With the doors and windows closed, the faint noise coming from outside was almost inaudible. Only Ma Xing and Xiao Ding were left in the room, sitting opposite each other. There was also Cheng Gui, sitting on the horse

Behind Xing.

It's not Ma Xing's study, but a somewhat special living room. There is a low table and several futons, two people sit opposite each other, and there is only a coffee table in the middle. It looks more intimate than sitting upright on a chair.

A few points.

Ma Xing's face looked bright red after just drinking several glasses of wine outside.

He is the pacifier and the highest official on the road to Shaanxi. Naturally, no one would dare to drink from him. But he is leaving soon. Today's banquet is said to be Xiao Ding's reception banquet, but it can also be regarded as Ma Xing's celebration.

It's time to have a banquet.

All the officials on the Shaanxi Road knew that Ma Xing was a frugal person. If Xiao Ding hadn't been welcomed back this time, there wouldn't have been this banquet at all. When it was time to leave, maybe everyone would come early that morning

When they arrived at the Yamen, the pacifier had already drifted away with his escorts and servants.

Ma Xing's family members had already left for quite a while.

Therefore, anyone who felt they had some status and had some respect in front of Ma Xing took this opportunity to offer a glass of wine to Ma Xing. Of course they did it, but Ma Xing was free to do so.

But even when everyone came up to toast, Ma Xing just took a sip, but he couldn't stand the crowd, and he was still a little drunk at this time.

Xiao Ding, who was sitting opposite, could not see his expression because of his full beard.

Looking at Xiao Ding, Ma Xing chuckled: "Chang Qing, I heard that you are handsome and can be called a handsome young master. Later, in order to frighten the soldiers and the enemy, you grew this big beard.

?”

Xiao Ding laughed: "That's because I'm too young. With this big beard, people can't tell my exact age, and I do look a bit more ferocious. In the army, being ferocious can win people's respect.

, handsome is not a good word!”

"Why don't you shave it off now?" Ma Xing asked, pouring a cup of tea for Xiao Ding with his own hands.

This is of course true.

When he grew a beard, Xiao Ding was just a general in the Guangrui Army and Horse Camp, with only 400 horse troops under his command. At that time, he naturally needed to suppress his subordinates with ferocity and make people fear him.

But now, Xiao Ding has tens of thousands of troops under his command, and has jurisdiction over thousands of miles of territory. He only has millions of strong people of all races under his command. Naturally, he is not someone who can be admired by his fierceness.

At this time, it is already a matter of status and power.

Just like the one in Bianliang Palace now, when he ascended to the position of emperor, he was only more than ten years old and still a child. Didn't he have countless famous civil servants and military generals bowing at their feet and being loyal!

But that one was born well!

The person in front of me was built with one sword and one gun.

Of course, Xiao Ding’s reincarnation was also a good one.

Looking at the entire Song Dynasty, there are very few people who rose to high positions from humble beginnings. Even though he was Ma Xing, he was from a well-off family and had considerable wealth. In recent years, as his official position has become higher and higher, Ma has become more and more popular in his hometown.

It is a big family that can be counted.

"I'm used to it!" Xiao Ding said, stroking the big beard on his face: "Besides, there are advantages to growing a big beard in the northwest. At least it can protect me from the wind and snow when leading troops to fight in winter."

Several people in the room laughed.

Picking up the teacup, both of them took a sip. When he put down the teacup, the smile on Ma Xing's face was gone.

"Manager Xiao, I, the Shaanxi Road pacifier, know almost nothing about the Western Army's military operations in the past few months. I only got a report from you afterwards. I think you should give me an answer. This is a military aircraft."

Is that so, or are you being arrogant and domineering, not appeasing the envoys and not taking the court into your eyes?"

After the pleasantries were over, it was natural to turn to business. Ma Xing was the boss and the boss, so naturally he wanted to take the initiative in this conversation, find faults, take advantage of others, and then be able to dominate the direction of this conversation.

.

Xiao Ding disagreed.

"Bachelor, with all due respect, Xiao, as the commander-in-chief of the northwest march, has the right to be independent in military affairs. Moreover, military operations are sometimes expensive in a word. If you ask for instructions and reports on everything, it will definitely cause delays.

Fighters and northwest operations may be a little different from what you imagine, bachelor. One day is enough to make the enemy flee a hundred miles away. And didn’t Xiao provide written notification afterwards? Xiao also informed Bian of the specific matters.

Liang sent the memorial."

The procedure is naturally good. However, over the years in the Song Dynasty, everyone has become accustomed to civil servants controlling generals. In the past, the generals who guarded one side basically let civil servants control them in order not to cause trouble for themselves.

Lord, completely gave up his right to autonomy.

Because the military generals have become timid over the years and are unwilling to bring about great disaster in the future just for the sake of temporary convenience.

Xiao Ding is not afraid of this.

After being retorted by Xiao Ding, Ma Xing suddenly came to his senses. The position of Commander-in-Chief of the Northwest March did not require him to follow his own lead in everything. His own restrictions on him were based on the imperial court's system design.

It was from logistical supplies, etc., but this was completely useless to Xiao Ding.

He took a deep breath and said: "Li Xu can be destroyed long ago, why must he delay it? There have been many starts of war, and there are many objections in the court."

"Let Li Xu go, of course for more benefits!" Xiao Ding smiled and said: "Bachelor, if you don't destroy Qingtang Blind Medicine and Mu Zhan, and let them grow up, sooner or later, Tubo will come again

They became a serious problem in the Song Dynasty. These Tubo people were entrenched on the plateau and had a geographical advantage over us. They were condescending and could fight whenever they wanted and leave whenever they wanted. They were extremely difficult to deal with. If you think about it, it was the height of the Tang Dynasty.

, we had no choice but to win over the powerful Tubo through marriage. How can we allow them to grow now? Blind Yao and Muzhan are both from the Tubo royal family and have great appeal, so naturally we want to take advantage of their wings.

Before they get rich, kill them."

"But they ran away!" Ma Xing said dissatisfied.

"I deliberately let them escape." Xiao Ding said: "The Qingtang area is too big and it is a plateau. It is very difficult to organize a battle. Moreover, these Tubo people are scattered everywhere. It is impossible for me to station troops for a long time to clean them out.

If we let these two people go, they will definitely have to recruit troops and subordinates again. When they have a certain scale, I will raid them again. This is easier than searching for them everywhere on the plateau.

Too much."

"Are you so sure?" Ma Xing couldn't help but laugh after hearing Xiao Ding's plan. Naturally, he had no sympathy for these foreigners.

"The most difficult thing is the first time. Next, it is enough to send one general!" Xiao Ding said proudly: "The current blind medicine, Mu Zhan, is no longer worthy of my personal action."

Ma Xing was silent for a moment and then said: "What are your plans next?"

"March into the Western Regions!" Xiao Ding said without hesitation: "Whether they are Uighurs or Uighurs, we cannot allow them to form an influential force, and they have established small political powers in these places.

They must be destroyed. Bachelor, I won’t hide it from you. I want to restore the territory of the Han people during the prosperous Tang Dynasty. What the people of the Tang Dynasty can do, I, the people of the Song Dynasty, can naturally do it."

"The imperial court already has a lot of ginseng and you are good at starting a war. You have gone too far in killing." Ma Xing said: "And you know what the officials are thinking. They sent you to the northwest for the three-pronged attack on the Liao Dynasty. Now you don't have to deal with the Xijing Road.

The Liao people on the road to Beijing went all the way to the Western Regions, and the officials must not be happy about it."

"If I don't clear out these forces, how can I fully deal with the Liao people on the Xijing Road and the Shangjing Road?" Xiao Ding asked back: "Those censors in the imperial court stay at home and don't know the situation here at all. They just

I'm afraid that we don't even know where the Uighurs are in Xizhou, and we don't even know how close the Uighur forces are to us. We don't even know that the strength of these people has posed a great threat to us. They really think that our only enemies are

Is it a Liao Kingdom? The bachelor has been in the northwest for a long time, so he shouldn't be as ignorant about it as they are, right?"

Ma Xing raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

"Furthermore, who said there would be no Liao people in the Western Regions?" Xiao Ding continued. "If the Western Regions are pacified and these barbarians are brought under the command of our dynasty, and the Silk Road is re-opened, the problem in the northwest can be solved.

Secondly, these Yi people can be recruited into the army. When the war starts with the Liao people, they will naturally be the vanguard. After several battles, what will the country and the dynasty want to do in these places in the future?

It will be easier."

Ma Xing nodded slightly, he naturally understood what Xiao Ding said.

"Xiao Ding, I understand everything you said. I just want to know one thing!" Ma Xing stared at Xiao Ding and said.

"Maester, please speak up!"

"You are now like the king of the northwest. Beijing has the idea of ​​​​transferring you back. Are you willing?"

Xiao Ding was silent for a moment and said: "I'm afraid that as soon as I leave the northwest, this place will be hidden in chaos again. No matter who has this idea, it is definitely a bad intention. In the eyes of the general, the person who made this suggestion

, you might as well transfer him to the northwest and let the wind and sand here wake him up."

Staring at Xiao Ding, Ma Xing sighed, knowing that this was the result. Xiao Ding's words were already an obvious threat.

"I wonder what the bachelor wants to know?" Xiao Ding picked up the tea and drank it in one gulp.

"I will explain to the court why you can't go back." Ma Xing said calmly: "But how do you prove your loyalty to the court?"

"Loyalty is not something you say, but something you do." Xiao Ding said coldly: "Li Xu sweet-talked the court back then, and everyone on the road to Shaanxi was full of praise for him. What was the result?"

"What's the difference between you and him now?" Ma Xing said sharply: "In my opinion, your current power is even worse than his."

"The country will not let me down, and I will not let the country down!" Xiao Ding picked up the teapot, stood up and poured a cup of tea for Ma Xing: "Bachelor, you have lost your temper. This is not the behavior of a prime minister. You surrendered Li Du and appointed him

Is this what Du Lingxia on the Shaanxi Road is thinking about?"

"Of course!" Ma Xing said: "I have released your tiger, so naturally I want to build a chain for you. Li Du is the chain I prepared for you. Xiao Ding, the country will not let you down, and you will not let the country down.

I will remember this!"

"If you violate this oath, you will be struck by five thunders and you will not die a good death!" Xiao Ding said solemnly and solemnly. "Xiao Ding keeps his promise, and everyone in the world knows it."

"Okay, I'm going to Hebei. By then you will be in the northwest and I will be in Hebei. We can cooperate with each other to deal with the Liao Kingdom and get back the face we lost last year one by one!" Ma Xing stretched out his hand.

Xiao Ding smiled and stretched out his hand to shake his hand: "Xiao is lucky. The bosses he has met in this life are all great people. King Jing is like this, and so is the bachelor. Without your support, Xiao Ding would not be where he is today."

"I just hope that I won't regret supporting you at all costs on the day I drive westward!" Ma Xing said. "Xiao Ding, let's go ahead and cherish it! Don't let us become enemies one day. Tell me,

If you have any other requests that you need me to do for you, I will definitely do it for you before I leave!"
To be continued...