A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 49 Guilt
"According to my brother, he has given me those eight hundred personal guards. Within ten days, I can break through one gate, and then my uncle can lead his army into the city. The matter can then be settled," Huo Qubing said.

A simple plan, unwavering confidence – this is the strategy with the highest win rate on the battlefield.

Simple and direct.

Sun Tzu's Art of War and the Six Secret Teachings are too difficult for officers and soldiers in the army.

Eighty thousand northern troops surrounded the gates of Chang'an, launching attacks in shifts throughout the twelve hours. Elite troops were then selected at night to be the first to scale the walls, open the city gates, and allow the main army to enter the city.

If it weren't Huo Qubing, but any general or commander in any era, Liu Ju or Wei Qing would have immediately started cursing. This change in the "hundred cavalry raid" tactic emphasizes the unparalleled personal charisma of the leader, which is essential to breaking through the enemy's stubborn defenses.

But this was Huo Qubing, who had twice distinguished himself in battle, and Liu Ju, who had fed the Crown Prince's personal guards with meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, and fruits for nearly half a year. Finding the right opportunity to capture Chang'an was both difficult and not difficult.

January?
Do not!
Ten days!
Wei Qing was tempted.

Liu Ju nodded, but not in agreement to lead the army into the capital. Instead, he asked, "Brother, what if, I mean, what if Father himself came to the city walls to command the battle?"

"His Majesty is seriously ill, how could this be..."

Huo Qubing stopped halfway through his sentence and then asked, "According to my brother, His Majesty is alright?"

Liu Ju continued Huo Qubing's words with a smile, "How could anything be wrong?"

Throughout history, there have been almost no emperors more callous than my father.

The Empress Dowager's dowry was incredibly generous. The two pillars of the empire were unique in history. His birth relieved the Emperor's father of the threat of not being able to live without a son. And then, what did the Emperor do?

Feeling that the newly formed military clique was too powerful, the emperor wanted to find two useless teachers to teach him filial piety and kindness. He followed his father's wishes and grew into an upright crown prince. However, his father scolded him for not being like his father. Especially after the deaths of his elder brother Huo Qubing and his uncle Wei Qing, the emperor focused on eliminating the Wei clan, intending to force him to rebel. When he actually rebelled, his father, relying on the prestige that the Wei clan had accumulated for him over the years, forcefully suppressed him. His mother hanged herself and her body was left in a desolate grave. He died in the pursuit, and his wives, concubines, children and grandchildren were also executed.

Countless people say that the Empress Dowager was deceived and regretted her decision at Luntai Palace. However, throughout the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, his mother was deposed and died without a posthumous title, and he, too, died without a posthumous title.

Father Emperor, perhaps because he was oppressed too much by the Dou and Tian families at the beginning of his reign, never forgot the dangers of powerful relatives. Even when he died, he staged a scene of killing his mother and establishing his son as heir, completely forgetting the possibility of the dangers of powerful ministers.

This indirectly led to tragedies for many more people.

Would such an extremely selfish and life-loving person die because of the blood of his own clan?

Liu Ju did not believe it.

"Ah."

Huo Qubing was speechless.

If Your Majesty were to personally lead hundreds of thousands of troops into battle from the city walls, the military force that could be mobilized would be unimaginable. Not to mention the prestige that he and his uncle have accumulated for Your Majesty, the legacy of Emperors Xiaowen and Xiaojing alone would be enough to make everyone in Chang'an willing to die for you.

Even if we still manage to win, what's the use of a dead city, a blood city?

"Father Emperor summoned Liu Hong to serve him; he was waiting for me," Liu Ju sneered.

Wei Qing and Huo Qubing felt a chill run through their bodies.

The Northern Army has basically broken away from Your Majesty's control, and the emerging military clique only recognizes the Crown Prince and not the Emperor. Given Your Majesty's wicked character, if given the chance, you would probably be willing to let the country crumble and the nation perish in order to completely eliminate them.

If things are as we think, His Majesty's illness is a trap that has been set beforehand.

"Brother, given this opportunity, should we remain inactive?"

"Of course not. Father wants to bury us, and so do we... The acquisition of power is never a one-step process. Just like the lamb leg that Uncle often eats, you have to eat it piece by piece with a knife. Especially the bones, you can't swallow them raw. You have to smash them to get the marrow inside."

Liu Ju explained to Wei Qing and Huo Qubing what it meant to chew slowly and carefully, and to suck the marrow from the bone: "The blood of the imperial relatives splattered on the emperor, so that the emperor could only avoid the world's scorn by pretending to be sick."

However, this also proves one thing: Heaven has sent down punishment, meaning that Father Emperor was wrong!

Was the emperor wrong?

Each of these four characters, taken individually, was understandable to Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, but when put together, they sounded completely foreign.

Throughout history, emperors have never admitted their mistakes. Even tyrannical and incompetent rulers like Jie and Zhou were only overthrown; they never admitted their mistakes, or perhaps they never had the opportunity to do so.

"For the past twenty years, Your Majesty has always claimed to be following the example of Emperors Wen and Jing, being kind and frugal, and close to the people. In reality, he has been engaged in large-scale construction projects, treating officials in both the central and outer courts like household slaves, and regarding the national treasury as his private property. He has used his own heart to control the hearts of the people, without doing anything to allow the people to rest and recuperate. As a result, the emperor is extravagant and the people are greedy, exhausting the people's wealth, causing the country to be in disarray, and the people to suffer. If we were to speak frankly, the people of the world would not have been honest with Your Majesty for a long time!"

Wei Qing and Huo Qubing froze, their faces suddenly changing, trembling uncontrollably. Even as subjects, they felt these words were utterly treasonous, like thunderbolts from the sky. If His Majesty were to hear them…

"Our Great Han Dynasty has tens of thousands of officials and numerous secretariats, yet not a single one dares to speak to His Majesty. If they do not speak out in court, then future generations will speak out in the glorious annals of history!"

Liu Ju looked at Huo Qubing and said, "Brother, you say that Heaven has brought down punishment, yet the officials of both dynasties have remained silent on this matter. Do they want His Majesty to be remembered with infamy for generations to come? Do they all wish for His Majesty's early demise?"

The cold glint in his eyes, the murderous intent flashing forth, horrified Huo Qubing. He could only console himself that, according to his brother, these words were aimed at the indifferent officials of the two dynasties, and certainly not at the emperor's death.

"That's what my brother said."

"In that case, please convey my words to both the central and foreign courts, and ask someone to draft a powerful self-reproach document to spread throughout the world, to appease the heavens above and comfort the people below, so that I may be redeemed and healed."

These words reportedly stirred Liu's blood, and his voice boomed like a bell, making the entire general's headquarters resound!
Wei Qing remained silent.

May Your Majesty take good care of your health and enjoy lasting happiness.

"Here."

Huo Qubing accepted the order.

As for who should write that self-reproachful essay, there's no need to elaborate.

... Maoling.

Sima Xiangru's face turned as white as paper, his jaw clenched, and he sat on the stool looking like he was about to collapse. His hand holding the wolf-hair brush twitched as if he had a stroke, and he couldn't bring himself to write.

But when a long sword is held to the neck, a magnificent essay no less impressive than the "Shanglin Fu" can be written in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

In the second year of the Yuan Shou reign, we received the illustrious majesty of Heaven.

Sweep across the Dragon Court and hang the Hu moon, tread the Qilian Mountains and inscribe the Yanran Mountains.

Ten thousand cavalrymen galloped like thunder across the vast sea, while the Xiongnu chieftain fled to Yinshan in the night.

His martial prowess shone brightly across the land, and the barbarians trembled and looked up to the Han banner.

However, I, your humble servant, lay prostrate before the palace gates, revealing my heart and soul, and witness the devastation that ravages the wilderness.

I hear of the lingering pain in the villages and see the granaries so empty and depleted.

I dare to emulate your madness and foolishness, hoping Your Majesty will heed my words beneath the crimson steps!

Watch your husband:

The nine-layered palace is shrouded in misty clouds; the lamps of the Weiyang Palace shine brightly throughout the night.

The bamboo of Nanshan Mountain is filled with reports of victory; the waves of the East Sea cannot contain the rewards and honors.

The Bowang Raft connects to the vast Milky Way, while the Shanglin Garden is expansive, teeming with deer and elk.

The Imperial Guard, with its thousand riders, stirred up dust; the sorcerer's words carried auspicious five colors.

However, observe that:
In Guanzhong, nine out of ten households are empty of grain; in Hebei, people wear tattered clothes.

The strong and healthy man's bones are yellowed and the sand is cold; the widow weeps blood as the white grass breaks.

The silkworms have died and the silk cannot be continued; the autumn harvest has not yet been harvested and taxes must be paid first.

Although the profits from salt and iron go to the Imperial Treasury, how can the common people bear the depletion of their very marrow?
The profound virtues left by Emperors Wen and Jing are like sweet rain nourishing the Central Plains.

Now, the wounds have not yet healed, and war has broken out again, like a dried-up pond seeking fish and minnows!

Have you not heard:
"Weapons are instruments of misfortune; even sages are cautious about them." "Those who strive for vast lands will find their land barren; those who strive for broad virtues will become strong."
In the past, Qin unified the six states and was so powerful, but in the end, the soldiers cried out and the state perished!

Your Majesty is wise and in charge of the administration; how could you not see this perilous sign?
Lu Fubo once said, "I will pile up gold in the South China Sea." Now that the work in the northern desert has been accomplished, can we still think of the idea of ​​"suspending the carriage"?
Ji Changru argued that although the Xiongnu had not been destroyed, the survival of the people was the very foundation for the prosperity of the nation!

May Your Majesty:
He sheathed the Kunwu sword and hid the tiger tally at the northern gate;

Rest the Ferghana horse, release the steed to the Southern Mountain.

The banquet at Ganquan was cancelled, and the mirage boat was abandoned.

He refuted the falsehoods of alchemists and sympathized with the hardships of farming.

Open the granary to revive the parched fish, and loosen the salt and iron reserves to heal the wounds.

Reduce corvée labor so that people can return to their fields, and lighten taxes to comfort the sick and needy.

This ensures that widows and widowers are cared for, and orphans and children are spared from crying in the wind.

When the vitality returns like spring seedlings, the granaries will be full and propriety and righteousness will flourish.

Then cultivate virtue and win over those far away; why bother with weapons to disturb the capital?

The barbarians, drawn by righteousness, naturally came to submit; even the strongest crossbow bolts could not shoot down a drifting tumbleweed!
Your Majesty, I have heard:

"The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is firm, the state is at peace."

"If you want a tree to grow luxuriantly, strengthen its roots; if you want a river to flow long, dredge its source."

In the past, when Yu the Great wept and alighted from his chariot, the King of Zhou stopped his carriage to inquire about the straw and firewood.

I risk my life to offer this advice, not to seek praise or fame in the court.

I fear that the situation will become chaotic and unsustainable, thus failing the hard work of our ancestor in establishing the dynasty!

If Your Majesty accepts humble offerings:

Stopping at the achievements of Yuan Shou, spreading blessings to the wounded land.

Then the people will be fortunate! The nation will be fortunate!

Your virtue and benevolence will surely extend to all generations, and your majestic presence will last forever alongside Mount Song and Mount Hua!
Song said:

The mighty Han Dynasty, destined by Heaven.

Having achieved martial prowess, one should now cultivate civil virtue.

The war ended and the people were allowed to rest; gentle rain fell softly.

May the roots be firm and the branches flourish, and may peace and tranquility prevail forever!
　This is a long chapter of nearly three thousand words. When a powerful piece of writing appears, it usually has several hundred to a thousand more words than a normal chapter. I sincerely ask for the reader's understanding and would be extremely grateful.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)