After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 15.1
Chapter 15: Grand Marshal
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Forbidden Court, Liangyi Hall.
Several summoned ministers had just left the hall. The golden spirals in the incense burner were burning the rich aroma of Borneol 1, and the rising smoke wafted towards the luxurious coffered ceiling.
The Emperor sits at the dragon table, looking slightly impatient. The chief eunuch, skilled in observing the Emperor’s mood, immediately senses the Emperor’s restlessness and orders the palace maids to remove the incense from the burner.
The chief eunuch respectfully said, “Your Majesty, it’s already the fifth hour. In whose palace would you like to have dinner tonight?”
The Emperor furrows his brow and dismisses the question, as his mind is filled with what the ministers had just reported:
“Your Majesty, in the recent battle at Beiwan, the Wolf Cavalry of Marquis Dingbei suffered nearly two thousand casualties, and the border army of Li Kingdom suffered nearly twenty thousand casualties.”
“Your Majesty, the Marquis of Dingbei, and the army from the Capital District have just returned from a major battle. Their morale must be compromised. The provincial governor of Qianzhong in the Southern Region has taken advantage of the chaos and recruited a large number of able-bodied men. The remaining troops from the various monitoring districts may not be able to resist.”
Thinking of this, the Emperor sighed.
The chief eunuch consoled, “Your Majesty, Marquis Dingbei has just returned from the frontier. What more are you worrying about?”
The Emperor’s eyes darkened slightly as he twirled the jade ring on his thumb.
Huo Pingxiao had not died; instead, he returned safely. This fact complicated the Emperor’s emotions—there was joy and relief, but also fear and concern.
After a moment of silence, the Emperor speaks in a cold tone, “I have maintained the sixteen Forbidden Army regiments in the South Court for nothing. Even the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace’s Office of Servitude was attacked!”
The chief eunuch replied, “Your Majesty, this morning your decree has already been announced. The official positions of the commanders of the Jinwu Guard and the Surveillance Gate Guards have been stripped.”
The more the emperor thought, the more he felt a sense of oppression in his heart. He originally thought that the Li Kingdom would be peaceful for a few years. Four years ago, he had transferred Huo Pingxiao from Jiannan Road to Chang’an, hoping to use this to reduce the man’s military power.
The emperor did not want outsiders to think that he mistreated his meritorious subjects. He had even bestowed a large mansion upon Huo Pingxiao, intending to soften the man with gold, silver, and beautiful women. In the end, he planned to confer a title on him without real power, emptying his authority.
Furthermore, the emperor even considered making Huo Pingxiao marry the princess. Once the man became the son-in-law, he would inadvertently be distanced from the center of power.
However, the situation now is not easy. Inside the Li Kingdom, the situation is unpredictable, and outside, numerous countries still surround them.
Without Huo Pingxiao, not only would the territory be at risk, but the Emperor might not even be able to secure his dragon throne.
Huo Lang, lurking like a hidden dragon, had been lying low in the prime minister’s mansion, claiming illness and not going out. In the years when Huo Pingxiao was on military campaigns, he silently seized control of some of the power of the northern and southern Forbidden Armies.
The emperor even had some suspicions that the assassination attempt on the crown prince might have been orchestrated by Huo Lang.
Since the emperor was still a prince, he couldn’t see through the profound thoughts of this counselor. The emperor knew that when he usurped the throne, all his elder brothers were more outstanding than him. The reason Huo Long chose him was because he thought he could control him better.
Although the emperor felt frustrated, he also knew that the most powerful cavalry army in Great Li was Huo Pingxiao’s Wolf Cavalry Corps.
The three thousand soldiers of the Wolf Cavalry Corps were enough to counter the remaining three hundred thousand soldiers of the other armies. However, these soldiers would not obey the emperor’s orders; they would only be loyal to their commander, Huo Pingxiao.
Now, the emperor still couldn’t do without Huo Pingxiao. Seeing that chaos was about to erupt in the southern borders again, the emperor sighed once more.
If he didn’t offer Huo Pingxiao some practical benefits soon and let him harbor thoughts of rebellion, it would not be good.
***
The next day.
The Zichen Grand Hall is grand and majestic, exuding a majestic and solemn aura.
After the morning court session, civil and military officials passed through the gate one by one and left the outer court.
It had been a long time since the emperor had held a large court meeting in the outer court. This morning, the imperial guards from the Jinwu Office searched the ministers one by one and examined their credentials.
The emperor symbolically listened to the reports from the officials, but there were very few people paying close attention to the political matters discussed. Most were in awe of the fact that Marquis Dingbei, Huo Pingxiao, had been appointed as the Grand Marshal today.
The position of Grand Marshal was higher than that of the Prime Minister, and it came with a gold seal and purple ribbon. It held a prominent place in the hierarchy, but it wasn’t just a prestigious title; it was a real responsibility that oversaw the nation’s military and political affairs, with the power to influence the state’s policies.
Of course, the emperor was not naive, and in Chang’an, there were more military families like the Huo family. However, the other military households didn’t have the same influence as Huo Pingxiao, and the power they possessed couldn’t really affect him.
The ministers who already had descendants couldn’t help but sigh. How did Huo Long raise his son? Why was he so capable?
With a prodigy like Huo Pingxiao, no matter how hard other families tried, they couldn’t compare. No matter how they looked at it, they were overshadowed.
They all thought that perhaps in Huo Pingxiao’s generation, the glory of the Huo family had reached its peak, and when Huo Pingxiao’s son was born, the Huo family would decline.
The Huo family would probably never produce descendants more outstanding than Huo Long and Huo Pingxiao. They wanted to see how long the arrogance of this family, with its two marquisates, would last.
Huo Pingxiao’s military campaigns always followed the military customs of the former Chu state. Every spring and winter, if there were no enemies on the border, they would cease hostilities and focus on farming and rest.
So, there was a saying in Chang’an:
“In May, Chang’an has two sights to behold:
One is the first green of the hawthorn and poplar trees along the official road.”
Upon a second look, dressed in fresh clothes, the Marquis Dingbei galloped down the Imperial Street.”
Outside the Vermilion Bird Gate, the misty willows of Chu are enchanting. The melodious sound of exotic Huqin 2, with a touch of foreign charm, lingers like a thread.
Huo Pingxiao was not fond of riding in carriages, even though the emperor had rewarded him with numerous prized horses. During his military campaigns, he still preferred to ride on that stubborn and fierce black horse Jinwu.
Huo Pingxiao ordered someone to tie Jinwu in the stable. If it travels on the official road, it might easily harm innocent civilians. Therefore, the stable boys of the mansion have long prepared a blood-red Dawan horse outside the high walls of the imperial palace.
The man is dressed in a black silk brocade robe, tall and imposing, with a slender waist, long legs, and broad shoulders. His strong narrow waist is bound by a leather belt emitting a cold light. He exudes the arrogance of royalty and the coldness of a military commander. With a martial demeanor, he strides towards the Dawan horse.
“Greetings, Lord Marquis.”
The stable boy respectfully salutes him.
Huo Pingxiao’s pitch-black brows and eyes appear somewhat cold. He skillfully mounts the horse, and as the reins are gently caught by the clear bones of his ink-colored gloves, he quietly orders, “Go to the Duke of Pei’s residence.”
- In traditional Chinese medicine, borneol (known as “Bing Pian” in Chinese) is often used for its cooling and analgesic effects. It can be obtained from the resin of certain trees or synthesized chemically.
2. Huqin
