A few days later, it was sunny.

Xue Shao accompanied Princess Taiping, who had finished her confinement, and walked in the willow forest by the Qujiang Pond.

The weather was nice and the air was fresh. Both couples are in a good mood.

"Xue Lang, I suddenly want to ride a horse." Princess Taiping said, "I remember that when we were not married, you once took me here on horseback and met Pei Gong. It was so impressive that I still remember it. ”

Xue Shao said: "Wait a few more days for you to get better, and I will accompany you as much as you want." ”

"Over there in the Shendu, there seems to be a lot of movement recently." Princess Taiping said, "Tian Guidao came back from Mobei, and he also brought a silent head. The Turkic envoy begged my mother to grant me the title of Mojilian, which also mentioned Aiyan's name. Do you know? ”

Xue Shao nodded. Although he is not in the court, he knows any hint of wind and grass in Luoyang.

"The political system of the Turkic Khanate is really very different from ours. Our Lady of Kedun? That's really an interesting name. Princess Taiping smiled and said, "It's really a vicissitudes of life, and things are unpredictable. I think that when she was in this Chang'an City, she almost became your wife. ”

Xue Shao smiled indifferently and didn't say much.

"The person called Tun Desire Valley, there are rumors that he is Yuan Zhen. What do you think? Princess Taiping asked.

Xue Shao pondered for a moment and said, "Whether it's Yuanzhen or Lust Valley, it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that his current political proposition is to reconcile trade with the Great Zhou. ”

"Smart people." Princess Taiping said, "After this civil strife, Gu Lulu and Mo Si died, and although the Turks did not start a civil war, the tooth tent inevitably fell into chaos. This reminds me of the scene in the court a few years ago, when there was internal chaos, which led to frequent defeats on the battlefield. ”

Xue Shao smiled slightly, "Although the sword light and sword shadow are difficult to see, another war without gunpowder has begun. The contest between the Great Zhou and the Turks will never stop unless one side actually falls. ”

Princess Taiping blinked curiously, "War without gunpowder? ”

"Trade." Xue Shao said, "Yu Hongye has sent four major stewards to lead four caravans, which went to Fengzhou, Qinzhou, Shan Yu Duhufu, and Bingzhou. Among them, Toyosu Qinju and Shan Yu Du Gofu are the border trade markets that our dynasty will soon open to the Turks, and the Momiji Chamber of Commerce will open three shops there to handle all the goods that the Turks need, and buy their war horses at a high price. The state will become the new base of the Momiji Chamber of Commerce, presiding over the border trade to the north. ”

Princess Taiping was very clever and immediately grabbed the words, "Buying war horses at a high price?" ”

Xue Shao smiled and said, "Have you read the book, do you know how Guan Zhong destroyed Zhongshan Kingdom back then?" ”

Princess Taiping's eyes widened, "I've seen it, I forgot!" ”

Xue Shao smiled and said, "Zhongshan Kingdom is rich in sophisticated weapons and farm tools, so Guan Zhong ordered Qi Kingdom to buy Zhongshan Kingdom's specialties at a high price. In order to pursue profits, the people of Zhongshan began to cast weapons and agricultural tools, and sold them to Qi in a continuous manner. After some years, the people of Zhongshan found that their fields were barren and their iron tools were gone. Then Guan Zhong sent troops to come and took Zhongshan in one fell swoop. ”

"But now it's different, will such a strategy work for the Turks?" Princess Taiping asked.

"Of course it works." Xue Shao said, "The Turks are no longer able to obtain a lot of materials from our dynasty through war, and can only be forced to trade them. However, these materials will be quite expensive, and they have nothing to handle, only cattle, sheep and horses. Therefore, whether they want to or not, they can only trade with us with war horses, cattle and sheep. In a few years, all their good horses will belong to the Great Zhou, and their cavalry will be greatly reduced, while our cavalry will continue to rise. This is called drawing wages from the bottom of the kettle, transferring flowers and grafting trees. ”

"That's a great trick!" Princess Taiping smiled, "No wonder my mother said that her court can't live without you." ”

"A kind word, are you serious?" Xue Shao said with a smile, "Not long ago, Wang Qingzhi, a native of Luoyang, frequently entangled the people to petition in the palace, and was willing to ask your mother to make Wu Chenghei the prince." At first, your mother was polite to him, and gave him some rewards and sent him away. Later, he went to ask for it again and again, and finally angered your mother. In the imperial history, Li Zhaode dragged Wang Qingzhi outside the palace gate and beat him to death. What do you think about this? ”

Princess Taiping smiled indifferently, "If you are not in the court, Wu Chenghei will start jumping again." He thought that my mother really had the heart to make him his heir, and he regarded everyone as a fool like him. ”

"How?"

Princess Taiping said: "With my mother's ability to recognize people, how can she not see that Wu Chenghei has no talent and no virtue and is overwhelmed? If you really want to hand over the country to him, this martial arts dynasty will not be completely defeated by him and die? Maybe my mother thought about handing over the imperial power to the Wu family, but she shouldn't have taken such a risk for the sake of Wu Chenghei. ”

"Well said." Xue Shao smiled and nodded, "I was a little worried before, your mother would really do this." But after the incident of Wu Yizong, I dispelled such thoughts. It just so happened that Wang Yu's incident happened, so I resigned and came to Chang'an with peace of mind, so I didn't have to get involved in the turmoil of Lichu. ”

"But there are still many people in the court who can't figure it out, or they can't help but get involved in the dispute between the prince and the prince." Princess Taiping said, "In my opinion, neither the imperial heir nor the heir of Wu Cheng have a chance to truly enter the East Palace. ”

Xue Shao's eyes lit up, "Why do you say that?" ”

Princess Taiping said in a low voice: "If the emperor is established as an heir, it means that the pro-Li faction has won." A large number of Li Tang's former ministers above the court will rise because of this, thus suppressing the power of the martial family, resulting in an imbalance between the two factions, and may even threaten my mother's throne. On the other hand, if Wu Chenghei is established, it will be the same reason. Therefore, my mother will not be able to save in a short period of time! ”

"Haha!" Xue Shao laughed.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Laugh, ridiculous people in Luoyang!" Xue Shao still laughed, "I'm still laughing, my wife is so wise!" ”

Princess Taiping also smiled, "So, you also agree with my statement?" ”

"Do you think I resigned and left Beijing just to keep up with Taoguang?" Xue Shao said: "Many times we don't know the true face of Lushan, only because we are in this mountain. Once you jump out of those limitations, you can see the truth at a glance. ”

Princess Taiping's brows tightened, "So, King Luling will return sooner or later?" ”

"But not now." Xue Shao said, "Maybe when Wu Chenghei and the people who support the Li faction fight to exhaustion, your mother will recall the King of Luling and give the whole turmoil of seizing the heir a final word." ”

"I've thought of this for a long time." Princess Taiping said, "No matter what, King Luling cannot be ignored. ”

Xue Shao nodded and said, "Perhaps, the prince of Luling, who has been degraded from the capital for many years, has no connections and foundations in the court, and even has low talent and prestige, is the most ideal candidate for the crown prince in your mother's mind." Because only if he is established as a prince, he will not threaten your mother's throne, let alone the lives of Wu Chenghei and others and the imperial heir. It's just like the reason that Emperor Taizong chose to make your father the crown prince. ”

"How can you say that about my father?" Princess Taiping glared.

Xue Shao smiled, "I'm just giving an example, and I don't mean anything disrespectful." ”

"In this way, our husband and wife are now sitting on the mountain and watching the tiger fight?"

Xue Shao smiled, "It's almost counted!" ”

"Xue Lang, you're really getting smarter and smarter!" Princess Taiping touched Xue Shao's face and said with a smile, "Staying in Luoyang is always inevitable to have friction with the people of the martial family, and it is even more inevitable to have dealings with the ministers who support the Li faction. Now that you resign like this, in my mother's heart, you are neither a supporter of Wu Chenghei nor a supporter of the imperial heir, and when my mother really establishes the new prince in the future, you can return to the dynasty with honor like Li Tao back then, and you will be reused! ”

"Li Tao ......," Xue Shao said with a smile, "I remember that when your father was still alive, he did say such things to me. He wanted me to be like Li Tao and assist his son. ”

"History is such an interesting thing." Princess Taiping couldn't help but sigh, "One reincarnation after another, although it is very different, there are many similarities. ”

"According to you, the scene on the grassland now is a bit like your mother's experience." Xue Shao said, "The two most important founders of the Turkic Khanate, Gu Lulu and Mo Si, are dead, and Ai Yan and Tun Yugu are in real power. Ai Yan is a descendant princess of the Ashina clan, and her bloodline is unmatched. Her son, also surnamed Ashina, also became the second only to the Khan. In contrast, Tun Desire Valley has nothing but the power of the political affairs hall. The struggle for power has always been based on self-supremacy as the ultimate goal. It's brutal, cruel to the point of being inhumane. Perhaps at present, Ai Yan can't shake the status of Lust Valley, so he can only cooperate with him. But it won't be long before they become enemies, and only one of them will survive...... Just like back then, your mother and Pei Yan were the same! ”

Princess Taiping pondered for a moment, "Don't say it, it's really like!" ”

Xue Shao smiled bitterly, "Take pity on Mo Jianlian and Krakus." These two naïve boys don't understand anything, but they can only bear the fate they were born with! ”

At this time, a eunuch from the princess's mansion came over with two dukes and said that he wanted to see Duke Xue.

Xue Shao glanced at the two dukes and knew each other. They were the official of the Imperial Historical Observatory who was responsible for escorting Wang Yu's family to Shudi.

Wang Yu committed treason, and the imperial court stripped him of the official positions and benefits previously granted to him, and exiled his family to Shu. This is more than a hundred times better than exile in Lingnan.

Xue Shao called the two dukes forward, and they handed over the letters written by Wang Yu's old father. The letter said that the public took good care of them along the way, and made a private exception to let them ride in a horse-drawn carriage all the way. The family is now living in Shudi, although it is bitter but generally unharmed.

Xue Shao knew that these two princes of the Imperial Historical Observatory did not have the courage to deceive themselves, so he rewarded them heavily, and his heart was finally a little calmer.

After the princess and the eunuchs left, Princess Taiping said, "Your student actually ran to the grassland to assist your old lover and your son, and turned the whole grassland upside down...... This is really, people are not as good as heaven! ”

Xue Shao turned his face and glared at her, and said in his heart, where did this guy hear the gossip?!

Princess Taiping blinked, looked around alertly, and asked in a low voice, "Tell me, Krakus, is it your own son?" ”

Xue Shao's brows furrowed, and he was silent for a moment, "To be honest, I really can't be completely sure. ”

"You big tail love saint...... Is! Princess Taiping was directly speechless, and said angrily, "In case Krakus is really your son, how are you going to face it?" ”

Xue Shao fell into a long silence.

This question has always been the one he thinks about the most and the one he is most unwilling to really face.

But now it seems that the time has come to have to face it!