Chapter 5: Journey to Chang'an

The middle-aged man with the surname Gongsun is a master among masters. Huo Qubing stood up, a hint of mockery appearing in his eyes, and said, "Perhaps he is much stronger than the three of you combined"

What? Gao Fan thought there was something wrong with his ears, and hurriedly began to calculate how much each of the four people should receive.

Four individuals, each bearing swords, have traveled a long distance from Dingxiang City. The young man smiled and said, "Those who dare to fight against the Xiongnu barbarians would certainly not fear petty thieves. I believe I will not misjudge this situation."

I have a feeling that this matter is somewhat sinister. Xiao Huo, what do you think

Upon arriving outside the north gate of Dingxiang City, the three individuals encountered an unexpected situation. As soon as they spotted Huo Qubing, a crowd of men, women, and children gathered at the city gate to view the notice board, someone among them shouted, "Isn't he the heroic Huo?" Instantly, the crowd surged forward, surrounding them tightly.

You are easier to raise than I am? Not necessarily, the amount of feed consumed in a day is more than that of eight cows

It was I who first discovered him! The person speaking desperately clung to Huo Qubing's right leg, shouting.

Are we truly guarding against thieves for them, or have we already turned them into thieves?" Huoqubing asked thoughtfully

Prince Yan Hai of the Right indeed kept his promise and withdrew all troops besieging Dingxiang. However, outside Dingxiang City, after the calamity, it was already a scene of desolation, with nine out of ten houses empty and the landscape in ruins

"Do not block the way, everyone get out of my way!" Huo Qubing made an unimaginable move, whipping his hands that were pulling him away from his body. The heroic image he had painstakingly established instantly plummeted.

That was in the past, that was in the past, and it was compelled by my late father with a stick, something I had to do against my will

This young lady cannot go back on her word to the people of Dingxiang City, can she? Moreover, many have been left destitute due to the war, with their homes burned by the Xiongnu cavalry. Let me use the inheritance left by my father to do some good for Dingxiang.

Why is this? With an inexplicable sense of confusion, Huo Qubing descended from the desolate mountain and headed towards Dingxiang City. However, he could no longer seek confirmation from his master—the figure in the blue robe had already departed gracefully before Huo Qubing awoke, leaving behind a sword and a scroll by his side

Years later, when Huo Qubing asked Li Hongru why she made such a decision, she replied with a faint smile.

"Then isn't this matter settled?" Li Hongru asked

"Uncle Sun, let's proceed as I suggested." Li Hong nodded slightly, a hint of reluctance flickering in her eyes

Kong! Lu Peng seems to completely disregard Li Hongru as a young girl, habitually spewing foul language, "Am I afraid of him?"

Upon hearing these words, the three individuals exchanged glances and simultaneously exclaimed: "One must always be vigilant against thieves!"

She sold the ancestral home left by General Li and managed to gather over 3,000 taels of silver, which she distributed entirely to the common people outside. Each person received ten taels, including those who were merely there to watch. That night, Gao Fan learned the truth from the mouth of that official Sun and quietly informed Huo Qubing and Lu Peng.

It is all your fault. Last night, I ordered a large table of food and drinks, but I barely took a few bites before putting down my chopsticks. It was too extravagant

"What is it? I clearly saw it first!" Another person rushed up and tightly hugged the horse's neck, refusing to let go.

"No." Huo Qubing looked towards the door and changed the subject: "Miss Li, how do you plan to deal with them?"

"Yes, I hardly ate a few bites. But where did all that food go? Was it fed to the pigs, the dogs, or the foolish bears?"

On that day, he was suddenly struck down by a man in a blue shirt, and then he fell into a deep sleep in the cave for a full three days and three nights

What should we do?" Gao Fan asked Lu Peng, shrugging his shoulders. "How about you perform, and I sing? As long as we don't sell ourselves, it will be fine.

"So despicable, so shameless!" Gao Fan's finger, directed by anger, pointed right at Lu Peng's nose. "I once swore to my deceased mother that I would never steal again in my lifetime. To fill your stomach, I must break my vow. You are forcing a good person to become a criminal!"

And - Picture - Book "Bastard, who are you cursing? Don't think that just because you saved Dingxiang City, I have to bow down to you."

"Huo Yingxiong, wait for me!" "Huo Yingxiong has run away, quick, chase after him!" "Hey, my shoes, my shoes!" The people who missed their target immediately turned around, rushing through the city gate, each one sprinting to catch up with Huo Qubing.

"Xiao Huo didn't kick him," Lu Peng said, shaking his head. "He tilted his neck back and drank two jars in a row. Then he placed the empty jars on the table and asked that person if he could still compare himself to him"

"Why not draw lots? It is both fair and simple," suggested Gao Fan.

If I were Xiao Huo, I would kick this drunkard under the chair!" Li Hong said angrily

This is my intuition! Li Hongru seemed somewhat pleased, "If the person who took you away intends to harm you, there is no need for such unnecessary actions. Now you should know who the smartest person in Dingxiang City is, right?"

Thus, on the road from the North Gate to the Dingxiang Commander's Office, an extraordinary scene rarely seen in a century unfolded: a young man galloped ahead on horseback, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, while a growing throng of people pursued him relentlessly from behind, panting heavily yet refusing to pause for a moment.

"Sour jujube, you bear, it's enough to have a good meal for lunch today!" Lu Peng let out a sigh of relief as he spotted a restaurant by the street

Li Hong let out a chuckle and said, "You big men are truly boring. And what is the result?"

It turned out that she had just been crying. Catching a glimpse of the tear stains at the corner of Li Hong's eyes that had not yet been wiped dry, Lu Peng felt a stir in his heart

My friend was so drunk that he couldn't tell east from west, leaning on the table and repeatedly banging his head. Xiao Huo patted him on the back and said, 'Friend, you're about to wet your pants.' Strangely enough, that guy really did lose control, making a mess and filling the restaurant with a terrible stench.

Lu Peng swung his arms and chased after him, looking as if he was ready to engage in a fight with Huo Qubing

"I have been very frugal," Li Hong said somewhat aggrieved, as a large table of steaming, aromatic delicacies was laid out before her. Facing Gao Fan's almost lethal gaze, she added, "You didn't say not to order anything just now."

Do you want to know who the culprit is?" Gao Fan pointed his thumb towards Li Hong behind him.

It seems that overnight, I have become the most popular figure in the entire Dingxiang City. " Huo Qubing turned to look at the guards who were strenuously blocking the surging crowd from rushing into the residence, feeling somewhat confused and self-deprecating.

"You tone-deaf fellow, don't you scare away all the listeners as soon as you open your mouth?" Lu Peng clapped his hands and said, "Xiao Gao, why not return to your old profession and help us with our survival strategy"

"Xiao Huo has a high level of skill, so he should be able to evade it." Li Hongru interrupted Lu Peng, expressing dissent.

My friend was actually using the situation to make a point. He had long been displeased with Xiao Huo's behavior, so he told Xiao Huo that while he didn't need to compensate for the clothes, he must drink all three bowls of wine on the table as an apology. Lu Peng shook his head: "This Xiao Huo, without a word of protest, drank all three bowls without leaving a drop."

The red represents blood, the black signifies ashes, and the once lush and fertile land is now unrecognizable, profoundly desolate. Only a few vultures circle high in the sky, occasionally emitting a couple of mournful cries.

"Oh? There is no need to be overly attentive without reason..." Before Lu Peng could finish the latter half of his sentence, Gao Fan had already silenced him with a slap.

In fact, who among oneself, Xiao Huo, Gao Fan, and every survivor who has lost loved ones in the turmoil of war can truly forget the wounds and pain in their hearts? All of this requires time to settle and friendship to warm.

"It's me!" "It's me!" "Stop arguing, everyone! Whoever sees him gets a share!" People clamored, their voices overlapping, as arms waved about in search of any opportunity to reach for the space on Huo Qubing's body.

However, upon waking, Huo Qubing experienced a marvelous sensation of rebirth and transformation, and he distinctly perceived a tremendous change in the Nine Yang Dragon Qi within him

Only Huo Qubing remained an outsider, watching coldly from the sidelines, while the poetry and songs that Gao Fan often spoke of were completely useless at this moment. He couldn't even find an opportunity to interject, so he could only stare blankly as the two engaged in a fierce back-and-forth, neither willing to yield.

What is going on, what is going on? The two scouts accompanying Huo Qubing back to the city became anxious and shouted loudly while sitting on their horses

Then he saw Huo Qubing casually brush past him and walk downstairs. However, Lu Peng couldn't help but feel that this fellow was reveling in his misfortune as he turned his back towards him. Yet, recalling his own recent embarrassing display, he could only dejectedly murmur a couple of words and let it go.

A magic sword named "Yin Xue" with a length of two feet and three inches, sheathed in black, belonging to the Beidou Palace, along with a scroll containing the last six secret techniques of the Zhan Wu swordsmanship.

Three days later, when Huo Qubing left the desolate mountains, he had acquired two additional items.

What a joke, we are still far from Chang'an. Do you expect us to walk there without a horse?

Bang! Gongsun's attendant seemed completely oblivious to Lu Peng's intentions, staggered from the impact, glanced back at him without saying anything, and then caught up with the young man

Before she finished speaking, Li Hongru had already kicked Lu Peng with her leg. Lu Peng cried out in pain and suddenly exclaimed, "Hey, Xiao Huo, where did you get that knife on your back? Can you pull it out for me to take a look?"

Perhaps feeling that the weather was too hot, Lu Peng simply took his bedding and slept in the corridor outside. To his surprise, he saw Li Hong sitting alone on the stone steps, resting her chin on her hands, gazing blankly at the bright moon in the night sky.

Their purposes for this journey are varied, yet an invisible thread has already connected the fates of the four individuals together

His gaze fell, and he couldn't help but be taken aback; it turned out that Li Hong had silently rushed to the entrance of the tavern.

I think we should sell the horse after all," Gao Fan suggested helplessly, "We can't possibly crawl to Chang'an on an empty stomach

He is unclear about what his master has done to him during these three days when his consciousness was completely blank

I have also heard about this. It seems that a young warrior with the surname Huo captured the son of Tuo Han and forced the Right Noble King Yan Hai to sign a treaty under the city, which allowed Dingxiang City to be preserved by a stroke of luck. The young man smiled and asked, "I wonder if any of you have seen him in person"

When going out, it is best to be cautious. Li Hong glanced at the young man and retorted to Lu Peng, "Do you know who he is?"

"This is how it should end, my friend is quite lucky," Lu Peng said with a smile. "At that time, he didn't expect that Xiao Huo could really drink. Not willing to let him off so easily, he proposed a drinking contest with Xiao Huo. Whoever loses would have to wear the wet robe on their head and walk around the town, shouting 'I wet my pants!' as they went."

"Have you seen him? Hehe..." Lu Peng said proudly, "I tell you, this person is far away..."

It seems that starting tonight, we all have to sleep with one eye open and one eye closed." Li Hongru said

A reward of one hundred taels of silver is offered for information regarding my whereabouts? Huo Qubing glanced at the notice board and asked, "Whose foolish idea is this?"

As usual, it was Li Hongru who ordered the dishes. She tried every possible way to save a little, hesitating for quite a while before finally finishing her selection of drinks and dishes

Did Xiao Gao not tell you the reason I challenged Xiao Huo to a duel?" Lu Peng was taken aback and shook his head, saying, "It's all in the past; there's no point in bringing it up again.

Xiao Gao must have said that; Xiao Huo would never be so talkative. Lu Peng sighed with a smile and said, "In fact, I no longer hate Xiao Huo. This guy is always hard to figure out; sometimes he acts like a complete jerk, and at other times, he leaves you in awe of him."

The power of idols is truly formidable! Two scouts, left far behind, gazed in genuine admiration at the magnificent crowd that surged like a rolling torrent, following Huo Qubing.

He strode swiftly to catch up with Gongsun's attendant, pretending to be unable to stop his steps and collided against the other party's back.

It seems that one hundred taels of silver are not enough. Lu Peng said, "I did not expect such a tremendous impact to occur."

Gao Fan came to his senses and turned to Li Hong with a wry smile, saying, "It seems that once again, it is just the two of us left behind with the books."

"So you used to work in this field?" Li Hongru exclaimed with wide eyes, "Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover"

It is said that the Battle of Dingxiang was fought with great ferocity, with even Colonel Li sacrificing his life for the country, staining the city walls with blood

"Fart!" Lu Peng exclaimed angrily, "Why don't you count yourself? I would really like to see just how tall he is!"

Four individuals entrusted their mounts to the attendant, ascended to the second floor, and chose a table by the window to take their seats

A gentleman's word is as good as a swift horse's whip! Li Hongru reacted swiftly, as if fearing that the other party might go back on their word

"It turns out the four of them are from Dingxiang," said a person sitting at the adjacent table, suddenly turning around to ask. He was a young man around thirty years old, with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, a square face, and although he wore a slight smile, he exuded an air of authority without being angry.

"Have you ever hated Xiao Huo?" Li Hong looked surprised, her eyes widening. "Why, did he do something to wrong you?"

"It feels a bit awkward to do this, doesn't it?" Gao Fan seemed to be declining, but anyone could tell that he had already been moved.

However, Li Hongru did not inform Huo Qubing that after distributing more than 3,000 taels of silver, she quickly began to regret it: perhaps she should have secretly hidden away a few taels of silver at that time, ... so that she would not have been reduced to the point of being forced to work as a bodyguard for others just to secure her daily meals ...

Little Huo! As expected, when Cao Cao is mentioned, he arrives. Gao Fan rushed out of the conference hall and joyfully embraced Huo Qubing. Lu Peng, Li Hong, and several officials who were discussing military matters also burst out of the conference hall, excited as if they were celebrating a festival

The reason for the argument between the two was quite simple; they had just passed more than half of the journey from Dingxiang to Chang'an, and their funds were nearly depleted

"By the time we reached the third bowl, my friend had already thrown up," Lu Peng recalled. "But he still refused to admit defeat, feeling that he had already drunk more than half a jar earlier, and that Xiao Huo had taken advantage of him."

"I told you, how could pies fall from the sky?" Lu Peng suddenly displayed the shrewdness of a rancher, "It is only natural for the employer to provide food and shelter; it would be foolish to agree to be your bodyguard without additional compensation"

"How is it? How tall is he?" Gao Fan looked at the grinning Lu Peng, and the answer was self-evident

It is too hot, and it is cool outside. Lu Peng vigorously fanned himself with a hand fan from the guest room.

That is! Gao Fan secretly glanced at Li Hongru and boasted, "In fact, the term 'tragic' is far from sufficient to describe the scene of the Battle of Dingxiang that day. If it were not for the emergence of three... well, four young heroes who turned the tide, I fear that over a hundred thousand soldiers and civilians in Dingxiang City would have been completely slaughtered by the Huns."

"Anyway, you are not the young lady." Lu Peng reported, saying: "Who was it that said this morning, 'A dead horse can be treated as a live one'? Both Xiao Gao and I heard it..."

Li Hong, who had just been arguing fiercely with Lu Peng, also chimed in.

"Hello, friend! Please don't chew so loudly," said a middle-aged man standing behind the host at the adjacent table

"Of course, it is Miss Li," Lu Peng replied. "An hour ago, wanted posters depicting your likeness have been plastered all over the city, with more than a dozen even placed outside the city. Indeed, money can make the world go round!"

Li Hongru smiled and asked, "I heard that before the Battle of Dingxiang, you and Xiao Huo had a disagreement and almost dueled in the street?"

Indeed, there is no way you can eat vegetarian tonight." Huo Qubing's words left Lu Peng speechless for a long time, his mouth stuffed with camel hump meat, chewing vigorously and venting his frustration onto the food

While she was reflecting on herself, Lu Peng had already opened his appetite and began to enjoy his final meal

"Short-sighted!" Leaving Lu Peng, who was preparing to counterattack, Huo Qubing turned and walked towards that tavern

Hey, get out quickly! This is the Commander's Office, and entry is strictly prohibited for unauthorized personnel!" As soon as Huo Qubing stopped, two guards who had caught up from behind shouted loudly.

Your friend is in for some misfortune. Li Hong expressed sympathy, saying, "Those who get involved with this guy rarely have a good outcome"

In other words, that young gentleman did not actually need to hire the four of us as his bodyguards? With the sudden windfall of four hundred taels of gold, Li Hongru seemed to have regained the demeanor of the foremost sage of Dingxiang City

"There is no need for that." Li Hong turned her head and whispered a few words to a court official. The official looked astonished and hesitantly asked, "But is this really acceptable?"

"Alright, go ahead and scold me! It seems that Confucius's words are indeed true: it is difficult to manage both a petty person and a woman."

Faced with tens of thousands of ruthless Hunnic cavalry, the guards, who had never been flustered before, suddenly panicked. They hurriedly tried to block the main gate to stop the surging crowd while urgently reporting to the inner court.

"Old Lu, mind your table manners. We are almost in Chang'an, which is certainly not a small place like Dingxiang," Li Hongru admonished Lu Peng, unable to tolerate his uncouth appearance.

"Old Lu, you startled me," Li Hong said, slightly flustered as she wiped her cheek. She turned around, pointed at Gongsun Zhu's room, and asked, "Why aren't you sleeping in the room?"

This person is far away in Dingxiang, and we have only heard of his name but have not seen him in person. "Huo Qubing interrupted Lu Peng.

Gao Fan's face turned red, and he hurriedly confessed, saying: "I have long since repented of my past mistakes"

Li Hong's eyes sparkled with light as she murmured, "Ah, how interesting it would have been if I had known you all a little earlier"

The young man said without a moment's hesitation: "One hundred taels of gold for each person, are we doing it?"

Not clear, so what? What we are doing is not some underhanded, shameful business that cannot be spoken of, so why not let it be said?" Lu Peng's voice grew louder again as he pointed to a pair of Soul-Cleaving Axes slanted behind him, saying, "Even if we encounter some blind little thief, this thing of mine is not to be trifled with!

The two fell into silence. After a moment, Li Hong asked again, "Old Lu, how did you meet Xiao Huo?"

It would be best if the willows by the roadside were adorned with pig heads, and the ponds were filled with fine wine, Lu Peng continued to dream.

Let your heroes go to hell! Huo Qubing paid no heed to how much his actions would sadden and disappoint this enthusiastic crowd as he charged out of the encirclement on horseback

It is as if having experienced a grand nourishing rain, the once gentle stream has suddenly grown into a vast, surging, and ever-flowing river.

I am looking for Gao Fan and Lu Peng. Huo Qubing speculated that they should be here

After resting in Dingxiang City for a few days and confirming that the Xiongnu army had indeed withdrawn from Han territory, four young men and women of different backgrounds unanimously decided to head to Chang'an, and even Lu Peng abandoned his plan to reunite with his parents in Chengdu

Huo Qubing shook his head and said, "I am just a bit curious, on what basis do you determine that I am still alive?"

"Sour jujube, you bear!" Lu Peng glared at Gongsun, who had just come down to the first floor, rubbing his shoulders and cursing, "It's so high that it’s beyond comprehension!"

"So what if it's me?" Li Hongru's face flushed slightly for no apparent reason, and she huffed, "Who told this fool to mysteriously disappear for three days?"

He did not hesitate to relinquish a mount and ordered two subordinates to escort Huo Qubing back to Dingxiang City—despite the fact that Huo Qubing did not require their protection

Thus, his Nine Yang Dragon's realm astonishingly advanced from the fifth level of "Concealed Dragon Entering the Abyss" to the higher level of "Overbearing Dragon with Regret".

Oh Chang'an, if the roads leading to you were paved with the osmanthus cakes from Wufangzhai, how wonderful that would be? Li Hongru gazed longingly towards the Han capital and added, of course, the prerequisite is that we can enjoy them for free

In recent days, Li Hongru has been engaging in lively conversations and laughter with everyone, seemingly gradually forgetting the pain of losing her father. It is only now that Lu Peng realizes that she has merely buried her sorrow deeper beneath a facade of cheerfulness and vivacity

"If you wish to argue, you might as well wait until after lunch when you have the strength to do so," said Huo Qubing, inquiring, "How much is left?"

"Oh no, how can Hero Huo hit people?" "How can a hero hit people?" Outcries of anger and confusion erupted

Why won't you let me speak? Lu Peng made every effort to lower his voice, successfully keeping his words contained within the second floor.

He laughed as he descended the stairs of the Great Harmony Library, while Gongsun's attendant placed a gold ingot on the table and followed closely behind the young man.

This must be little Huo scheming in the shadows said Li Hongru with a smile What mischief can this scoundrel not commit

Lu Peng replied, "That was more than two years ago. One time, I went to De Yi Ju for drinks with a few friends from the ranch. Just then, Xiao Huo came out from the back hall after delivering firewood and bumped right into a drunken friend of mine."

Absolutely not! Lu Peng categorically rejected, "Even if you sell, you cannot sell my Qingyun Cong."

"Hey, what are you thinking about? Still not asleep?" Lu Peng spread his bedding on the ground

"Oh, how strange." Lu Peng wiped the corner of his mouth with his greasy hand and retorted, "Is it that you have nothing to eat, and you feel envious seeing me? No worries, come over and sit down, I will treat you!"

The middle-aged man with thick eyebrows slightly raised his brow, glanced at the host who was quietly enjoying lunch, and held back from speaking.

The individuals arguing are Lu Peng and Li Hongru, while the fortunate listeners are Huo Qubing and Gao Fan

With a whoosh, Huo Qubing leaped off his mount in front of the gate of the commander's residence, charging in without a moment's pause. The guards stationed at the entrance had not even had time to discern who had just passed by when they were left dumbfounded, witnessing hundreds of soldiers and civilians from Dingxiang rushing in behind him in a frenzy.

However, it was only when they were astonished to see the newly erected signboard by the city gate that they realized this conclusion had been drawn too early

On that night, six individuals took shelter in a large inn. Apart from the young man and Li Hongru, who occupied separate rooms, the other four shared two guest rooms, with Lu Peng being assigned to share a room with Gongsun.

"On what basis are you so sure that we can handle being bodyguards?" At last, Gao Fan did not completely lose his vigilance in front of Ju Jin.

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Actually, my lord wishes to hire four individuals to serve as temporary bodyguards and accompany me to ensure his safe arrival in Chang'an"

After traveling more than 40 miles, Huo Qubing finally encountered a small team of Han army scouts dispatched from Dingxiang City. The team leader, surnamed Zhao, had witnessed Huo Qubing's formidable prowess in slaying the demon eagle and subduing Tuo Han from the city tower in Dingxiang. He was deeply impressed by this young man, whose age was almost equivalent to his own years of service in the army.

"This morning there is wine, and I am drunk; do not worry about sleeping on the street tomorrow." Gao Fan seemed to have a sense of complete liberation, raising his wine cup and saying: "At worst, we will sleep outdoors and ask the heavens for our sustenance"

Li Hongru approached, enjoying the breeze from Lu Peng's fan, "Are you afraid of being taken advantage of in the dark of night?"

Oh. The young man nodded slightly with a hint of regret, turned around, and ceased further conversation

"Are you four going to Chang'an? Coincidentally, my lord is also going to Chang'an on business." The middle-aged man, seemingly prompted by the young man, suddenly asked, "Why don't we travel together? My lord will cover all your food and accommodation expenses."

It is settled then. Gongsun, please settle the bill! The young man stood up and added, Count their table as mine as well

Huo Qubing looked at Li Hongru with a hint of surprise. Li Hongru's face turned even redder as she pouted, "What are you looking at? Have you never seen a wealthy person before?"

Now I understand clearly, but at that time I thought it was just a coincidence, and it must have been my friend who got drunk and made a fool of himself. Lu Peng recalled the scene from that time and couldn't help but laugh out loud, "So, that's how I got to know Xiao Huo."

Fortunately, it is only three days; if it were thirty days, Dingxiang City would surely be dug three feet deep. Take a look at this!

He is quite adept at concealing his abilities. If it weren't for the Huns attacking, who would have known that Xiao Huo's swordsmanship was so formidable? Lu Peng continued, "My friend had his valuable new robe soaked with wine, and he is demanding compensation from Xiao Huo."

Li Hongru spread out the purse she was responsible for guarding and said irritably, "It's all here; I haven't embezzled anything"

Gao Fan rushed to the entrance of the residence, enduring countless hardships to retrieve a notice board standing on the steps from the crowd, and turned to hand it to Huo Qubing

Oh my, how the human heart has changed! Gao Fan lamented in anguish, "Since this is the case, I can only sink to the same level as others!"