After more than a month, a major event happened in Chang'an, Xijing.

Wenchang Zuoxiang (formerly Shangshu Zuo Servant), who stayed in Xijing, once defeated the Baekje and Yuguo coalition forces at the mouth of the Baijiang River, a leading figure in the Tang Dynasty military circles, and a famous and extremely rare water war general in Chinese history, Liu Renliang, passed away.

As early as the Second Sage period, Liu Renliang was already a supreme minister and worshiped the prime minister. It's just that after Xue Shao joined the office, Liu Renliang has gradually faded out of the government and the opposition because of his advanced age. But the second saint still has high hopes for him, and after he is over eighty years old, he still wants to invite him to go out of the mountain to sit in the court and worship the prime minister.

After the death of Gaozong, Wu Zetian gradually began to dictate the dynasty, Liu Renliang once accused Wu Zetian in person not to interfere too much in politics, and what he said was similar to Xu Jingye of the Yangzhou rebellion - "Ji Si Chen, but the family is the rope".

However, Wu Zetian just smiled and said that the old minister's teachings were taken to heart, and then he still let him stay in Xijing, and the position of Shangshu's left servant could not be moved.

If it was someone else, I don't know how many times I died.

The death of such an old prime minister can be described as a shock to the government and the opposition. On the day he got the news, Wu Zetian abolished the dynasty for three days to show his grief, and asked the prime minister to lead the representatives of hundreds of officials to Xijing to mourn.

Xue Shao, the secretary of the military department, is one of the representatives. The leading prime minister is the newly appointed Nei Shi Cen Changqian.

Wu Zetian reformed the name of the official system, the former Zhongshu Province was changed to Fengge, and the Zhongshu Order was renamed Neishi. The official name "Neishi" originated in the Zhou Dynasty, and the Sui Dynasty once called Zhongshu Province the Province of Neishi, and the highest governor was called Neishiling.

After the fall of Pei Yan, the post of Zhongshu Ling has been unresolved. For this reason, many people competed, and Liu Yuanzhi once came to seek Xue Shao's help, but the result was that he couldn't hit a soft nail. People from the martial arts family, such as Wu Youning, Wu Chengsi and others, are also coveted. But in the end, Wu Zetian still chose Cen Changqian.

Wu Youning, Wu Chengsi and Liu Yuanzhi also joined the cabinet to worship the prime minister with the title of "Pingzhang Shi", but when it came to the political affairs hall to participate in politics, Cen Changqian was naturally slightly higher. It's just that Cen Changqian's power and prestige are really far behind his predecessor Zhongshu Ling Pei Yan.

There will not be a second prime minister similar to Pei Yan in the political affairs hall, and it is even more unlikely that there will be a minister who is in power above the court. Since then, the prime minister has been a collective system, learning from each other's strengths and complementing each other's weaknesses, supervising and restricting each other, Wu Zetian did not say these words in public, but everyone already knew it.

Entering the cabinet to worship the prime minister, Wu Zetian also mentioned this matter to Xue Shao in private, but Xue Shao refused. Xue Shao's idea is that even Wu Chenghei and others can blend into the prime minister's team, and he sharpens his head and squeezes in to fight with this kind of person, which is simply self-inflicted. In addition, Wu Zetian is now keeping a close eye on the prime minister's team, with absolute high standards and strict requirements, small power and big responsibility, and high risks...... A military department secretary is enough to be anxious, and he can't afford to wade into the muddy waters of the political hall for a little vanity.

Xue Shao refused, and Wu Zetian was not reluctant. It was as if she had brought it up privately out of a "polite" respect, not out of sincerity. After Pei Yan's downfall, the political hall only needs to be obediently spoken, otherwise he will not be able to enter the political hall, and the people in the court who are full of this status quo can already see it clearly.

Therefore, instead of letting Xue Shao go to the political hall to be the kind of vain and nominal little prime minister, it is better to let him get some real power in the military department and do some practical things. At this point, Wu Zetian and Xue Shao tacitly reached a tacit understanding, and even Princess Taiping realized it. For this reason, Princess Taiping also specially wrote a letter from Xijing to Luoyang to talk about the matter, and advised Xue Shao to 'If your mother proposes to worship you as a minister, you can politely refuse'.

Where does Xue Shao need Princess Taiping to persuade him? There is one thing he always remembers very clearly, the number of prime ministers appointed by Wu Zetian in history has almost set a world record. During her tenure in power and in office, there have been constant changes of prime ministers, adding up to seventy or eighty – most of them unsuccessful.

If you don't die, you won't die, and this kind of prime minister still doesn't do well.

went to Xijing with Xue Shao, Cen Changqian and others, as well as Yao Yuanchong. He didn't go to mourn Liu Renliang, but went to Xiazhou on a business trip on the order of the imperial court, and just walked along the way.

In the former, Xue Chuyu and Li Xianyuan knew that the matter was urgent, and they quickly went to Xiazhou and quickly gave the news back. The situation is, neither good nor bad. Guo Yuanzhen worked hard and paid off, but it still took time and help. And the target of Yao Yuanchong's business trip is to change the flag.

"Yuanzhi, you have a long way to go!" These are the words of Cen Changqian, the old boss from the military department, he said, "Shuo Fangjun is the old department under Xue Yuma, just like his heart. To change the flag in Shuofang is like a piece of the horse's heart. Now that he has given you his errand, it can be seen that he appreciates and relies on you. ”

"Xia Guan must do his best, and dare not disappoint the high expectations of Cen Xianggong and Xue Yuma." Yao Yuanchong bowed his hand.

Xue Shao said with a smile: "Yuan Zhi, Cen Xianggong is now the prime minister of internal history, and he used to be my top boss in the military department. He, an old scholar, knows everything about the affairs of the military department, and I have visited him many times since I took office. But he only taught me one trick, guess what? ”

"Would you like to be taught?"

Xue Shao said: "Being able to use people is more important than being able to do things." ”

Yao Yuanchong just smiled and nodded, the encouragement of these words to him was very obvious, and there was no need to make it clear. But Cen Changqian said: "Actually, I don't need to teach, Xue Juma has always been incisive and unique in employing people, just looking at the capable generals of Xiazhou and Shuofang Army. But if you want me to say, his best hand is to invite you to be your deputy - this is a matter that I thought about doing before I left the military department, but I have never been able to do it. It's still Xue Yuma's ability! I'm really sorry for myself! ”

At this time, Xue Shao and Yao Yuanchong could only smile. Cen Changqian is not the kind of cautious mediocre person, he said this neither jealousy nor sarcasm, but vomiting bitterness. The implication is nothing more than ...... The current prime minister has no power and is worthless!

……

When they arrived in Chang'an, Yao Yuanchong and Xue Shao parted ways and went to Xiazhou. Xue Shao and his entourage of many officials went to Liu Renliang's house to offer condolences.

Liu Renliang was born in a poor family, but he was a very popular minister, and he was also extremely sad after his death. Xue Shao, the young secretary of the military department, not only represents the royal family, but also represents the imperial court, and even more represents the army. Because of this multiple identity, his appearance is more eye-catching, and the people in Liu's mansion also show great respect for Xue Shao.

The funeral was methodical and time-consuming. In the evening, Xue Shao had to retire and was anxious to go home to see. There is another private matter that has always worried Xue Shao when he came to Chang'an this time, that is, Chen Xian'er had given birth to a girl for him, which was half a month ago. Xue Shao really wanted to come and see it as soon as possible, but because he was really busy with official business, he couldn't take a break at all, and he has been delaying until now.

Leaving Liu's Mansion and arriving at Taipingfang, before he could enter the house, Xue Shao, who was riding a horse, was stopped by a roadblock.

It was a young man in brocade clothes and jade crowns, somewhat familiar, but Xue Shao couldn't remember where he had seen it for a while. But judging from the appearance, this person is either rich or expensive. In other words, if you are an ordinary person, you don't have the courage to block your way in Taipingfang.

"Xue Fuma, how forgetful the nobles are!" The young man stood very humbly by the side of the road and bowed his hands, and reported to himself, "Down, Li Wen." ”

"Oh...... Fortunately. "Xue Shao still didn't remember, which Li Wen?

Li Wen smiled and bowed again: "Last time, when Xue Fu was happy to make tiles, he once went to your mansion to congratulate his father who was far away in Yuzhou. ”

Xue Shao thought about it carefully, and his own joy of making tiles was only once, which was done not long ago when Ning Jin was full moon. (The joy of making tiles is the full moon wine of the daughter, and the joy of the boy is called the joy of the zhang.) ）

Yuzhou?

Yuzhou Thorn History, Prince Taifu, Yue King Li Zhen!

Xue Shao suddenly bowed back, "His Royal Highness King Ling Zunyue, has always been well?" ”

"Entrusted to Ma Hongfu, my father is very good." Li Wen's behavior was quite elegant, and he only said, "Today, I am also under the order of my father, and I came to mourn Liu Xianggong." Fortunately, I happened to meet Xue Juma here, so I stopped the road to worship. If there is something abrupt, look at Ma Haihan. ”

Xue Shao smiled, Liu Renliang's house is separated by seven or eight squares of Taipingfang, and the distance is almost half of Chang'an City, which is also called a chance encounter?

Since the other party came prepared, according to the general etiquette, Xue Shao should at least invite Li Wen, who is also a member of the royal family, to have a cup of tea at Princess Taiping's mansion. But Xue Shao didn't intend to do this, just after these few pleasantries, he said goodbye to Dao and rode away.

- Did you meet by chance, could it be that I would invite you to a meal?

Li Wen stood on the side of the road and stared at Xue Shao's back, his expression was a little annoyed, but he was helpless, and turned around and went in another direction.

Before turning the road, Xue Shaolema stopped and looked back, only to see Li Wen striding non-stop, and the four big words "annoyed and embarrassed" were almost written on his back.

A dark cloud suddenly enveloped Xue Shao's heart.

Or rather, the dark cloud has not dispersed over the years. It's just that today, it is finally covered by dark clouds, and the mountain rain is about to come and the wind is full of buildings.

Li Wen, the son of Li Zhen, the king of Yue, is the first son Xue Shao can't remember, but it doesn't matter. The key is that he remembers the "Rebellion of King Yue" in history.

Before Wu Zetian ascended the throne in history, he had a big purge of the Li Tang royal family. The armed rebellion launched by Li Zhen, the king of Yue, became the best excuse for this purge.

At that time, Wu Zetian's intention to seek the world to change Li Tang's life was already obvious, and everyone in the Li Tang royal family was in danger. As a result, a group of royal families agreed to raise their own troops to resist Wu Zetian. But they are really far inferior to Xu Jingye, and they failed to make much of a storm at all, but they took the lives of countless Li Jialong's sons and grandsons.

It was also this turmoil that involved Xue Shao, the vase horse in history, and finally died.

"What should come, will come." Xue Shao took a deep breath, "It's time, we'll see!" ”