Linshuo Palace is full of bright lights, and the palaces and gardens are lined up, making it magnificent.

In a quiet courtyard, the night breeze is blowing and the leaves are rustling. An old man in purple robe holds his hands behind him and walks slowly around the pavilion.

Suddenly, the lights flashed and the sound of footsteps came clearly from the darkness.

The old man stopped and faced the garden gate with a smile of joy on his face.

Galan carried a lantern and quietly came along the winding path. He raised his foot and crossed the garden gate. The old man's figure suddenly jumped into his eyes. A strange feeling suddenly surged into his heart, guilt, grief, grievance, pain, excitement... All kinds of emotions intertwined together and violently impacted his heart like storm waves, causing his steps to stop involuntarily, and tears were filled with his eyes.

"Ming Gong..."

"Galan..." Pei Shiju smiled and nodded, spread his arms and raised his steps to greet him.

Jialan knelt down with her clothes and bowed to her grand ceremony.

Pei Shiju is nearly 70 years old. Perhaps because of his martial arts, or because he is from a wealthy family, he looks very healthy and has a tall figure. However, he is thinner, his hair is white, his square face is tall and his cheekbones are towering, his long gray eyebrows are deep under his eye sockets, his forehead is densely wrinkled, and he can even see some dark and brown age spots on his cheeks. Although his eyes are radiant, it is hard to hide his fatigue.

Pei Shiju was a son of the Pei family in Hedong. The Pei family in Hedong has been a prominent family in the Three Jin Dynasty since ancient times. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, it has been prosperous in the Six Dynasties, and it has been prosperous in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. After the Five Dynasties, Yu Fang still exists. In the next two thousand years, heroes and handsome men, famous ministers and ministers, shoulder to shoulder, shining with their past history, lush and lush as lush as forests, and there are great men in history. The prosperity of his family figures and the prosperity of virtues and articles are unique in history. The Pei family is in the Wu family, and the Duke and Marquis are in the family, and the crown princes are endless. There are more than 600 biography and lists of official history; there are no less than 1,000 famous people in later generations; there are more than 3,000 officials in the seventh rank, among which there are 59 prime ministers and generals.

Pei Shiju's grandfather once served as the capital in the Wei State of Tuoba. His father was once the prince's servant of the Gao Qi State and his family background was prominent.

Pei Shiju was born in 547 AD. This year was very famous in the late Southern and Northern Dynasties. What happened in this year not only changed the direction of history, but also indirectly promoted Middle-earth to move from splitting to unification.

This year, Gao Huan, the most powerful minister of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, died, and Hou Jing, the second powerful minister of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, rebelled. Hou Jing first defected to the Western Wei Dynasty, but was "rejected" by Yuwen Tai, the most powerful minister of the Western Wei Dynasty. Hou Jing then rebelled again and defected to the Liang Kingdom of the Southern Dynasty. Emperor Wu of Liang, who had a great historical reputation, "bringed wolves into the house". Soon, Hou Jing disrupted Jiangzuo, and Emperor Wu of Liang died, and his reputation was destroyed in vain. Countless Jiangzuo creatures were buried with him. Hou Jing's rebellion gave a heavy blow to the Southern Dynasty of Jiangzuo, and since then there was no power to compete with the Northern Dynasty. The Eastern Wei and Western Wei of the Northern Dynasty were replaced by the Gao Qi State and the Yuwen Zhou State. However, the Hou Jing's rebellion also gave a heavy blow to Shandong. The subsequent Gao Qi State was affected by this and gradually lost the power to compete with the Northern Zhou State. After more than three hundred years of division, the dawn of unification finally revealed.

Pei Shiju was born at the time when the curtain of a magnificent era opened. Although he lost his father at a young age, he had a family background and was talented and famous in Wenyuan when he was young. After the defeat of the Qi State of Gao, all the ministers who lost their country were abandoned regardless of their official position and talent. The people of Guanlong were doing their best to attack the people of Shandong. Pei Shiju returned home to do their best. At that time, the late emperor was the general manager of Dingzhou in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, which was the current Baoding area of ​​Hebei Province. When he heard about Pei Shiju's name, he summoned the Record Room and was named as a close confidant. The Record Room was equivalent to the current secret, in charge of the work of seal and document records and prosecutors. Soon, the late emperor became the prime minister of the Northern Zhou Dynasty and summoned Pei Shiju as the Record Room in the Prime Minister's Mansion, which was equivalent to the first secret of the Tai Pavilion and was very trusted by the late emperor.

After the establishment of the empire, chaos continued and everything was in trouble. Pei Shiju, as the confidant of the late emperor and the emperor's first secret, temporarily served as the "Sheren" and was in charge of the edict. What is the "Sheren"? "Zhou Li? Land Official?Sheren" says: "Sheren is in charge of the government of the palace, divides its wealth, and controls its entry and exit." It can be seen that the Sheren is originally a person in the palace, and later generations regard the Sheren as the officials close to the left and right around the emperor. This shows that the late emperor values ​​him.

When he was King of Jin, he led his army south to attack Chen. At that time, Pei Shiju was the Marshal's Office's Record Office. He was the first secret of today and gave advice for today. Since then, he has formed a deep friendship with today.

After the unification, Pei Shiju first became the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Shang Province, and implemented a series of new financial policies such as land, taxes, corvee, and trade. Later, he was transferred to the Minister of Internal Affairs, participated in Jiheng's position, and prepared plans for the empire to make a strong country. In his later years, Pei Shiju was appointed as the Minister of Shang Province. Shang Province generally did not set up Shang orders, but only Shang left and right purshe, that is, the Prime Minister, and he was divided into six ministries. Below the Master of the Right and Right purshe was Shang Zuo, and this position was equivalent to the Deputy Prime Minister, which shows how powerful Pei Shiju was.

After inheriting the throne, Pei Shiju, as one of the important ministers of the late emperor, was idle like Gao Jin, Niu Hong, Changsun Sheng and others. He was first asked to assist Yang Su in building the Taige Mansions in the eastern capital Luoyang, and later sent him to Zhangye, Hexi to take charge of the Western Regions Duwei Mansion. During this period, Pei Shiju wrote three volumes of "The Map of the Western Regions" and offered his strategy to manage the Western Land. Now he had great ambitions, Pei Shiju's strategy made him happy, and then summoned him back to Chang'an, first moved to the Minister of the Civil Affairs Department, and then became the Minister of the Huangmen, and participated in the central decision-making. Pei Shiju made a comeback, and the victory of the Western Expedition established his status and prestige in the center.

However, the Eastern Expedition was defeated, and the prestige of the emperor and the central government suffered a heavy blow. Pei Shiju, as one of the important decision makers of the central government, was under great pressure.

The emperor was impatient to carry out the second Eastern Expedition, and the center had the same impulse, but the opposition was very strong. The opposition parties fought fiercely in the court and refused to give in to each other. At this time, Pei Shiju received news from the Western Expedition, and Galan reappeared in Loulan. The situation in Western Expedition took a sharp turn. Fortunately, the Hexi Weifu and the Western Regions Duweifu cleverly used the complex relationship between the various forces in the Western Expedition to stabilize the situation in the Northwest and created conditions for compromise for the opposing forces in the court. After the Chinese New Year, the decision on the second Eastern Expedition was finally successfully agreed in Shangdu Province.

Today, the imperial lord arrived at Linshuo Palace. In a hurry, the right guard general Xue Shixiong suddenly told Pei Shiju that Jialan had arrived and was in the Beiyuan Military Camp. Pei Shiju was surprised and told Xue Shixiong almost without thinking that the horse summoned Jialan. At the beginning of the Chou Shichu, no matter how busy he was at that moment, he would take two minutes to meet Jialan.

Pei Shiju was too busy, so he said a few words to Xue Shixiong and left in a hurry. Looking at Pei Shiju who was drowned in the crowd, Xue Shixiong suddenly suspected that his judgment had been wrong. After the battle of Yiwudao, Pei Shiju really abandoned Galan? Pei Shiju really gave up the Western Land? This time the emperor appointed Galan. Galan traveled a long distance to the palace. There was really no secret behind it? One was the powerful and powerful dynasty of the dynasty. His words and deeds directly dominated the fate of the empire.

One is a small garrison who was invincible in the wilderness of the west, and the status and status of the two were as different as heaven and earth. But what is incredible is that after receiving the news from Jialan, Pei Shiju asked to summon him immediately and give him two moments. Even the commander of the newly established Xiaoguo Army had no way to enjoy this honor. Xue Shixiong came to a conclusion that Pei Shiju had never abandoned Jialan. Therefore, tonight he personally sent Jialan to Pei Shiju.

Whether it is Pei Shiju's closeness to others or Xue Shixiong's confidant servants, it is difficult to believe that a central "gei master" would personally summon a Northwest garrison and a general of the Guard Mansion would personally send a Northwest garrison to the palace. Therefore, everyone is very curious about this mysterious person. When they see the mysterious person clearly, they suddenly realize it. Most of them know Galan, and at this point they have to sigh that only the legendary Golden Wolf Head of the Northwest is qualified to enjoy this honor.

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Pei Shiju leaned over and helped Galan up. Seeing Galan's tears of mixed feelings, Pei Shiju couldn't help but think of the violent and fierce young man who followed behind him.

Eight years ago, I was "exiled" to the northwest and fell into a low point in my life. That year, Jialan was fourteen years old and had only been in the army for three years, but she killed people like slaughtering dogs. The sand horse thieves in the Bailongdui area hated and feared him, and were as afraid as a tiger. A Dunhuang garrison could not enter his Dharma eye. Even if he was extremely fierce, he would summon him to the northwest wolf to fill his secret army. However, one day he went to Shengyan Temple and visited Monk Huixin. He heard a secret story and couldn't help but feel moved. Under the entrusted by Monk Huixin, he summoned Galan to his side and taught him carefully.

I thought my career had ended and there was no possibility of resurrecting the East Mountain. I wasted my life and lived a life of surplus. But I knew that life was like a dream. Suddenly, the moon was shining and the stars were sparse, and I changed my heaven.

When I was idle, I compiled the "Magazine of the Western Regions" to pass the time. Unexpectedly, Galan made a sudden strange speech and painted a grand picture of the Western Regions conquest to myself. Galan is a child, and children have dreams. Some dreams are foolish, but some dreams contain miracles. I suddenly realized that I found a way to make a comeback, impressed the emperor with the strategy of the Western Land, and returned to the center. At present, there are only two remaining ministers of the late emperor in the center, one is Nayan Su Wei, and the other is himself. Su Wei has been ups and downs over the years, trembling, walking on thin ice, and facing the abyss, but he relied on the strategy of the Western Land to win the trust and reliance of the emperor and always stood firm. All this is thanks to Galan. If there were no such young man’s dream at the beginning, how could he have made a comeback?

The cruelty at the top of the temple is very imaginable. In the battle of Yiwudao two years ago, the foundation he had built in the northwest was destroyed. At that moment, if he tried hard to protect Galan, Galan would die. Only by abandoning it, giving up completely, and compromising with his opponents can he save his life. The secret of Galan's life experience, Monk Huixin once told him that he hoped that he could teach him his knowledge, and once told Xue Shixiong that he would ask Xue Shixiong to teach him how to use military force. If he did not save him, Monk Huixin would save him, and Xue Shixiong would also save him. Therefore, Galan would definitely not die, but he must hide, hide, and use the vast wind and sand of Tulun River to cover up the hidden traces. Only in this way can he survive.

When Galan went to Tulunchuan, he wrote a letter to Xue Shixiong, which contained a secret letter to him. He predicted that the Eastern Expedition might end in a crushing defeat, so he made a series of suggestions. Of course, he did not believe that although Galan showed amazing talent in the process of pursuing the Western Land, he often accurately grasped the changes in the situation, so he took the lead, defeated every battle and achieved every plan, which was amazing, but Galan was Galan from the Western Land. He did not understand the Middle Land and had no intuitive understanding of the power struggle for the court. The series of analysis he made in the letter was also considered comprehensive but not profound enough. Therefore, he thought Galan was pretending to be amazing and exaggerated.

However, facts have proved that the Eastern Expedition was indeed as Galan predicted. It not only failed, but also an incredible and almost devastating defeat. Galan's alarmist and incredible arguments turned into a living reality. Even today, he still has a dreamlike unreality. Every time he wakes up late at night, he always asks himself with a hint of luck, is he really failed?

The Second Eastern Expedition is actually the last straw for the emperor and the center. If it is defeated again, the last straw for the life-saving straw will break and the emperor and the center will fall into a torrent. Even if they finally escape the catastrophe, Middle Earth will leave a mess after the raging flood.

The emperor was worried, and he was also frightened. At this time, he could only pray, ask God to ask the Buddha for a temporary peace of mind. At this time, he also thought of Galan and the almost miraculous predictions made by Galan for the Eastern Expedition.

Galan is here, when he needs him, when he wants to see a bright future.

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Tonight, the moonlight is bright and the stars are dotted. The quiet courtyard is bathed in the beautiful and warm moonlight. On the hazy path, Galan supports Pei Shiju, the old and the young, walking slowly, and the tranquility exudes a strong warmth and a faint sadness.

Jialan shouted "Ming Gong" and said nothing more. Pei Shiju called "Jialan" and said nothing more. The two walked silently along the corridor of the trail, immersed in different thoughts, and communicated silently through small contacts of their limbs. Some things and some words, if you don't say them, you will know what you want.

"The Second Eastern Expedition is a life-saving straw."

In the moonlight, Pei Shiju's voice was old and low, revealing a deep feeling of fatigue.

"On both sides of the river, thieves are like ants, blood flowing into rivers, and bones are full of bones. Anger has burned, hatred has erupted, and its majestic momentum is like a torrent of surging sweeping across the middle ground. Where can there be life-saving straws?"

Galan's voice sounded in sighs, hoarse, trembling, sad, confused, and a heartbreaking despair.

The courtyard fell silent again.

"A year of my birth, there was a Hou Jing Rebellion in Middle Earth. He was like a cruel beast rushing out of hell. The person who blocked him was invincible. With his own strength and a lame body, he actually destroyed the overall situation of the Three Kingdoms. "Pei Shiju looked up at the sky, and his deep eyes seemed to penetrate time and return to the chaotic years. "This is an incredible thing. There is even more incredible thing. In the past, Guanxi was far less powerful than Shandong. The confrontation between Zhou and Qi should have lasted for a long time. Who knew that the Qi army suddenly changed overnight. The capital was defeated and the country was destroyed in a blink of an eye. Is it because Gao Wei was foolish? It was because of Feng Xiaolian, and the beauty was in trouble?"

"Someone has lived longer than ordinary people and saw more things than ordinary people. In the past years, some people have seen too many incredible things and are puzzled. In the end, they can only be attributed to the way of heaven. If the destiny is like this, how can human power be changed?"

Jialan bowed his head and said nothing. The incredible things were the Zhou Dynasty of the Great Sui Dynasty. Emperor Wu of Zhou Yuwen Yong swept across the river basin and unify the north. The unification of the Middle and Earth was just around the corner. Unexpectedly, he suddenly died of illness and changed hands suddenly. The Yang family took away the Yuwen family's destiny in just three years, which was a miracle.

The most incredible thing is that the empire's millions of troops attacked Goryeo, but ended with annihilation of 300,000 troops. Who can believe it? No matter what reason to explain the reason for the failure, it is extremely pale, so pale that it makes people cry and heartbreak.

Pei Shiju's heart was bleeding and crying. Galan felt empathy and felt in pain.

"The life-saving straw is not the Second Eastern Expedition." Galan said.

Pei Shiju stopped and looked at Galan.

"The life-saving straw is to cut off the knife that stabs the emperor behind."

Pei Shiju's brows frowned slightly, his forehead was covered with gullies, and a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.

"Who is the knife holder?"

"Yang Xuangan, the Minister of Rites." said Jia Lan.

Pei Shiju had no expression on his face, but when Galan said this name, a hint of surprise flashed across his majestic old face.

Duke Yang Xuangan of Chu? Yang Xuangan was the son of Yang Su. Yang Su was the first meritorious minister to assist in the current inheritance of the throne, and also a first-class meritorious minister in the founding of the Sui Dynasty. He was a branch of the Yang family of Hongnong. He had such a prominent family background and had to rebel?

As his thoughts turned around, Pei Shiju believed it a little more. Yang Su was in charge of the government for nearly twenty years, and his disciples and former officials were all over the central and local governments. He was also the largest commander of the Guards, and he had been in the military and countless subordinates. After his death, he left Yang Xuangan a huge amount of money that could even be said to be a wealthy country. People are endless. Perhaps Yang Su did not have the intention to usurp the country during his lifetime, but who can guarantee that Yang Xuangan would not have the idea of ​​stealing the country? Especially in today's Eastern Expedition, the emperor and the central government lost all their prestige, wars were everywhere on both sides of the river, barbarians were surrounded by the northwest border, and the Middle Earth crisis was everywhere, if Yang Xuangan conspired to rebel, with his strength, he could indeed set off a great storm sweeping across the Middle Earth. If the emperor and the central government were not careful, they would really be able to turn over and be sent to hell by a storm.

"Hu Sizheng, Minister of War." Jialan said again.

Pei Shiju's face suddenly became solemn. The Minister of War was the deputy chief of the Ministry of War. He knew the decision-making of the central government and the trends of the Wei Mansion. Once Hu Sizheng participated in the rebellion, the emperor had no chance of winning at all.

"Left Guard General Li Zixiong." Jialan once again announced his name.

Li Zixiong, Duke of Jianchang, was an old subordinate of Yang Su. He was a general in the army and made countless achievements. However, since he succeeded to the throne, he has been removed from office twice, once in the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the other in the General of Right Guard. In the eastern expedition, the emperor appointed him again and served as the General of Right Guard Lai Huer under the tent of the General of Right Guard Lai Huer, and fought with the navy. If Li Zixiong participated in the rebellion, the first person to be killed was Lai Huer. Once Lai Huer died, the navy was in chaos and the attack strategy failed. The second eastern expedition would inevitably fail. What's more serious is that if Li Zixiong controlled the navy and led his army to advance west along the Yellow River, he could quickly kill to the eastern capital Luoyang, and then the major event would be gone.

Pei Shiju looked heavy, staring at Galan with his eyes tightly, waiting for him to reveal shocking news again.

"Honghua left behind Yuan Hongsi."

Pei Shiju's breathing stopped suddenly, and at this moment he felt suffocating. The head of the Honghua left-behind mansion was in charge of the military of the 13 counties of Longyou, which was actually the commander of the Northwest Army. If Yuan Hongsi participated in the rebellion, he would be able to reach Chang'an, the Western Capital in just a few days, and Kyoto would be lost.

"Who else?"

"Zuo Yigu General Zhao Yuanshu."

Pei Shiju was dizzy and subconsciously grabbed Jia Lan's hand. Ge Gong Zhao Yuanshu was the emperor's confidant. In the second Eastern Expedition, the Zuoyi Guard led the three guards to take charge of the guards. This time, the emperor gave him important tasks and ordered him to stay in Linyu Palace and guard Linyu Pass. The location of Linyu Pass is near Shanhai Pass today, which is the main throat connecting Youyan and Liaodong. If Zhao Yuanshu participated in the rebellion, then he would block Linyu Pass, cut off the food route, and cut off the retreat of the emperor, the central minister and the entire expeditionary army. The country's destiny would change its ownership and the kingdom would definitely subvert.

Where is Yang Xuangan now? In Liyang, at the center of Zhongtu, at the center of the Yellow River and the canal, he is in the center to dispatch food, supplies and supplies. If he is the leader of the rebellion, he can dispatch food, and control the overall situation.

Pei Shiju believed it. The forces at the core level are very powerful, and power struggles are extremely terrible. Behind each national policy and system is a fierce game between the emperor and the forces of all parties. Now the emperor plunders the power and wealth of the powerful families regardless of everything, and the contradictions have completely become fierce. The incredible failure of the Eastern Expedition is the result of the outbreak of the contradictions. This has already made the emperor and his followers smell the scent of conspiracy, but enemies are everywhere in front of him.

Even if he wanted to take revenge, attack, or block the enemy's attack, he was anxious and had no way to start or prevent it. The news from Galan made Pei Shijuma realize that a storm was coming. He knew that Galan must have no evidence. No matter how Galan discovered this news, it was impossible to find evidence with his identity and strength. However, such a thing does not require evidence. As long as there is a potential danger, it will be resolutely strangled, without mercy, and without hesitation.

Footsteps came in a hurry, and a green robe man appeared at the gate of the garden, coughed gently, reminding Pei Shiju that two moments had passed and he was going to handle official business.

Jialan let go of his hand, took two steps back, bowed as a courtesy, "Ming Gong..."

Pei Shiju raised his hand to interrupt Galan's words, concentrating on thinking for a moment, then waved his hand to the officer Shi Weiwei, "Open for another half an hour."

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Chapter completed!