In the next few days, Xiao Yu summoned Matthews and Elena several times one after another, and the content of this inquiry gradually changed from folk customs to historical geography and even the pattern of the kingdom.

After Xiao Yu met these two people, he gradually had a big ambition, that is, to reopen the ancient Silk Road, open the bridge between the east and the west again, and restore the grand deeds of Emperor Wu back then.

Although the Silk Road represented great wealth, it was undoubtedly a huge project in the early days, and it was a big burden for the financially stretched northwest, so even if Xiao Yu had this idea, the constraints of reality made him unable to make up his mind, and it was even more distant to put it into action.

After the initial curiosity and enthusiasm, Xiao Yu's attitude towards the two Westerners gradually faded, and after handing them over to Xiao Jin, his eyes began to focus on the development of the Houjian situation again, and at the same time, the Northwest Military also began the first troop adjustment.

Han Xiong, the governor of the right capital, returned from Shuzhou to garrison Xiheyuan, and Shi Le, who performed well in the battle of Xiheyuan, was really unexpected, stationed in Xiliangzhou to temporarily act as the chief officer of Xiliang, and Wei Ban, the commander of the Xiliang Xing Battalion, personally led an army of 40,000 to the north of Xiliangzhou, and Chen soldiers were on the edge of the Xiulong grassland, and Murong Yan's army stationed in Julu City faintly became a horn.

In the previous battle of Xiheyuan, Min Xing first lost Shaanzhong and then Shaanzhou, which caused the northwest gate to be opened, and the herdsmen were able to drive straight in, so Xiao Yu was completely disappointed in Minxing. On the other hand, Wei Ban's performance in this battle can be called conscientious, whether it is fighting and retreating in the early stage, or rushing thousands of miles to intercept the herdsmen in the later stage, it is enough to make any one of them unable to find fault with the art of war, so this time Xiao Yu ordered the general, or chose Wei Ban, who was more talented in leading the troops, rather than Min Xing, who was more qualified.

For Wei Ban, Xiao Yu's feelings are very complicated, in terms of talent, Wei Ban is far higher than Zhuge Gong, Lin Han and the like, but because of Wei Chi, Xiao Yu can't trust and reuse Wei Ban without reservation, and Wei Ban is the same, no matter how much Xiao Yu values him, he can't say that he has no guilt in his heart. There is always an invisible gully between the two, fortunately, Xiao Yu is now in the prime of life, and he has the confidence to control Wei Ban, if it is replaced by an old emperor who has become suspicious and fickle because he has reached his twilight years, it is difficult to say the result of Wei Ban.

There is also the fact that I have to say that Wei Ban is smart. Wei Ban became famous because of the battle of stealing Yin Ping, and then he was valued by Xiao Yu because of his own talents, so he rose to prominence, but Wei Ban, who suddenly ascended to a high position, was very introverted, neither Lin Han's domineering, nor Xiao Jin's eight-sided exquisiteness, but he just kept his duty, did not form a gang, and cultivated his henchmen. Because he knows very well that Xiao Yu can tolerate Lin Han, who has a good sister, to cultivate his henchmen, and can tolerate the deep roots of Min Xing in the Northwest Army to support his lineage, but he will never tolerate Wei Ban, who was killed by his uncle, to form a party for personal gain.

There are many kinds of ministers, loyal ministers, important ministers, pure ministers, courtiers, courtiers, traitorous ministers, admonishing ministers, and word ministers, and he can only be a lonely minister.

When it was May, it rained heavily.

Fortunately, although the sky is gloomy and scary, and the spring thunder is bursting, it is a scene of thunder and heavy rain, and the light rain is dripping, but it brings a trace of smoke and rain to this majestic city.

Murong returned to Zhongdu with a cloud of Jiangnan smoke and rain in this smoke and rain outside the plug, which made Lin Yinping very happy. Lin Yinping doesn't have many friends, and even fewer can make friends. Her husband Xiao Yu is working hard on various official duties, and her younger brother Lin Han is far away in the grassland, she is inevitably bored alone, and now she can have a girlfriend to talk about privately, so she is naturally happy.

For Xiao Yu, Murong's return means that it is time to marry Xiao Yue.

The drizzle here in Zhongdu is dashing, but the west of Xiliangzhou is pouring rain.

Large, dense raindrops mixed with the chill of the steep fell from the sky and fell on the noisy sandy earth.

This sudden heavy rain made a group of people who were in a hurry suffer enough.

The soybean-sized raindrops hit the armor of this pedestrian with a fierce sound, and it was almost impossible to open people's eyes when it fell on their faces, but the people of this line, from the leader to the most ordinary pawn, were all indifferent, and still hurried in the rain.

The horses' hooves splashed countless splashes and silt, and the military appearance was neat.

After running in the rain for two hours, the rain turned lighter, and a majestic giant city could be faintly seen in the distance.

The leader finally stopped.

The city in front of you is Julu City.

The horse's hooves flipped and the mud on the ground was kicked and splashed around.

These more than ten horses galloped directly into Julu City, whether it was knights and war horses, they looked quite embarrassed in the rain and mud.

An elderly Taoist man in a white Taoist robe stepped forward surrounded by several officials in bound robes, and arched his hand: "Governor Wei came in the rain, and he couldn't meet the poor Dao from afar, so please speak in the house." ”

The leader of these more than ten horsemen is none other than Wei Ban, who has become famous in the Northwest Army.

As for the old way, it is Xiao Yu who stayed in Julu City to represent the affairs of the Northwest Prime Minister.

One old and one young, there is a lot of age difference, but there is one thing in common, both of them are newly emerging "newcomers" in the northwest. ”

Wei Ban went from an ordinary lieutenant to a solitary governor in just one year, which was shorter than Xiao Yu's rise. And Mingchen left the Taoist Sect and entered the northwest, but it was only half a year. In a sense, although the two of them have reached high positions, they still have shallow roots in the northwest and can only be regarded as "newcomers".

After entering Mingchen's mansion, Wei Ban changed into clean clothes, and then came to Mingchen's study.

Mingchen stepped back and asked with a smile, "Wen He, did he leave before the rain fell?"

Wei Ban smiled, "I thought I could rush to Julu City before the rain, but unfortunately Wei is not an old master who knows astronomy after all, and he can calculate the rain and snow, this heavy rain is half a day earlier than Wei expected, so he has no choice but to rush in the rain." ”

Mingchen personally served a cup of hot tea and asked, "Wen He came to Julu in person this time, but what has changed in Zhongdu?"

Wei Ban took the teacup, took a sip and put it aside, shook his head and said: "I heard that the prince meant to complete the marriage between the county lord and that Mr. Wanyan in the near future, as for the location of the wedding, the prince still wants to put it in the central capital, after all, the central capital is one of the four major capitals in the world, and it is better than Julu City in any aspect." ”

Mingchen took a sip of the teacup and said with a smile: "Is this little thing going to bother you, the palm seal officer, to go on a trip personally?"

Wei Ban shook his head and said, "For some reason, both the prince and Murong Yan attach great importance to this marriage, it seems that it is not a simple marriage, there are other reasons. In fact, it is easy to understand the prince's side, after all, the county lord has grown up with the prince since he was a child, and they all say that the eldest brother is like a father, and it is understandable that the prince is reluctant to the county lord, but Murong Yan is a little unguessable, and he insists on witnessing the marriage of the two newlyweds in person for some reason. ”

Mingchen smiled and said, "Murong Yan wants to go to Zhongdu in person, and Julu City can't be left alone, so Governor Wei was sent by the prince?"

Wei Ban smiled bitterly, "The real person is right, the general is just going to Zhongdu for seven or eight days, but I have to go back and forth between the two places, and it will take a whole day of hard work to go back and forth, so why bother." I have long heard that this general Su Xi acted rashly, but this rashness is a little too much. ”

Mingchen shook his head with a smile and said, "It's not too much, it's not too much." ”

Wei Ban was stunned for a moment and asked, "How can the real person say this?"

Mingchen said unhurriedly: "Let me ask you, who is the alliance this time?"

Wei Ban replied: "Naturally, it is the prince and the general Murong Yan. ”

Mingchen continued: "Since marriage is the premise of the alliance, Xiao Yue is the younger sister of our prince, but what kind of person is Wanyan Beiyue, who can represent Murong Yan, the general of the Later Jian, is it because of the so-called friendship between master and apprentice? The mother of this Wanyan noble son is the daughter of the Houjian clan, but his father does not know who it is, and what is more coincidental is that after his mother died, the general appeared, not only accepted Wanyan Beiyue as a disciple, but also took great pains to send it to the Qingying Palace. Wanyan Beiyue can be taught by the five Demon Sect elders together, and the posture of an immortal is only one of them, and I am afraid that Murong Yan, the fifth general in the world, also has a lot to offer. ”

Wei Ban was slightly startled, and sighed in shock: "It turns out that Wanyan Beiyue should be called Murong Beiyue?!"