In the early morning, when the first sunshine climbed the head of Shuozhou, the war drums in the army had already sounded for the third time. The army had eaten breakfast and began its morning exercises.

Xue Shao pushed open the door and walked out, stretching out against the rising sun, "The weather is good, suitable for hunting!" ”

Guo Yuanzhen walked out behind him, covering his face with his right hand and rubbing his eyes.

Xue Shao glanced back at him and couldn't help laughing, "Put your hand down and I'll take a look?" ”

"What's there to see? You've done a great job! Guo Yuanzhen let go of his hand angrily, revealing a panda eye.

Xue Shao laughed, "Go back and call your subordinates, boil a few hard-boiled eggs and apply them for you." ”

"You hit it so hard, you almost went blind." Guo Yuanzhen rubbed his eyes and thought about it.

"You're not bad!" Xue Shao rolled up his sleeves to reveal a few blood marks, "Desperately scratching me and biting it with my teeth, like a girl."

"Alright, don't say it!" Guo Yuanzhen glanced to the side and saw a row of guards guarding the city, and whispered: "Let the family know that the commander and the general are locked in the house and fighting like naughty boys, how will we mix in the future!" ”

"I'm not afraid, because I won!" Xue Shao smiled, walked up to him and said, "I haven't asked yet, you ran after me and came to Shuozhou, what's the matter with me?" ”

"I came to ask you for something. Later, when I heard that Shangguan Wan'er was coming, I put it aside for a while. Guo Yuanzhen replied.

"Say it now."

Guo Yuanzhen said: "I'm afraid you won't agree." ”

"Then don't talk about it." Xue Shao turned around and left.

"Don't go!" Guo Yuanzhen grabbed Xue Shao and said hurriedly: "I know that your scouts are very capable. Lend me ten! ”

Xue Shao stared at him for a moment, "Don't think!" ”

"Five!" Guo Yuanzhen tugged tighter.

"Let go. Otherwise, the soldiers will rush forward and kill you, thinking that you have committed a crime! Xue Shao slapped his hand away, lowered his voice and said, "I know what you're going to do." I won't agree, you die of this heart! ”

"Then we're like this, don't care whether the two poles live or die?" Guo Yuanzhen's eyes widened, including the panda's eyes.

"Chu Yu is your brother and my brother." Xue Shao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "If I knew where he was, I would do whatever it took and all means to save him back." But until then, I don't want you, the governor of Toyoshu, to abandon your duties and run around like a headless fly. ”

"There's nothing to do in Fengzhou, and you don't need me here." Guo Yuanzhen said, "Give me five people, and I will sneak into Mobei to inquire about his news." Whether it succeeds or not, I will be back in half a year. ”

"Nope." Xue Shao vetoed it and said, "I don't have Chu Yu anymore, it feels like I've cut off an arm." At this juncture, I don't want to break another arm. ”

"Then I'll stay here, and I won't have anything to do!" Guo Yuanzhen spread out his hands, looking very innocent.

"Not only do you have something to do, but you also have something very important." Xue Shaodao.

Guo Yuanzhen frowned, something that could be said to be "extremely important" by Xue Shao must be extraordinary, so he asked, "What's the matter?" ”

"I can't say it yet. You'll find out in a few days. Xue Shao said, "In addition, I need you and Li Dayu to be good buddies." ”

Guo Yuanzhen grinned, "This is also a matter?" ”

"Of course, it's still a big deal." Xue Shao said, "Although Li Dayu and I are also in love, after all, because of my identity, it is impossible for me to get along with him day and night." Both the Xi and the Khitan are now our allies, but who knows how the tide will change in the coming decades? - So, I need you to take care of the affairs on the Xi side. Got it? ”

"Understood." Guo Yuanzhen nodded, and then said, "What about the Khitan?" ”

Xue Shao frowned and said, "When Sun Wanrong first came, Li Dayu expressed his disdain. I didn't ask, but I probably guessed that he was disgusted with Sun Wanrong's petty family. ”

"How?"

Xue Shao said: "The Xi clan is weak, but they sent 15,000 horsemen to help in the battle. It's almost their best soldier. The Khitan was much stronger, but only 20,000 horsemen came. I remember that a long time ago, Li Dayu told me privately that the strength of the Khitan soldiers and horses far exceeded the imagination of the outside world. It is conservatively estimated that they can assemble an elite cavalry of 80,000 men. ”

"I see." Guo Yuanzhen's eyebrows furrowed, and he whispered: "Khitan ambition is not small. Forming a good Xi clan is early to take precautions. ”

Xue Shao smiled and nodded, "Since we are all in our respective positions, we must bear the corresponding responsibilities. To do this, we may have to give up many things that we once cherished. It's cruel, and it's irreparable, and it's never going to be the best of both worlds. ”

"This kind of thing sounds uncomfortable." Guo Yuanzhen sighed lightly, "But I know you're right." ”

"Now, I'm going to meet with the imperial envoy and discuss some important matters." Xue Shao turned around and left, "You go back to the barracks and do what you have to do." ”

Guo Yuanzhen pursed his lips and muttered in a low voice, "Yes, yes, I will do you as a beauty." ”

"That's no way, I'm the boss, you're a soldier!"

Xue Shao arrived at the military post house and met Yang Siqiao at the door.

"Master." Yang Siqiao clenched his fists and bowed.

Xue Shao rarely heard this title, and Yang Siqiao seemed to call him that for the first time. So he felt a little strange and looked Yang Siqiao up and down.

Yang Siqiao stood with his fists clenched slightly, without raising his head.

"How are you at home? What about the princess? Xue Shao asked.

Yang Siqiao maintained that posture and replied, "Everything is fine in the master's house. Her Royal Highness the Princess has already given birth to a thousand pounds for her master. Empress Dowager Wu named her the county lord of Anyi. Just wait for the master to return to Beijing triumphantly, and then hold a full moon wedding wine. ”

After listening, Xue Shao's expression did not move, but his heart seemed to have stirred up a thousand waves, and he could no longer calm down.

The faces of Princess Taiping, Lin Yu, Ning Jin and others kept flashing in his mind. There are also Chen Xian'er and her daughter Nishang, the moon slave who is pregnant with Liujia, and the sisters of Tilinlin......

Xue Shao couldn't help but whisper to himself: "They must be looking forward to my return day and night!" ”

"Yes, master." Yang replied.

Xue Shao took a deep breath to calm his emotions, "Why did you change your name to me as your master?" ”

"This is the order given to us by Her Royal Highness the Princess, that we should henceforth call you your master, and not a colt or anything else." Yang Siqiao replied, "The new house purchased by the owner in Luoyang has been completed. Her Royal Highness the princess said that she would not move in until the master returned to Beijing. The princess also said that the new mansion will no longer use the plaque of Princess Taiping's mansion, but will be renamed Xue Mansion or named after the owner's title, and it is best to wait for the owner to return to Beijing to decide on his own. The princess said that there is only one owner of the new house, and that is you, the owner. ”

Xue Shao's heart was full of mixed tastes, and he was speechless for a while.

"Master......" Yang Siqiao hesitated for a moment and asked, "When do you plan to return home?" ”

"Soon."

Xue Shao turned around and walked towards the post house. When he passed a corner, he casually threw the evil little bottle that Guo Yuanzhen gave him into a dark corner.

He knew very well in his heart that Yang Siqiao's arrival was certainly due to the assignment of Princess Taiping, but there was also a stroke by Wu Zetian. Because in addition to the art of power schemes, Wu Zetian is also very good at playing some emotional cards.

I have to admit that this time she played a good hand. Now Xue Shao's mind is full of Princess Taiping.

Shangguan Wan'er got up early, and by this time she had already eaten breakfast, burned incense and read half a book. When Xue Shao came in, she got up to greet her, and several guards at the door consciously walked out and covered the door.

Xue Shao sat down in front of his bookcase and said with a smile: "I'm here to resign." ”

Shangguan Wan'er was slightly stunned, "Are you going to go on the expedition?" ”

Xue Shao nodded, "What are your plans?" ”

Shangguan Wan'er seemed to notice that Xue Shao's mentality had undergone a subtle change, and her eyes began to become more complicated, and she said softly: "The task of my trip has not been completed yet. ”

Of course, Xue Shao knew what the "mission" she was talking about, and catching Li Wen who was sent away before was just an unexpected gain.

"What if you can't complete your mission?" Xue Shao said.

Shangguan Wan'er's brows furrowed slightly, and she shook her head, "I don't know......"

"You know for sure, but you don't want to say it." Xue Shao said, "Your current situation is like when your cousin Wang Yu was about to go to the Turkic camp to serve as an envoy. ”

Shangguan Wan'er's expression changed slightly, and she looked at Xue Shao in surprise.

"You must have known about Wang Yu for a long time, but you have never mentioned it to me." Xue Shao said calmly, "You have always cared about him. You didn't mention it because you were afraid that it would affect the relationship between the two of us. ”

Shangguan Wan'er bowed her head slightly, her expression became a little painful, and she was silent.

"You've taken on a lot of pressure that shouldn't have been yours. Your heart is filled with too much pain and helplessness. Xue Shao sighed lightly and said, "In order to survive, you can only repeatedly compromise and even sacrifice yourself." In order to survive, you will always wear various masks on your face, making it impossible to tell the difference. ”

Shangguan Wan'er suddenly raised her head to look at Xue Shao, her eyes were red and her silver teeth were clenched, with a stubborn and painful expression.

"If a person wears a mask for too long, will he forget his original appearance?" Xue Shao asked.

"Yes, you're right." Shangguan Wan'er took a deep breath, stared at Xue Shao with her red eyes, gritted her teeth and said, "I've always been pretentious in front of you, I've never liked you!" But in order to fulfill the task given to me by the Empress Dowager Wu, I did not hesitate to disguise myself as a slut and do my best to seduce you! When necessary, I can even go to sleep with the 200,000 men under your command - are you satisfied?! ”

"......" Xue Shao saw her tears, but was silent and did not move.

"You can go!" Shangguan Wan'er turned around and turned her back to him.

Xue Shao stood up, "I just want to see you as you are." I don't want to, all I love is a mask! ”

"But Shangguan Wan'er has long since had nothing but a mask." With her back to Xue Shao, Shangguan Wan'er said softly, "It's a pity to disappoint you, Xue Shuai." ”

"No regrets." Xue Shao smiled slightly, "I've already got the answer." ”

Shangguan Wan'er turned around and looked at Xue Shao with confusion and a little annoyance.

"Your tears and your anger are the answers I want." Xue Shao turned around and walked outside, saying, "You don't want to go anywhere, just wait here for me to come back." ”

"What's the point of that?!" Shangguan Wan'er shouted loudly, "After you come back, do you dare to take me to the end of the world and never look back?" Can you let me live in your world and never bother with the distractions of the world? Can you always be by my side so that I no longer feel lonely and painful? ”

"Can't!"

"You can't!!"

Xue Shao stopped and said softly, "You're right, I can't." ”

Shangguan Wan'er smiled dejectedly and sat down, "That's good, the wise and martial Xue Shuai." Now please tell me, if you are Shangguan Wan'er, what can you do? ”

"I will obediently wait for Xue Shao's triumphant return in Shuozhou, and then bring back 200,000 troops with a wave of my hand. When you return to Luoyang, you will be the founder of the Empress's dynasty. Xue Shao took a deep breath and said, "At that time, you no longer need to wander the world or hide in my world, and there will be no more loneliness and pain!" ”

Shangguan Wan'er's eyes widened, and her expression froze completely.

"It's your mission." Xue Shao looked at her and said calmly, "This is also the only gift that Xue Shao can give to that Shangguan Wan'er in his heart." ”