With Xiao Huaijin's support, Xiao Taishi walked on the wide white marble road in the empty square of the palace, walking very slowly, leaning over, holding a black brocade handkerchief in his hand, coughing and wiping from time to time.

He is the respect of the Taishi, and he naturally overshadows everyone in the official position, so this long avenue, Taishi Xiao did not finish it, and the officials behind him were not good at leaving first, they all followed behind in twos and threes, whispering something.

Taishi Xiao stopped, turned around, showed a kind smile to the officials behind him, and said: "Colleagues, the old man is not in good health, you are all on official business, you don't need to be formal, just go back to the yamen on an errand earlier!" ”

The officials looked at each other, they all arched their hands to Xiao Taishi, sped up their steps, and soon left Xiao Taishi and Xiao Huaiyu father and son behind, among the officials, only Han Xuandao did not leave quickly, but followed Xiao Taishi.

Taishi Xiao stopped his steps, pushed Xiao Huaijin away, coughed for a while, and then said to Xiao Huaijin: "You go first!" ”

Xiao Huaijin frowned, glanced at Han Xuandao, who was speechless next to him, knowing that his father and Han Xuandao had something to say, he hesitated for a moment, and finally left quickly.

Han Xuandao followed in three or two steps and supported Taishi Xiao.

"The old man has known countless people in his life, but it is not an exaggeration to say that the forbearance of the saint is amazing." Taishi Xiao sighed softly, and with Han Xuandao's support, he walked slowly on the long white marble palace road.

Han Xuanchang bowed slightly: "He is indeed not simple. If it were an ordinary person, then **, he would have sent troops to assist Su Guanya a long time ago, and would have issued an order to the Northwest Army. ”

"That's where he's smart." Xiao Taishi smiled faintly: "In that case, we cabinet officials are bound to die, but ...... He may not win. His old face was not shocked: "Of course, he wants us to die, but he needs a stable country, if our death can't bring him a stable country, but will make Dayan fall into chaos and turmoil, he won't do it easily." He is a person who plans for the overall situation, not a person who wants to be temporary. ”

"Yes!" Han Xuandao was very respectful.

"And it was Han Mo who led the troops back to Beijing." Taishi Xiao's old face was gloomy: "The saint is a cautious person, he can't be sure whether his will can command the Northwest Army, so he doesn't dare to fight." He stopped, looked at Han Xuandao, and said calmly: "No matter what, the military power of the Northwest can't fall into his hands, otherwise it will ......!" ”

He didn't say it anymore, but Han Xuandao naturally understood the meaning.

After helping Taishi Xiao for more than ten steps, Han Xuandao finally said: "Taishi doesn't have to retreat, the court is ...... You can't do without your old age! ”

Taishi Xiao smiled slightly and said, "Xuanchang has already told you about the three excerpts?" ”

"Yes!" Han Xuandao nodded and said, "The kindness of the Taishi to the Han family, Xuandao remembers it in his heart and does not dare to forget it. If that marriage is so valued by Master Meng, Xuan Dao hereby assures Master Taishi that he will never treat Miss Xiao badly, and will treat her as his daughter. ”

Taishi Xiao looked very happy, nodded and said: "Xuandao is a person, the old man knows it, since he said so, there will be no mistake." It's just that the old man has already made up his mind to resign, and Xuandao doesn't need to persuade more. ”

Han Xuandao frowned slightly, but finally didn't say anything.

"In this life, the old man has worked hard for the Xiao family." Taishi Xiao smiled bitterly, pointed to the snow on the wall not far away, and said slowly: "There are four seasons in the sky, spring is born and winter is extinguished, and people are also born, old, sick and dead, just like the flower blooms and falls, the old man's old bones, I am afraid that it will not last long." ”

"Taishi's contribution to the Yan Kingdom is evergreen and remembered from generation to generation." Han Xuandao said calmly.

Master Xiao smiled, and then said: "Xuandao, before the old man leaves, there is something to entrust to you, and I hope you can promise the old man!" ”

Han Xuandao let go of his hand, bowed, and said respectfully: "What does the master command, but it doesn't hurt to speak, if Xuandao can do it, he will not shirk!" ”

Taishi Xiao smiled and said, "You and I are two ancestors, and they are also comrades-in-arms who live and die together, and they participate in the grand event together, which is why they assisted His Majesty Yanwu to lay down this country." ”

Han Xuandao held Taishi Xiao again, nodded and said, "What Taishi said is that the merits of our ancestors will never be forgotten by our descendants. ”

"They scattered all their wealth to assist His Majesty Yan Wu, and the reason for this is that they still want to live well." Xiao Taishi said softly: "It's just that after the founding of the country, our family was rewarded for meritorious service, served as an official in the court, and assisted the royal family, but this made the royal family gradually regard us as a thorn in the flesh, for many years, behind the scenes, instigated our nine families to fight each other, and sit and watch the benefits of the fisherman ......!" ”

Han Xuandao's eyes flashed with a light that was not noticed by the Grand Master.

Although everyone in the major families knows about this kind of thing, they all take it to heart, but no one says it.

Today's Taishi is very sincere, to put it bluntly.

"It's just that after this incident, the old man also understands that if it continues like this, our family is only afraid that none of them will end well." Taishi Xiao shook his head and sighed lightly, "The old man's body is getting weaker and weaker, and he already has the heart of retreating, but after this incident, he has no nostalgia anymore." It's just that before leaving, I hope that Xuandao will be able to take care of our Xiao family ...... in the future! ”

Han Xuandao frowned, and said in a low voice, "Why did the Grand Master say this?" ”

"Xuan Dao, now that it's over, you and I don't have to talk around the bend." Taishi Xiao said slowly: "The old man will hand over the excerpt in three days, and the old man will also explain to me as an official of the Xiao clan, from now on, my Xiao clan will never be embarrassed by your Han clan, if there is any command from Xuandao, my Xiao clan officials will also try their best to cooperate." ”

Han Xuandao's face changed slightly.

Xiao Taishi's words are already extremely straightforward, and he just needs to say the meaning completely directly, there is no doubt that Xiao Taishi is ready to let the Xiao family surrender to the Han people, imitating the affairs of the Fan and Hu clans.

"Master, this ...... Xuan Dao really didn't dare to be. Han Xuandao instantly regained his composure: "You and I are both loyal to the country, how dare Xuandao have orders?" ”

Taishi Xiao shook his head and sighed lightly: "Xuan Dao doesn't have to doubt the old man's heart. He smiled and said: "If the old man is still twenty years younger, he may not make this decision, but now that he is about to die, the old man is already an old man who sleeps today and doesn't know if he can get up tomorrow. He gently pushed Han Xuandao's hand away, and said warmly: "Xuandao is an open-minded person, the unhappiness between you and my clan before will be dissipated!" ”

Han Xuandao hesitated slightly, and finally bowed down and said, "Since the Taishi said so, Xuandao dares to disobey his fate?" ”

Taishi Xiao seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and then lowered his voice and said, "Don't underestimate our emperor, let alone the imperial family. After all, he has the orthodox name of Dayan, and now it is no better than in the past, Zhao Xiqiao of Bozhou is his loyal servant, and Xuandao will act in the future, but he must also be more cautious. ”

In the face of Taishi Xiao's sincere and outspoken words, Han Xuandao showed gratitude, and said: "Xuandao has thanked Taishi for his teachings, and Xuandao will not dare to forget it!" ”

At that moment, the two of them came out of the palace, but Xiao Huaijin and Xiao Wanchang outside the palace were waiting.

Han Xuandao said goodbye, didn't say much, got in the car and left.

"Wan Chang came to the old man's car." Taishi Xiao got into the car and summoned Xiao Wanchang to get into his carriage, and his expression immediately became extremely serious: "How is the situation in the northwest investigated?" ”

"Taishi, it has been determined that Wu Tianshao, the chief soldier of Linyang Pass, is indeed dead." Xiao Wanchang said in a low voice: "And it was Han Mo who personally killed him!" ”

"The old man just wants to know Huaiyu's whereabouts." Taishi Xiao said in a deep voice: "Where is Huaiyu now?" ”

Xiao Wanchang shook his head.

"A bunch of rice buckets." Xiao Taishi said angrily: "With so many eyes and ears in the northwest, you don't know Huaiyu's whereabouts? Is he dead or alive, where was he born, where is he dead, is it possible that there is no clue? ”

"Nope." Although Xiao Wanchang was in awe of Taishi Xiao, he still said helplessly: "In the past few days, there have been many letters from over there, but none of them have confirmed the whereabouts of the general. Today's Linyang Pass is temporarily ordered by Han Mo, and Ling Yun of the Divine Bow Battalion is in command. ”

Taishi Xiao leaned in the carriage, and there was another violent cough, almost coughing out the internal organs.

"Revisit." Taishi Xiao raised his hand weakly: "The old man must know Huaiyu's whereabouts, even if he is dead, he must also let the old man know how he died!" ”

……

……

Late at night, outside a very remote house in Yanjing City, an inconspicuous carriage stopped outside the house.

It is a very ordinary house, two rooms side by side, surrounded by a small courtyard, and the area is very small. The chauffeur is dressed in shabby cotton clothes, which is the most common kind of chauffeur in Beijing, and it is also inconspicuous.

He stopped the car, went over and lifted the curtain, and out of the car came a passenger who was covered in a black robe, not only his body was covered by a black cotton robe, but even his face was covered by a black hat, and he couldn't see his face clearly.

He got out of the carriage, raised his hand slightly, and the driver jumped into the carriage and drove away quickly.

Only then did the black-robed man gently push open the door of the courtyard, enter, and then closed the courtyard door with his backhand, wiped the snow in the courtyard, walked to the dilapidated wooden door of a house, and knocked lightly.

The wooden door was quickly opened, and a gray-clothed man poked his head out, and the black-robed man flashed in, and the door was closed in an instant.

The man in the black robe entered the house, only to see that the house was very simple, and there was a very dim oil lamp lit on the table, full of a very strange smell, the man in gray led the man in black robe into the house, and when the man in black robe sat down, he knelt at the feet of the man in black robe, and said respectfully: "My lord, the villain will leave the capital tonight!" ”

The black-robed man took out the heavy bag from his sleeve and said, "The gold in it is enough for you to live this life, leave tonight, and don't appear in the capital again in the future!" ”

The man in gray hurriedly said, "Lord Xie! He looked up, and the dim light shone on his face, revealing a very personal face.

Han Xuandao!

This gray-clothed man kneeling at the feet of the black-robed man turned out to be Han Xuandao!