Chapter 3 Yangguan (2 I)

The Western Regions are almost unimaginable.

It took a whole month and more than 2,000 miles to reach the legendary Yumen Pass, which the spring breeze could not blow. And the Yumen is closed to Shule, and there are two more than 2,000 miles.

This road is long and lonely. The only good thing is that you don't have to breathe the suffocating twilight of the Kyoshi anymore. This is crucial for Wang Xun. Deep in his heart, he was tired of the drunken life in Chang'an City. I don't want to suffer from the fish in the pond when the gods fight again, and I don't want to be judged by the old women as a potential face, and I don't want to compare who has a deep background with anyone else, and whose grandfather's official position is bigger. He was still young, and his eyes were still full of fantasies about the world. He needs to live a very different life, not slowly eroding in the twilight of the Tianbao year.

Chang'an people have only three options. Blend in, endure, and escape. Wang Xun didn't know who this first came from, but he was deeply aware of it. Integrating into the circle of Chang'an's dignitaries is obviously a bit difficult for him. Patience with all kinds of discomfort in order to repay it in the future is not acceptable to him at this time. So, the only thing left for him was to escape. Run, flee far away, out of sight and out of mind. Escape, find a new place, find a new self.

This trip is just the beginning.

Along the way, there were many unexpected troubles. 100 Flying Dragon Guards, more than 300 Men Zhuang in labor. Coupled with more than 40 carts full of baggage and more than 500 pack horses, it was definitely an unprecedented challenge for Wang Xun, who was only 18 years old, to avoid any mistakes along the way. Fortunately, he was chased by Feng Changqing, Zhou Xiaofeng and others last year and brought soldiers to the shelves for a few months, so he was not at a loss. In line with the principle of fairness and grace, he cleaned up a few disobedient thorns first. Then he did not hesitate to throw out a lot of money to reward those hard-working subordinates and people. Then, according to his own observations, he promoted a few people who were active and enjoyed a certain prestige in the team to temporary team leaders, and dealt with the troubles encountered together with the original henchmen. Slowly, the team became orderly. When the team arrived in Liangzhou and Ganzhou, everyone was accustomed to seeing only the captain of the school, and they no longer dared to bully Wang Xun's youth, and tried to disobey his orders.

With the head of the Forbidden Army of the Son of Heaven on his body and the captain hat of Zhaowu on his head. Wang Xun also bluffed a large number of local officials along the way. At the age of youth, he lived in the official residence of the sixth grade, which may not be eye-catching in Chang'an City, but in the local area, he can definitely be called a young man's ambition. Many local officials who do not know what they are doing instinctively associate the long transportation queue with the words "temporary post experience". In order to leave a good impression on the future dignitaries of the king, he did not hesitate to open the door of convenience. And Wang Xun also pretended to be confused, took the money when he gave it, received the benefits when he gave it, turned around and distributed it to the brothers under his command and the people who were willing to contribute, and he didn't keep anything for himself. The bold gesture won the praise of the brothers.

After leaving the Yumen Pass, the people along the road became more and more sparse, and the scenery became more and more desolate. Sometimes you can't see the slightest bit of green when you walk for days, and all you see is the boundless yellow sand. Occasionally, a few bits of white light could be found in the depths of the sand nests, and they were not snow, but dry bones that had been turned out of the sand by the wind.

In this case, if you get separated from the team, waiting in front of you will definitely be a dead end. For the sake of their own lives, the guards and the people are becoming more and more obedient to the captain. Under the secret promotion of Fang Ziteng, Lao Zheng, Lao Zhou and several other "caring people", this awe gradually evolved into worship. Even if the soldiers of the Hexi Army sent by Ge Shuhan to escort everyone occasionally made an outrageous joke about Wang Xun, it would arouse the hatred of everyone. It seems that as long as Wang Xun gives an order, everyone will rush up and chop the offender into pieces. There were several tensions between the escort and the escort, but thanks to Wang Xun's proper handling, there was no big mess.

Fortunately, Geshuhan's land is not too vast, and he has passed through the Yumen Pass, passed through the foot of the snowy mountain, and then waded into the dark water and sweet spring water to the end. "In half a day's journey, we can see Yangguan." The guide Lao Yue also keenly sensed the tension in the team, pointed to a small blue-gray dot that emerged from the junction of heaven and earth, and said as relieved. "After passing the Yangguan, it is the boundary of the Yanqi Governor's Mansion, and it is not far from Shule!"

"How far is it?" Fang Ziteng grinned his sand-stained lips and asked weakly. The distance in the eyes of the people of the Western Regions is very different from the distance in the eyes of the people of the Central Plains. Lao Yue's eyes are very close, maybe he will have to run all day on a horse. After a few lessons, everyone no longer dared to believe any of this person's claims about the journey.

Sure enough, the truth was just as Fang Ziteng expected. Guide Lao Yue shrunk his neck and responded in a low voice, "Probably, it's probably more than 1,500 miles." If you don't take a detour, you can walk for a month! ”

"Whew!" All the Flying Dragon guards rushed forward together, snorting at Lao Yue. "Fifteen hundred miles is not too far, why don't you take us all to Tianzhu Kingdom!"

"It's really not far." Lao Yue hugged his head, his face full of grievances, "The key is to start from Puchanghai, there is a big river that leads directly to Shule. Although the surface of the river has begun to freeze now, a few knocks with a stone will surely scoop fresh water out of the ice hole. ”

This was indeed good news, and the spirits of the people were immediately lifted. When traveling in the desert, the most fearful thing is not the lack of food, but the inability to find enough fresh water. Having a big river with you means that there will never be a shortage of water again. If conditions permit, you can also set up a bonfire, boil a pot of strong tea, and cleanse your stomach and intestines that are already full of sand.

Soon, the whole team came alive. Some people began to imagine what the great river that stretched across the desert would look like; Some people began to dream of soaking their feet in hot water every night; What's more, they simply began to discuss whether it was possible to take a hot bath under the campfire in the midday sun. As for the soldiers in the previous few days, they were thrown out of the clouds by everyone in a blink of an eye.

Only Fang Ziteng was still worried, and while others were not paying attention, he pulled over the guide Lao Yue and continued to ask, "Pu Changhai, didn't you say there were ghosts there last time?" Is there any? ”

"Maybe, I've heard about it too!" Guide Lao Yue didn't expect Fang Ziteng to be so serious, hesitated for a moment, and muttered in response. "But there is a saying on our side, which says that people are afraid of ghosts for three points, and ghosts are afraid of people for seven points. Master Jun, are you right? ”

"Phew, you damn old fellow!" Fang Zi was furious, brandishing a horsewhip and making a gesture. The guide Lao Yue immediately shrunk his body into a group and shouted loudly: "Master Jun, aren't you afraid? Aren't you afraid? Help, the military master has killed someone! ”

While they were laughing, the team in front of them suddenly froze. The terrible brass whistle instantly spread to all people's ears. Hearing the alarm, Fang Ziteng quickly raised his head, only to see a dark yellow smoke and dust from west to east, rushing straight towards everyone.

"The whole team, the whole team, surround the carriage as a square city, the people are strong to take refuge inside, and the flying dragon guards wind up the Fubo crossbow! Brothers of the Anxi Army, retreat to the two wings for the time being! Before Fang Ziteng had time to be afraid, Wang Xun's slightly immature voice had already passed from the front of the team to the end of the team.

"No!" Lao Zhou, Lao Zheng and others agreed in unison. While organizing the people to unload the wagons from the back of the pack horses and build a temporary city wall, they also drew out the Fubo crossbow for the cavalry. Intentionally or unintentionally, more than a dozen crossbows were pointed at the backs of the officers and men of the Hexi Army who came to escort everyone.

At this moment, the only thing you can rely on is the crossbow in your hand. The number of Hexi troops who came to escort everyone was no less than that of the Flying Dragon Guards, and the visitors from afar did not argue with each other. If the two sides collude, they are ready to kill people. Before everyone died, they had to pull one or two murderers on their backs.

In a panic, I heard Wang Xun order loudly in front of the team, "The alarm is lifted, the alarm is lifted!" It's your own people! Xiao Fang, bring a few brothers and come forward with me to greet you. Lao Zhou, Lao Zheng, reorganize the team! ”

"Your own people?" Gang Elder Zheng's eyes widened in surprise. I saw several heavily armed soldiers rushing out of the smoke and dust in the distance, one of them, wearing a scarlet brocade robe, laughing at Wang Xun.

"Gao, Secretary Gao, why are you here?" Urging the mount to catch up quickly, Wang Xun clasped his fists at the brocade-robed general from afar.

"I, you're a fool. What did you just call me? Gao Shi, dressed in military uniform, smiled and clenched his fists, and his voice was full of pride.

"Gao, Secretary Gao!" Wang Xun shook his eyes and replied casually. Immediately remembered that this is everyone's customary title for Gao Shi. And the reason for this title is because Gao Shi once served as the secretary of Ge Shuhan.

"Since he is the secretary in charge of the Hexi Army, he naturally can't stay at ease in the Beijing Division!" Gao Shi nodded and responded with a laugh. "It's just that you kid, why don't you mix in the Flying Dragon Forbidden Army, and you have to go to the Western Regions to eat sand like me?"

"I, I'm here on order to escort a batch of ordnance!" Wang Xun smiled and touched the back of his head. It was rare to meet an acquaintance thousands of miles away from Jingshi, and the joy in his heart could not be concealed at all.

It's rare to meet an old man in this place where birds don't, Gao Shi was also very happy in his heart, looked Wang Xun up and down, and laughed and mocked: "Could it be that Chen Xuanli can't find anyone available anymore?" I'm going to send you a little doll who has never been far away! Forget it, Lao Tzu can't control him, since you have arrived on my land, you will enter the customs and drink a glass of water with me! ”

"Entry?" The difference between the poet Gao Shi and the soldier Gao Shi is too great for Wang Xun to adapt to for a while. He hesitated and asked.

"Of course. Yangguan, Lao Tzu is now sitting here. Haven't you heard of it, kid? There is no reason for the west out of Yangguan, that's it! ”