The resounding name of the Xu family in Qinghe had another name a hundred years ago.

Today, there is a place called Yaoguang Town at the border of Qinzhou and Yongzhou in Daliang. The Xu family has thrived here for more than 400 years. Yaoguang Town at that time was just like today's Pingjiang Town, and was even more prosperous and developed than the latter. Previous

After the fall of Wei, today's Yongzhou area has become the main battlefield for the competition between various forces. Years of continuous killings and almost bloodshed, the Xu family had to move southward, and finally settled in Qinghe Prefecture on the south bank of Tiancang River.

Years passed by in a blink of an eye, and the Yaoguang Xu family became the Qinghe Xu family. What remained unchanged was the status of this surname in the hearts of scholars in the world. After the founding of the Southern Zhou Dynasty, the Xu family had an unwritten rule.

It is absolutely not allowed to mention the word Yaoguang, so as not to become an excuse for others to criticize.

Even so, some words are still passed down from generation to generation through successive family heads, for example, Yaoguang Town is the real hometown of the Xu family.

However, having been ministers of the Southern Zhou Dynasty for nearly a hundred years, emperors of all dynasties paid special attention to the Xu family. They could only keep that idea deep in their hearts and never say it out loud.

This is why Xu Huiyan finds it absurd.

Putting aside how difficult it is for a large family like the Xu family to return to the north, Pei Yue, as the envoy of the Northern Liang Mission, openly instigated rebellion against himself, the chief minister of the cabinet, which was beyond Xu Huiyan's ability to understand. For decades,

He has gone through many hardships, walking on thin ice between the Heavenly Family, the court and the family. He has encountered countless crises and has never been as speechless as he is today.

At this time, Pei Yue said seriously: "Master Chief Assistant, you heard and understood correctly. My meaning is very simple. For the Xu family in Qinghe, the best outcome in the future is to return to Yaoguang Town in the north."

Xu Huiyan picked up the tea cup again, drank less than half of the already lukewarm tea, and then said meaningfully: "Is this why you caused such trouble today?"

"It's one of them."

Pei Yue stood up to help him add water, and said with a smile: "Whether I took the initiative to visit the Chief Assistant, or you took the time to come to the post house, it was all very unexpected. Your Majesty excluded you from the wedding envoy, so I just

I can take the initiative and look for an opportunity to chat with an adult alone."

Even though he looked calm at this moment, how could Xu Huiyan easily give others excuses and said in a serious tone: "When I saw him today, I realized that the Marquis of Zhongshan likes to joke so much."

Pei Yue stared at him and said, "Master Chief Assistant, do you think I'm joking?"

Xu Huiyan smiled softly and asked, "What else?"

Pei Yue put his hands on his lower abdomen and said solemnly: "Master Chief Assistant, do you think marriage can really bring decades of peace between the two countries?"

Xu Huiyan lowered his eyes and looked at his palms, without answering the question.

Pei Yue continued: "The Tiancang River is indeed a natural chasm, but it is far from enough. The three cities of Jiangling are in the hands of Liang Jun, and our Majesty can use this bridgehead to launch war anytime and anywhere. As long as our army crosses the Tiancang River,

trapped

I am afraid that a battalion of five thousand Euphorbia soldiers will not be able to sustain it for long. Of course, I am not saying that the rest of your country's army is useless, but if you take a peek and see the whole leopard, there is no trace of bravery in Jian'an City. Could it be that the army is completely different?

"

Xu Huiyan asked calmly: "If the situation is as you said, why did your Majesty not send his troops south, but instead let you, a handsome man who has repeatedly accomplished extraordinary feats, go south to welcome the bride?"

Pei Yue said frankly: "This year, there is a severe drought and water shortage in many places in our country. It is not appropriate to mobilize troops. Your Majesty will obviously consider this issue. Your country is so eager to seek marriage that you can even give up the most important water area in the Dingzhou section of the Tiancang River."

, How can I, Your Majesty, not be more considerate? However, I believe that the chief minister has also received the urgent report. The food shortage in Qinzhou has been resolved, and the five states in the south no longer have any worries. The next step is to recharge our batteries for the first time. "

He slowly raised his right hand, clasped three fingers, raised another one after thinking, and said calmly: "In three years at most, our army will go south."

A faint smile appeared on Xu Huiyan's face and he said: "Is this considered collaborating with the enemy and treason, Marquis Zhongshan?"

Pei Yue shook his head and said: "Your Majesty strongly advocated for the marriage to be completed. Wasn't it just these three years?"

Xu Huiyan said with a relaxed expression: "Originally, we had no time to prepare. Now that we have three years, I believe that Zhou Jun can build a solid line of defense. From ancient times to the present, defense has always been much simpler than attack."

Pei Yue took a sip of tea, tapped the wall of the cup with his fingers, and said slowly: "You may not want to hear what I'm going to say next, but since today is about being honest and honest, I have to be abrupt."

Xu Huiyan smiled and said: "I would like to hear the details."

Pei Yue stood up and walked around, and said in a firm tone: "Your country is different from Western Wu. Our Majesty will never give up the territory in the south. Except for the Tiancang River, it is difficult to find the convenience of terrain. All we can rely on is

Dozens of big cities. Your Excellency may say that our army will have to pay a huge price to capture these cities, but... we may not need to attack by force."

Xu Huiyan's eyes shot out extremely sharp light.

Pei Yue stopped, looked into his eyes and said: "Although Fang Xiexiao is a rare handsome man in the world, you should understand that it is difficult to support a tree alone. Can he alone guard a border that is more than a thousand miles long? Once he is captured,

Our army has conquered the important border town. How can all the forces in Jian'an City remain indifferent? I don't know how many people will take the initiative to surrender by then. Could it be that the Xu family doesn't want to help them in times of trouble, but only wants to imitate those fools and add icing on the cake?"

Xu Huiyan was silent for a long time.

He met Pei Yue's deep gaze and sighed: "The most powerful skill of Marquis Zhongshan is to be a lobbyist."

Pei Yue sat back down, returned to the state where the two of them had just faced each other, and said unhurriedly: "Lobbyists are nothing more than weighing the pros and cons. Although I have not read a few books by sages, I understand what it means to compare one's heart with one's heart."

."

Xu Huiyan smiled calmly and said: "Although you are talking about nothing more than three things. The first one evokes the Xu family's love for their homeland, the second one uses the power gap between the two countries to suppress it, and the third one hints at the existence of Xizuo and then provokes our dynasty.

Civil strife. Marquis Zhongshan, although I have attached great importance to you, I have to say that you are still more powerful than I imagined."

Pei Yue cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency, you are so complimentary."

Xu Huiyan suddenly suppressed the smile on his face, and the cold light in his eyes condensed, and he said in a deep voice: "Pei Yue, do you know how many civilians will be killed and injured once Liang Jun goes south? By then, the southern country will be uninhabited, and the mountains and fields will be filled with bones. Is this possible?

Is this what you want to see? I know what you are doing, whether it is honeycomb briquettes or auspicious clouds, the appearance of drunken flowers cannot hide your ambition for the common people."

He leaned forward slightly and asked with a gloomy face: "You started with this, but where will you end?"
Chapter completed!