Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Li Ji was forced to put the matter aside for the time being, until today when he was sitting in the yamen and received an official document demanding the return of weapons, which reminded him of the matter again.

After drawing the design, Dou Wenchang stared at it for a long time, completely baffled. He knew it was a sword, but he had never even heard of a similar shape before… It seemed that commanding soldiers was indeed not easy; he still needed to learn more. He couldn't offer any criticism, and could only flatter Li Ji: "This sword is so heavy that only the 'Second Brother Li' who defeated the barbarians could wield it!"

He then stated that he had approved it and that the person could go back and file it. He added, "There is no need to deal with the Military Equipment Bureau. I know the head of the Crossbow Workshop. I will send him a private message and order him to lead the guards to the workshop."

The head of the Crossbow Workshop of the Military Equipment Bureau was a civil official of the lower eighth rank, only one rank below Li Ji, but their actual status was worlds apart—a military advisor in the Imperial Guard, how could he be compared to a minor official in the outer court? In addition, there was a private letter from Dou Wenchang, which clearly stated that it was "Li Erlang of the Destroyer of the Barbarians" seeking a knife, so how could he dare to refuse?

Dou is no ordinary Imperial Guard Chief Clerk; he is a eunuch, a close confidant of the Emperor. Li is no ordinary Imperial Guard Advisor either; his reputation has spread throughout the two capitals, and who does not respect him? All he asks for is a knife, but even if he asks for a crossbow or armor, I must make it easy for him.

Oh, it's a pity that the production of armor is not under my jurisdiction...

The next morning, Li Ji first reported to the Zuo Yingwu Army Headquarters, then rode straight to the capital to pay his respects to the Director of the Crossbow Workshop of the Military Equipment Bureau. The Director of the Crossbow Workshop was extremely hospitable, offering water and soup. After understanding Li Ji's purpose and reading Dou Wenchang's letter, he immediately set off, leading Li Ji to the weapons workshop.

The four weapon workshops under the Crossbow Workshop were all located outside Anhua Gate in the south of the city—because they had to draw water from the Yong'an Canal or Qingming Canal nearby. As soon as the Crossbow Workshop Manager entered the workshop, he ordered "Old Huang" to come over.

This "Old Huang" was said to be the most skilled craftsman in weapon forging. Li Ji had imagined him to be a six-foot-tall man or a fifty-year-old elder, but to his surprise, when he came to greet him, he was a young man, only five feet four inches tall—a little over 1.6 meters in modern times—with a baby face, a short mustache, and rather muscular limbs and rough skin. However, he seemed quite different from the blacksmith he had in mind...

The head of the crossbow workshop explained, "Old Huang has been under the command of this department for three generations. Even he himself has more than 30 years of experience in blacksmithing and knife forging. You can rest assured, Erlang, and just tell him what kind of knife you need."

Li Ji was startled upon hearing this and hurriedly asked, "May I ask your age..."

Old Huang chuckled憨厚ly, “I’m just a straw man, unworthy of the title ‘Your Excellency’—I started learning to forge knives from my father when I was eight, and now I’m forty-one years old.”

Li Ji thought to himself, "No way, I thought you were at most thirty... We both have baby faces. Speaking of which, will I still look this young in twenty years?" He couldn't help but touch his thick beard—maybe by then, he'd have to shave it off and thin it out, just like this old Huang...

So he roughly sketched out a simple diagram of the Ghost Head Saber and asked Old Huang, "Is it possible to forge such a saber?"

Old Huang frowned, staring at the drawing for a long time before slowly saying, "The shape of this sword is quite strange. It seems to be a thicker and more robust version of the curved sword of the Anxi barbarians... Unless you are a brave warrior, I'm afraid you won't be able to wield it..."

The crossbow workshop manager shouted, "Just tell me if you can forge it or not!" He pointed at Li Ji and said, "This is Li Erlang, who single-handedly defeated the barbarians in Shancheng. He is the bravest man of our time. What heavy weapon could he not wield?"

Upon hearing this, Old Huang was quite surprised and looked Li Ji up and down: "So, Second Brother Li... is a civil official?!"

The crossbow workshop foreman slammed his hand on the table: "Li Erlang is skilled in both literature and martial arts! Can you actually forge this sword?"

Old Huang stammered, "The knife can be used, but it's not very practical..." He then clasped his hands towards Li Ji and said, "I've heard that if it weren't for Li Erlang assisting His Highness Prince Qi in driving out the barbarian invaders, even Xijing Fengxiang might have been reduced to ashes. Therefore, being able to forge weapons for Li Erlang is truly a blessing accumulated over three generations. If it were anyone else, I would have forged them without further ado; but since it's Li Erlang, I have a few words of advice, I wonder if you would be willing to listen?"

Li Ji waved his hand to stop the crossbow workshop manager from interrupting, then sincerely returned the bow to Lao Huang and said, "I also made this knife on a whim, and I don't know if it's suitable for me yet. I'm about to consult a specialist—I hope you won't hesitate to give me your advice."

Old Huang said, "How dare this straw man call himself a 'scholar'? But when it comes to forging military weapons, I'd be so bold as to claim 'expertise.' I dare not lie, this knife looks heavy, but in reality, it might not be as effective as an axe or halberd at cutting through armor. A knife is still just a knife; it can only cleave through light armor or gaps in heavy armor. If Li Erlang wants to kill the barbarian bandits, he should use a long spear or a large lance..."

Li Ji said, "I would like to use this knife on foot..."

Old Huang said, "On the battlefield, one rider can break through ten paces. The dignified Li Erlang must have a fine steed to ride. Why must he dismount and fight on foot? If it is to be used as a spare after losing a horse, this knife is too thick and large, and it is not easy to carry."

Before Li Ji could answer, the head of the crossbow workshop spoke up: "I thought Erlang would use this knife to prepare for defeating the enemy on horseback. But if it's for foot soldiers... to be honest, you are currently on duty in the palace, so it's not appropriate for you to carry such a weapon..."

Chapter 47, The Blue Lotus Blooms

During the Tang Dynasty, scholars often carried swords; even civil officials would frequently wear a long sword or saber at their waist. However, many important departments prohibited weapons from being brought into the palace, especially the Forbidden City—what would you be doing bringing a knife into the palace? Were you planning to assassinate the emperor?

Of course, the Imperial Guards must be equipped with weapons, but there are very detailed regulations regarding what kind of weapons to use and which part of the Forbidden City they can operate in. As for Li Ji, he could naturally carry a sword to work every day, because after entering the Eastern Palace, the area he could set foot in was only a very small part.

—If Li Heng were to issue an edict to receive Li Ji in the Hanyuan Hall or Xuanzheng Hall of the outer court, or in the Zichen Hall or Linde Hall of the inner court, Li Ji would certainly have to remove his weapons and have his back searched before he could enter the audience.

So the head of the crossbow workshop said, "Li Erlang, it's fine for you to carry the standard military sword and move around the Forbidden City. If you were to use other weapons, given your current status and position, as long as you don't go to key departments, everyone would turn a blind eye. But this new type of broadsword is really too big and too conspicuous, so it's best not to bring it into the Forbidden City."

I don't know whether this knife is particularly useful or not, but personally, I think it's a super weapon. Wouldn't bringing such a weapon into the palace arouse suspicion from superiors and colleagues? Moreover, if the censor sees it, he will surely submit a memorial impeaching you…

Li Ji, finding his words reasonable, stroked his beard and pondered. He had originally intended to forge it first and keep it for future use on the battlefield, but upon further reflection on what Old Huang had said—that the Ghost Head Blade might not be as effective as an axe for slashing and armor-piercing—he realized that in his timeline, the Ghost Head Blade was primarily used by executioners for beheadings, or by warriors wielding it in hand-to-hand combat when cold and firearms were mixed. In other words, the targets it slashed were mostly unarmored, or at least not heavily armored.

In the current battlefield, spears and lances are most effective against heavily armored enemies; against lightly armored or unarmored enemies, the goose-feather blade is sufficient... Did I forge a ghost-head broadsword just to split up camps? To be honest, an axe would be better.

Oh, the axe is heavy and inconvenient to carry, and the ghost-headed broadsword is equally inconvenient to carry—I can only carry it on my back, and it may not be easy to draw it when it comes to actual fighting.

After thinking for a while, he asked Old Huang, "I find the horizontal sword too light and inconvenient to use. If we don't make this sword, do you have any suggestions?"

Old Huang said, "If Li Erlang wants a heavy, armor-piercing, and inconspicuous short weapon that he can carry on his person daily, I have some recommendations." He then ordered his apprentice to go inside and bring out three weapons.

Li Ji took a look and recognized them all: one was a hammer, one was a whip, and one was a mace.

He took them one by one, weighed them in his hand, and swung them around a few times. These three weapons were probably Old Huang's masterpieces. The handles were very handy, and the center of gravity was also very well made. Although they were still a bit light, they were still usable.

"All three are excellent. If you had to choose one, what would you recommend?"

Old Huang said, "I don't recommend using a hammer, because it's convenient to use immediately but inconvenient to carry around..." If you wear it daily, it's mostly tied to your waist. Such a big hammer head would make a lot of noise, and it would definitely hurt your legs when you walk.

Li Ji nodded and tossed the hammer aside—using a hammer wasn't impossible, but he'd expected something much bigger, only to find the hammerhead was barely thicker than his fist, looking utterly unimpressive. If it were the massive hammerhead he'd seen in many movies and TV shows in his previous life, Li Ji wouldn't have been so arrogant as to think he could swing it with one hand.

Or, how about making a hollow hammer? Forget it, what's the point besides showing off and fooling people?

Looking at the other two weapons, they are all made of iron. The whip has a round head and twelve sections; the mace has a pointed head, four edges, and a roughly square cross-section.

To be honest, Li Ji's aesthetic sense is such that he doesn't like overly complicated things; he always feels that only simplicity truly brings out the charm. So he finally decided: "Then you shall forge a mace for me."

Old Huang said, "Is this four-sided mace satisfactory, Li Erlang? The hilt and the mace head can both be cast in the shape of animal heads. Should we use a tiger or a lion?"

Li Ji waved his hand and said no need, simple is fine, there's no need for gold and silver embellishment—"Just make one weighing thirty catties for me."

Old Huang was startled upon hearing this and hurriedly said, "It's too heavy and inconvenient to use—even this mace only weighs ten jin."

Li Ji laughed, "You think I can't swing them?" He immediately grabbed the whip, mace, and hammer, stuffed them all into his right hand, barely managing to grip them, and then swung them three times into the air. The wind howled, the pressure was immense, and Old Huang was so frightened he stumbled back three steps. Looking at the crossbowman, he saw he had already hidden behind a table…

Old Huang gave a thumbs up and complimented repeatedly: "As expected of Li Erlang, I have been making weapons for three generations and have never seen anyone with greater strength." But then he clasped his hands and said: "However, if the mace is made too heavy, although Li Erlang can wield it, it will be difficult to control the center of gravity when making it... Moreover, if it is too bulky and long, it will be inconvenient to hang it on the waist at all times, right? I humbly request that it be reduced to eighteen catties."

Li Ji thought about it and realized that eighteen jin was about right... If it were thirty or fifty jin, even if he could swing it a few times without much effort, the speed would be slow, which would be a loss. "Alright, eighteen jin iron maces it is, I want a pair."

----------

Old Huang was quite fast—presumably because although maces are expensive to make, they don't require repeated forging and hammering like sharp knives or swords, or even the use of different iron materials to ensure sharpness and flexibility—it was completed in just five days, and then the crossbow workshop sent someone to deliver it to Li Ji's residence.

The double maces were presented in a cloth bag. Li Ji took them out and examined them; they exuded a chilling aura and gleamed with an oppressive cold light—though not lacquered or silvered, they were ultimately made of fine steel, not ordinary iron, and thus their entire surface was a dark silver, polished smooth as a mirror, almost reflecting one's image. The clerk who delivered the goods relayed Old Huang's words: "Just apply some oil regularly and maintain them properly, and they can last for hundreds of years. If they accidentally rust, simply polish them with fine sandpaper."

The mace was indeed not decorated much, but the hilt was specially cast in the shape of an eight-petaled lotus flower, with the mace body rising from the lotus bud; the mace head resembled a lotus bud, not yet open, with the petals clustered together to form a small point. Although Li Ji had instructed that there was no need for any fancy designs, Old Huang felt that it was his honor to be able to forge a weapon for Li Erlang, something he could boast about everywhere. If it were simply a hilt shaped like a knife guard and a mace head shaped like a sword tsuba, it would only invite ridicule... So he put some thought into making it in this shape.

Li Ji was quite satisfied with this design and thought to himself that it might be better to name it "Blue Lotus Four-Sided Mace".

—Li Bai, courtesy name Taibai, sobriquet "Qinglian Jushi". Although Li Ji prefers Du Fu's style to Li Bai's works, he has to admit that, purely in terms of technique, Li Bai seems to be superior—the old ginger is spicier after all—therefore, upon seeing a lotus flower, he instinctively thinks of "Qinglian".

Upon closer inspection, one can see that near the mouth of the mace, there are two lines of small characters engraved on it: one reads "Used by Li Erlang of Jingzhao to defeat the barbarians," and the other reads "Refined and presented by Huang Tiexuan of Duanzhou."

So Lao Huang's real name is Huang Tiexuan. Duanzhou... he's actually from Guangdong.

Li Ji held a mace in each hand, swung it around once, and found that the weight was just right, the center of gravity was appropriate, and it was quite easy to handle. However... although they seemed to be the same size, their weights were slightly different. He asked the clerk, who replied, "Old Huang said that one of these maces weighs eighteen catties, and the other weighs seventeen catties and fourteen taels. The difference of two taels makes it easier for the main and assistant hands to use them respectively."

Li Ji was overjoyed: "Indeed, he is a master craftsman, and his considerations are thorough." From then on, he could use his right hand to "use what he had to break through the barbarians" and his left hand to "refine and respectfully present" the goods.

He immediately summoned Qingluan, took a thousand coins, and handed them to the clerk, instructing him to reward Old Huang with four hundred, reward the head of the crossbow workshop with five hundred, and as for the remaining one hundred—he couldn't let you run an errand for nothing, could he?

The clerk received the money, was overjoyed, bowed in gratitude, and left.

A thousand coins is not a small sum for an ordinary family—even though Qingluan obeyed and took it out, she seemed somewhat reluctant—giving Old Huang five hundred and the errand boy one hundred would probably be quite satisfactory; as for the head of the crossbow workshop, five hundred coins is equivalent to almost half a month's salary. To be honest, when it comes to a suitable weapon, this amount of money is well spent.

In those days, a standard-issue broadsword cost between several hundred and two thousand coins—those costing several hundred were common items, while those costing two thousand were considered high-quality. As for swords that could be called "treasure swords," they were never priceless or available. As for these maces, even considering their weight, the materials alone were equivalent to a dozen broadswords. Although the labor required for them might be less than for broadswords, in those days resources were relatively scarce, and only manpower was worthless.

Of course, this was a private gift, and Old Huang wouldn't have paid for it himself; it must have been paid for with public iron ingots. He believed the head of the crossbow workshop had a hundred ways to balance the accounts, and even if Li Ji didn't give him a single penny, they wouldn't dare say anything. But Li Ji really loved these maces, and if he didn't give them as a reward, he would feel ashamed and uneasy about using them.

He immediately ordered Qingluan to weave ropes from blue silk threads and tie them to the heads of the double maces, hanging them on his waist. Walking a few steps would not be a problem, but he estimated that he could not run fast. However, it didn't matter. When he really needed to run fast, it would most likely be when he encountered the enemy, and he would naturally hold the double maces in his hands first.

So the next day, Li Ji didn't carry his sword; instead, he swaggered into the palace, his pair of "Azure Lotus Four-Sided Maces" hanging freely. The palace guards were all dumbfounded—they knew their weight—and as they approached the Left Hero's military headquarters, one of them finally couldn't resist asking, leaning on his long halberd and clasping his hands, "Military Advisor Li, what heavy maces you wield! How much do they weigh?"

Li Ji raised his head, puffed out his chest, and casually picked up his right mace: "This one, eighteen jin." Then he slowly picked up his left mace: "This one, also eighteen jin." He didn't care about the extra two liang; there was no need to tell the whole truth.

The other party couldn't help but click their tongue: "Goodness, a pair of maces weighs thirty-six jin... Even Duke Qin Shubao of Hu only uses a pair of maces weighing thirty jin..."

Li Ji thought to himself that this was a knowledgeable person, unlike the wild rumors that Qin Shubao's pair of iron maces weighed eighty catties... He himself had such stories in his later generations, such as Guan Yu's sword weighing one hundred and eight catties and a water-polished Zen staff weighing sixty-four catties. He wondered if the storyteller himself believed it.

According to Li Ji's recollection, later research determined that one liang (两) in the Han Dynasty was roughly equal to 12 grams. Therefore, sixteen liang made one jin (斤), and one jin was approximately 220 grams. One hundred and eight jin would be 22 kilograms, which is acceptable. However, he estimated that the weights and measures in the Tang Dynasty were generally larger than those in the Han and Wei Dynasties, with one jin exceeding 800 grams in later periods. So, if Qin Shubao's maces weighed eighty jin, that would be over 20 kilograms… over 20 kilograms in one hand, close to the weight of a Guan Yu sword? Don't be ridiculous! Unless Qin Qiong wasn't human, but a giant gorilla!

Li Ji estimated that if he had a weapon weighing forty jin (approximately 20 catties), he might not be able to swing it in a wide arc with one hand. Even if he used both hands, he probably wouldn't be able to fight for more than a few rounds before he would be exhausted.

Just as he was feeling pleased with himself, a minor official suddenly rushed over, clasped his hands, and said, "Why are you so late, Military Advisor? The two Chief Clerks and the Right Army Military Advisor are all waiting for you at the Right Army's office."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji frowned – why were the three big shots of the Left and Right Heroic Armies gathered together, waiting for him, the fourth person? What had happened? He didn't ask the clerk, since the Left and Right Army offices were only separated by a wall, so he strode forward and entered the hall.

As expected, Dou Wenchang, Huo Xianming, and Ma Sui were all there, their expressions not very good—they seemed somewhat worried, and perhaps somewhat annoyed. Just as Li Ji was about to bow, Dou Wenchang quickly said, "No need for formalities, Chief Guard, come and sit down quickly."

Li Ji hurriedly walked to his left, casually took the two maces from his waist, put them together, and placed them on the mat. Then he knelt down, facing Ma Sui directly. Dou Wenchang and the others couldn't help but look at the pair of "blue lotus four-sided maces," but they forcibly held back and didn't ask for the time being. Huo Xianming spoke first: "We just received news that the government troops have been defeated!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ji paused for a moment, then asked, "Is it under the walls of Xiangzhou City?"

"Exactly."

"Was it attacked and defeated by Shi Siming?"

Ma Sui narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Where did Changwei learn this?"

Li Ji shook his head with a wry smile: "Does An Qingxu still have the strength to defeat the government army? If he is defeated, it will surely be Shi Siming who leads the army to attack... Do you know the specifics?"

Dou Wenchang glanced at Huo Xianming, who nodded. Huo Xianming then turned to Li Ji and rattled off, "The other day, the Prince of Fengjie entered the palace to warn His Majesty that Shi Siming had stationed his troops in Weizhou, intending to lull the imperial army into a false sense of security before launching a surprise attack. Unfortunately, it was too late. His Majesty had just issued an edict to Yu Chaoen, and the messenger had barely left when news of the defeat arrived..."

With the fall of Anyang, the capital of Xiangzhou (formerly Yecheng), imminent, Shi Siming, stationed in Weizhou, finally made his move. He first ordered his army to approach Anyang, within fifty li of it, and beat drums day and night to intimidate the enemy from afar. He then ordered each camp to select five hundred elite cavalry to plunder the city walls daily, causing the government troops to lose cattle and horses daily and making firewood gathering extremely difficult...

At this time, the country was suffering from famine. To supply the needs of the government troops, ships carrying grain and supplies from the south (Jiang and Huai rivers) to the west (Bing and Fen rivers) were constantly on the road for thousands of miles. Shi Siming sent men disguised as government troops to urge the grain transport, and then used any pretext to execute laborers, causing widespread fear and leading to a surge in desertions. Furthermore, he often secretly sent men to set fire to places where ships and carts converged, and the government troops launched several pursuits but could not catch them.

The main problem was that the various armies lacked a unified command, so who would be willing to devote their main efforts to suppressing bandits? Who would be willing to send their main force to the rear when the enemy city was about to fall and great success was within their grasp? Even Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi were unwilling to take on this heavy responsibility.

Only Zhang Xun urgently dispatched his fierce generals Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun to lead troops to suppress them, but he could only take care of his own supply routes. As for other supply routes, they often refused to obey orders and even suspected that they were fake government troops and real bandits, and did not allow them to get close...

As a result, the troops were starving and their morale was low. Shi Siming realized that the time had come, so he personally led his army straight to the city to fight the Tang army in a decisive battle...

Chapter 48, The Defeat of Xiangzhou

In March of the second year of the Qianyuan era, the Tang army, with 600,000 infantry and cavalry, formed a battle array north of Anyang—of course, this was just a claim; in reality, it numbered only about 200,000—while Shi Siming personally led 50,000 elite troops to attack.

The rebel army clashed with the forces of Li Guangbi, Wang Sili, Xu Shuji, and Lu Jiong, suffering heavy casualties on both sides with no clear victor. During the fierce fighting, Lu Jiong, the military governor of Huaixi, was struck by an arrow and forced to retreat slightly. Shi Siming seized the opportunity to launch a direct attack, resulting in a major rout of the Huaixi army. Guo Ziyi, originally positioned behind Lu Jiong, was also caught in the crossfire and forced into a difficult battle due to the impact of the defeated troops.

Just then, another rebel force, led by Li Guiren, suddenly appeared on the flank of the government army. Xu Shuji, Ji Guangshen, Dong Qin, and Li Feiyuanli (military commander of Zhenxi, replacing the fallen Li Siye) and their troops, seeing the dire situation, collapsed instantly. The rebels attacked from both sides, and the government army's advance was like a landslide. Fortunately, Li Guangbi, Zhang Xun, and other generals fought a fierce battle to hold the rear, finally forcing the rebels back and preventing greater losses…

The government troops suffered a crushing defeat, only managing to stabilize their position after crossing the Yellow River. Guo Ziyi then led the Shuofang army to cut off the Heyang Bridge to secure Dongjing (Kaifeng). An inventory of losses revealed relatively few dead, but of the ten thousand warhorses, only three thousand remained, and of the one hundred thousand armored weapons, almost all were abandoned… Furthermore, news of this reached Dongjing, causing panic among the officials and civilians, who fled the city in droves. Even the officials left behind, such as Cui Yuan and Su Zhen, the Prefect of Henan, abandoned the city and fled to Xiangyang and Dengzhou!

Guo Ziyi, Li Guangbi, and other generals originally planned to defend the river and look for an opportunity to counterattack, but unexpectedly, the morale of the troops was low and their food supplies were exhausted, so they all fled back to their towns... Moreover, this commotion was too big to be concealed, so they were forced to submit a memorial to apologize.

Of course, if a victory was reported, it would be exaggerated; if a defeat was reported, it would be embellished. This was a common problem in the court and the army at that time. According to Yu Chaoen's report, after the Huaixi army retreated, Guo Ziyi led the Shuofang army behind them. "Before they could deploy their troops," a sudden strong wind arose, blowing sand and uprooting trees, darkening the sky and making it impossible to see even a short distance away. Both armies were greatly alarmed; the government army collapsed and fled south, while the enemy army collapsed and fled north..."

—Even if we couldn't win, we might not have lost. It was all bad luck; it seems the rebels' forces are not yet easily defeated. Fortunately, although the government troops collapsed, the rebels didn't fare any better, scattering in all directions as well…

Upon hearing Huo Xianming's explanation, Li Ji's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes widened in anger, and he shouted, "Nonsense! If Shi Siming were also going north, why would Minister Guo have cut off the Heyang Bridge and rushed to protect Dongjing?"

Dou Wenchang raised his hand and pressed it down slightly, as if to say, "Changwei, please be quiet." Ma Sui also said, "Regarding the specifics of the battle, we cannot rely solely on Yu Gong's words. I believe reports from various military governors will gradually converge on the capital..."

Li Ji sneered, "Defeat is defeat, why hide it?"

Dou Wenchang smiled bitterly and said in a low voice, "If we do not return it to Heaven, I fear that the soldiers and civilians will be even more fearful, and what will become of the court's prestige?" He paused and asked, "We are guarding the Forbidden City, and the situation of the foreign troops is none of our business. But I fear that His Majesty will inquire about it. I hope that Lord Changwei and Lord Xunmei will give me and Chief Secretary Huo some guidance."