When a new official takes office, he will inevitably be swept away by the wind and be polite. Xue Shao spent the whole day dealing with these things, and in the evening, he called Xue Ne and Liu Sheng to his official residence.

"Why didn't Cheng Wuting come?" Xue Shao asked him straight to the point.

"Xia Guan sent someone to inform General Cheng early in the morning, but he didn't see a reply." Liu Sheng shook his head in confusion, "Xiaguan, I don't know." ”

Xue Ne said: "I also received Liu Sima's letter, so I hurried to come immediately. When passing through Daizhou, I was going to invite the evil to come to Bingzhou and have a good drink with the young marshal. Unexpectedly, his lieutenant told me that he had recently had an illness, and he could not blow the wind or see the living, so he could not come to the state. ”

Xue Shao frowned, and secretly said that Cheng Qizhi's matter, Liu Sheng and Xue Ne still didn't know about it. How could they have thought that Cheng Wu was born with a heart disease!

"Or, the lower official will send someone to invite you again?" Liu Sheng asked tentatively.

"No need." Xue Shao smiled slightly and said, "I have been inspected by the Holy Decree and the Prefecture Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, and the military affairs of Hebei and the national defense of the frontier are also within the scope of my inspection. The Turkic plague cannot be underestimated, and tomorrow I will personally go to Daizhou to check the border defense. By the way, take a look. ”

Xue Ne was silent, his brows furrowed, and his expression became a little stricter. Compared with Liu Sheng, he knows Cheng Wuting's personality better, and he also knows the friendship between Xue Shao and Cheng Wuting. If it was normal, even if Cheng Wuting was about to die, he would definitely ask someone to carry him to Bingzhou to meet with Xue Shao. Today's events are obviously a little strange. It's just that Xue Shao didn't say anything, so Xue Ne didn't ask.

Later, Xue Shao and Liu Sheng talked about some people's livelihood and government affairs, and called Dang Jinbi and Guo Dafeng and others to explain some military affairs. After receiving the tasks and orders handed over by Xue Shao, everyone retreated, but Xue Ne stayed and did not leave.

"Brother, do you have something to say?" When there were no outsiders, Xue Shao always called Xue Ne, the clan brother, so respectfully.

"The young marshal came strangely, and the evil came and hid bizarrely." Xue Ne didn't beat around the bush anymore, and said bluntly, "I want to ask, is there anything hidden in it?" ”

Xue Shao smiled bitterly, "Others can hide it, but you can't hide it from my brother." ”

Xue Ne's expression changed slightly, "It seems that something is really wrong?" ”

Xue Shao sighed, and told Xue Ne about Pei Yan and Cheng Qizhi one by one.

"No wonder!" After Xue Shao listened, his expression became very strict. He immediately walked to the door and looked at the outside for a while, and when he saw that Guo An and the scout were closely guarded, he returned to the house with confidence and closed the door.

Seeing that he was so cautious, Xue Shao's heart was even more tense - could it be that he found something in Daizhou?

"Young marshal, when I passed through Daizhou, I felt that something was wrong." Xue Ne said, "The two states of the Shuo Dynasty are the northern gates of the Tang Dynasty, and they are guarded by the Great Wall, and the spearhead must be aimed at the northern desert." However, after going down to Daizhou City, I found that the city was heavily guarded, and the movement of troops and horses and the change of defense were very different from usual. To put it simply, Cheng Wuting seems to have targeted his spearhead...... South! ”

Xue Shao took a deep breath, sure enough!

"Could it be that Cheng Wuting is really anti-willing?!" Xue Ne exclaimed in a low voice, "If that's the case, Datang is in danger!" ”

Xue Shao frowned and muttered for a moment, and said, "This matter must not be publicized to the public. ”

"Understood." Xue Ne took a deep breath and said, "Why don't I rush back to Shuozhou in the starry night now to make some preparations?" In case Cheng Wuting does something wrong, I can support the young marshal from behind? ”

Xue Shao's face was gloomy, his brows furrowed, and he fell into silence for a long time.

When Xue Ne saw Xue Shao's expression, he didn't want to ask any more questions. As a soldier, he understands the profound meaning of the word "robe" too well. Xue Shao and Cheng Wuting, although they are two generations with different generations, have fought together and experienced a lot of turmoil together, and if there is no death of Cheng Qi today, it is not an exaggeration to say that the two of them are friends. But now, there is a good chance that they will fight each other against each other......

What a helplessness, what a sigh!

Xue Shao stood up, slowly walked to the window, pushed open the window, and looked at the bright moon and the courtyard outside.

"I'd rather believe that Xue Shao is against it, than I want to believe that Cheng Wuting is going back!"

Xue Ne was startled on the spot when he heard Xue Shao say such a sentence coldly, "Young marshal, don't talk nonsense!" ”

Xue Shao turned his back to Xue Ne, and the corners of his mouth raised lightly and smiled helplessly, "Brother's words are cautious, but he has achieved a proper fit." ”

Xue Ne also smiled bitterly, "As the saying goes, trouble comes from the mouth, what can be done?" ”

"Brother, please leave immediately......" Speaking of this, Xue Shao sighed helplessly, and then said, "Go to Yunzhou!" ”

Xue Ne stood up straight and clenched his fists heavily, "Subordinate, take orders!" ”

"Thank you!"

"Subordinates say goodbye!"

Xue Ne left, with only two henchmen and guards, and quietly left Bingzhou and went to Yunzhou in the middle of the night.

Xue Shao stood at the window and stared at the north for a long time, sleepless all night.

From a personal emotional point of view, Xue Shao would rather shoot the case and "go to Liangshan" with Cheng Wuting than tear his face to meet him.

But in his position, with Xue Shao's position, he already had no choice. Before a single qiē is revealed, he must prepare for the worst and prepare for war in advance.

If this war is really inevitable...... When Xue Shao thought of this, he was almost a little reluctant to think about it anymore.

――Do I have any other choice than to do my best to exterminate Cheng Wuting?

So......

It's not that he died.

It's me who dies!

……

In the early morning of the next day, Xue Shao and Guo An set off for Daizhou.

Before leaving, Guo An was a little worried, saying that it was necessary to bring the trilogy? Otherwise, it's good to bring the Chincha Guard.

When Xue Shao left Chang'an, Wu Zetian equipped Xue Shao with a "Qincha Guard", the captain of the guard was Cheng Boxian, the general of Zuo Fengchenwei, and the manpower was selected from the elite soldiers of Yulin Wei and Fengchen Wei, with a number of two hundred.

"No need." Xue Shao said, "My trip is to inspect the border and visit the sick by the way, so I don't need to make a big show." ”

"The subordinates are just worried that if Cheng Wu does something different, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to deal with it."

Xue Shao smiled slightly, "If that's the case, what's the difference between bringing a few people and bringing a few hundred?" ”

"Okay...... Guo An smiled helplessly, "Subordinate, it's just talking." ”

All the way forward, from Bingzhou to Daizhou, Xue Shao has walked this road many times. The first time was to go north with the Three Knife Brigade to reconnoitre, but the whole brigade was killed, and only Xue Shao and Niu Ben came back. Now that Xue Shao is revisiting this place, he has a lot of emotion in his heart.

"Young marshal, ahead is the Heroic Village." At the intersection of a mountain road, Guo An reminded, "Shall we go in and have a look?" ”

Xue Shao pondered for a moment, "Don't go now, let's talk about the return trip!" ”

…… If we can come back!

It was dusk, and Daizhou arrived.

The wind on the side plug is always so strong, just like the liquor in the soldier's pot and the quick knife in the hand. The yellow sand is all over the sky, and the Great Wall is majestic, and the remnant sun is like blood, setting off the dangerous road of Xiongguan.

Inside and outside the south gate of Daizhou, there were three times as many sergeants on duty as usual. The war horses raised the dust and dust, and the flags rolled and hunted, which made people feel a sense of tension and slaughter in their hearts.

Xue Shao, Guo An and others were all too familiar with such an atmosphere, and the Daizhou Army was obviously "on strict alert" and ready for battle at any time.

"Young marshal, something is wrong." Guo An hurriedly persuaded in a low voice, "It's better to turn back first, and send someone into the city to inquire about the situation before making plans." ”

"There's no need for that." Xue Shao squinted his eyes at the heavily armed soldiers walking around the city, and said, "Daizhou...... I must walk into the city in the open! ”

Guo An took a deep breath, "Brothers, cheer up, be on guard!" ”

Xue Shao smiled slightly and said, "You don't have to be like this, it's better to relax." Remember, this is the city of Datang and the army of Datang! ”

"Yes!"

"Let's go into town!"

Xue Shao and his entourage of more than 20 horsemen walked towards the city gate, and immediately a team of horsemen came up, looking up and down Xue Shao and the others very vigilantly, "Who is coming?" ”

"General of the Right Guard, Commander of the Imperial Governor of the Prefecture and Xue Shao." Xue Shao answered in person.

The arrogate was obviously taken aback, his expression stiffened for a moment, and then he hurriedly dismounted and hugged his fists and bowed, "The villain doesn't know the dignity of Young Marshal Xue, please forgive me for many offenses!" ”

The other horsemen also dismounted one after another and saluted Xue Shao.

Guo An and the others breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately, they didn't draw their swords to each other!

"All the robes, please be exempted." Xue Shao smiled slightly, "Is the evil general good?" ”

"This ......," the pawn was stunned for a moment, and said, "The villain is just a martial arts cavalry, and it is difficult to see the evil general." ”

"That's good." Xue Shao said with a pleasant face, "I'm sorry for you to enter the city to report on your behalf, and just say that Xue Shao has come to visit General Evil." I know the rules of the army, and I won't enter the city without permission. I'm just here waiting for you to report back. Please go back quickly! ”

“…… All right! The martial cavalry team faced a big man like Xue Shao, and they didn't dare to say any more nonsense, so they hurriedly turned over and got on their horses and galloped into the city.

Xue Shao and Guo An waited outside the city gate.

After about half an hour, the team that entered the city to ask for instructions came back and said to Xue Shao: "Young Marshal Xue, General Evil has been sick in bed for a sudden emergency, and this disease can also infect others. Therefore, it is inconvenient for General Evil to meet with the young marshal at this time. The young marshal has worked hard all the way, so please go to the military post to rest temporarily. ”

- And sure enough!

Xue Shao smiled indifferently, "It's okay." Tired to lead the way! ”

The team respectfully invited Xue Shao and his party into Daizhou City. This kind of place in the border military town is not as good as the mainland, and there is definitely no wine banquet, singing and dancing to catch the wind and wash the dust, and a tiled house with two stops and shops plus ordinary military rations is already a good way of hospitality.

Xue Shao and the others lived in a relatively remote earthen walled courtyard, and there were more than a dozen fireheads to serve and eat. Before he finished his meal, Xue Shao found out......

Outside the courtyard, at least two hundred guards were suddenly added.

Xue Shao couldn't help laughing, and said in his heart, evil is coming, evil is coming, you don't dare to meet me and treat me as a thief to guard against - when did you become so cowardly as a mouse?