Xue Shao's words made Xue Yuanchao laugh. The two tacitly decided that if this development continued, Pei Yan would kill himself sooner or later.

But the problem is that now that he is popular, whoever goes against him is likely to be unlucky.

Xue Yuanchao didn't treat Xue Shao as an outsider today, and he said all the psychological words. He said to Xue Shao: "Above the court, Pei Yan and the Queen of Heaven joined forces to control the entire Tang Dynasty firmly and tightly, and even His Majesty the Emperor was restrained by them. But the army will always be the place where they lack the most confidence. In the past, Wen Xi Gong let the two saints use and prevent, love and hate. Now there are you, Xue Yuma and Pei Yanshi are in the same fire, and they are not controlled. But unlike Wen Xigong, the queen of heaven has a special respect and affection for you. The old man seemed to smell a little bit of it, and the queen of heaven also hoped that you, the commander of the young Zhuang faction, could put some pressure on Pei Yan, so that she could control it. ”

"Uncle is saying that the queen of heaven is also a little jealous that Pei Yan's power is too inflated?" Xue Shao asked knowingly, this idea had actually been in his heart for a long time.

"Huh!" Xue Yuanchao stroked his hair and smiled, "If Pei Yan wasn't too powerful, how could the old man come back?" Speaking of which, the old man still has to thank Pei Yan. If it weren't for his sharpness, even the two saints felt some threat, I'm afraid that my old bones would have been buried in the ancestral grave of the Fenyin Xue clan a long time ago. ”

Xue Shao nodded, Xue Yuanchao was right. Political struggle is always life and death, and it is indeed rare for someone like Xue Yuanchao to fall and come back.

Xue Yuanchao persuaded again: "Virtuous nephew, now the old man wants to persuade you two things, are you willing to listen?" ”

"Uncle, please tell me first." Xue Shao probably guessed what he wanted to persuade.

"First of all, you should suppress your anger, go back and apologize to Pei Yan and admit your mistake." Xue Yuanchao said, "The anger of the moment is a dispute between the husband and the horseman, and the virtuous nephew is a wise person who does great things." You still don't understand this truth? ”

"I understand." Xue Shao nodded and said, "However, I will never apologize to Pei Yan and admit my mistakes." Even if one day I was going to die at his hands, I wouldn't! ”

Xue Yuanchao smiled bitterly, "The old man probably guessed that you would reply like this." Young man, he is such a strong flesh and blood, and he can't swallow his resentment for a while. You must not know, if you can't bear it, you will make a big plan. You tore your face with Pei Yan like this and openly confronted it, it really doesn't do you any good. As long as you take the initiative to apologize, Pei Yan will not be unforgiving. It's just a few cheap words to coax him, what's so difficult? ”

"It's not hard. I have apologized to many people and admitted my mistakes, but Pei Yan, I will never give in to him even the slightest bit of submission and weakness. Xue Shao said it categorically.

Xue Yuanchao frowned, "I know that you have always been at odds with Pei Yan, but only for small things. But I don't know when you had such a deep hatred with Pei Yan? ”

"I just had it today." Xue Shao's eyebrows were raised, and his face was gloomy, "He actually dares to sneal Pei Gong in front of me, this move is tantamount to digging up my ancestral grave!" - This hatred is not shared, and my uncle doesn't need to persuade him! ”

"......" Xue Yuanchao was stunned for a long time, and then smiled bitterly, "Virtuous nephew, you are still younger." After a little more encouragement, maybe you don't need to be persuaded by the old man, and you will know how to do it. ”

Xue Shao did not answer. Xue Yuanchao is right, he is young and impulsive, but if a young man is like an old man who has become a fine old man, then there is really no need for hot-blooded men in the world?

"The second thing that the old man advises you is not to go to Luoyang." Xue Yuanchao said.

Xue Shao frowned, "Why?" ”

Xue Yuanchao said: "Although the second saint is close to you, it is only a personal relationship after all. Never forget that they are the two saints who govern the world, and they have the society and the overall situation in their hearts. Once there is a conflict between selfishness and righteousness, the first choice of the two saints is always righteousness! ”

Xue Shao frowned and said, "Uncle wants to remind me that if I go to Luoyang to report the funeral, the second sage will cure me?" ”

"It's hard to say whether the crime will be punished or not." Xue Yuanchao stroked his beard lightly, and said with a stern expression, "However, when a Zhonglang general has a serious political conflict with the prime minister, the choice of the two saints is obvious. ”

Xue Shao was silent.

"Don't you say that you are just a fourth-grade general, the scene when Pei Gong returned from the Northern Expedition is still in my eyes! The reason why he retired from illness was not because of Pei Yan's jealousy and exclusion? Xue Yuanchao once again gave an example to remind.

Xue Shao frowned and nodded, knowing in his heart that Xue Yuanchao, a mature and rational old prime minister, was very reasonable. If it is a private holiday, the two saints generally do not ask. But if it is a political conflict, the two saints will probably have to weigh the pros and cons and make some trade-offs and sacrifices.

Pei Yan's threatening words still sounded in Xue Shao's ears, as long as he dared to go to Luoyang to report the funeral, he would "do it himself". At that time, Pei Yan, the auxiliary prime minister who stayed in Chang'an, could impeach Xue Shao in a clear and straightforward manner. At that time, even if the two saints were biased in favor of Xue Shao, they would not be able to help - since they had granted Pei Yan the right to participate in politics and the power of the prime minister to supervise the country's auxiliary government, they must respect the opinions and powers of this prime minister.

Otherwise, the two saints will lift a stone to shoot themselves in the foot, and lose their trust in the world because of private affairs!

Xue Shao thought to himself that he didn't have so much value and charm at present, so let the second saint make such a choice. Unless one day...... They don't want to use Pei Yan anymore!

"Virtuous nephew, you must think twice!" Xue Yuanchao persuaded hard, "If you don't compromise with Pei Yan and make peace, the old man understands this, and he won't force you." But you went to Luoyang to report the funeral, absolutely you can't do it! That is tantamount to jumping into the fire kang and drilling into the trap set by Pei Yan! How can you do such a thing of throwing yourself into a trap and bringing about your own destruction? You followed Pei Gong to learn the art of war, did you learn it all in vain? ”

"......" Xue Shao pondered for a long time, finally suppressed the impulse and anger in his heart, raised his fist and bowed to Xue Yuanchao, and said, "Thank you, uncle, for waking up!" I listened to my uncle's advice and didn't go to Luoyang to report the funeral for the time being! ”

"Children can be taught, children can be taught!" Xue Yuanchao stroked his hair and smiled, very pleased.

"However, I still want to fight for the handsome seal and military power of the Western Expeditionary Army." Xue Shao frowned, grimaced, and asked cautiously, "Uncle, can you teach me?" ”

Xue Yuanchao frowned and shook his head bitterly, "Why don't you hope that the old man can inherit the military power and legacy left by Duke Pei?" But in this matter, for now, the resistance is too great! The old man thought that the sudden death of Duke Pei would even make the imperial court cancel this expedition to the west! ”

"What?" Xue Shao was stunned, "Do you just let the Turks with the ten surnames make trouble in the Western Regions, regardless of whether they ask?" ”

"Surely not." Xue Yuanchao frowned deeply and meditated, and said: "The old man thinks that the imperial court is very likely to make a decision in desperation. ”

Xue Shao's heart sank, "Recruit Wang Fangyi to crusade against the Western Turks?" ”

Xue Yuanchao raised his eyebrows, "Virtuous nephew and wise!" ――In fact, it was already concluded in the political hall earlier, if Pei Gong could not be in charge, then Wang Fangyi was the only choice! ”

"But Wang Fangyi guards Xiazhou, and the responsibility is heavy!" Xue Shao said eagerly, "If the Anxi Tiger Division is transferred to the Western Regions to use troops, Helong and the north will lose their town jurisdiction, and it is very likely that there will be chaos - how different is this from cutting meat and mending sores?!" ”

Xue Yuanchao's expression was very solemn, and he leaned closer and whispered: "If you can avoid the trouble of your henchmen, it is not completely impossible to cut off the flesh and repair the sores!" ”

Xue Shao's heart was like a lightning bolt, sober!

It turned out that handing over 200,000 Wang Shi to people other than Pei Gong would be a "trouble" in the eyes of the imperial court; Compared with this, the risk of demolishing the east wall and reinforcing Wang Fangyi to quell the rebellion is much smaller!

"In this way, I have become Pei Yan's henchman?" Xue Shao sneered.

"Anyone who is in charge of the power of the army, unless it is someone Pei Yan personally promoted and trusted, such as Cheng Wuting, etc., will be his henchmen!" Xue Yuanchao made a summary.

Xue Shao sneered and said, "Pei Yan is a scholar who doesn't understand military affairs. What he feared was that the people in the army would not listen to him. So when he saw that our Hedong Xue clan was actually active in the army, he was a little panicked. ”

"That's right! What really makes Pei Yan jealous of you is from the time Xue Rengui came back! Xue Yuanchao's eyes lit up and said, "Because he saw that you were not fighting alone and making a small fuss, but you were really rooted in the army and were spreading your branches!" ”

Xue Shao frowned, he knew what Xue Yuanchao's words meant-Pei Yan would not be afraid of a single individual, and the old prime ministers of the Tianwen Sect who had been in the court for decades like Xue Yuanchao were held down by him. What Pei Yan is afraid of is an army faction that is enough to fight against!

Therefore, Pei Yan, who does not understand military affairs, has always regarded his fellow sect Pei Xingjian as one of his biggest political enemies.

Now Xue Shao understands why Xue Yuanchao stopped himself from saying this. He is reminding himself that as soon as Pei Gong goes, Pei Yan's next important target is likely to be Pei Gong's student, Xue Shao!

"Uncle, is the army of the Western Expedition going to be disbanded like this?" Xue Shao sighed with regret, "If Pei Gong knew, the spirit in the sky would not rest in peace!" ”

"Disbandment, it's hard to say for the time being." Xue Yuanchao stroked his beard lightly, and said leisurely while thinking, "After all, an army that has been formed after spending so much money, food, manpower and material resources, the imperial court should be cautious. In addition, there is a lack of troops in Guanzhong, which is now moving the capital, if this army does not march westward, it will be transferred to Luoyang to guard the eastern capital in case of emergency, this possibility is relatively large! ”

Xue Shao frowned and sighed, "As long as this army is not disbanded, I can still have a glimmer of hope, and he may be able to take charge of the army one day!" ”

"Yes!" Xue Yuanchao nodded and praised, "Virtuous nephew, at this moment, you must be patient, you must calm down, and don't hit Pei Yan's knife edge." Datang is now desperately lacking young generals like you who can fight battles, as long as you wait patiently for time, the country will be useful to you. ”

Xue Shao took a deep breath and bowed his hands, "Thank you uncle for your teachings!" ”

"The cone in the bag will have a time to stand out." Xue Yuanchao nodded with satisfaction, and said with a little ridiculous smile: "Virtuous nephew, Xue Zi should be the hero of the world, you must not forget!" ”