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

"Alright, no problem, it's no big deal. Since Sister Qiao is here, why don't you come inside..."

Qiao Lan smiled and politely declined, saying, "This matter is quite urgent, and I hope you will handle it as soon as possible."

"I trust my brother to handle things. But Sister Qiao is a very busy person, so I won't try to keep you any longer."

Cao Ying couldn't wait for Qiao Lan to leave. Although Qiao Lan was quite pretty, she was Liu Yangxin's personal maid, and he dared not have any ideas about her.

It's not about anything else, it's mainly that it's illogical.

According to etiquette, if Cao Shou had not died suddenly, Qiao Lan, as his personal maid, would have become Cao Shou's concubine when Liu Yangxin married into the family.

Therefore, if Cao Ying were to seduce Qiao Lan, she would likely be torn to shreds by the Confucian scholars.

Seeing that Cao Ying agreed, Qiao Lan didn't say anything more. Removing the slaves from the household register was indeed a small matter for Cao Ying.

What other unexpected event could possibly occur?

After Qiao Lan left, Cao Ying led the white lion out the door. Standing at the door, she looked at the road and wondered: Should she go to remove Wei Shi from the register first, or go hunting first?

After much thought, I decided to go hunting first; this opportunity might not come again.

Anyway, after Lady Wei is removed from the register, she will stay in the mansion. There's no rush. We can deal with it tomorrow.

Thinking this, Cao Ying flipped herself onto the lion, called to the guards in the mansion to transform into huskies, and began to let loose for the day.

On the other hand, after Yang Xin returned to Chang'an, he first reported Cao Can's plans to his father and grandfather.

Everything was expected; there were no expectations from the beginning, so there was no disappointment.

As for the slave that Liu Yangxin specifically mentioned, the father and son didn't take it seriously.

He was nothing more than a genius from a remote region; the Han Dynasty was not lacking in geniuses.

Putting aside everything else, both father and son are among the best of their generation of geniuses.

A genius who hasn't yet reached his full potential is simply not worth their time and effort.

On the contrary, it was Wei Qing's identity that made Liu Qi somewhat uncomfortable.

Born into slavery?

Liu Qi's discomfort was not due to his disdain for slaves.

In Liu Qi's eyes, there was really no difference between slaves and commoners.

For him, whether he was a slave or a commoner was just a matter of a single sentence.

What really made him uncomfortable was that his daughter's high regard for a slave might be related to Xu Shenxiang's prophecy.

Although it is said that the imperial family is the most ruthless, Liu Qi still loved his daughter very much.

Therefore, he was also worried that his daughter would be influenced by Xu Shenxiang and blindly favor Wei Qing.

But when she heard her daughter say that she was seeing Wei Qing off to the Imperial Academy, her worries subsided.

Going to the Imperial Academy is great; let's see what they're made of.

slave?

Hmph, a mere slave dares to dream of marrying my daughter, Liu Qi's daughter?

Okay, no problem. I don't expect you to outperform your contemporaries or go against the tide. Just stand out from your peers first.

If you can't even do this much, you should just wash up and go to bed, and stop daydreaming.

Chapter Thirteen: Everything is Ready Except for the East Wind

Liu Yangxin didn't care at all about his grandfather's and father's attitude towards Wei Qing.

Being a genius only proves that you have talent. How far you can grow in the future is still unknown. You might die young due to some accident.

Aren't there enough geniuses who die young?

After bidding farewell to his grandfather and father, Liu Yangxin immediately went to visit Xiahou Ci.

Xiahou Ci was the father of Xiahou Po, who was the other marriage that Liu Qi had planned to arrange for Liu Yangxin. However, just as the deal was finalized, Xiahou Po died suddenly.

This also shows that Liu Heng's lineage had a good relationship with the Xiahou family.

Liu Yangxin came to visit Xiahou Ci in order to secure Wei Qing's admission to the Imperial Academy.

Today, Zhou Yafu is the main figure in the military school of thought, but he spends most of his time guarding the northern frontier and rarely returns to Chang'an.

As for Zhou Yafu's father, Zhou Bo, Liu Yangxin wasn't unqualified to visit him, but it was really inappropriate to bother the old man for such a trivial matter.

Aside from the Zhou family, the Xiahou family was the loudest among the military strategists.

In terms of ability, Xiahou Ying, the Duke of Teng, was far inferior to Cao Can and Zhou Bo, but Xiahou Ying and Liu Bang were good brothers.

They were very close friends before they became successful.

Moreover, when Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were vying for supremacy, Xiahou Ying had saved Liu Bang, Crown Prince Liu Ying, and Princess Lu Yuan.

Therefore, Empress Lü was extremely grateful to Xiahou Ying and specially bestowed upon him a first-class residence in the Tianjiazi District, which was located right next to the north of the palace.

In other words, Xiahou Ying's abilities may not be very strong, but his status is exceptionally, exceptionally, exceptionally high.

In addition, Xiahou Ying had the ability to recognize talent. As Liu Yangxin knew, the criminal Cao Can mentioned, who assisted Liu Bang in killing Xiang Yu with the body of stars and the sun and moon, was someone Xiahou Ying saved and recommended to Liu Bang.

After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Xiahou Ying also took on the important task of recruiting talented individuals.

Xiahou Ying has now retired from his official post, but he will still recommend talented people to him.

Wei Qing's matter is not worth Xiahou Ying's trouble; just ask his grandson, Xiahou Ci.

Upon arriving in Tianjiazi District, apart from the kings, only those like Xiahou Ying, who receive special treatment, reside here.

Ruyin Prefecture was large, but not luxurious.

When Xiahou Ci heard that Liu Yangxin was visiting, he didn't put on airs.

Liu Yangxin paid a personal visit, and even Xiahou Ying would have met with him.

It's not that Liu Yangxin has a lot of influence. As the saying goes, even if you don't respect the monk, you should respect the Buddha. Even if you don't take Liu Yangxin seriously, you still have to meet him for Liu Heng's sake.

Moreover, Xiahou Ci and his grandfather Xiahou Ying were completely incomparable.

When Liu Yangxin met Xiahou Ci, he introduced himself as her niece, unlike when he met Cao Shen where he introduced himself as his great-granddaughter.

Her engagement to Cao Shou was arranged when she was a child. Even if there was no affection between them, she still recognized the engagement.

She later remarried Xiahou Po... well, never mind, she didn't even change her birth date and time.

Liu Yangxin called Xiahou Ci "uncle," but given Xiahou Ci's age and condition, he was old enough to be her grandfather.

Xiahou Ci, who was not yet a hundred years old, already had gray hair and a deathly aura between his brows.

He looks fairly healthy, but I estimate his days are numbered.

Their days are numbered; it's not that they'll die in three to five months, but rather that they have less than ten years left to live.

When Xiahou Ci saw Liu Yangxin, his face was beaming with joy, but he harbored some resentment in his heart.

Xiahou Po was his most beloved youngest son, but unexpectedly, he was killed by this jinx before he could even get married. It's no wonder he was resentful.

However, no matter how much resentment one harbors, one should still try to appear amicable. As the saying goes, "Even if you don't respect the monk, you should respect the Buddha."

"Uncle Xiahou, I have come here to ask you for a favor."

Liu Yangxin was also straightforward and didn't stand on ceremony.

Xiahou Ci disliked her, and she was just as angry.

She had never done anything to wrong the Xiahou family, yet she was branded a jinx because of Xiahou Po's sudden death.

That's all. The Cao family responded to the rumors immediately by refuting them, and Cao Can also fulfilled his duty as a great-grandfather.

On the other hand, when they arrived at the Xiahou family's side, they didn't say a word, as if they were mute.

What does that mean?

Are you really convinced that I, Liu Yangxin, brought death to your son?

Xiahou Ci did not refuse when Liu Yangxin asked for help: "My dear niece, please tell me what you think is best. I will definitely help if I can."

“It’s nothing serious. My niece recently visited Pingyang County and met a very talented young man. Even my great-grandfather Cao praised him highly. My niece hopes that you will use your military recommendation authority to recommend this young man to the Imperial Academy.”

Liu Yangxin deliberately avoided talking about Wei Qing's identity, since Cao Ying had already taken care of the matter of removing his citizenship.

If things are settled in the next two days, even if Xiahou Ci has sharp eyes, he won't be able to tell that Wei Qing was born a slave.

"Oh? Is that so?"

When Xiahou Ci heard Liu Yangxin say that even Cao Can praised him highly, he became more interested: "Does he really have such talent?"

Liu Yangxin casually took out a sheep's head mask and handed it to Xiahou Ci, saying, "Uncle, please take a look."

Xiahou Ci took the mask and examined it, then exclaimed in surprise, "This is... a shaman mask from the Xiongnu holy tribe?"

Upon hearing Xiahou Ci utter the words "Holy Clan of the Xiongnu," Liu Yangxin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Xiahou Ci was Xiahou Ying's grandson, yet he referred to the Xiongnu as a "sacred clan." No wonder Cao Cao's great-grandfather looked down on these noble sons of Chang'an.

Liu Yangxin explained, "Uncle has a discerning eye. The owner of this mask was killed by that young man. What's even more astonishing is that this young man was just an ordinary mortal. If it weren't for what my great-grandfather Cao said, I wouldn't believe it at all."

Xiahou Ci nodded and said, "Since it was said by Prime Minister Cao himself, it must be true. It seems that this young man is indeed exceptionally talented. Very well, it is our duty as ministers to discover talents for our Han Dynasty. Niece, please bring him to the manor in two days."

At that time, there will also be several talented young men who will be recommended to enter the Imperial Academy, and their applications will be processed together.

The young man you mentioned can also take this opportunity to get to know and befriend other young men; who knows, they might become brothers-in-arms in the future.

Upon seeing that the matter had been settled, Liu Yangxin quickly said, "Thank you for your help, Uncle."

Xiahou Ci waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, just a small favor, nothing to mention. This old man has done his duty to the country. This mask..."

Seeing that Xiahou Ci had been playing with the mask in his hand after receiving it, showing no intention of taking it back or asking for it again, Liu Yangxin smiled and said, "That young man comes from a poor and remote place and has nothing to offer his uncle. If your uncle doesn't mind, please keep this mask; it's a token of my appreciation."

Seeing that Liu Yangxin had taken the initiative to speak, Xiahou Ci did not refuse. The quality of this mask was indeed so good that it was hard not to love it.

Chapter Fourteen: Playing the Lute to a Cow - Liu Yangxin; Wei Zhongqing, Unperturbed by Romance