C81

Sima Guangye personally went to welcome the Prince Ping to the pass, showing great respect. Sima Guangye didn't mention anything about the entrance to the valley, as if he didn't know what was going on. However, the truth was that he had sent people to follow the escort team. When he found out that the escort team was being attacked by the Grassland Cavalry at the entrance of the Heaven Realm Valley, he decisively led his great army to assist them quickly! It was a pity that they had reached the entrance of the valley in ten days. The mess of the battlefield could be vaguely seen. From the looks of the scene, he was certain that Ping Wang and the others had safely left the battlefield, but he didn't know the details.

Sima Guangye was very angry at this. Very few people knew the reason for his anger! When Wu Bu and Ma Lang were exterminating the tribe, they discovered that more than a dozen tribes had already been razed to the ground.

Ten miles, ten miles!

Sima Guangye was feeling complex emotions. It was all because of him! It was all for the Swallow Mountain Pass that was about to lose its effect!

He had told Zhang Zhou about the signs of the Great Prairie tribe. However, he had never expected that the Great Prairie would send such a heavy force to kill the escort team from a thousand miles away! The reason he was angry was that someone must have informed him of the whereabouts of the group that sent the bride out. He was sure that this information was given out by his own family, but as a member of the Sima family, he didn't even know about it!

Before sending the bride team into the city, he received a letter from his fourth brother, Sima Ming Zhu. The letter stated that the marriage alliance between the Tang Dynasty and the Western Tribes was extremely disadvantageous to the future of the clan. So when Zhao Qieshen entered, he used that way to express his extreme dissatisfaction. However, he did not know about the ambush by the Grassland Cavalry soldiers! It had to be known that once the Prince's army was wiped out, it was impossible for the Western Tribes to be on his side, but what crime would he, Sima Guangye, be guilty of? He was a member of the Sima family, but he was also a side general of the Tang Dynasty! Although he would find it difficult to make a decision between the interests of the family and the country! But that did not mean he would collude with his enemies to slaughter his own people! It did not mean that he would go overboard for the sake of his own personal gains! It did not mean that he would break all ties with Tang Dynasty! He was almost certain that Sima Ming Zhu was implicated in the attack by the knights on the prairie. He wasn't sure if this was his father's intention or not, but if it was, it meant that his family had abandoned him while defending their own interests.

A few days ago, Fourth Brother Sima Ming Zhu sent another letter, asking him to create the illusion that there was an enemy at his side, that a great war was brewing and that the situation was urgent! He understood the intentions of his family, but his heart was full of indignation! The only one who didn't have a brain was Ol 'Three. His big brother ate extravagantly in Nanping Province, and Ol' Four enjoyed prosperity in the capital. Only he ate sand in the Wild Goose Fortress for ten years! Now he was being used as a pawn again and again. How could he be balanced in his heart? No resentment?

The journey home was smooth and the team stayed in Hezhou to rest for two days. Zhang Zhou had settled down the nearly two thousand people he brought back! Zhang Garden each system's division of labor was clear, according to their abilities, they each had their own position. Naturally, there would be people responsible for arranging it, so it wasn't difficult to arrange! Yao Tai Academy was the most bustling place in the world. The number of girls that were gifted and purchased by Tie He numbered close to 400. First, they were sent to the Dance Academy, and later, they were allocated according to the requirements! Alice, who had been flirting with him along the way, had been left in the manor! Hawke and the gladiators were taken to Yaksha base by Ma Heizi. There were also others who secretly stuffed it into Old Yellow's hands!

Tang Yu'er and Guan Yu-niang's relationship was getting closer and closer. Now that she had taken over the management of the Nine Regions' commercial personnel, she became the second-in-command of the Nine Regions' business. This greatly reduced Guan Yu-niang's burden!

In just two short days, after enjoying the joy of parting with a newlyweds, Zhang Zhou had no choice but to return to the capital with Ping Wang to report this!

The size of the welcoming crowd at Kyoto Harbour surprised both Zhao Qisheng and Zhang Zhou! The empress was the leader. She led Lu Dai Wen, Pei Yuan Zhao and other civil and military officials to the pier to welcome the return of the Ping Wang! The previous joyous news had reached the capital five days ago. The rewards from this trip to the Western Tribes were astonishing! The land was nearly three hundred miles to the north and south, and nearly a thousand miles to the east and west. The land covered nearly half of the territory of the Southpeak Prefecture. What kind of big thing was this? Naturally, he would be able to carry this weight with him!

The Ping Wang was glorious without a doubt, and was renowned throughout the Tang Dynasty! Zhang Zhou, on the other hand, didn't like being under such scrutiny, so he refused Zhao Qishui's and Ma's request to enter the city. Hiding in an inconspicuous place, he quietly followed the group towards the capital. During these three months of travel, he had gained too many benefits, and he still needed to digest them! In the personal report, Zhang Zhou attributed most of the credit to the Ping Wang's ability to command and control Huo Xiaoyun's courage! He placed his actions in a position where they could be ignored and he would take them seriously! He could do things that would shake the world, but he absolutely could not say such a thing!

On the way, Zhang Zhou planned how to arrange the trade between the Nine Regions and the Western Tribes; how to unravel the relationship between the Sima Family and the Huyan East Fence; what other people he needed to assign to run the stable; and what kind of people he needed to send over to the Dazhu Kingdom, Pei Yuanzhao, to help him with the drawing of a blueprint.

This was Zhang Zhou's first time coming in contact with the number one person in the Tang military. In front of this tall and sturdy Great Pillar Nation, Zhang Zhou appeared very respectful.

"What orders does the Dazhu Kingdom have for me?"

When the Dazhu Kingdom saw this young rising star, their eyes were filled with admiration.

"Huo Xiaoyun's letter, I have seen it. The battle at the entrance of the Heaven Realm Valley is very good! How about it? Does the duke want to join the army? "

Zhang Zhou did not know about the secret 'conspiracy' between the Ping Wang and Huo Xiaoyun, so he quickly said, "Ah! Look at my character, how do I look like a soldier? If he entered the military, he would most likely lose face for the military! The words in General Huo's letter were probably to give face to the Ping Wang. There must be some discrepancy between the contents of the letter and the actual situation. However, this time, the performance of the capital's Imperial Guards was truly extraordinary. This made this official admire them, and only the Dazhu Kingdom could train such a valiant and mighty army! To have this official prostrate himself! "

Pei Yuanzhao laughed, "Your Lordship is being modest! I still understand Huo Xiaoyun, she wouldn't lie to me! I wonder why the duke doesn't want to join the army, can you tell me? "

Zhang Zhou said with a bitter face: "Dazhu Nation, what else do you think? Afraid of death! Blades and arrows have no eyes, my martial arts are not good, and I am not invincible! What if there's a chance? Even if you stare at me like that, it's still useless. It was simply forced by the situation at the entrance of the Heaven Realm Valley! At that time, there was no retreat, and they could only fight for their lives. But afterwards, they would always be afraid! The Tang Dynasty did not lack men of blood. One more was not much, not one less was not less! If I were to be transferred to another military post and appear so afraid of death all the time, would it be a shame for the Dazhu Kingdom? "

Pei Yuan Zhao didn't expect this brat to be so straightforward and did not have the strength to refute him. Did he not have any regrets when his two sons died on the battlefield?

"Master Hou, joining the army doesn't mean that you have to go through all sorts of fights and killings. Have you ever tried to handle a case before? Besides, it's been so many years since the Tang Dynasty had a war! "

"Dazhu, can you not bring up the issue? It's not that I don't want to handle the case, it's that the Tang Dynasty is too peaceful. There is no case to handle! Besides, I was involved in the arrest in Hezhou! Even if Tang Dynasty didn't go to war, it didn't mean that Tang Dynasty would be safe for the rest of its life! This time, hundreds of brothers had just disappeared! I, as a person, am weak in heart, so I can't bear to look at all of this! "

Dazhu suddenly said: "Thank you, if not for you, who knows how many people would not have returned this time! Actually, a qualified general will not only be able to kill as many enemies as he wants, but also achieve great war achievements in reducing his own casualties on the battlefield! "

"Don't mention it, I also don't want to die too early. In any case, Dazhu Nation doesn't need to worry about me!" Let this lowly subordinate enjoy his life! "

"Hehe, I'm afraid there are some things that you don't have to do just because you don't want to!"

Dazhu did not explain and left. Only Zhang Zhou was left, puzzled!

Zhao Qianyuan did not immediately summon the Ping Wang. Instead, he told him to take a break and prepare for the next day's assembly. As for the handover, it was Huo Xiaoyun who handled it. Zhang Zhou didn't need to worry about that. Zhang Zhou had originally planned to return to Fu Xiang's mansion, but was pulled by Ping Wang, saying that it was the Empress who had summoned him!

After arriving at the Palace, he chased away the palace female eunuchs, leaving behind only the three people – Ping Wang, Zhang Zhou, and Fu Xiang.

"Zhang Zhou, this trip to the Western Tribes has been hard on you!"

"Queen Mother, it's not hard at all. I enjoyed myself very much with Shardblade. Besides, I'm very happy!"

"It's not hard, how can the Queen Mother not know? "Now that he's told me all about it, how can the risks be so understated as you say?"

"The Queen Mother said that because Shardbearer wanted to give me some credit for the love he felt for my brother. However, if mother feels that this son of mine isn't easy, then let me take a year or two off so that I can go home and have a good rest! "

"Hehe, you wish! There's still a lot of things for you to do! "

"Huh?"

The Queen looked at Zhang Zhou's bitter face and laughed, "Don't worry, it's not a dangerous matter! The Queen Mother will not be willing to let you take the risk again! "

"Mother, you scared this son to death! As long as it's not dangerous, this son will definitely take care of it for you! "

"What do you think of the fact that he wants to enlist you in the army?"

Zhang Zhou suddenly realized something, and looked at the apologetic face of Ping Wang by the side, and complained, "No wonder Dazhu told me all this today, it was Senhor Ge's idea! Queen Mother, don't listen to Shardbearer! This son of mine is still young and has no children. Once I enter the military, the swords and arrows on the battlefield will be useless. What if … "Think about it, this son of mine is afraid!"

"Little Zhou, your majesty might want to make King Ping the crown prince!"

The Queen's sudden words stunned the Ping Wang and Zhang Zhou, who remained silent.

The Queen continued to speak to Zhang Zhou. "The assistance of the Shardbearer in the military is too little, and the Queen Mother does not conceal her selfishness. I hope that you two brothers can mutually support each other! Some things can't be settled just because you want to be free. Little Boat, do you understand? "

Zhang Zhou silently nodded. He had already boarded this ship. Some things could not be avoided! Zhang Zhou was not surprised to hear this news. His first thought was that he should refuse the title! Zhang Zhou felt that this title of crown prince would be a huge target for the emperor when he was in good health. He could wait for a few more years until his strength met the requirements! But how could he say that out loud? He knew that the empress department had put in a lot of effort and effort to obtain the crown prince's position.

His "lucky" bird, Luan Feng, would inevitably rise in height with the rise of the Prince Ping Wang. Only then would he be able to better assist the Prince Ping Wang! There was no use for a main officer of the camp to shout along with him! In terms of emotions and circumstances, he was not allowed to reject the offer, and "promotion" was a must. No wonder the Dazhu Kingdom said that!

"Imperial Mother, what position do you need me to take in the army?"

"Commander of the Forbidden Army in the front hall!"

Two steps in one go. The officer of the torture camp was a field officer at the fifth rank while the military field officer was at the fourth rank. He was the "Commander of the Brigade," who truly controlled the troops and horses!

Since the empress could say such words, it was very likely that she had already decided on it. Fortunately, the Imperial Guards were not border troops. The matter of sending their parents out of the country was too few, so it was still safer!

"Muhou, can I bring a few people into the Imperial Guard?"

"Sure, it's normal to transfer a few trusted aides from the military! As long as the personnel have gone through a review! "

That's good, I want Zhang Xingzhi from the White Tiger Camp! "And …"

"Zhang Xing Zhi? "No way!"

The Queen's decisive rejection caused Zhang Zhou to be stunned.

"Imperial Mother, why is this?"

"Others are fine, but this Zhang Xing is no match for you. You'll know why later!"

It suddenly occurred to Zhang Zhou that he did not see his teacher Cao Yi today! He suddenly felt uneasy!

"Muhou, is my teacher Cao Yi well?"

"Master Cao, if you have nothing to do, then go to the southern government!"

"Then my senior brother?"

The Ping Wang and Zhang Xingzhi could be considered to have some friendship. Seeing that the Queen was unwilling to say anything, there must be a reason behind giving Zhang Zhou a look.

After Zhang Zhou said his goodbyes, the empress ordered Fu Xiang, "Leave the palace right now. Take care of Zhang Zhou. Don't let him be impulsive!"

As Fu Xiang was unable to speak, he was already burning with anxiety. He hurriedly accepted the order and followed her out!

Zhang Zhou sat in Fu Xiang's carriage as he exited the palace. He then asked, "Uncle, what happened?"

"Little boat, Zhang Xingzhi was angered by Long Yan and was directly arrested by the Internal Affairs Bureau. I don't know much about the details, and your teacher Cao Yi should have been sent out of the capital to do business in the south because of this!"

Zhang Zhou was slightly dissatisfied. He had been in Hezhou for two days and yet, no one had reported this to him! However, Fu Xiang then explained the reason.

"Before coming here, Master Cao Yi had discussed with me about this matter. I'm afraid that if you don't know the truth, you will act recklessly! That's why you're not allowed to be told by Madam Jade! "

Zhang Zhou naturally knew what they were worried about. Tang Yu'er's matter had already exposed her impulsive weakness, and he felt much more at ease in his heart.

"Why did my senior offend His Majesty?"

"This matter was personally handled by the general director of the Internal Affairs Bureau, Hong Xi. Very few people are aware of the details. The empress has also asked about it personally, but it has only made His Majesty unhappy!" His Majesty did not allow anyone to ask about this matter, so you should not ask about it either! "

Zhang Zhou hated Zhang Xinghe from the bottom of his heart! It must be related to the royal family's secret, there's a high chance that it's the Great Northern River King's problem! The reason why he didn't like to be stubborn is precisely because of this kind of person. He refuses to listen to others' advice even if he wants to die, don't you think that he is tired? Was he making trouble?

"Uncle, could my senior brother have …"

Although Hongxi and I are not close, we still have some face. Although he did not say much, he still gave me a bit of information, saying that your senior should be imprisoned somewhere right now. His Majesty did not have any thoughts of executing him, so don't worry, I will pay attention for you, so don't participate! "