Yao Yuanchong and Cen Changqian hadn't come yet, Xue Shao sat and talked with Wu Zetian for less than half an hour before he felt an unbearable pain in his back, and sweat came out.

Wu Zetian was also careful, and hurriedly asked Xue Shao what was wrong? Xue Shao told the truth.

"You're lying." Wu Zetian said, "I called the imperial doctor to help you treat it." ”

"Your Majesty, isn't this okay?" Xue Shao smiled bitterly, "How can there be a courtier lying down and talking to the king?" ”

"Lie down! Lie down! Wu Zetian made a straight face, "This is not only my mother-in-law's nagging, but also my holy order!" ”

"Your Majesty Xie......" Xue Shao really lay down, and suddenly felt much more comfortable.

The imperial doctor came immediately, and after a little examination, he knew that Xue Shao was overworked from riding a horse for too long and needed massage to relax and rest in bed. Wu Zetian asked them to erect a screen in this imperial study and used medicinal oil to help Xue Shao massage and massage. Soon after, Yao Yuanchong and Cen Changqian came, and they were a little surprised when they saw this frame. Wu Zetian told them not to be uncommon and strange, and immediately started the discussion.

Xue Shao was behind the screen while receiving a massage with medicinal oil while lying down and discussing with them.

Facts have proved that with Cen Changqian, Yao Yuanchong, Lou Shide, Wang Xiaojie and others in the court, they have worked together to manage the military, and it is still very effective. Although there were some mistakes due to the leaderlessness of the dragons, they were generally doing well in military deployment. Now the soldiers and horses of the right guard have basically been reorganized, and they are just waiting for the oath to set off. Most of the grain and grass baggage are stationed in Chang'an, and the people have been collected. When the army set out from Luoyang, Lou Shide would lead the logistics troops in Chang'an to take the lead. What is lacking now is the newly recruited army expansion horse that Wang Xiaojie brought back from Hebei.

According to the original plan of the imperial court, the total number of troops participating in this war was about 100,000 to 150,000. Now there are only 50,000 horses in the Luoshui army, so Wang Xiaojie needs to bring at least 50,000 new troops from Hebei. But at this pace, it will be difficult for them to complete the task in another half a year.

"Your Majesty, the military situation is like fire, we can't wait any longer!" Xue Shao said, "Please give your Majesty an order to go to Chang'an immediately, and let Lou Shide lead the logistics troops to set off first." The minister immediately led the Luoshui army to the battlefield. ”

"In such a hurry?" Wu Zetian said worriedly, "If the troops are insufficient, how can we fight?" ”

"Please also ask Your Majesty to grant me the power of the military government of Helong Prefecture." Xue Shao said, "The minister recruited soldiers and horses while walking, and trained soldiers while marching. This is the only way to go, and there can be no further delay. ”

"Will it work?" Wu Zetian is still worried, "Helong has been repeatedly hit by military disasters, and people's livelihood has not recovered. At this time of conscription, will anyone be willing to come? ”

"Your Majesty, you can do it!" Four words, Xue Shao said quite decisively.

Yao Yuanchong and Cen Changqian also agreed, saying that although the livelihood of Helong has not yet recovered, as long as the imperial court is willing to pay food and pay for military merits, there will be brave men under the heavy reward. Moreover, Xue Gong has a very high prestige in the Helong area, and those who join the army with his arms will inevitably gather. It has been a place of war in recent years, and the people are fierce and fearless, and there are many excellent soldiers who have survived the battle.

"Good. I will appoint you as the chief of the march of Ganliang Road, and the ambassador of the military and political affairs of the Jiehelong Prefectures. Wu Zetian no longer hesitated, and said after speaking, "If you want something, just speak." ”

"Your Majesty, this medicinal oil is good, why don't you reward it to the minister?" Xue Shao said.

Wu Zetian smiled, "I even gave it to you as an imperial doctor." Let him temporarily serve as a military doctor and go with you on the expedition, what do you think? ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xue Shao said with a smile, "The most lacking person in the army is the doctor!" ”

"When are you going to go?" Wu Zetian asked.

"Now. Immediately. Xue Shao said.

"In such a hurry?" Wu Zetian frowned, and she couldn't say it clearly because Yao Yuanchong and Cen Changqian were present, thinking that you should have done the marriage first, right?

"Your Majesty, the military situation is like fire. The Garchin Mausoleum may come at any time. Xue Shao said, "The more we delay here, the more danger there will be for the thousands of soldiers and civilians on the front line." We can't afford to take this risk! ”

"Alright, we'll go in three days." Wu Zetian didn't seem to plan to give Xue Shao room to bargain, and said, "You go home first to see your wife and children, and treat your back injuries." On the side of the imperial court, it will also take a day or two to prepare. ”

"Okay...... Thank you, Your Majesty! Xue Shao had no choice but to agree, and then said: "The minister still has a request, I hope Your Majesty can fulfill it!" ”

"You say."

"The minister heard that Xue Chuyu has returned to the court, and the minister wants to take him on the expedition with him." Xue Shao said, "The minister also wants to bring our dynasty's first martial champion Qin Poyu and the top ten martial arts leaders of the same session to fight together, so that they can accumulate some actual combat experience." ”

"I will give them an order at once, and let them go under your command and do their bidding. In addition, you can only choose the generals of the DPRK and China, and you can use whoever you want, and you don't have to discuss them with me one by one. Wu Zetian agreed without hesitation, and he also sighed secretly in his heart: Sure enough, as soon as he came back, everything would be much easier!

When Xue Shao returned home, it was already midnight. The family didn't sleep and was waiting for him, even Xue Yi and Xue Xu's family also came.

Xue Shao is going to go on an expedition again, which is of course a major national event, and it is even more trivial for their big family. Especially this time, the opponent is the extremely strong Garqin Ling.

The history books of the Central Plains will always twist Nini's way of downplaying or beautifying some failed wars, so as to save some face for their dynasty and generals. But the fact in front of us is that the Garqin Mausoleum has been pressing the Central Plains Dynasty for twenty or thirty years.

Twenty years ago, in the battle of Dafeichuan, the Garqinling defeated Xue Rengui, and more than 100,000 troops in the Tang Dynasty were annihilated, and Xue Rengui was demoted. More than ten years ago, in the battle of Qinghai Lake, Garqinling defeated Li Jingxuan and Liu Xianli, and the Tang Dynasty was defeated by more than 100,000 troops, and Liu Xianli, the deputy marshal, was also taken prisoner. A few years ago, the Garqin Mausoleum began to get involved in the Western Regions, Wu Zetian immediately withdrew the Anxi Tiger Division from the Western Regions and did not fight, and the Garqin Mausoleum effortlessly took the four towns of Anxi and Gongyue City, and took half of the country into the bag. Previously, Heizhi Changzhi and Lou Shide had repeatedly defeated Tubo in Heyuan, and Wang Xiaojie recovered the Western Regions, all of which were won without encountering the Garqin Mausoleum.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Garqin Mausoleum is the real god of war in this era. He is so strong that the dynasties and generals in the Central Plains are reluctant to mention him, otherwise they will inevitably increase the morale of others and destroy their own prestige. This time, Wu Zetian did not hesitate to violate the taboo of "changing commanders in battle", and also recalled Xue Shao from Yangzhou, thousands of miles away, to replace Wang Xiaojie, precisely because the opponent was Garqinling. With Wang Xiaojie's personality, he took the initiative to admit frankly in front of Xue Shao that he was not the opponent of Garqinling. Pei Xingjian never fought with the Gar Qinling as a commander during his lifetime, but he clearly wrote in the codex he left to Xue Shao that "the Qinling is the tiger of the plateau, and the one who has never been in trouble for the country". The implication is that he regards the Garqin Mausoleum as the biggest threat to the Central Plains Dynasty!

- In the face of such an opponent, who dares to say that he can win?

The people of the Xue family knew far better than outsiders what it would mean if Xue Shao was defeated. Compared with previous wars, Xue Shao's expedition was the most worrying for them.

"Don't worry, I'll win." Although he was not at all sure in his heart, Xue Shao could only comfort his family like this. And he was too tired to say too much, so he fell asleep soon after returning home, and he didn't care about Xiao Biesheng's newlywed Princess Taiping.

Xue Shao slept until noon the next day before waking up, and was still woken up by the massage of the moon slave. Yue Nu has learned martial arts, is familiar with the human body's muscles and veins acupoints, and is proficient in healing and massage, Xue Shao feels that her techniques are a little more professional than the imperial doctors in the palace, and she is very comfortable to press on her waist.

Xue Shao lay down like this and enjoyed the massage, and Princess Taiping asked someone to bring the meal to the bedroom for him to enjoy, and called all his concubines and children to come to the room to accompany him, in short, he was not allowed to get up and let him rest.

This treatment can be regarded as unprecedented. Xue Shao knew in his heart that although Princess Taiping didn't say it, she was more worried than anyone else. Her current behavior even has a little "goodbye" intention in it.

Emotionally speaking, Princess Taiping definitely didn't want to believe that this would be a farewell. But she has already cultivated to the realm where she can use reason to overcome emotion, what if she really can't come back? No one can pack a ticket for this kind of thing. Therefore, Princess Taiping wanted Xue Shao to fully feel the taste of family affection in this very limited time, especially to let him get closer to these children.

Xue Shao didn't know Princess Taiping's intentions, so he also took advantage of the time when there was no one around, and wrote a "suicide note" and put it in the secret pavilion of his study. In case this trip really has three long and two short, many things need to be explained by yourself.

But on the surface, Xue Shao has always been confident and relaxed. It seems that he is not going on an expedition now, but going out to enjoy the mountains and rivers again.

After returning home, Xue Shaoan rested peacefully for a day, and his physical strength and complexion were greatly recovered. Under the dual effect of the first-class massage of the moon slave technique and the special potion prepared in the palace, the muscle pain in his lower back has been mostly improved.

The next day, it was the last day that Xue Shao was able to stay at home. He invited Xue Yi and Xue Xu's two families to come, and the whole family had a reunion like the New Year. Before the banquet began, a large number of generals were killed in Princess Taiping's mansion. There are Li Duozuo, the general of Yulinwei, Fan Yunxian, Cao Renshi and Zhonglang generals Tang Zhen and Pan Yi, the Qiancai envoy Zhou Jitong and the deputy envoy Zhao Yijie, the Qianniu general Cheng Boxian, the right guard generals Dang Jinbi and Guo Dafeng and the Zhonglang generals Guo An and Duan Feng, the Yingyangwei generals Yi Li Siba, Dugu Zhi and Sha Zha Zhongyi, as well as the Wutai student Qin Poyu and the top ten in the same department...... The men who came to report read these names with their names, and they were about to say that they were about to lose their breath.

The generals of the Great Zhou Dynasty who reported on their duties in Beijing were almost half. There are also some others with a slightly lower level who follow these generals to "play soy sauce", and the number of people is about seventy or eighty.

"I'm in a hurry to eat, I'm all poor!" Xue Shao laughed and said to Princess Taiping, "Your Royal Highness Princess, what do you think?" ”

"Either you don't come, or you come all." Princess Taiping said with a smile: "Until you returned from the Northern Expedition, no general has ever come to visit. But now that they are all here, the main palace is all hospitable! “

Xue Shao laughed and greeted him in person, and dozens of generals saw Xue Shao clasping his fists neatly and bowing, "Xue Shuai!" ”

"I tell you, although I am poor, Her Royal Highness is rich and generous. Since the brothers are here, let's have a meal and a drink together? Xue Shao said to them.

When they said this, Xue Shao, Li Duozuo and the others couldn't help but think of an old man. A few years ago, in a dilapidated mansion overgrown with weeds in Chang'an, Pei Xingjian, who was about to go west, faced a group of generals who came to visit him, which was exactly the tone.

Time has passed, and now it is Xue Shao's turn to do such a thing.

A group of generals followed Xue Shao and happily entered Princess Taiping's mansion. The cooks immediately got busy with all their firepower. Before the table opened, a horse rushed like lightning and stopped outside Princess Taiping's mansion. Immediately, a man didn't wait for the horse to stop and fly down, and without paying attention to the report, he pushed away the doorman and rushed in, shouting loudly from a distance: "Second brother, second brother! ”

Xue Shao almost bounced up when he heard this voice, and as soon as he rushed out of the door of the main hall, a person flew over and knelt down in front of him, clasping his hands into fists and crying silently, "Chu Yu to meet the second brother!" ”

Xue Shao couldn't help but fall down on his knees and hugged him tightly, "Good brother, just come back!" It's good to be back!! ”