Xu Yuan has always favored his eldest son, so when he wanted to call a son back to accompany him, he didn't want to be Xu Yan. Hearing Xu Jiu mention this, he nodded: "It's okay." ”

Xu Wu's is old and used to chattering, just in time to catch up with the little uncle, he couldn't help but cry bitterly: "Lao Jiu, your brother has come back from Qingyang, and he doesn't like anyone, and he can't go with him, you can persuade him for your sister-in-law." ”

Xu Yuan was furious and shouted: "What so much nonsense! Don't go yet! I have something serious to talk about with my ninth brother, what is my aunt's family stirring! ”

Xu Wu muttered a few words, and then withdrew. As soon as she left, Xu Yuan got up and said, "Let's go, this is not the place to talk, go to the flower hall and let me put on a dress." ”

Xu Wei smiled when he heard this: "Isn't this good?" That's what it's called being honest with each other. Besides, if you're not an outsider, why be polite? ”

"You are also a system envoy, now you are the largest in the Western Army, I will meet you in the bedroom, what is this called?" Xu Da said half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Xu Wei put away his smile and waved his hand: "That's it, stop gossiping." Big brother, I came to Weizhou this time, first, to visit you, and second, I have one thing to discuss with you. ”

When Xu Da heard this, he felt a little more comfortable. Although Lao Jiu is said to be the commander-in-chief of the Western Army, look at it, don't you want to come to discuss with me when you encounter something? So he took a straight shirt and draped it over his shoulders, sat back at the table, and nodded, "Say, what's the matter?" ”

Xu Wei was silent for a moment, as if he was thinking about what to say. After a long while, he said: "This time, our army has won both battlefields. There are a lot of celebrations in the imperial court, which has nothing to do with our Shaanxi. However, some time ago, an attendant came to Shaanxi to preach the edict and mentioned a thing. ”

Xu Da seemed to be very interested and listened carefully.

"It is said that the Son of Heaven intends to let Shaanxi send personnel to Hangzhou to sacrifice prisoners according to the usual practice. In this battle, our army captured Gao Wan, the son of Gao Xiaogong, the king of the puppet Han Qi, as well as many middle and senior generals of the Jin and Han armies, and it should be said that they were still able to handle it. Xu Wei said.

Xu Da's interest became even stronger, and in the event of a major military victory, the imperial court summoned the front line to send personnel to Beijing to offer prisoners. First of all, a grand ceremony was held at the Xuande Gate, and then the generals sent to the Wudian to congratulate the emperor on his merits, which was a common practice. However, whoever goes to sacrifice prisoners will be tantamount to bad luck. The reason is that, in general, the military rank of the person who is ordered to sacrifice prisoners is not too high, but they must have a background. Because this person is sure to be received by the official family and see the face of the sky, this is a good opportunity to leave an impression on the emperor. Once upon a time, the Planter Dao had done this.

"Well, indeed, who are you going to send?" Xu Da asked tentatively.

Xu Wei looked at him directly, and said with a smile: "What does the eldest brother think?" ”

Seeing his cousin's expression, Xu Da's heart moved, and he hurriedly said: "You are the envoy, it's not up to you to decide this matter?" Whoever you let go can go! Lao Jiu, you see, ......" At this point, I felt that something was wrong, so I didn't say any more.

Xu Wei chased after him: "What? Big brother has a proposal? ”

"No, no, I can't do anything about this, you say it." Xu Yuan prevaricated, but he was thinking about how to open his mouth to his cousin.

Xu Wei suddenly sighed: "Actually, I can't be the master of this matter, because the Zhao official family made it clear in the edict that I asked me to send the nephews of the Xu family to the line to sacrifice prisoners." I guess this is a kind of honor for our Xu family. ”

Xu Da's eyes widened, and the words he was holding back in his heart were almost about to blurt out. But he still endured it, leaned forward, and whispered, "Then who are you going to send?" ”

Xu Wei deliberately sold Guan Zi and chuckled: "I don't have a son anyway." ”

Xu Dagan laughed twice: "You don't have it, don't you have the fourth and fifth children?" Xu Zhong has already become the deputy commander, cough cough, but I'm afraid that this baby is too young and has no knowledge, and when he sees the Son of Heaven, he won't even dare to let out a fart......"

Xu Wei suddenly laughed! Laugh straight to the table! This made Xu Da puzzled: "What's so ridiculous about what I said?" ”

Xu Jiu shook his head while laughing and said, "Okay, big brother, let's not pretend to be confused." Who else could it be but your son? ”

Xu Da suddenly burst into joy, and blamed: "You guy, since you already have an idea, why are you still pretending to ask?" I thought ......"

"Haha, big brother, be honest. This time, among the children of the Xu family, Xu Chenggong was great, and Gao Wan was caught by him. Who but he is qualified to sacrifice prisoners? I'm just joking with you. Xu Jiu said with a smile.

Xu Yuan was stunned for some reason, and then nodded slowly: "Oh, Xu Cheng, yes, he has contributed a lot this time, this kid is finally a little eyebrows." ”

How could this small change in him escape the eyes of the Purple Golden Tiger? Xu Jiu's heart is bright, the eldest brother prefers the eldest son, most likely because he wants Xu Yan to go, right? I'm sorry, I'll have the final say. Xu Yan, why is he? In this battle, he stayed in Weizhou, and he didn't have the size of the merit, how could he let him go?

It's just that these words are inconvenient to say clearly, Xu Wei took over the conversation: "Yes, the little one is gradually coming out, and you, the father, should also save your worries." I think so, Xu Cheng's nephew went to Hangzhou, and the official family had to give a special reward, and after coming back, the eldest brother would mention him if you see the right words, and you can also share one or two for you, right? ”

Xu Yuan was speechless for a while, and since he came back from Qingyang Mansion, he has been thinking about a thing. Today, Xu Jiu came and proposed the matter of offering prisoners, and he was thinking about whether it was necessary to discuss this matter with the other party.

In fact, it is simple and simple, it is a matter of succession. Unlike the rest of the Song army, the Western Army had its own unique traditions. Many of the generals and commanders of the Western Army are brothers and brothers, and their fathers die and their sons die. For example, he himself took over Lao Tzu Xu Mao's class and became Jingyuan Shuai; The current Xihe handsome Yao Pingzhong, his son Yao Gu used to be also a slight pacification envoy on the Xihe Road; and Liu Guangshi, his son Liu Yanqing was also one of the commanders of the Western Army; said that Xu Jiu, his son Xu Zhang, was also a general of the Western Army.

Although, the class that the children take over from their fathers and brothers is not directly hereditary, and they always have to go around to experience it before they are entrusted with important tasks. But aren't these troubled times? In troubled times, there are not so many stereotypes and old habits, Xu Yuan's calculation is that after he retires, let his son take over the position of Jingyuan. But is it just what he said? Obviously not, this matter must first have Xu Wei's support, he is both the envoy and Qin Fengshuai, and his words carry a lot of weight.

Secondly, the Sichuan-Shaanxi Xuanfu Division must agree. However, if Xu Wei agrees, the Sichuan Shaanxi Xuanfu Division believes that there will not be much objection. As for Hangzhou, I'm afraid it won't be so far. The question is, can Xu Jiu nod?

After thinking about it and weighing it again and again, Xu Da finally opened the conversation box in the cousin's repeated reminders: "Lao Jiu, since you are here today, the eldest brother also has something to discuss with you." ”

Xu Wei glanced at him, nodded and said, "Brother, please speak." ”

Xu Dayi stroked the long beard on his chest and sighed: "For my brother, there are thirty in his sixties this year, and the loess is buried in the neck, and there are no years to live......

"Can you tell me something auspicious? Why don't I like to hear that? Xu Wei frowned.

"Brother Wei is telling the truth. I think I, Xu Yuan, have been in battle all my life, and I have suffered countless injuries, and now this body is not as good as day by day. Especially after coming back from Qingyang this time, my whole body hurts, from the inside to the outside! It is estimated that the period of the big departure is not far away. Xu Da laughed at himself.

Xu Wei showed an impatient look on his face, but saw his cousin stop him: "You listen to me." I closed my eyes, anyway, I have no regrets, I have sacrificed myself in this life, and I have fought dozens of big and small battles, and the people who died in my hands have 50,000 if not 100,000, it's worth it. But...... As an elder, you can't help but think about the young, right? ”

When Xu Wei heard this, he had already guessed what his cousin was probably going to say. Therefore, he did not express his position lightly, and only nodded.

"I have two sons and two daughters, the man is married, the woman is married, and the grandchildren are almost adults. However, what makes me feel at ease is Xu Yan and Xu Cheng. His two brothers grew up in the army, and they have been in the military camp since they were children, and they don't know anything else, and they are destined to only lead soldiers to fight in this life......"

Zijin Hu listened patiently at first, but when he saw Xu Da, who had always been upright and bold, he never ran to the point, and simply said directly: "Big brother, I'm not an outsider. ”

Xu Da was so choked that he couldn't speak, and after a long time of relieving his strength, he finally said in a deep voice: "The Xu family has been in Shaanxi for two generations, although it is not as good as the Zhenfu Prefecture of the Zhe family, and the three generations of the family are handsome, but in the Western Army, how can there be a place for my Xu family?" Ninth brother, the situation in Jingyuan is very complicated, not everyone can control it, if one day I am gone, who will sit in Jingyuan's handsome position? ”

Xu Wei thought secretly when he heard this, isn't that what happened? To put it bluntly, do you hope that after a hundred years, the military power of this Jingyuan Road will be inherited by your son? It's hard to say, and it's easy to say. The difficulty is that although the Western Army has its own traditions, it is not hereditary after all. Yi Zai, with the current situation in Shaanxi, coupled with his own operation, it is not impossible to help a nephew get on the horse, but there must be a process, and it is impossible to see immediate results.

Seeing that the other party didn't speak, Xu Da continued: "Your two nephews, Xu Yanyong has both strategy and calmness. After all, Xu Cheng is younger, and he is unscrupulous......"

Later, Xu Wei didn't listen very carefully. The reason is very simple, as long as I, Xu Jiu, am still the envoy, it is impossible for Xu Yan to sit in the handsome position. If I want to push, I have to push Xu Cheng. Putting aside personal likes and dislikes, and the comparison of talents, Xu Cheng is an official who has been influenced by me, and he has also been trained in our army.

When Xu Dayang finished speaking, Xu Wei said: "I know the thoughts of the eldest brother. It's just that it's too early to say this, and besides, it's not something I can cut. Anyway, I'm relieved. ”

In July of the first year of Song Jianwu, Xu Wei received news that Liu Yu, the former puppet Han's Shaanxi Xuanfu ambassador, was recalled by the Jin State, and Chizhan Hui, who was defeated by Fengxiang, was also recalled. Because the Jin army only occupies the area of Yanyan at the moment, he instead appointed Han Chang as the envoy of Yanyan, and Zhang Shen was the deputy and knew Yan'an Mansion, and Wanyan Huonu, the son of the veteran Wanyan Lousu, who had just died of illness, was under the control of the capital, and Zhang Jun was reduced to the governor of Yanzhou and the capital of soldiers and horses. Integrate the Jin army and the original Korean army in the territory, and arrange the operation of the roads in various places.

The Jurchens' move made Xu Wei wonder for a while. After the Battle of Fengxiang, he predicted that the Jurchens would definitely be annoyed and angry, and afterwards, they would send important ministers to pass through Shaanxi. Even if Wushu himself doesn't come, at least he has to let a big future of Ma Wu's level take the lead in counterattacking. Why, it shouldn't be to pull Han Chang up, right?

Zijin Tiger didn't know that at this time, there was a fierce political struggle going on in the Jin Kingdom. The Jin Emperor, who was devoted to the sinicization, sharpened his knife and prepared to clean up the sticky Han who had been in power for a while. Xu Wei's rival Ma Wu is now an idle official with no military power. Moreover, in the three-year battle of Song and Han in Jiading, the Western Army suffered considerable losses, and it was unable to launch a large-scale counteroffensive in a short period of time. In view of this, the Jurchens were not in a hurry to win back a city in Shaanxi and let Han Chang take the throne, that is, let him stick to it and not think otherwise.

Moreover, after the Battle of Fengxiang, the Jin Imperial Court made a calculation. Since the beginning of the Song-Jin war, the losses of the Jin army, seven or eight times out of ten, have been folded in the hands of the Western army. Over the years, there have been victories and defeats between the Jin army and the western army, which can't help but make the Jurchen magnates doubt the idea of opening Sichuan and Shaanxi, and then advancing along the east of the river to destroy the Song Dynasty. With the Guanzhong Plain as the center, it took a lot of effort to fight with the Western Army for several years, so wouldn't the remaining mountainous areas in western Shaanxi and the difficulties of Shudao in Sichuan be even more tricky?

We all know that it is feasible to use Sichuan and Shaanxi, but the problem is that the Western Army is blocking there, and for so many years, we have not been able to take all of Shaanxi. If it continues to be consumed, how many soldiers can we fill in? What is the population of the real Jurchens? At the beginning of Lou's march into Shaanxi, the Jurchen army in the Jin army could account for more than half, but the more it came later, the worse it became, so that in the war in Shaanxi last year, aside from the large number of Korean troops, the Han army alone accounted for more than half of the Jin army.

Also, in the war launched by the puppet Han last year, although the soldiers were lost and the generals were humiliated, there was one thing that made the Jurchens' eyes shine, that is, the Song army used the troops of the two Xuanfu Divisions to desperately save Xianghan. If I want to destroy the Song Dynasty, I don't have to use Sichuan and Shaanxi, if I defeat Xianghan, I will make Sichuan and Shaanxi lose contact with the Song court to the west; To the east, there is a trend of going along the river; To the south, the gateway to Jinghu Lake is wide open. Since the effect is the same, why do you have to fight the Western Army?

If Zhao and Song are compared to a snake, then the south of the Yangtze River where Hangzhou is located is the head of the snake, Sichuan and Shaanxi are the tail of the snake, and Xianghan is where the seven inches are. It is only a matter of time before you beat the snake and hit the seven inches, break the Xianghan and collect the south of the Yangtze River, and then turn back to take Sichuan and Shaanxi. Let's go, and let the Purple Gold Tiger be arrogant for a while, and have a chance to repair him in the future.

Although Xu Wei did not know the inside story, he could see from the series of arrangements of the Jin State that the Jin army did not plan to use troops on a large scale in Shaanxi for the time being. This is more important to him than Feng Xiang's victory. Years of conquest have left Shaanxi devastated, all industries depressed, and the Western Army has suffered heavy losses and suffered great losses.

With this opportunity, I just worked hard to accumulate strength. Whether it's public or private.