Xue Yi finally agreed to Xue Shao to give up the unrealistic stupid idea of "Qingjun side", and was willing to come forward to help Xue Shao and persuade the other clansmen of the Xue clan in Fenyin.

With the nod of the eldest brother, Xue Shao knew that this matter was already half of the success, and a big stone in his heart could be said to have landed.

Counting from Xue Shao's father, his father at that time, Xue Qiang, who was also a concubine of the Tang Dynasty, was already quite prestigious in the Xue clan, if it weren't for being exiled, Xue Yuanchao, who was known as the "Heaven and Earth Sect", might not be able to compare with Xue Qiang. In Xue Shao's generation, Xue Yi, who inherited his father's marquis and served as a assassin for many years, regained respect and fame in the Xue clan. Later, when Xue Shao and Princess Taiping got married, the second saint named Xue Yi as a duke and transferred him to the capital as an official, which made his reputation and status even higher.

Now, with the death of Xue Yuanchao, the banner of the Xue clan, Xue Yi's influence in the Xue clan is unparalleled. Although Xue Shao himself is a noble horse and holds great power, in the Fenyin Xue family, a big family of Confucianism, he pays attention to seniority, learning and morality. Xue Shao has no advantage in these three points, and the son of Lantian, who was addicted to lust before without family studies, even had a bad reputation in the clan for a time. Xue Shao, who has become a colt in recent years, is busy with his career and conquest and rarely has the opportunity to participate in the affairs of the clan, and there is not much interaction with the clan. So when it comes to the prestige and authority in the Xue family, Xue Shao is far inferior to his eldest brother Xue Yi. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to convince his eldest brother so much in the first place.

That night, Xue Shao and his wife stayed at Xue Yi's house.

There was no court meeting the next day, and Xue Shao invited his eldest brother to visit another important patriarch of the Xue clan, the current household servant Xue Kegou.

Xue Shao's impression of the little old man Xue Kegou has always been good. I remember that he was kind and very talkative, but I don't know what kind of attitude he would have on top of the major problems of the "empress". Although he, the official of the household servant, is so inferior to Xue Shao, his influence in the clan is far greater than that of Xue Shao. When Xue Yuanchao was still alive, he met Xue Kegou in private, and he was also politely called "clan elder" and treated him with special courtesy.

After lunch, the Xue Shao brothers began to prepare to visit Xue Kegou, and Princess Taiping claimed that they would also go with him, and Xue Shao agreed. Earlier, Linlang and others had already brought Princess Taiping's guards to find them, and it seemed that it was inevitable that they would have to play a little pomp and circumstance when traveling today.

Before leaving, Xue Yi was still a little apprehensive, and asked Xue Shao privately, "Now the people of the pastoral courtyard are everywhere, and they are keeping a close eye on the civil and military officials. The ministers in the court did not dare to get together in private, and they did not dare to talk casually when they met acquaintances on the road. Will you and I get into trouble if we visit the clan elders so openly? ”

"Don't worry." Xue Shao smiled, "Since the incident of my self-surrender to the pastoral courtyard has passed, the people of the pastoral courtyard have easily not dared to provoke me again. Suo Yuanli even entrusted his adopted son, Liu Huaiyi, to tell me that in the future, as long as I want to ask about the pastoral house, send a small servant to hand over a note, everything can be done. ”

"Really?" Xue Yi's eyes widened in disbelief and said in surprise, "Who is Suo Yuanli?" The evil ghost who talks about the civil and military officials has changed color, will he be at your mercy?

"Even if he does, I'm not interested in manipulating a demon." Xue Shao smiled, "But for the time being, the people of the pastoral courtyard dare not provoke me and my family again, that's for sure!" ”

"What a blessing!" Xue Yi let out a long sigh of relief, turned his head and said a little disgustingly, "Erlang, why didn't you say it earlier?" In recent days, I haven't slept a good night's sleep, but whenever I hear a little wind and grass, I will think it's a shepherd dog! ”

Xue Shao smiled, "Big brother, you once fought against vicious dogs to save your younger brother, how can you be so afraid of dogs now?" ”

Xue Yi also laughed, "Don't mention it, don't mention it!" ”

Under the escort of Princess Taiping's honor guard, Xue Shao and his party went to Xue Kegou's mansion. But when he arrived at his house, he found that the door was closed. The guard stepped forward to call the door, but no one answered for a long time.

Xue Yi said that most of the current ministers are like this, and they go home immediately after completing official business in the court, and after returning home, the door of the house is closed and they refuse to see guests, and even their closest relatives at home will eat a closed door soup. The purpose is just to avoid being targeted by the people of the pastoral house.

Xue Shao couldn't help but be a little annoyed, Wu Zetian was right to attack political enemies, but the pastoral courtyard below magnified her intentions tenfold or hundredfold, only making the capital a white terror, and the officials were not happy.

On second thought, this seems to be a "fine" tradition in China for thousands of years. A decree from the upper hair came down, and if the people below did not do their work beautifully, it was not enough to show their ability and loyalty. As a result, if there are conditions to go up, and if there are no conditions to create conditions, they must also go up - just like the current situation in the pastoral court, as long as the ministers meet with relatives and friends in private, they may be forcibly branded as a trumped-up crime of "privately forming a party and friends", and thus will be severely investigated and retried.

"You, come here." Xue Shao beckoned a Taiping princess's battle guard.

"Command, please!"

"Reach out." Xue Shao took out his official seal, imprinted it on his hand, and then said to him, "You ride a fast horse and run to the pastoral courtyard, and ask a pastoral court judge to come here to see me!" - Right now! ”

"Yes!" The guard didn't say a word, and rode away as if he were on a fast horse.

Princess Taiping asked curiously, "Xue Lang, what are you doing?" ”

Xue Shao said: "We are not afraid of the pastor, but Xue Lao is afraid!" - So I simply called a judge to come here and watch us get together in private, fighting poison with poison, maybe Xue Lao won't be afraid! ”

Princess Taiping giggled, "You can figure it out!" ”

Xue Yi sighed, "Erlang, could it be that we just wait?" - It doesn't matter if you and my brother wait, but how can Her Highness the Princess do this? ”

"Big brother doesn't have to mind." Princess Taiping said, "If Xue Lang can wait, I can wait." ”

Xue Yi smiled bitterly twice, "Okay, I have to wronged the princess!" ”

It wasn't long before the guard was gone and returned, and there was one more man behind the horse. Xue Shao looked at it, and it was a coincidence, it was the judge he had been punished in the pastoral courtyard that day, Zhang Zhimo!

Zhang Zhimo was in a hurry, he didn't even bother to take the carriage with his entourage, and came behind the guard's horse. As soon as the horse stopped, he hurriedly rolled the saddle and dismounted, and stepped forward to bow to Xue Shao, "Zhang Zhimo greets Xue Shao!" I don't know what drove me when the horse called me? ”

Xue Shao's mouth was facing the door of Xue Ke's house, "I want to visit my own clan elder Xue Shilang, but he doesn't dare to open the door." Go and open the door for me!" ”

"Uh...... Be! ”

Zhang Zhimo hesitated for a moment, walked to the door and slammed the door vigorously, and shouted loudly: "I am Zhang Zhimo, the judge of the pastoral court, and I have urgent business to meet Xue Shilang - open the door quickly!" ”

As soon as the words fell, the door opened!

A man stood at the door, trembling and bowing his hand, "Xue, Xue Cheng...... Greetings to Judge Zhang! ”

Xue Yi whispered in Xue Shao's ear at this time: "There are rumors in the capital that the judge came to the door to ask for his life, and the pastoral court was tried in front of the Yama Palace. Today, Xue Lao's family must be frightened! ”

Xue Shao glanced at Xue Cheng at the door and saw it. remembers that he is a son of Xue Kegou's concubine, he did not become an official, he only studied at home and took care of the old and young, and he was the big housekeeper of Xue Kegou's family.

Zhang Zhimo said angrily at Xue Cheng: "Xue Cheng, you don't know how to count etiquette." Her Royal Highness Princess Taiping, Xue Juma and Xue Gong of Hedong, the three of them are here together, what is the reason why you actually greet me, a little pastoral judge? ”

Xue Shao smiled, good lesson!

Xue Cheng was stunned for a moment, then he came to his senses, hurriedly went out and politely stood in front of Princess Taiping's car, respectfully asked and apologized for forgiveness, and said for a long time.

"Alright, take us in to meet your father!" Xue Shao didn't want to listen to his nagging, so he said directly.

"This ......" Xue Cheng hesitated a little and subconsciously looked at Zhang Zhimo.

Zhang Zhimo was angry on the spot, "What do you think I do? - I'm just a pawn at the behest of Xue Juma, to call the door for him! ”

"Yes, yes...... There is much neglect in the next! Xue Cheng immediately agreed, "Her Royal Highness the Princess, Xue Concubine, Xue Gong - please hurry!" ”

Xue Shao was really angry and funny, "It seems that the sum of the three of us is not as big as the face of a pastoral judge!" - Zhang Zhimo, do you want to go in and sit with us, and listen by the way? ”

"The lower officials dare not die!" Zhang Zhimo hurriedly bent down and bowed, his waist was about to bend to ninety degrees, "Xiaguan will please leave." If the horse is reprimanded, just send someone to summon it. The subordinate must be with the rumor, and wholeheartedly obey the call of the horse! ”

"The judge is gracious." Xue Shao smiled and said to the guard, "You are still in charge of sending Judge Zhang back to the pastoral courtyard." ”

"Yes!"

Zhang Zhimo politely said goodbye to Xue Shao, Princess Taiping and Xue Yi one by one, and then turned over and went with the guard.

Xue Cheng was already dumbfounded, and his expression was as stiff as a mud fetus bodhisattva.

Xue Yi slapped excitedly, "Erlang, you are really good!" Even the judge of the pastoral court can be called by you! ”

Xue Shao smiled, "Let's hurry up and go in and meet the clan elders!" ”

The three of them entered Xue Kegou's mansion at Xue Cheng's respectful invitation. Halfway through, Xue Kegou himself had already hurriedly greeted him, and when he saw Xue Shao and the others, he first screamed a few times, and then said in a loud voice: "Xue Yuma, you are here, and I even asked a judge to come forward and call the door - the little old man only came to ask for his life as impermanence, and almost hanged himself in the room!" ”

"Erlang, look at the good things you did!" Of course, Xue Yi could only help Xue Shao to count, "I frightened the clan elders, and almost killed someone!" ”

Xue Shao really couldn't cry or laugh, and hurriedly arched his hand and said, "My fault, my fault." Don't blame the clan elders, the clan elders forgive their sins! ”