"Open the gates!" With a long shout, the heavy bell began to echo over the Mingde Gate, and the huge city gate creaked and rattled! The ground opened, this day was the fourth day of the first month of the second year of Xuanren, and Zhang Huan, who had been away from Chang'an for more than two months, returned to Chang'an again.

The sky has not yet dawned, only a trace of blue and white has been revealed in the sky, Chang'an is still asleep and has not woken up, but there are already many horse-drawn carriages running back and forth on the wide Suzaku Street, and the carriages are hung with lanterns that emit orange-red light, which are particularly conspicuous in the gray morning mist.

Zhang Huan no longer had a station in Chang'an, according to the regulations of the imperial court, all military officials who went to Beijing to report on their work, at most no more than 300 personal guards were allowed to enter the city, and the rest were to be stationed in the designated military camp outside the city, so he ordered Chen Ping, the deputy general of his own army, to lead 500 soldiers to be stationed outside the city, and Lin Jiuhan led another 300 people to escort Zhang Huan into Chang'an.

Three hundred cavalry marched slowly in a formation on the Vermilion Bird Street, although the number was not large, but the pedestrians on the Vermilion Bird Street stopped, looked at them in amazement, these days, there are many troops entering Beijing from all over the country, Huainan Army, Xiangyang Army, Jiannan Army, Longyou Army, one is more majestic than the other, one is brighter than the armor, one is more energetic than the other, but this army is a little different, their armor is old, the wind and dust are served, and there are faint traces of blood and rust on it.

But every soldier in this army was so strong and powerful, and they all had the same cold gaze, and the murderous aura that permeated them was enough to overshadow the rest of the army.

When Tianma Ma Liang, this army entered the Xuanyi Fang, the new house of Zuo Xiangguo is located here, Pei Jun moved in October, the new house is the mansion of Yang Guozhong, the right minister of Tianbao, covering an area twice the original Pei Mansion, because it is located in the feng shui line of Chang'an Ninety-Five, it has been vacant, Cui Xiaofu was the Empress Dowager and soon rewarded it to Pei Jun. As a sign of grace.

When Zhang Huan and his entourage arrived at Pei's mansion, some family members who had already guarded the door rushed to the inner mansion to report, and after a while, the door of Pei's mansion was wide open, and Pei Jun personally took several sons out to greet him. There was also a large group of women from the Pei family behind, who came out to greet Pei Ying.

He couldn't help laughing from afar, and learned from Pei You, who came back two days ago, that Zhang Huan would return to Beijing to report on his work, but every time he thought of it, he came so quickly, which shows Zhang Huan's sincerity, okay! Unexpectedly, he ended up becoming his own person.

When Zhang Huan saw Pei Jun in front of him, he immediately turned over and dismounted, and knelt down in front of him to give a military salute. "Governor Liangzhou Army Zhang Huan see Xiangguo!"

"Sick and excuse me!" Pei Jun hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, and looked him up and down with a smile, this is his son-in-law, that is, half a son!

"I thought you would come back after the Shangyuan Festival, but I didn't expect to come now. Then your New Year is on the road! ”

Pei Jun said, and saw his daughter get out of the carriage with a glimpse of his daughter. Seeing that although she was more gorgeous than before, she had lost a lot of weight, and thought that she would say goodbye. I was distressed and happy, but I was a little angry.

Pei Ying had already seen her father, and she was very nervous, but when she saw that he was very affectionate to Zhang Huan, she was quietly relieved. She knew her father well. He has always been arrogant, and he never comes out to greet someone easily. He will not bring the whole family out to greet him, which shows that his father has accepted his love for Lang.

Pei Ying has her own way of dealing with her father, she is not as polite as Zhang Huan, she jumped forward and pulled Pei Jun's arm and shook it vigorously, and said coquettishly: "Daddy is not allowed to scold Ying'er, or I will tell my grandfather and grandmother." ”

Pei Jun gently knocked on his daughter's head, and couldn't help laughing: "I won't scold you, but I'm going to beat you!" ”

"Daddy, it hurts!"

"That's it! All right! Pei Jun easily broke free of his daughter's hand, pointed at Zhang Huan and smiled: "Aren't you shy to shout pain in front of Zhang Huan?" ”

Pei Ying turned around and winked playfully at Zhang Huan, and said to her father: "I'm going to see my new home, so I'll hand him over to you, but you are not allowed to bully him!" With that, she greeted her brothers one by one, and then dragged her sisters and aunts into the house.

Pei Jun helplessly watched his baby daughter enter the house, and then shook his head and said to Zhang Huan: "This girl has been spoiled by me since she was a child, and she has caused you trouble." ”

Zhang Huan smiled slightly: "Uncle Shi only saw her delicate side at home, but he didn't know that she was very strong outside, and she actually rode horses day and night with the cavalry, and my soldiers admired her very much." ”

Pei Jun stroked his beard and smiled, he immediately turned around and instructed his eldest son and the housekeeper: "Free up all the guest rooms, let the soldiers live in them, treat them well, and don't neglect them." ”

Pei Jun's eldest son and housekeeper hurriedly went to greet the soldiers, but Pei Jun patted Zhang Huan on the shoulder and said, "Come on!" Come with me to the study and tell me about the situation in Wuwei County. ”

Pei Jun's new study has not changed much from before, everything is arranged according to the old study, and Cui Yuan is different, Pei Jun only has one study, and it is not that no one is allowed to enter, but no more than ten people are qualified to enter, Zhang Huan is also fortunate to get this qualification, Pei Jun's study is not big, the layout is very elegant, the whole tone is mainly light green, there are a few handwritten books by Yan Zhenqing and Zhang Xu on the wall, and there is a picture of Panasonic drinking that he painted himself, all the items are neatly packed, and the room is spotless.

"Nephew, please take a seat!" Pei Jun smiled and asked Zhang Huan to sit down, and several maids served refreshments to the two of them, but Zhang Huan suddenly found that there was a person behind Pei Jun, who was Pei Jun's fifth son Pei Mingyuan, that is to say, when he told Pei Jun about the situation in Hexi, he would be present to listen, is this some kind of hint from Pei Jundi? Countless thoughts flashed in Zhang Huan's heart, could it be that Pei Mingyuan would go to Hexi to take up his post? It is very likely that Pei Mingyuan is very familiar with the situation in the Western Regions, and inserting him into Hexi is a substantial gain.

Thinking of this, Zhang Huan quietly probed: "Brother Mingyuan is also coming back to visit relatives in the New Year?" ”

"Definitely!" Pei Mingyuan smiled and arched his hand and said: "Mingyuan can't find a job, and he is still idle at home, can my brother take me a hand?" ”

"Brother Mingyuan laughed, the son of Zuo Xiang is fragrant, how can he not be able to apply for a job? I think it must be Brother Mingyuan's ambitions, and he is generally humble and unsightly! ”

Zhang Huan smiled and stopped mentioning the matter, and he said to Pei Jun again: "I don't know what Xiangguo wants to know about the situation in Hexi?" ”

Pei Jun took a notebook from the desk, flipped it over and said with a smile: "This is the virtuous nephew's work report, the situation in Hexi has been explained in great detail, and I don't need to repeat the question, I just want to know how the virtuous nephew is going to deal with Tubo in the future, and where to start?" ”

After speaking, he closed the debriefing report, picked up the teacup and took a sip slowly, waiting for Zhang Huan's reply.

Zhang Huan owed a bow and smiled: "I have Hexi, I am already riding a tiger, naturally I have to develop to the west, otherwise how to explain to the world, but the key is timing, even if Tubo wins weakly now, but for me it is still extremely strong, there are more than 10,000 soldiers in Hexi, lack of food, unstable military morale, insufficient armor and weapons, if there is no one or two years of recuperation, not only can you not take the whole territory of Hexi, I am afraid that even the only Wuwei County will be lost, with Xin Yunjing's old and capable ability, he can only support Wuwei without losing, Zhang Huan, a fledgling person, how dare he not know the height of the sky. ”

Pei Jun stroked his beard and nodded gently, "Although the newborn calf is not afraid of the tiger, but if the tiger is really touched, it is still a death life, you can act steadily, I am really very pleased, I am not trying to urge you to march westward, on the contrary, I am afraid that you will be in a hurry, but hurt your vitality, you said a year or two, I still think it is too short, I think it will take at least five years of recuperation." ”

Speaking of this, he stood up and opened a curtain on the wall, behind the curtain is the map west of Longyou, occupying an entire wall, Pei Jun took a wooden pole, pointed to the Jiuqu area of the Yellow River and said: "The reason why Tubo has been able to repeatedly invade Longyou is that there is Jiuqu area as a logistical supply, especially in Xiping County (now Xining) Hehuang area The land is rich and rich in grain, and most of the children of the Tang people captured by Tubo work here to provide Tubo military food, which laid a solid foundation for the later victory in the Battle of Boxian Town and the Battle of Xiaobolu, so I hope that you will take Hehuang first, not only to seize the strategic initiative against Tubo, but also to achieve self-sufficiency in population and food, and at that time, you will really be able to sit on an equal footing with the Wei family in Longyou. ”

Zhang Huan silently looked at the Hehuang area, Pei Jun was right, although the Hexi Corridor is rich in pasture, but there is very little arable land, and the population composition is mostly Qiang and Dangxiang, and he can only rely on the Han people in the future, if he can't attract a large number of immigrants from the Central Plains, the problem of insufficient population and insufficient military resources will drag him back sooner or later, as long as he can take Hehuang, not to mention anything else, nearly one million Tang slaves are a very rich resource.

Thinking of this, Zhang Huan smiled slightly and said: "One or two years is too short, five years is too long, we will limit it to three years, and I will recuperate for three years, during which I hope Pei Xiang can help." ”

Pei Jun laughed, "The virtuous nephew is serving the country, of course the imperial court will not stand idly by, rest assured!" Will definitely help you. ”

He closed the curtain, pointed at Pei Mingyuan and smiled at Zhang Huan: "It's still the New Year, it's not easy for you to come to Beijing, go to see your uncle first, and then let Mingyuan take you to Beijing to look around, and get to know more of my Tang Dynasty heroes." ”