Inheriting a Taoist temple, the story begins with Wu Zetian offering incense.

Chapter 124 Li Qingzhao's Divine Lightning Strike Gao Qiu! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

In the world of Emperor Wu of Han, north of the Great Wall in Yunzhong Commandery, Huo Qubing's cavalry special forces once again outflanked a hundred-man Xiongnu unit.

Zhang Qian, holding a walkie-talkie, reported the situation from the flank:
"I'm in position. When shall we launch the attack?"

Huo Qubing's voice came through the walkie-talkie:

"Now! With heavy armored soldiers in front, cut the Xiongnu army in half, leaving them unable to defend themselves from both ends!"

Ever since Wei Qing launched the spring offensive, the Xiongnu people have suffered greatly. Their pregnant livestock could not migrate long distances, and pregnant women in the tribe could not travel with the army, otherwise they would easily miscarry.

Yizhixie knew very well that once the Han Dynasty habitually launched its spring offensive, the Xiongnu's livestock and population would decline drastically. Without people and resources, everything would be in vain.

In order to stop Wei Qing's spring offensive, he dispatched many small teams of a hundred men to cross the Great Wall of the Han Dynasty and harass the south, hoping to bring the war to Han territory.

This strategy gave Huo Qubing the opportunity to train his troops.

A cavalry special forces unit of over 500 men might be somewhat powerless against thousands, but against a Xiongnu unit of 100 men, it would be just right.

It can both kill enemies and train troops, and a battle can be resolved in just half an hour.

The men weren't tired, the horses weren't exhausted, and the results were quite good—it was a perfect victory.

Zhang Qian, clad in Tang Dynasty armor, led the charge, penetrating straight into the area where the Xiongnu were most numerous.

The Xiongnu people were undisciplined. Once cut off and surrounded, their morale would collapse, and they would lose their fighting ability. Therefore, when fighting them, you cannot hide or avoid them; you must act even more ruthlessly than they do.

Zhang Qian spent more than ten years among the Xiongnu, and he thoroughly understood the temperament of this group of people.

Sure enough, when he charged into the Xiongnu ranks first, the Xiongnu panicked, wondering how this group of suddenly appearing Han soldiers had discovered them.

They began to scatter and flee, some even crying out for the Chanyu, clearly frightened by the Han army's gleaming armor.

At this time, Huo Qubing and Zhao Ponu each led a force to continue to divide and encircle the Xiongnu.

Half an hour later, dozens of Huns knelt on the ground, clutching their heads and disarming themselves. The rest were all corpses. Under the surveillance of drones, not a single Hun escaped the encirclement.

Zhang Qian began to tally the battle results and write battle reports, while Zhao Ponu recorded the names of the fallen soldiers. After all, this was a cavalry battle, and even with all-around protective armor and weapons, more than a dozen Han soldiers were still lost.

After Zhao Ponu finished memorizing the names, he rode up to Huo Qubing, who was controlling the drone, and respectfully offered a suggestion:

“We should recruit another batch of auxiliary soldiers. If any main force is killed in battle, we can select elite soldiers from the auxiliary soldiers to replace them. In the process of fighting, the auxiliary soldiers will also be trained and become more familiar with our tactics, unlike those transferred from other units who need time to adapt.”

Huo Qubing thought about it and agreed that it made sense.

We happened to have captured quite a few Xiongnu warhorses, so let's use these horses to recruit Han people on the spot.

Thinking of this, he sent a captain with more than ten cavalrymen to the central army camp to report on the battle results and to request supplies.

The samples and blueprints for the Gaoqiao saddle had already been sent to Chang'an. According to the progress of the craftsmen of the Imperial Household Department, the first batch should have been produced by now. As a special forces team that has made meritorious contributions first, it is not unreasonable for them to ask for more saddles.

Next, Huo Qubing sent people to mobilize and call on the local border residents to join the army. He didn't use military merit rewards or similar incentives to lure people into enlisting; instead, he asked a very straightforward question:
"Wouldn't you like to personally slaughter a few Hun dogs to avenge your family?"

In less than a day, the special forces recruited more than 400 strong and healthy civilians as auxiliary soldiers.

In other armies, auxiliary soldiers are similar to laborers, but special forces are different. The auxiliary soldiers of special forces eat wheat rice and wheat cakes, which are only available to the main forces. They are also issued armor and weapons, which can be used as long as they are taken from the Xiongnu.

As for going into battle to kill the enemy, needless to say, when Huo Qubing formulated tactics, he would directly send auxiliary troops to the flanks. Even if they did not kill the enemy, they could at least boost morale.

Once they've become accustomed to the scenes of killing and adapted to the special forces' tactics, auxiliary soldiers can easily transform into the main force, or even directly become squad leaders and mass-produce soldiers.

The saying that "the more soldiers Han Xin had, the better" was because his troops were very strong. Once they were added to the army, they could unite the entire army as one and work together as if they were an extension of their own limbs. Even a group of peasants who had just put down their hoes could unleash amazing fighting power.

It must be said that the military genius's ability to generate troops in such a bug-like way is second to none in the entire history of China.

Two days later, Huo Qubing annihilated two more Xiongnu hundred-man squads. No prisoners were left behind in the two battles. They were all brought before the auxiliary soldiers, and Zhang Qian, who understood the Xiongnu language, interrogated them one by one about the crimes they had committed against the Han people. After the interrogation, the decision was made on whether to cut them in half at the waist, behead them, or tear them apart by chariots... In short, the death penalty was the first choice, and no one was left alive.

A Xiongnu man kept cursing with vicious language. Huo Qubing asked Zhao Ponu:

"What is he saying?"

He said, "General, if you kill prisoners, the gods will not let you off."

Huo Qubing calmly ate a bite of fried noodles:
“Alright, let the gods come. I’ll do what Miss Gongsun did and pray to the Chinese gods enshrined in Hunyuan Palace for help… If they can summon gods, so can we. No need to be afraid.”

Given Huo Qubing's achievements, every single deity in China would want to come and claim credit for him.

While they were discussing immortals, in the world of Emperor Zhezong of the Northern Song Dynasty, Li Qingzhao was sitting at home, telling her younger brother Li Hang about her experiences in the immortals' grottoes.

Li Hang was Li Qingzhao's half-brother, and their relationship wasn't particularly close. The brother was rather reserved, while Li Qingzhao was more mischievous, so they rarely connected. However, at Hunyuan Palace, Li Qingzhao learned that she would rely on her brother for the rest of her life. Upon returning home, she immediately stuffed a White Rabbit candy into Li Hang's mouth and pinched the little guy's cheek, repeatedly saying thank you.

At this moment, Li Hang was intently reading a book he had bought from the Xiangguo Temple market, titled "Genealogy of Immortals."

"Sister, why isn't Immortal Master Yiyuan's name on this?"

Li Qingzhao said:
"The true immortals are unknown by name. You must study hard, ask your father for advice, and become a prime minister in the future to resist foreign aggression and revitalize China."

Li Hang nodded, then asked:

"Sister, can I play with that little piece of paper you're carrying?"

Li Qingzhao took out the playing cards she had brought from Hunyuan Palace, her pretty face full of distress:
"It feels like a really fun gambling set, but unfortunately I don't know how to play it. I can only hold it in my hands and play with it. I'll ask more questions next time I go. It should be very interesting."

After talking about playing cards, she asked about the rumors circulating in Tokyo these past two days:

What are people saying about me outside?

Li Hang answered in detail:

"Some say my sister was bewitched, some say her attempt to elope failed and she used the name of a deity to deny it. Most people don't believe you were taken in as a disciple by a deity, and instead, they slander you in their words."

This is exactly the effect Li Qingzhao wanted. She wasn't afraid of people questioning her; she was afraid of no discussion at all.

She felt the hype had died down enough and said to her younger brother:
"I'll stay home and study hard, and then I'll go for a walk around the streets."

Li Hang did not quite agree:

"But Father said you're not allowed to go out these days, and if he lets you out..."

Li Qingzhao took out a few White Rabbit milk candies from her Taoist robe pocket and slammed them on the table:
What should I say if my father asks?

Li Hang licked his lips, still longing for the taste and texture of White Rabbit milk candy:

"I fell asleep at my desk while I was studying and had no idea where my sister was."

Li Qingzhao pinched the little guy's cheek:

"You're such a good brother. Next time the immortal bestows something good, I'll give it to you first."

After saying that, she left two more peanut brittle pieces, picked up her whisk, and left home through the side door, intending to wander the streets and try to increase her fame so that she could be summoned by the officials.

"The immortal's cave has so many treasures, yet he didn't bestow them upon me. He must be testing my ability to handle affairs."

Li Cainu was full of confidence, thinking that making a name for herself would be easy, but after walking two streets, she still couldn't figure out a way to do so. Instead, she ended up in a tavern, where her craving for alcohol was awakened.

"It's hot outside, is it alright if I have a couple of drinks to quench my thirst?"

With that in mind, she stepped into the tavern, ordered a pot of Tu Mi wine, sat down, and enjoyed a delicious cup.

The so-called Tu Mi wine is a type of reconstituted wine with added Tu Mi flowers. It can be considered a sweet wine with floral aroma. During the Tang Dynasty, it was the imperial wine served at banquets for the imperial examinations. By the Song Dynasty, it had become a daily drinking drink for the nobility.

This wine has a floral aroma and sweetness, making it a favorite among ladies. During the Song Dynasty, other flowers were added to the base of Tu Mi wine, such as osmanthus wine and plum blossom wine.

After two cups of sweet wine, Li Qingzhao didn't find inspiration to increase her fame; instead, she felt an urge to write poetry.

Her lyrics and poems are two extremes. All her lyrics are subtle and moving, revealing the feelings and joys and sorrows of a young woman between the lines, but her poems are magnificent and grand, showing a strong masculine spirit amidst the decline of the Song Dynasty.

Li Qingzhao asked the waiter for paper and pen and was about to write a poem when a man carrying a birdcage walked in. The other customers all showed their disgust when they saw him.

Upon seeing Li Qingzhao, the man strode over, his eyes wide with astonishment:
"I never expected to find such a beautiful female Taoist priest in the capital. What's her name? The Prince Duan's mansion is currently looking for female Taoist priestesses to read Taoist scriptures. If you can serve me well, this cushy job will be yours."

After saying this, he even sniffed, which completely dampened Li Qingzhao's poetic inspiration:
"Where did this stray dog ​​come from? Get out of here!"

The other party got angry as soon as they heard that:

"How dare you call me Gao Qiu a stray dog! You have some nerve!"

He put down the birdcage and reached out to hit her, but Li Qingzhao pulled out a stainless steel token from her bosom and slammed it heavily on the table.
"I am a mortal appointed by the gods. In broad daylight, under the clear sky, if you dare to disrespect me again, I will surely kill you on the spot!"

Gao Qiu didn't care about anything else and clenched his fist to teach Li Qingzhao a lesson, but before he could touch Li Qingzhao's body, a thunderclap sounded from the sky above.

Then, a golden lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking Gao Qiu precisely through the roof.

The notorious traitor Gao, who was also the future Grand Commandant of the Song Dynasty, was struck by this divine lightning and his soul was scattered to the winds, leaving him as a charred corpse...

(End of this chapter)