The two sat down and drank a few glasses of each other, but Pei Yan opened the conversation first.

"Pei Wenxi's tall feet are really extraordinary and different." Pei Yan was sincere when he said this, at least he didn't make Xue Shao feel that he was sarcastic.

Pei Xingjian was knighted as "Wenxi County Duke", so he was called "Pei Wenxi". In fact, "Wenxi" is the birthplace of the Pei family, and Pei Yan is also a Wenxi person.

Xue Shao smiled indifferently and bowed in the direction of the north, and said, "Xianggong praised it." Xue is not proficient in learning and has poor morality, and he is only afraid of humiliating his teacher day and night. ”

Pei Yan stroked his hair and smiled, "Among the sons, the dragon and phoenix are all-rounders, and they are famous all over the world in the year of the weak crown, who doesn't respect them?" ”

Xue Shao smiled faintly and did not reply. If such a compliment comes out of someone else's mouth, Xue Shao may still feel some comfort of being slapped on the back. But if it comes out of the mouth of the powerful prime minister Pei Yan, it doesn't sound like that.

The higher you hold it, the worse it falls. The boasting of the big man is not so easy to bear.

When Pei Yan was complimenting, he was looking at Xue Shao's face, and when he saw that he reacted coldly and didn't accept this, he smiled in his heart and said: "The son is a young man with a strategic mind, no wonder the queen of heaven is so important to you." In fact, the old man also wanted to have a meeting with the son for a while, learn from the art of music and talk about some art of war, and the old man happened to ask the son for more advice. ”

Xue Shao also smiled, "Pei Xianggong thinks too highly of Xue." I think I'll only have some good voices in the market, and it's hard to get into the elegant hall. In the face of the art of war, I am also a newcomer who has not yet learned the true tradition. I'm afraid that Pei Xianggong will laugh shamefully. ”

"Those who have no young or young talents are the first. The son is proficient in music and poetry, and during the Northern Expedition, he repeatedly made great contributions to shock the government and the opposition. Speaking of this, Pei Yan also took the initiative to bow to Xue Shao and said, "Son, don't cherish yourself, and hope to teach more." ”

Xue Shao's brows tightened slightly, obedient and obedient, Pei Yan said this tactfully, on the surface, he wanted to ask for advice on rhyme and poetry and the art of war, but in fact, he wanted Xue Shao to tell him about the situation in the army, and some of what he saw and heard during the Northern Expedition, especially the situation on the grassland.

Old treacherous and slippery!

Xue Shao couldn't help but secretly curse Pei Yan in his heart, shouldn't you call me to the political hall for this kind of thing and ask me officially? Why do you have a banquet at home and ask in private?

Could it be that this is also what Wu Zetian meant? She also didn't ask in person, but asked Pei Yan to ask in private?

I don't listen to the official report, but I have to inquire privately, why do you want to do this?

Xue Shao couldn't understand the truth for a while, so he planned to pretend to be stupid!

If you don't ask, I won't know!

So Xue Shao returned the salute and said, "I know a little bit about the rhythm. Writing lyrics, occasionally caused by interest. As for the meritorious service of marching and fighting, it was completely my command from the top, and Xue only knew how to act according to orders. I don't know Pei Xianggong, what do you want to know? ”

Pei Yan's eyes sank slightly, and there was a faint hint of unhappiness in them.

Young offspring, pretending to be stupid in front of the old man?

Xue Shao blinked and looked at Pei Yan, "If Xianggong Pei is interested today, Xue is willing to play a song for Xianggong, how about it?" ”

"Ahem......" Pei Yan coughed dryly, his expression was a little unnatural, and he said with a smile, "The old man is more interested in the matter of Gongzi's march to battle." ”

Hmph, the old fox can't help it?

Xue Shao snorted with disdain in his heart, and said with a smile: "Then what does Pei Xianggong want to know?" ”

Now that he has pierced this layer of window paper, Pei Yan simply didn't beat around the bush, and said bluntly: "Gongzi has a lot of experience in the Northern Expedition this time, and he has made a lot of contributions, and what he has seen and heard must be very rich. The old man wants to hear about the important events that Gongzi experienced with your closest robes during the Northern Expedition. ”

Xue Shao's heart sank, "the most intimate robe", "important event", what does this mean? With such a general sentence, you want to take out dry goods from me, and you are too good at doing business!

"Pei Xianggong, why don't you ask more clearly?" Xue Shao only said, "During the Northern Expedition, I knew not a thousand but eight hundred, and I experienced a lot of things. If you talk about everything, I'm afraid that three days and three nights will not be enough. ”

Do I have to make it clear? ——Pei Yan also secretly scolded Xue Shao in his heart, and said quietly: "Don't hide it from Xue Gongzi, the imperial court is inspecting several important generals of the Northern Expedition. Xue Gongzi is one of the generals who personally experienced the Northern Expedition, and your opinion is very important to the imperial court. ”

What to examine?

Xue Shao's heart sank again, it seems that today's "unofficial" meeting is quite important, and it may be directly related to the upcoming reorganization of the army and the personnel structure. Pei Yan has always said ambiguously, that is, he doesn't want to give people a handle to let others say that he is abolishing the public because of private affairs - using this kind of private inquiry to decide the political future of others, is it not because of private affairs?

Xue Shao roughly figured out Pei Yan's true intention of inviting him to a private meeting today, he just wanted to know who was Pei Xingjian's diehards in the Lu Dao army, and who might become his followers. At the same time, he also wanted to know Lu Dao, as a student of Pei Xingjian, what is Xue Shao's position? …… This may be what Wu Zetian wants to know. It's just that she can't come and ask Xue Shao in person!

Xue Shao's heart couldn't help but thump, now I am just like Pei Xingjian back then, standing in line once may decide the fate of my life! Today's meeting is both an opportunity and a crisis. If I answer my words well, I may be able to win the trust of Pei Yan and Wu Zetian, and I will have a good political future in the future. If I don't answer my words well, it may be difficult for me to return to the army to continue my military career, and it will be difficult for me to do something politically!

"Xue Gongzi, it seems that you have a lot on your mind?" Pei Yan said with a smile and a relaxed smile, picked up the tea, took a sip slowly, and then put the teacup down slowly, smoothly and steadily.

Pei Yan's words and demeanor, Xue Shao felt harsh in his ears when he heard it, and he felt piercing in his eyes when he saw it. That kind of tone is completely Zhizhu is a person who is in charge of the fate of others, and the unique kind of quiet show-off and meanness is far more depressing and angry than naked threats and intimidation!

The many life and death experiences of the two lives made Xue Shao maintain a quiet attitude, and he still said with a faint smile: "Please also ask Pei Xianggong to forgive me for being stupid, Xue wants to ask, which generals does the imperial court want to investigate?" Xue also answered one by one. ”

Pei Yanchengzhu smiled slightly in his chest, he seemed to have expected Xue Shao to ask such a question, so he said: "In this Northern Expedition, in addition to Pei Wenxi, the chief manager of the march, Xue Gongzi can talk about the important generals from top to bottom. ”

From top to bottom, the first to bear the brunt were Tang Huaibi and Cheng Wuting, the deputy general of the march, and then the generals Li Jinxing, Li Duozuo, and Zhang Qianqiao.

Xue Shao scolded again in his heart, Pei Yan was so cunning, he just didn't name him, he had to take the initiative to comment on them one by one. In case someone is purged or demoted at that time, it will be my back and mouth! If I don't say it, then I will automatically give up the opportunity to stand in line, and it will be me who is delayed!

A common set in officialdom, the black-bellied boss sets a trap for his poor subordinates!

At this moment, Xue Shao really jumped up and strangled Pei Yan's heart.

"Xue Gongzi, are you still thinking about it?" Pei Yan was still smiling and asking.

Xue Shao took a deep breath and said, "Tang Huaibi, the deputy head of the march, I don't know too much. ”

"Hmm......" Pei Yan replied quietly, "Then let's talk about other people." ”

"Another deputy chief of the march, Cheng Wuting...... I'm relatively familiar with it. Xue Shao said.

"Okay, then let's talk about Cheng Wuting." Pei Yan said easily.

Xue Shao nodded and said: "The army respectfully calls General Cheng 'the evil of the ancients', and the cavalry under his command can be called the strongest cavalry in the Tang Dynasty. Beidi Zhu Hu heard the name of evil and changed color, and did not dare to resist. ”

Pei Yan listened patiently, nodded occasionally, and did not comment a word.

Xue Shao has also been observing Pei Yan's expression to decide his words, and remembered that during the Northern Expedition, he had heard Cheng Wuting and his son Cheng Qizhi mention one thing, that is, Pei Yan seemed to be intending to marry his daughter to Cheng Wuting's son, Cheng Qizhi.

It can be seen that Pei Yan is quite optimistic about Cheng Wuting. Such a marriage is definitely a typical political marriage. In addition, Wu Zetian has also said to Xue Shao more than once that he will reuse and promote Cheng Wuting. In this way, Cheng Wuting's Hori is almost an unchangeable foregone conclusion!

So Xue Shao also knew how to reply. He said: "General Evil has guarded the northern Xinjiang for more than ten years, and he has made great achievements in the war of the loyal country, which can be called the country and the pillars of the country!" ”

When he heard the words "can be called the material of the country and the pillars of the country", a rare real smile appeared on Pei Yan's face, but he still only nodded lightly and did not comment on anything.

But it was his smile that made Xue Shao have a sober realization in his heart, Pei Yan is definitely a person with a strong desire for power, as the prime minister, he wants to promote and reuse Cheng Wuting such a capable general, this is not wrong. But at the same time, he wants to marry his daughter, which is selfish. There is no doubt that he wants to promote and co-opt people in the army and increase the weight of his power!

In other words, Pei Yan wants to become a powerful minister. For the ministers, there is definitely a strong ideology in their minds that "those who follow me prosper and those who oppose me perish". Xue Shao could imagine that if he had made a derogatory treatment of Cheng Wuting just now, he would definitely incur Pei Yan's unhappiness. In other words, many things have actually been decided in Pei Yan's heart a long time ago, and he will not change any decision because of my Xue Shao's words.

He just wanted to know whether Xue Shao was "in the same mind" as him. This can't help but remind Xue Shao of the "hawks" in American politics - radical, strong, and aggressive!

Pei Yan, isn't he the hawkish prime minister in the Tang Dynasty?