The snow continued for several days before it finally stopped. But instead of getting warmer, the snow gets colder.

The exercises of the Shuofang army continued, and every three days of the drill were rested for one day, and they were carried out at this frequency for nearly a month.

It's about to be the New Year. Xue Shao, like all the soldiers, couldn't help but miss his distant family and the warm taste of celebrating the New Year at home. In order to prevent the "suffering of homesickness" from affecting the morale of the army and the stability of the morale of the army, Xue Shao decided to suspend the drill and let the officers and men of the whole army organize a collective New Year with the regiment as a unit (200 people per regiment) on the premise of not affecting the garrison and defensive vigilance.

As soon as this order came out, the whole army was boiling and everyone rejoiced.

On this day of the New Year, the Hu general Ashina Zhongjie, who stayed in the rear, worked hard and led the sergeants to send a batch of military supplies distributed by the imperial court. Last time, the imperial court issued an order to commend the award, and the holy decree was issued first and then the materials were issued, and they were transported to Xiazhou not long ago.

The strict order issued by the above is that the soldiers of the Shuofang Army must receive this batch of rewards before the Chinese New Year. Ashina Zhongjie had to be sent in the wind and snow.

The materials were very rich, including the gold silk silk that was awarded to Xue Shao and the generals, and the copper coins that were rewarded to the lower-level generals and soldiers, and the military salary of the whole army for three months was also sent.

It is rare for the imperial court to be so generous, and on the day of the new year, when they received military salaries and reward red envelopes, the soldiers were very happy.

Xue Shao knew in his heart that this batch of awards was actually promoted by Emperor Li Xian after his comeback, with the purpose of encircling the officers and soldiers of the Shuofang army and alleviating the contradiction between the monarch and the minister. Of course, Li Xian also hoped that such a kind move would make Xue Dudu "treat well" his father-in-law, Shi Wei Xuanzhen, the new governor of the Xiazhou Governor's Mansion.

Xue Shao didn't know what Pei Yan would think in his heart, but the fact was that he didn't object. In fact, even if Pei Yan wanted to object, there was not enough reason. Shuofang's army has won successive battles, which is an ironclad fact. If there is a mistake, it will be punished and rewarded, which cannot be broken.

Thinking of this, Xue Shao couldn't help but smile slightly, Li Xian will also use Yang Mou, he has long strength!

According to Xue Shao's previous statement, the part of the reward awarded to Xue Shao by the imperial court will be equally distributed to all the soldiers of the whole army. Su Wei said to Xue Shao that although the young marshal's reward was rich, it was evenly distributed to the whole army of 100,000 soldiers, and each person could only get twenty or thirty copper coins. Rather than this, why not just share the rewards of the generals?

Xue Shao knew Su Wei's intentions, and the coach surrounded the generals around him, which was very important. If this money is distributed centrally to a small number of generals at or above the rank of Zhonglang General, everyone will be able to get a large amount of benefits.

In this way, it is obviously more realistic!

But Xue Shao vetoed Su Wei's mention yì, and he said, if it was in normal times, I would accept your mention yì. But now it's the Chinese New Year, every festive season, the whole army and soldiers follow me to leave their hometown and suffer hardships, and I, as the commander-in-chief, give each of them a New Year's benefit, which can be regarded as a little heart. The generals have their own rewards from the imperial court, and presumably they will not mind sharing the gifts of the commander with the soldiers who share the joys and sorrows at such times.

Su Wei suddenly realized, and praised Xue Shao again and again for "being sympathetic and loving a soldier like a son", and then immediately set out to handle this matter.

Xue Shao was secretly amused, thinking that Su Wei must have thought that I was a child of a family who only focused on encircling bureaucrats and eunuchs, and was not in the mood to care about the life and death of the lowest lower-level soldiers. How did he know that I used to be a "grassroots soldier", and I had the experience of being an ordinary pawn in the last Northern Expedition, so I know too well what the soldiers below need.

——The grace of a drop of water is reciprocated, this is the most common mentality of ordinary soldiers from poor backgrounds!

Sure enough, Su Wei just sent out the notice that Xue Shao would reward the whole army, and the whole army cheered and clapped in celebration. It's not that twenty or thirty copper plates can make anyone make a fortune, the courtesy is light and affectionate, Xue Shao's care and heart made the soldiers very moved, especially at this time of the Chinese New Year.

Taking the lead in the snow training, rewarding the whole army equally, Xue Shao's prestige has risen again in the Shuofang army, and he has become like a god on top, absolutely unmatched!

Along with Ashina Zhongjie, there is also a "mandate" that everyone expected. Previously, Fan Yunxian, the general of Yulin, led a small number of soldiers and horses to help Fengzhou, when the first emperor had just died, Xue Shao was assassinated by the emperor was unstable, and the Shuofang army was still stationed in Luoyang.

Now that the situation in Fengzhou is temporarily stable and Xue Shao is in charge, Fan Yunxian, as the commander of the Imperial Forest Army, was ordered to be transferred back by the imperial court, which is indeed reasonable.

But Fan Yunxian himself didn't want to go. When he received the order, the murderous seven-foot man cried fiercely. Sima Tang Xiujing, who fought side by side with him and defended Fengzhou, was also very sad, living and dying with each other, and it was very difficult to give up the feelings of Paoze.

Helplessly, the orders of the imperial court must be carried out.

Xue Shao led the generals to hold a grand farewell banquet for Fan Yunxian and saw him off. Tang Xiujing himself personally sent it thirty miles away, and returned with tears on his face.

Although it was just a small episode, it made Xue Shao see that there was already a good military atmosphere within the Shuofang Army, and the feelings between the robes and Ze were deep.

Xue Shao felt very relieved that the soldiers valued love and righteousness over life and death, which was a manifestation of the strong cohesion of an army

Chinese New Year's Eve.

Fengzhou Military Town, which has always been known for its vigorous and vigorous golden iron horse, is lit up today, showing a rare hint of festive atmosphere. In addition to rotating the garrison and guard troops, the whole army gathered in regiments to celebrate the New Year.

Xue Shao set up a banquet in his marshal's mansion and invited the generals to have a dinner together to celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve. In order to avoid mistakes after drinking, Shuofang has been strictly forbidden in the army, and today Xue Shao's "extrajudicial grace" is given to the whole army, allowing each person to drink a small amount of fruit wine - two together, that is, no more than two taels.

For people who drink a lot, this bit of wine is like brushing their teeth. But everyone knows that the heavy military responsibility shouldered by Fengzhou today is not child's play. It is very rare to have a two-fruit wine to drink during the Chinese New Year.

Everyone came to the Shuaifu, and they were all elated, but they all complained that "the young marshal is too stingy, so he has such a little wine"!

Xue Shao knew that they were just talking about it or not, and the men who were born and died together were together, even if it was a bowl of yellow mud, they could drink the taste of the supreme wine, and no one would really care.

As a result, the generals quickly drank the fruit wine, and then replaced the wine with tea, which was a rare and lively time, and the atmosphere of the New Year was very strong.

Xue Shao sat with Li Duozuo, Guo Yuanzhen, Xue Chuyu and Wu Ming Guo An, drinking some hot soup and chatting about gossip, and they were all very relaxed. Suddenly, Guo Yuanzhen pointed at the group of people next to him, and said with a smile: "Young marshal, look, that group of guys just made up the zodiac, it's really auspicious!" ”

Everyone looked at it together, don't say it, it's true!

Fengzhou Sima Tang Xiujing, Hu Ren fierce general Ashina Zhongjie, the newcomer Zhang Renyuan who has just emerged, as well as the twin generals Dugu Yizhi and Sha Zha Zhongyi, and Pei Xingjian left Zhang Zhiyun, Cui Zhigong, Yan Jingrong, Gan Yuanjian, Pei Siliang, Wang Zhifang and Liu Xuanyi, the seven heavy generals, just twelve people got together and were carrying out the drinking order.

Coincidentally, these twelve people are all at the level of Zhonglang generals. And Li Duozuo, Xue Chuyu and Guo Yuanzhen beside Xue Shao are slightly higher-ranking generals.

These eighteen people here happen to be the core backbone of the Shuofang Army!

"We are the twelveth birthday night, so aren't you the four great beasts?" Not to be outdone, the people over there said with a smile, "Green Dragon Vermilion Bird, White Tiger Xuanwu!" - Uh-huh, just right! ”

Wu Ming and Guo An just laughed and didn't say anything. Their duties are rather special, the "scouts" have always been unsung heroes, in Xue Shao's words, they are shadow warriors who live in the dark.

"The four great beasts are twelve shengxiao, and there are two shadow warriors." Xue Shao smiled, "It's kind of interesting!" Shuo Fang's eighteen generals, now they all have nicknames! ”

The crowd burst into laughter and enjoyed themselves.

It was originally an unintentional joke, but who expected that the joke on Chinese New Year's Eve would go away, and the name of "Shuofang Eighteen Generals" was known to the whole army. Xue Shao, accidentally, became the "Green Dragon General" by word of mouth among the soldiers.

At the same time, thousands of miles away in the grassland desert, rolling on the mountains.

Flying snow is covered with thousands of miles of ice, but there is an artificially opened snow-free mountain trail, coiling up.

Ashide Yuanzhen let his five hundred soldiers clear the snow day and night, just to be able to personally send a pot of self-brewed wine to the people on the mountain at this time.

The god of war in Turkic legend. It is a god in the minds of the warlike Turks.

There is only one person who can live on this mountain and is worthy of Ashide Yuanzhen personally to deliver wine.

The mother of Ashina Krakus, the son of the Condor, Ashina Aiyan.

Dressed in a thick fur coat, Ashid Yuanzhen walked to the lonely courtyard on the top of the mountain with two jars of wine. This is a courtyard with an obvious Tang architectural style, not big, very new, exquisite and elegant, revealing a natural luxury.

After shaking off the snow on his body, Ashide Yuanzhen patted the door of the courtyard.

"Who is visiting so late at night?" A woman's voice came from inside the room.

Ashide Yuanzhen smiled slightly, "Mother God, it's me." ”

There was silence in the courtyard for a moment, and Ai Yan's voice came out: "Apodagan, it's too late now." The wind and snow are all over the mountain road, so please go back! ”

"Tonight is the traditional Chinese New Year's Eve of the Han people. I know that the Divine Mother grew up in the Central Plains and has the habit of having a New Year. "Therefore, I prepared some home-brewed thin wine, and brought two skilled Han cooks to accompany the Mother of God to celebrate the New Year." ”

"Thank you Apoda for your kindness, I've already slept, please go back!" Ai Yan's tone was soft, but not negotiable.

Seeing that she had always called herself an official position, there was a lot of rejection between her words, and she couldn't help but smile bitterly.

After a moment of silence, Ashid Yuanzhen said, "Okay, the wine will be handed over to the cook for safekeeping, and the two of them will wait at the door until the Mother of God allows them to enter." ”

"Say goodbye below."

With that, Ashide Yuanzhen stepped on the thick snow and walked down the mountain. The soldiers around him carefully opened the way and supported him with torches, and left together.

There were only two women left at the gate of the courtyard, standing alone against the flying snow in the wind, shivering.

As soon as the figure of Ashide Yuanzhen and his party disappeared at the corner of the mountain road, the door of the courtyard opened. Two strong Turkic slave girls hurriedly pulled the two Han women who were about to freeze to death into the courtyard, and then quickly closed the door.

Ashid Yuanzhen stood in the shadows not far away, quietly watching the scene in front of him, and couldn't help but smile bitterly and shake his head.

"Why bother?"

"As long as you become a Turkic Divine Mother for a day, you will never return to him!"

“…… What's more, he has long forgotten about you! ”