89Chapter 89: Qubing's Apprenticeship and Chen Yi's Study of Things
Huo Qubing did not refuse, but at the same time he did not accept. He just thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I am still too young. Let's wait two years and discuss this matter before we go to war."
He smiled, a slightly flattering smile on his prim little face: "But I will never forget what the queen said, nor will I forget my promise."
"Don't worry."
Looking at Huo Qubing's somewhat eccentric expression, Wei Zifu sighed in her heart, knowing that Huo Qubing didn't hear a word she said, but she couldn't say anything more at this time, so she just nodded.
"Okay."
"You are a little young now, so there is no need to rush to start a family and build a career."
"But... you must remember this: even if you can't learn the military tactics inherited from those two, you must become a disciple of one of Chen Yi and Chen Yi!"
"Only in this way can you be completely protected in the army!"
"The cold weather outside the Great Wall is bitter in the army. If a war breaks out, the remote areas will be very far from Chang'an. Your Majesty and I may not be able to protect you. You also need the face of Guandu Marquis and the Chen family."
"Do you remember it?"
Huo Qubing nodded slightly: "My lady, don't worry."
.... .....
The autumn of the eleventh year of Emperor Wu passed quickly, and the first heavy snow of the year began to fall slowly, dressing the entire city of Chang'an in silver. Everything seemed very quiet and beautiful.
The war between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu was temporarily eased. After all, the Han Dynasty had enough food to last through the winter, but the Xiongnu did not, and they needed to survive the long winter.
We also need to make adequate preparations for the subsequent war.
This is the reason why the Huns signed a truce.
The reason for the Han Dynasty's truce was even simpler - during this year, some of the princes within the Han Dynasty began to become dishonest again, and the central court needed to dispatch some troops to suppress them, and the most effective person to deal with these princes must be in Chang'an.
"Marquis of Guandu".
The reputations of the first Marquis of Guandu, the second Marquis of Guandu, and the previous Marquis of Guandu made the princes tremble in their hearts when they heard the three words "Marquis of Guandu".
However, the Marquis of Guandu of this generation was not good at military affairs, so the only option was to let the Marquis of Guandu and the Marquis of Qing stay in Chang'an together to suppress the princes.
Although the effect is not as good as the original generations of Guandu Marquis, it is sufficient.
Thus, the winter of the eleventh year of Emperor Wu's reign passed slowly in this peaceful and tranquil life.
.... ....
In the 16th year of Emperor Wu's reign, he went to the Imperial College.
"Hey, did you hear? The chief priest is going to give a lecture on the Central Platform!"
A student from the Imperial College had an excited look on his face. As he packed his things, he said with emotion, "Is this the first time the Jijiu has given a lecture since becoming Jijiu?"
The student next to him nodded slightly. "Indeed, when Master Chen lectured at the Zhongtai, it caused a sensation both inside and outside Chang'an. Even the disciples of the great Confucian scholar Dong Zhongshu were impressed. However, due to Master Dong's health, he was unable to come to Chang'an at the time. So, Your Majesty ordered Master Chen to be the chief priest."
"After becoming the chief priest, Mr. Chen accepted a disciple named Huo Qubing. Since then, he has been closed off from teaching. I don't know what he will be teaching today. Will he still be discussing the study of things?"
The disciple next to him shook his head. "I'm not sure about that, but I heard from Master Chen's young disciple that Master Chen seems to have gained some new insights in recent years, and has observed new trends in thought through his study of things."
As they talked, they walked towards the central platform of the Imperial College.
When the Imperial College was being built, a central location was reserved as the "Zhongtai". This was the place where many students, doctors, and chief academics discussed philosophy and gave lectures.
Two years ago, Dong Zhongshu also lectured here, promoting his ideas of "the interaction between heaven and man" and "new Confucianism". However, this trend of thought was not liked by the students at that time, so Dong Zhongshu returned home due to illness, leaving only one disciple in the Imperial College.
The two of them hurried towards the central platform not far away, but did not notice that there was a person passing by them and slowly walking towards the outside of the Imperial College.
The man looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a handsome and elegant look on his face that was unforgettable at first sight.
He flipped through the small package in his hand, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Huh? Where's the stuff? Why is it gone?"
It was Huo Qubing.
At this time, Huo Qubing had grown into a dashing young man, but his ambitions had not changed much.
In the past few years, he became a disciple of Chen Yi, and then obtained the military book left by Zhang Liang from Chen Yi and Chen Qing, but he did not get the military strategy left by Han Xin.
Huo Qubing scratched his head and sighed, "I wonder when the teacher will teach me the Han family's military tactics?"
He had a lot of thoughts about the famous military genius at the beginning of the founding of the country, and he had great respect for him. After all, there were very few people in history who came from humble backgrounds, then stood at the top of the world, and even managed to escape unscathed.
"I don't know what His Majesty wants me to do this time."
"I heard there's been some movement from the Xiongnu outside the Great Wall. Could it be that the Han-Xiongnu War is about to break out again?"
Thinking of this, Huo Qubing's eyes suddenly lit up. He chuckled and walked quickly towards the Weiyang Palace.
He was already seventeen years old at this time - although he had not yet celebrated his seventeenth birthday, that was only a few months away. If the Han-Xiongnu War broke out at this time, he would definitely participate. It would be just a matter of chatting with his concubine.
.... ....
Weiyang Palace
Emperor Wu stood in the main hall of Weiyang Palace with an unbridled look of arrogance on his face.
"Do the Xiongnu think that they have had enough time to recuperate and then start a war between Han and Xiongnu?"
He said with disdain, "Of course I know they have an alliance with the Great Yuezhi and some countries in the Western Regions, but so what?"
"Can a group of ants gather together and bite a tiger to death?"
"Snap—"
Emperor Wu slammed his sword on the table and looked at Chen Qing and Zhou Yafu sitting before him with a burning gaze: "Lord Chen, Duke Zhou, do you two think that the Han Dynasty should go to war with the Xiongnu?"
His question was more like a test, but this test didn't work on the two people in front of him.
One is Chen Qing, who is too stupid to think, and the other is Zhou Yafu, who is nearing death and is relying on his seniority to bully others.
Neither of them raised his eyelids.
"Everything is at your command, Your Majesty."