It rained all night, and by dawn it had gradually stopped. The sky will be cloudy and bright, because the damp and cold air is too heavy, so the city of Weidu Yecheng is shrouded in a thick fog. The cloudy mountain and fog-shrouded Yecheng make it impossible to tell where it comes from and where it is going.

There were hardly a few people on the streets, and there was a horse galloping on the way to the mansion of the great prime minister, Gao Huan. The man on the horse was skillful, and he only saw where he was going, but this man was really a beautiful son, and he couldn't help but attract the attention of everyone on the street.

Slowly reining in the reins, the son on horseback stopped at the gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion. He climbed the stairs and threw the whip to the servants who met him. The servant is in the prime of life, and looks old and stable. Not only did he not scold the trespasser, but he smiled very respectfully, "Lord Lang ordered the little slave to wait for the son here." ”

In this way, the prime minister Gao Huan already knew that his son was coming, so he must know why he came.

The servants followed the prince who strode in, and as soon as they entered the gate of the mansion, the other servants who were waiting at the door closed the door of the prime minister's mansion again.

Gao Cheng waved his hand to the servant and said, "You don't have to follow, I'll go to see my father by myself." ”

Seeing this, the servant said briefly, "The princess instructed that Lord Lang has been suffering from minor illnesses recently, and if there is anything he does, he should bear more of it." ”

Gao Cheng listened to his mother's instructions, stopped and glanced at him, but went to the courtyard of his father's study without saying a word.

The servants withdrew.

In the huge Prime Minister's Mansion, he turned left and right very skillfully, and along the way, the servants did not give the prince a salute, and Gao Cheng turned a blind eye. The prime minister's study is in a remote and deserted place. There are special servants here, and ordinary people dare not come. Gao Cheng was about to enter the gate of the courtyard when he suddenly heard a call.

"Big brother." Extremely crisp and pleasant.

Gao Cheng took a look at it, it was Gao Yuanjun, the younger sister of the second brother Gao Yang.

Gao Yuanjun stood in front of a bamboo forest on the side of the courtyard with a smile on his face, and it happened that he was still wearing green clothes, so he had to be easy to see. Gao Cheng didn't pay much attention to this sister, and he was not as close as he used to be with his eldest sister Gao Changjun. But today he took a good look at this sister.

In terms of appearance, Gao Yuanjun and his eldest sister Gao Changjun are very different, at best, they are like people. But he was young in the past, but now he has gradually grown up, not as bright as the eldest sister and eldest brother, nor as quiet and gloomy as the second brother Gao Yang, and there is a kind of quietness that does not match his age. It always makes people feel that she is young, as if she is not alarmed by anything. There are really not many times like today when you are smiling and happy.

Gao Cheng changed his mind and turned to his sister's side.

Gao Yuanjun greeted each other politely.

Gao Cheng stopped in front of her and said with a smile, "My sister is here so early, is it because she is waiting for me?" ”

Gao Yuanjun was stunned, and said with a smile, "The second brother gets up in the middle of the day and night, reading, dancing with swords, and he is not in the house every day, and I don't know what he is busy with, even if Grandpa wants to see him, it is difficult." If I want to talk to him, I have to get up early with him. ”

Gao Cheng knew that Gao Yuanjun and Gao Yang were twin brothers and sisters, and their feelings were naturally different. I heard her say these things about her second brother Gao Yang, and I was attentive in my heart. secretly thought, if you listen to Gao Yuanjun say this, the second brother is really benefiting a lot now, at least it can be useful.

But Gao Cheng didn't ask about Gao Yang anymore, changed the topic and smiled, "My sister hasn't been in my mansion for a long time, and my eldest sister-in-law misses you very much." She's having trouble moving now, and you have to see her more. ”

Gao Yuanjun said with a smile, "How dare I go to the eldest sister-in-law's place again." If anything happens again, I am afraid that my eldest brother will punish me severely. She seems to be angry, and she is half-truth, which makes it difficult to tell the difference.

Gao Cheng saw that his sister was so shrewd, and his heart moved, secretly thinking that the princess Yuan Zhonghua could be her opponent, but in the future, he and this sister had to mediate with their hearts, and peace was precious. still smiled, "If my sister says so, I really don't dare to do it, I just hope that my sister will be close to me and not give birth to mustard." ”

Gao Yuanjun smiled deliberately and greeted the eldest brother with a few words.

Gao Cheng quit Gao Yuanjun and entered his father's study.

Gao Yuanjun had never seen his eldest brother so attentive to her, and looked at Gao Cheng's back thoughtfully.

The slaves and maids retreated and closed their doors. In the entire courtyard, only the prime minister Gao Huan and the general Gao Cheng father and son were left. The courtyard was muddy, but the study was warm and bright. Obviously, Gao Huan has been waiting for his son here for a long time.

"Anu has it figured out?" Without waiting for his son to see the ceremony, Gao Huan asked. I can't see anything from the expression of the prime minister.

"Has Grandpa thought it through?" Gao Cheng asked rhetorically.

Gao Huan has always been sensitive to things and cautious in his words, and has never acted recklessly. Presumably at this time, he had already thought about it in his heart, but he didn't express his opinion, and asked, "Since the Son of Heaven entrusts the general with the world, it is natural for the general to make the decision." This has been said very bluntly.

The transfer of power between the father and son of the powerful minister is particularly demanding for them, which is different from the father-son inheritance of the position of the Son of Heaven. Whether it can be passed down and whether it can be caught is a great test for Gao Cheng. Otherwise, it will be as simple as a person's name and death.

"Why not give it a try? The son felt that he could raise troops to the west at this time. "Gao Cheng has never hesitated and is afraid of the time to choose, and he will not regret his choice." Wouldn't it be a pity not to have this opportunity? He paused and said, "Don't worry, you have to do enough work beforehand, otherwise there will be trouble." ”

Listening to his son's good words, Gao Huan had already put half of his heart in his heart, but he couldn't see it at all on the surface. Then he asked, "What does Anu want to do?" ”

"Grandpa and I, one of us will lead the army into battle. If you recruit people out at that time, will Yecheng have to pay for the loss if there is a mess? You must have one heart, you can die with it, you can live with it, and you can ensure that you are safe, so that you can move this idea of raising troops. Gao Cheng said calmly and steadily.

Since his son joined Yecheng as an auxiliary government, he has recruited talents, punished corruption and bribery, and made great efforts in the governance of officials. Withdraw the suspension of the year, this is not just a matter of governance, I don't know how many people secretly hate their sons, this is against the gate valve clan. Although Gao Huan didn't say anything, he actually wanted his son to let go and do it, which was also the meaning of establishing his authority. At worst, no matter what, he is there now, and if something happens, he will finally pick it up.

Now that the war is imminent, listening to what his son said, he knows that he can die with him and live with him, and it seems that he doesn't have to worry too much about him, and his son also knows it very well in his heart.

"How can we work together?" Gao Huan completely turned into a sideline attitude and asked with great interest.

"Grandpa, my sister has grown up, and sooner or later it is time to choose a noble son-in-law." Gao Cheng looked at his father and mentioned it. This sudden delay has a profound meaning. I could tell that he already had an idea in his heart. And it is not to ask his father's opinion at this time, but to put his opinion at an appropriate time, or it is just a move for him to seek "one heart, one can die with it, and can live with it".

"You offended Lin Xingren's eunuch, he is the Lord's private person, and his feelings are different, he will naturally pass on your words to the Lord, how will he turn around now?" Gao Huan asked unhurriedly. "It's good if you don't leave traces, if it's deliberate and being noticed, I'm afraid that good things will become bad things."

"This grandpa doesn't have to worry, there is naturally a way." Gao Cheng was thinking about the princess Yuan Zhonghua at the moment. He was the most reluctant to involve her, but she was both his concubine and the sister of Emperor Yuan Shanjian, and this identity was really impossible to hide between the two. When Gao Cheng was distracted, he already felt full of shame for Yuan Zhonghua.

Gao Huan nodded slightly and didn't speak again.

"There is a big event that Grandpa has to decide." Gao Cheng had already put aside the topic just now. At this moment, although there are only father and son, and they seem to be chatting, they are actually a pre-war temple. "Who can be the general?"

Gao Huan didn't speak. The question was too important for him to make a decision right away.

"Presumably Brother Black Otter doesn't have to worry about this." Gao Cheng suddenly sighed. actually half-truths and half-truths call "Brother Black Otter", such a humor is very precious at this time, and it shows that he can bear the burden of a thousand pounds. But it's also true, Yuwentai himself is the general of the army, the most powerful general under the original Kansai Daxing Taihe Bayue. In addition to himself, there are also Zhao Gui, Yu Jin, Dugu Xin, Wang Sizheng who followed Emperor Yuanxiu from Luoyang, and Wei Xiaokuan, who was originally from the Guanlong Hao family.

Gao Cheng calculated carefully in his heart, and suddenly his heart jumped. Secretly felt that Yuwentai had lost the day, and if he led his division to attack far away, he would not have taken advantage of it. The two people are in an equilibrium situation, and each has a win or lose. When it comes to people, Yuwentai may not lose, and he may not be able to win. If Yuwentai commands the army at this time, the generals under the account, whether they are the original descendants or those who defected later, the Xianbei people who moved westward or the wealthy families surnamed the county in Guanzhong, will all devote themselves to him and serve him.

The most illustrative of the problem is Li Hu. Li Hu is also a native of Daibei, a native of Wuchuan, and Yuwentai and He Bayue have township party feelings. However, after He Batyue died at the hands of Hou Mo Chen Yue, Zhao Gui contacted the generals to support Yuwentai, and Li Hu clearly opposed it at that time, and strongly advocated the establishment of He Batyue's brother He Batsheng in Daxingtai. Because of disagreement and refusal to agree, he left Chang'an and went to He Batsheng. But in the end, he joined Yuwentai with He Batsheng. And after that, he helped Yu Wentai to finally kill Hou Mo and Chen Yue to avenge the death of He Bayue. Later, he became Yuwentai's right-hand man, leveling the head of Hexi Fei Ye and Lingzhou Cao Ni.

The more Gao Cheng thought about it, the more frightened he became, and then looked back at himself, if he really led his troops to the west one day, who was the vanguard general who was willing to be driven? His confidants Cui Jishu, Cui Xianam, etc., as well as those doormen, may be ministers who govern the country, but they are not generals on the battlefield. The only one who can have a talent is Chen Yuankang, but Chen Yuankang is at most a Confucian general, if compared to Zhao Gui, Yu Jin and others, he still has less experience in the real bloody battlefield.

Sun Teng? Gao Yue? Gao Guiyan? But if you think about it a little bit, you can see that neither of them is suitable. It's not even inappropriate, it's too far off. Liu Feng, Dou Tai, Duan Shao...... Thinking about it one by one, there is no brave and mighty general who can be the first soldier in the army of millions with his majestic spirit.

"Hou Jing?" The father and son sitting opposite each other looked at each other in unison, but their expressions were full of doubts.

The prime minister leaned forward slightly, knelt down on the case in front of him, and looked at his son. The general also leaned forward slightly, crouched on several cases, and looked at his father.

"No." The father and son spoke in unison, and at the same time they both sat back in their seats.

"This person has to be relied upon, but not too much." Gao Huan only said lightly and looked at his son.

"This person must be relied upon, he must be reused, but he must be guarded against. Don't use it as a last resort. I don't want him to contribute to the society, but it is enough to ask him not to make trouble. Gao Cheng resolutely denied Hou Jing, but he really couldn't think of anyone in his heart.

Finally, Gao Huan leaned back, closed his eyes, and slowly spit out three words in his mouth, "Gao Aocao." ”

These three words made Gao Cheng's heart light up. He immediately understood that his father was talking about a unique person.

Gao Aocao, whose name is Gao, has been a troublemaker and a bastard in the township since he was a child. No one has the resources to start from the river and start from scratch. Feeling the grace of Emperor Yuanziyu of Jingzong Xiaozhuang and breaking Zhu Zhao, he was attached to Gao Huan.

Gao Aocao acted willfully, even if he was also an official in the court, he waved his sword against him if he did not meet his own wishes. Later, Gao Huan became a real minister, and still relied on Gao Aocao. Gao Aocao has always done his own thing, even for Gao Huan. But judging from his willingness to be Emperor Xiaozhuang's revenge, at least this person is the same inside and outside, not as inconsistent as Hou Jing. Even if he behaves uninhibitedly, he is a reliable person who can be of great use.

Gao Cheng didn't speak, his heart was really hot and cold.

What he insisted on Gao Ao Cao was the descendant courtesy. No matter how arrogant the general is, Gao Aocao is only more willful than him. Not to mention the Han people, even the Xianbei people are not afraid of Gao Aocao. Because of this, Gao Aocao is a unique candidate.

Gao Huan slowly opened his eyes again. "Does the general have any objections?"

Gao Cheng's brows furrowed, "No." The prime minister has insight into the micro and knows how to use it. The son also felt that Gao Aocao could be a general. He was not embarrassed at all, but very relieved.

Gao Cheng knelt up and said proudly, "Since everything has been agreed, it is better to do it sooner rather than later, my son asks the prime minister for permission, and he will send troops on a certain day." At that time, it is not a trivial matter to bring hundreds of thousands of armor, thousands of miles of food, and the cost of car armor, and it will take a lot of effort from the prime minister. My son also asks for your son's permission. The second brother is not young, and the adults have proposed marriage to the second brother, and the son wants to move the second brother's official position. ”

"What does the Great General see?" Gao Huan still asked slowly.

"Since the son is a great general of the auxiliary government, he must not be deputized. The second brother of the first Jin left servant shoots, starting from the ministry, and then Xu Tuzhi, okay? Gao Cheng said frankly without hesitation.

Raising his brother like this, the upper for his country and the lower for his family, it seems that Gao Cheng really regards himself as the pillar of Optimus of Great Wei and the future master of the Gao family.

Gao Huan acquiesced in his heart, and only nodded in agreement. This is exactly what he thinks, it seems that his son is finally going to bear the burden of the country.