Big man: I am the Champion Marquis!

Chapter 102: The Pioneer Returning Home

Chang'an City is still the most prosperous and wealthy city of this era. Although the people may not all live and work in peace and contentment, the people living in Chang'an may be more confident and have more experience.

"Good news!" The red-feathered messenger rushed into Chang'an with a small flag on his back, "The Cavalry General has defeated Dayuan and killed 15,000 in battle!"

"The Cavalry General killed the King of Dayuan in battle! Kill King Yucheng!"

"The General of the Cavalry has defeated Kangju, killing 5,000 in battle and capturing countless more!"

The messengers sped along the way, and the people gave way one after another. However, everyone listened attentively to the good news brought by the messengers, and while they were excited, they also felt not surprised at all.

It’s just Dayuan and Kangju, who exactly is that King Yucheng?
The Han Dynasty had long been accustomed to various victories over the years, and the people were only excited about the defeat of the Xiongnu. They did not take Dayuan, Kangju, etc. seriously at all.

However, some people wondered if there were still so many people in Dayuan, and how could the General of Cavalry kill 15,000 of them?

In Jianzhang Palace, Liu Che immediately met the messenger and said excitedly, "Quickly call the general!"

Chuntuo immediately went to pass on the order, and Liu Che looked at Huo Guang and said, "Do you still dare to talk about my General of the Cavalry now?"

Huo Guang immediately knelt down and explained, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I just feel that the General of the Cavalry has never taken the initiative to report military information since he went to war. This is not what a general should do!"

Liu Che pointed at Huo Guang with disdain, "You are also Qubing's brother, why are you so cowardly? This journey is thousands of miles away, and we are cut off from the desert and the Huns' servants. How can the messenger come back easily? If we fight a war based on my will, how many things will be delayed!"

Others just listened, what the emperor said made a lot of sense, and many people could understand it. But if a general led his troops out for more than a year without any report, the emperor would definitely be furious.

But what about the General of Cavalry? At the beginning of the year, a messenger brought back a message that the General of Cavalry ordered General Ershi to destroy Luntai, and the march went smoothly.

Then, we heard the news that the army returned triumphantly, capturing countless prisoners!
Liu Che looked at the messenger and asked with a smile, "Are you from the Xian'er Corps?"

Zhao Congxiao quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I am a member of your army. My father, Zhao Hexi, has been with you on several expeditions."

"Good!" Liu Che was very happy and said, "Qubing and Shan'er are both great. You are not bad either. You are worthy of being members of the Guanjun Marquis' Mansion!"

Zhao Congxiao immediately held up a letter and said, "Your Majesty, the prince ordered me to rush back day and night to report something important!"

Liu Che immediately stood up and took the envelope himself. His face changed drastically after opening it.

"Call the alchemist!" Liu Che's face turned pale and his body was shaking. "Show me the method immediately! How dare those people plot to murder me!"

Originally, Huo Guang and others had no idea what was going on, but the emperor's words made them feel terrified.

What a crime it is to murder the emperor!

Zhao Congxiao, one of the blasters, said quickly, "Your Majesty, since the prince went to war, he has been refining pills in his spare time, so he just noticed it!"

"Good!" Liu Che laughed in anger and said, "It is because Shan'er is loyal and knows what I am thinking! If it were not for him, I would have been killed!"

The things used to make elixirs for longevity can actually explode. If they explode after being eaten, can you still survive?
Liu Che immediately ordered, "Quickly call the General of the Cavalry back to the capital. I cannot rest easy without him! Let Li Guangli and Gongsun Ao pack up for the return trip, and Shan'er can return early!"

This is another somewhat special decree, but no one would find it particularly strange. It is not surprising that the emperor did this, because the emperor has always favored the generals of cavalry.

The General of Cavalry won a great victory, which was a very good thing. Almost everyone started to flatter the emperor.

Marquis Guanjun has made great contributions, and that is because the emperor is not restricted by any qualifications. What's more, Marquis Guanjun was brought up by Your Majesty himself, and all his skills were taught by Your Majesty himself. So the credit must go to the emperor!

But suddenly there was a turmoil in Chang'an City. Some alchemists were suddenly imprisoned, and some were executed after being tortured.

Even some of the people who recommended the alchemist were implicated. At first, the rumor was that the Champion Marquis had seen through the alchemist's conspiracy. Gradually, it became that the Champion Marquis passed by the sacred mountain on his way to the battle and learned the magic to distinguish between loyalty and treachery.

Braving the wind and snow, the army continued to move forward and was about to reach Loulan.

Suddenly Huo Xian received the news that Princess Xijun had passed away.

Huo Xian was not even surprised by this. When he met her before, she seemed very depressed. This ill-fated woman was very uncomfortable with life in Wusun, and anyone with a discerning eye could see it.

Now Junxumi sent an envoy, on the one hand hoping to enter the court with the army, and on the other hand wanting to request the Han Dynasty to send another princess from the royal family to marry Wusun in order to continue to consolidate the relationship between the two countries.

Huo Xian left Li Duo north of Loulan, which also meant that the northern route to the Western Regions from Loulan through Cheshi was open.

The basic form of the current Protectorate of the Western Regions has been established. The next step is to continue to drive out the Xiongnu's servants and commanders and expel them from the Western Regions.

By then, we can set up officials, station troops, implement administrative orders, and start exercising national sovereignty in the Western Regions. By then, this will be "Han's orders are spreading to the Western Regions!", and the Western Regions will become an inseparable part of our territory. These things still need to be done urgently, and this will also take some time. There is no point in rushing.

Huo Xian called Gongsun Ao and Li Guangli to the big tent and said, "The wind and snow are getting stronger. We can only camp here, otherwise the losses will be great."

Gongsun Ao and Li Guangli also had the same idea. The wind and snow were too strong for the soldiers to bear, and the horses they brought back would not be able to withstand it either.

Even though there is no shortage of supplies now, it is still better to be cautious.

Huo Xian continued, "You two lead your troops into the pass, and I will lead my troops ahead in three days."

Gongsun Ao's expression changed immediately, and he said earnestly, "General, how can a general abandon his troops and return to the court first?"

"We are about to enter the pass, what can happen?" Huo Xian said nonchalantly, "We are almost at Loulan now, there won't be a big battle, just take care of the troops."

Li Guangli also hurriedly advised, "General, we haven't received the order from His Majesty yet, isn't this a good idea?"

Huo Xian, who was extremely bold, said, "It's snowing so hard now, and I don't know when the emperor's decree will arrive. I'll go back first, maybe I can catch up with the New Year's Day."

Even if Gongsun Ao and Li Guangli had ten times the courage, they would not dare to give up at this time. Although what Huo Xian said was right, now that they were about to enter the pass, they would be able to enter the pass after the winter. The next step was to let the army return to their respective bases and reward them for their merits.

But then again, the emperor's decree has not arrived yet. How can the general in command of the troops just walk away and leave the follow-up matters to his deputy generals?
Gongsun Ao looked at Chen Ju, and found that this guy was happily packing his luggage with a big grin on his face. He had hoped that he could persuade Huo Xian, but it turned out that this guy was really unreliable. He believed whatever the Marquis of Guanjun said!
"It is said that the Pegasus can travel a thousand miles a day and eight hundred miles a night. I think that is a bit exaggerated." Huo Xian said happily, "But my ingot is really good!"

'Yuanbao' is the golden Arabian horse that Huo Xian had tamed before. It has a simple and unpretentious name.

There is also a top-quality black horse with a more violent temperament. Huo Xian has not yet completely tamed it. This is one of the best horses obtained this time.

"Send these celestial horses to the stables. Remember, male horses cannot be castrated to make war horses!" Huo Xian warned the captain in charge of driving horses, "These horses are for breeding. If anyone dares to castrate them privately to make war horses, I will never let them off easily!"

It’s no wonder that Huo Xian gave such a warning, but many war horses now have to be castrated, otherwise they will be too fierce and difficult to tame.

Historically, the Arabian horse gradually disappeared in the Central Plains. In addition to the small size of the population itself, a large number of horses were castrated and hybridized, which gradually lost their purebred bloodline.

This time they brought back 7,000 Arabian horses. Huo Xian felt that they could help the Han Dynasty train more than 10,000 excellent war horses within five years.

The Arabian horse has great endurance and shows good speed and endurance in long-distance riding.

In the former Soviet Union, there was a competition in which riders rode Akhal-Teke horses and Anglo-Teke horses of similar bloodline to run 4,300 kilometers in 28 days, passing through nearly 1,000 kilometers of desert along the way.

In other words, as long as the rider can hold on, the Arabian horse can travel a thousand miles a day.

Gongsun Ao and Li Guangli were still trying to persuade him, but Huo Xian seemed to be used to acting recklessly and simply wouldn't listen.

He carefully selected the Ferghana horses and took fifty of them back to present to the emperor. Not all of them were the best, and there were nearly ten horses of medium and low quality.

The reason was very simple. He owed a lot of debts and wanted to take these ten horses back as a favor.

Seeing that he could not be persuaded, Gongsun Ao said to Li Guangli, "It was the same in the past few years. When the army returned, it was always the Champion Marquis who returned to the capital first."

Li Guangli still said with some concern, "Marquis Yiqiu, it's just that we haven't received the order from His Majesty yet, and it's really inappropriate for Marquis Guanjun to go back first!"

Think about how I wanted to enter the pass with my defeated army more than a year ago, but was stopped by the emperor's order. Now look at this champion marquis, the difference is really huge.

"You and I cannot stop the Marquis of Guanjun from doing what he wants to do." Gongsun Ao sighed and said, "I used to think that the general could stop him, but now it seems that only your majesty can restrain him!"

Huo Xian is so willful and reckless, and I don’t know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

"Uncle Chen, please bring less water!" Huo Xian looked at Chen Ju and said disdainfully, "If it really doesn't work, just grab some snow and boil some water!"

Zhao Anguo complained, "My Lord, can't I go back with you this time?"

"Five hundred soldiers and horses are enough for me." Huo Xian said proudly, "You lead the Qimen Army, and I will lead the Yulin Army first."

The soldiers of the Yulin Army were very proud. They were the starting troops of the Guanjun Marquis, so naturally they were treated the best. Now, the Guanjun Marquis ordered him to lead the troops to enter the pass first, and the rest of the troops followed slowly.

Pooh!
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that it was the champion who was in a hurry to go home. How could there be such a pioneer!

Run home, Huo Xian is indeed a pioneer, it’s better to go back earlier!
(End of this chapter)