78 I'm heartless
◎Huo Yan: How much is sincerity worth?◎
A few days after Liu Che's decree was issued, Huo Yan's leave was cancelled.
He moved quietly, packing only Huo Qubing's belongings and his own. Huo Qubing had been stationed at Qimen Military Camp since he was fourteen, and most of his belongings were there. Huo Yan also spent most of his time working at the government office. Therefore, he packed only one carriage and sent it directly to his residence in Beique, the north gate of the Weiyang Palace, very close to the Marquis of Changping's Mansion, located just north of the palace.
He took a deep breath and looked at the plaque of Marquis of Changping hanging high up, unable to hide his loneliness.
What joy they had felt when they had come here. Thanks to his uncle, they had moved from their small courtyard in Maoling Town to Qili, permanently establishing themselves in the largest residence north of the emperor's border. The small Wei Mansion had become the Changping Marquisate, occupying an entire street. The only thing that remained unchanged was that the two best rooms in the mansion were still reserved for their permanent occupants: him and Huo Qubing. Although he had no father, he had always been favored by his uncle, who entertained him with scholars, personally taught him poetry and literature, and showed him every bit of care. Every detail was vivid before his eyes.
His eyes were a little wet.
To hide his reddened eyes, he squatted under the veranda, securing the camphorwood box containing his blueprints. A thin layer of frost from the previous night accumulated in the cracks of the bluestone slabs, which crackled under the soles of his boots. The aroma of millet wafted from the east kitchen, mingling with the scent of hay from the stables—the familiar morning aroma he was accustomed to at the Wei Mansion.
The next time he comes, he will no longer be the young master of the Wei Mansion, and he might even be dead. Will the old servants still remember what he likes to eat?
The gong struck three times at the hour of Yin. He sniffed, wrapped in a padded jacket trimmed with rabbit fur, and stepped over the threshold holding his wicker box.
The silk-pasted lamps on the eaves cast a goose-yellow light in the morning mist, making the frost flowers on the ground look like scattered jade. He had pasted them there when he first moved in, and now they seemed old.
"Young Master, be careful, you've caught a cold. This is the first time you've recovered." The old servant at the gate hurriedly handed him a gilded hand warmer and slipped an oil-paper package into his arms. The warm aroma of sesame wafted through the air—the steamed buns from Aunt Wang's house in West Market. He'd mentioned them at dinner yesterday.
Huo Yan's face, which had been able to remain tense before, could no longer hold it together. He couldn't imagine their disappointment and shock when they saw his empty room.
For the first time in his life, he had to flee.
"I've made new lanterns. They're in my room. Please replace them."
After he finished speaking, he got into the car without waiting for the doorman to respond.
"Young master, let's go." The driver cracked the whip and the ox cart slowly drove away from the Wei Mansion. A string of bronze wind chimes was hung on the shaft, swaying back and forth. The usually crisp sound of the bells seemed a little low for some reason.
[What are you depressed about, ancestor?]
[The house you bought at a high price is just one street away from your uncle.]
If the Wei Mansion didn't occupy the same street, you would probably live across the street.
[If you want to eat for free, you can just ride a horse and get there in two steps.]
[What kind of moving is this?! What's so emo about you?]
…
Huo Yan took a bite of the cake, puffed up his cheeks, and said, "Did I move? Did I show my attitude? I don't care about anything else, I don't care! It's only one kilometer away, not far! Where else should I move to? You are just rotten grapes, full of bad intentions."
He saw him getting willful, but after all, he was raised with tears and snot, and the commentary was happy to coax him. Huo Yan was a man who was always soft-hearted with those in his circle, and generally speaking, he was easy to coax. After a few words of coaxing from the commentary, he would shake off the crumbs from his hands and continue eating, as if he was truly heartless.
[Don't say these useless things. Why is Ji An the Minister of Wine?]
[When Ji An was the governor of Donghai, he reformed the liquor tax, raising it from 1:30 to 1:20.]
[His wife comes from a Qi wine-making family!]
[He himself is a powerful person!]
[A man does not betray his class.]
[This policy aims to reform everyone, and Ji An is a conservative.]
[He even clamored when fighting the Huns.]
…
Huo Yan tore off another pancake and nibbled on the second one, his eyes flickering. Then he ordered the driver to block Ji An's carriage in the street.
Chang'an City was shrouded in the predawn slate grey. Ji An's black-roofed carriage rolled over the dew on Zhangtai Street, the bronze bells hanging from the shafts startling away a flock of pecking sparrows. Ji An, wrapped in his faded black court robe, huddled inside the carriage, his bony fingers leafing through the pages of Emperor Wu's decree by the dimming candlelight, when he felt the oxcart suddenly stop.
"Who is stopping the carriage?" Ji An lifted the curtain, and a small carriage appeared in the morning mist. A hand stretched out from the carriage, and a young man wearing a crescent crown got out of the carriage, chuckled and bowed to him.
"My Lord, it's been a long time since we last met. My carriage has broken down. I'd appreciate your kindness in giving me a ride. I can catch up with you and help you relax."
The autumn frost had whitened the tips of his eyebrows, but it could not hide the small rosy cinnabar mole at the corner of his eye - it was none other than the chief officer Huo Yan who had been claiming to be ill for over a month.
Ji An's complexion looked much better. His usually stern face softened a little when he saw the newcomer, but he was still harsh in his words.
"Reminiscing about the past? I hope Huo Xiaolang doesn't piss me off to death."
Huo Yan smiled, and with the connivance of Ji An's driver, he stepped into Ji An's carriage in two steps, pushed open the door, closed it with a smile, and ordered the driver, "Let's go, let's go, we're going to be late."
Ji An snorted, and the old driver suppressed his laughter, waved his whip and drove forward.
The atmosphere in the car was very "harmonious", it was just Ji An criticizing Huo Yan and Huo Yan smiling.
"What do you look like now? You only know how to laugh. Where is the arrogance you used to scold me?"
Huo Yan stopped smiling and blinked his innocent almond eyes.
"Then we can't quarrel in the street, sir." He paused, then added, "We have to see His Majesty soon. If we quarrel now and block the road, won't everyone go to court?"
Ji An was angry.
Huo Yan smiled.
"Besides, let's not bother with these two sickly people. The less we see each other, the better."
Ji An was furious.
Huo Yan was quite good at making him angry.
"Look, I'm angry again, and again."
Huo Yan smiled.
"If you are ill again, I will have to take care of the wine administration alone. Then you can go home and lie down, and I will do whatever I want."
Ji An suddenly lost his temper, cursed him and said, "If you hadn't stopped me, I wouldn't have thought of you as the one responsible for the liquor policy reform."
Huo Yan didn't deny it, so he exhaled through his nose, "Given your personality, you wouldn't be so reckless. I guess you came prepared."
His eyes were sharp, like Lao Er, and he could see through people clearly. The drastic changes at Chang'an Winery were the work of Huo Yan.
"Your Excellency is wrong. I was unprepared this time. I didn't expect that you would be the one to reform the liquor policy alongside me. I stopped you simply because I didn't want to see the policy paper I had worked so hard to write come to fruition. The person I proposed as the Minister of Liquor and I were not on the same page." He laughed and proudly took the lacquer box and placed it before Ji An. "So, Your Excellency, take this pill and go home to rest. Nothing will happen to you."
Ji An's eyes swept over the pill in his hand, and he suddenly slammed the memorial on the table, causing the pill in the lacquer box to jump.
"You scoundrel are defying Heaven!" He pointed at the kneeling Huo Yan. "First it was Sang Hongyang, now you. What on earth are you trying to do? To have the imperial court and the people compete for profit to this extent?"
Huo Yan stopped smiling, and all his smiles disappeared. He was born with good looks. When he smiled, he was as handsome as a young man, and even in a dark room, he was still like the morning glow. When he didn't smile, he looked like his brother, cold and as sharp as a sword that could kill people.
He raised his eyes and looked straight at Ji An.
"People?" He suddenly raised his voice and slammed a copy of the account in front of Ji An. "Your Excellency is right in saying that the court shouldn't compete with the people for profit, but the people you're talking about are not my people!"
"I fight for the benefit of my people, for those people who bend over backwards all day long. I fight for the benefit of my country, for those soldiers who fight bloody battles and get money from these parasites. I want to allocate military supplies to them. I want them to live!"
Ji An looked through the accounts. Hedong County exploited their private brewing facilities, adulterating and watering the wine to reduce costs and pass off inferior goods as superior. Yingchuan County embezzled boat and carriage fares. Langya County hoarded the wine, driving up prices and reaping huge profits. Every embezzlement of liquor taxes was linked to the names of numerous wealthy families. Their profits were the product of the blood and sweat of countless ordinary people, and his face darkened.
"How dare you deceive His Majesty!"
"Deception?" Huo Yan sneered, his eyes blazing. "Your Majesty wants money, wars, and eternal fame. I want the people to live and recuperate. There's no contradiction. Your Majesty needs a knife sharp enough to fetch him money for the war. To Your Majesty, whether this knife kills people or chickens is insignificant."
He put away the accounts he had prepared for a long time and returned to his previous state.
"On the contrary, these people are eating out of His Majesty's money. If His Majesty knows about this, he will only think the knife is good."
Who do you think is behind me? Liu Che wants money more than I do, and he wants to kill those people.
[These local tyrants and powerful families seized money from the imperial court and wanted to seize the money of the people.]
They exploited their influence and monopoly in the liquor industry to deliberately inflate liquor prices. Commoners were forced to accept high prices in order to satisfy their drinking needs or to consume alcohol in social settings. Some powerful families even used their influence to coerce local residents into buying their liquor. Even if the common people didn't want to buy or couldn't afford it, they might still submit out of fear of their power.
They exploited the public's lack of understanding of the liquor tax policy and deliberately overcharged fees. By manipulating raw material prices, they increased the cost of brewing, ultimately passing this cost on to small breweries and ordinary people.
[Most detestable is that these winemakers compete with the people for food, causing food prices to rise. This forces the people to spend more on food and other necessities, making life even more difficult. In order to expand their winemaking operations or to transport and sell wine, powerful families may use their power to force the people to work for them without pay.]
[What the hell, it's you guys who are causing this.]
Ji An understood from Huo Yan's words the purpose of His Majesty wanting him to take office. His Majesty wanted to squeeze out every last bit of his usefulness. He had to hold Huo Yan's knife in hand at the right time, and also bear the infamy of all the aristocratic families for Huo Yan and become the target of public criticism.
Your Majesty wants me to die!
His eyes were filled with mockery. Huo Yan pushed the lacquer box forward, frowned, and said fiercely, "You are ill. I will inform His Majesty and temporarily take over the position of Wine Minister."
What a pure pair of eyes.
Although King Huainan Liu An had been executed long ago, his "Huainanzi" was collected by Huo Yan, reviewed, reprinted on paper, and published as a publication for people to read.
Ji An had not only seen it, but also bought it. So when he saw Huo Yan, he only remembered the saying, "When water is still, it is clear and straight; when it moves, it loses its balance."
Young people are like children; they are strong and unyielding and their ambition cannot be taken away.
Your Majesty wants me to die, but this young man wants me to live. He bears the blame alone. Every word he says is forced, but every word is sincere. It's a pity that old Ji An is too cunning.
Your Majesty, is this also your plan? You are sure that this old minister will not bear to see him die young. Do you want to use the death of this old minister to temper his determination?
Ji An stretched out his hand and patted the young man's hand, just as he did in the past at the Yellow River.
"I've always prided myself on being upright, but I'm not as upright as you." He smiled, his face pale from long illness, now gleaming with a gentle glow. "I'm against war and for a marriage alliance precisely because war is costly and exhausting. But I knew you wouldn't listen. You'd call me old and muddleheaded, saying the whole point of war is to avoid being plundered. You say you have to get money from somewhere else if you don't have it, and you don't want to make the people suffer. I once wanted to adopt you as my adopted son, but now I think you'd look down on me."
"In the third year of Yuanguang, when I was governor of Donghai, I raised the liquor tax from 30% to 20%. Many of your people died of starvation because of me."
Huo Yan lowered his eyes, clutching the pill tightly in his hand. He understood Ji An's choice.
When he was governing Huang in the past, Ji An always kept the people in mind in everything he did.
In the fifth year of the Yuanguang reign, he inspected a fire in Hanoi County and discovered that over 10,000 families were suffering from floods and droughts, starving to the point of cannibalism. Without waiting for court orders, he used the emperor's imperial seal as proof to arbitrarily open the official warehouses in Hanoi County and provide relief to the victims.
Based on these two points, he could not agree to Liu Che's plan to use Ji An's life to pave the way for him.
He never owes anyone a favor.
So he swung his sleeves, his face cold and indifferent, "You are old and decrepit, I don't want you!"
Ji An smiled and took his hand, like a most loving elder.
"But I am very happy to be able to work with the young master. The young master is loyal and righteous. If Changru were not old at this time, we would definitely become close friends."
Huo Yan didn't understand.
He could only frown.
Ji An touched his head, his eyes softened, all the edges softened at this moment, he seemed to be looking at his own shadow.
"Young Master has his reasons for going, and so does An."
You are not a subject of the emperor, but a subject of the world.
You are similar to me, so I will protect you for a while. That’s what I should do.
The car stopped at the right time.
The Weiyang Palace in the morning mist looked like a dormant giant beast. The flying eaves of the nine-story palace seemed to pierce the blue-gray sky, and the bronze bells of the animal heads on the eaves were jingling in the wind.
Huo Yan jumped out of the car and ran wildly towards the Weiyang Palace. Although he usually paid great attention to his manners, at this moment he let the corners of his robe fly. He ran past the Shiqu Pavilion, and the jade pendant on his waist jingled.
"Master Huo, please wait!" The Central Yellow Gate hurried over, "Your Majesty is changing clothes..."
The young man suddenly stopped in his tracks, his cap nearly falling off as he turned. He stared at the wisps of incense rising from the Xuanshi Hall, then suddenly untied the silver fish bag from his waist and shoved it into the eunuch's pocket. "Please tell them, just say—"
He was in such a hurry that he couldn't come up with any good excuse.
In the end, he could only make a rash move, stepping over a small puddle of water on the jade steps with his bare shoes and kneeling on the ground.
"Huo Yan requests an audience with His Majesty!"
The clear voice penetrated the heavy curtains.
In the Xuanshi Hall, Liu Che was tying his hair. Upon hearing this, he just asked his attendants to bring him in.
He didn't want Huo Yan to come and plead for Ji An, but it was exposed to heavy rain outside and he was afraid that Huo Yan would catch a cold.
Huo Yan stood up, his clothes soaked with water, and knelt down again. The emperor on the high platform beckoned him over and, holding a jade comb, gathered his messy hair. "I have approved your 'Six Strategies for Liquor Taxation'. You have great talent, and I am very pleased. But you are still too young, so your uncle will let Ji An take care of you first."
Huo Yan's eyes were red. He understood what Liu Che meant. He was not allowed to beg for mercy, otherwise it would not be his turn.
The person in charge must be able to calm the aristocratic families of Guandong. If the reforms go too far, the person in charge must be able to quell the anger of the world with his own death. Ji An is qualified.
In previous years, Chao Cuo was like this, Zhang Tang was like this, Lord Father Yan was like this, and Ji An was like this too.
But Huo Yan is not.
But Huo Yan, who proposed the liquor policy reform, was not one of them.
Because Liu Che treated him like a disciple and a son, he could not bear to see him die prematurely.
"Uncle," he raised the corners of his lips, very arrogantly, "Are you afraid that I can't handle these people, so you want to find Master Ji to help me?"
"He's so stubborn, I don't want to play with him. Just let him be a decoration, I have to take full responsibility for everything. I also need my uncle to assign people to me, preferably including my brother's men, otherwise what should I do if those noble families attack me?"
Liu Che was as cunning as a fox, but at this time Huo Yan was lying on his knees like a little fox, grabbing the corner of his robe as he did when he was a child. The little fox said everything he liked to hear, and he didn't get stubborn. He didn't say any nonsense about not liking to owe people as he expected, but just asked him to make his own decision and order people. There was nothing he couldn't give.
He dared to give 10,000 soldiers to Wei Qing, who had never fought in a war, and he also dared to give Huo Yan a wine company where he could make all the decisions.
"Ayan has grown up. Uncle promises you that," he laughed, "the Liquor Industry Department you are licensed to is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture. Go, do your work, and get my money back."
Huo Yan readily agreed, and then naively raised his face, hoping for a promise. "I'll help my uncle make money, so could you please protect Master Ji for me?"
Liu Che just smiled and said nothing, nodded and told him to go back and do his work well, feeling satisfied in his heart.
The emperor likes ministers who are smart and kind, and Liu Che likes children who are innocent and capable.
Huo Yan immediately smiled and put the token given by Liu Che in his pocket, and swaggered back to his office.
[Ah Yan, aren't you the one who saved Old Man Ji?]
Why don't you say something to plead for mercy?
Huo Yan played with the pen, "Why beg for mercy? I've already got the uncle I wanted, and even found a scapegoat. I just need to be moderate in my actions, and Ji An won't die."
Moreover, Ji An will definitely cooperate with me wholeheartedly now. He admires upright people and he thinks I am very similar to him. Moreover, he thinks that I have gone against the emperor to save him, so he is even more willing to protect me. The more he protects me, the easier it will be to implement the wine policy.
He never finished his words. The boy wiped the ink from his hands, glanced at the barrage of comments, and suddenly said, "You guys are so cute."
The barrage was originally discussing his purpose, but now all the attention was attracted by one sentence.
[You called me cute?! Baby, you're going to be your dad now, right?!]
[Ayan, marry me, marry me!]
[The upstairs is going crazy! You're trying to steal my baby.]
…
Huo Yan held his chin up and said coldly, "How cute! He definitely wouldn't fight back even if he was kicked by a donkey."
Comments from the audience: You’re calling us stupid!
After Huo Yan sidelined Ji An, he assembled a team of his own, comprised entirely of notorious young men from Chang'an. Sima Qian, who had rushed to help, often felt out of place. Huo Yan was ready to reform Chang'an, but unfortunately, the policy was implemented, but no one responded. Forget about accepting supervision, and this group of people refused to even come to collect their production and business licenses.
Huo Yan sneered and decided to start with himself, the largest wine merchant in Chang'an.
When Uncle Dan was carried here by Huo Qubing, he was bewildered when he saw Huo Yan with a cold face.
"Master, what are you doing?"
Huo Yan got annoyed when he heard him call him "Master" and started scolding him. The main point was that you, a wine merchant, do not share the country's worries, but only care about making money for the country, and even dare to carry out such a large-scale annexation. You are a parasite of the country. Now I give you a chance. Hand over the recipe. Your family will be state-owned in the future. You have to clean up the mess, starting with your family. The local wine officials are short of people, so call all the managers of your family who can read and do accounting who have been taken in by you over the years and send them to the local government.
What a ghost is my master! What a big-headed ghost is my master!
If you shout again, all your blessings will be gone.
Uncle Dan was stunned. "Master, isn't this just scolding yourself? And, didn't you tell me not to go against you?"
Then Huo Yan waved his hand, and a group of young men came over carrying wooden boards that were eight feet high. The one leading them was Su Wu.
Uncle Dan was pushed down on the bench before he could react. Su Wu smiled and lifted the board. He immediately closed his eyes and felt a wetness on his back. Cao Xiang had an expressionless face. He scooped up some dog blood and poured it on him, making him covered in blood. Then Huo Yan came over with his makeup box and made him look like he was in torture.
Uncle Dan was confused, and then he heard Huo Yan whisper, "You didn't pay for the three talismans and went against the court. Shouldn't I beat you?"
Uncle Dan's head suddenly tilted and he fell to the ground. He was dragged away in Chang'an City to be displayed to the public. Sang Qian and his group of unlucky kids didn't care about the severity of the situation. They were jumping around and beating drums and gongs to tell everyone that this was a typical example of being caught for brewing alcohol without the three talismans. The wine minister Ji would be punished with fifty strokes of the cane according to the law.
Uncle Dan closed his eyes tightly.
Money is hard to earn, shit is hard to eat.
This parade was useful. Uncle Dan, the largest wine merchant in Chang'an, was defeated and spent 30,000 coins to buy three talismans, which are now placed in the most conspicuous place in the theater.
Everyone in Chang'an knew Fu Guang, the large factory on the outskirts of Changling. It hired thousands of Chang'an residents to fill wine there every year. Who knew who was behind it? Now that they were being attacked, the people behind it remained silent. At least Ji An was demanding they pay for three talismans. Even if the court was broke and broke, they'd buy them anyway. Didn't you see that Fu Guang's wine merchants, now that they had bought the three talismans, could do a lot of business? A bunch of young men rode up on horseback, carrying people and coming to talk to Ji An. No one was calling for war, except for the occasional young man called the "Liquor Official" who came to ask for a drink.
Huo Yan had long known that people were known for their tendency to compromise. If you asked for a window, you'd have to say you were going to smash the roof. He also knew that people die for money, and birds die for food. As long as something was packaged as easy, offering an easy way to get what they wanted, even if it was a scam, countless people would jump in.
Sima Qian, who used to spend his days writing history, was now completely busy. Huo Yan then ordered Sima Qian and his group of talisman distributors to work from noon to sunset. Scarcity made things valuable, so Huo Yan split the three talismans up again. Now each one cost 20,000 coins, and some people were eager to hand them in. Sometimes Huo Yan would even limit the number of talismans issued, issuing only two a day; any more would be sold out.
Huo Yan, driven by the joy of sharing good fortune, accepted money from a wine merchant, then gave him money and toy house cards, leading a group of teenagers on a food and drink spree. Their department was primarily focused on youth; aside from the elderly Ji An, the average age of the entire Wine Industry Department was between fourteen and twenty, most of whom were close friends who had helped him collect debts in Chang'an. Every one of them was a close brother to Huo Yan and Huo Qubing.
Sometimes, the friendship of young people only needs a good meal of meat, and Huo Yan provided meat for each of them for an average of five years, so it was no exaggeration for them to call him brother. Especially the young Yulin Lang, most of whom were fatherless and motherless, trained with Huo Qubing every day. They were at the age when they could eat, and they ate from large bowls. Whenever he invited them to eat, Huo Yan often gave them money. He was truly the best brother.
The theater was closed today, so Huo Yan gave some instructions and set up more than a dozen tables on the second floor for lunch.
The play on the stage was the Biography of General Wei.
Zhuo Wenjun smiled and asked someone to serve the dishes.
Huo Yan leaned against a Hu bed, twirling a gilded wine jar between his fingers. He took a sip of Suichun wine and watched the young men wolfing it down. Su Wu was stuffing roasted lamb skewers into his mouth, while Shi Ye and Sang Qian fought over the last piece of venison. The table was covered in sauce, and the atmosphere was more lively than the autumn hunt at Shanglin Garden.
Huo Yan held his chin, looked at the young men wiping their mouths, and smiled softly.
"Are you full? Do you want some more?"
Zhao Po Nu② gnawed on a chicken leg, smeared his greasy lips and nodded repeatedly.
Huo Yan asked someone to serve the food again.
Huo Qubing came in at this time. He was mature beyond his years and he always paid attention to discipline when training his soldiers. When he stood there, the young guards immediately sat up straight and wiped their mouths subconsciously. Zhao Po Nu, a seasoned soldier, did not dare to act rashly and just gave up his seat to Huo Qubing.
Huo Qubing rejected Zhao Po Nu's kindness and sat down on the other side of Huo Yan's bed. Huo Yan chuckled and poured him a glass of wine. Huo Qubing raised his glass and drank with everyone.
"The Tathagata Buddha, who can suppress us, has arrived. It's time to serve more dishes." Huo Yan smiled and raised his glass, clinking it with the group of teenagers. He then had someone exchange cups. "Let's sing 'Havoc in Heaven'. The Tathagata Buddha loves it."
Everyone burst into laughter and was so excited that they wanted to tear down the house.
Huo Qubing waited for Huo Yan to come over and clink glasses with him. Huo Yan tilted his glass and clinked it lightly with his, making a crisp sound.
Huo Qubing smiled and asked him to serve him food.
Huo Yan nodded with a smile and clinked glasses with Sima Qian from a distance. Sima Qian blushed very much, so Huo Yan walked slowly towards him and casually put his hand on his shoulder.
"Zichang," he said with a smile, "your masterpiece is really good! Keep writing! I have money!"
Sima Qian drank another cup, thinking that it would be difficult to find a true friend in this life.
drink!
Huo Qubing also clinked glasses with Cao Xiang and smiled.
Then Huo Qubing saw two familiar figures getting off the car, seemingly about to come in. Rubbing his eyes, he stuck his head out of the window, and called out "mother" and "uncle".
Wei Qing, who had just returned and was supposed to be resting, turned his head away and ignored everyone.
You little bastard, you've already moved away, but you still call me uncle!
Wei Shaoer came up in a hurry, holding a wooden stick in his hand.
Huo Yan was still there enjoying himself, drinking and eating meat.
Then his brother's handsome face appeared in front of him, and then his brother carried him and jumped out of the window.
The carved wooden windows of the theater suddenly flew open, and Huo Qubing, carrying Huo Yan, leaped down like a hawk. His red cape rustled in the wind, startling the vendors below. Huo Yan hung upside down from his shoulder, chopping off a half-eaten piece of venison belly, his hands still clutched. Oil dripped down his sleeves.
[It’s over! It’s over! ]
[uncle! ]
[Ahhh, dead!]
Huo Yan wanted to cry but had no tears. The usually calm little Huo Lang was now facing the coming and going of people and giving up his own flesh with tears. He was about to speak when he saw the barrage reminder and immediately covered his face with his sleeves.
Huo Qubing also lowered his head.
The group of teenagers upstairs were confused and looked outside, and then Zhao Po Nu closed the window sensibly.
The general was not in military uniform today. His moon-white robe made his features look even softer. The jade pendant on his waist jingled with every step he took. It was the jade pendant for peace that Huo Yan had carved with his own hands before he set out on the expedition.
"Put Ah Yan down." Wei Qing's whip touched the blue bricks lightly. "What a mess."
Huo Qubing froze in place, and Huo Yan on his shoulder quietly slid down half an inch.
"Uncle, let me explain..." Huo Yangang stood firm and moved forward, but Wei Qing pressed the black whip against his forehead.
"What do you need to explain?" Wei Qing glanced at the brand new silver fish bags on the waists of the two men. "If Your Majesty hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known about this. You even picked a place nearby, right? The Wei Mansion can't accommodate you now, so you can just leave like that, right?"
"You didn't go through the main gate, but climbed over the wall to steal cakes at night?"
Huo Qubing lowered his head and touched his nose.
I just want to eat it, I'm really greedy.
As Wei Qing was talking, he started laughing. He said to Huo Yan, "The housekeeper said that the west kitchen is missing three jars of millet and two jars of pickled bamboo shoots..."
Huo Yan lowered his head to his chest.
I’m just afraid that there won’t be enough to eat, and I’m very greedy.
Wei Qing really wanted to laugh, so he laughed without restraint.
He is her uncle, so what's wrong with Xiaoxiao?
"I haven't eaten enough yet. Let's go to my uncle's house to eat tonight."
Huo Yan and Huo Qubing nodded their heads like sparrows pecking at rice.
Huo Yan breathed a sigh of relief, and then was kicked by Wei Shaoer.
Wei Shaoer's eyes widened, "You two bastards, you two have grown wings and just left without saying anything. I've been looking for you for so long!"
Wei Qing grabbed his furious sister.
Huo Yan skillfully lay on Huo Qubing's back and said, "Run!"
Then Liu Che, who had been watching the show in the carriage, stopped them.
"Let's go play polo to help you digest the food."
Huo Yan gritted his teeth and said, "Damn it! You sold me out and even want to borrow my place."
Huo Qubing clenched his fist.
Finally, the two of them led a group of young men to accompany Liu Che and Wei Qing to go horse racing, because Liu Ju in Liu Che's arms blinked his almond-shaped eyes, which was very cute.
In the horse farm.
Huo Qubing casually threw the gold-wrapped polo club into the air with his backhand, and his red headband fluttered in the wind. The fierce horse pawed its front hooves impatiently, but the young man controlled the horse with one hand, and Zhao Po Nu followed behind him. He smiled naturally, like a lazy black panther.
No one can defeat him in this land.
Then Liu Che suddenly rode his horse past him, followed by Wei Qing.
"Let me kill your arrogance!"
Wei Qing's fingertips unconsciously stroked the pole. Huo Qubing remained silent, but Huo Yan and the young men behind him could hardly hold back their laughter.
Liu Ju poked his head out, laughed too, and then struck the gong.
With the sudden sound of a gong, a vermilion polo ball wrapped in leopard skin was launched into the air. Huo Qubing rushed out like an arrow, his gilded club arcing through the air. Just as he was about to touch the ball, a club suddenly crossed from the side. Wei Qing's silver-soled club wrapped around his club head like a venomous snake, using the force to propel the ball high into the air.
Liu Che laughed out loud.
"Well done, Zhongqing!"
Su Wu slammed the table and stood up, his cloak sweeping over the fruit bowl. Huo Yan picked up the tangerine, but before he could even put the peeled segments into his mouth, Liu Ju snatched them away.
[Fuck this waist strength!]
[The sick kid is so handsome!]
[Uncle is amazing!]
Huo Yan watched intently as Wei Qing suddenly swung his saddle upside down, the jade hook on his brocade sash brushing against the grass as he used the butt of his club to strike the ball at Zhao Po Nu. Zhao Po Nu couldn't dodge, and Liu Che seized the opportunity to charge forward, but Huo Qubing's horse stopped him in his tracks just as he swung. The two horses neighed and reared to attention. As their hooves met, Huo Qubing suddenly flipped over like a hawk, his clubhead precisely striking the spinning red ball.
The barrage was full of "Fuck".
Amidst the uproar in the stadium, Huo Yan slowly swallowed the orange flesh and whistled at Liu Che, who had not scored a goal so far.
The barrage understands him.
[Go home, child, go home!]
【Author’s words】
Maybe I was moved by A Yan in the first part and thought he was really kind and upright, because that’s how I wrote the outline.
Then I finished writing and went to bed yesterday.
Ah Yan (squinting): Do you think of me as your teacher? I don't think so. I have nothing to do with Ji An. My uncle sent him here. I will just use him as little as possible and save his life. That's all.
Me: You’re like this…
A Yan: Lord Father Yan gave me ginseng and a lot of money, which was just what I wanted. I liked it. Now he doesn’t show his arrogant habit to the common people anymore, so I saved him.
Me: ..., three bags of millet..., you greedy boy!
A Yan: Tsk, brother, she is making fun of you.
I remember it very clearly. I thought Qubing would blame me, but he gave me a piece of honey candy.
Woo woo woo, really, he didn’t say anything and just gave me a piece of candy.
No wonder that evil cat Ah Yan really fell in love with this man. How did he find this brother? Huo Xiaoyan is so lucky.
Huo Ayan was truly blessed. His brother, Qubing, was free, and he indulged himself. His likes and dislikes were obvious: he insisted on sitting next to Ayan, carried him even when running, and took him with him wherever he went. His uncle loved him, treating him and Qubing like little babies. Emperor Liu Che, likewise, considered him a child who needed someone to shield him. Everyone loved him; everyone disliked him. Honestly, even Chen Ajiao was fond of him. He was the kind of willful person who could throw tantrums, and even Emperor Liu Che feared his stubbornness.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
