongqing comes back.
After a brief rest on the grassland, Huo Qubing and Huo Yan continued their journey to the Xiongnu royal court. They followed a winding animal trail deep into the grassland. They came upon another patch of grass and a slope. Even with a compass, Huo Yan had no idea which way to go. He'd only been able to visit Mongolia before because the government had built roads. Now, under the Xiongnu's rule, everything within a ten-mile radius looked the same: grass. At first glance, it looked beautiful and spacious, but after a while, he became overwhelmed. It was so vast, where could he even go?
He hates.
"Brother, I'm lost."
Huo Qubing looked at the tree next to him and nodded. "We've already walked around in a circle. I thought you liked the scenery here."
Huo Yan wanted to die, so he gave his compass and other things to Huo Qubing.
"Lead the way, brother."
Huo Qubing was very confused. Isn't this road very obvious?
But he remembered that his brother was so dumb that he couldn't even recognize the direction of the wind, so he pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and coaxed Huo Yan, "Then I'll catch a tongue for you to play with."
Huo Yan didn't want to hear his brother ask him to catch something to play with.
A few days ago, upon arriving at the Xiongnu gathering place, his brother enthusiastically offered to catch some puppies for him to play with. He had truly thought they were poaching hounds from a flock of free-range sheep, so he foolishly crawled on the ground. Unexpectedly, his brother led him directly into a direct confrontation with a small tribe, setting fire to their camp and sending his little brother running off with a flock of sheep. The tribe came out in full force, only to be teased by his brother, who used his little brother to treat them like dogs.
His brother was a casual stalker. Wherever he pointed, the Huns would chase him. Once he got bored playing until midnight, he'd grab a lamb for rations and throw the ones he couldn't take with him to another tribe's territory, whizzing past the Huns. Then, hiding in the dark, he'd roast the lamb and feed it to the tigers while watching the Huns fight over the lambs, treating them purely as amusement.
The Han people said that the Huns were good at conquests and strategies, but Huo Yan felt that his brother was much better at it than the Huns. The Huns relied purely on violence, while his brother, he could only say, his brother's coming to the grassland was the arrival of the Huns' god, and the Huns were the tongue and puppy in his brother's mouth, and could not escape from his brother's palm.
He thought he was here to suffer, everyone thought he was here to suffer, but he was here to eat sheep.
The barrage has gone crazy, now it's all his brother's fans, all I see every day is love, and I can't do any real work.
"Ayan doesn't like catching tongues?"
Huo Qubing asked doubtfully, "You really don't like it?"
There are people who don't like to catch their tongue.
Huo Yan was speechless. He took out a lamb leg that he hadn't finished yesterday and gave him a bite. Then he said, "We've caught eight tongues in two days and watched three dog fights. You just watch and point the way. Let's see if we can burn the Xiongnu king to death."
Huo Qubing ate a leg of lamb and drank tea. Huo Yan poured honey into his cup while boiling the tea. "Don't be bothered by this when you fight in the future. There are bugs in unboiled water."
Huo Qubing nodded perfunctorily.
The battlefield is a place of life and death. The enemy can come at any time, so there is no time to boil water. You may fight for three days, your throat is dry, and you don’t even have water to drink. Moreover, his fighting style makes it difficult to rest.
Like now, it is because we are in the dark, fighting small battles, without rushing and killing the enemy.
Ayan didn’t know anything, but he was still too young, so he had to be coaxed.
Huo Yan handed him some water, and he drank it slowly, one sip at a time, before saying, "We can't find the Xiongnu king's tent, and the guards are no match for these small tribes outlying. We can't burn it down, so your method is better."
Huo Yan nodded, took out his wig, painted his lips purple and his face green, making himself look half-dead. He smiled coldly at Huo Qubing, his voice low and hoarse, "Your face may be noble, but you are filled with black energy, like an evil python that has the aura of swallowing the sky. When your loved ones die, that will be the time for your own death!"
Huo Qubing hummed, "Catch a tongue and have him take us to find the prince."
Little Piaoliang lay beside the two of them, chewing on the sheep in big mouthfuls. The habitat of the Huns was too flat and without trees to be suitable for tigers to live in. However, the strong can change the environment. Its big father has the ability to find land and sheep for it to eat, so it doesn't need to adapt too much now.
"Fatty." Huo Yan called it, and it stood up straight. Then, frightened by Huo Yan's non-human face, it kept sniffing, wondering if its little daddy was alive.
Huo Yan smiled gently, then sat astride it.
"Brother, let's go catch a tongue."
【Author’s words】
Liu Che: Why don’t you take me with you!
Huo Yan: Why should I take you there? I only have two hands and I can’t hold another piece of trash.
This time we're just playing around, don't expect them to accomplish anything.
However, Qu Bing's fighting style really played the Huns in his hands.
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