My name is Wei Qing, and I want to fight the Xiongnu.

He had no teacher, but every dream was the most vivid classroom.

Liu Yangxin gently nudged Wei Qing's shoulder: "Zhongqing...Zhongqing..."

Where are we?

Wei Qing slowly climbed up from the table. He had another dream, a nightmare.

It's been ten years, and I still can't get used to it. I guess I won't be able to get used to it in the future.

We're almost in Chang'an.

A hint of worry flickered in Liu Yangxin's eyes: "Are you alright? Just now..."

"Talking in your sleep again?"

Having just woken from a nightmare, Wei Qing's eyes were somewhat cold, and his sword-like eyebrows exuded a murderous aura. The four maids knew that Wei Qing would not harm His Highness, but they were still on high alert, sweating profusely.

Such a cold gaze, such a terrifying aura, is he really just a slave?

Liu Yangxin didn't mind. She reached out and straightened Wei Qing's collar, which had been wrinkled while he was sleeping, and gently comforted him, saying, "No, it's just that your expression is a little fierce."

Feeling a little out of sorts after leaving your hometown? Don't worry, Chang'an isn't as scary as you think. Besides, given your relationship with Chancellor Cao, as long as you don't completely cause a major disaster, you'll be fine.

"Um..."

Wei Qing didn't continue the topic; he had just had a cold sweat from a dream, and felt sticky and uncomfortable.

He got up and walked to the door, holding onto the door frame with one hand, and looked ahead. Among the towering mountains were lush forests, full of the atmosphere of pristine nature.

Liu Yangxin came to Wei Qing's side, pointed ahead and said, "Not far ahead is the passage to Chang'an. Chang'an was originally located not far from our feet."

During the Zhou Dynasty, the capital was established here, and Fengjing was built. Countless manpower and resources were spent to separate Fengjing from the human world and then connect the inside and outside through channels.

In this way, even if internal strife breaks out in the human realm and someone wants to attack Fengjing, all that is needed in Fengjing is to guard the passage. Later, this technology was used more and more maturely, and countries around the world followed suit.

The Gongshu and Mohist schools of thought have conducted extensive research on this subject. If Zhongqing is interested, he can consult with them further when he arrives at the Imperial Academy.

Wei Qing nodded; Cao Shen had told him these things before.

These independent little worlds are remarkably similar to the little worlds of other races surrounding the human realm.

The difference is that Chang'an, as a small world, is located within the human realm. If the human realm is destroyed, these small worlds will inevitably perish as well.

If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach?

That's what they say, but destroying the entire human realm is far more difficult than directly storming into a small world.

Liu Yangxin continued his explanation: "Worlds can merge and separate from each other. It is said that the current human world is formed by the fusion of countless smaller worlds. Some of the smaller worlds around the human world may have broken away from the human world."

There are even legends that they originally only existed in the human world, and that the so-called alien races were originally all human.

However, for some unknown reason, the human world was later torn apart, and due to different living environments, the human race gradually evolved into myriad races.

In recent years, the Han Dynasty had tried to persuade Zhao Tuo, the King of Nanyue, to integrate the Nanyue territory with the human population, but the results were not ideal. In fact, figures like Zhao Tuo and Wei Man, who were considered human, not only failed to spread human civilization in the small territories they ruled, but also abandoned their human identity, calling themselves barbarians.

Wei Qing was not surprised at all: "If they want to establish themselves as kings, they must abandon their human identity and deny human culture."

"why?"

Wei Qing looked at Liu Yangxin beside him and said, "It's very simple. If human civilization spreads to the Korean and Nanyue borders, wouldn't these places eventually become the realm of little humans? The key is that the human realm has more resources, and the Han Dynasty will be more powerful."

"If, at that time, the Han Dynasty hoped to integrate the Korean and Nanyue regions with the human realm and accept these non-Han peoples who had adopted human culture—and some of these non-Han peoples were originally human—what do you think the inhabitants of these smaller realms would think?"

You mean...?

"For the King of Nanyue and the King of Korea, returning to the human realm is nothing compared to being a local tyrant. Your Highness, you mentioned that there are so many smaller realms surrounding the human realm. The kings of these smaller realms may not want to return to the human realm, but if the natives of these smaller realms witness the prosperity of the human realm, do you think they would be willing to be granted human status and settle there permanently?"

Are you willing?

Of course I would!

Even though the human realm is subservient to the Xiongnu barbarians, it can still strike hard against the surrounding smaller realms.

Moreover, in terms of resources, the powerful Xiongnu barbarian realm is completely incomparable to the human realm.

Anyone who has personally visited the human realm and witnessed its splendor and prosperity has no desire to return.

To avoid this situation, the best course of action is to continuously slander the human realm.

This way, they could both please their Xiongnu barbarian father and ensure that the residents of the realm harbored animosity towards the human world—a win-win situation.

Chapter Nine: What if we use your own spear to pierce your own shield?

Liu Yangxin understood.

Ultimately, it was the human realm, or rather the human race represented by the Han Dynasty, that was too tolerant and lenient in its treatment of other races.

But she still couldn't let it go: "Our human race opened the door to civilization to the surrounding foreign races, allowing these barbarians to learn our advanced culture. On the contrary, the Xiongnu barbarians would often burn, kill, plunder, and commit all sorts of atrocities against those small foreign tribes, treating them like slaves."

Why would the leaders of those foreign barbarians willingly serve as lackeys for the Xiongnu rather than integrate into the human world and live as human beings under the Han Dynasty?

Wei Qing laughed: "Your Highness, there's a saying you've surely heard: 'Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox,' especially since the dog's leash is still in the master's hand."

"Then where did you find Zhongqing to say that? Wouldn't that mean Prime Minister Xiao is wasting his time?"

"Of course it wasn't a wasted effort. At least now the Han Dynasty has obtained detailed information on the surrounding minor realms, hasn't it?" Wei Qing paused for a few seconds before continuing, "As the Han Dynasty's most meritorious official, how could a slave like me presume to know Xiao He's abilities? It's just..."

"Just what?"

"However, plans often go awry, and I'm afraid Prime Minister Xiao is now in a difficult situation."

Wei Qing and Cao Can discussed Xiao He's plans over the past few centuries. In the end, Wei Qing and Cao Can reached the same conclusion: Xiao He's current strategy is not problematic; the problem lies in the lack of a breakthrough point.

There are many possibilities for this point, such as His Majesty's recovery from his injuries and his return to power; the overthrow of the Lü clan and the restoration of power to the Liu imperial family; or a change in the situation at the front.

Of course, it could also be Wei Qing!

This was the real reason why Wei Qing wanted to go to Chang'an.

As for killing a few barbarian geniuses? That was just something he did incidentally.

Wei Qing never took those few barbarian geniuses seriously.

Even if all the barbarian geniuses in the Imperial Academy were killed, it wouldn't be enough to cripple the Xiongnu barbarians; otherwise, the imperial court would have already taken action.

No matter how loud the pro-peace faction's voices are, if the Xiongnu Chanyu dares to bring his left and right wise kings to Chang'an to cause trouble, then they will have to stay here forever.

Wei Qing's dreams were not about how to cripple the Xiongnu barbarians, but about ensuring they would never be able to rise again!

He didn't know if his guess was right, nor did he know if Prime Minister Xiao had already prepared a backup plan, so there was no need for him to add anything unnecessary.

But Wei Qing felt it didn't matter whether Prime Minister Xiao needed his help to break the deadlock.

Things can never be perfect, but I strive to have a clear conscience.

But then again, how could Wei Qing see himself as simply a knife to be used by others?

After saying this, Wei Qing shook his head and said, "I just woke up and always like to talk nonsense. Please don't take it to heart, Your Highness."

Perhaps influenced by his dream, Wei Qing, upon waking, appeared less honest and simple, and more dignified and solemn.

Liu Yangxin looked at Wei Qing's profile without saying a word.

The more time I spent with Wei Qing, the more I felt that he was a treasure trove waiting to be discovered.

I don't know when it started, but I think I've actually fallen for this young man who came from a slave background.

With a high-pitched hoofbeat from the two phoenixes, the space in front of them tore open instantly, and a passage appeared in their field of vision. Both sides of the passage were constantly patrolled by soldiers.

This is the core area of ​​the human realm, and also Chang'an, the capital of the Han Dynasty!

The outer perimeter alone is dotted with countless towns, and according to the imperial court's census, at least four million households live in these towns.

These towns, like stars surrounding the moon, guarded the magnificent and vast imperial capital in the center.

This place is the crystallization of human wisdom and the pinnacle of civilization among all races.

Its existence signifies a miracle in the history of life.

When the phoenix arrived outside the royal city, it slowly descended.

It was only then that Wei Qing noticed that the city walls of the royal city alone were a hundred feet high.

Two giant puppets, as tall as the city wall, stood at the city gate. One held a shield, representing the pinnacle of Mohist philosophy, while the other held a spear, representing the pinnacle of Gongshu philosophy.

These two puppets guard the royal city. Even if they possess bodies as large as the sun, moon, and stars, anyone who tries to force their way into the royal city will perish here.

It is said that in order to compete for the title of the best in mechanical arts, the two major schools not only consumed countless materials from the Han Dynasty, but also sent out the best talents from their respective schools, spanning three generations and taking a full fifty years to create these two puppets.

The shield-wielding golem is renowned for its shield's strength, which is said to be impenetrable.

The spear-wielding puppet was praised as having the sharpness of a spear that could pierce anything.

It's not that no one has thought of using their own spear to pierce their own shield.

The Mohists and the Gongshu School also wanted to fight it out, but the Han Dynasty refused to allow it.

The resources burned just to create these two puppets would have been enough to train 100,000 elite troops, not even counting the manpower consumed.

That single spear thrust could take down 50,000 elite troops!

Who can bear the responsibility?

Beneath the massive city gate, the passersby appeared as insignificant as ants.

Liu Yangxin explained to Wei Qing, "This is the royal city. Flying is prohibited inside the royal city unless there are special circumstances, although there are exceptions."

"exception?"

As Wei Qing wondered, a ship with feathers, about twenty feet long and three feet high, flew out of the city gate.

Standing on the ground, Wei Qing could vaguely see a group of scantily clad girls flirting with several noble sons by the ship's railing.

When Liu Yangxin saw the Thousand Bird Feather Ship, he cursed his bad luck inwardly. He hadn't even entered the city yet, and he had already run into this group of纨绔 (sons of rich and powerful families).

"The Lü family lineage."

Upon hearing these four words, Wei Qing understood that the Han Dynasty was now controlled by Empress Lü. In order to consolidate her position, Empress Lü was constantly weakening the Liu imperial family on the one hand, and lavishly promoting and rewarding members of the Lü clan on the other.

It's true that the imperial family now bears the surname Liu, but the Lü family in Chang'an is even more arrogant than the Liu family.

What the Liu family dared to do, the Lü family dared to do as well;

What the Liu family dared not do, the Lü family dared to do as well.