At the beginning of the day after the snow, the sun shines on the snow, reflecting a dazzling light.

Qin Mubai, who was wearing a heavy fur coat, walked out of the big yurt, stretched his arms and stretched his waist, and then laughed loudly: "The snow has finally stopped, the sky is clear!" ”

Xue Lian also walked out, squinted her eyes when she saw the dazzling sunlight outside, and smiled: "It's really sunny!" ”

"The snow scene on the prairie is really wonderful!" After Qin Mubai looked at it, he sighed.

"In your opinion, this is a unique beauty, but for the grassland people, it may be a disaster." "If this snow falls for a few more days, a large number of livestock will freeze to death, and the time for the supply of pasture will be delayed." ”

"Isn't that a stop?" Qin Mubai smiled and looked back at her, "Snow Lotus, when the snow melts, we are about to leave for the Western Regions." Are you willing? ”

Xue Lian squinted her eyes slightly at the boundless snowy grassland, and said softly: "If you say that you are not reluctant, it is self-deception." I was born and raised in Sri Lanka, and there are my people and relatives here. But you and your family traveled thousands of miles to the grassland and stayed with me for more than three months. I'm already content. ”

Qin Mubai smiled, "If you are reluctant, it doesn't hurt to live for another month or two." ”

"Isn't it okay?" Although Xue Lian was happy, she was also worried, "Didn't you say that Princess Gaoyang might be waiting for us in Gaochang?" It's not good to keep her waiting too long. Also, don't you have to hurry back to Samujian, the Crescent Moon Queen is about to give birth! ”

Qin Mubai patted his braincase, "I almost forgot!" ”

"Look at you, so careless." Xue Lian shook her head and smiled, "Also, you've gained weight recently. ”

"Really?" Qin Mubai grinned, "Isn't that more handsome?" ”

Xue Lian giggled, her face flushed, and she said in a low voice: "I don't know if it's handsome or not, I only know...... You're getting more and more aggressive. ”

"Ahem! …… Keep a low profile! Qin Mubai glanced around, but fortunately no one eavesdropped, so he swaggered forward, but his foot fell into the deep snowdrift, and the whole person was a little shorter and almost fell down.

"It's so deep snow!!"

Xue Lian giggled happily, "I'm telling you to be lazy, the snow in front of your house hasn't been cleared for days, and now you can't go out!" ”

"Wow! My dignified ...... What, do you have to clean the snow in front of the door yourself? Qin Mubai exclaimed very dissatisfied.

"What the hell?" Xue Lian smiled, "You're just a cloth coat now, what kind of stinky shelf are you putting on!" - Take it, shovel the snow! ”

Qin Mubai took the shovel thrown by Xuelian and laughed, "A man's husband, he can bend and stretch!" Shovel and shovel! ”

Xue Lian stood at the door of the felt tent, quietly watching Qin Mubai throw off his arms and throw a shovel of snow, the smile on his face was gentle and sweet.

"Mu Bai, I'm really happy to see you like this now...... I hope you can be so relaxed and happy for the rest of your life! ”

After a few flutters, Qin Mubai's body became hot and took off his heavy fur. While they were busy, two people in front of him staggered forward on the thick snow, shouting from afar, "Ouch! Generalissimo Qin personally shoveled snow! It's weird! ”

It's Li Tao and Xue Rengui.

Qin Mubai stuck the snow shovel on the ground, clapped his hands and laughed: "Madam has a life, don't dare to disobey!" She thought I had become obese and labored on me to make me lose weight! ”

"A man is a big man, isn't it richer and more atmospheric to be fatter?" Li Tao stepped forward with a smile and said to Xue Lian, "Little nephew, the old man wants to teach you a lesson, we Tang people are all beautiful in abundance." Mu Bai is like this now, he is a first-class beautiful man! ”

Xue Lian giggled, "Uncle Shi, don't listen to his nonsense, where do I dare to dislike him, let alone send him!" ”

Qin Mubai stepped forward with a smile, "Snow Lotus, go warm two pots of milk wine and prepare some dried confectionery, I want to sit down with Uncle Shi and Rengui to have a few drinks." The snow has closed the road, and I haven't been with them for a few days. ”

The four of them entered Qin Mubai's big felt tent with laughter, which was very spacious, and it was still the layout of the newlywed cave room. Burning two fires, it is also very warm and comfortable.

Snow Lotus went to settle down for the drinks, and the three of them took off their thick fur and snow-stained leather boots and sat down in front of the fire, gossiping.

"Mu Bai, in fact, today, Rengui and I are here to say goodbye to you." Li Tao rubbed his hands on the fire and said, "The imperial court has issued an order to summon me to lead the army back to Beijing. I was supposed to leave a month ago, but unexpectedly, heavy snow blocked the trip, and it has been delayed so far. ”

"Lead the army back to Beijing?" Qin Mubai smiled slightly after a little thought, "Datang, are you going to use soldiers again?" ”

"The military department's order didn't say it. But the old man guessed that it was more likely that he would use troops against Liaodong. "I heard about the tense situation in Liaodong a few months ago. Recently, Goguryeo's powerful minister Cheon Gai Su-won killed the king and took sole control of the military and government, and could send troops to attack Baekje at any time. Baekje is just a small country, and if the Tang Dynasty is not saved, it will be broken. As soon as Baekje is destroyed, the balance on the Goryeo Peninsula will be upset, and only Goguryeo will be left alone, and Silla will definitely be attached to him as a puppet. In this way, Goguryeo will pose a great border threat to our Datang."

Xue Rengui said: "Mu Bai, I have been discussing this matter with the British Duke for several days. Xue also felt that this time the Tang Dynasty would definitely not sit idly by and watch Goguryeo destroy Baekje, and would definitely send troops...... Why don't you come back! ”

Qin Mubai smiled and said nothing.

Xue Rengui sighed and said, "Okay, I'm just talking about it casually. After returning to Beijing this time, if Datang really sends troops to Liaodong, I will definitely go with the army. I just hope that we, brothers who share life and death, can fight side by side again! ”

"Rengui, in fact, I also want to go to Liaodong with you." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "But whether it is from the perspective of the overall situation of the court or the overall situation of diplomatic relations, I can't go." I won't say much about the affairs in the court, now that the Western Regions have been decided, the governors who are in charge of various places have been my subordinates. If I don't go to the Western Regions, the imperial court will not be at ease, and those governors will have no bottom in their hearts. The imperial court is uneasy, the feudal officials are uneasy, the Western Regions will be chaotic, and the Great Food will definitely take the opportunity to invade. In this way, all our previous efforts have been in vain! …… Therefore, even though I am in rank, I still want to go to the Western Regions and stay in the Western Regions, which should be a reassuring pill for everyone. ”

"Mu Bai finally told the truth." Li Tao smiled, "I knew you wouldn't be selfish and self-interested." I have also considered the issues you just mentioned, so I do not force you to return to the court. As long as you are in the Western Regions, whether it is a feudal official or a white cloth, you can make the Western Regions stable. People's hearts and prestige are things that cannot be seen or touched, but they are the most irreplaceable. Now it is inappropriate for the imperial court to send anyone to take charge of the Western Regions, including me, Li Tao. Maybe Su Dingfang is a good candidate, but how can his fame and prestige be compared to you? Maybe those military commanders and governors will listen to his reprimand, but the monarchs and subjects of the Western Regions may not buy his account. The Tang Dynasty has just pacified the Western Regions, and when it comes to governing the people and attacking the heart, military control alone cannot be suppressed, and there must be a backbone - so, I praise you for going to the Western Regions! ”

"......I see," Xue Rengui nodded with a sudden realization, "Xue is still shallow, and he didn't think about it deeply." ”

"Rengui, you don't have to be presumptuous. You can't think of this layer because you're not standing high enough, not because you're shallow and ignorant. Li Tao smiled meaningfully, "If you stand in our position in time, you will definitely see higher and think farther than us." ”

"How can Xue?" Xue Rengui laughed ashamedly.

Qin Mubai also smiled and said, "Actually, I resigned and left, but I don't want to go back to the dynasty to fight for power and profit." Not to mention anything else, the eldest grandson Wuji has always been in agreement with my politics, and I also indirectly killed his son, how can he tolerate me? If I return to the court, I will have to have a-for-tat confrontation with him and stir up a party fight; If I don't return to the court, the court will be much more peaceful, and King Wu will have a lot less worries around him. Come to think of it, the Western Regions is my best destination. For me, to King Wu, to the soldiers of the Guanxi Army, to the imperial court, and to the Tang Dynasty, there are great benefits. ”

Li Tao stroked his beard and smiled, "Mu Bai, your insight will always be better than me!" The old man asserted that if you return to the court, you will definitely enter the phase, and the grace is unmatched; Even if you go to the Western Regions, you will be an uncrowned king. There is His Majesty the Emperor in the court, how could he not think of these twists and turns? Therefore, Mu Bai, you are not only able to retire now to enjoy a good death, but also will forever serve as the western Great Wall of my Tang Dynasty, guarding that half of the country! ”

Xue Rengui blinked his eyes and said, "If one day Datang has internal and external troubles, as long as Mu Bai is still in the Western Regions, he can help at any time to turn the tide!" …… This seems to be really good! ”

"You think too highly of me." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "As the saying goes, people go to tea and cool, and if they are not in their position, they will not do anything. I went to the Western Regions, and I only felt at ease to be my rich man. I want to open a restaurant, do business, run a school, and I want to be a real teacher! ”

"What?" Xue Rengui and Li Tao were stunned.

"Haha, yes, I've thought it through!" Qin Mubai smiled, "I'm going to teach something that no one has ever taught!" ”

"What's that?"

"Figuratively math, chemistry, and so on...... I can't tell you clearly at this time. Qin Mubai said with a smile, "Wait, wait for ten or twenty years, there may be my students among the envoys sent to Datang by the Zhao Wuguo, and they will spread this thing of mine to Datang, so that the natural science of Datang will begin to sprout and develop!" ”

"What do you mean...... Natural science? Li Tao and Xue Rengui became more and more confused.

"Haha! It's really hard to tell. Qin Mubai smiled, "Anyway, you should remember my words first, in the future, let's wait and see!" ”

Li Tao and Xue Rengui looked at each other, and then said: "Mu Bai, you are the same father and mother as us, eat the same rice and drink the same water, but you are so unfathomable, let us be completely incomprehensible to you?" ”

Qin Mubai slapped his face and smiled: "I'll tell you the truth, I'm from more than a thousand years later!" ”

"!"

"Who believes!"

……

Twenty days later, when the snow had almost melted, Li Tao and Xue Rengui led the main army of 200,000 and prepared to return south to Beijing.

Qin Mubai specially came to see him off, and rode on a horse to say goodbye to Li and Xue.

"Qin Saburo!" Li Tao laughed loudly, "Your father is a hero and has a lifetime; Bright and fair, righteous and cloudy, no one in the world is respectful! But the old man dares to say that the most beautiful thing he has done in his life is to give birth to a good son like you! ”

Qin Mubai replied with his hand and said with a smile: "Uncle Shi, I don't know when we will meet this time, please take care of Uncle Shi!" ”

"The old man will." Li Tao nodded with a smile, "Mu Bai, no matter if you are an official or a rank, half of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty will have to worry about you!" ”

Qin Mubai smiled without answering, and said to Xue Rengui: "Rengui, don't just worry about charging into battle. Xiyan went to the Central Plains with you, and you have to take her around for more visits when you have time. In life, the grass and trees shine, what should be cherished, cherished. ”

Xue Rengui arched his hand and stared at Qin Mubai, speechless for a long time. Suddenly turned over and dismounted, and knelt down on one knee on the snowy grass, "Xue Li, goodbye to the third brother!" ”

"Rengui, what are you doing here!" Qin Mubai hurriedly jumped off and immediately came to help, but saw that Xue Rengui was already in tears and speechless.

"Rengui...... Don't be so sentimental. Qin Mubai was also a little moved.

"When parting, Xue remembered all kinds of past events." Xue Rengui burst into tears, clasped Qin Mubai's arm and said, "At the beginning, Xue was just a man who shot geese in the cold mountains, and it was difficult to maintain food and clothing. It was the third brother who brought me to Chang'an and spared no effort to take care of Xue. Xue was incompetent, and even Ling Zun failed to take care of it. Xue felt guilty and wanted to die to apologize! ……”

"Don't talk about it." Qin Mubai interrupted him and said softly: "Rengui, you and my brother, although we are not biological, we are better than biological. My Father is your Father, and you and I are both in the same sad and sad way, so why should you be like this? - You must not dwell on this matter anymore; In the future, you will replace me...... Assist His Royal Highness King Wu well! ”

Xue ...... Dare not bow and do your best, and then die! Xue Rengui burst into tears and kowtowed.

Seeing this, Li Tao shook his head and sighed, and his eyes were a little red. Many Tang Army officers and soldiers next to them couldn't help but quietly wipe away their tears.

"Get up!" Qin Mubai pulled Xue Rengui up and patted him on the shoulder, "Brother, it's a lifetime thing!" Even though they are separated, the hearts are together, and that's enough! ”

"Then we said yes, for a lifetime!" Xue Rengui took a deep breath, a smile appeared on his face, and he stretched out his hand.

Qin Mubai slapped his palm and shook it tightly with him, "Good brother!" ”