My father is Emperor Wu of Han, how can I be different from him?

Chapter 49 Eat eat eat

After what happened to his 'stepfather', the harmonious atmosphere of the conversation was gone. Although Huo Qubing's expression softened a little later, the atmosphere was still a little cold.

In this situation.

Liu Ju couldn't bring up anything else, let alone say, 'I see that my cousin's younger brother is very talented and has an excellent physique, why don't you call him out to chat with him?'

Well... the reason why it is expressed in a rather distant way is because Liu Ju and Huo Guang were originally distant, and there was no blood relationship between them.

at most.

Liu Ju called Huo Qubing his cousin and Huo Guang called Huo Qubing his brother. This was the only bond between them.

all in all.

As the atmosphere became awkward, Liu Ju took the initiative to leave. Huo Qubing also knew that he had lost his composure and did not force him to stay.

"I have neglected Your Highness today."

"Cousin, your words are too serious."

In front of the main hall, Liu Ju stopped Huo Qubing's steps to see him off, and said with a cupped hand: "We will have a banquet at the Crown Prince's palace some other day. You can bring me along. I won't bother you today."

"Stay."

Then, under the guidance of his retainers, Liu Ju hastily ended his visit and left the house.

After the prince left, Huo Qubing sat alone in the hall, silent.

At this moment, his heart was very complicated. Sometimes his mind flashed with the father who abandoned him, and sometimes his mother who he didn't know how to face appeared in his mind.

Comparing his own unbearable experience, Huo Qubing couldn't help but think of his cousin, his aunt who loved him very much, and the emperor who cared deeply about him.

And what about himself?
No one would know that the General of Cavalry, who might seem sharp and arrogant in the eyes of outsiders, actually has a weak side.

He is human.

For a person who has just turned twenty years old and is a person of flesh and blood, who can know that his sharp and tough appearance is not a deliberate cover-up?

Maybe, maybe not.

Only Huo Qubing himself knows the answer to this question...

but.

Whenever he felt down, he would always think of the teachings of a person, who had the same experience as him, or even more miserable, but he climbed up and finally stood at the top!
That man was Huo Qubing's uncle, Wei Qing.

As an illegitimate child, Wei Qing had the opportunity to go to his father's house when he was young, but his biological father did not regard him as his son, and his father's legitimate son did not regard Wei Qing as a brother.

There, Wei Qing was treated like a slave, ordered around and humiliated at will.

So much so.

When he was older, Wei Qing would rather be a riding slave of Princess Pingyang than stay in his biological father's home!

Later, Wei Zifu entered the palace, and Wei Qing made rapid progress and was promoted to the rank of general!
Huo Qubing always remembered it.

When he was a child, his uncle once said to him: "If you were born in a humble family, you should use the gun in your hand and the horse under your crotch to fight your way to nobility!"

"Achieve success and return home in glory."

"Then let me ask, are they the ones who don't recognize their son, or is it their son who wants to recognize them? Who is marrying up and who is unworthy?!"

Huo Qubing never repays evil with kindness. He always takes revenge when he has evil, and dares to love and hate.

After being promoted to General of Cavalry and conquering the Hexi area and making a great name for himself, he returned home in glory and met his biological father.

The scene of their past meeting is still clearly visible in Huo Qubing's mind.

That day.

The governor of Hedong went out to greet him at the inn of Pingyang Marquis and sent someone to invite a minor official who was restrained and looked embarrassed.

Father and son met for the first time in twenty years.

It had been twenty years since Huo Qubing saw his father. It was also the first time for Huo Zhongru to see his "wandering" son.

When the governor of Hedong saluted respectfully, Huo Zhongru, who was still a minor official, was at a loss for a moment. He also saluted and said, "Greetings, General of the Cavalry!"

that moment.

Huo Qubing did not feel refreshed, but rather bored.

All the anger, grief, and rage disappeared without a trace. Looking at this person who was related to him by blood, Huo Qubing bowed and said calmly, "Father."

After that, there is no more.

Buy land, then walk away...

He should not have any negative emotions towards his father. It was not worth it. Huo Qubing believed that he would never go to Hedong County again in his life. There was no one there that he could care about!
The only one, he also brought to Chang'an. The adults' fault is the adults' fault, Huo Qubing will not be angry with the child, since he is of the same blood as him, he will still take care of him.

inside the hall.

Putting away his messy thoughts, in a moment, Huo Qubing became the confident and powerful champion marquis again, with a serious and cold expression.

Even when I saw Huo Guang in the backyard, he still had the same expression. It was the same when I first met my father 20 years ago, and it was the same with this younger brother.

When dealing with him, what emerged in Huo Qubing's heart was more the responsibility as an elder brother.

If it comes from responsibility, it will naturally be strict.

"I've taken you to meet the prince today. You are both young men, so you can get closer to him in the future." In the backyard, Huo Qubing said to his younger brother.

Huo Guang put down the object in his hand. Although they had the same father, his personality was completely opposite to Huo Qubing's. He was respectful and polite, and bowed meticulously.

"Yes, brother."

"Yeah." Huo Qubing nodded.

There was silence in the room for a while before he continued, "I am going to arrange a position for you. No matter how many classics you read, you must first know how to identify people and use them."

"If you tell the Crown Prince, I can arrange for you to be a Crown Prince's attendant. If I recommend you, I can also allow you to enter the palace and serve as a palace attendant to His Majesty. You can decide for yourself."

Hear the words.

Huo Guang glanced at the bamboo slips he had just put down and bowed again, "May I ask, brother, what are the similarities and differences between the two duties?"

"They both have the duty of guarding and consulting. The difference is that one frequently goes in and out of Weiyang Palace, while the other goes in and out of the Crown Prince's Palace."

After hearing this, Huo Guang looked thoughtful.

After a moment, he replied, "Given your relationship with the Crown Prince, I'm afraid you will be treated preferentially if I enter the Crown Prince's Palace. I don't want to waste your kindness, so please enter Weiyang Palace."

"it is good!"

……

……

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

As for Liu Ju, after returning to the Prince's Palace, he prepared a banquet to entertain the guests.

What I had said to Huo Qubing earlier about having a drink later on another day was not just a polite remark.

But inviting Huo Qubing to dinner will have to be done on another day.

And today.

You have to invite the Prince's Grand Tutor and the Prince's Junior Tutor first!
Since Liu Ju left the palace, all the ministers in the court who had some connection with him have sent him gifts, some simple and crude, such as the 100 personal soldiers of Huo Qubing, and some subtle and elegant, such as the poems written by Sima Xiangru.

Most of them are fine wine, jade and other things.

Now that you have left the palace and are working on your own, you have to reciprocate each one of them. Whether it's to win them over and maintain relationships, or just as a courtesy, there has to be a show of appreciation.

When talking about "respect", we naturally have to respect our teachers first, that is, the Taifu and Shaofu.

When you invite people to dinner, you also have to pay attention to the order.

After the respect, the next step is courtesy, the kind of "courtesy" between people who are neither too close nor too distant, but have some kind of friendship.

This group of guests included Zhang Qian, Sima Xiangru, Dongfang Shuo, and Li Guang.

Yes.

In order to thank the prince for the favor he had done for "going west to wipe out the remaining Huns" during the Battle of Hexi, Old Man Li also sent a gift.

Although they were all ministers in the court, with so many people present and the palace doors open, there was no need to be shy about hosting a banquet openly.

At last.

After two days of preparation, it was finally Huo Qubing's turn to have a meal. Also at the table were Huo Guang, his uncle Wei Qing, and his three sons, Wei Kang, Wei Buyi, etc.

Obviously, this is a family dinner.

Since the relationship is close, there is naturally no need to pay attention to empty things like "respect" and "etiquette". They won't mind if you put them last, and will be happy and at ease.

This is just like giving gifts at a banquet, the host always gives way to the elders first, then the guests, and finally, family members will sit at the table. It's the same principle.

We've been talking about treating people to dinner for so long, and now we've got to the topic of giving gifts and eating at the banquet, and it's always centered around eating.

This is not without purpose.

Because the "eating" that Liu Ju came up with is different!
(End of this chapter)