After two days on the sandbank, the caravan was on its way.

The land west of the river east of Yangguan has been vast and sparsely populated since ancient times.

After more than 100 years of disasters since the end of the Han Dynasty, the fireworks in this place have become thinner and thinner.

Sometimes I walked on the road for three or five days, except for a few official post stations, which were lifeless and located on the wasteland, and I could not even see a single herdsman's house.

Fortunately, shrubs and artemisia grass can be seen everywhere in the wasteland, and it is not a problem for the accompanying camels and horses to fill their bellies every day.

There are some abandoned and barren earthen cities and villages on the side of the road, and although the buildings are empty, the wells and ponds in the villages are still there, and there is bitter or sweet water for people and animals to drink.

It has not been a year or two since the caravan has been walking on this road, and the guys have long known the mountains and rivers along the way.

Qin Chong and they can even remember clearly how many dry wells there are, where they are, and what old trees are still bearing fruit in the village.

Therefore, this journey of commerce, although it is a little deserted, is simply in heaven compared to the purgatory of the Huanglong Sand Sea in the south and west of Yangguan.

There is a lot of game to hunt in the wilderness, such as running hares, marmots pouting and burrowing, and herds of running yellow sheep and wild horses.

All the members of the caravan, including my grandfather, took out the mulberry bow and feather arrows in their skins a few days ago, and traveled all the way east, herded all the way, and hunted all the way, and lived freely and freely.

Every night in the wild wasteland for the bed dome as a quilt, the daytime prey skinned and cleaned, sprinkled a little pond salt on the roaring bonfire barbecue, with the fruits and vegetables picked along the way as ingredients, it is simply a delicacy in the world.

Compared with the hard-to-swallow rancid meals in the Chemaye store on the way, I don't know how many times better.

I have come to understand why, once people embark on the road of business, there are very few people who change careers and find other businesses along the way.

The short-term comfort and blessings obtained after all kinds of hard work are better than any Qionglou jade banquet in the world.

Old people like grandfather and grandfather, who have already achieved fame, are unwilling to spend their old age in the home of "Qingfengze", and they still cross the sand sea with us, the young and strong descendants, step on the yellow dragon, sleep in the open air, and risk their lives.

In addition to the inheritance of the family business, it is for such happiness and freedom.

Of course, such a peaceful travel life will often be interrupted by some outsiders.

In addition to a small number of wolves and beasts and evil officials on the way, there is also a kind of same kind that is a hundred times more powerful than the former and makes the merchants on the way frightened, that is, bandits who come and go without a trace.

Although there is a way to say that thieves also have a way, most of the robbers only want money and do not harm their lives, and only a few people want to take their lives for money.

But money is the life of most businessmen on the way.

If the money is gone, it will be difficult to return to a home in this life, which is hundreds of times more painful than dying a hundred times.

Among the men in my caravan, there are some such old men.

Originally, it was a wealthy and wealthy exotic family.

As a result, because of a hijacking on the road, all the wealth of the family was scattered.

Since then, he has had to wander the world and spend the rest of his life in his grandfather's caravan.

On the way, we passed through the hometown of the Hun Hugh Tu King and the Hun Evil King, which was named after the ancient city named after "there is a golden spring under the city, and its water is like wine".

Walking about 100 miles south of this city, there is an open and flat wilderness where it is connected to the "Heavenly Mountain".

It was here that I met for the first time the devil in the eyes of the merchants, the bloodthirsty and money-hungry bandits of the wasteland.

There were more than 100 people, all masked in black, armed with scimitars, and each riding a fast horse roared from all directions, making a terrifying roar.

Seeing such a scene, I was so frightened that my blood almost coagulated all at once, just like the feeling I felt when I first encountered the evil wolf outside Yangguan, and I couldn't help but pull out the short knife on my waist and prepare to fight.

"Don't be afraid, the young master is the old man of the master!"

Although Qin Chong beside him also straightened his waist and held a mulberry bow, he had a posture of fighting at any time.

But his tone was calm, not as nervous as I was.

It seems that they have seen a lot of such scenes on the way to business.

Sometimes it's garrisons along the way, sometimes it's bandits.

As soon as Qin Chong's words fell, the bandits' horse team suddenly stopped advancing and spread out in the wasteland in front of us.

Soon, a leader-like fellow left the queue and came to Grandpa's horse.

I broke out in a cold sweat, for fear that something would happen to my grandfather.

Seeing that my grandfather and my martial arts brothers were holding swords and guarding my grandfather's left and right, I felt a little relieved.

These senior brothers were my grandfather's most loyal subordinates when he was the head of the forbidden army in Wangcheng, and now they are included in my grandfather's account and have become the guards and companions of my family's caravan.

Therefore, this gang of more than 100 people and horses, if they really start with us, it is not certain who will kill them!

However, we who go out to do business value harmony in everything, and my grandfather said that problems that can be solved with money will never be solved with fists, feet, knives and guns.

The person who came immediately hugged his hand and waved his grandfather, I don't know what he said, the wind in the wasteland is very tight.

But seeing that Uncle Suder Su was holding a leather bag and beating a horse, he stepped forward, and after taking a look at the comer, he handed the skin to the other party.

With a shrill whistle, the bandits' horse team quickly made a way out of the way.

"Let's go!"

With a shout from my grandfather, the caravan slowly started again, and left the dangerous land along the original path to the east.

In order to prevent accidents, my grandfather, the guards of the caravan, and us young men all consciously guarded the surroundings of the camel caravan.

It wasn't until the sound of the iron hooves of the bandit horse team completely disappeared into the jungle behind the Heavenly Mountain that everyone's hanging hearts slowly relaxed.

"Golden City! Were you frightened just now? ”

Grandpa rode up to me and asked with concern.

"With the battle of the blue wolf last time, this time it is much better." I smiled insincerely.

"The young master is amazing! If I hadn't stopped him, the bandit leader who came here would have died by his knife by now! Qin Chong laughed and complimented on the side.

"That's bad! On this trade road, we will never have peace! Grandpa sighed with a wry smile.

"Hey! Raising tigers is a problem! Ten years ago, if my brother had listened to me and solved those grass cowards on the spot, there would not be today's big trouble! Grandpa said with regret and indignation, and thrust the long knife in his hand into the scabbard.

"And such a thing?"

The gangsters let us go so easily, and I thought there must be something strange in it.

Qin Chong said that these robbers are grandfather's old people, what kind of old people are they?

After listening to my grandfather's words, I vaguely understood the story.

"Young master, the ins and outs of the matter are like this." Uncle Su on the side walked with me and told me about the dusty past of the caravan.

Ten years ago, at the foot of this Heavenly Mountain, Grandpa and the others took down four or five thieves who came to rob, led by a Qiang man named Jebu Chuaner.

My grandfather's opinion at that time was to hand over these grass robbers to the government, or directly slaughter them, so as not to harm other caravans.

Frightened, a few thieves kowtowed and begged for mercy, crying and telling that there were several children in the high hall and under them who needed to be raised, and begged grandpa to spare them from dying.

As a result, grandpa relented for a while, so he let these guys go.

When I met them again five years ago, the thief had grown into the giant he is today.

A family of big merchants with a power like ours can no longer compete with it.

Fortunately, this guy Jebu Chuaner still has a bit of a conscience, and every time he passes by, as long as he leaves a little money to buy the road, he never feels sorry for us.

I heard from other caravans that this gang is also the kind that does not greed for people's lives as long as they have money.

Once the price of buying the road is negotiated, as long as you pay enough money to pass by here every year, the two sides will be safe.

This is equivalent to an invisible barrier on top of the business road, and the price paid is also what the past merchants can bear.

"The old man was also confused for a while, so he regrets it to this day! I can't wait to recruit troops and destroy these thieves! Grandpa sighed proudly.

"Don't blame yourself, master! Even if there is no thief like Jebu Chuan'er, there will be strongmen from Zhang San and Li Si's families who will come here to occupy the mountain! may be more greedy and ruthless than the nest of thieves in front of him! Uncle Ying comforted his grandfather.

"Lao Ying said very much, in the troubled times, we are enough to protect ourselves! It is the duty of the government to exterminate the grass cowards, so don't think too much about it, brother! ”

Grandpa agreed, taking out the wine bag and pouring a few sips.

"Woe and blessing are relied upon, and blessing and misfortune are lurking! Oh, that's all there is to it! Grandpa laughed and went to the front.

"Young master, there is also a letter from your grandfather in the skin this time. Explain that in a few years, this caravan will be led by you, I hope this mountain king can raise his noble hand, don't be embarrassed with you! Young master, don't worry, the face of the master will definitely be given by the thief! When I go back and pass by here, I will take you with me and introduce you two to meet and get to know each other! ”

Uncle Su is worthy of being the housekeeper appointed by his grandfather back then, and he is a man and a man who does things without leakage.

"If there is a chance in the future, I will let this thief die by my sword!"

I don't know where the heroic air came from, I smiled with a smile on the hilt of my sword.

"Young master, you must not be rash when walking the rivers and lakes! The bad guys have their own harvest. Your grandfather and grandfather are such heroes, even if you bow your head and make money, you must also learn from them! ”

Uncle Su's encouragement like an elder also convinced me from the bottom of my heart.

My caravan has been walking on the rivers and lakes for more than 30 years, and there has never been a major accident.

One relies on grandpa's own strength, and the other is because there are a group of sleek and loyal old guys like Uncle Su.