Qubing exhibited outstanding military talent even as a teenager. Emperor Wu saw Huo's potential and made Huo his personal assistant.

In 123 BC, Emperor Wu sent Wei Qing from Dingxiang ?? to engage the invading Xiongnu, and appointed the 18-year-old Huo Qubing to serve as the Agile Colonel ???? under his uncle, seeing real combat for the first time. Although Wei Qing was able to kill or capture more than 10,000 Xiongnu soldiers, part of his vanguard