Xue Shao listened to Xue Yuanchao's advice and did not go to Luoyang to report the funeral, but stayed in the Weishui camp to preside over military affairs and handle Pei Xingjian's mourning.

Every day, many soldiers asked Xue Shao, when will we leave?

Xue Shao's unified reply to them was to wait for the imperial court to reprimand.

So everyone was looking forward to it, hoping that the imperial court would issue an order as soon as possible, so that the last army that Pei Gong had brought before his death could set off as soon as possible.

Generals make a living from war, and only war can bring them military merit, wealth, and fame, and bring them the opportunity to rise step by step. But now, all the generals of the Western Expeditionary Army have only one and common wish left in their hearts - to go to the Western Regions to sweep away the rebellion and comfort Pei Gong's soul in the sky!

It's like a group of sons, following their father's will.

But this wait is seven days.

It was not until the first seven days of Pei Xingjian's reign that Luoyang issued an order for the crown prince Li Xian to read it in the army.

The decree is very long, and a large part of the first paragraph is like an epitaph, constantly expressing and praising Pei Xingjian's life's merits and morals. Posthumously presented Pei Xingjian as the second-class governor of Youzhou, and said "dedication".

In the traditional Chinese culture, the wise and wise are said to be dedicated, to the good virtue, and to be broad and versatile. It means to praise Pei Xingjian for his erudition, wisdom and wisdom, omniscient and omniscient, and generous and generous-minded, and an elegant elder with very noble virtues.

According to Pei Xingjian's last wishes, the imperial court authorized him to be buried in the ancestral tomb of his hometown in Wenxi County, Hedong, instead of accompanying him to the emperor's tomb like other famous heroes. His three sons were to stay in their hometown to guard the tomb of filial piety, and the crown prince Li Xian was appointed by the Holy Decree to be in charge of appointing commissioners to raise and take care of Pei Xingjian's three sons until they were all adults and able to support themselves.

Xue Shao and the others reacted very coldly to this section of the Holy Decree, the dead are gone, and the imperial court only now thinks of what is the use of being kind to Pei Gong? When he was alive, why not be kind to him?

The second half of the decree is an important personnel arrangement for this western expeditionary army.

First of all, the 200,000 troops of the Western Expeditionary Army will no longer march westward.

The Holy Decree promoted Li Duozuo to the general of the right guard and ordered him to inspect the military of the right guard general (taking over Pei Xingjian's position), handed over all the Western Expeditionary Army to Li Duozuo, and brought it back to Luoyang to protect the new capital, directly under the command of His Majesty the Emperor.

Secondly, all the generals, except for Xue Shao, accompanied Li Duozuo back to Luoyang to obey orders.

Finally, Xue Shao, the general of the right Yu Linwei, was assigned to lead the remaining soldiers and horses of Chang'an to defend Xijing. All the important military and political affairs in Xijing, as soon as I heard the order of the Pei Yan District Office in Shizhong.

In other words, Xue Shao didn't leave anything behind, not even a chance to return to Luoyang to face the saint. Moreover, he was assigned to serve under Pei Yan - to wear small shoes professionally.

As soon as the decree was read, the audience was in an uproar.

Many anxious generals jumped up and roared angrily!

"Why don't you go west?"

"Why don't you go west!"

"Why don't you go west to !!"

Li Xian trembled with fright, and there was no color.

Xue Shao slowly stood up, his expression indifferent, even so indifferent that he was a little slaughtering.

"Sister...... General Xue, General Xue! Seeing the excitement of the crowd, Li Xian was frightened, and hurriedly came to Xue Shao's side and begged tremblingly, "You quickly dissuade them, don't mutiny!" ”

Xue Shao was indifferent, and said lightly: "The people's desire is difficult to disobey." I'm afraid Xue is too, I can't help it! ”

"Li Duozuo, General Li!" Li Xian was in a hurry to go to the doctor, and hurriedly jumped to Li Duozuo's side again, pulling his sleeve and begging him, "Quick, you quickly dissuade your colleagues!" Hurry up and get your gratitude! ”

"Humph!"

Li Duozuo snorted and threw off his sleeves, his face turned to the side, and he ignored Li Xian at all.

Li Xian was completely dumbfounded and wanted to flee in a hurry.

"Generals, please be quiet."

A female voice rang out, not loud, but it quieted all the angry generals.

The surviving Kudi, dressed in white, walked among the crowd.

Everyone looked at her.

"The spirit of the ancestor is in the sky, and he definitely doesn't want to see the generals mutiniate and make trouble after his death." Kudi's tone was very calm and sincere, "In the life of the first husband, only the king's orders are obeyed, and there is never half a disobedience. Even if he encounters injustice, he never complains. The first husband once said that the general is the auxiliary of the country. The auxiliary Zhou is the strength of the country, and the auxiliary gap is the weakness of the country, which is the command of the people and the master of the country's security, and it must not be ignored. ”

As soon as Kudi finished speaking, everyone fell silent.

"If the auxiliary Zhou is strong, and the auxiliary gap is weak", it means that if the general who leads the troops is honest and impartial, takes the overall situation as the priority, and serves the country wholeheartedly, the country can be strong; If, on the other hand, the generals only know how to serve themselves, the country will weaken.

"General Xue, you are a protégé of your father, why don't you come out and say a word?" Kudi said.

Xue Shao sighed, came out and said, "Colleagues, Xue Mou's intentions don't need to be stated, you all know very well. I know your intentions very well. Now all of us have only one wish, that is, to inherit Pei Gong's will and go on an expedition to the Western Regions to sweep away the rebellion, so as to comfort Pei Gong's soul in the sky. ”

"That's it!"

"That's right!"

The generals should drink together.

Xue Shao said: "But if the imperial court makes such an arrangement, there must be a reason for the imperial court." We, the generals, must obey. Otherwise, the army will be in chaos or even mutiny, and the country will be in chaos. This must not be what Pei Gong wished before his death. Even if we have good intentions, we will do bad things. Pei Gong's spirit in the sky will not rest in peace, and he will even be disgraced because of it. ”

The generals were silent, and many began to shake their heads and sigh.

"General Lee." Xue Shao walked in front of Li Duozuo, bowed with his fists, and said, "Your Majesty ordered you to lead the army to Luoyang to protect the eastern capital, there must be a deep meaning." You don't have to be suspicious, you have to do it wholeheartedly. ”

"Li Mou is a general, how can He De inherit the position of Pei Gong?" Li Duozuo was very distressed and whispered, "Shouldn't you be responsible for this matter?" ”

Xue Shao smiled slightly, "You don't need to say much, you just have to do it." ”

"Okay...... Li Duozuo sighed, "Li, do what you want." ”

Xue Shao walked in front of Xue Chuyu again, "Brother, go to Luoyang and just do your part." Don't think about the rest. ”

This sentence was not only for Xue Chuyu, but also for the other generals present.

Xue Chuyu nodded knowingly. He couldn't understand what Xue Shao meant too well, and he only cared about his own affairs, that is, he told him not to get involved in a coup d'état or something like a coup. Keep your innocence and don't get involved in political turmoil.

"Xue Shao is here to please, and all colleagues are acting in accordance with the Holy Decree." Xue Shao bowed down with his fists at the generals, "It's just for the sake of Pei Gong's first name-please!" ”

The generals were helpless, so they all hugged their fists together and agreed to the promise.

"I would like to give orders from the deputy chief!"

Li Xian was dumbfounded, there was a holy decree in front of him, and these generals actually said, "I am willing to give orders from the deputy chief manager"!

Xue Shao walked up to Li Xian and hugged his fists, "Your Highness, the generals have no objections, and they are willing to act according to the Holy Decree." ”

"That's good, that's good." Li Xian wiped a cold sweat with relief, and solemnly handed over the holy decree to Xue Shao.

Xue Shao took the holy decree, stared at it for a moment, and smiled bitterly, "The generals must follow the order...... That's it, let's disperse! ”

The generals all came out in silence and walked out of the tent.

Kudi walked up to Xue Shao and bowed, "General Xue, the imperial court has made arrangements, and I am about to help my father's coffin go to Wenxi's hometown for burial." I don't know General Xue, what arrangements will be made? ”

"Of course I'm going with Madame." The Kudi clan needs a helper, and Xue Shao just can't ask for it, could it be that he really stays in Chang'an and wears small shoes every day under Pei Yan?

Instead of this, it is better to go to Pei Gongcao's funeral and guard his grave!

Li Xian was clever now, and hurriedly said: "General Xue, the holy decree ordered me to appoint a commissioner to be responsible for raising Pei Gong's heirs, and I will leave this matter to you to handle, how about it?" ”

"I can't ask for it." Xue Shao bowed, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your grace!" ”

Li Xianho smiled, "It should be, it should be!" ”

Li Xian's naïve attitude made Xue Shao cry and laugh a little, and said to him: "Your Highness, Pei Xianggong's place, please also ask His Highness to be thoughtful." ”

"You can rest assured of this!" Li Xian finally seized an opportunity to do something for Xue Shao, and was a little flattered, and hurriedly said: "You just go to Wenxi County and organize Pei Gong's funeral." Pei Xianggong's side, I will intercede for you and ask for leave for you. But whatever is needed for the funeral, come to me. I will do my best to help! ”

"Thank you, Your Highness the Prince!" Xue Shao and Kudi thanked him together.

Li Xian laughed again.

On the same day, Xue Shao and Kudi took Pei Xingjian's coffin and left the barracks to go to Wenxi County.

All the soldiers of the Western Expeditionary Army lined up together to send each other.

The sound of mournful cries resounded throughout the Weishui River.

Accompanying Xue Shao were only Wu Ming, Yuenu, Niu Ben, and Guo An and the twenty personal scouts under his command.

Seeing Xue Shao and his party walking out of the barracks alone, Li Duozuo shook his head and sighed again and again, and said to Xue Chuyu beside him: "General Xue, how could the imperial court make such an arrangement?" After Pei Gongxian went, everyone was looking forward to it, shouldn't Xue Gongzi take over the position and military power left by Pei Gong? ”

"I don't know." Xue Chuyu's answer was very succinct.

"I vaguely feel that there seem to be Pei Yan's hands and feet in this." Li Duozuo frowned and said, "On that day, Xue Gongzi was supposed to go to Luoyang to report the funeral. After hearing about this, Pei Yan called Xue Gongzi to Chang'an for questioning. As soon as Xue Gongzi came back, he didn't go to Luoyang. Now, the holy decree arranged for Xue Gongzi to stay in Chang'an and obey Pei Yan's orders, and even the opportunity to go to Luoyang to face the saint was no longer given to Xue Gongzi. No matter how you look at this, it looks like Pei Yan is making it bad! ”

"I never inquire about such things." Xue Chuyu still replied like this.

"That's it, let's not talk about it! These things in the court are not something that rude warriors like us can understand. Li Duozuo shook his head and sighed, "It's just a pity, let us and other soldiers be ambitious, but they are just looking forward to a show, and the song will be scattered!" ”

"He'll definitely be back." Xue Chuyu's words were still brief, but to the point.

Li Duozuo took a deep breath, "I hope so!" ”