Big man: I am the Champion Marquis!

Chapter 295 Worries about the future
There is no need to think too much about some things in the army. Although the Han Dynasty now seems to be developing towards a trend of being out of control, fortunately the army is stable.

The people were suffering and the number of refugees was increasing, but these did not shake the foundation of the Han Dynasty.

It has to be said that the people's hearts are still with the Han Dynasty. Despite Emperor Liu Che's wars and militarism over the years, there have still been no large-scale uprisings.

Even for Liu Che, the people were still on his side. All the subjects in the world needed was an edict from Liu Che, and they would obey his orders.

Huo Xian, who was fully prepared for war, was also thinking seriously about some things: to despise the enemy strategically and to take the enemy seriously tactically.

Thinking of this, Huo Xian ran to the General's Mansion again. It would be better to consult Wei Qing and others on some matters. With such a ready-made general as a guide, it would be unreasonable not to ask for more advice.

"I've thought about it carefully, and I'm sure I'll have to bring a lot of Wugang vehicles this time." Huo Xian also said straight to the point, "Uncle, I'm still not very proficient in the use of Wugang vehicles."

Wei Qing smiled and said, "If you use the Wugang cart, at most you can only transport some food and military equipment, right?"

Huo Xian nodded awkwardly. In his hands, the Wugang chariots were basically used to transport food and other things. He was indeed lacking in knowledge on how to make good use of these chariots on the battlefield.

The Wugang Chariot is different from the chariots of the Spring and Autumn Period. It is two meters long and fourteen meters wide, and can be covered with leather armor and a shield.

Tie the spears and shields together to form a solid defensive front, and then the fierce Han army's bows and crossbows can use this as cover to fire.

It seems that having such flexible chariots also means having mobile camps, so the Han army soldiers can gain a foothold even if they go deep into the grassland.

Wei Qing originally formed a battle formation with Wugang chariots, making thousands of Hun cavalry helpless.

Wei Qing said patiently, "It is not difficult to use the Wugang Chariot well, but you have to grasp the timing. If you wait for the Xiongnu to tire themselves out, then even if the Xiongnu have more cavalry, it will be useless."

This is also an advantage of the Wugang Cart, but actually also a disadvantage. After forming a formation, it is difficult to move, and it is basically a fixed fortress.

It was nothing more than a direct confrontation with the Huns on the grassland. The Han army had an additional offensive to resist the Huns' cavalry attacks. It was unrealistic to simply kill more enemies with the Wugang chariots.

This is Wei Qing's strength. Not to mention his grasp of the opportunity, in terms of multi-service combat, no one in the Han Dynasty can match him.

Any type of troops would be of great use in Wei Qing's hands, and the coordination between the different types of troops was also easy for Wei Qing, and this was also a test for Huo Shan.

"If we want to make good use of the Wugang chariots, I think the timing is right." Wei Qing said seriously, "If we are in a decisive battle with the Huns, we can use the Wugang chariots to form a formation. Shooting them is secondary, the main thing is to dampen their spirit."

Huo Xian said seriously, "No matter how stupid I am, I would never think of using Wugang chariots to chase and kill the Xiongnu. If the two armies are facing each other, we can indeed use Wugang chariots."

Wei Qing continued, "If the Xiongnu suddenly attack during the march, you can also use the Wugang chariots when you don't have enough cavalry. But you have to hurry up to deploy the formation, otherwise you will be in disarray."

Huo Xian also understood this truth. Nowadays, wars need to be fought in formations, which is one of the most basic requirements for a general.

Huo Xian thought about it carefully and said, "The soldiers under my command are actually fine. They are very resolute in carrying out military orders. But I can't guarantee what the soldiers in the border counties will be like."

These were also what Huo Xian thought in his heart. Although the border troops of the Han army also maintained sufficient training, the Huns could never compare with them.

In terms of the quality of the soldiers alone, the Han army not only had an obvious advantage in terms of ordnance, but also had an advantage in training and other aspects.

But to be honest, the training of the Han army was somewhat uneven, and not all soldiers were elite. Especially when encountering unexpected situations, some soldiers would be at a loss.

Using infantry to fight cavalry is inherently disadvantageous. Even though the Han army now has a large number of cavalry, it is still mainly composed of infantry.

Huo Xian knew all these things, and Wei Qing and the others knew them even better. In this decisive battle against the Xiongnu, Huo Xian must have elite soldiers, but he also needed to take care of Li Guangli, Zhao Po Nu and the others.

In the final analysis, the Han army cannot suffer too great losses. Once a large army is defeated, it may not lead to a complete loss, but it will definitely cause some changes in the initiative of the war and will also have an impact on morale.

"Then practice some more. Don't think about catching thieves now." Wei Qing said, "You have a few good officers under you. They should also be trained."

Huo Xian nodded repeatedly. Not to mention Zhao Congxiao and others for now, Zhao Chongguo, Han Zeng, Zhang Anshi and others were also young talents promoted by him, and they are now considered the backbone of the army.

Huo Xian then said, "It just so happens that the Southern Army and the Northern Army are here too, so we can practice more battle formations."

It is better to sharpen your sword before a battle, not to mention that these elite Beijing troops have received a lot of training and have a very good foundation, so it is easier for them to accept a series of targeted training now.

Wei Qing nodded, and then said, "We need to hurry up, the mobilization of the Beijing troops is just around the corner."

Wei Qing didn't need to explain much. Nowadays, war mainly involves marching. It is common for a march to take several months. Huo Xian was accustomed to it.

Although a part of the border troops have been mobilized to the north, the main force of the Beijing Army has not yet taken action. However, as they are about to prepare for the decisive battle next year, the Beijing Army cannot continue to rest easy.

"Once our Beijing troops start to mobilize, the Xiongnu will know about it very soon." Huo Xian smiled and said, "Maybe the Xiongnu have already started preparing now. They will definitely be afraid."

Wei Qing naturally agreed with Huo Xian's statement.

The Han Dynasty wanted to destroy the Huns, and the Huns also wanted to destroy the Han Dynasty at all times. This was a relationship that would not end until one of them died.

Although the two sides still send envoys to each other and occasionally express friendship, in essence the two regimes are wary of each other and will not hesitate to kill each other if they have the chance.

The Han army is constantly deploying troops and stationing them on the border, and the Huns will definitely respond. Especially now that the Huns' national strength is getting weaker and weaker, they will be even more nervous facing the Han army's pressure on their border.

The Han army is making a series of preparations. Many things have been prepared for a year or two and have begun to be implemented one after another.

However, don't think that the Xiongnu are fighting for power and profit, and that they are doing nothing because their national strength is declining. As long as the Han army shows a tendency to use large-scale troops against the Xiongnu, the Xiongnu will definitely have reacted, and a series of countermeasures will surely be launched early.

These are things that are beyond doubt. Huo Xian understands this, and Wei Qing and others know these things even better.

Huo Xian smiled and said to Wei Qing, "I think the Xiongnu people should want to join forces with the royal court now, otherwise it will be difficult for them to fight a decisive battle with us."

Wei Qing nodded, but also said, "It's just that this time it's not certain whether Er Chanyu will be the commander or some Xiongnu nobles will be in charge. It's a good thing for you, but also a difficult thing."

Huo Xian thought the same. "I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Er Chanyu lacks prestige, and those nobles are disunited and want to protect themselves. This is good for us."

This is why Liu Che urged to use military force. In the final analysis, he felt that the internal situation of the Huns was unstable. He did not want an internal fight among the Huns and a strong man to stabilize the various forces of the Huns.

Now is the right time to attack the Huns, that is, to take advantage of the internal conflicts of the Huns, that is, to use troops when the Huns have no more cohesion.

Wei Qing then said, "But you can't underestimate them. The Xiongnu are different from us Han people."

Huo Xian naturally understood that the Khan of the Xiongnu was naturally the ruler of the regime, but the Left and Right Wise Kings, the Left and Right Grand Commandants, etc., were all powerful people who had large numbers of troops at their command.

It was normal for these Xiongnu nobles to become independent, and they fought for the position of Xiongnu Chanyu by relying on the troops in their hands, etc. This happened frequently in the history of the Xiongnu.

It is also common for the Xiongnu to follow orders but not announcements, or to have their own troops and be independent. The current Xiongnu is just that the prestige of the Chanyu is not enough, not that the left and right wise kings have lost their military power.

This also means that the Huns still have a lot of soldiers and horses. Once they encounter pressure from the Han army, they might immediately put forward a commander, and even prompt the Huns to reach a consensus.

After all, the Huns knew the answer in their hearts as to whether to defend themselves with their own troops or to be destroyed by the Han army. They also understood what it would mean if the Han army marched north.

"I am also worried that the Xiongnu will unite their forces, but we still have the advantage in terms of military strength." Huo Xian complained, "I wanted to offer a plan to divide the Xiongnu before, but Your Majesty did not allow it."

Wei Qing nodded slightly in silence. Huo Shan had offered advice on how to divide the Huns when he accompanied the emperor on his tour around the country, so he naturally knew about this.

But this seemingly good plan only requires time. It will take a certain amount of time to see the results.

What the Han Dynasty lacks most now is time, and the emperor will not allow the decisive battle with the Huns to be postponed for five or even ten years. The emperor simply cannot wait for two or three years.

Wei Qing was naturally happy about Huo Xian's plan to weaken the Xiongnu. After all, such a great Marshal and General of Cavalry did not just want to fight, but was also considering the national conditions of the Han Dynasty and wanted to win at the lowest cost.

If I assist the prince in the future, I will naturally feel at ease. After all, it is urgent for the Han Dynasty to recuperate.

Looking at Huo Xian who seemed a little depressed, Wei Qing said, "It's a good plan, but it's not working right now. So don't mention it again, or His Majesty will definitely be unhappy, and it won't do you any good either."

Huo Xian nodded repeatedly, "I just complained to you a little bit. After your majesty reprimanded me before, I didn't mention this matter again."

Wei Qing was very pleased. When it comes to understanding the emperor's mind, Huo Xian is indeed better. It seems that this is the right time to make the emperor angry, but on some major issues, this child is more cautious than anyone else.

Worrying that Huo Xian would dislike the emperor was truly worrying too much. Instead of worrying about those things, it would be better to think about how to make yourself more trustworthy in the emperor's heart.

Huo Xian looked at Wei Qing and whispered, "Uncle, I'm going to leave this time, and I'll need you to keep an eye on Chang'an."

Wei Qing understood and said, "I know that His Royal Highness was a little anxious about some things. Fortunately, His Royal Highness listened to the advice, and now many things have been sorted out."

Everyone was aware of Liu Ju's little tricks. Both Wei Qing and Huo Shan were not very happy about it, but they really had no way to deal with it.

After all, as Liu Ju was the crown prince and the son of Wei Zifu, Wei Qing and Huo Shan naturally had to support Liu Ju without reservation.

After all, Liu Ju's little tricks did not really threaten Liu Che, so Huo Shan and Wei Qing could only help to clean up the mess. After all, Liu Che's dissatisfaction with the prince had always existed.

After thinking carefully for a long time, Huo Xian finally spoke, "As for His Majesty, although you have His Majesty's trust, there are some things that cannot be discussed anymore."

Wei Qing knew it in his heart, and said with a smile, "I have long since closed the door to visitors and stopped asking about government affairs. It was only during these few times when you sent troops that I helped to discuss military affairs. I am not in any serious trouble."

Although Wei Qing was not suspected by the emperor, it was obvious that he had been idle for so many years. This was not just a recent thing. More than 20 years ago, Huo Qubing was promoted to power in order to weaken Wei Qing's position.

Huo Xian was still worried and said, "Go to the palace less often if possible. I see that there are fewer people around His Majesty now. His Majesty will get annoyed if you say something wrong."

Wei Qing was silent for a long time before asking, "Is your Majesty's current thoughts so hard to guess?"

"I'm a bit moody now. I don't even dare to be in front of His Majesty often." Huo Xian whispered, "It's because Your Majesty brought me up, otherwise I don't know what the result would be."

Wei Qing was well aware of this. In fact, over the years, some people have followed suit, thinking that the emperor only recognized the tactics of Huo Qubing and Huo Shan.

The result of imitating others is to imitate others without success. Some things can only be done by Huo Qubing and Huo Shan, and the emperor has different feelings towards them.

Huo Xian then said, "Also, think of a way to get the Prime Minister to step down as soon as possible. But don't make it too obvious, otherwise His Majesty will definitely think too much."

Wei Qing said helplessly, "The Prime Minister wants to step down, but His Majesty won't allow it. People outside are talking about Wei Huo, and we are all His Majesty's subjects."

There is no way to deal with this, Wei and Huo have almost become a well-known interest group. And Gongsun He, who is often ignored, is actually the biggest weakness of Wei and Huo, and is most likely to implicate Wei Qing and Huo Shan.

There is no other way. It seems that we still need to think of more solutions, otherwise it will be difficult to feel at ease.

(End of this chapter)