In mid-September, when the earth gradually fades green, the grasslands begin to be covered in gold, the wilderness becomes colorful, the woods, the valleys, like a dream, not a fairyland, but a fairyland.

In the golden grassland, the blue sky and white clouds merge together, and the clear river water is like a silver streamer, covering the golden grassland.

The trees along the river are in warm colors such as golden, orange and green, and the white snow at the top of the blue peaks is dazzling.

In the foothills of the mountains, a middle-aged man dressed in cashmere, with his left hair, holding an almost bare scepter and two pairs of tattered boots, was driving dozens of sheep.

Because of the perennial wind and sun, the middle-aged man's hair is fluffy, like a bird's nest, and his skin is very dry and has cracked.

Furrow-like wrinkles crisscrossed his face, making him look more like an old man in his forties and fifties.

Beside the middle-aged man, a young man in tattered clothes and a withered yellow face followed closely.

The young man has a high nose bridge and a brown hair color, which is very different from the appearance of the Han people.

The young man first looked around, and after making sure that the Hun soldiers who were not following, he hurriedly said to the middle-aged man: "Zhang Gong, my subordinates have investigated, and in about three months, a batch of horses dedicated to Shan Yu will pass through this place." There were about fifty people escorting the horses, all of them Hun soldiers! ”

Zhang Qian's hands trembled with excitement, he stopped, and let the sheep run into the distance, "Father, where did you get this news?" ”

Although he has been staying in the Xiongnu for eight years, his father always remembers the etiquette of the Han Dynasty, and he bowed his hand and said: "Back to Zhang Gong, Jun's unyielding spirit of swearing to death in the Xiongnu for eight years has infected many people. Zhijun had already left the country, and this was relayed by a Han man who had surrendered from captivity. He also said that although the soldiers were in the Xiongnu, their hearts were still in the Han. ”

Zhang Qian closed his eyes, two lines of hot tears slipped from the corners of his eyes, and murmured softly, "Is the Han surrendering troops...... No...... They are now only Huns, not Han Chinese, and they should be called Huns. A real Han soldier will never surrender! ”

As a big Han bureaucrat, he has his own pride!

The person who surrendered was not Hanchen!

It was this thought that made him want to escape from the Xiongnu and enter the Western Regions all the time.

Zhang Qian shook his head sadly, sighed, he turned his head to stare at Tang Yi's father's eyes, and asked in a deep voice: "Tang Yi father, how many of the hundreds of people in the original envoy group are left?"

"Back to Zhang Gong, when we left Chang'an, a total of 483 people accompanied us, and after leaving, we fought with the Hun soldiers and lost 246 people. After arriving in the Xiongnu, about 113 people married wives and had children, and about 51 people unfortunately died of illness. Father Tang recited the specific data softly.

"How many people are willing to work with me and flee from the Huns?"

"Back to Zhang Gong, I am willing to follow a total of one hundred and twenty-one people! Except for the sixty-five people in the crowd who married wives and had children who were unwilling to leave, everyone else was willing to follow the king's work! ”

Zhang Qian looked at the south, "Sixty-five people are unwilling to leave?" Have they forgotten their mission? ”

"Zhang Gong, because they have feelings for the Huns' wives and children in their hearts, they can't bear to leave. However, they all claimed that they were willing to rob the horses with the king, but in the end, they would stay in the Xiongnu. ”

"Since they have no intention of leaving, let them go!" Zhang Qian's right hand gripped the scepter hard, "As for the snatching of the horses, they don't need to be involved!" The Huns were ruthless and unjust, treating the Han people like jackals and chickens, ducks, guinea rabbits. If they participate, they will inevitably be implicated after the matter is completed. For the sake of their wives and children, when you go back, tell them that you can just stand still! ”

Tangyi's father was a little worried, "But...... Isn't it just us...... Number of ......"

Zhang Qian smiled contemptuously and snorted coldly, "Hmph, we are all subjects of the Han Dynasty, why should we be afraid of the Huns?" If it weren't for the mission of the Han Dynasty to the Western Regions, I would have died in the desert eight years ago! Death, is it terrible? ”

Tangyi's father gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice: "But if there is one more person, we will be more sure of it......"

"No, you're wrong, sometimes, a lot of people isn't necessarily a good thing." Zhang Qian shook his head, "If someone does not follow us, but stays in the Xiongnu, then he will have a belligerent heart if he abandons his wife and children and swears to die with his brothers!" There is no other reason, but their wives and children are taken care of! If no one stays in the Huns, then the wife and children will have to worry about the future, and it will be difficult to achieve great things! ”

Tangyi's father suddenly realized, bent down and responded, "I see! Zhang Gongzhen was really resourceful, and it was no wonder that there would be a large number of Hun soldiers monitoring this hundred miles. The noble breed of the Han family really lives up to its name. ”

"Hahaha, cousin's father, my background is not good, and I am not a noble breed of the Han family. The real noble species is after the ancestors, after the Marquis, and after the Marquis! As soon as he mentioned these characters full of rumors and stories, Zhang Qian's face immediately turned red and radiant, as if he was showing off himself, "If the Marquis of Huaiyin, the Marquis of Liu, the Marquis of Descent, and the Marquis of Tiao are still there, and the Great Han An can officially declare war on the Xiongnu three years ago?" If these characters were still there, Longcheng would have been broken a long time ago, and Shan Yu would have surrendered to Chang'an a long time ago! ”

"Zhang Gong, the Xiongnu have been entrenched in Mobei all the year round, and it is not an easy thing to completely recover. Although the Han had declared war on the Xiongnu, according to the views of his subordinates, it was difficult to completely defeat without the help of the Dayue clan. ”

Zhang Qian was full of emotion and said: "Yes, so after eight years, I still don't dare to forget what Your Majesty explained!" If possible, I am willing to pay the price of my life, so that the will of the Duke of Han will reach the Great Moon Clan! ”

Looking at the flock of sheep that were getting farther and farther away and gradually disappearing into the golden sea, Zhang Qian and Tangyi's father began to chase quickly, and their breathing gradually became disordered, "Tangyi's father, after three months, it should be spring." At that time, according to the meaning of the Huns, we need to go up to the mountains to graze. I believe that the best hands-on opportunity is during the handover period of the mountain. ”

"When you have gone, tell your brothers who will follow you and let them prepare plenty of water and plenty of food...... Oh, and lamb is preferred! Let the people who were forced to shepherd the sheep for the Huns try to slaughter part of the flock and dry it as food! Zhang Qian explained all the things he was considering, "The Xiongnu area is very wide, if we escape, not only to leave Shan Yuting, but also to pass through refractive and Pu places before we can enter the Western Regions." ”

He paused and continued: "No one knows where the Great Moon Clan is traveling west, and we must be prepared to run off food and water. Even, you must have the determination to fight to the death! ”

Tangyi's father's voice was loud and determined, "Don't worry! We have been planning for so long, so naturally we have to have the heart to fight to the death, if not, how can we call ourselves Hanchen? ”

"For the sake of action, many brothers are already quietly making bows and arrows and swords, just to escort Zhang Gong to kill the Huns!"

Zhang Qian smiled calmly, "In the past eight years, I have suffered my brothers." When I complete the task and return to Chang'an, I will personally write to Your Majesty and state your loyalty! Your wives and children, and your parents, should also be honored! At that time, glory and wealth will no longer be a dream! ”

Tangyi's father said modestly: "Zhang Gongyan is serious, doing things for His Majesty is the supreme glory!" As for the glory and wealth, it is just a foreign thing. ”

"Hmm." Zhang Qian nodded with satisfaction, "Since the time is basically set, what we have to do now should be to make the Huns relax their vigilance!" As long as the Huns are less vigilant, the greater the success rate of our escape! ”

"Tell me that everyone should be as usual, and not be too obvious. Even if it is a wife and children, they must not say it. ”

"No!" The father of the cousin gave up.

"In order to prevent the Huns from detecting, you will not come to me again for the next three months, there will be many things that will be lost, it is better to be cautious." Zhang Qian specially instructed.

"Zhang Gong, what should I do with your food and clothes?"

"This gentleman doesn't need to worry, I prayed to the princess a month ago for materials to restore the Han Festival. And a few days ago, the military minister Shan Yu had already sent someone to reply to me, and he said yes! According to the way the princess has behaved in the past eight years, she will definitely give me some food when she takes this opportunity. My wife and children and I are frugal and can survive this winter! ”

The cousin's father felt sorry for this princess who was used to make peace, and couldn't help but sigh: "Alas, it's a bitter princess." After marrying into the Xiongnu for ten years, he must have suffered a lot. ”

Zhang Qian said loudly: "It is precisely because of this that we should contact the Dayue clan to eliminate the Huns as soon as possible and take the princess home!" How can a barbarian land be worthy of the princess of my Han Dynasty?! ”

Tangyi's father had a solemn face, and said in a deep voice: "Gong Zhang, there is one more thing, my subordinates don't know whether to talk about it or not."

"Just say it! When it comes to escape plans, it must be clarified! This time we escaped, but we pinned our heads to the waistband of our trousers, and we must not be sloppy! ”

Tangyi's father lowered his head and didn't dare to look at Zhang Qian, "That's the case, we have been in the Xiongnu for eight years, although they are barbarians, but they are kind to their brothers. When leaving, do you want to kill the Hun soldiers? ”

"Our Han people have always paid attention to repaying their kindness, and the Huns left their brothers to live, and this kindness naturally cannot be forgotten. However, the Xiongnu soldiers were all murderers, and there were not a few Han Chinese who died under their hands. A hint of coldness flashed in Zhang Qian's eyes, "In this way, three months later, when the horses were snatched, let the brothers cut the right leg of the Hun soldiers, so that they could not get on the horses to fight!" ”

"As we all know, the weak eat the strong within the Xiongnu, and the weak have almost no resources. Soldiers who are wounded in the leg will not be able to mount their horses to fight, and they will be the first to die in the event of a famine. It is inconvenient for us to kill them, so let the Huns kill the Huns! ”

"No!"