Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 371 Curing the Disease

Chapter 371 Curing the Disease (Part 2)

"I do not care!"

"I'm going to conquer the Western Regions!"

In the second year of Yuanding,

Huo Qubing, who had been forcibly confined to Chang'an for nearly three years, finally couldn't sit still any longer!

He kept making a fuss, wanting to go to war.

His eyes shone with a bright and determined light, and his slightly thin body exuded immense strength and spirit in every gesture.

"Can't!"

The emperor, with a stern face, chased him away, just as he had never loved his champion.

"Don't you even look at your own health!"

After leaving the stimulation of war, the hidden dangers in Wei Qing and Huo Qubing's bodies also erupted.

Two years ago,
The Marquis of the Great Han Dynasty suddenly fell seriously ill, suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhea.

The physicians in Chang'an racked their brains to find a solution.

Fortunately,

The medical canon brought by the Xia Kingdom envoy contained valuable insights into the treatment of diarrhea.

After all, the Xia Kingdom is extremely hot and humid with high temperatures all year round, and food can easily spoil if not handled carefully.

Some people, unwilling to waste food, followed the example of the people of India, mixing it with spices and grinding it into a paste to mask the rotten smell before eating it.

The reason why the people of Shendu were named "Shendu" by the gentlemen of the Xia Dynasty was that their digestive system was different from that of other races.

It's okay for people from Sindhu to eat porridge.
The descendants of the Xia people would inevitably encounter problems if they consumed it.

As a result, the Xia state was forced to go further than the Han and Qin dynasties in the process of treating gastrointestinal diseases.

then,

With the help of the Chinese medicine practitioners in the Xia Kingdom delegation, Huo Qubing pulled through.

But his body could never regain its former strength, and his energy and spirit were no longer as abundant as before.

The emperor was extremely distressed by Huo Qubing's death and declared that he would no longer send Huo Qubing into battle. Even Wei Qing was sent out to fight less frequently after that.

For others,

The emperor's attitude was "use it to the fullest extent if it works well";
But he truly admired Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, who had grown up alongside him and turned the tide of the war against the Xiongnu for the Han Dynasty over the past few decades.

Moreover, after more than ten years of fighting,
The two had already trained a large number of soldiers for the Han Dynasty who could gallop across the grasslands and compete with the archers, so there was no need to rely on them for everything as before.

unfortunately,

Huo Qubing did not appreciate the emperor's favoritism and affection.

After hearing that the Xiongnu, even after fleeing to the northern deserts, were unwilling to live a life of quiet desolation and attempted to sever the connection between the Central Plains and the outside world by controlling the Western Regions,

Huo Qubing rushed over, shouting that he wanted to serve the Han Dynasty to the utmost.

this time,

This was the third time the emperor had rejected him.

"But the advance into the Western Regions cannot be delayed any longer."

During the court assembly, the emperor addressed his ministers in this manner.

This time, the Xiongnu attacked Jiaonan.
It was the first vassal state of the Han Dynasty in the Western Regions, and also a branch that extended from the various Xia states. The Han Dynasty could not ignore it.

Moreover, the Qin and Xia envoys have not yet left; they are currently in Chang'an, eagerly awaiting the Han army's actions.

Didn't they always say they wanted to fight their way out of the country and wipe out all these "disobedient nations"?
If we can't even conquer the Western Regions, how can we talk about conquering the more western regions beyond?

Furthermore,

When they returned to the Qin and Xia states, they also had to take the route through the Western Regions!
The Xiongnu have now blocked the gate.

Doesn't that mean that even if the Emperor of Han were willing to let them leave, they still wouldn't be able to go?

That won't do at all!
Therefore,

The Han army must go to the Western Regions to pursue the fleeing enemy and at the same time make those small countries far from the Central Plains realize who the new masters of this vast land are!

The emperor had not yet decided who should lead the troops.

……

"That must be me!"

Huo Qubing said this to his uncle.

In recent years, Wei Qing's health has also shown many problems.

Moreover, as he got older, his hair turned much grayer.

When his wife, who is ten years older than him, saw this, she couldn't help but say, "You have more gray hair than I do."

"Don't walk ahead of me!"

Wei Qing simply smiled silently at this.

Life and death are predestined.

How could he possibly have predicted this?
just,

They showed composure and equanimity towards their fate.

Wei Qing, however, adopted a completely different attitude towards his nephew.

He didn't want Huo Qubing to die before he turned thirty.

But Huo Qubing argued vehemently, "If I don't seize this opportunity now, won't I die of illness on my bed?"

"I absolutely refuse to accept such a death!" Heaven sent forth a man like him...

It is meant to drive him to conquer all directions!

"Anyway, I must lead my army to the Western Regions and show the Xiongnu people my power again!"

Huo Qubing crossed his arms and grumbled, "We haven't fought them for a few years, and these barbarians have already started harboring ill intentions again!"

"If we don't cultivate the land on the grasslands while we still have the energy, are we just going to let wild grass grow rampant and encroach on our fertile fields?"

To know,
In order to further consolidate the border regions and digest the newly acquired lands
Over the years, the emperor has relocated too many people to reclaim wasteland and cultivate land.

If the Xiongnu were to return...

These people, who had already been forced to leave their hometown once, are now about to leave their new home again!
Huo Qubing believed that
He wanted to be the stone knife and the flame that the ancient people used when they first started farming.

He wanted to use the most primitive and barbaric "slash-and-burn" method to open up new lands for the Chinese people!
Those precious things,
Once you have it, you can't lose it!

And in the end,
Huo Qubing finally managed to persuade the emperor to give his approval.

Because he tearfully told the emperor about his ambitions and his dissatisfaction with dying like an ordinary person.

The emperor had no choice but to agree.

So the Marquis of Champion put on his armor again, mounted his steed, and prepared to go to war.

The emperor personally went out of the city to see him off.

He knew that as long as the champion was involved, victory was a foregone conclusion.

He was never worried about the battles commanded by Wei Qing and Huo Qubing.

He was only worried about his most beloved general.

"...Don't run too far!"

After traveling a long distance, the emperor had to stop.

Looking at Huo Qubing's young and handsome face, he knew his situation clearly. In the end, his lips moved, and he only managed to utter the words that Wei Qing often used to admonish his nephew.

"understand!"

Huo Qubing nodded emphatically, then turned and left.

this time,

Liu Yong did not stay by his side to bask in the credit for the expedition to the Western Regions.

Two years ago, when Huo Qubing was seriously ill, Liu Yong's father, the Prince of Liang, also passed away.

He could only return to his fiefdom to mourn his father, inherit the throne, and handle the many affairs within the kingdom.

As the Han army passed through the Hexi Corridor and drew ever closer to the Western Regions, Huo Qubing announced a preliminary reorganization.

Later on,

There aren't many chances to rest anymore!
While Huo Qubing was sleeping,
According to the magical legends of the Hexi Corridor,
A ghost or deity quietly entered my dream.

He Bo looked Huo Qubing up and down, then woke up the Champion Marquis who was sleeping soundly in his dream.

He asked the other person, "I really don't understand you!"

"Why torture yourself like this when you could live a few more years?"

Huo Qubing replied in a daze, "Because I was born to annihilate the Xiongnu!"

"I will not rest until the Xiongnu are defeated!"

finished,

He shook his head, came to his senses, and recognized He Bo.

He pointed to He Bo, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and said, "So it's you!"

He Bo stood with his hands behind his back and his chin slightly raised, smugly waiting to hear Champion Hou's exclamation and then his sorrowful repentance for his past disrespect!

hum,

You wouldn't believe it, would you?

I am a ghost...

"You're a ghost!"

"No wonder my uncle kept saying we hadn't heard from you for so long, it turns out you were already dead!"

Huo Qubing, recalling He Bo's mention of going on a long journey, earnestly asked him:
"Did you die here in Hexi? And because your remains were left in a foreign land, you harbor resentment and appeared to me in a dream, wanting me to take you back?"

"Given our relationship, I'll definitely help you solve this little problem!"

"Wait until I return after conquering the Western Regions..."

In dreams,
All the lingering physical ailments have disappeared.

Huo Qubing felt refreshed and his expression became more animated, and he started talking more.

He thought he had a really good dream.

Although the person I met was a bit unlucky.

but,

The Marquis of Champion is magnanimous and will not hold grudges against the past grievances between the two parties.

However, the other party did not seem to appreciate the Marquis's kindness.

He Bo stared at Huo Qubing silently for a while, then lifted him up—

In the dream, the champion Hou had somehow transformed into his childhood self.

The chubby baby was pressed onto the adult's knee and forced to recall the rare pain he experienced in his childhood.