In the middle of a team returning from Xiguan to Chang'an, there was a huge chariot.
This chariot has great origins. It was the chariot of Chanyu Yizhixie that was captured from the royal court of the Huns.
After the chariot was seized, it was sent back to Chang'an. The emperor asked Mohist craftsmen to retain the frame, modify it, and add or remove facilities.
The day before yesterday, the emperor sent the imperial army to deliver the chariot to the border and gave it to the champion marquis.
Shan Yu Yi Zhixie's chariot was given to Huo Qubing, which has a special meaning. It means that his military exploits are shining, which is a sign of the Huns' royal court.
This chariot retains the design of a large tent with a pointed roof and six beams at the four corners. It also incorporates the structure of a palace in the Han Dynasty, like a small mobile palace, ridden by four strong horses.
After Huo Qubing received the emperor's order and returned to Chang'an, he arranged all the border affairs, left Li Gan and Zhang Cigong to assist Zhang Jun, and then embarked on the journey back to Chang'an.
You must sit on the chariot given by the emperor personally to show respect.
In the car, Huo Qubing was retracting the idea of using Wei Na's 'perspective' to observe the Huns' royal court.
Wei Na did not actually assassinate the great shaman.
In contrast, letting her lurk among the higher-ups within the Xiongnu would be more beneficial to the subsequent situation.
A great shaman is no longer a big obstacle to Huo Qubing now. There are other opportunities to kill him.
Before Huo Qubing could take back his thoughts, Wei Na had already left the great shaman Enchi's tent.
He also used Vina to see the scene in Ulaanbaatar at this time.
On the high ground, the large tent of the Huns' royal court was rebuilt. From a spiritual perspective, there was actually a layer of black flame-like aura surrounding the royal court, as if it was burning, and the atmosphere was astonishing.
The entire Xiongnu royal court is like the Han Dynasty Chang'an shrouded in thick purple energy.
After the Huns suffered a major blow by Huo Qubing's attack on the royal court, their luck is recovering due to the return of the Tianhun Department led by Judu.
While Huo Qubing was busy opening up territory for the Han Dynasty, Yudu and the great shaman were also working hard to integrate various grassland ministries, and achieved great results.
It can also be seen from the war with the Xiutu tribe this time that although Huo Qubing only attacked part of the Xiutu tribe, most of the Western Huns were involved in the subsequent counterattack.
Yudu's influence among the Huns cannot be underestimated, and each tribe regards him as an undefeated divine general and the guardian of shamans in the human world.
His return allowed the Huns to regain their strong cohesion.
But the more this happens, the more Yi Zhixie will be wary of him, and the more space Wei Na will have to play... Huo Qubing thought: If the war starts next year, it will be necessary to give the Huns a fatal blow and make their national destiny plummet...
Huo Qubing was sitting in the main seat of the car, with Dong Zhongshu and Dao Zun sitting on the flanks.
Opposite the two is Bai Nanyu, who is wearing a lake green dress, sitting quietly on her side, with a waist as thin as a willow and plump legs.
She still wears a copper mask, with her watery peach blossom eyes hidden under the mask. She occasionally glances at Huo Qubing with a charming and charming look.
"How is your injury?" Huo Qubing asked.
After the Han army defeated the Xiutu tribe, Bai Nanyu left the camp late at night and alone entered the Xiutu tribe's garrison after they had withdrawn from Xiutuze, with the purpose of assassinating the enemy chieftain.
It's a pity that King Xiutu has always been cunning, so there was a substitute sleeping in the king's tent, and Bai Nanyu killed him silently.
When she discovered that it was not Queen Xiutu, she groped around in the enemy camp and successfully assassinated King Xiutu's clan uncle, Khotan Yu, before she retreated.
She was also injured due to the sudden attack by the guards who rushed in after Khotan Yushou's death, and there were multiple wounds on her waist and ribs.
This woman can stand alone and know how to advance and retreat, so she is very suitable as an assistant.
The key is to look good.
"It's okay. The injury will heal soon." Bai Nanyu said.
The carriage became quiet again.
Huo Qubing took out a picture scroll and began to deduce the contents on the scroll.
Tao Zun glanced sideways, coughed slightly, and said, "Are you looking at the Lishan Terracotta Army?"
Hearing this, Dong Zhongshu also opened his eyes from his sleep.
Huo Qubing nodded slightly: "If you want to get back Dao Jian, you have to start from this figurine array."
The Taoist slips fell in the imperial mausoleum. In the past few days, Taoist Master has been thinking about how to retrieve them, but he has no good idea.
The Mausoleum of the First Emperor is probably one of the most dangerous and inaccessible places in the world.
When he heard that Huo Qubing was studying the terracotta array and wanted to help him get back the Dao Jian, Dao Zun smacked his lips and said, "Is there any progress?"
"Well, I'll find time to visit the imperial mausoleum in the next few days."
At this time Dong Zhongshu interjected: "What is Huo Hou going to do next?"
"The situation is quite clear now, and I am referring to the surrounding barbarians. When we left Chang'an, the leaders of Wuhuan, Fuyu, and Xianbei tribes were on their way to Chang'an.
Envoys from each of their ministries will also arrive in Chang'an to negotiate for the redemption of the leaders of each ministry.
If nothing goes wrong, these tribes will surrender and become vassals. Our country, the Han Dynasty, will be able to advance hundreds of miles northward."
Dong Zhongshu said eloquently: "This time Huo Hou attacked the Western Qiang. Although it was just a small battle, the Western Qiang was also composed of many scattered tribes. In the direction leading to the Western Regions, Huo Hou had defeated twenty-four tribes of varying sizes.
Qiang Village.
In a short period of time, the Qiang people will never dare to disturb our Hanguan easily again.
Moreover, the Xiutu tribe was repelled and relocated, and the obstacles from Xiguan to the Western Regions were sharply reduced. The surrounding situation is now very good."
"So?"
If you want something, you must first express it. Dong Zhongshu had just praised Huo Qubing's achievements in conquering the south and the north. Huo Qubing was waiting to hear his next turn.
The old master lived up to his expectations and clapped his fingers and said:
"In the spring and summer of this year, Huo Hou fought two battles with the Xiongnu. Later, Huainan suppressed the rebellion and raided the surrounding tribes. Although there were abundant seizures, there was also a lot of consumption.
This time, tens of thousands of soldiers and horses were mobilized for food and grass, and part of the food stored at the border was burned."
Dong Zhongshu said prudently: "I have calculated that after the battle of the Xibutu Department is over, the repair of the canals left by the previous dynasty and other matters originally scheduled for next year will be postponed. If the battle continues, something big will happen."
Huo Qubing nodded slightly. Dong Zhongshu was not playing devil's advocate this time, but was telling the truth.
The emperor specifically ordered him to return to Chang'an, with the intention of letting him postpone the offensive.
Since ancient times, war has been the largest expenditure on the treasury.
There were a lot of wars this year. Although the seizures were abundant, they could not directly offset the consumption.
Huo Qubing was also considering whether to get his brother out in advance and participate in political affairs.
That guy is a master in politics and a ruthless person with a reputation for eternity.
With his own pressure on him in this life, he should not follow the old path of history and end up with his tail raised later.
But it might not be a good thing to get Huo Er out at this time.
For once, distant water cannot save the near fire, and Huo Guang also needs a long period of training before he can shine.
Secondly, in established history, because Huo Qubing died young, Emperor Wu transferred his reliance and trust from Huo Qubing to Huo Guang to a certain extent.
In this world, if Huo Qubing had been living well, the situation would obviously not progress according to established historical facts.
In addition, if Huo Guang develops according to the original route, there is still a hidden danger.
The combination of Huo Qubing, Wei Qing, and Queen Wei Zifu has become extremely prominent and extremely valuable.
Fortunately, this kind of prominence has a clear focus, which is to focus on military affairs and not participate in other political affairs.
If Huo Guang comes out and gets involved in state affairs other than military affairs, he will become more and more powerful.
The Wei and Huo families are not only powerful, but also powerful for a while.
As a human subject, when the power is so great that a family dominates without even checks and balances, it is not far from overturning. This is the experience summarized by history, without exception.
These are the future trends that Huo Qubing has to consider.
Huo Guang... Huo Qubing has been thinking about it for some time whether he should be allowed to come out early and what he would do after he comes out.
While the group was talking, vehicles were driving by, getting closer and closer to Chang'an.
Huo Qubing used a marching strategy to push the chariot and set off in the morning. Before sunset, he was approaching Chang'an.
This time when he entered the city, Huo Qubing changed his approach. He sent the scouts to his home in advance and told Liu Qing not to come to pick him up.
When they arrived at the city gate, the troops dispersed and returned to the nearest camp.
He and the remaining hundreds of soldiers opened a side door and took the royal road. They used a trick to cover up their tracks, secretly entered the city, and went straight to the Weiyang Palace to see the emperor.
At the city gate, Taichang Zhou Ping was dressed in official robes, with a happy face and an imperial edict in his hand.
After the general won the battle against foreigners at the border, after returning to Chang'an, as a rule, he had to read the imperial edict outside the city and enter the city wearing a red hat. This is a national ceremony that cannot be changed.
Zhou Ping knew that Huo Qubing didn't want to parade in the streets, so he was more cautious this time and came to the city gate early to wait with the imperial edict in hand.
He also made up his mind to recite the imperial edict when they met, so that the champion would have no chance to escape.
Behind him were two attendants holding hanging crowns and red ponchos, just waiting for Huo Qubing to show up.
Let me see how you hide this time...
However, until the sun went down, there was no sign of Huo Qubing.
Zhou Ping felt something was wrong, so he asked someone to ask, and the news they got was that Huo Qubing had entered the city a long time ago. He not only paid a visit to His Majesty, but also returned to his residence.
It was like a bolt from the blue. I waited all afternoon for news that I had returned to the city, but I didn’t even see him.
Where did he enter the city from and why no one came to tell me... Zhou Ping said sadly.
Now, when you take someone into the city, you still have to fight with wits and courage.
……
Sunset and evening light.
Bai Nanyu left the team before entering the city and returned to the city secretly.
After entering the city, she was not in a hurry to return to Zhuo Mansion. Instead, she came to the junction of the south and east of the city, and took Huo Qubing to the small courtyard where she had visited once.
After entering the yard, I entered the house by myself and looked at both sides of my face in the mirror.
Wearing the bronze mask for a long time left two red marks. Bai Nanyu stretched out her hand and rubbed it, and the red marks gradually faded after the body circulated Qi.
She lifted up her skirt in front of the mirror again, revealing her legs that were as white as porcelain, well-proportioned and delicate.
When going out with Huo Qubing, you have to ride horses for a long time.
Bai Nanyu usually doesn't sit firmly on a horse with her buttocks firmly planted. She knows her own business, and the area at the back is too plump and upright. When sitting on a horse, the traces of pressure and the waves generated by the ups and downs are quite noticeable.
It's tempting and not suitable in the military.
Bai Nanyu herself felt a little ashamed.
Therefore, when riding a horse, she always presses on the saddle tightly, uses strength in her legs, keeps her butt slightly away from the saddle, and exercises to tighten her whole body and reduce fluctuations.
This puts great pressure on the calf, so she has to practice deeply to maintain it for a long time.
She looked in the mirror and saw that her calves had not changed much. They were so smooth and so even that her pores were not visible.
Bai Nanyu pursed her lips and smiled, then put on her mask again and came out of the house again with brisk steps.
At the same time, in the darkness in the corner, a figure that transformed from virtual reality to reality was silently 'differentiated'.
"Sect Master!"
The shadow was a tall and thin man, and from the shadow behind him, another figure stood up.
The two separated like matryoshka dolls.
Bai Nanyu was one of the nine original Zonghengdao deities, and the tribes under her command were called ghost warriors.
Some of her cronies joined Huo Qubing with her.
"You two are here in Chang'an, don't use the method of a hundred ghosts walking at night. There are dragons and crouching tigers hidden in this city, and there are many unfathomable people. It is the safest to stay as normal people." Bai Nanyu frowned.
"We have recorded what the sect leader said."
The tall ghost who came out first was very obedient, and the matryoshka ghost who came out later was very lively, seemed to be a woman, and had a clear voice:
"Don't worry, Sect Master, the Hundred Ghosts Night Walking Technique can only be used in this house. When we go out, we all pretend to be normal people."
"Pretend to be a normal person?"
The matryoshka ghost master immediately said: "I will first find a place with many people, secretly absorb their yang energy, and then cover it on myself, pretending that my yang energy is strong, just like normal people."
Bai Nanyu stretched out her slender fingers and stroked her forehead:
"You use magic to pretend that your yang energy is at its peak, and you still think that you are pretending to be a good person and a normal person?"
Matryoshka Ghost Warrior: "Yes, after all, my cultivation is not as deep as that of the sect master, and I am not disturbed by Yin Qi. If I want to pretend to be an ordinary person, I can only absorb Yang Qi and pretend to be."
Bai Nanyu sighed, the youngest ghost warrior under his command has never been very smart.
"You don't have to pretend to be an ordinary person anymore."
She threw out a jade sign that Huo Qubing gave her to identify herself.
The embroidered clothes messenger or the city guards will know at the first sight that this thing is under Huo Qubing's command, and it can allow the ghost warriors to come in and out without any harm.
Bai Nanyu asked about business: "Have I found what I asked you to find during these days?"
"The method of cultivating Chi Bing's ghost body is a secret that has not been passed down from ancient times. There is no definite information about other departments. There are only a few suspected targets. They should be in several major sects that have escaped from the world. The sect leader wants to annex and integrate these major sects.
, I am afraid it will not be easy to reunite the complete Chi Bing Dayan Shu."
The tall ghost man stepped forward and handed out a jade slip: "This is the clue we have found."
He added: "In addition, there is news that the leader of the Yan Sect has sent a message to reiterate the marriage and wants to accept the sect master as his concubine.
He said that if the sect master is willing to marry her as his concubine, he will do his best to help the sect master, dismiss the other concubines, and favor only the sect master."
"Bah!"
The matryoshka ghost scholar: "He is also worthy. He originally had more than forty wives and concubines. He must be sixty or seventy years old. He still wants to be the leader of the clan?"
The tall ghost scholar continued: "In addition, some hidden sects in the world have been making a lot of changes recently, and they seem to be uniting to do something."
Bai Nanyu raised her lips: "Some of them are external forces from the Zonghengdao, working together secretly. I'm afraid someone is pushing them behind the scenes. I know what they want to do, to go against Han and Huo Hou, just to seek death.
What else has changed?"
The tall ghost man took out another object: "This is another thing that the sect master asked us to find."
Bai Nanyu said unexpectedly: "I actually found it."