Chapter 146

In the sixth year of Yuanshuo, Huo Qubing, the son of Wei Zifu's sister Wei Shao'er, was just eighteen years old and followed Wei Qing on the expedition as a Colonel of Agile Cavalry.

This youth was like a god of war descended from heaven.

He led eight hundred light cavalry, penetrated hundreds of miles into the desert, beheaded over two thousand, captured the Xiongnu Chancellor and Danghu, beheaded the Chanyu's grandfather-generation Jiruohouchan, and captured his uncle Luogu.

His merit topped the entire army, and Liu Che personally enfeoffed him as "Marquis of Champion."

In the Weiyang Palace, Wei Zifu looked at her heroic nephew, both happy and worried.

She summoned Huo Qubing into the palace and gave him earnest instructions,

"Qubing, your courage surpasses the three armies, and your uncle is proud of you. But in the way of using troops, one must know when to advance and when to retreat."

"You are young and vigorous, so you must be even more cautious."

Huo Qubing held his head high and said: "Aunt, rest assured! If the Xiongnu are not destroyed, how can one have a home? Qubing only seeks to ride across the northern desert and seal the wolf at Juxu!"

Wei Zifu's eyes filled with tears: "Good ambition! But you must remember, every soldier under your command is a child of parents and a husband of a wife and daughter. As a general, one should love one's soldiers like one's own children."

Huo Qubing bowed: "Qubing will keep it in mind!"

In the fourth year of Yuanshou, twenty-one-year-old Huo Qubing and Wei Qing each led fifty thousand cavalry out of the frontier to strike the Xiongnu.

Huo Qubing traveled over two thousand miles north, shattered the Left Worthy King's forces, annihilated seventy thousand enemies, sealed the wolf at Juxu Mountain, performed the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Guyan Mountain, and returned after reaching the Han Sea.

From then on, "the Xiongnu fled far away, and there was no royal court in the south of the desert."

The news reached Chang'an, and the whole country rejoiced.

In the Weiyang Palace, Emperor Wu of Han held a banquet to celebrate the merit, and the wine was half-finished.

Liu Che held Wei Zifu's hand and said emotionally: "Zifu, without you, where would Wei Qing come from? Without Wei Qing, where would Qubing come from? Without Wei and Huo, how could I wash away the shame of Baideng and raise the prestige of the Great Han?"

Wei Zifu rose from her seat and bowed solemnly to Liu Che,

"Your Majesty, the merit of Wei Qing and Qubing is due to Your Majesty's ability to know and employ people, and the soldiers' willingness to fight. This concubine has only done her duty; please, never reward the relatives of the Empress heavily because of me, lest it disrupt the court's order."

Liu Che sighed with emotion: "If all the civil and military officials in the court had this clarity of the Empress, what would I have to worry about?"

The image on the firmament changed again.

It was a middle-aged Wei Zifu, sitting upright in the Jiaofang Hall.

Crown Prince Liu Ju was reading nearby, occasionally looking up, his eyes filled with attachment to his mother.

"Ju'er,"

Wei Zifu put down the bamboo slip in her hand,

"Your father the Emperor was furious in court today because of the water transport, and dismissed three ministers."

Liu Ju frowned: "Father the Emperor has become increasingly harsh in recent years."

Wei Zifu shook her head: "You must not discuss your father the Emperor recklessly."

"Your father the Emperor aims to expand, striking the Xiongnu in the north, pacifying the Baiyue in the south, annexing Joseon in the east, and connecting to the Western Regions in the west. Every single one is a matter that consumes huge resources."

"He is under great pressure, and it is only natural that his temperament is a bit impatient."

She pulled the Crown Prince's hand: "You must remember, as a ruler, one should know how to employ people, but one should also show compassion for subordinates."

"Your father the Emperor's fierceness achieved the martial achievements of the Great Han; your kindness will achieve the civil governance of the Great Han in the future. Combining hardness and softness is the way to long-term stability."

Liu Ju nodded: "This son will keep it in mind."

Wei Zifu added: "Your uncle Wei Qing, although he is a General-in-Chief, you must never be close to him just because he is your uncle. Interference in politics by the Empress's relatives is a great taboo of the state. Your nephew Qubing died young..."

A look of pain flashed in her eyes, "They are all loyal ministers, but you are the Crown Prince, and you should keep an appropriate distance from all ministers and not be partial."

As they were speaking, Emperor Wu of Han walked in with a look of anger.

"Why is Your Majesty angry?"

Wei Zifu rose to welcome him and personally took off his cloak.

"It's those Confucian scholars! Saying that I am exhausting the military and wasting the people's wealth!"

Liu Che was furious, "If the Xiongnu are not destroyed, how can the Great Han be at peace? What do these pedantic scholars know!"

Wei Zifu said gently: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Although what the Confucian scholars said is extreme, there is a grain of truth in it; with years of war, the people are indeed exhausted."

"Your Majesty might as well slow down and let the people's strength recover. The Xiongnu have already fled far to the northern desert and will not be able to cause trouble in the short term."

Liu Che was silent for a moment and sighed: "Only you dare to advise me like this. Forget it, let's postpone the expedition against the Xiongnu next year."

He looked at Liu Ju, who was reading, and his expression softened slightly: "How are Ju'er's studies recently?"

Wei Zifu smiled: "The Grand Tutor praises him for being kind and intelligent, but his temperament is a bit soft."

Liu Che snorted: "As a ruler, one cannot be too kind. However..."

He paused, "With you here, I am at ease."

This scene was clearly presented by the firmament.

Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng's expression softened slightly: "Not interfering in politics, yet knowing politics; not contending for power, yet obtaining power."

"This woman deeply understands the way of being an Empress; she recommended Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, yet did not indulge the Empress's relatives; it is rare."

Han Gaozu Liu Bang did not dare to talk nonsense this time, stole a glance at Lv Zhi, and seeing that Empress Lv was focused on the firmament, he whispered: "This Wei Zifu is more powerful than I thought."

Tang Taizong Li Shimin said to Empress Zhangsun: "Guanyinbi, look, this is the true virtuous helper."

"Recommending the worthy without avoiding relatives, yet knowing how to restrain. The merit of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing was indeed laid by her."

Empress Zhangsun nodded: "What is even more rare is that she taught the Crown Prince to be kind."

"Emperor Wu of Han was fierce, the Crown Prince was kind and gentle; combining hardness and softness is originally a good thing. It's just a pity..."

She saw the four words "Witchcraft Calamity" on the firmament and sighed softly.

Cao Cao clapped his hands and laughed: "Empress Wei recommended Wei and Huo without claiming credit, restrained the Empress's relatives to avoid suspicion, and taught the Crown Prince with kindness; she is worthy of being the third on the list of virtuous empresses."

Guo Jia said gloomily: "Prime Minister, Lady Bian is not bad either."

Cao Cao laughed loudly: "That is natural! My Lady Bian is also virtuous!"

Zhuge Liang sighed softly: "It is a pity that such a virtuous empress did not have a good end."

"The Witchcraft Calamity... alas, since ancient times, emperors have been suspicious, and the position of Crown Prince is the most dangerous."

【Tragedy in Later Years】

The image on the firmament suddenly turned dark.

In the second year of Zhenghe, Chang'an City was shrouded in a strange atmosphere.

Emperor Wu of Han was old and sickly, suspicious and paranoid.

The treacherous official Jiang Chong took the opportunity to slander, saying that witchcraft was rampant in the palace, cursing the Son of Heaven.

Liu Che ordered Jiang Chong to investigate thoroughly.

Jiang Chong led people to break into the Jiaofang Hall and "dug out" paulownia wood dolls in the Crown Prince's palace, claiming that the Crown Prince was cursing the Emperor.

Crown Prince Liu Ju was terrified.

He knew this was Jiang Chong's framing, but his father the Emperor was suspicious, and he had no way to defend himself.

In a moment of desperation, he adopted the plan of the Junior Tutor Shi De and sent troops to capture and kill Jiang Chong.

However, the news reached the ears of Liu Che, who was recuperating in the Ganquan Palace, and it became "the Crown Prince is rebelling."

The furious Emperor Wu of Han issued an edict: "The Empress and the Crown Prince are plotting rebellion; seize the Empress's seal and ribbon!"

When the messenger arrived at the Jiaofang Hall with the edict, Wei Zifu was kneeling in the hall, in front of the ancestral tablets.

She had not slept for several days, and her face was haggard.

"Empress," the messenger did not dare to look at her, "His Majesty has an edict to seize the Empress's seal and ribbon..."

Wei Zifu slowly stood up, her expression terrifyingly calm.

She walked to the dressing table, took out the Empress's seal and ribbon, and touched them gently.

She had held this seal for thirty-eight years.

Thirty-eight years, from her youth to the gray hair at her temples now.

"Take it."

She handed the seal and ribbon to the messenger, her voice without a ripple.

After the messenger left, Wei Zifu dismissed all the palace staff.

She changed into the plain dress she wore when she first met Liu Che and combed her hair in the mirror.

The person in the mirror had fine lines at the corners of her eyes, but her features were still gentle.

"Your Majesty," she spoke softly to the void, "This concubine entered the Pingyang Mansion at thirteen, was favored by you at sixteen, gave birth to your eldest son at eighteen, and was made Empress at twenty."

"Thirty-eight years... this life of mine, having received your favor, is already a great fortune."

"This concubine has never failed you, never failed the Great Han. Wei Qing and Qubing swept the northern desert for you."

"Ju'er guarded the foundation of the country for you for thirty years. This life of mine has no regrets."

"Today's matter, this concubine knows it is Jiang Chong's framing, but since you suspect me, this concubine has only death to prove my innocence."