The efficiency of the Tang Dynasty is unprecedentedly high. A few days after Shangguan Wan'er left, another official envoy came from Luoyang to find Xue Shao and discuss with him about the return of the class teacher.

As Xue Shao expected, this time when the squad returned to the court, he and his army would participate in a series of show activities. First of all, starting from the merger of states, the triumphant Wang Shi will be welcomed by the people of Hebei, of course, this is indispensable for the participation of Li Xiaoyi and a large number of other Hebei officials. At that time, Xue Shao and his soldiers will encounter a series of military activities such as a small banquet for ten miles and a large banquet for a hundred miles.

They will walk back to Luoyang at the speed of a turtle crawling amid wine, meat and praise. It is estimated that this time will be no less than two months.

During this time, the imperial court will carry out a series of important preparatory activities. One of the most important is the preparation of a very large petition of the people.

Xue Shao inquired a little, and it was said that no less than 100,000 people would participate in the petition. Of course, this is only a conservative estimate. Chinese people have always had the heart to conform to the herd, and when the time comes, with the addition of those who watch the excitement and blindly join in from the moment, the number of people will definitely be more.

At that time, Wang Xiaojie's army will surround the entire ancient city of Luoyang to ensure the absolute security of the capital during this period. All the Imperial Forest Army, Jin Wuwei, and Qianniu Wei will also be dispatched collectively to ensure the security of the palace and Luoyang City.

Xue Shao felt a little big just by listening to it. But the messenger added that this was only a preliminary idea. There will certainly be many other arrangements in the future. Then it can only be while returning to the army, while receiving a message from the imperial court, and then reporting to Xue Shuai and discussing with the details.

Although it is a bit of a toss-up, it is a good thing to be able to go home. As soon as Xue Shao's order came out, all the Northern Expeditionary Army cheered.

The next day, the Northern Expeditionary Army set up camp and headed south.

……

At this moment, in the living room on the top of the snow-capped mountain.

The Han female slave girl with a small mole on her eyebrows uncovered a corner of the futon, applied a layer of ointment to Xuanyunzi's feet, tied the pills and covered the quilt, turned around and left.

"Thank you." Xuan Yunzi said.

The slave girl didn't say a word and walked away.

For the past three days, Xuan Yunzi has been treated like this. No one spoke to her, but someone cared if she lived or died. The ointment applied to his feet was obviously used to treat chilblains, and Xuan Yunzi felt a lot more comfortable, and his physical strength had recovered more than half.

Xuan Yunzi knew that he was extremely unwelcome here. She wanted to say a few words to the little boy, but she didn't have a chance at all. Ai Yan's eyes were always full of indifference and hostility, and he could give an eviction order at any time.

Ai Yan's fierceness of character and rejection of the living were a bit unexpected in Xuan Yunzi's early days. Maybe the moon slave will feel strange when she sees her again. In the past few years, she has inevitably changed a lot.

There was no snow on this day. In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun shines on the outside of the courtyard, and the snow reflects a blurry light. Aiyan and the four slave girls led the little boy out into the courtyard as if to play.

Xuan Yunzi looked at them through the window.

That's obviously not your average play.

The little boy was stripped naked and standing in a snowdrift while two slave girls bathed him in the snow. The little boy sometimes screamed from the cold, and sometimes laughed.

Seeing such a strange and magical picture, Xuan Yunzi couldn't help but be a little stunned...... Which parent in the Central Plains would torture their children like this?!

After taking a shower, the little boy simply wrapped a pair of pants and shoulders, and began to punch in the snow.

Ai Yan was on the side, teaching by word and deed.

Xuanyunzi was deeply darkened and martial arts, and she was stunned again!

She has long known that Ai Yan knows martial arts, and she is not weak. But looking at this little boy's tricks and styles, it's obviously not just a casual practice - it's all learned to kill kung fu!

"Little master, what do you want for dinner?" The Han female slave girl stood by the kitchen and asked in a loud voice.

"Blood sheep stew!" The little boy replied loudly.

"Princess, there's no more mutton."

Ai Yan immediately stopped his martial arts instruction, "Catch the sheep." ”

Two Turkic slave girls captured a sheep. The sheep is not small, and they are constantly struggling, so that they have to work hard to hold it down.

"Let go." Ai Yan gave an order, and the two female slaves let go of the sheep.

The sheep ran away, and the fenced courtyard was so large that it quickly ran away.

"Chase!"

Before Ai Yan could speak, the barefoot boy rushed out like a wolf.

Xuan Yunzi's eyes widened, and he was stunned for the third time!

She had never seen a human who could hunt like a real beast. The little boy ran so fast and reacted so quickly that he was like a living wolf. Although the sheep was strong enough to run fast enough, it was still blocked in the corner of the fence by the little boy. It tried to get out of the crack in the fence, but its head went over and its body got stuck.

The little boy was panting and was obviously tired. He glanced back at Ai Yan, grinned very innocently, raised his knife in his hand, and plunged the dagger into the sheep's neck. Then he pulled and chopped hard, and with a lot of effort, he finally cut off the whole sheep's head.

Xuan Yunzi barely blinked his eyes and watched all the processes. Those pictures shocked her, even more than the sand scenes of thousands of fierce battles. She almost forgot to breathe, and watched in a daze as the little boy came to Ai Yan with a sheep's head, covered in blood, and proudly asked for credit.

Ai Yan caressed the little man's hair lovingly, "Good boy, it's time to practice archery." ”

"Yay! I love archery! The little boy shouted excitedly, ran to the side, and picked up the bow and arrows from the armory rack. It was obviously a pair of bows and arrows specially made for him, and it was relatively small.

Ai Yan threw the sheep's head high, blood spilling everywhere. The little boy drew his bow and shot it, three times in a row, and the arrow hit.

"You can eat three bowls of blood sheep stew tonight." This is Aiyan's reward for his son.

The little boy lowered his head in frustration, "Mother, I'll be hungry." ”

"Give you another chance." Ai Yan asked the slave girl to pick up the sheep's head and toss it again.

Apparently, the slave girl deliberately threw the sheep's head higher. But the boy still only shot three arrows, and another flew out.

"Two bowls."

After Ai Yan finished speaking, he turned around and walked towards the back room.

"Mother, I was wrong! Let me try again! The little boy exclaimed aggrievedly.

"A bowl!"

The little boy was crying outside, and Ai Yan had already entered the living room and closed the door.

Xuan Yunzi looked at her with a shocked expression.

"You saw it all?" This is the first sentence that Ai Yan said to Xuan Yunzi in the past three days.

Xuanyunzi nodded.

"You must think that I am a cruel and vicious mother." Ai Yan said expressionlessly, took a burden from the wall and threw it on Xuan Yunzi's bed.

Xuan Yunzi glanced down, this was the small burden wrapped around her waist when she came, and it was also the eviction order she issued.

"Xue Shao was also very cruel when he was training. He said it was to make his brother Robe live longer on the battlefield. Such cruelty is the unique compassion of soldiers. Xuan Yunzi said.

"Don't pretend to be in front of me." Xuan Yunzi said coldly, "I don't understand these big truths you said. All I know is that my son must be the king of all things. So I let him go through hardship and torture since he was a child, and I didn't hesitate to make him hate me. ”

Xuan Yunzi frowned, "You can spend ten or twenty years training your son to become the premier warrior on the grassland. But warriors don't always become kings. His future achievements will depend on his own experiences and choices, as well as the supporters behind him. ”

Ai Yan heard the meaning of her words, and the last sentence was the key. This happens to be the thing she is most concerned about and the most troublesome thing at the moment.

"Bloodlines and myths alone can't make a king." Xuan Yunzi said, "But now you have nothing but these. Yuanzhen, the only one who can provide you with shelter and support, is also unknown. ”

"I don't need you to tell me this." Ai Yan's tone was still very cold, "Your body has almost recovered, and my people will send you down the mountain tomorrow." Don't go straight to Luoyang, and tell him what I'm going to say. That's enough. ”

Xuan Yunzi looked at Ai Yan calmly, "Princess Ai Yan, you need help." ”

"Even if I needed to, I wouldn't be someone like you." Ai Yan was still indifferent and said, "What can you give me?" Soldiers? Weapons? Or grain and grass? ”

"Wisdom."

Ai Yan smiled, "I believe in beauty." ”

"It makes sense that you want to drive me away. I won't force it to stay. Xuan Yunzi said, "But before leaving, you might as well listen to me say a few more words." ”

"Say it, I'll listen to it."

Xuan Yunzi said: "Yuanzhen's life and death are unknown, and the power structure within the Turkic Khanate is changing. Yuan Zhen was the Apodagan who commanded the power of the army and horses, and he was almost above 10,000 people under one person in the Khanate. Who will take over the vacated position of Yuanzhen has become the focus of the current contention within the khanate. Who do you think is most likely to take their place? ”

Ai Yan frowned and said, "There have always been many people who want to replace Yuanzhen's status. But the one who really has the ability to replace him, never. ”

Xuan Yunzi said: "So who do you think has the most ambition to take Yuan Zhen and replace him?" ”

Ai Yan pondered for a moment, "Ye Hu, Ashina is silent." ”

"That's right, it's Duxilu." Xuan Yunzi said, "He was defeated by Xue Shao in Yinchuan, and he was also a prisoner of Xue Shao. I believe that no one hates Xue Shao more than him, and he happens to know about you and your son. Now without the protection of Yuan Zhen, do you think the myth of the Son of God can continue to be passed on? Are you still safe? It's like you survived by luck, if you let Du Xilu take Yuanzhen's place, do you think you still have a future? ”

"......" Ai Yan gritted his teeth tightly, biting his lips so much that he was almost bloodless. Although she didn't say it, she knew very well in her heart: What Xuan Yunzi said was what I was most worried about in the past few days!

"There is an old saying in the Central Plains, which is called the power of the egg." Xuan Yunzi said, "Seeing that the day is already precarious, if I am you, I will try to find a way to survive the current life and death crisis first, and then fantasize about the king and the iron hoof!" ”

Ai Yan blinked, sat down on the edge of Xuan Yunzi's bed, gently put the burden aside, and whispered, "What should I do?" ”

"Hide in a safe place first, and then find a way to get rid of Duxilu!"

"Bang-"

As soon as Xuan Yunzi's words fell, the door panel made a loud noise and was kicked open.

A man with a hawk's nose and deep eyes walked in with his hands on his back, followed by two strong warriors who looked like door gods. His eyes were as cold as a wolf, and he said in a deep voice: "Duh, I've sent it to the door." ”