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

Chapter 114 Father and Son
The Northern Army soldiers liked Liu Ju very much.

Since the Crown Prince arrived at the camp, his treatment of eating two catties of bean rice and half a liter of soy sauce a day has been completely changed.

Barbecue, vegetables, and crispy tea—things that people never even dared to dream of—when they appeared before them, everyone felt a sense of unreality, and then they clung to them tightly, refusing to let go.

What day was it when I was serving His Majesty?
What day was it when you followed the Lord?
Who is the true ruler of the Han Dynasty? You don't even need to think about it; your body's instincts will give you the answer.

Upon hearing that the emperor would also pay the soldiers, the soldiers realized that they could earn money by serving in the army.

If money is cold, but held in one's hand, the heart is warm. With improved treatment and military pay from scratch, all the soldiers can only hope that the emperor will live a thousand years and enjoy endless happiness, just as the emperor praised.

Liu Ju looked at Huo Qubing, who remained unmoved by the roasted venison, and asked, "Brother, are you really not going to eat it?"

"I do not like this way of eating," Huo Qubing said, shaking his head.

I've eaten too much barbecue; I'm tired of it. It's just a slightly better food than eating raw meat, but what's so delicious about it?

"So how did you eat it?"

"Bring it here!"

At Huo Qubing's command, the kitchen staff brought out a large cauldron containing a freshly slaughtered lamb, which was boiled directly in water. After being cut into pieces, it was poured into a ceramic bowl containing salt, pepper, and cilantro along with the clear broth. Finally, a few drops of sesame oil were added, and the domineering aroma could be carried for miles on the wind.

In addition, Huo Qubing also prepared minced garlic, which, when mixed with salt and sesame oil, could be used as a dipping sauce if the mutton was not flavorful enough.

As Liu Ju took the earthenware bowl from Huo Qubing, he found it increasingly familiar, and his expression grew more and more strange. It was as if he saw the shadow of mutton soup and boiled mutton. However, the seasonings such as garlic, coriander, sesame, and pepper seemed to have been brought from the Western Regions by Marquis Zhang Qian of Bowang in the third year of Yuanshuo. His elder brother's use of them was so skillful.

Indeed, the power of foodies is strong in any era.

Seeing that Liu Ju was in a daze, Huo Qubing assumed that he could not accept the new food and encouraged him, "My lord, give it a try."

"?"

Liu Ju silently ate the meat and drank the soup.

Seeing the master's skillful manner, Huo Qubing couldn't help but marvel at the existence of such a wise person in the world, and he also began to chew and drink heartily.

A pot of mutton soup was more than the emperor and his minister could finish. At Liu Ju's suggestion, Huo Qubing distributed it to the generals.

Then, the kitchen staff brought out vegetables and fruits, which were different from the Han Chinese tradition and came from the Western Regions: grapes, pomegranates, and cucumbers.

Cucumbers are arguably one of the most pungent fruits and vegetables, with an aroma that spreads far beyond that of most other fruits and vegetables. Especially in enclosed spaces, once a cucumber is in the air, people can barely smell any other odors.

Liu Ju took one, took a bite, and found it crisp and refreshing with a cool sensation, clearly indicating that it had been preserved through freezing.

"Such meat broth and vegetables, if delivered to the battlefield, could attract the enemy from dozens of miles away," Liu Ju said helplessly.

The more delicious the food, the stronger its smell. On the battlefield, concealment is also very important. If you eat and drink like this, the enemy can catch up with you just by smelling it.

"I can't find them!"

Huo Qubing popped a grape into his mouth, chewed it slightly, and swallowed it whole, seeds and all. Suddenly, he thought, "Your Majesty, I have brewed a wine from these grapes, completely different from the strong liquor of our Han people. It is as dark as blood, with a sweet, fruity, astringent, and sour taste, as well as a faint alcoholic flavor. Marquis Bowang said it is a woman's wine, suitable to offer to my aunt." Liu Ju, however, found it quite ordinary. He nodded and dismissed the generals who had finished their mutton and soup, asking, "Elder brother, would you like to see your second aunt?"

The sudden collapse of the Wei clan, a powerful family of imperial relatives, has sparked much speculation. The most intriguing questions are the reactions of General Wei Qing and General Wei, Marquis of Champion Huo Qubing.

The General's Mansion released news that Wei Qing was unwell, which indirectly revealed his attitude. Huo Qubing, on the other hand, seemed completely unaware of this, and instead focused on reorganizing his troops and preparing for battle, which left people puzzled.

Did Huo Qubing not worry about the safety of his birth mother, Wei Shao'er?

"Gone."

Huo Qubing remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "I know that Mother is not a docile person, and I also know that my brother will take good care of her. That's enough."

According to etiquette, a child should not speak of his mother.

However, Huo Qubing knew his mother's true nature. When she was a maid in the Pingyang Marquis's mansion, she had an affair with his father, Huo Zhongru, who also worked for the Pingyang Marquis. As an illegitimate child, he lost his father in infancy. When he was a little older, his mother couldn't bear the loneliness and had an affair with Chen Zhang, the great-grandson of Qu Ni Marquis Chen Ping. Influenced by his father and mother and having witnessed the legendary love of Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun, Huo Qubing did not value love and only wanted to fight the Xiongnu.

Although the actions of Imperial Censor Zhang Tang and Minister of Justice Bian Tong were swift and thorough, some of the deeds of the vanished Wei clan, a powerful maternal relative, have still been circulated.

After all, the Wei family, as relatives of the emperor, did many things that were not kept secret.

The most talked-about affair was, of course, between the eldest grandson of the Wei family and Princess Yangshi.

Following closely behind was the affair between the "Mother of Champions" and several people in the Imperial Household Department.

The Imperial Archives and the Court of Justice intervened several times, stopping many ugly rumors about the Wei family. They could silence the gossip, but how could they silence the grudges?

As a relative of the emperor's mother and an illegitimate child, Huo Qubing knew that no matter how high his achievements were in the future, the evaluation of posterity would be distorted on his father and mother. As a son, one cannot blame one's own parents. However, if his mother could settle down and live a good life, it would be a happy outcome for everyone.

“Second Aunt, you will be fine,” Liu Ju said.

To support the lives of those who have disappeared, the imperial court has provided enough to support an army of two thousand men, giving them everything they can, except for freedom, and providing for all aspects of life, from birth to old age, sickness, and death.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Huo Qubing said sadly.

"Three days from now, it will be the auspicious day chosen by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. The army will set off on that day. Will you still be going to Pingyang, elder brother?"

"go with!"

Huo Qubing blurted out, "Since Mother is missing, Father must at least see her."

He couldn't find a sense of home at his mother's or Chen Zhang's house. He wanted to go to his father's house, even though he knew in his heart that he wouldn't feel at home there either.

Even knowing it's impossible, still holding onto a sliver of hope, refusing to turn back until hitting a wall—perhaps that's just human nature.

Liu Ju didn't know how to describe the other fathers and sons, nor could he make any judgments. Compared to Huo Zhongru and Huo Qubing, he and his father seemed even more bizarre.

Given the current situation, it's impossible for his father to come to see him, just like he wouldn't return to Chang'an to see his father back then. The Han Dynasty is all about fatherly love and filial piety!
(End of this chapter)