Wei Qing (courtesy name Zhongqing, a common practice in ancient China) was the son of Zheng Ji, a native of Pingyang in Hedong. His father was a low-level clerk in the household of Marquis Pingyang Cao Shou, who was married to Princess Yangxin, the sister of Emperor Wu. Zheng Ji was involved with a maid named Wei Mao in the Marquis's household, and they had a son named Wei Qing. Wei Qing's mother, Wei Mao, also had a half-brother named Wei Zhangjun and a half-sister named Wei Zifu. Zifu caught the eye of Emperor Wu while in the Princess's household, so they all changed their surname to Wei. Wei Mao also had an elder daughter named Junru and a younger daughter named Shao'er, with Zifu being her second daughter. Zifu's younger brother Bu Guang also changed his surname to Wei.
As a kid, Wei Qing served in the Marquis's household, but later returned to his hometown to work with his father, who had him look after sheep. The rich kids treated him like dirt, not as a friend. Once, while accompanying someone to Ganquan Palace, a craftsman told Wei Qing, "You will be a nobleman in the future, becoming a high-ranking official and marquis!" Wei Qing laughed and replied, "Me? A marquis? I'd be lucky to avoid a beating!"
Wei Qing grew up and became a cavalryman in the princely household, following Princess Pingyang. In the spring of the second year of Jianyuan, Wei Qing's sister, Wei Zifu, entered the palace and caught the Emperor's eye. At that time, the Empress was the daughter of the Empress Dowager, who had no sons and seethed with envy. When the Empress Dowager heard that Wei Zifu was favored and pregnant, she became even more jealous and sent people to arrest Wei Qing. At that time, Wei Qing was serving in the Jianzhang Palace and was not well-known. The Empress Dowager wanted to kill Wei Qing, but luckily his friend, a cavalryman named Gongsun Ao, with a few burly lads, rescued him and saved his life. When the Emperor heard about this, he summoned Wei Qing to the Jianzhang Palace as an official and appointed him as an attendant. Wei Qing's mother and siblings all prospered, receiving rewards from the Emperor worth thousands in gold in just a few days. Wei Qing's eldest sister, Junru, married the High Minister Gongsun He, while his younger sister, Shao'er, got together with Chen Zhang, and the Emperor promoted Chen Zhang. Gongsun Ao also became more famous because of this incident. Wei Zifu became a lady, and Wei Qing was made a marquis.
In the sixth year of Yuanguang, Wei Qing was appointed as the Cavalry General to go to Shanggu to fight against the Xiongnu; Gongsun He became the Light Cavalry General to go to Yunzhong; Gongsun Ao became the Cavalry General to go to Daijun; Li Guang became the Agile Cavalry General to go to Yanmen; each army had an army of ten thousand cavalry. Wei Qing reached Longcheng and cut down hundreds of captured Xiongnu. However, Gongsun Ao lost seven thousand cavalry, Li Guang was captured by the Xiongnu, and although he escaped and returned, he should have been executed according to the law, but he eventually bought his way out of trouble and became a commoner. Gongsun He did not achieve much. Only Wei Qing was made a marquis Within the Pass. After that, the Xiongnu continued to invade the borders; for the full story, check out "The Xiongnu Biographies."
In the spring of 128 BC, Wei Zifu gave birth to a son, who later became the Emperor's wife. In the autumn, Huo Qubing led thirty thousand cavalry out from Yanmen Pass, while Li Xi led troops from Daijun. Huo Qubing killed several thousand enemy soldiers.
In the second year, Huo Qubing led troops from Yunzhong County all the way to the west, reaching Gaoque and finally arriving in Longxi. He captured thousands of enemy soldiers, seized over a million head of livestock, and scared away the White Sheep King and Loufan King. Then, Huo Qubing established Shuofang County in the Henan region. The Emperor rewarded Huo Qubing with 3,800 households as his fiefdom and made him the Marquis of Changping. His Captain Su Jian was made the Marquis of Pingling, and Zhang Cigong was made the Marquis of Antou. The Emperor also ordered the construction of Shuofang City.
The Emperor said, "Those Xiongnu are lawless, they're brutal, they terrorize our people, they live by robbing and cheating, they're always plotting and attacking our borders. That's why I sent my armies to wipe them out. Isn't it written in the Book of Songs? 'The thin vassal of Yan, reaching Taiyuan'; 'The chariots come forth in abundance, the city of Shuofang.' This year, General Qijun Huo Qubing crossed the Western River and reached Gaoque, capturing more than 2,300 enemy soldiers and seizing a mountain of war spoils such as vehicles, supplies, livestock, and more. He advanced west to pacify the Henan region, repaired the old Yuxi Pass, cut off the passage of Zilin and Liangbei River, attacked Boni and Fuli, killed the elite enemy forces, and captured a total of 3,117 surrendering and captured individuals. He brought back a large amount of war spoils, driving a million head of livestock back in triumph. I have also awarded Huo Qubing an additional 3,800 households."
Later, the Xiongnu constantly raided Daijun, Yanmen, Dingxiang, Shangjun, and Shuofang for several years, causing a great loss of life. These constant raids, as detailed in the *Xiongnu Chronicles*, devastated the northern frontier for years.
In the spring of 127 BC, the court ordered General Wei Qing, commander of the Chariot Cavalry, to lead 30,000 cavalry from Gaoque (a region in modern-day China) to attack the Xiongnu. Su Jian, the guerrilla general; Li Ju, the strong crossbow general; Sun He, the cavalry general; and Li Cai, the light chariot general, all followed General Wei Qing's command and set out together from Shuofang (a region in modern-day China). Daxing Li Xi and the Marquis of Antou, Zhang Cigong, each led troops from Youbeiping (a region in modern-day China).
The Xiongnu's Right Worthy King was careless, thinking that the Han army would not come here, so he got roaring drunk. As a result, the Han army launched a night attack and surrounded the Right Worthy King. Terrified, the Right Worthy King, grabbing his favorite concubine, fled north on horseback, hundreds of his men scrambling to keep up, barely escaping the encirclement. The Han cavalry captain Guo Cheng and others pursued for hundreds of miles but could not catch up. They captured over a dozen vassal kings, more than 15,000 male and female captives, and several million head of livestock, before returning to court.
The troops were back at the border, and the emperor sent an envoy with the Grand General's seal to appoint Wei Qing as the Grand General right there in camp. All the generals gave Wei Qing command of their troops and then headed back to the capital to report. The emperor said, "General Wei Qing led the troops to a smashing victory, bagging over a dozen Xiongnu kings. I'm adding another eight thousand seven hundred households to your holdings!" He also made Wei Qing's sons, Wei Kang, Wei Buyi, and Wei Deng, Marquises of Yichun, Yin'an, and Fagan respectively. Wei Qing firmly declined, saying, "I just got lucky to be on the battlefield, and it's all thanks to your blessings, Your Majesty, that the army achieved great victories. It's all thanks to my brave officers! Your Majesty has already rewarded me extra; my sons are still babies, they haven't done anything to deserve this, yet Your Majesty wants to appoint them as three marquises. This isn't right, and it won't encourage the troops. The three of us can't accept this!" The emperor said, "Don't you worry, I'll take care of the others."
So the Emperor decreed, "General Gongsun Ao followed the general on three expeditions, defeating the Xiongnu, and military officer Fu Xiao captured the Xiongnu king, and Gongsun Ao was made Marquis of Heqi. Officer Han Shuo followed the army from Tianhun and fought all the way to the Xiongnu king's camp, engaging in brutal melee, capturing the Xiongnu king, and Han Shuo was made Marquis of Long'e. Cavalry General Gongsun He captured the Xiongnu king, and Gongsun He was made Marquis of Nanyi. Light Chariot General Li Cai captured the Xiongnu king twice, and Li Cai was made Marquis of Le'an. Captains Li Shuo, Zhao Buyu, and Gongsun Rongnu followed the general three times to capture the Xiongnu king, and Li Shuo was made Marquis of Zhizhi, Zhao Buyu was made Marquis of Suicheng, and Gongsun Rongnu was made Marquis of Congping. Generals Li Ju, Li Xi, as well as Captains Dou Ruyi and Wuan all contributed and were granted the title of Marquis of Guannei. Li Ju, Li Xi, and Dou Ruyi each received a fief of three hundred households." That autumn, the Xiongnu invaded Daijun and killed a captain. The following spring, General Wei Qing marched from Dingxiang, with Gongsun Ao as his deputy, He as left general, Zhao Xin leading the vanguard, Su Jian commanding the right flank, Li Guang the rear, and Li Ju in charge of the strong crossbow units, all under Wei Qing's command. They returned victorious after slaughtering thousands of enemy soldiers.
A month later, they launched another attack from Dingxiang, annihilating tens of thousands of enemy soldiers. Su Jian and Zhao Xin led more than three thousand cavalry and encountered the army of the Chanyu alone, fighting fiercely for more than a day, during which almost the entire Han army was wiped out. Zhao Xin was originally a Xiongnu who, after surrendering, was appointed as Marquis Xi (a high-ranking title). Faced with imminent defeat, he was swayed by Xiongnu promises and led the remaining approximately eight hundred cavalry to defect to the Chanyu. Su Jian lost his entire command; only he escaped and returned to report the situation to Wei Qing.
Wei Qing turned to his advisors—Zheng Hong, Chang Shi An, and Zhou Ba—and asked, "What should be done with Su Jian?" Zhou Ba replied, "Since the Grand General went on campaign, he's never executed a subordinate general before. Now that Su Jian has abandoned the army and fled, he should be executed to show the General's authority." Zheng Hong and An countered, "No. The Art of War says, 'Only by holding the line against smaller forces can you crush the larger ones.' Now Su Jian led thousands of troops to confront the Chanyu's tens of thousands, fought fiercely for more than a day, and the soldiers fought without wavering. If he is killed when he returns, it will prevent future rebellions. He should not be killed." Wei Qing said, "I'm fortunate to have the Emperor's trust and serve in the army; I don't need to prove myself. Zhou Ba advises me to kill Su Jian to show authority, which is not in line with my intentions. Moreover, even though my position allows me to execute generals, with my current noble status, I dare not make decisions on my own outside the borders. We should report this to the Emperor; it'll serve as a warning against any future abuses of power, wouldn't you agree?"
All officials praised Wei Qing's actions. So, Su Jian was imprisoned in the military camp. Huo Qubing was made a marquis that year.
Huo Qubing, the son of General Huo Guang's sister. His father, Huo Zhongru, was with Huo Guang's sister and had Huo Qubing. Later, Empress Wei's status rose, and Huo Guang's sister married Chen Zhang, the Imperial Chamberlain. Because Huo Qubing was the Empress's nephew, he became an imperial attendant at the age of 18. He had exceptional archery skills and went on two expeditions with the General.
The General, following the Emperor's orders, selected elite soldiers and appointed Huo Qubing as Captain of the Cavalry. Leading 800 light cavalry troops, he left the main army far behind, achieving great victories and capturing more enemies than expected. The Emperor was pleased, praising him: "Marquis of Champion Huo Qubing has slain 2,028 enemy soldiers, captured their high officials and seized the enemy's Grand Minister and Prime Minister! He also killed the Xiongnu's grandfather and captured their uncle! For this glorious victory, I hereby bestow upon him the title of Marquis of Champion, with a fief of 2,500 households!" Hao Xian, the Shanggu Governor, also fought four battles with the General, capturing 1,300 prisoners and was appointed Marquis of Zhongli. Qigan Meng also contributed and was granted the title of Marquis of Guannei with a fief of 200 households.
That year, two generals were lost, and Xi Hou also died. Huo Guang didn't do much, so the Emperor did not reward him much. Su Jian was not executed but was demoted to commoner status. The Emperor also rewarded Huo Guang with 1,000 gold. At that time, Lady Wang was in the Emperor's favor, and Ning Cheng advised Huo Guang to use the reward to give Lady Wang a birthday gift. Huo Guang gave 500 gold to Lady Wang for her birthday. When the Emperor found out, he asked Huo Guang about it and then appointed Ning Cheng as the Donghai Prefect.
Lieutenant Zhang Qian followed the General on the expedition because he had previously been on a mission to Daxia and had stayed with the Xiongnu for a long time. He was familiar with the army's marching routes and knew where there was plenty of food and water, so the army did not suffer from hunger or thirst. Due to his previous achievements in the Western Regions, he was appointed as the Marquis of Bowang.
When Huo Qubing was three years old, in the spring of the second year of Yuanshou, he was appointed as the Flying Cavalry General and led a ten-thousand-strong cavalry force from Longxi, winning battles. The Emperor's voice rang with pride as he recounted, "The Flying Cavalry General led the army across Wuli, attacked Xiupu, crossed the Hunu River, and traveled through five kingdoms. Along the way, he left behind anyone who was afraid of being slowed down by the baggage and numbers, almost capturing the son of the Chanyu. After six days of continuous fighting, they crossed over a thousand li of Yanzhi Mountain, engaged in close combat with the enemy at the foot of Gaolan Mountain, killed the King of Zhe Lan, and beheaded the Marquis of Lu. Those fierce enemies were defeated, and the fully armed soldiers returned in triumph, capturing the attendants of the Prince of Hunxie, as well as the Prime Minister and Commanders, totaling eight thousand nine hundred and sixty enemy casualties, and seizing the gold objects used by King Xiutu to worship the heavenly gods. The army suffered a loss of one-seventh, and I further reward Huo Qubing with two thousand two hundred households."
The Emperor clearly described Huo Qubing's military achievements, from the expedition to the triumphant return, from geographical locations to the number of accomplishments, all explained with clarity. Just think, a three-year-old child leading troops into battle a few years later and still fighting so brilliantly—this is simply a child prodigy! Furthermore, the Emperor emphasized Huo Qubing's discipline, showing his decisiveness! Finally, the Emperor heavily rewarded him, which was a true testament to his accomplishments! "The Flying Cavalry General led the soldiers across Wuli, attacked Xiupu, crossed the Hunu, and traveled through five kingdoms..." Every phrase exudes the grandeur of a legendary victory.
This description is simply a brilliant battle report! From "fought for six days, passing through Yanzhi Mountain for over a thousand miles," we can see the intensity of the battle and the long duration; "fought a brutal close-quarters battle at Gaolan" demonstrates the cruelty and fierceness of the fight; "killed the Lan king, beheaded the Lu marquis, the fiercest warriors were killed, seized their remaining armor and weapons, captured the prince of the Hunxie, the prime minister, and the commandant, taking eight thousand nine hundred and sixty prisoners" directly points out the glorious achievements. And "seized the sacred golden statue of Xiu Tujitian" adds a touch of mystery, suggesting that this golden statue is extraordinary! Finally, the emperor specially mentioned the reduction of troops, "one-tenth of the army was lost," showing Huo Qubing's skill not just in battle, but also in protecting his men, which is true talent! "Huo Qubing got a massive reward of 2,200 households added to his fief," this reward is well deserved!
Word is that in that summer, Wei Qing's general Huo Qubing and the Marquis of Heqi, Gongsun Ao, set out from the Northern Territory, but did not take the same route. At the same time, the Marquis of Bowang, Zhang Qian, and the Prefect of Langzhong, Li Guang, also set out from Youbeiping, but they did not take the same route either. Li Guang, with four thousand cavalry, arrived first, while Zhang Qian, with ten thousand cavalry, arrived later. As a result, a massive cavalry force from the Xiongnu, led by the Left Wise King, surrounded Li Guang. Li Guang fought with them for two full days, losing more than half of his men, and killing many Xiongnu soldiers. After Zhang Qian arrived, the Xiongnu finally retreated. Due to Zhang Qian's slow action, he faced execution but bought his way out of it, becoming a commoner.
Huò Qùbìng, after leaving from the northern region, marched deep into enemy territory. Marquis Gongsun Ao, commander of the joint cavalry, became separated from Huò Qùbìng. Huò Qùbìng marched all the way to the Qilian Mountains, capturing many prisoners. The Emperor beamed, "General Huò Qùbìng went deep into enemy territory, reached Juyan, and then pressed on to the territory of the Xiongnu. He attacked the Qilian Mountains and achieved a great victory, capturing Chanyu Danhuan and Chief Tuwang, along with 2,500 Xiongnu officials who surrendered. What restraint! In this battle, a total of 32,000 enemy soldiers were captured, including five royal members, the queen mother, Chanyu Ěrshì, 59 princes, and 63 high-ranking officials. Although the army suffered a loss of one-third, I still rewarded Huò Qùbìng with an additional 5,400 households. The officers who accompanied Huò Qùbìng to Xiongnu territory were all appointed as Left Ministers. Eagle Strike Sima Pónú followed General Huò Qùbìng twice, killing King Xiūpú, capturing King Jīqiě, the queen mother, and 41 others, for a total of 3,330 captives. He was appointed as Marquis Congpiao. Captain Gāo Bùshí followed General Huò Qùbìng and captured King Hūyúqí and 11 others, totaling 1,768 captives. He was appointed as Marquis Yìguān. Captain Pú Duō also made great contributions and was appointed as Marquis Huìqú. As for Marquis Gongsun Ao, his slow pace cost him dearly; he should have been executed, but bought his way out of it, ending up a commoner.
No other veteran general could match Huo Qubing's troops, horses, or fighting prowess. The troops led by Huo Qubing are all elite, and he dares to venture deep into enemy territory, always leading the elite cavalry ahead of the army, and he was incredibly lucky, never facing true defeat. But those old generals constantly fell behind Huo Qubing. Because of this, Huo Qubing is increasingly trusted by the emperor, and his status can almost be compared to that of the great general Wei Qing at that time.
Later, because the Xiongnu Chanyu kept hanging around in the west, he was attacked several times by the Han Dynasty, losing tens of thousands of elite cavalry. Therefore, the Chanyu wanted to kill Hunxie. The king of Hunxie discussed surrendering to the Han Dynasty with King Xiutu and first sent someone to scout the route.
At this time, the Han Dynasty's ambassador Li Xi was stationed by the river and happened to receive the messenger from Hunxie. He immediately sent a rider to the capital. The Emperor feared a trap – Hunxie feigning surrender to launch a surprise attack – so he ordered Wei Qing's brother Huo Qubing to lead the troops to meet them.
After crossing the river, Huo Qubing and Hunxie's army faced off from across the river. When Hunxie's generals saw the Han army, many of Hunxie's officers tried to escape. Huo Qubing immediately charged in, met with Hunxie, and killed more than 8,000 of those who wanted to escape. Huo Qubing sent Hunxie ahead to meet the Emperor, then led the rest of the army across the Yellow River. Tens of thousands surrendered – they claimed it was a hundred thousand!
Back in Chang'an, the Emperor showered them with gifts worth millions! He made Hunxie the Marquis of Luoyin, Hudu Ni the Marquis of Xia Mo, Yan Yi the Marquis of Hui Qu, Qin Li the Marquis of He Qi, and Da Dang Hu Tiao the Marquis of Chang Le.
The Emperor was thrilled and gave Huo Qubing a load of praise, saying, "General Huo Qubing led the army to conquer the Xiongnu, the King of the Western Regions, and all his subordinates surrendered. We provided them with military supplies, and they brought over ten thousand soldiers. We hardly lost any men, captured more than eight thousand people, and subdued over thirty foreign kings. A hundred thousand strong army surrendered. This victory secured the Yellow River border, meaning no more wars, hopefully. Therefore, I will grant General Huo Qubing 1,700 households' worth of land. To ease the burden on the people, I have ordered to reduce the number of soldiers stationed in Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun by half." He settled the surrendered Xiongnu in old border forts south of the Yellow River, across five counties. They could keep their customs and set up a few vassal states.
The next year, the Xiongnu attacked Youbeiping and Dingxiang again, killing over a thousand Han.
In the second year, the emperor discussed with the generals, saying, "Zhao Xin, the Marquis of Xi, keeps advising the Xiongnu that our army is too weak to go deep into their territory and will pull back soon. Now that we have deployed such a large army, we will definitely achieve our goal." This was the fourth year of the Yuanshu era. In the spring, the emperor ordered General Wei Qing and General of Chariots and Cavalry Huo Qubing to each lead fifty thousand cavalry, followed by hundreds of thousands of infantry and support troops. The elite assault troops daring to charge into enemy territory were all under Huo Qubing's command. Huo Qubing initially set out from Dingxiang with the goal of reaching the Chanyu (the Xiongnu leader). Captured prisoners reported the Chanyu was to the east. Therefore, the emperor ordered Huo Qubing to march from Daijun and Wei Qing to march from Dingxiang. Li Guang was the front general, Gongsun He the left, Zhao Shiqi the right, and Cao Xiang the rear, all under Wei Qing's command.
Zhao Xin's idea to the Chanyu was, "If the Han army truly penetrates deep into Xiongnu territory and the men and horses are exhausted, we can reap the rewards." So the Chanyu moved all the supplies deep into the north and used elite troops to defend the border. As a result, Wei Qing's army advanced over a thousand li beyond the border and saw the Chanyu's army ready to face them. Wei Qing then ordered the use of Wugang chariots (heavily armored siege vehicles) to create a fortified camp and sent five thousand cavalry to meet the Xiongnu army, which also sent out ten thousand cavalry. Just as the sun was setting, a strong wind blew and sand hit their faces, making it difficult for both armies to see each other clearly. The Han army boldly flanked the Chanyu from both sides. Seeing the vastly superior numbers and high spirits of the Han army, the Chanyu realized he would lose if they fought, so he fled in a six-mule cart with a few hundred elite cavalry, breaking through the Han army's encirclement and escaping northwest. Darkness descended, and the Han and Xiongnu armies clashed in a bloody melee, suffering heavy casualties. A captured Xiongnu prisoner revealed that the Chanyu had fled before dark. The Han army then sent light cavalry to pursue, with Wei Qing following closely behind. The Xiongnu army broke and scattered, fleeing in all directions.
Next morning, after a 200-mile chase, they did not catch up with the Chanyu but killed over 10,000 Xiongnu, reaching Zhaoxin City in the Yanshan Mountains, where they seized the Xiongnu's stored food and military supplies. They stayed a day, then burned the city and remaining supplies before heading back. Front General Li Guang and Right General Zhao Shiqi, taking a separate eastern route, got lost. Wei Qing's army ran into them near Muna on their return. Wei Qing planned to send a report and have the Chief Historian reprimand Li Guang, who then killed himself. Zhao Shiqi was dismissed. After Wei Qing's army returned to the border, a total of 19,000 Xiongnu were killed.
The Xiongnu were without a Chanyu for over ten days, during which the Right Gu Li King declared himself Chanyu. Once the Chanyu rejoined his forces, the Right Gu Li King relinquished his claim.
Huo Qubing's cavalry force was roughly the same size as Wei Qing's, though they lost some subordinate commanders. Huo Qubing promoted Li Gan and others to major, then led his army over 2,000 miles into Daijun and Right Beiping, striking the enemy's left flank. Huo Qubing's casualties inflicted on the enemy exceeded Wei Qing's.
After everyone got back home victorious, the emperor said, "General Huo Qubing led the army, personally commanded the battle, traveled light, deep into enemy territory, captured Chanyu Zhang Qu, defeated Beicheqi, then defeated the left general Shuang, seized the enemy's banners, conquered Nanhou and Jigonglu along the way, captured Wang Tun, King Han, and another, as well as 83 commanders, officials, and officers. He made offerings to Heaven and Earth on Wolf Juxu Mountain, held ceremonies on Guyan Mountain, reached the vast sea, and killed 74,443 enemy soldiers. The army lost less than two-tenths of its troops, lived off the land in enemy territory, and never ran short of supplies. Therefore, I will grant Huo Qubing an additional 5,800 households." Right Beiping Prefect Lu Bode assisted General Huo Qubing, met in Xingcheng without delay, and followed Huo Qubing to Mount Taoyu, where they killed and captured 2,800 enemies. Therefore, Lu Bode was titled the Marquis of Pili. Beidi Captain Wei Shan followed General Huo Qubing and also made military achievements, and was titled the Marquis of Yiyang. The former Marquis of Guiyi, Prince Chun, as well as Lu You, King Lou, and Wang Yi Jiandu who followed Huo Qubing, also made military achievements, so the former Marquis of Lu Zhi was titled the Marquis of Du, and Yi Jiandu was titled the Marquis of Zhongli. Pono and Changwu Marquis Anji, who defeated the Xiongnu with Huo Qubing, were also awarded an additional 300 households of land each. Yuyang Prefect Xie He and Captain Ganda captured enemy banners and were granted the title of the Marquis of Guannei, with Xie receiving 300 households and Ganda receiving 200 households. The captains were also each titled Left Shuchang. In this war, both officers and soldiers received many rewards and promotions. However, Wei Qing did not receive additional rewards, and his soldiers did not receive recognition. Only the prefects of Xihexian and Yunzhong, [Name of Xihexian prefect] and Suicheng, were rewarded; Suicheng became a marquis, receiving 200 households and 100 pounds of gold, while [Name of Xihexian prefect] was made an Inner Pass Marquis.
On campaign, there were a total of 140,000 horses brought along, including official and private horses. However, when they returned, fewer than 30,000 horses remained. So the emperor created the position of Grand Marshal, to whom both the Grand General and the Cavalry General were subordinate. The Cavalry General was given the same pay and perks as the Grand General. From then on, Wei Qing's influence waned, while Huo Qubing became more favored. Many of Wei Qing's former followers left him to join Huo Qubing and quickly received official titles, except for Ren An.
Huo Qubing wasn't one for chatter, not easily revealing his thoughts, but once he had a goal, he dared to take risks. When the Emperor wanted to teach him the military strategies of Wu Qi and Sun Tzu, he replied, "I'm only interested in strategy and tactics; there's no need to learn ancient military tactics." The Emperor had a mansion built for him and showed it to him, to which he replied, "Without defeating the Xiongnu, there is no home to return to!" This made the Emperor like him even more. However, when Huo Qubing was young, he served as an attendant, and even though he later held high positions, he did not promote scholars much. During campaigns, the Emperor sent dozens of carts of supplies with the Imperial Household Department, but when he returned, the carts were filled with discarded meat, while his soldiers were still hungry. When they were on the frontier, the soldiers lacked food, some could not survive, but Huo Qubing was still playing cuju! This pattern repeated itself many times. Wei Qing was kind and promoted humble scholars, using a gentle attitude to please the Emperor, but his contributions to the country were negligible.
After fighting for four years, Huo Qubing passed away three years later in the sixth year of the Yuanshu era. The emperor grieved deeply and ordered the Elite Imperial Guards from all vassal states to assemble and escort his funeral procession from Chang'an to Maoling, with full military honors and building his tomb as grand as the Qilian Mountains. He was posthumously honored as "Marquis Jinghuan" and granted the titles of "Marquis of Bingwu" and "Marquis of Guangdi." His son Huo Shan, whose courtesy name was Zihou, was highly favored by the emperor for his robust physique and was appointed to lead troops. He became the Imperial Attendant and died while accompanying the emperor to the Fengshan ceremony (a ritual sacrifice) at Mount Tai, leaving no heir, which resulted in the revocation of his fiefdom.
After Huo Qubing's death, Wei Kang, the eldest son of Wei Qing, lost his title due to breaking the law. Five years later, Wei Kang's two younger brothers, Marquis Yin'an Wei Nuyi and Marquis Fagan Wei Deng, also lost their titles due to the 酎金案 (zhòujīn'àn) incident. Two years later, the Guanjun Marquisate was abolished. Four years later, in the fifth year of Yuanfeng, Wei Qing passed away and was posthumously honored as "Marquis Lie." His son Wei Kang inherited the title but was dismissed from office six years later for breaking the law.
Wei Qing passed away fourteen years after his last campaign against the Xiongnu, and thereafter the Han Dynasty never launched large-scale attacks against the Xiongnu. This was due to the shortage of warhorses in the Han Dynasty, as well as ongoing military campaigns in the south against the two Yue states, in the east against Korea, and simultaneous battles against the Qiang and southwestern tribes, which led to a long period without attacking the Xiongnu.
Initially, Wei Qing was highly favored, but Marquis Pingyang Cao Shou fell seriously ill and returned to his fiefdom. The Princess Chang asked those around her, "Which marquis is the most outstanding among them?" Everyone replied that General Wei Qing was the most outstanding. The Princess Chang smiled and said, "He's family, and he's always been loyal to me. How could I...?" The people around her said, "He is now incredibly influential!" So Princess Chang informed the Empress, who then told the emperor, leading to the decree for Wei Qing to marry Princess Pingyang. Wei Qing and the princess were buried together in a tomb as grand as Mount Lu.
Wei Qing went on a total of seven expeditions against the Xiongnu, slaughtering and capturing over fifty thousand enemies. In one battle with the Xiongnu, he recovered the territory of Henan and established Shuofang County. The Emperor then rewarded him with a fief of 16,300 households; he also enfeoffed three of his sons as marquises, each with 1,300 households, totaling 22,000 households. Among his subordinates, nine were ennobled as marquises, and fifteen were enfeoffed as special generals. Notable among his subordinates were Li Guang, Zhang Qian, Gongsun He, Li Cai, Cao Xiang, Han Shuo, and Su Jian, all of whom have their own records.
Li Xi, a man from Yuzhi, served the emperor during the reign of Emperor Jing. In the eighth year of Emperor Wu's reign, he was appointed Cavalry General stationed in Mayi; six years later, he took up the post of general and went on an expedition to Dai territory; three years later, he followed the Grand General Wei Qing on an expedition to Shuofang; during these three campaigns, he achieved no distinction. After serving as a general three times, he later held the position of Daxing Ling (Grand Minister of Works).
Gongsun Ao, a Yiqu man, served the emperor as a junior official during the reign of Emperor Jing. Twelve years into Emperor Wu's reign, he became a general of the cavalry and led an expedition to Dai territory, where he lost a bunch of men. He got the death penalty but bought his way out and became a commoner. Five years later, he became a captain and was appointed Marquis of Heqi. A year later, he went on another expedition as a lieutenant general but didn't accomplish much. Two years later, he led troops to the northern region and later became a cavalry general, again paying off his sentence after he was late. Two years later, he followed the general as a captain, still not distinguishing himself. Fourteen years later, he was appointed as a general in charge of building the city of Shouxiang. Seven years later, he led another expedition against the Xiongnu, lost tons of soldiers, and was sentenced to death for desertion. He played dead and went into hiding for five to six years before being discovered and imprisoned. His family was wiped out due to his wife's involvement in witchcraft (a major political purge involving accusations of witchcraft). He held the title of general four times.
Li Ju, from Yunzhong, served the emperor during Emperor Jing's reign. Seventeen years into Emperor Wu's reign, he was appointed as a general of strong crossbows. A year later, he held the same position again.
Zhang Cigong, from Hedong, served as a lieutenant general under a general and was appointed as Marquis of Antou. After the empress dowager's death, he became a general stationed in the northern army. He led an expedition a year later and held the title of general twice before being stripped of his title for breaking the law.
Zhao Xin surrendered to the Xiongnu and became a prime minister, later becoming a marquis in the Han dynasty. He was only eighteen when Emperor Wu of Han ascended the throne and was appointed as a general, but he lost to the Xiongnu and surrendered again. What a flip-flopper!
Zhao Shiqi, from Yu County, followed the Grand General as a low-ranking officer during the 18th year of Emperor Wu of Han's reign and achieved great success by slaying 660 enemy soldiers. In the third year of Yuanshou, the Emperor rewarded him with the title of Marquis within the Passes and gave him 100 pounds of gold. The following year, he was promoted to Right General but became hopelessly lost while following the Grand General to Dingxiang! He was almost beheaded but managed to bribe his way out of trouble, becoming a commoner. Talk about bad luck!
Guo Chang, from Yunzhong, fought alongside the Grand General as a Colonel. In the fourth year of Yuanfeng, he was appointed as the General who subdued the Xiongnu, with the title of high-ranking official, stationed in Shuofang. Later, when he went to fight in Kunming, he achieved no military merits and lost the battle, lost his job, and that was that. What a disaster!
Xun Zhi, from Guangwu in Taiyuan, rose to the position of Attendant due to his capable work and often served as Colonel alongside the Grand General. In the third year of Yuanfeng, he was sent to fight in Korea, but achieved no merit and was ultimately executed for making mistakes. Talk about a meteoric rise and fall!
The most impressive was the nephew of the Flying Cavalry General Wei Qing, Huo Qubing! He went on six expeditions against the Xiongnu, four of which were as a general, and killed over 110,000 enemy soldiers in total. The Hunxie King surrendered to the Han Dynasty with tens of thousands of troops, opening up the Hexi Corridor in the Jiuquan area and reducing invasions from the western Xiongnu. Huo Qubing was showered with rewards, with a total of 17,700 households awarded to him. Six Colonels and officials who fought alongside him were granted marquis titles, and two were promoted to generals. He was truly a total war hero!
Lu Bod, from Xihe, followed General Huo Qubing into battle when he was the Governor of Northern Pingbei and was made the Marquis of Pili. After Huo Qubing's death, Lu Bod became the Palace Guard Commander and then the General of Fubo, defeating the Southern Yue and gaining further honors. Later, due to committing crimes, he lost his title. Ultimately, he became the Commander of the Heavy Crossbow Corps, stationed in Juyan, where he died. A remarkable life, full of twists and turns!
Zhao Pono, from Taiyuan, once fled to the Xiongnu but later returned to the Han Dynasty, becoming a subordinate of the Flying Cavalry General. He was sent on a campaign to the northern regions and made the Marquis of Congpiao, but lost his title due to the Zhujin case (a case involving the underweighting of gold offerings). A year later, he was appointed as the Commander of the Xionghe forces to attack the Xiongnu, but achieved little by the Xionghe River. The following year, he fought the King of Loulan and was later made the Marquis of Zhuoye. Six years later, he became the General of Junji and led twenty thousand cavalry to attack the Xiongnu Left King. However, the Left King surrounded Zhao Pono with eighty thousand cavalry, capturing him and annihilating his entire army. He spent ten years with the Xiongnu and eventually escaped back to the Han Dynasty with the Xiongnu Crown Prince Anguo. In the end, due to the witchcraft incident, his entire family was exterminated. A life marked by both triumph and tragedy.
After the rise of the Wei Qing family, Grand General Wei Qing was made a marquis, and later five of his relatives were also granted marquisates. However, after just twenty-four years, the titles of these five marquises were all revoked. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, when Crown Prince Liu Ju's rebellion failed, the Wei family was also exterminated. As for Huo Guang, Huo Qubing's brother, he had a remarkable career that is recorded elsewhere.
Let's take another look at the evaluation of Wei Qing: Su Jian once advised him, saying, "General, you hold a high position of power, but there are few talented men under your command. You should learn from how great generals of the past picked their people." Wei Qing replied, "Starting from Dou Ying, the Marquis of Weiqi, and Tian Fan, the Marquis of Wu'an, emperors always resented those who favored their cronies. Only the emperor gets to pick and choose his people, reward the good, and punish the bad. We're just officials; we follow the rules and do our jobs. Recruiting talent? That's the emperor's job!" Huo Qubing felt the same way – that's just how they operated as generals.
