Kyoto, Zhongshan Marquis Mansion.

Pei Yue sat on the Grand Master's chair, holding his cheek with his right hand and holding a secret report from Northern Xinjiang in his left hand. He stared at it for a long time until the hundreds of words on the paper were completely engraved in his mind, and then handed it to Feng who stood solemnly beside him.

Yi said: "Burn it."

There were four other people in the room, Qin Xian, Wei Rui, Fu Hongzhi and Deng Zai.

Qin Xian said in confusion: "Master Marquis, your Majesty really plans to let you lead troops to Huazhou?"

Pei Yue shook his head and said: "Brother, didn't you say that in private we should still call you the same name as before?"

Qin Xian smiled slightly and insisted: "The etiquette cannot be abolished."

Pei Yue had no choice but to do so, and he was vaguely aware that Qin Xian did this out of some deep consideration. After he took over the North Camp of the Beijing Army, Qin Xian would only call him when the two of them were alone.

"Brother Yue", whenever a third person is present, he will definitely be addressed by title. Even after saying it several times, he cannot change it.

Wei Rui changed the topic at the right time and said: "Although the number of barbarians is small, relying on their strong physique and familiarity with the border and even the wilderness, they can frequently harass them. Your Majesty not only wants to repel them, but even wants to get rid of them once and for all, so he

It was decided to let the Marquis take command and go on the expedition. I have a suggestion that I hope the Marquis can adopt."

Pei Yue nodded and said, "Say."

Wei Rui said calmly: "If Your Majesty must let the Marquis go to the north, then in addition to the Zangfeng Guard, Wuding Guard and Beiwei Camp will also go."

The temperature in the study seemed to have dropped suddenly.

Feng Yi is now the captain of the Hou Mansion's personal soldiers, and gradually enters the inner circle around Pei Yue. As his experience increases and his horizons broaden, his views on many things are no longer as simple as before. Wei Rui's suggestion seems very simple.

It was ordinary, but when he thought about it carefully, a chill rose from the bottom of his heart. However, there was no wave on his face, and he looked at his eyes, nose, and mind like an old monk in meditation.

Seeing that the atmosphere was too solemn, Fu Hongzhi said with a bit of self-mockery: "Brother Wei, the Tai'an Guards are also soldiers under the command of the Marquis. Last year in the southern border, only Commander Tang was with the Marquis, and none of us went. Now we are going

When you kill the barbarians in Northern Xinjiang, you don’t mention the Tai’an Guards. It’s just Commander Tang. I don’t even get a chance to co-author it?”

You can tell how close you are by the names. Fu Hongzhi was just joking at first, but Wei Rui said extremely seriously: "The Tai'an Guard cannot go. If the Marquis goes to Northern Xinjiang, he can only take the Zangfeng Guard, Wuding Guard and Beiweiying with him.

."

Fu Hongzhi suppressed his smile and did not argue with Wei Rui. Instead, he asked worriedly: "Has the situation reached this point?"

Pei Yue waved his hand and said calmly: "I have planned this for a long time. I called you here today not because Tang Linfen and Meng Longfu cannot be trusted, but because the training in Beiying cannot stop for a day, there must be someone

Keep an eye on it there. Judging from the news I received, the current situation in northern Xinjiang is very strange."

Qin Xian frowned and asked, "What do the barbarians want to do?"

Pei Yue said: "I think they want to use war to force the court to agree to sell ironware and other necessities."

Deng Zai said in surprise: "This is impossible."

Pei Yue nodded, and then said: "In fact, some tribes of barbarians expressed similar ideas in the early years. But for the court, tribes with hundreds of people were not even qualified to pay tribute. If they were allowed to do so, it would have practical significance.

If you go to the mutual market, those imperial students in the Imperial College will probably die to prove their ambition."

He paused, narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I'm very curious about what happened in the wasteland last year, and why a large tribe with thousands of troops suddenly appeared."

Everyone looked confused and couldn't figure out what was weird here.

Hasn’t this been recorded in history books from ancient times to the present?

Conquest, annexation and assimilation, from one city to countless large cities, from a small country to a prosperous dynasty, even Daliang only occupied a few states when it was founded, relying on the founding princes to establish its vast territory today.

Pei Yue did not discuss with them the time it takes to evolve social forms and the hardships it takes for small tribes to form organizational capabilities. He changed the subject and said: "No matter what conspiracy the barbarians are brewing, the war in northern Xinjiang must be limited to a certain intensity.

If Your Majesty insists on letting me lead the troops on an expedition, the Zangfeng Guard and Tai'an Guard will follow me northward, while the Wuding Guard and Beiwei Camp will stay in Kyoto."

This time Fu Hongzhi did not show any joy, but said solemnly: "Master Hou, I think Brother Wei's suggestion is a good idea."

Qin Xian also said: "Master Hou, let Wei Rui and I go north with you."

Wei Rui remained silent, seeming to be thinking about the reason for Pei Yue's arrangement.

Pei Yue smiled slightly and said calmly: "What are you worried about? Are you afraid that Your Majesty will use this opportunity to kill me in battle? Or are you worried that the so-called barbarian invasion to the south is actually His Majesty's conspiracy, just to kill me to avoid the emergence of an uncontrollable powerful minister in the future?

"

This sentence is extremely bold, but the expressions of everyone in the study were as usual, and it was obvious that they had long been aware of the existence of this problem.

Wei Rui said more bluntly: "Master Hou, you must be on guard."

Pei Yue thought of the middle-aged man in the imperial study who was reading the memorials, and said leisurely: "You don't know your Majesty well enough. Sometimes he does act a little extreme, and even a bit petty. That's because the late emperor died a year ago, and he

His throne was not as legitimate as that of the late Emperor, so he was naturally unable to be fair and aboveboard. But judging from the current incident, the person Your Majesty wants to plot against is not me, or I am just the one who came along by the way."

A name emerged in everyone's mind.

After Qin Xian thought for a while, he nodded and said: "Don't worry, Mr. Hou, Wu Ding Guard will definitely guard the North Camp. If Yu Dazhi's Ping Nan Guard gets mad, I can still control them despite my humble position."

"good."

Pei Yue nodded happily, then looked at Deng Zai and said, "Beiwei camp is staying in the capital. There is no need to be secretive. I will explain this matter directly to Your Majesty."

Deng Zai responded respectfully.

Pei Yue added: "As for the Yanping hunting event, it will probably be postponed this year, but you must not relax. You must still practice according to the previous arrangements after you return."

Everyone stood up and took the order.

Pei Yue's eyes were gentle and genuine: "I'm telling you this today so that you can have some peace of mind, so that you don't know how to deal with emergencies. Let's all go back. Deng Zai stays here."

After Qin Xian and the other three left, Pei Yue took out two envelopes from the mezzanine of the bookshelf, handed them to Deng Zai, and said in a deep voice: "One for Mr. Xi, one for Wang Yong, the one that passes the fastest."

Send it out. Remember, find someone to do this yourself, and you must not make any mistakes."

Deng Zai looked solemn and bowed: "Yes, young master."

Pei Yue watched him leave the study, and then he exhaled a breath, with a look of exhaustion on his face.

Feng Yi held the tea cup in both hands and handed it over. Pei Yue took it and took a sip. He ordered: "Tell the sentry in the mansion that an old friend will be visiting at midnight tonight. No matter whether they find out or not, don't let him go." Make any noise."

"Yes, Master." Feng Yi paused and then said with concern: "Master, it's still early, do you want to go to the inner house to rest for a while?"

Pei Yue shook his head, turned around and walked to the table by the window to sit down.

Feng Yi quietly retreated.

…

The moon and stars were sparse, everything was silent, and the Zhongshan Marquis Mansion was quiet and peaceful at night.

Pei Yue made a pot of tea himself. Although his tea ceremony is not as skillful as Shen Danmo's, it is still decent and as smooth as flowing water.

Suddenly, there seemed to be a breeze blowing by, and then a figure appeared outside the open door, bowed and saluted: "Greetings to the Marquis."

Pei Yue smiled and said, "You are indeed on time. Please take a seat."

The man walked into the study slowly and sat down opposite Pei Yue, with his back straight and a simple and honest smile on his face.

Pei Yue looked at this extremely ordinary face and said with emotion: "It's just a pity that bun shop."

The man thought of the years he spent lurking in the southern border and sighed: "Actually, the villain's bun shop has a very good business, and young and old men from Jian'an City often visit it."

Pei Yue nodded and said: "I sent someone to see it. After the steamed stuffed bun shop closed down, the people nearby said it was a pity. So, Mr. Shen has a very good vision, and the person he selected is definitely not the best. Not only do you make steamed buns, It’s delicious, and it’s unbeatable for killing people in the dark, right? Mr. Qian.”

Qian Bing, the number one assassin in Taishitai Pavilion and the head of the Dui Department, smiled bitterly upon hearing this and said: "Master Hou, this villain is no longer in charge."

Pei Yue said in surprise: "Promoted? As far as I know, You Lingdou has been in vain for many years. I didn't expect Master Shen to think so highly of you."

Qian Bing shook his head and said solemnly: "Master Hou, I have left Taishitai Pavilion."

At this point in the greetings, the smile on Pei Yue's face finally disappeared. He stared into Qian Bing's eyes and said: "I thought that you sent a message in advance and then came to visit late at night. It should be Master Shen who had something to tell you. Brother Qian, can you tell me, Taiwan What went wrong inside the cabinet?"

Qian Bing was silent for a moment and said calmly: "Master Hou, everything in Taige is as usual. It's just that I don't want to stay there anymore, so I expressed my intention to resign to Lord Shen."

Pei Yue asked in confusion: "Master Shen would actually agree?"

Qian Bing replied: "Master Shen naturally disagrees, but the villain has already decided to go, so he can't tie him up. The villain has been working in Taige for thirteen years, and he has no credit but hard work. After all, Master Shen is still He nodded. When he was in Southern Zhou Dynasty, the Marquis once said that if you want to find a job in the future, you can come to the Marquis, so I took the liberty to come to the door. I just don’t know if the Marquis is willing to accept it? "

In the bright candlelight, this man in his thirties looked sincere and a little uneasy.

Pei Yue smiled, nodded, and said calmly: "I wish you could."

Qian Bing was stunned.

He knew that his identity was different from others, and the previous directors of Taishitai Pavilion had never acted like him. He originally thought that he would get at most a few polite words tonight, or gifts of gold and silver.

However, the young prince in front of him agreed immediately.
Chapter completed!