Chapter 119: Taking Huo Qubing as a Role Model

As the newly appointed Junior Supervisor of the Directorate for Armaments, a thorough inventory of the armory was an unavoidable duty.

From curtains, axes, and awls to pots and fire-drills, each item had to be accounted for, leaving Lu Liaoliao feeling dizzy and overwhelmed. However, his spirits soared the moment he saw the rows of Fuyuan crossbows, heavy-duty crossbows, single-bow crossbows, and horn-bows neatly arranged on the racks. He gently stroked the finely forged steel weapons and let out a soft, contemplative sigh.

He recalled the ancient days when the Mohist master and Gongshu Pan conducted a siege simulation before the King of Chu, showcasing an endless array of ingenious mechanical devices. Yet, over a thousand years later, the military was still utilizing those very same designs. Some even more formidable machines had long since been lost, vanished into the long river of history.

He picked up a single-bow crossbow, strode to the training ground, and fired four bolts at a target a hundred paces away.

"Old Hu" trotted over, beaming as he raised the target. "Three hits out of four shots, young master. You’ve passed the test!"

Lu Liaoliao blushed. Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, he handed the crossbow to Ning Jiao, who was standing nearby. "Here, you all try as well. The minimum requirement for recruiting soldiers in our Great Tang is two hits out of four. If you don't pass, don't blame me for being harsh."

Upon returning to the office, Cheng Changmu had already been waiting for some time.

"Brother Liao, before you took this post, did you go to the Court of the Imperial Insignia to pay your respects to your superiors? While the Court of the Imperial Insignia is technically just a sinecure for managing the armory and ceremonial tents—primarily meant to house us idle young masters—if you don't keep up with the customary tributes, they can make your life miserable."

This wasn't an oversight on Lu Liaoliao's part; he simply hadn't realized it, and no one had thought to remind him. He paused for a moment, then patted Cheng Changmu on the shoulder. "If not for your reminder, I would have nearly forgotten this. I’ll host a banquet at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion the day after tomorrow. I’ll invite all the officials of the Armory and my superiors from the Court of the Imperial Insignia. Fatty Cheng, I really owe you one this time."

"Heh heh, your business is my business, brother. If you're doing well, we're all better off, right?" Cheng Changmu replied with a wide, ingratiating grin.

Two days passed in a flash. After leaving his office early, Lu Liaoliao changed into casual attire and, accompanied by Wang Shiyi and Ning Jiao, stood at the entrance of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion to welcome the guests of the Great Tang. Regardless of their rank, every attendee was presented with a gift box by Wang Shiyi.

At this banquet, Wang Zhun sat at the head of the table as before.

"I spent days waiting at the Court of the Imperial Insignia, never seeing this new Junior Supervisor come to pay his respects. I was just about to go to the Armory office to see what kind of arrogant brat it was. It wasn't until I received your invitation that I realized it was you, you unlucky kid. Considering your family's recent troubles, I’ll forgive you this time," Wang Zhun said with great magnanimity, weighing the gift box in his hand.

"Haha! Brother Wang Zhun, are you referring to the Lady of Guo's two-million-cash horse dowry?" one of the young masters laughed.

"Damn it, a single military horse for our Great Tang army only costs twenty-five thousand cash. And yet, for a purple-maned mare, that woman Lady of Guo actually extorted two million cash from our new Junior Supervisor. She really is a black-hearted one," Wang Zhun grumbled indignantly, completely ignoring the awkward expression on Lu Liaoliao’s face as he sat beside him, unsure of how to respond.

"Heh, the Imperial Censor Yang Zhao—Lord Yang—had his name changed to Guozhong by the Emperor because of the 'Golden Knife' prophecy. He even rehabilitated the brothers of his uncle Zhang Yizhi. The Yang family is powerful; no one can afford to offend them. It's just a matter of spending money to avoid disaster, so Brother Liao shouldn't take it to heart. Come! Let's drink to victory, brothers!" Cheng Changmu stood up at the perfect moment, skillfully steering the conversation elsewhere.

After several rounds of drinks and much boisterous chatter, Lu Liaoliao noticed that Qin Ruochen seemed somewhat downcast. He picked up his cup and walked over.

"I’ve been at the Armory for three days, and the two hundred soldiers there have been drilled by Brother Ruochen into a fierce and disciplined force, well-versed in maneuvers. You truly live up to the name of a descendant of the Duke of Yi, a brave general of our Great Tang's founding. You have a real gift for leading troops."

"Heh, what gift do I have? Look at Gao Xianzhi, the Jiedushi of the Four Garrisons of Anxi. Not long ago, he crushed the Shi Kingdom and the Türgesh in the Western Regions and will soon arrive in Chang'an to present his captives. Wang Nande, the Commissioner of the Western Frontier, defeated the Tibetans, conquered the Five Bridges, and captured Shudun City, earning his appointment as Commissioner of the Baishui Army. Compared to them, we are like children playing house. It’s not worth mentioning," Qin Ruochen said with a self-deprecating smile, downing his cup in one go.

The group of young masters serving in the Court of the Imperial Insignia, including Wang Zhun, all looked grim and remained silent.

"Brothers, you are different from me, Lu Liaoliao. Your ancestors and fathers were either founding heroes of our Great Tang or famous generals who expanded our borders. You have magnificent reputations that will be recorded in history. I believe you all feel the same as Brother Ruochen—that you are unwilling to spend your lives in Chang'an, wallowing in luxury and dissipation, relying on the shade of your ancestors. You, too, wish to charge onto the battlefield and earn a name for yourselves, don't you?" Lu Liaoliao raised his glass and looked around the room.

"Sigh! Who the hell wants to rot away in the Court of the Imperial Insignia for their whole life? It's just that there’s no opportunity for us to stand out. The smart ones have gone to study for the civil service exams to become officials. We, the ones who are neither good at literature nor martial arts, are just tossed here to guard the armory and ceremonial tents," one of the young masters sighed deeply.

"Not necessarily. Look at the former Han Dynasty's General of Agile Cavalry, Huo Qubing. Wasn't he just like everyone here at the start? In the end, he led eight hundred men from good families to crush the Xiongnu in a single battle, beheading over two thousand enemies. He even chased the Xiongnu out, sealed the mountains at Mount Langjuxu, and achieved peerless merit," Lu Liaoliao smiled slightly, his words igniting a fire in the hearts of these young men.

Yin Feng stood up, pointed at a guy whose body had been hollowed out by wine and women, and then pointed at the chubby Cheng Changmu. "You expect these guys, who can barely stay on a horse, to kill enemies on the battlefield and seal mountains? Isn't that ridiculous?"

Cheng Changmu jumped up. "Yin Feng, you better explain yourself! I may be a bit chubby, but I can ride a show horse just as well as a warhorse. If you don't believe me, let's have a contest one of these days!"

"Haha, hahahaha!" Cheng Changmu's retort drew a roar of laughter from the group.

"Heh!" Lu Liaoliao chuckled and turned to Wang Zhun, who was seated at the head. "Brother Wang Zhun, a true scion of a civil official, the only precious son of his family. Your riding and archery skills are the best in Chang'an. Surely you descendants of dukes and generals aren't going to be outdone by Brother Wang Zhun?"

Lu Liaoliao's words made Wang Zhun blush with excitement. He downed a cup of fine wine and looked at the others in the hall with disdain. "Compared to me, Master Wang Zhun? None of you lot are worthy!"

"Damn it! A contest it is. Brother Wang Zhun, your 'Night-Shining Jade Lion' covers a thousand miles a day and is extraordinary. But Brother Ruochen's yellow-maned horse isn't bad either. Who among our families doesn't have a few Ferghana horses from the Western Regions? Your 'Night-Shining Jade Lion' might not necessarily win against all of us." An excited young master jumped out.

Lu Liaoliao spread his arms. "Since everyone is interested, why don't we let Brother Wang Zhun lead the way and form a Horse Racing Club? It will allow us to practice riding and archery, and we can add a wager or set up a betting pool to raise the stakes and keep things interesting. In time, if the club becomes popular, perhaps even the Emperor will take notice, and who knows? We might just find our chance to rise, don't you think?"

"Mi Gongtian, you really have a lot of devious ideas. This horse racing club is a great plan. I’ll take the lead. But how about you serve as the strategist for our club? What do you say, brothers?"

Wang Zhun raised his arm, and the group erupted in cheers.

After nearly a month of renovations, the Lu family’s old residence had changed beyond recognition. The lush, tree-lined courtyard with its carved railings and jade steps now featured several bright and clean study rooms. The front courtyard, save for a few tall old locust trees, had been cleared of buildings and converted into a training ground, while the backyard had been transformed into a quiet and elegant leisure garden.

On his day off, Lu Liaoliao managed to sleep in for an extra hour. After washing up and having breakfast, the sun was already high in the sky.

The Emperor's great-grandson, Li Shi, and Old Wang's youngest grandson, Wang Huan, had been studying there for a few days. As one of the tutors, Lu Liaoliao hadn't even shown his face, which was hardly justifiable. He strolled leisurely toward the moon gate leading to the study rooms, only to be blocked by two stern-faced guards from the Prince's mansion.

Claiming to be the master of the house was useless. Claiming to be the tutor was equally ineffective. If not for Wang Shiyi appearing just in time, he wouldn't even have been able to see his own students.

From a distance, he could hear Zhang Xun reciting the *Analects*. He quickened his pace toward the room where Zhang Xun was lecturing.

At the door, two young eunuchs of about thirteen or fourteen lowered their heads and stepped aside respectfully when they saw him. A vague sense of familiarity made Lu Liaoliao pause for a moment, but he didn't think much of it and stepped into the study.

Zhang Xun stopped lecturing and blocked Lu Liaoliao at the door with a cold face.

"I am in the middle of teaching the teachings of the sages. You barge in so recklessly—do you have any sense of propriety, justice, or shame?"

"Heh!" Lu Liaoliao sneered. "This is my private study, and the students inside are my disciples. You are the one occupying the magpie's nest, yet you accuse me of lacking propriety? What kind of logic is that?"

Zhang Xun didn't budge an inch. "You shameless thief who plagiarizes his master's poetry, yet you dare speak of lineage and discipleship? I fear that letting you in will corrupt the character of these children."

"I find it strange. What is wrong with lineage? If I cannot use the skills my master taught me, what was the point of learning them?" Lu Liaoliao argued sophistically.

Zhang Xun looked at him with contempt. "The skills a master teaches are one thing; the master's own works are another."

"According to you, the things my master gifted me cannot be used either? I studied swordsmanship under Master Taibai, and he bestowed upon me the famous sword *Chengying*. Should I keep this sword enshrined and never use it?" Lu Liaoliao stared fixedly at Zhang Xun.

"A sword is a sword, and poetry is poetry. They are two different things!" Zhang Xun snapped angrily.

"When I parted from my master, he gave me his poetry collection. How is that different from the sword? Why can't I use it?"

As soon as Lu Liaoliao finished speaking, the children listening to the lecture couldn't help but giggle.

"You glib-tongued wretch, get out! As long as I, Zhang Xun, am here, you will never set foot in this place!" Zhang Xun was furious and shoved Lu Liaoliao out of the room.

"Humph! Fortunately, I teach my internal disciples separately in the evening. As for that great-grandson of the Emperor, do you think I really want to teach him? Besides, I don't believe you, Zhang Xun, will stay here forever without taking an official post." Lu Liaoliao snorted and grumbled a few words at the closed door.

"Brother Liaoliao! Are you really Brother Liaoliao?" The two young eunuchs looked up almost simultaneously, their eyes scanning Lu Liaoliao intently.

"Eh! Who are you two?" Lu Liaoliao looked at the two young eunuchs; their faces seemed familiar, but he couldn't place them.

"Brother Liaoliao, it's us, Dou Erdan and Huo Xiaohu from Tianmen Fortress! Don't you remember us?" The more alert-looking eunuch lowered his voice, speaking with urgency.

"Erdan, Xiaohu, is it really you?" Lu Liaoliao was trembling with excitement as he pulled the two young eunuchs into a tight embrace.