The World Online

After he returned to Shanhai City, Ouyang Shuo started to prepare for the alliance gathering.

On the 2nd day of the new year, the 4th day of the 2nd month, Ouyang Shuo would hold his wedding. Hence, he had especially moved forward the date of the alliance gathering to before the new year.

On the side of Yashan City, Tian Wenjing had already built the courtyard for the alliance meeting and was just waiting for the guests. Considering the need for scenery, the courtyard was built at the Tianya region west of Yashan City.

As for the specific location, it was the famous Cape Haijiao. The entire bay was cordoned off for the courtyard to enjoy alone.

Only in the game could one receive such heaven defying treatment.

As for the specific preparations, Ouyang Shuo naturally would not micromanage.

Instead, he focused on the contents of the meeting.

During this year’s alliance gathering, Ouyang Shuo was ready to start off with a bang; he wanted to strengthen the alliance’s power.

Xunlong City, Black Lion City, and Stone City were slowly falling off, causing Ouyang Shuo to sense a hint of danger. As the alliance leader of the Shanhai Alliance, Ouyang Shuo needed to step up at this time.

1st month, 21st day, Luoyang.

The 2nd day after the Hanwu Emperor moved in, he announced the political proposition of his rule, ‘Remove all other school of thoughts, only Confucianism remains.’

In Luoyang City, schools and even the official courts had professors of the five classics: the Book of Songs, the Book of History, the Classic of Rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals.

The study of classics would become the only recognized subject in Luoyang.

In essence, this moved aimed to protect the order and tradition of the rule. It worshiped and immortalized the rule of the emperor. As a result, it was a mainstream idea for two thousand years of Chinese culture and tradition.

All of a sudden, the numerous philosophers in Luoyang City were chased out.

The world was changing.

This historical event of West Han was repeating itself in the wilderness. One could not help but think back to Qin Shihuang’s actions when he entered Xianyang.

It seemed like these two emperors were going to have a silent face off in the wilderness.

The conflict mentioned by the philosophers was once again going to be a popular topic in the wilderness.

Interestingly, despite the proponent of Confucianism being the only school of thought and Dong Zhongshu personally inviting Kong Zi to teach in Luoyang, he was still rejected.

It was obvious that Kong Zi did not completely recognize this study.

There were some differences between the two.

The study of Confucianism classics modified the thinkings of Kong Zi to protect the power of the emperor. It was utterly different from his main view.

Hanwu Emperor’s actions benefited Shanhai City the most. As the Land of Philosophers, the many people chased out naturally saw Shanhai City as their first choice.

Over hundreds of philosophers joined Shanhai City everyday.

Along with the philosophers, there was also one more exceptional person. He shared the same father as Huo Qubing, buy they came from different mothers; his name was Huo Guang.

Huo Guang’s father was called Huo Zhong Ru. During 141 B.C., he was sent as a minor official to work in the house of the Pingyang Lord. He and one of the maid servants there called Wei Shao’er had a child, Huo Qubing.

After Huo Zhong Ru completed his job there, he returned home and married a wife, who he had Huo Guang with.

During 121 B.C., Huo Qubing was given the role of Bianqi General. En route to killing the Xiongnu, the Pingyang Lord invited him over. There, he had sent someone to bring over his father for them to meet.

Huo Qubing helped Huo Zhong Ru buy land and servants before leaving. On his expedition, he once again visited Huo Zhong Ru and brought his brother Huo Guang to Chang An.

Huo Guang was only over ten years olds back then. However, with Huo Qubing’s help, he became an official.

During 1167 B.C., Huo Qubing passed away. Huo Guang was appointed many roles in the palace like Fengche Duwei and Guanglu Dafu, and he served besides the Hanwu Emperor for over twenty years without committing a single mistake. Hence, he gained the emperor’s trust and became an extremely powerful minister.

Compared to Huo Qubing’s fame in the army, Huo Guang’s achievements were massive too. He had worked for the Hanwu Emperor, the Hanzhao Emperor, and the Hanxuan Emperor. During his time, he was granted titles such as the Great General and the Great Advisor.

During Hanxuan Emperor’s time, because Huo Guang had contributed to making the Xiongnu surrender, he was part of a drawing of eleven ministers that was displayed in the Qilin Court.

Huo Guang was listed as the top contributing minister out of the eleven ministers.

The two brothers were completely different in terms of their desire for power.

Huo Qubing had the loyalty and strive to fight for his country, and he did not bother about fame and riches. Meanwhile, his brother was totally different.

In history, others often incriminated Huo Guang. In the end, he was blamed for staging a coup to overthrow the emperor.

As a result, the Huo Family had a deeply saddening ending. Two years after his death, news that the coup had failed caused the entire family to be killed.

Along with the West Han entering the game, Huo Guang’s family all entered too. After Huo Guang learned of the historical events, he naturally did not have the courage to work for the Hanwu Emperor.

Hence, heading to his brother’s location was not a bad choice.

Huo Qubing died early. As such, when he entered the wilderness, he was only around twenty. As his brother, Huo Guang arrived in the wilderness as a young teen and not the old famous Great General.

However, he kept his memories and abilities.

Along with him was his wife Zi Xian, son Huo Yu, and daughter Huo Chengjun.

Huo Yu was the reason why the Huo Family was wiped out.

Huo Chengjun was the second empress of the Hanwu Emperor’s time. After her family was wiped out, she was placed into the cold palace. Twelve years later, she killed herself.

The two of them were both four to five years old kids. Especially Huo Chengjun, who was a cute little loli. When she looked at the prosperous Shanhai City, she was extremely excited.

She ascended to the position of empress because her mother bribed the physician to kill the first empress.

These events were made into a T.V. drama known as Wulong Chuang Qing Guan, and the main female lead Huo Shui Xian was built in the image of Huo Chengjun.

When this drama came out, it was immediately popular.

Huo Shui Xian, who was played by Chao Yin, instantly became the goddess in the hearts of all men.

……

Naturally, Ouyang Shuo welcomed Huo Guang’s arrival.

In history, the main reason Huo Guang managed to hold so much power as a minister was because of the weak emperor.

Compared to the other important ministers in Shanhai City, Huo Guang lacked a solid base. Naturally, he could not become a minister that held too much power. During the Hanwu Emperor’s time, Huo Guang did not show a single sign of being a minister who took control.

Furthermore, Shanhai City brimmed with talents.

Without even mentioning the four directors, just department grade directors like Zhang Tingyu and Su Zhe were enough to match Huo Guang. Hence, the only way for Huo Guang to do well here was to blend into the system.

Taking off the robes of a powerful minister, his administrative abilities were actually extremely high. Hanxuan Emperor even compared him with the best prime minister of West Han, Xiao He.

In the main hall, Ouyang Shuo welcomed Huo Guang and his family.

”Huo Guang greets the Lord!”

Huo Guang knew his position, and he bowed when he saw Ouyang Shuo. His past glory had all turned to nought. The current Huo Guang was only a basic official that was just starting out.

Huo Guang had a clear understanding of this point.

”Greetings, Lord!”

Following Huo Qubing, Huo Yu and Huo Chengjun both knelt down. The little loli Huo Chengjun looked at Ouyang Shuo with a curious gaze; she was not afraid at all.

”Please rise!”

Ouyang Shuo smiled, completing the act of treating his subordinates with respect and politeness.

Making use of the time, Ouyang Shuo took a look at Huo Guang’s stats.

Name: Huo Guang (Emperor Rank)

Dynasty: West Han

Identity: Shanhai City civil servant

Occupation: civil servant

Loyalty: 75

Command: 70

Force: 55

Intelligence: 70

Politics: 90

Specialty: Powerful General (20% increase in efficiency, 10% increase in territory politics index, 15% increase in administrative standards).

Evaluation: Huo Guang was given the duty of bringing up the new young emperor, making him one of the trusted ministers of the dynasty. He crafted many evil plots, and he made his daughter the empress. He cared a lot about interest and profits. However, three years after his death, his entire family line was wiped out!

Huo Guang was truly extraordinary. Gaia had actually graded him as an emperor level person. Out of his four stats, none of them were exceptionally weak.

That afternoon, the Governor-General announced his appointment.

The Tax Division under the Financial Bureau would be expanded to become the Tax Department.

Huo Guang would become the 1st director of the Taxation Department.

The original Taxation Secretary Qin Shen would become the deputy director.

Ouyang Shuo had put in a lot of thought into the matter of Huo Guang’s appointment.

Xiao He had taken charge of the Administration Bureau. As such, to prevent suspicion, Huo Guang could not take up a director role there. Apart from that, only the Internal Affairs Bureau and the Financial Bureau remained.

Considering that Huo Qubing had taken up the role of Guards Legion general, it would not be easy for Huo Guang to take up a role in such a sensitive bureau like the Internal Affairs Bureau.

In the end, Ouyang Shuo decided on the Financial Bureau.

With his ability, taking charge of the taxation department was fine. Of course, if he performed well in the future, his roles could change.

However, the army was an absolutely prohibited place for him.

Ouyang Shuo did not forget that the 3rd year of Gaia was the rise of aristocratic families. The matter of how to balance and restrict the rise of aristocratic families in the territory was something that weighed heavily in his heart.

Most crucially, he needed to enact strict prevention measures at the source.