Xue Shao and Wu Zetian coaxed and deceived, and finally stabilized Princess Taiping first, so that she should not worry about state affairs for the time being, but focus on raising a fetus. Princess Taiping was very happy, but she didn't make any more trouble after being coquettish for a while.

She said to Xue Shao in private, do you think I am really willing to be distracted to deal with those troublesome national affairs? I'm not here for you!

Xue Shao smiled and asked, why is it for me?

Princess Taiping said: "You are now a military commander and a feudal official, and you are also famous for your open confrontation with Pei Yan in the court. Haven't you noticed that you are no longer the Lantian son who was treated coldly by Xue Yuanchao when he first entered the office, but a pivotal figure in the Tang Dynasty? ”

"So what?" Xue Shao asked with a smile.

"You're stupid!" Princess Taiping said angrily, "There is a way to attract the wind, you are so conspicuous and prominent now, there will definitely be many people who look at you unpleasantly and want to make you unlucky." Coupled with the fact that you, a guy known as a human slaughterer, are accustomed to using thunderous means to govern people, there have been many enemies in the past two years. In the future, if you often lead troops outside and the villains secretly calculate against you, how should you deal with it? ”

"Oh, I see what you mean." Xue Shao smiled, "Do you think that if I leave the imperial capital, you will still be taking care of you here, right?" ”

"Yes!" Princess Taiping said categorically, "You and I are husband and wife, can there be anyone in this world who is more worthy of your trust than me?" Coupled with the relationship between me and the queen mother, who can take better care of you than me? ”

"Hahaha! Xue Shao immediately laughed out loud, thinking that what Princess Taiping said sounded a little childish and funny, but it was really reasonable!

"Don't laugh!" Princess Taiping said angrily, "Listen well, if there is anything in the future, you are not allowed to hide it from me!" ”

"Okay, I'll just promise you." Xue Shao smiled, "But you also have to be obedient, don't work too hard when you're pregnant, and don't get angry at will." It will hurt your mother and son. ”

"Good! Deal! Princess Taiping turned her sorrow into joy and went to bed with her mother.

Xue Shao took a breath, and wondered in his heart: What did Pei Yan think in his heart? If he really secretly planned this rebellion, did he still want to overthrow the Tang Dynasty and become the emperor himself? If not, then why did he put on an attitude that it was not his business and slackened his work? This is too inconsistent with his identity and position as the first and auxiliary prime minister of the court!

The next day was a double day, and it stands to reason that the ministers did not need to go to the early court. But early in the morning, Wu Zetian got up at dawn, and after freshening up, he took a car to Daming Palace. Before leaving, she said to Xue Shao that there was such a major event as the Yangzhou Rebellion, and everyone should not want to be idle. I will convene the prime ministers, the shoguns, and the generals to a formal imperial council to discuss countermeasures. I'll go back to the palace in advance to prepare early, and you should prepare accordingly.

Xue Shao naturally agreed.

An hour later, Xue Shao and all the prime ministers Shang Shu and the generals and generals in Beijing arrived at the Hanyuan Hall of Daming Palace and gathered outside the main hall. Looking at the situation, everyone who came today already knew the news of the Yangzhou mutiny. Before the meeting was officially convened, they were already discussing privately in twos and threes, and everyone's expressions were very strict and nervous.

The two generals of Yulinwei, Zhang Qianqiao and Fan Yunxian, as well as several generals from other guards, also came to Xue Shao to ask about this matter and exchange opinions with each other. As a result, the opinions of these generals who led the troops coincided with the astonishing unity, and they all advocated that the imperial court should send troops to Yangzhou to quell the rebellion as soon as possible, and put out Li Jingye first. As for everything else, it can all be slowly liquidated after the counterinsurgency.

Xue Shao thought in his heart, even these generals who don't read much can realize that quickly quelling the rebellion is the first priority at present, how can Pei Yan, who is so scheming and scheming, not realize this? Or did he really have other plans?

At this moment, I don't know who was shocked, "Strange, why didn't Pei Ge come?" ”

Everyone came back to their senses together, looked around, and sure enough, Liu Qixian, Liu Yizhi, Cen Changqian, and other prime ministers all came, but Pei Yan didn't come!

At this time, Wu Zetian had already arrived, and asked all the ministers to enter Danqi together to hold a meeting.

Xue Shao and everyone took off their shoes and walked into Danqi together, and each took a seat. Wu Zetian glanced around, looked outside the door again, and asked Liu Qixian in a low voice, "What about Pei Zhongshu?" ”

Liu Qixian hurriedly took a few steps forward and whispered: "Back to the Queen Mother, Pei Zhongshu had a hangover last night, but he contracted some wind and cold, and he was bedridden today." ”

"Bedridden?" Wu Zetian let out a low snort, his eyebrows furrowed, and his face suddenly became quite ugly.

When all the ministers heard what she said, they immediately looked at each other and were speechless.

The audience suddenly became silent, and you could hear the needle falling to the ground. Everyone thought in their hearts, the chief prime minister didn't come, what else is there to hold in this imperial meeting? The results discussed by a group of petty prime ministers and the generals are all useless empty words without the permission and decision of the chief prime minister.

Xue Shao saw that Liu Qixian whispered a few words in front of Wu Zetian, probably to persuade her to calm her anger, and then retreated. Wu Zetian's face turned pale, but she restrained herself and did not attack in public, and only said: "Since Pei Zhongshu is absent, today's imperial meeting has to be temporarily canceled." Ladies and gentlemen, please go back! ”

The ministers were stunned and speechless again, so they had to come and leave.

When he walked down the Longwei Road of Hanyuan Palace, the ministers were all discussing in private, saying that at this juncture, why did Pei Ge Lao get sick? Some people also say that Pei Ge Lao wouldn't be like this on purpose, right? So what does he want?

Xue Shao didn't participate in their discussions, but thought in his heart: Today's imperial meeting was temporarily canceled, and Wu Zetian must have been annoyed and angry. No matter what kind of grievances he has with whom, as a prime minister, he actually played missing and picking on the child when the country was in danger, Pei Yan's approach is really chilling!

Justice is at ease in the hearts of the people, and it is not difficult to see from the discussion of the ministers today that some people have expressed strong dissatisfaction with Pei Yan's provocative behavior.

Xue Shao couldn't help but sigh, Pei Yan, Pei Yan, you are really ...... Do not live!!

An hour later, Xue Shao had just returned home and sat down, and before he had finished drinking a cup of tea, Wu Zetian's car was placed at the door of Princess Taiping's mansion.

Xue Shao hurriedly greeted him in person, and when he saw that Wu Zetian was riding on the imperial chariot, he couldn't help but be slightly surprised.

Emperor Li Zhi of Gaozong did not like to ride in carriages with carriages, but he was generally accustomed to riding the imperial chariot with only an umbrella cover when traveling. The two saints often traveled together, and the imperial chariot almost became their symbol. However, after the death of Emperor Gaozong, Wu Zetian never traveled alone on the imperial chariot out of respect and nostalgia for Gaozong.

Today, Wu Zetian made an exception to use the imperial chariot, which symbolizes the supreme imperial power, and brought hundreds of armor soldiers to open the way, and the flag was also very solemn. Obviously, this is a grand trip with a very high specification and a very formal formality.

"The Queen Mother is so pompous, where is she going?" Xue Shao stepped forward and asked.

"Mount, come with me." Wu Zetian was expressionless and did not answer.

Xue Shao frowned and nodded, "Okay." ”

Xue Shao returned to the mansion and rode on his own Weilong treasure horse, and followed Wu Zetian's imperial chariot to the side. The car drove out of Taipingfang, and the people of Chang'an City all avoided the road and watched, and they were amazed.

- It's been a long time since they've seen such a pomp and circumstance!

The car drove all the way and stopped directly in front of Pei Yan's mansion.

Xue Shao dismounted and Wu Zetian fell, and the two stood together in front of Pei's mansion, where the door of the mansion was closed.

"Queen Mother, what do you mean by being here?" Xue Shao asked in a low voice.

Wu Zetian said lightly with an expressionless face: "State affairs are important. Since Pei Ge Lao Tuo couldn't get sick, he had to come to the palace in person to ask for advice. ”

Xue Shao couldn't help but secretly smile bitterly, okay, state affairs are important!

"Someone, go and call the door." Wu Zetian gave an order.

Her close attendant and eunuch hurriedly stepped forward to call the door, and after a long time, an old man came up to answer the door.

"Who?" The old man was quite impatient.

The close eunuch said: "Hurry up and pass the word, Empress Dowager Wu is coming to Pei's mansion!" ”

"Empress Dowager Wu?" The old man looked at the large area of strict armor outside the door in a daze, and asked, "Which Empress Dowager Wu?" ”

"Death!" The eunuch was furious, "You get out of the way for me, don't get in the way!" ”

"Don't be rude." Wu Zetian snorted and blasted the eunuch away, and stepped forward in person and said: "Please ask the old man to come in and report it, and say that Wu Cao came to visit Pei Ge Lao and has important state affairs to discuss." ”

"The head of the family is bedridden with wind and cold, and the cough is not only contagious. Everyone, let's avoid it! The old man was still stunned, and said, "The head of the family said, no one will see you, no one will see you!" ”

Xue Shao couldn't stand it anymore, "How can this be reasonable!" ……”

"Forget it!" Wu Zetian waved his hand to stop Xue Shao, who was about to get angry, and said with a smile, "In this case, I will take my leave." Please ask the old man to tell Pei Ge Lao and say, when his condition improves, I will come to visit later. ”

"Okay, okay." The old man nodded and said these two words, and slammed the door shut.

Xue Shao took a big deep breath, if you don't die, you won't die, Pei Yan, you're really tired of being alive!

"Let's go!" Wu Zetian didn't say anything, walked back as usual and re-boarded the imperial chariot, and said lightly, "Xue Shao, go home!" It's time to go back to the palace! ”

Xue Shao hated it so much that he could only ride on the horse. Before leaving, he said to Wu Zetian: "Queen Mother, the counterinsurgency is imminent, and it cannot be delayed any longer." Now, what should we do? ”

Wu Zetian frowned slightly and muttered for a moment, and said, "Let's talk about it again." ”

"......" Xue Shao was really speechless, so he had to bow his hand to Wu Zetian with a wry smile, "In this case, the minister will leave first!" ”

Xue Shao returned to the house, and after eating the closed door, he had nowhere to vent his anger, and he ran to the polo field and played a few sets of punches and vented his sweat fiercely, so that he could stop a little.

At this time, Fan Yunxian and Zhang Qianqiao came to the mansion with a group of generals to ask Xue Shao to see him and ask him, why didn't the imperial court send troops to quell the rebellion in Yangzhou?

Xue Shao was angry, and said angrily: "I'm the same as you, I know a fart?" - This kind of militaristic event, you have to ask Pei Ge Lao! ”

All the generals gritted their teeth with hatred, and they all began to scold, saying what was Pei Yan thinking?

Xue Shao sneered, he was thinking about death!!