Big man: I am the Champion Marquis!

Chapter 107 I'm Just a General

After returning to Chang'an, Huo Xian was kept in the palace. He could go from Weiyang Palace to Jianzhang Palace via the flying pavilion chariot road built across the city.

The Taiye Lake is located in the northern part of the palace, and contains the three islands of Penglai, Fangzhang and Yingzhou. This huge artificial lake also demonstrates Liu Che's devotion to seeking immortality.

There is also a Shenming Terrace here, which is the most spectacular building in Jianzhang Palace and is fifty meters high.

There is a bronze immortal on the stage, holding a large bronze plate in his hand. Inside the plate is a giant jade cup, which he uses to collect dew from the air. Hence the name "Dew-receiving Plate".

Because the emperor believed that drinking the dew in the jade cup was like drinking the "nectar" given by heaven, and taking it for a long time would prolong life and make one immortal.

Although Huo Xian knew about the Jianzhang Palace before the expedition, after all, the original name of his Yulin Army was Jianzhang Camp Cavalry, which was nominally the imperial guards guarding the Jianzhang Palace.

Liu Jin was quite happy riding the horse, "Cousin, this horse makes me feel so heroic when I ride it!"

Huo Xian said cheerfully, "Jin'er, don't tell me again that I won't take you riding a horse!"

Huo Xian thought he was still a very reliable cousin, and he had promised to take Liu Jin on a horse ride before. Now he finally did it, and this was what a good brother should do.

Liu Jin obviously disagreed. The naughty boy said, "Cousin, you said you were taking me hunting and riding horses, not just taking me for a stroll around the palace."

This is the behavior of a naughty child. The child’s demands are too high and he doesn’t know how to be satisfied. This is not a good thing.

Huo Xian began to dislike it, "I've given you a good horse and taken you riding, what else do you want? With your current riding skills, I think it will be difficult for you to go hunting."

Liu Che was speechless and criticized Huo Shan, "Shan'er, Jin'er is the emperor's grandson, you should be more careful. The emperor's grandson just needs to learn how to govern the country and manage government. You are not like you who have only learned archery and horse riding since childhood. How can his riding skills compare with a military marquis like you!"

It was normal that the focus of training was different. After all, Huo Xian was just a general who was prepared for war.

Liu Jin was the emperor's grandson, Liu Ju's eldest son, and the natural heir to the throne in the future.

Even though Shi Liangdi is only Liangdi now, in a few years she might become the Crown Princess because of her son.

Huo Xian agreed with Liu Che's statement, but still retorted, "Your Majesty, this is not my fault. It was Jin'er who pestered me to go hunting. He is not good enough in riding and shooting, so how could I dare to take him hunting!"

"You don't dare?" Liu Che became even more angry. "If you don't dare, then stop talking nonsense in front of him!"

This was a bit embarrassing, because Huo Xian had indeed made many promises to Liu Jin, but those promises were basically unlikely to come true.

"You've been lazy since you came back. You either sleep until noon or wander around the palace all day." Liu Che criticized, "The Prime Minister is impeaching you. Do you know about this?"

Huo Xian nodded, admitting his guilt in a very good manner, "I have been impeached for being impeached. But just reduce my fief, but please do not reduce my title."

Liu Che nodded slightly, and then said, "The plow you made is good. I had someone use it before and it worked great. I've given it a name, Tianhan Plow."

Huo Xian was speechless for a moment. He had been busy with the work of the Quyuan Plow, but it had not been completed to perfection before the expedition.

It seems that during the more than one year that he was on the expedition, Liu Ju also put a lot of effort into this. However, even though it had not yet reached the most ideal state in Huo Xian's mind, Liu Ju happily reported it to the emperor.

The emperor was also very happy. The plow made by Huo Xian was indeed more convenient than the existing plows, and he was now ordering people to promote it vigorously.

"Your Majesty, this should be the best plow in the world!" Huo Xian was not happy and said, "I spent a lot of money, summoned many craftsmen, and spent two or three years to make this good thing."

Liu Che said directly, "Next year, the name of the era will be changed to 'Tianhan', so this plow can only be the Tianhan plow. The plow I ordered you to make, shouldn't it be mine?"

Huo Xian looked at Liu Che, and Liu Che looked at Huo Xian, and the two looked at each other. They felt a very familiar aura with each other. In short, they were like-minded and shameless.

Huo Xian decisively admitted defeat and praised him pompously, "Your Majesty is concerned about the people and encourages farming, but I am far inferior to you! It is because I am stupid that I took several years to make the Tianhan Plow, delaying your Majesty's important work!"

Liu Che was satisfied with Huo Xian's understanding of the current situation and said, "You don't need to worry about this matter. I am now having people make plows so that the people of Chang'an can use them first after the spring."

It is true that Liu Che liked to fight wars, but he also knew that his family's financial resources were becoming increasingly scarce, and the money and grain accumulated during the reigns of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing were becoming less and less.

Therefore, he has been racking his brains to find ways to increase financial resources over the years. Of course, he also attaches great importance to farming, which can be regarded as the foundation of the country.

Liu Ju could see that Huo Xian was not speaking the truth, so he asked with a smile, "Xian'er, you do have some ideas. If you are not a general, you should be a good craftsman."

"He can't do it!" Liu Che said firmly, "Look at what he has made over the years. Let's not talk about the things used for war, but the rest are used for pleasure. Ordinary craftsmen like him would have starved to death long ago. This kid is smart, but his mind is not in the right place."

Because they were greedy for food, they finally came up with a stir-fry. But even though stir-fry has been around for several years, it is only used by the rich and powerful.

The reason is that iron pans are not that easy to make. If they are too brittle, they will break easily. If they are too thick, the food will not be cooked well. Oil is very important. Animal oil and vegetable oil are not affordable for ordinary people.

Because kneeling was uncomfortable, many chairs were placed in the Marquis of Guanjun's mansion, and now many of them have been moved into the palace. People should still kneel in formal occasions, but many dignitaries also like to sit on chairs in private.

After much difficulty, they got the job done in making the plow, but Liu Che and Liu Ju also heard about it. It was Huo Xian who felt that there were not enough cows on the farmers' side, so he started to think about it.

He didn't necessarily want to help the farmers solve their problems, but he thought it was too much trouble to use two oxen to plow the fields. If one ox could plow the fields, he could bring one back and slaughter it for beef.

Huo Xian, whose reputation was damaged, felt wronged, and he really wanted to further improve productivity.

But in the eyes of many people, he may have achieved good results. But as for his motives, it is hard to say. It would be too unpleasant to say it out loud.

"Your Majesty, let's not talk about the plow for now." Huo Xian said, "I just want to ask, who has been ruining my reputation over the past year?"

Liu Che was calm and asked, "Who is ruining your reputation? Then tell me, what was your original reputation in Chang'an?"

Huo Xian said frankly and sincerely, "In the past, people said that I was full of vigor and vitality, born rich and noble, and praised me for being a hero at a young age and a son of a tiger father. They also said that I was respectful to the wise and humble, noble but not arrogant, and that I was the most beautiful man in Chang'an, comparable to Song Yu. They also said that I was both talented and beautiful, proficient in the six arts of a gentleman, and the most handsome man in Chang'an!"

Liu Che and others listened and felt that some of the comments were relatively fair and acceptable.

But some of the comments were definitely because Huo Xian felt good about himself, or he took others' flattery seriously.

Liu Che asked, "Respect the wise and humble yourself? If you really respect the wise and humble yourself, why can't students from all schools enter your Guanjun Marquis's mansion? If you say you are noble but not arrogant, who is the person riding a horse in Chang'an City?"

"I didn't let the horse go. I'm a good rider. I just trotted!" Huo Xian quickly explained, "Even when I go out of town to race with others, I never trample on crops. How many people can be better than me?"

Wei Zifu couldn't help but laugh, "You don't compare yourself with the good ones, but only with the bad ones?"

Now it was Huo Xian's turn to be speechless. He thought he still had some bottom line and was much better than some playboys.

But in the eyes of some people, this champion marquis is even more dissolute than some dissolute people. When this champion marquis is willful, he has no awareness of power and nobility, and some of his actions are "wanton".

He did not keep any retainers and did not associate with the wealthy and powerful. The overtures made by students from various schools were never responded to. It was also rumored that the Marquis of Guanjun had once broken into the mansions of some wealthy businessmen and confiscated their property and made money. His reputation among the wealthy and powerful was also very complicated.

At most, they don't bully the people and don't do anything wrong, which seems to be better than some powerful people. But the strength is also very limited.

Liu Ju couldn't help but remind him, "It's OK if you were like this a few years ago, after all, you were still young. But it's unacceptable that you're still like this now."

Huo Xian muttered, "Let them teach me the teachings of Huang Lao or Confucius and Mencius? Or the doctrine of non-aggression?"

Liu Ju reminded him, "Xian'er, there has never been a saying that it is not right to attack, but it is not right to attack. Even Mozi helped defend the city, you have never been careful in your studies."

"Alright, alright, Shan'er is a general, just read the military books." Liu Che quickly stopped him and said, "If you continue, I shouldn't fight a war."

Liu Ju was immediately speechless, because he did intend to persuade the emperor not to launch wars in recent years. However, no one knows a son better than his father, and he was stopped just as he was trying to educate Huo Shan.

Liu Che looked at Liu Ju and said, "There are some things that you should understand sooner or later. The reason I don't tell you now is because you are not the emperor."

Liu Ju knelt down in fear and trepidation, and said quickly, "Father, please understand. I dare not!"

"I know you don't dare, so I'm telling you this." Liu Che sighed and said, "How could I not know that the treasury has been emptied by the wars over the years? If there had been no war, how could the Han Dynasty have such a large territory?"

If we really say that Emperor Wu of Han's "crimes were committed in the present, but his achievements will last for generations to come", there is some truth to that.

After he ascended the throne, he expanded the territory and took Lingnan and other places back to the Han Dynasty, including crossing the Qiongzhou Strait to manage Hainan. He also expanded to the southwest, and the western and northern Guizhou as well as Yunnan, Sichuan and other southwestern barbarians were destroyed, and these places also became the territory of the Han Dynasty.

Although the Western Regions had not yet been taken, the Han Dynasty had already laid the foundation. For example, the Hexi Corridor and other places had become Han territory. To the east, there were four Han counties, and the Korean Peninsula was basically taken. To the north, the Xiongnu had fled far away, and there was also a military presence of the Han Dynasty in the south of the desert.

Some things are just so complicated. Huo Xian is not a politician and he doesn't understand so many things.

He is a general and being able to win battles is the most important thing for him.

However, given his status, he will definitely have some influence on the political situation, and some things are definitely unavoidable. So just try your best to prevent things from going in a bad and out-of-control direction.

(End of this chapter)