In the blink of an eye, it is the Chinese New Year's Eve.

Xue Shao and his wife discussed, and they would wait for the Shangyuan Festival to take care of Shangguan Wan'er's affairs. Therefore, this time was also quiet and peaceful.

According to the rules, Xue Shao and Princess Taiping will enter the palace on the second day of the first lunar month to pay New Year's greetings to Wu Zetian. This is the first New Year after Wu Zetian ascended the throne of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and its significance is extraordinary.

Princess Taiping was so troubled by this, what kind of New Year gift should she give to her mother?

She went into her treasure cabinet and carefully selected for a while, but she always felt that nothing was suitable. Most of the jewels in this treasure house were given to her by her mother. Others will be a little mediocre, and if you send calligraphy and painting antiques, it will seem too unoriginal.

"As the king of a country, my mother lacks nothing. What is it like now? Princess Taiping was embarrassed, so she had to ask Xue Shao.

Xue Shao, the head of the family, is free and easy, and this kind of thing is basically never asked. But since Princess Taiping took the initiative to come to ask for advice, he also used his brain rarely, and after a while, he stroked his palm and smiled, "There is a way." I have come to personally prepare a congratulatory gift for Her Majesty. I'm sure she'll be quite happy. ”

"What's that?" Princess Taiping was curious.

"Come on."

Xue Shao took Princess Taiping to his study.

There are a lot of books neatly placed here, some of which were used by the former Lantian Gongzi to decorate the façade, and some of which were collected by Xue Shao himself after he entered the office. The former is dominated by the Hundred Schools of Thought and Confucian classics, while the latter is more about legal policy theories and military works. There are also many classic documents and military maps that are only available in the Yamen of the Ministry of War, and Xue Shao asked someone to extend the copies and put them at home for time to see. Even Wei Yuanzhong's "Kyushu Danger Map" obtained from Yiren has a rubbing copy preserved here.

The study room is Xue Shao's exclusive private space, where in addition to reading, he will also write some important pieces, think about important military affairs, or meet important guests to discuss confidential matters. Therefore, except for the moon slave or Chen Xian'er who occasionally come in to clean, even Princess Taiping rarely comes in, and other idle people are not allowed to trespass, which is a "forbidden land" in the house.

Princess Taiping looked a little curious when she came in, looked left and right, and saw a stack of blue-skinned books bound by herself without titles on Xue Shao's big desk. She immediately smiled, "Wow, Xue Lang, you are hiding in the study and peeking at the Spring Palace map!" ”

When she opened it, Princess Taiping was a little dumbfounded. It's full of miscellaneous sentences, the preface doesn't match the afterword, and the handwriting is not the same.

Xue Shao was rummaging through the bookshelves when he turned around and smiled, "Is the Spring Palace picture good-looking?" ”

"What are you writing about?" Princess Taiping was confused and immediately put it down. On closer inspection, there were as many as five or six such pamphlets, and they were almost a foot high.

"I've been a bit idle lately, so I've found more books on current policy and military scholars to read." Xue Shao said, "If you have a heart, I will write it down." Sometimes I ask Chen Xian'er to help me write about it in case I forget it. ”

"No wonder I often see your right hand fishing rod and right hand book." Princess Taiping sighed softly, and said that outsiders only said that Xue Lang was addicted to fishing and did not do his job, and I just knew that he was cultivating himself and cultivating his temperament. But few people know that he insists on practicing every day. In fact, from the first day I met him, he couldn't let go of the book every day, and even after the rain with me, he had to read a few pages of books before he would sleep...... In other words, he is not a nobleman or a colt, with his tireless spirit, success is inevitable sooner or later!

"Why are you stunned?" Xue Shao walked over, cleared a piece of space from his large custom-made desk, and then spread out a parchment map.

"This is your New Year's gift to your mother?" Princess Taiping was puzzled, "How much is this worth?" ”

Xue Shao smiled mysteriously, "If all your mother lacks is money, do you still need to worry about it?" ”

Princess Taiping was right when she heard it, so she took a closer look and muttered: "Liangzhou, Yumen Pass, Gongyue City, and the four towns of Qi'anxi - this is the map of the Western Regions?!" ”

"Yes." Xue Shao nodded and said, "Previously, due to special reasons, the Anxi Tiger Division withdrew its troops from Gongyue City, and our dynasty temporarily gave up its strong rule over the Western Regions. Now, it's almost time to take it back. Can your mother be unhappy that we dedicate this thousand miles of rivers and mountains? ”

"Xue Lang, you are so smart." Princess Taiping smiled, but she was suspicious, "But at the beginning of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the world should be governed by culture to rest and recuperate." Is it appropriate to use the sword at this time? Will my mother agree? ”

Xue Shao smiled, "I naturally have my reasons to convince her. How to implement it is also a later story. ”

"Tell me about it!" Princess Taiping grabbed Xue Shao's elbow and smiled coquettishly, "When I presented a congratulatory gift on the second day of junior high school, I said it in public, and I was so surprised that I won the jackpot." Let the dull rice buckets of the martial arts family also see that Princess Taiping does not let her eyebrows, but she is not like them, she will only be greedy for power and do mischief! ”

Xue Shao smiled and shook his head, "This is a military matter, and you are not easy to mix with a princess." ”

"Nonsense! My mother can be the emperor, why can't the princess mix? Princess Taiping raised her eyebrows, "Besides, my mother usually discusses these things with me." If you don't say it, I can figure it out by myself. But if I don't speak well then, and you lose the face of your supreme commander—will you say it? ”

Xue Shao was stunned, turned his eyes, and then pointed at the chair, "Sit down, put your hands behind your back, raise your head and don't move!" ”

"What are you doing?" Princess Taiping sat down, giggling.

"Li Anran, be serious, it's time for class!"

On the second day of the first month, it was sunny.

Xue Shao and Princess Taiping left home early in the morning and brought their eldest son Linyu into the palace to pay New Year's greetings to the empress.

During the Chinese New Year, all officials and offices have holidays, and only a few officials are left. After Xue Shao entered the palace, he also went to the official offices of Xia Guan and the right guard, visited the subordinate officials who stayed on duty, and distributed lai see to them. Su Weizhi was extremely diligent since he took office, and took the initiative to ask Ying to stay in the official office to take charge of the affairs of the summer officials during the New Year's leave, so that Yao Yuanchong, who had not returned to his hometown for a long time, also went back to his hometown for the New Year.

In fact, Xia Guan has had a lot of things recently, because the martial arts selection will be held in three months. This is a major event that has set a precedent for all generations, and there is no precedent for everything to follow from scratch. This major event was initiated by Xue Shao, and it was supposed to be held last year, but it was temporarily stranded because Xue Shao was away from the Northern Expedition. Now that it is officially on the agenda, the burden is on Su Wei's body, making him work overtime and be busy these days of the New Year.

Xue Shao praised Su Weiwei a lot, and then went to Yingxian Palace with Princess Taiping.

"Xue Lang, this Su Wei is quite serious and diligent." Princess Taiping commented.

Pei Gong took a fancy to his writing talent and took him out to be the commander of the march. Since then, the military documents used by Pei Gong have all come from his handwriting. This has come and gone, and Su Wei knows everything about the big and small matters in the army. Xue Shao said, "Later, he served in the Xiazhou Governor's Mansion for a long time and accumulated a lot of experience in civil governance. Now I have transferred him to the central center as an officer, and I hope that he can make further achievements. ”

Princess Taiping blinked her eyes and whispered: "In today's political affairs hall, except for Cen Changqian and Wei Fangzhen, almost all of them are Wu Chenghei's people. If you don't want to be the prime minister yourself, why don't you recommend one or two people to the cabinet? Although the big things will be decided by the mother herself, the prime minister can also speak after all. ”

"That's exactly what I mean." Xue Shao said, "Then who do you think is suitable?" ”

"Wei Yuanzhong, Yao Yuanchong, Su Wei, Xiao Zhizhong, who of these four can do it?" Princess Taiping asked tentatively.

Xue Shao was silent for a moment, "Wei Yuanzhong is currently the Luoyang Order, and he is still a little too far away from the political affairs hall, so we must find a way to get him to the center first." Yao Yuanchong's ability is fine, but at present, his qualifications and prestige are still a little worse. He, a summer official and squire, has always lived in my shadow, but in fact, he is a little condescending. Xiao Zhizhong's situation is similar. Seeing when there is an opportunity, we will try to push them to the Feng Pavilion or Luantai, and work directly beside the empress, so that it will be easier to show their heads. As for Su Wei, he may be able to do it in the future, but now he has to do Xia Guan's affairs beautifully. Moreover, Su Wei has a character weakness, which makes it difficult for him to make great achievements as prime minister. ”

"What weakness?"

"Timid, lacking courage." Xue Shao said with a smile, "If any specific matter is handed over to him, he will do it diligently and in place." But if you want him to make any important decisions or put forward constructive suggestions, he will hesitate to say them even if he has a way in his head. Occasionally forced him to speak, his words are also ambiguous left and right. So I nicknamed him Su Moleng. ”

"It turned out to be a wise person to protect himself." Princess Taiping shook her head and smiled, "In this way, I still admire Wei Yuanzhong and Yao Yuanchong more. But in this world, people like Su Wei may live longer in the court. ”

"Incisive!" Xue Shao nodded in approval, and then said: "Actually, the most ideal one in my mind, a good prime minister who has both ability and political integrity to protect the country and the people, is not above the court now." Moreover, I do not want him to return to his post in the DPRK for the time being. ”

"Who?"

"Lingzhou Governor Di Renjie."

"Well, I think I heard my mother mention him. He was a good judge and a virtuous man. Princess Taiping said, "Such a talent, why don't you want him to return to the court?" ”

Xue Shao smiled slightly, "Wei Fangzhi just came out of the magistrate's court, and he only has half of his life left. Do you want Di Renjie to go in and take a walk too? ”

"That's right!" Princess Taiping shook her head, "In this way, it is really better to let virtuous ministers like Di Renjie become officials outside, do more practical things, and accumulate more prestige and political achievements." Xue Lang, how long will these cool officials run amok? ”

"You'll have to ask your mother."

When Yingxian Palace arrived, the couple just got out of the car, and they saw that more than a dozen cars had been parked in the apron not far ahead, all of which were resplendent royal systems.

Needless to say, they all belong to the sons and nephews of the martial arts family who have been crowned kings. They will also enter the palace today to pay New Year's greetings.

Princess Taiping was angry when she saw it, and whispered hatefully: "This class of lowly Anu who have no talent and no virtue is actually on an equal footing with this palace!" ”

"Calm." Xue Shao smiled and persuaded, "You just treat them as a group of monkeys dressed in human clothes and come to perform juggling for you." ”

"Hey, hey!" Princess Taiping suddenly smiled, and put one hand on Xue Shao's arm, "Xue Lang, let's go, let's watch the monkey play!" ”