Big man: I am the Champion Marquis!

Chapter 191 Faction
It is very unrealistic to leave the Western Regions immediately as there is still a series of finishing tasks to be done.

Even if Huo Xian wanted to leave, it was obvious that he couldn't leave for the time being. That was the fact.

There is still a lot of finishing work to be done, and things that need to be prepared, otherwise there will be no way to leave the Western Regions with peace of mind. The cooked duck cannot fly away.

Li Ling was summoned to Jiaohe City, and Huo Xian asked directly, "Do you want to stay in the Western Regions, return to Chang'an, or go to the frontier?"

Li Ling was very cautious and answered politely, "Grand Marshal, I am only a small colonel in the army, so I will naturally follow the order of the court."

"You are at least a dignified Marquis of Guannei. You should be appointed a general this time." Huo Xian said with a smile, "How much is your fiefdom now?"

Li Ling immediately replied, "I have a fief of 200 households."

Guannei Hou was still a marquis after all, and he also had a fief. As for the 200 households, it was normal. Not to mention Guannei Hou, the fiefs of some marquises were only around 1,000 households.

Marquises like Wei Qing and Huo Shan were extremely rare. Throughout the history of the Han Dynasty, such marquises could only be counted on one hand.

Huo Xian thought about it carefully and said, "You know that although you have made contributions in this expedition, no one is particularly outstanding this time. Whether you can be awarded a title of nobility depends on the will of His Majesty."

Huo Xian's words were very straightforward, and Li Ling naturally understood them very well. There really was no one who stood out during the campaign in the Western Regions this time. To be more precise, there was no one below the rank of Marquis who had made significant military achievements.

Moreover, Li Ling was also somewhat worried. Whether it was the general or the champion marquis, they all had some grievances with his Li family. Even though he was now under the command of the champion marquis, who knew if he would be treated differently?

The emperor has always been somewhat dissatisfied with the Li family, and it is very likely that he will continue to deliberately suppress the Li family and not confer them a title of nobility.

Li Ling said seriously, "It is a blessing for me to have been on two expeditions with the Grand Marshal as a lieutenant. If it were not for the Grand Marshal's selection, I would probably still be training troops in Yumen Pass."

Although there were some grievances with the Guanjun Marquis' Mansion, Li Ling felt that even if he could not get close to Huo Shan, there was no way he could have any grudges against him.

Theoretically, Li Ling was appreciated and reused, which was the grace of the emperor. However, in recent years, Huo Xian took Li Ling to war twice, which also gave him some opportunities to make achievements.

Otherwise, Li Ling would have continued to train soldiers as a cavalry commander. When a war broke out, he could only submit memorials again and again, asking His Majesty for permission to go to war.

Huo Xian was not polite either. "Even though you and I can't be friends, it doesn't matter. As long as you can fight and win, I don't care who you are! There is no end to the fight between you and me."

This sounds awkward, but everyone knows that it makes a lot of sense.

The rift between Li Guang and Wei Qing, and the conflict between Huo Qubing and Li Gan, are all real. The cause of death of two generations of the Li family was also directly related to Wei and Huo.

Huo Xian can use Li Ling now, naturally he also understands that there are no generals in the court now. Although there are some grudges and so on, there is no need to worry too much. Now it is necessary to let some people play a role.

After all, Li Ling was not Li Gan's son, and the Li family was very obsessed with conferring titles of nobility and appointing generals, which was obviously enough for Huo Shan to use Li Ling.

Li Guangli was a bit of a threat at one point, but Huo Xian seemed to give him a chance and promoted and helped him to a certain extent.

Although his motives were not pure and Huo Xian was not that great and righteous, what he valued about Li Guangli was that although he did not have particularly outstanding talents, he had certain ability to lead troops, and that was enough.

Be it Li Guangli or Li Ling, they can barely be considered political enemies of Huo Shan, but the two sides are not on the same level, so he can naturally be more generous and promote them when there is no one else available.

There is no need to think too much about the other things. The bottom line is that Huo Xian does not think that Li Ling or Li Guangli can pose any threat to him.

Valuing Li Ling, Huo Xian said seriously, "You also know about the situation in the Western Regions. The Western Regions have just been settled, and the Xiongnu may come back at any time. Moreover, the countries in the Western Regions may not necessarily surrender, and they may fight again."

Huo Xian said in a very serious tone, "If you stay in the Western Regions, you will have the opportunity to guard a region. With your meritorious service this time, it won't be a problem for you to become a county governor or even a nine-minister official. You can also destroy a country and be granted a title of nobility here."

Such conditions and opportunities are definitely what some middle and senior generals of the Han Dynasty dream of. This is one of the best opportunities to be granted a title and become a general.

Huo Xian continued, "It's safe here, but if you want to return to the Han Dynasty, you must go to the border. When you go to the Western Regions, no one knows what the final result will be. You may be granted a title of nobility, or you may die."

The opportunity has definitely appeared. I believe Li Ling can understand the difference here and know that these are the two options that seem most likely to lead him to being "a marquis or a general."

However, judging from the current situation, it is obviously impossible to get both opportunities, and he can only choose between these two options.

It was naturally safer to stay in the Western Regions. To be honest, there was also a chance to make meritorious contributions. It could even be said that compared to fighting the Xiongnu, the chances of being granted a title of nobility in the Western Regions were greater.

These are all facts. I believe that with Li Ling's vision, he can naturally see some of the differences here.

Li Ling replied without hesitation, "Grand Marshal, I would rather go to the border. If the court uses troops against the Xiongnu, I will be the vanguard!"

Huo Xian glanced at Li Ling and felt that Li Ling's requirements were not low. The so-called vanguard could be regarded as leading an army alone. Even if several troops entered Mobei, it would be leading the army alone.

As for the risks, Li Ling knew that there would be risks. But since he had joined the army, he would have to take the corresponding risks. There was nothing much to say.

For Li Ling, the most feared thing was actually not being able to be granted a title of nobility. This was not only his concern, but also the concern of the entire Li family, and they also put in a lot of effort for this.

Huo Xian understood what was going on, and praised with a smile, "This is how a general of the imperial court should be. Even though fighting the Huns is very risky, this is what a good man should be like!" This was also what Huo Xian really thought. It was naturally a very safe thing to be in the Western Regions, but as an ambitious soldier, he could not retreat in the face of battle and should also be enterprising.

It seemed that advancing steadily and steadily in the Western Regions was a very good thing, but for the soldiers of the Han Dynasty, if they failed to achieve military exploits against the Xiongnu, it would not be enough to convince the people and would not be considered a real military achievement.

"How about this, I'll report to the court later, and you don't have to stay in Dunhuang anymore." Huo Xian smiled and said, "It's really a waste of your talent to let you, a Guannei Marquis, train troops in Dunhuang."

Huo Shan's words made Li Ling very excited. This was what he had been looking forward to. Huo Shan was not the only Han soldier who wanted to fight the Xiongnu. Many others had similar ideas and expectations.

Li Ling was well aware of his own situation. He had already reached the threshold of becoming a marquis, and if he worked hard he could basically achieve his long-cherished wish.

Huo Xian continued to make arrangements and said, "Go back and think of a way to train the soldiers. Many of the soldiers you trained in Dunhuang will definitely stay in the Western Regions."

Li Ling felt pain instantly. The Jingchu warriors he trained were all extremely skilled in archery and crossbows. Although the army under his command was composed of infantry, they were strong enough to compete with some light cavalry.

It took a lot of effort to train those soldiers, but now they have to face the situation of dispersion. Naturally, he feels a little unhappy. However, this is also for the overall situation, and he has no right to object.

Li Ling did not hide his attitude and said, "Grand Marshal, I have been training with my comrades for a long time, but they are still the army of the Han Dynasty. I think the court's plan should be the first priority."

This position is correct. Although these people are trained by themselves, they are also the soldiers of the court and the emperor. This position must be emphasized.

That is not a real trilogy, etc. A group of people have been trained today, and it is natural that we will continue to train some soldiers and horses next, so that they will be more powerful to deal with the Huns' cavalry.

Huo Xian explained simply, "The Western Region has just been settled, and the troops guarding the passes must stay. Let's not talk about those guarding the border for now. The people under your command are good at archery, and they will be of great use when guarding the passes."

Li Ling also understood that the soldiers he had trained before would definitely come in handy in defense. These mature troops had fought several battles and were more adept at guarding the pass.

It was true that he was reluctant, but Li Ling had no choice but to accept this result and arrangement.
There is no need to think too much about other things. If he really returns to the Han Dynasty, Li Ling feels that he needs to hurry up to train the troops. Since he has trained a good army before, he can also train a second powerful army.

Moreover, as a soldier, Li Ling knew very well that he could not always lead the current army. It was normal to be transferred now. Even if he was not transferred now, he would most likely be transferred in the future. There was no easy way to say it.

It is nothing more than retraining an army, so he must hurry up. He may not have enough time to train the army to a very high level.

This was not Huo Xian's revenge, or his attempt to cut off Li Ling's chance of becoming a marquis or a general. He did this more out of consideration for the people under Li Ling, who were indeed very suitable for guarding the pass, and naturally worthy of being reused.
In the final analysis, the overall situation is the most important. This is what Huo Xian chose, and Li Ling seems to have similar ideas. Each of them is very clear about their position and knows what to do to make the emperor more satisfied.

After simply asking for Li Ling's opinion, Huo Shan got to know some of his ideas and ambitions. He was very satisfied with this and thought that this was the way things should be done.

Seeing Li Ling leave, Chen Ju said with some disdain, "You are so magnanimous. If it were me, I would have to find a way to kill him!"

"It's not that serious. This guy still has some skills." Huo Xian smiled and said, "We still need to use him now. If we use him well, he will be of great help to us in fighting the Xiongnu."

These are some of Huo Xian's simple values ​​and cognitions. Li Ling is capable and talented, and Huo Xian has no better choice now. In such a situation, even if there are some grudges, it must be used when it is necessary. As for whether there will be mutual hostility in the future, it can be discussed later.

Chen Ju still said with some complaints, "Anyway, I just don't like their family. I guess if they catch the handle of the Lord, they will definitely not be polite."

This makes a lot of sense. Huo Xian smiled and said, "Then we just need to be a little more careful. However, I have left too many handles. I don't care whether they will impeach me for this."

This statement was a bit ungrateful, but Chen Ju felt that it was completely fine. Even if his lord was impeached, the emperor would not blame him.

"Li Ling wants to use him, but I'm still looking for a general." Huo Xian couldn't help but complain, "I originally thought that there were few people who were capable of leading an army alone, and now there are not enough people no matter how I calculate."

At this time, Chen Ju was left with only embarrassment, because no matter how hard he tried, he could not essentially help the prince or solve some problems.

When it comes to fighting in battle or protecting the prince, Chen Ju is full of confidence. There are few people in the world who can hurt the prince under his protection.

But then again, if Chen Ju really had enough ability, he would not be just a member of the Guanjun Marquis's Mansion. Sometimes personal bravery cannot be fully displayed on the battlefield.

Huo Xian rubbed his temples and felt a headache coming on. "Li Ling is well-used this time, but I have to make arrangements for my uncle's people as well. A good general actually has to think about these things!"

Thinking about it, I feel a little depressed. It seems that a general is not just responsible for fighting wars, but also has to deal with a series of human relationships.

Even though Huo Xian doesn't seem to need to pay special attention to these things, it doesn't mean he can completely ignore them. He definitely needs to find a balance when it's time.

Chen Ju was very thankful and said, "These things make me angry just thinking about them, I'd better just focus on being a good soldier. I can't handle those annoying things, only you, the Lord, can do them well!"

This clumsy and straightforward flattery made Huo Xian roll his eyes, but he had to consider some of the things that should be done next. He must continue to do what he should do, and this is also his responsibility.

"The people on my uncle's side are not just Yiqiu Hou." Huo Xian sighed and said, "My uncle and my grandfather are also non-partisans, but some people are restless and insist on flattering themselves!"

Chen Ju laughed nearby and said, whether they were great generals or generals, sometimes it seemed that they really did not form factions.

But the people under his command obviously don’t think so. Each of these people is very clear about their origins and factions, and they are proud of it. This is also a help to them in their careers!
(End of this chapter)