It's early days after snow, and the sun shines on the snow, reflecting a dazzling light.
Qin Mubai, wearing a heavy fur, walked out of the large yurt, stretched his arms, and then laughed loudly: "The snow finally stopped, the sky is sunny!"
Xuelian also walked out, squinted her eyes when she saw the dazzling sunshine outside, and smiled: "It's really sunny!"
"The snow scene on the prairie is indeed extraordinary and wonderful!" Qin Mubai sighed after looking at it.
"From your point of view, this is an unparalleled beauty, but for grassland people, it may be a disaster." Xuelian said, "If it snows for a few more days, a large number of livestock will freeze to death, and the supply of pasture will not be long." It’s going to be postponed.”
"Didn't it stop?" Qin Mubai smiled and looked back at her, "Xuelian, when the snow stops and melts, we will set off to the Western Region. Are you willing?"
Xuelian squinted her eyes slightly and looked at the boundless snow-covered grassland, and said softly: "If you say you are not reluctant to leave, you are deceiving yourself. I was born and raised here, and there are my tribe, relatives and friends here. But you and your family He traveled thousands of miles to the grassland and stayed with me for more than three months. "
Qin Mubai smiled and said, "If you can't bear to leave, you might as well stay here for another month or two."
"Isn't it good?" Although Xuelian was happy, she was also worried, "Didn't you say that Princess Gaoyang might be waiting for us in Gaochang? We don't want to keep her waiting for too long. Also, don't you have to rush back to Samajian? , the Crescent Moon Queen is about to give birth!”
Qin Mubai slapped his head, "I almost forgot!"
"Look at you, so careless." Xuelian shook her head and smiled, "Also, you have gained weight recently."
"Really?" Qin Mubai grinned, "Isn't that more handsome?"
Xuelian chuckled, her face turned red, and she whispered: "I don't know whether you are handsome or not. I only know... you are getting more and more fierce."
"Ahem!... Keep a low profile!" Qin Mubai glanced around. Fortunately, no one was eavesdropping, so he walked forward swaggering, but one foot sank into a deep snowdrift, and he fell a little short. Almost fell down.
“Such deep snow!!”
Xuelian giggled happily, "I told you to be lazy, and the snow in front of your house has not been cleared for several days. Now you can't go out!"
"Ouch! I'm a dignified person... what, I have to clean the snow in front of my door myself?" Qin Mubai shouted very dissatisfied.
"What are you talking about?" Xuelian said with a smile, "You are just a commoner now, why are you so arrogant? - Take it and shovel the snow!"
Qin Mubai took the shovel thrown by Xue Lian and laughed loudly, "A man is a man who can bend and stretch! Just shovel!"
Xue Lian stood at the door of the felt tent, quietly watching Qin Mubai throw away the snow in shovelfuls, with a gentle and sweet smile on his face.
"Mu Bai, I'm really happy to see you like this... I hope you can stay this relaxed and happy all your life!"
After a few flutters, Qin Mubai's body became hot and he took off his thick fur. While they were busy, two people stumbled over on the thick snow in front of them, shouting from a distance: "Oh! Marshal Qin shoveled the snow himself! How strange it is!"
It's Li Ji and Xue Rengui.
Qin Mubai stuck the snow shovel into the ground, clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Madam has your destiny, don't you dare disobey her! She thinks I have become obese, so she put me through labor reform to make me lose weight!"
"A man is a good man, wouldn't being fatter make him richer and more powerful?" Li Ji walked up to Xuelian with a smile, "My niece, I have to teach you a lesson. We Tang people all regard abundance as beauty. . Mu Bai is a first-class handsome man like this!"
Xuelian giggled, "Uncle Shi, don't listen to his nonsense. How dare I dislike him, let alone send him to work!"
Qin Mubai walked forward with a smile and said, "Xuelian, go warm two pots of milk wine and prepare some dried fruits. I want to sit down with Uncle Shi and Rengui to have a few drinks. I haven't been with this road blocked by heavy snow for several days. They got together."
The four of them laughed and entered Qin Mubai's large felt tent, which was very spacious and still had the same layout as the wedding room. There are two strong fires burning, which is also very warm and comfortable.
Xuelian went to arrange the drinks, and the three of them took off their thick furs and snow-stained leather boots and sat in front of the fire, chatting.
"Mubai, actually today, Rengui and I are here to say goodbye to you." Li Jibao rubbed his hands on the fire and said, "The imperial court ordered me to lead the army back to Beijing. I was supposed to leave a month ago, but unexpectedly... Heavy snowfall has hindered the trip and has been delayed to this day.”
"Lead the army back to the capital?" Qin Mubai thought for a moment and then smiled slightly, "Datang, are you going to use troops again?"
"The Ministry of War's transfer order did not say anything. But I guess that there is a high possibility of using troops against Liaodong." Li Ji said, "I heard that the situation in Liaodong was tense a few months ago. Recently, Goguryeo's powerful minister Quan Gaisuwen was killed. Kill the king and monopolize military and political power, and may send troops to attack Baekje at any time. Baekje is just a small country. If the Tang Dynasty does not save it, it will be destroyed soon. The balance on the Goryeo Peninsula will be broken, and only Goguryeo will be left. If Silla dominates, Silla will definitely surrender to him and become a puppet. In this way, Goguryeo will pose a great border threat to the Tang Dynasty."
Xue Rengui said: "Mu Bai, the British Duke and I have been discussing this matter for the past few days. Xue also feels that the Tang Dynasty will definitely not sit back and watch Goguryeo destroy Baekje this time, and will definitely send troops... Why don't you come back!"
Qin Mubai smiled and said nothing.
Xue Rengui sighed and said: "Okay, I'm just talking casually. After returning to Beijing this time, if the Tang Dynasty really sends troops to Liaodong, I will definitely go with the army. I just hope that we brothers, who share life and death, can stand side by side again Fight!"
"Rengui, actually I also want to go to Liaodong with you." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "But no matter from the overall situation of the court or the overall situation of diplomatic relations, I can't go. I don't care about the matters in the court. To say more, now that the Western Region has been established, all the governors in charge of the various regions were once my subordinates. If I don’t go to the Western Region, the imperial court will not be at ease, and those governors will be uneasy, and the officials in the border areas will be uneasy. , the Western Region will be in chaos, and Da Shi will take the opportunity to invade. In this case, all our previous efforts will be in vain! ... Therefore, even though I have become an official, I will still go to the Western Region and stay in the Western Region, as if it is for everyone. A reassurance.”
"Mubai finally told the truth." Li Ji chuckled, "I knew you would not be selfish. I have also considered the issues you just mentioned, so I will not force you to return to the court. As long as you In the Western Region, whether it is a feudal official or a civilian, they can stabilize the Western Region. People's hearts and reputation are invisible and intangible, but they are the most irreplaceable. That's right, including me, Li Ji. Maybe Su Dingfang is a good candidate, but how can his reputation and prestige be compared with yours? Maybe the military commanders and governors will listen to his instructions, but the monarchs and subjects of the Western Regions will not. You may not agree with him. The Tang Dynasty has just pacified the Western Regions. The top priority is to govern the people and conquer the hearts of the people. Military control alone cannot suppress it. There must be a backbone - so I commend you for going to the Western Regions!"
"I see..." Xue Rengui nodded with sudden realization, "Xue is still superficial and has not thought deeply."
"Rengui, you don't have to belittle yourself. You can't think of this level because your position is not high enough, not because you are shallow and ignorant." Li Ji said with a meaningful smile, "In time, you will also stand in a position like ours. , will definitely look higher and think further than us.”
"How virtuous and capable is Xue?" Xue Rengui laughed in shame.
Qin Mubai also smiled and said: "Actually, I resigned because I didn't want to go back to the court to fight for power and intrigue. Among other things, Changsun Wuji has always been in conflict with my political views, and I also indirectly killed his son. , How can he tolerate me? If I return to the court, I will inevitably have a tit-for-tat confrontation with him, which will lead to a fight among the parties. If I don't return to the court, the court will be much more peaceful, and King Wu will have fewer worries. If I want to go, the Western Region is the best destination for me. It will be of great benefit to me, the King of Wu, the officers and soldiers of the Guanxi Army, the court, and the Tang Dynasty."
Li Ji stroked his beard and smiled, "Mubai, your knowledge will always be better than mine! I declare that if you return to the court, you will become a general and prime minister, and your grace and honor will be unmatched; even if you go to the Western Regions as an official, He will also be an uncrowned king. With His Majesty in the imperial court, how could he not think of these twists and turns? So, Mu Bai, not only will you retire with success and enjoy a good death, but you will also forever serve as the Great Wall to the West of our Tang Dynasty. , guard half of the country!"
Xue Rengui blinked his eyes and said: "If one day there is internal and external troubles in the Tang Dynasty, as long as Mubai is still in the Western Regions, he can always lend a helping hand to turn the tide!... This seems to be really good!"
"You think too highly of me." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "As the saying goes, a Taoist is just a man who is not in his position. I went to the Western Regions, and I just want to be a rich man. I want to open a restaurant and do business. I also want to run a school, and I want to be a real teacher!”
"What?" Xue Rengui and Li Ji were both stunned.
"Haha, yes, I have thought about it very clearly!" Qin Mubai said with a smile, "I want to teach something that no one has ever taught before!"
"what?"
"Metaphors like mathematics, chemistry, etc... I can't tell you clearly at this moment." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "Just wait, after ten or twenty years, the Dazhao Wu Kingdom sent to Datang There may be some of my students among the envoys, and they will spread my knowledge to the Tang Dynasty, so that the natural sciences of the Tang Dynasty will begin to sprout and develop!"
"What is... natural science?" Li Ji and Xue Rengui became more and more confused.
"Haha! I really can't explain it at once." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "Anyway, you should remember what I said first. We will wait and see in the future!"
Li Ji and Xue Rengui looked at each other, and then said: "Mubai, you and we are the same father and mother, eat the same rice and drink the same water, but you are so enigmatic that we can't figure you out at all? "
Qin Mubai clapped his hands and said with a smile: "To tell you the truth, I come from more than a thousand years later!"
"Nonsense!"
"Who believes it!"
…
Twenty days later, the snow had almost melted. Li Ji and Xue Rengui led the main force of 200,000 Bingzhou troops to prepare to return south to Beijing.
Qin Mubai came specially to see him off and bid farewell to Li and Xue on his horse.
"Qin Sanlang!" Li Ji laughed loudly, "Your father is a hero throughout his life; he is upright and upright, and no one in the world disrespects him! But I dare to say that the most beautiful thing he has done in his life is I gave birth to a wonderful son like you!”
Qin Mubai cupped his hands and replied with a smile: "Uncle Shi, I don't know when we will see each other again. Please take care of yourself, Uncle Shi!"
"I will do it." Li Ji nodded with a smile, "Mu Bai, no matter whether you are an official or not, half of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty will have to take a lot of trouble from you!"
Qin Mubai smiled but did not answer, and said to Xue Rengui: "Rengui, don't just focus on charging into the battle. Xiyan went to the Central Plains with you. You should take her around more when you have time. In life, the grass and trees shine. , Cherish what should be cherished.”
Xue Rengui raised his hands and stared at Qin Mubai, speechless for a long time. Suddenly he turned over and dismounted, and knelt down on the grass with remaining snow, "Xue Li, say goodbye to third brother!"
"Rengui, what are you doing!" Qin Mubai hurriedly jumped off the horse and came to help, but saw that Xue Rengui was already in tears, speechless and choked.
"Ren Gui... don't be so sad." Qin Mubai was also touched.
"When we were leaving, Xue thought of all the past events." Xue Rengui shed tears and held Qin Mubai's arm tightly and said, "At the beginning, Xue was just a common man from Sheyan in Hanshan, and it was difficult to maintain food and clothing. It was the third brother. He took me to Chang'an and spared no effort to take care of Xue. However, Xue was so incompetent that he even failed to take good care of me. Xue felt so guilty that he wanted to die to apologize!
"Stop talking." Qin Mubai interrupted him and said softly: "Rengui, you and I are brothers, even if we are not biological, we are better than biological. My father is your father, and you and I are both sad and sad, and you are Why is this so? - You are not allowed to worry about this matter anymore; from now on, you will continue to assist His Highness King Wu on my behalf!"
"Xue... If you dare not to dedicate yourself to death, you will die!" Xue Rengui burst into tears and kowtowed.
Seeing this, Li Ji shook his head and sighed, and his eye circles were a little red. Many Tang Army officers and soldiers nearby could not help but quietly wiped away tears.
"Get up!" Qin Mubai pulled Xue Rengui up and patted him heavily on the shoulder, "Brother, this is a lifelong matter! Even if we are separated, our hearts are together, that's enough!"
"Then we agreed, for the rest of our lives!" Xue Rengui took a deep breath, smiled on his face, and stretched out his hand.
Qin Mubai slapped him with his palm and held him tightly, "Good brother!"