In the hunting ground of Bishan, the two hundred and eighteen cavalry are in formation, ready to go.

Yao Yuanchong waited beside the array anxiously for a long time, and finally looked forward to Xue Shao and Guo An riding together.

"Shangshu, what are you doing here?" Yao Yuanchong hurriedly stepped forward and asked.

"Go do something, my part." Xue Shao smiled slightly and said to him: "I called you here because I have some important things to explain to you." If you listen carefully, you don't need to ask anything else. ”

Yao Yuanchong was stunned for a long time, and sighed heavily, "Okay, you say, I'll listen!" ”

"From today onwards, anyone asks you about my movements, and you just say that you don't know." Xue Shao said, "This is not an order, but a request as a friend. Can you say yes? ”

"Including Princess Taiping and the Queen Mother?" Yao Yuanchong asked.

"Including."

Yao Yuanchong sighed again, "Okay, I promise you." ”

Xue Shao smiled and nodded, "After I leave, the affairs of the military department will be handed over to you." Once the battle situation in Xiazhou changes or there is a war in Hebei, you have to recommend it to the Queen Mother, and ask the two veterans to go out of the mountain again to take command. You must not let the sons and nephews of the martial arts family be in charge, let alone Wang Yu in charge. ”

"The two veterans that Shang Shu said, but Cheng Wuting and Wang Fangyi?"

"Yes."

Yao Yuanchong frowned, "I'm afraid it's difficult!" ”

"If it's easy, do I need to tell you anything else?" Xue Shao said indifferently, "Having said that, if she really wants to ruin this country, let her continue to be suspicious and stubborn." Victory or defeat has its own certainty, and those of us who are courtiers can only do our best. ”

Yao Yuanchong was stunned. never expected Xue Shao to say such a thing.

Xue Shao smiled disapprovingly and said, "Are you surprised?" ”

"Sort of." Yao Yuanchong nodded.

"Actually, I've had enough. From now on, I parted ways with her. Xue Shao sighed heavily and said, "But this does not mean that Xue Shao will become a thief. I will never betray my country, I just don't want to be pressed by her to this demonic court again. seems to be glamorous and majestic, but in fact, it is not trusted everywhere. It seems to be in power, but in fact, it is at the mercy of others - I've had enough, really! ”

"Shang Shu...... I'll call you honorable! Yao Yuanchong sighed, "Since you regard me as a friend, I have to persuade you." Even if you get a little stuffy, you still have to endure it. After all, the big picture counts. ”

"If I can't bear it, who do you think will sit on this dragon chair now? The so-called big picture is also all in my mind. Even now that we've parted ways, I haven't done anything out of the ordinary. After all, we still have a common kingdom and a common home. I don't want my wife, her daughter, Princess Taiping, to be hurt by the Turks. Xue Shao was very calm and said, "But Yuanzhi, we are losing the war. At that time, the first damn one will be me, the secretary of the military department. ”

"No one will punish you for this!" Yao Yuanchong said eagerly

"I will." Xue Shao said indifferently, "So now, I have to do some things that I have to do." I don't want me, hate myself for the rest of my life! ”

"What do you want to do?" Yao Yuanchong asked in surprise, "Even if you want to go to war, you have to bring more soldiers and horses—how many people are here?" ”

Xue Shao smiled slightly, "Including me, two hundred and twenty horses." It's all scouts and tribals that I raise at my own expense. I didn't move a single soldier, a sword, or a sword of the Luoshui army. ”

"Two hundred and twenty rides! ......" Yao Yuanchong took a deep breath and grabbed Xue Shao's wrist, "You can't go!" If you're going to die!! ”

"Let go. You can't pull it. Xue Shao said indifferently, "Remember, what you promised me." ”

Yao Yuanchong was stunned, speechless for a long time, and slowly let go of his hand.

Xue Shao turned over and smiled at Yao Yuanchong, "Don't leave it here, Yuanzhi!" ”

Two hundred and twenty rides, and the wind swept away.

……

Four days later, at noon.

The weather is unusually hot and humid, and there is a thunderstorm falling at the moment. Wu Zetian sat in the imperial study to review the chapters, and there were already two palace maids around her who were fanning her, and she still felt so hot and upset that she was upset.

"Go, open all the doors and windows." Wu Zetian put down his pen and recital, "Take some chilled bayberry soup, and everyone will quench their thirst." ”

The palace maids and eunuchs each moved according to the order, and Shangguan Wan'er came forward with a wet towel to wipe Wu Zetian's sweat.

At this moment, Princess Taiping came.

"Queen Mother, where did Xue Lang go?" Princess Taiping didn't wait to sit down, and asked.

Wu Zetian was slightly stunned, "Hasn't he been resting at home recently?" ”

"Nope!" Princess Taiping was surprised, "He hasn't been home since the day Li Dayu got married in Honglu Temple. I thought that the queen mother had given him some other errands to do, so I didn't dare to ask more. ”

Wu Zetian was stunned for a long time, and thought about it carefully, Xue Shao didn't seem to have come to the court recently, so he asked, "Have you gone to the official office to look for it?" ”

"Go, no one." Princess Taiping hurriedly replied, "No one knows where he went!" ”

"When you are a horse, can you still disappear?" Wu Zetian hurriedly stood up and walked to Princess Taiping's side, whispering comfortingly, "Taiping, you are pregnant, don't be too anxious." He may have been training in the Luoshui camp, so he didn't go home. ”

"The queen mother, his scouts and subordinates, as well as the gods of the left and right doors, are all gone." Princess Taiping said worriedly, "In the past, he would always leave a few people at home to take care of, and even if he didn't go home for a few days, he would send someone to send a letter to report his safety." But in the last few days, nothing! ”

Shangguan Wan'er heard the conversation between their mother and daughter on the side, and couldn't help but panic in her heart, and subconsciously looked at her right hand, which was shaking desperately.

At this time, a eunuch entered the room and said: "Report to the Queen Mother, Prime Minister Cen Changqian and one of Liu Yuan came to ask for a meeting, saying that there is urgent military affairs." ”

Wu Zetian took a deep breath, "Taiping, don't be impatient for a while, rest in the next hall for a while." When Weiniang has seen these two prime ministers, she will immediately send someone to find your Xue Lang back. ”

Princess Taiping nodded and hurriedly walked into the next room.

"Two prime ministers, please."

Cen Changqian and Liu Yuanzhi walked in quickly, and before they could pay their respects, the first thing they said was, "Queen Mother, it's not good!" ”

Wu Zetian was stunned, and sat down calmly, "Don't be surprised, but what's wrong, report it slowly!" ”

"Xiazhou Six Hundred Miles Urgent Military Report." Cen Changqian stepped forward and handed over a note, "Wei Beiqian took advantage of the victory to pursue, and when the troops arrived at Helan Mountain, they encountered a large number of enemy ambushes. The Shuofang army was defeated in the Jedi counterattack, and there were countless casualties - a fiasco! ”

Wu Zetian suddenly seemed to have fallen under the magic of the Western demon Medusa, and his whole person was petrified. Some of the other female officials and attendants in the imperial study, including Shangguan Wan'er, were also stunned and stunned.

After a while, Wu Zetian muttered a question, "There are countless casualties, but how many?" ”

Cen Changqian shook her head slowly with a bitter face, "That means that it can't be counted for a while." It is estimated that it will not be far from the annihilation of the whole army. ”

Wu Zetian was stunned for a long time again, finally came back to his senses, and looked at Liu Yuanzhi again, "Liu Xiang, what's the matter with you?" ”

Liu Yuanzhi hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and handed over a recital, "Shi Li Xiaoyi, the governor of the prefecture, rushed to report six hundred miles to report, the Turkic army of 100,000 raided Yunzhou, and Xue Ne sent troops to meet the victory. But at the same time, the Turks sent two armies of 50,000 men each, and attacked Daizhou and Shuozhou at the same time. The two states failed to hold and fell at the same time. ”

"Xue Ne, you are so incompetent!!" Wu Zetian slapped the table in anger, and the inkstone brush was shaken off.

Liu Yuanzhi sighed and said, "Queen Mother, you can't blame Xue Ne. After returning to the dynasty from Cheng Wuting, most of the soldiers and horses of the Shuo Dynasty were dispersed, and our dynasty has not sent the generals to guard the town, but hastily assigned the two states of the Shuo Dynasty to the command of Xue Ne, the governor of Yunzhou. Even if it is Xue Rengui's reincarnation, under the enemy's three-way attack, it can only hold the city of Yunzhou! ”

At this time, Wu Zetian couldn't help but remember that a long time ago, Xue Shao recommended Zhou Jitong to him as the governor of Daizhou, replacing his father Zhou Daowu, who died in battle, and his son inherited his father's business to guard the border pass. At that time, he didn't agree, and Zhou Jitong, who is now serving as a thousand horsemen, is outside the door.

And that day in the political hall, Xue Shao once said, "Our defense line in Hebei also has weaknesses." But before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the scout who reported the news. Since then, it has not been talked about again.

The past is unbearable!

Wu Zetian took a deep breath again and again, "Where are the enemy troops fighting now?" ”

"After the attack on the Shuo Dynasty, the Turkic armies of the two routes joined forces and went straight down to the state." Liu Baozhi replied, "Shi Li Xiaoyi, the governor of the prefecture, led the army to resist, and the battle was not conducive to retreating to the city. The Turks had already surrounded the state capital of Taiyuan, and instead divided their forces to attack other states and counties. Each state and county organized its own counterattack and resistance, and there were victories and defeats. ”

"What about Wenshui County?" Wu Zetian's eyes were already very large, and everyone was afraid that she would stare out her eyeballs.

"Wenshui County ......" Liu Yuanzhi's eyebrows were furrowed, and he really didn't dare to say it - who doesn't know that Wenshui County is the ancestral hometown of the Queen Mother? A few years ago, she set up the "Seven Temples of the Wu Family" in Wenshui County according to the emperor's specifications to pursue her ancestors, and they all fell out with Pei Yan for this.

"Say!!" Wu Zetian slapped the table.

"It's fallen!" Liu Yuanzhi was out anyway, and said: "After the Turks broke the city, they slaughtered all the men, women and children in the county. also gave the ancestral hall of the samurai family to the ...... Go up in flames! ”

There was a loud thunderclap, lightning and thunder outside the house, and heavy rain poured down. The entire Luoyang suddenly fell into a gloom.

Wu Zetian suddenly felt that the sky had collapsed, and his whole body was soft and shaky.

Everyone screamed together, Shangguan Wan'er was very close to her, and hurriedly helped her.

"Hongu is fine!"

Wu Zetian pushed Shangguan Wan'er away, stood up and waved his big sleeves, and shouted thunderously - "Quickly invite Xia Guanshangshu and Xue Shao!" ”

"Queen Mother, Xue Yuma...... Missing! ”

"Then look for it! - Find !! ”

……

At this moment, Xue Shao and his entourage had arrived in Yanzhou, the land of Helong, and stopped outside Yanchang County.

Xue Shao pointed at the county seat with a horsewhip and smiled at Guo An: "Guo An, when I was ordered to conquer Bai Tieyu, this place was once blocked by a group of black monkeys under your command. You also captured Guo Yuanzheng alive. Remember? ”

Everyone laughed together. Because of those "black monkeys" back then, there are now many following behind Xue Shao. They became the most elite scouts of the Tang Dynasty and Xue Shao's closest comrades-in-arms.

"I don't know how Guo Yuanzhen and Xue Chuyu are doing now." Guo An sighed lightly and said, "I'm in a hurry to Xiazhou now, and I'm afraid that I'm really going to Xiazhou." ”

"Don't talk about that." Xue Shao took a deep breath, "Wu Ming, Yuenu, Yu Hongye and her caravan are all waiting for us in Yanchang County. Let's go, join them first when we enter the city! ”