Winter is going to spring, and the snow in Yudu Mt. is gradually melting. The cattle and sheep, which had been lying dormant all winter, came out of the pen and gnibbled on the pasture that had not been extinguished in the winter and the new shoots that grew in spring.

The Khan of Gulu was promoted to the Spring Meeting, and the chiefs of various tribes, large and small, would come even if they traveled thousands of miles. It was the most important gathering of the Turkic Khanate, and it would affect the rise and fall of each tribe and the harvest of the following year.

Hundreds of people had gathered in the Khan's tent, sitting in a circle. In the center of the tent there were two great fires, roasting a fat sheep and stewing a pot of hot wine.

Gu Lulu and his younger brother Mo Si are obviously the protagonists of this rally. Once the leaders of the various tribes had arrived, Gu Lulu would begin to announce the division of pastoral and hunting grounds for this year, as well as some important personnel appointments. The military officer in charge of the military will begin to discuss this year's military plan with the great leaders.

War and plunder, like herding and hunting, were an important source of wealth for the Turkic Khanate. There are many necessities for life that are difficult or not produced on the grasslands, such as table salt, tea bricks, grain, ceramics and ironware. The aristocracy was more fond of southern silk, jewelry, antique paintings and beautiful women.

These can only be obtained through the rewards of the kings of the southern kingdom or through war and plunder. Of course, there is also a way of trade, but the Turks and the Great Zhou in the south are currently in a state of hostility, and this route is naturally impossible to talk about. Although there are occasional bold Han merchants who smuggle and sell some materials, they are simply a drop in the bucket and ridiculously expensive.

More than half a year has passed since the First Battle of Nozhenshui, and the leaders of the Turkic tribes have not forgotten the pain and hatred caused by the war. But at this moment, they need more supplies from the south to maintain their normal life.

It is imperative to either go to war or to make peace with each other.

Of all the chieftains seated, there was one man who stood out in particular. The newly recruited horse of the Gu Lu Khan, Wang Yu, a general of the Tang Dynasty.

Although he also changed into the costume of a Turkic nobleman, and although he sat there without saying a word or moving his eyes once, he still attracted everyone's attention.

He actually attended today's meeting, which has to lead people to speculate deeply, does the khan want to use this enemy general?!

The chiefs and chiefs of the various ministries arrived, and Gu Lulu stood up and announced the official start of this year's spring meeting.

To everyone's surprise, the first thing Gu Lulu asked was, "Wang Yu, is the princess pregnant?" ”

Wang Yu's Turkic dialect is not very clear, but it is not a big problem to understand. So he replied, "No." ”

"Then you should work hard." Gu Lulu smiled, "Within half a year, you must make the princess pregnant." ”

Wang Yu lowered his head and blushed, and nodded paradoxically.

The chiefs of the tribes laughed. This kind of thing could never be said openly in the southern court, but in the Turkic tent, it was commonplace. As soon as many leaders met here, they first talked about whose family added a big fat boy, and whose family newly married a well-born and well-bred woman.

The bones began to divide the pastures and hunting areas, and the chieftains began to quarrel and scramble, and the tents became like bazaars. It's not that it's disrespectful to the Bone Khan, it's their tradition and style.

Wang Yu sat in it without saying a word, like a stone buried in the river beach on the bank of a turbulent river.

It took a long time, and the grassland hunting area was finally roughly divided. Mo Si appeared on the stage and said that this year we will use troops against the Khitan. The heads of the ministries came to share their opinions.

This is the core focus of today's spring meeting, and the leaders of various departments have been waiting impatiently for a long time, and they have expressed their stance that they must do a big job. Quite a few people are vying for the top spot, which means they have a better chance of being the first to rush up and grab the spoils.

When the battle was at its fiercest, a small tribal leader stood up, took out a note and said to the bones: "Great Khan, a shepherd boy stopped me on the way here yesterday and said that someone had given him a note to pass on to the Great Khan. The man also said that if the Great Khan decided to use troops against the Khitan, he would take out this note and present it to the Great Khan. Otherwise, not anymore. ”

Everyone was amazed.

Gu Lulu personally took the note and looked at it, and his face changed on the spot, and he said in a deep voice: "Go and find that shepherd boy!" ”

The little leader was stunned for a moment, "Khan, I met me halfway, how to find it?" ”

"Then go find it!" Gu Lulu said categorically, "I will send you two hundred wolf riders, dig three feet into the ground where you meet him!" ”

"Yes!" The little leader hurriedly took the promise and left.

Everyone was puzzled and looked at Gu Lu in amazement.

Gu Lulu put the note away and said calmly: "Sip, continue the discussion." Wang Yu, you come with me. ”

Under the stunned gaze of everyone, Gu Lulu and Wang Yu walked out of the tent and came to the mountains behind the tent.

Gu Lu walked steadily in front, Wang Yu followed quietly three steps behind, and there were ten Gu Lu wolf tooth guards following closely. Wang Yu couldn't help but look left and right at these wolf-toothed guards, and couldn't help but think of Guo An and the others beside Xue Shao.

The two are very similar, the top masters who are hidden in the depths, often secretly help their masters with some top-secret tasks, and never miss a shot.

Gu Lulu stopped and handed the note to Wang Yu.

Wang Yu paused for a moment and stretched out his hand to take it.

This is a note written in Chinese characters, the font is quite neat and beautiful, and the calligraphy attainment is not low. After reading the note, Wang Yu couldn't help but take a deep breath and handed the note back.

Gu Lulu took it and said with a smile: "Do you think this advice is advisable?" ”

Wang Yu was silent for a moment and said, "I haven't been here for a long time, and I don't know much about the Khanate, and I don't know much about the Khitan. So there is nothing to say. ”

"Wang Yu, you have always refused to make a plan for me." Gu Lulu said, "Is it because you still miss the Tang Dynasty?" ”

Wang Yu was silent.

"Now, Datang is gone. That woman had changed Tang to Zhou and made herself the empress. "I know you still have a family and a wife in the south. But do you think the ruthless empress will let them go? ”

"I don't know." Wang Yu replied casually, and secretly let out a long breath.

It has always been a dead knot in his heart.

"We're about to make peace with Da Zhou. When the time comes, I will try to bring your family to the grassland. "Coincidentally, the note also says that we can no longer be enemies of the Great Zhou, at least for the next few years. Don't you think this person is very far-sighted and strategic? ”

Wang Yu was noncommittal, and said lightly: "He also said that it is not appropriate for the Khanate to conquer the Khitan now, and it should point the finger at the western Turks as soon as possible." It is necessary to take the Turgish before the Great Zhou recovers Gongyue City and the four towns of Anxi. ”

"What do you think?" Gu Lulu asked.

This is what he wants to ask the most now.

Wang Yu frowned and pondered for a moment, and said, "I have been away from the Central Plains for a long time, and I don't know the inside story. Especially now that the dynasty has changed, I am even more confused. From what I know of the Empress, she will not send troops on an expedition at the beginning of her succession. She will hope even more that the defense of the capital will be impregnable, and all the military power will be held at hand. Only in this way can she unleash her hands and feet to eradicate political opponents and fight dissidents, so as to consolidate her imperial rule. ”

"You seem to be ignoring someone." Gu Lulu said, "Your teacher, Xue Shao. ”

Wang Yu said indifferently: "He doesn't have the vast powers you imagined. He can't control the will of the empress. ”

"How so?" Gu Lulu asked with interest.

"The Empress is a rare strongman. No one can change her will. Wang Yu said, "If it weren't for this, the family teacher would not have ridden out of the capital with two hundred horses and went to Helong." ”

Gu Lulu pondered for a moment and said, "But this time is different from the past. After the first battle of Nuozhenshui last year, the division ascended in Shuozhou, and the soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty gathered, and the Khitan Xi people were the only horses. After that, he waved his army north to level the black sand, and we could only look at the wind and flee back to Yudu Jinshan. I have never seen a person with such a huge influence in the North. Even your ancestor Pei Gong has not reached such a realm. ”

"Being in the army and being in the DPRK are completely different things." Wang Yu was still calm and said calmly, "When the military power is in hand, the empress has to compromise with her family teacher. After returning to the division, the soldiers will be scattered in the palace, and the generals who lead the troops will be like tigers that have lost their minions and no longer pose much of a threat. When the empress ascends the throne, the samurai sons will inevitably rise. Wu Chenghe, the son of the martial family, has always been at odds with his family teacher, and he thinks about it day and night. As a relative of the first dynasty and the concubine of the Li family, it will be difficult for the family teacher to gain a long-term foothold in the Wu Zhou Dynasty, and the empress will also take strict precautions against him. In this situation, does the Khan think that the family teacher can still influence the military affairs of the Great Zhou? ”

Gu Lulu's brows furrowed slightly, and he fell into deep thought.

"Just as I can't influence the military affairs of the Turkic Khanate." Wang Yu added.

Gu Lulu smiled slightly and patted Wang Yu's shoulder, "The Khan has a place for you, but it's really not now." You should hurry up and get the princess pregnant, preferably to give birth to a son. Otherwise, no one will believe that your heart and soul have really settled in the grassland. ”

"I don't crave your trust." Wang Yu said lightly, "Settling in the grassland is not my original intention, let alone my ideal. I just hope to be able to return to the Southland and be reunited with my family. ”

Gu Lulu was not angry, but still smiled faintly, "This is human nature, I can understand your feelings." I don't want you to marry and have children, and I don't want them to blackmail you. I hope you can have a new home here and find a new home. ”

Wang Yu squinted his eyes slightly and looked at the far south, "But my roots will always be in the south." ”

"After the Khanate negotiated peace with the Great Zhou, peace will continue for a long time." "Maybe one day, you will have the opportunity to return to Luoyang to visit your family." Even, personally took them to the steppe to settle down. ”

"If it's a civilian, it's not difficult." Wang Yu shook his head, "But Wang Yu, there will never be this possibility." ”

"Then you'll have to choose one or the other." Gu Lulu patted Wang Yu on the shoulder, "Settle in the grassland, or return to Luoyang." ”

"What if I choose Luoyang?"

"Conquer the Central Plains, Luoyang is your fiefdom." Gu Lulu smiled slightly, "Other than that, there is no other way!" ”