A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 113 Divine General
The expedition is imminent.

Imperial edicts were issued frequently.

The entire massive machine began operating at an alarming speed.

Thanks to the "national industry system," many industries were monopolized, reducing many intermediate processes. Although more resources were mobilized, the court's expenditure was far less than that of previous pre-war preparations.

Food, salt, weapons, military equipment, herbs, water, and so on—everything was available.

Northern Army, drill ground.

The imperial chariot rumbled in.

May Your Majesty live a thousand years and enjoy endless happiness!

The voices of tens of thousands of soldiers praising the emperor resounded through the sky.

Liu Ju stepped down from the chariot, looked at the army full of fighting spirit, and a look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes. This was the source of his confidence that one Han man could take on five barbarian tribes.

"Your Majesty!" Huo Qubing greeted him with clasped hands.

Liu Ju was overjoyed. "It's been so long, Marquis of Champion!"

"These past few days, I have been ordered to reorganize and prepare the army, and to urge the soldiers to master the new weapons. There have been some results, and I request Your Majesty to inspect them!" Huo Qubing said.

Upon receiving the order, the flag officer frantically waved the battle flag, and the army changed formation. One group of soldiers remained in the middle of the training ground, splitting into two groups, and urging their warhorses to move.

The dull thuds of horses' hooves immediately rang out, one after another, with the momentum of war drums. The warhorses galloped off, and the two groups of soldiers officially clashed. Their weapons collided, producing a crisp metallic clang. With their waists and horses moving as one, flashes of light appeared.

Both sides spared no effort, displaying their battlefield combat capabilities to the fullest extent. This was perhaps the first time that Han cavalry had engaged in such a thorough and exhilarating cavalry battle without reservation.

The metal beneath the horse's hooves gleamed, and the footrests on either side of the human legs also shone with a metallic sheen.

Horseshoes, stirrups, and the original saddle are arguably the strongest auxiliary weapons for warhorses, maximizing the combat power of cavalrymen and eliminating concerns about falling off their horses at any time.

For a long time, farming and nomadic life were distinctly different: farming meant being grounded and skilled in foot combat, while nomadic life meant being on horseback and invincible in mounted combat.

This also meant that in battle, nomadic tribes often used the superior mobility of their warhorses to keep agricultural infantry constantly on the move, thus gaining the upper hand by conserving their strength.

From the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the states of Qin and Zhao fought against the Xiongnu, attempting to "learn from the barbarians' superior techniques to control them," but the reality was not so simple.

There were few warhorses in the Central Plains, and even fewer cavalry.

This is caused by one's innate environment.

The vegetation north of the Great Wall and in the Western Regions is more suitable for the growth of various livestock. In the basins of major rivers and the Yangtze River, agricultural vegetation, including farmland, orchards, and vegetable gardens, is dominant. In these areas, animal husbandry can only serve as a supplement or auxiliary to agriculture.

In the early years of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu's army of 320,000 was surrounded by Xiongnu cavalry in Pingcheng. "The Xiongnu cavalry were all white horses to the west, blue yaks to the east, black horses to the north, and red horses to the south." The large number of horses of different colors proves the large number of horses raised by the Xiongnu.

The Han Dynasty has been working hard to close the gap. Over the decades, the number of horses has increased. In Chang'an alone, there were more than 500,000 horses at its peak. However, in terms of quality, most of them were just nags.

The Zhou Li (Rites of Zhou), in the section on Xia Guan (Summer Official) and Ma Zhi (Horse Quality), states: "Horses are classified into three categories: the first is the warhorse, the second is the field horse, and the third is the naghorse."

Different grasses and different areas of riding resulted in horses exhibiting different conditions both inside and outside the Great Wall, a fact that is difficult to resolve objectively.

The main purpose of this spring campaign was to eliminate the right wing of the Xiongnu forces, which in turn was for the Hexi Corridor, or more specifically, the Hetao Plain.

Only by occupying that area could the Han Dynasty truly possess pastureland for horses, enabling the mass breeding of warhorses and bridging, or even reversing, the disparity in horse numbers between the two sides. This was the thinking of Emperor Wu of Han, Wei Qing, Huo Qubing, and all the subjects of the Han Dynasty. However, Liu Ju offered a different solution.

Since horses are inferior, we should focus on our agricultural advantages and improve our warhorse equipment. Saddles, stirrups, and horseshoes can completely unleash the skills of our soldiers, who are already skilled in riding, and even allow them to fight the Xiongnu cavalry while on horseback.

On the battlefield, it often comes down to sheer willpower; a little more effort can mean the difference between killing enemy soldiers.

"How about it?"

"Your Majesty, I will twist off the heads of all the Xiongnu kings in the Hexi Corridor and present them to you in the future!" Huo Qubing replied, which was also a promise.

Hearing this answer brimming with champion's confidence, Liu Ju couldn't help but smile. As he walked through the ranks, he noticed something different about the soldiers. "Those eyebrows? That equipment? How come they're different from the others?"

"Your Majesty, it is like this. He was originally a Xiongnu, so the weapons he uses are different from ordinary weapons. I think as long as he is satisfied with them and they are easy for him to use, that's fine," Huo Qubing replied.

"what about this?"

"They are Qiang people."

"Why are you so thin?"

"My lord, this man is a humble general, specially selected from the Qiang cavalry camp. His nickname is 'Map Master.' Don't let his thin appearance fool you; he can find the location of water sources within a hundred miles using only his nose, even with his eyes closed."

"interesting."

"Your Majesty, the cavalrymen I selected all possess unique skills. For example, take him!"

Huo Qubing pointed to another Xiongnu soldier and said, "He is a cavalryman on horseback and a veterinarian on foot. This expedition is a long-distance raid that will cross high mountains and deserts. With him here, my hundreds of thousands of troops will be able to return the same way they went."

There were many Xiongnu people in his army. Of the 30,000 light cavalry he personally led on this expedition to Hexi, at least 3,000 were of foreign ethnicity.

These people served as both guides and veterinarians, doing everything possible to ensure the health of the soldiers and horses and the correctness of the marching direction. Large-scale non-combat casualties, getting lost, and missing the deadline were things that would never have happened in Huo Qubing's army.

Liu Ju's eyes gleamed as he thought of a certain old general who often got lost and missed his appointed time. He laughed and said, "Military tactics are like water, which has no constant shape. One who can adapt to the enemy's changes and win is called a god. Marquis of Champion is my god general!"

When the divine general appeared, even Huo Qubing blushed. The emperor was good in every way, except that his way of praising people was too blatant.

Liu Ju continued walking forward and saw several soldiers with large heads and thick necks in the army. He immediately smiled and said, "Champion Marquis, are you also very capable?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Huo Qubing nodded emphatically, "To be able to turn ordinary food into gourmet food, how can that not be considered a great skill?"

"How many dishes can these few chefs make magical?"

“Your Majesty, this is my kitchen, not the soldiers’ kitchen.”

"What about the soldiers?"

"There is no kitchen!"

Huo Qubing bluntly stated, "A general does not necessarily have to receive the same treatment as his soldiers; he should simply reward merits and punish transgressions!"
All they needed to know was that if they won the battle, they could have anything they wanted; if they lost, even if they shared every hardship with their soldiers, they were still incompetent generals!

(End of this chapter)