novelAbuy Chapter 20: The initial formation of the team, descendants of the eight founding marquises!
Chapter 20: The initial formation of the team, descendants of the eight founding marquises!
As the first rays of morning sunlight shone on the Crown Prince's Palace, nineteen tall figures had already appeared in the Bowang Garden.
The descendants of the eighteen meritorious marquises who founded the Han Dynasty: Xiao Shoucheng, Zhou Xing, Fan Wu, Xiahou Zheng, Guan Min, Fu Ping, Jin Xu, Wang Xiang, Chai Yi, Wang Chongguo, Xue Rang, Zhou Ming, Zhang Hu, Xi Guang, Zhang Bingyuan, the three sons of the Wei family: Wei Kang, Wei Buyi, and Wei Deng, and the historian Shi Gao.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
As soon as Liu Ju appeared, everyone knelt down on one knee to pay their respects.
No need for formalities.
With a slight smile, Liu Ju gestured with his right hand.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Everyone stood up in unison, heads held high and chests out.
"Your Highness."
"Zhao Anguo, son of Zhao Ponu, has arrived."
Zhang He, the Crown Prince's steward, quickly stepped forward and reported in a low voice.
"Oh?"
Upon hearing the name, Liu Ju's heart stirred, and he said, "Let him in."
"promise."
Zhang He gave a look to one of the attendants, and the attendant from the Crown Prince's palace left without saying a word.
A moment later, a burly young man with a dark complexion appeared in front of Liu Ju.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Zhao Anguo immediately bowed and greeted him.
"Why are you here?"
Liu Ju stood with his hands behind his back, scrutinizing the young man before him.
Zhao Ponu wandered in the northern desert in his childhood. After returning to the Han Dynasty, he became the Sima of General of the Cavalry and the most trusted subordinate of Huo Qubing, the Marquis of Champion.
In the autumn of the fifth year of Yuanding (112 BC), Zhao Ponu became one of the "those who lost their marquisate of Chujin" and lost his title of Marquis Congpiao.
Nevertheless, his position in the army remained crucial, and Zhao Anguo's appearance at the Crown Prince's palace as his eldest son was of extraordinary significance.
"My grandfather heard that His Highness the Crown Prince is recruiting guards, so he specially ordered me to come and apply to be one of the Crown Prince's guards."
Zhao Anguo said in a muffled voice.
"To serve as my bodyguard?"
Liu Ju was somewhat surprised and uncertain. He could understand if Zhao Anguo was Huo Shan's bodyguard, but the fact that he was his bodyguard was rather intriguing.
"Yes."
Zhao Anguo nodded solemnly.
"it is good."
Nodding slightly, Liu Ju said in a deep voice, "You may join the ranks."
Since it was Zhao Ponu's arrangement, he naturally had no reason to refuse.
It's a joke. If Zhao Ponu isn't afraid of angering Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, by taking sides like this, why would he, the crown prince, be afraid?
"promise."
Zhao Anguo strode into the crowd, attracting the attention of many sons of founding marquises present.
Compared to these impoverished noble sons, Zhao Anguo undoubtedly carries more weight. His father, Zhao Ponu, lost his title of Marquis of Congpiao, who was currently the most outstanding cavalry general in the Han Dynasty, holding military power. As long as he made military achievements, he could become an imperial marquis.
"By imperial decree, the Crown Prince's Palace shall be staffed with Left and Right Guards, each with a rank of 800 shi, a bronze seal and a black ribbon, and commanding 800 guards."
"Our Han army is organized as follows: five men form a squad, with a squad leader; ten men form a platoon, with a platoon leader; fifty men form a battalion, with a battalion leader; one hundred men form a district, with a district head; two hundred men form a troop, with a military officer; and four hundred men form a unit, with a military commander."
"The rank of 'Tunzhang' is 200 shi; the rank of 'Dubo' is 400 shi; the rank of 'Junhou' is 600 shi; and the rank of 'Junsima' is 1,000 shi."
"The Crown Prince's Guard should be modeled after the military, with four military officers, eight captains, and sixteen garrison commanders."
Looking down at the crowd, Liu Ju spoke, word by word.
'Thump!'
The thoughts of everyone present were in turmoil.
In the military ranks of the Han Dynasty, the garrison commander was the lowest-ranking officer, but it was not a position that just anyone could hold.
Most of them had their titles stripped from them at a young age, reducing them to commoners, so how could they not care about this?
"Today, I will make one point clear."
"The capable rise, the mediocre fall, and the inferior are eliminated."
"This is the sole criterion of the Crown Prince's Palace."
Boom!
The moment those words were spoken, the entire audience was stunned.
"Zhang He".
Liu Ju called out softly.
"Your Highness."
Zhang He, the Crown Prince's steward, stepped forward in response.
"You are in charge of this place."
"The difference in skill is determined by horsemanship, archery, and martial arts."
"Determine the commanders of the left and right guards; military commanders, captains, and garrison commanders."
With piercing eyes, Liu Ju's resounding words echoed throughout the entire Bowang Garden.
"promise."
Zhang He immediately responded.
Everyone present heard these words, and a flame ignited in everyone's eyes.
Such fair and equal competition rules are undoubtedly the best choice for these young people.
"Tap tap..."
After speaking, Crown Prince Liu Ju turned his back to them and returned to the palace.
Check-in!
Ignoring the noise outside, Liu Ju silently recited a phrase in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully checking in! Reward: Twenty silver-gilt hilt swords!]
"extract!"
Immediately, twenty silver-decorated, gilded-handled swords appeared in the hall.
These swords were the personal swords issued to the Guoyi Duwei in the Tang Dynasty. The Guoyi Duwei was the deputy of the Zhechong Duwei, similar to the military commander in the Han army. They were most suitable for Liu Ju to use as rewards to twenty people outside the palace, thereby winning their hearts.
For martial artists, fine horses, armor, and weapons are the things they desire most, without exception.
"Your Highness."
"The lady sent someone to report."
"The eldest princess and the Marquis of Pingyang are in the inner garden."
The attendant respectfully stepped forward to report.
"Sister and Zong'er are here."
Liu Ju immediately snapped out of his daze, a strange look flashing across his face.
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, and Empress Wei Zifu had three daughters and one son: Princess Wei Chang, Princess Zhuyi, Princess Yangshi, and Crown Prince Liu Ju.
Princess Wei Chang was the eldest daughter of the emperor. She first married Cao Xiang, the Marquis of Pingyang, and had a son named Cao Zong. She then married Luan Da, a Taoist priest. To show his respect, Emperor Wu of Han sent 100,000 catties of gold as part of her dowry and renamed her fiefdom Dangli. Therefore, Princess Wei Chang was also known as Princess Dangli.
However, Princess Wei Chang's life was not pleasant; on the contrary, it was somewhat tragic.
In the third year of the Yuanding era (114 BC), her first husband, Cao Xiang, passed away.
In the fourth year of the Yuanding era (113 BC), she was married off to Luan Da by Emperor Wu of Han. In the fifth year of the Yuanding era (112 BC), Luan Da was executed by being cut in half at the waist and his body was displayed in the marketplace.
It should be noted that Princess Wei is only 28 years old this year, the prime of her life.
"Go to the inner garden."
Without a second thought, Liu Ju got up and walked toward the inner garden.
............
The inner garden of Bowangyuan.
Two graceful figures sat on the couch, chatting and laughing. On the left was Lady Shi, the Crown Prince's concubine and the mother of Liu Jin, the eldest grandson of the Emperor.
On the right is Princess Wei Chang, with a face like a peach blossom, sideburns as if cut by a knife, eyebrows like ink paintings, lips like cherries, skin like solidified cream, and a pair of bright eyes that sparkle with brilliance. Every gesture and movement exudes elegance and nobility, and a delicately beautiful child is nestled beside her knees.
"I see that Jin'er is growing up more and more, and he looks just like my younger brother."
Princess Wei looked at Liu Jin in his swaddling clothes and said gently.
"The princess is right."
Lady Shi was overjoyed. The best compliment she could give Liu Jin was to say that he resembled the Crown Prince. From ancient times to the present, it has always been the greatest praise for a son to resemble his father.
The biggest reason why Crown Prince Liu Ju was discussed both inside and outside the court was the label that Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, had given him: "The son is not like his father."
PS: In the Han Dynasty, sons called their fathers "Aweng" or "Afu", sons called their mothers "Amu", and grandsons called their grandfathers "Dafu".