Big man: I am the Champion Marquis!

Huo Xian felt much more at ease as he was constantly clearing out some of the sources that had caused the witchcraft disaster in history.

Zhu Anshi, the direct source, was completely eliminated, and his crimes and confessions disappeared along with him. It was naturally impossible to make any more false accusations.

Gongsun He and Gongsun Jingsheng, father and son, are now relatively well-behaved. There is no such thing as embezzling military funds, nor trying to atone for their sins by making meritorious contributions. Now they will just honestly ensure that they are not disliked by the emperor, and are not further alienated by the empress and the prince.

This was a very good thing for Huo Xian. After all, without these direct conflict points, it was naturally very safe. However, he felt in his heart that this was not enough.

Essentially, the Witchcraft and Poisoning Incident was caused by the emperor's stupidity and excessive suspicion in his later years. Now that Zhu Anshi is gone, perhaps there are other factors that may have led to the case.

If we want to avoid something like the Witchcraft Incident from happening again, the real key point is the emperor and the crown prince.

The prince is no longer suspected and disliked by the emperor, and is no longer provoked by others. This is something that deserves great attention.

As for the emperor, Huo Xian obviously would not have any inappropriate thoughts.

It is certain that Liu Che was very kind to Huo Shan, and the relationship between the two was very good.

To be more realistic, if Huo Xian really did something, Liu Ju might seem to be temporarily happy, but once he got the power, he would definitely act ruthlessly, after all, no monarch could tolerate disloyalty.

Especially things that could threaten the personal safety of the emperor are obviously even more intolerable.

So there are some things that cannot be done, and you cannot even think about them, otherwise you will really be digging your own grave.

The good news is that Huo Xian understands these principles, so he has never had any inappropriate thoughts. Now he is still the emperor's most trusted and most valued "lone minister".

For Wei Zifu and Liu Ju, Huo Shan had unknowingly surpassed Wei Qing in many things and became the most reliable force for the prince in the court.

Even Prime Minister Gongsun He, this grandfather-like man, would attach importance to Huo Shan's presence in many matters, and would take the initiative to discuss and reach consensus on some matters.

After all, Wei Qing was getting old and no longer concerned with state affairs, and Huo Shan's status and influence were rising. His position in the emperor's mind had always been unattainable by other ministers.

But no matter what, the situation is temporarily stable now, and some unstable factors do not seem to be detonated for the time being.

Huo Xian came to Jianzhang Palace again, and when he saw Liu Che, he asked, "Your Majesty, why haven't I got all my gunpowder yet?"

Liu Che had a headache and said, "Gunpowder, gunpowder, practice your archery and battle formations well. Can gunpowder directly destroy the Xiongnu?"

That's hard to say, everyone has seen the power of gunpowder. But it has to be said that some of the inherent concepts cannot be changed overnight, and Huo Xian is also aware of this.

Now, if one wants to have absolute dominance in a war, it must be the cavalry and infantry. They are the ones who directly engage in bayonet fighting on the battlefield, advance the battle formations, and so on.

Gunpowder may be of some use, but in the eyes of many people, it is certainly difficult for it to become a truly mainstream weapon, let alone directly lead a war to annihilate a country.

After complaining, Liu Che said unhappily, "The gunpowder will be transported with you when the time comes. You are the only one who knows how to use those things."

"Your Majesty, that's not right." Huo Xian corrected him with a smile, "Although I was the first to use gunpowder in war, and it was also used by my troops, but now there are people in the army who know how to use gunpowder."

This is also true. Huo Xian was indeed the first person in history to use gunpowder for military purposes. Before that, people used gunpowder for alchemy, one for killing people and the other for immortality.

But if you think about it carefully, they are different ways to achieve the same goal. In military use, it is to blow up the enemy. If you eat a pill made with gunpowder, it will be heavy metal poisoning, which will kill yourself.

The production of gunpowder is currently limited, and the development of firearms is not very fast either. They can only be used for simple "blasting" and the like.

But no matter what, gunpowder has indeed begun to be used in the military. In some specific scenarios, it can still play a significant role on the battlefield.

Huo Xian was a very sensible person. It was true that he was the Grand Marshal and General of the Cavalry and seemed to hold great power, but that definitely did not mean that he could interfere in everything.

Liu Che said with disdain, "You are trying to use gunpowder, which is a thankless task. It's not easy to make, but how can you use it when it rains?"

"I'll use it on sunny days." Huo Xian gave his answer, "It's also good to scare the Xiongnu. Their horses will be startled and their men will be scared, so I can charge into the battle."

After hearing what Huo Xian said, Liu Che subconsciously felt that it made sense. Generally speaking, the training of war horses is very strict, and under normal circumstances they will not be frightened by some noise.

But this is not an absolute truth. If a war horse encounters a huge explosion, it will still be frightened.

People are actually the same. The Han people are superstitious about ghosts and gods, and the Huns are even more superstitious. When they encounter some particularly loud explosions, they probably think that some god is angry.

So there is definitely no problem for Huo Xian to use gunpowder to scare people, as it seems that all the prerequisites are in place.

Moreover, if gunpowder really worked, it would have a huge impact on the enemy's morale. When the capital of Dayuan was destroyed, it was just by blowing up part of the city wall, and the psychological defenses of the Dayuan people quickly collapsed.

Liu Che stared at Huo Xian and warned him, "You are not allowed to charge into the battle line. If you have such thoughts again, I will order someone to watch you."

If there was anything wrong, it was naturally Liu Che who realized it later. He still couldn't understand why Huo Shan had a special liking for the charge formation. Among all the generals under his command, Huo Shan probably killed the most enemies with his own hands.

Relying on his natural strength, his proficiency in archery and horsemanship, and his excellent armor, Huo Xian sometimes acts fearlessly and doesn't seem to care at all about getting hurt.

After hearing Liu Che's warning, Huo Xian seemed to admit his mistake with a guilty conscience, as if he had changed his mind. But whether he really listened to it or not is another matter.

Looking at Huo Shan's attitude, Liu Che felt powerless. He felt that it would be useless even if he sent someone to keep an eye on them, as he was not bound by the orders of the emperor when he was away from home.

It was simply because of Huo Shan's personality. If he went to the battlefield, who could really restrain Huo Shan except him, the emperor, and General Wei Qing who could not go to the battlefield?
"It's a bit inconvenient to transport the gunpowder now." Huo Xian mentioned the key point, "It's not just inconvenient in transportation, but mainly in storage. If it gets damp or wet, the gunpowder will be useless." Liu Che snorted coldly. The advantages and disadvantages of gunpowder are very obvious. This is one of the main reasons why he does not attach importance to gunpowder now.

As for whether he still had lingering fears from the fact that he had consumed a lot of pills made with gunpowder, only the emperor himself knew. Anyway, he couldn't stand the mention of gunpowder now.

It's all the fault of those alchemists who insisted that the elixirs they refined could prolong life and bring immortality. But looking at some of the situations on the battlefield, gunpowder can blow a hole in even a steep stone city wall.

Huo Xian then asked seriously, "Your Majesty, when should I leave?"

Liu Che also became serious, asking for opinions, "What about you? What do you think? You can leave in early winter or before spring, it's up to you."

There seemed to be no problem with this arrangement. In some matters, Huo Xian's preferential treatment was obvious. Even the time of departure for the expedition seemed to be something that he could choose on his own at first glance.

It is basically difficult for other generals to get such treatment, but this is just an appearance. They must set off when it is time to set off and must not miss military and national affairs.

"It's not a good idea to set off before spring." Huo Xian said honestly, "By then I will have to travel constantly. Not only will I be tired, but the army following me will also be tired."

Marching thousands of miles is a very difficult task in itself. If it is a forced march, it will be an even heavier burden for the army and horses, and many people will not be able to bear it.

Liu Che asked directly, "When you set out, how many troops were left? Even if you set out now, only your trusted elite troops would follow you."

It makes sense to think so. After all, Zhao Anguo, Gongsun Ao and others have also set off one after another. They are the generals who lead the army towards the designated assembly point, and they now bear more important marching responsibilities.

As for when Huo Xian set out, he basically brought his own troops, at most one or two thousand elite Yulin or Qimen, all of whom were light cavalry.

Therefore, even if it was a forced march, it would not be a big pressure for Huo Xian, especially since these people might not need to conserve their horsepower. It would be enough for them to reach the assembly point in time and take a short rest.

These were naturally the reasons why Huo Xian had not set out yet. In the final analysis, as a general in command of the army, he was different from a traditional general. Many of his responsibilities had been divided out, making his duties much easier.

Huo Xian looked at Liu Che and said, "If we set off before spring, I am most worried about the muddy roads. There will definitely be some inconveniences when the time comes."

Liu Che nodded. He naturally understood this. "So you mean to set off in a few days and spend the winter in Shuofang?"

"That won't work." Huo Xian said directly, "I'll wait a little longer. If I leave now, I'll have to wait for the army to arrive in Shuofang. I'll leave in the middle of winter, even though there's snow on the road, but I don't have many people."

Marching in winter is naturally a severe challenge and test, but Huo Xian only has a small number of troops and does not need to worry about equipment and baggage, so there are naturally no major problems.

Liu Che thought about it carefully and said, "You are in a hurry to go there, do you want to see the army's preparations before spring comes?"

"Your Majesty really understands me." Huo Xian flattered, "It's true that I'm staying in Chang'an now, but I don't want to go there early to suffer. But in a battle like this, I have to be attentive. I have to take a look at the army before entering the grassland."

If they set out now, they would have to spend the winter in Shuofang, which meant at least one more month of hardship. Even with Huo Xian's status, his life in Shuofang would not be too hard.

But no matter what, Shuofang is Shuofang and Chang'an is Chang'an. The basic conditions are different, so naturally you can't expect to enjoy some of the treatment in Shuofang that you get in Chang'an.

What's more, that was in the army, so basic security was certainly no problem. But to say that it was as rich and comfortable as in Chang'an was obviously wishful thinking.

You must suffer when you need to suffer, but you must also enjoy when you need to enjoy. This is what Huo Xian has always been doing.

Liu Che smiled and scolded, "You haven't set off yet. Many people are saying that you, Marquis Guanjun, have been spoiled since childhood and born rich. Even if you want to go to war, you must bring a kitchen, fine food, and fine wine."

Huo Xian was not embarrassed. "It is difficult for me to eat and live with the soldiers anyway. Even if we go to the grassland, my tent will definitely be bigger."

Eating and living together is obviously impossible. Even some so-called generals who love their soldiers like their own sons will give them many preferential treatments when they go to war. Otherwise, why would everyone in the army want to become a general?

It’s nothing more than that officers are treated better, and this can be reflected in all aspects.

Then Liu Che also said, "You want to inspect the army before the battle, which is also the right thing to do. It is not a bad thing to go there earlier."

It seems more appropriate to wait until deep winter is over, although the journey will certainly not be easy. But since we have chosen to have a decisive battle with the Huns in the spring, we must naturally be prepared to endure hardships in all aspects.

Huo Xian also said, "I think so too. It would be inappropriate not to check on the soldiers' preparations before the battle. I just want to enjoy what I should enjoy, but also take responsibility."

Liu Che felt that this was what Huo Xian could say. She never shirked her responsibilities and knew what it meant to put the overall situation first.

Just to be realistic, Huo Xian never wasted time enjoying himself when he should have. He even planned his time to the extreme in order not to delay enjoyment and military affairs.

"Then we will set out in winter. If you can bear the hardship of marching in the cold winter, then it's up to you." Liu Che said, "You have plenty of warm clothes, and there are towns and post houses along the way, so you won't be cold."

Of course not. If the snow is too heavy, we can rest. If the weather is clear, we can march. It is enough to be patient and not impatient.

There are not many soldiers accompanying them, and they are all elite with relatively high quality, so naturally there is no need to worry about too many things.

Thinking of this, Huo Xian couldn't help feeling a little complacent. It seemed that his arrangement was very reasonable, which was also recognized by the emperor.

But if you think carefully about the emperor's reaction, all this seems to be expected.

It can only be said that Huo Xian understood Liu Che, and Liu Che also understood Huo Xian's thoughts. (End of this chapter)