After leaving the Qishan Racecourse, the three old fellows of Mutaniel, Nuge, and Mangdongla were sent to the side of the trade road on the bank of Qishui with the team, before they waved goodbye to us reluctantly.

On the wasteland of the Hexi Corridor, the breath of autumn has arrived early, the grass and trees are golden and the water is falling out, and the gulls and geese that migrate south slowly fly under the high and empty dome one by one.

The wind is sluggish and the water is cold, and the strong man will never return once he is gone!

Looking at the three people standing on horseback and standing on the side of the road from afar, seeing us in the distance, I couldn't help but feel a sense of desolation in my heart.

"Qin Chong, Mutaniel, they must also want to go on the road with us, right? I can't bear to leave them like this! ”

"Yes! Staring at the horse's ass all day long, how can this businessman be comfortable walking all over the world! Hehe! Anyway, that's what I think, I'd rather die of exhaustion and thirst on the way than die of suffocation in one place! ”

Qin Chong seemed to be very satisfied with the current state, and now let him be a farmer or herdsman who rests at sunrise and sunset, like his ancestors have lived for generations, he will definitely take his life.

This guy's heart has long been wild, just like all the businessmen in the world.

"According to what you say, passing by here in the spring of tomorrow, no buddies are willing to go to fill their vacancy!" I asked.

"Let the older guys pass, wouldn't it be a good thing to marry a wife and have children over there and spend the rest of your life in peace!" Qin Chong proposed.

"Old man, who has no family in his hometown? How is it different from the old soldiers we see along the way to such a remote place? ”

Regarding Qin Chong's suggestion, I expressed disdain.

"Not to mention, the old man bought this horse farm that is not very profitable, maybe it is for those homeless guys in the team to retire in the future!" Qin Chong smiled with a sudden realization.

"Although the Qishan Horse Farm is remote, but the water and grass are abundant, and the wild game of the mountains can be picked up, if you marry a wild girl of the Qiang people as a wife, give birth to a few lovely children! The rest of your life will be considered a success! ”

"Qin Chong, you don't have a wife anyway, just do what you planned! I'm going to tell my grandfather that next year you will replace the vacancy in Mutanier and be the head of our Qishan Horse Farm, what do you think? "I deliberately made a joke about Qin Chong.

"Young master, spare your life! For the sake of our master and servant, spare me. I'm only 18 years old this year, and I don't want to go into the mountains to retire so early! Hehe. Qin Chong seemed to be really frightened, and sat on the horse and hugged his fists repeatedly.

"Speaking of which, you're still thinking about that little sister of the Ku family, I'm not mistaken!" I laughed.

The horse team was no better than the camels, and the team in front of us had already thrown us far away as we spoke, and we hurried away with the horses.

"Young master! I have a proposal! When we return to Khotan in the spring of tomorrow, we will take the sea route with the caravans of Anxi and Persia, what do you think? Qin Chong also hit his horse and chased after him.

"By sea? All right! I've never seen the sea before! ”

"Then we're done! Don't mention this now, wait until next year to come back from Jiankang and then apply to the master! One of the two young masters of Wuwei and Chang'an will definitely return to Khotan with us, just say that they are scholars and can't stand the hardships in the desert! ”

The wind in the wilderness was getting louder and louder, and I couldn't hear Qin Chong clearly.

"Good idea! I'll tell my grandfather this next spring, and he will definitely promise us! ”

I immediately shouted loudly, and after thinking about it, I realized that I had fallen into the trap set by Qin Chong.

This guy may still be worried that his grandfather will choose him to be the head of Qishan Horse Farm next year, so he used such a roundabout plan.

Although selfish, it is also harmless to humans and animals, and taking the sea route is in line with my desire to hunt for curiosity, so I won't break it for the time being.

Since the camels were replaced by horses, the speed on the road has been many times faster than before.

But the remnants of the Heavenly Mountains seemed to be racing against us, and no matter how hard they tried to move forward, the rolling mountains to the south always followed closely behind the caravan.

The thick and desolate loess plateaus of the northern land are far or near, and have become the twin brothers of the Heavenly Mountain.

Just between such heaven and earth, a team of more than 100 people and 200 Dawan Divine Horses like us is particularly dazzling.

Some of the caravans that came back from the east with a full load thought that they had encountered bandits who had come down the mountain to rob.

From the leader to the men, they knelt on the side of the road like chaff one by one, completely slaughtering them, hoping to break the fortune and avoid disaster.

A small group of grass robbers of more than ten or twenty people can be dealt with by ordinary long-distance caravans.

But even big merchants like us can't help it, let alone those small merchants with more than a dozen camel horses.

It wasn't until I saw the "Yi" banner of my caravan that these people from a foreign land cheered as if they had escaped death.

Buddhists pray "Amitabha, Amitabha" incessantly, and Christians keep making crosses on their chests to thank God for His protection.

The difficulty of the road to business can be seen.

One afternoon, the caravan had just crossed a mountain ridge, and as we walked slowly on the official road, a squad-brave squad of five horsemen and three men sped past us.

The sharp-eyed Qin Conflict suddenly shouted loudly: "Young Master! Los Angeles Post! ”

I quickly looked around, and the last knight had a small flag with the words "Los Angeles Post Post" on his back, fluttering in the west wind.

"Miss Shangguan! Shangguan Yanxi! ”

Without thinking, I stepped forward, the fairy-like Han family woman in the old city of Loulan, is it really her?

My shout worked, and the black knight in the center hesitated, then pulled his horse and turned back.

"Excuse me, officer, are you calling me?"

Yesterday's Qiluo beauty has become a strong man in black in front of me, which makes my eyes widen in surprise.

When you look closely, the black pearl-like eyes are still moving, the upright bun and wisps of green silk swaying in the wind, and the pleasant elegant sound, it is clearly a woman.

"Miss Shangguan, farewell to the old city of Loulan, I didn't expect to meet here! Where are you going in such a hurry? I asked, ecstatic.

"The urgent mail sent to Chang'an must be delivered to the customer in half a month! Guest officer, are you? There are so many businesses every day, I can't really remember! Miss Shangguan returned the salute in surprise.

"Two months ago, there was a letter sent to Khotan, did the young lady forget?" I asked, a little disappointed.

"It turned out to be the prince in Khotan! Khotanese son! You can still remember the slave family, the little girl is very honored! Hehe! Miss Shangguan laughed.

"We are also going to Chang'an, why don't we go together, and we can take care of them on the road together!"

"No, Childe! You can't get to Chang'an at this speed for a month, and the family letter is worth 10,000 dollars, and our postal merchants are not as carefree as your merchants! Say goodbye! There will be a period later! ”

After speaking, Miss Shangguan turned her horse's head and prepared to get back on the road.

"Miss, please stay!" I rode my horse to keep up.

"Childe still has something to say?" Miss Shangguan was already a little impatient.

"Your mounts have been on the road for a while, haven't they? Dry hair and emaciated body! Exhausted! I looked at the black green under Miss Shangguan's crotch and asked with concern.

"Don't hide it, I haven't replaced it since I came from Shazhou, I hope they can stick to Jincheng County in Longxi, where there is a rudder of this post."

Miss Shangguan Yanxi stroked the mane of the mount in distress and replied eagerly.

"Well, we horses have just come down from the Heavenly Mountain, fat and strong, and our feet are strong! Why don't we replace it? ”

"They're all on the way, isn't that right? Besides, we also met in Pingshui, why did you help me like this? Miss Shangguan smiled in surprise.

"Miss, don't be polite, they are all sons and daughters of the Han family on the business journey, and they are all hands on their hands! As easy as lifting a finger! We're a big team, and we can't go fast anyway! Such a good leg strength is wasted in our place! ”

I laughed.

"The son is so gracious, the slave family is better than obeying his fate if he is respectful!" Miss Shangguan thanked her again.

I went back to my grandfather and told me a rough idea of what had happened.

Grandpa and grandfather have always been bold people who put righteousness first in the rivers and lakes of business, and they agreed to the proposal to exchange foot strength with Miss Shangguan and her party.

Grandpa also personally selected five good horses with good foot strength, peaceful temperament, and easy control for Miss Shangguan and her party.

Shangguan Yanxi was very grateful, and took two entourages to give his grandfather and grandfather a long way, and then reluctantly got on the horse and left.

When I was about to reach the mountain pass ahead, Miss Shangguan Yanxi pulled out her horse and turned around for some reason, and drove towards me.

"Yi Gongzi, the Shangguan Courtyard in Chang'an West City is the helmsman of my family's post station, and I will be waiting for Gongzi's arrival there a month later, and I will wash the dust for Gongzi and your predecessors!"

After finishing speaking, Miss Shangguan slapped her horse and left.

"There will be a date later!" I replied loudly into her back.

After half a glass of wine, Shangguan Yanxi and her horse team turned around the foot of the mountain and disappeared from people's sight.

And my mood also dropped all of a sudden, and the excitement just now seemed to drain all my vitality.

"Young master, Miss Yanxi of the Shangguan family is good! Hehe, the eldest sister of the Ku family is still waiting for you by the Peacock River! ”

Qin Chong stepped forward and said with a smile, with an obvious warning meaning.

"It's called helping the needy, you know?" I said weakly.

"The postman at the Los Angeles Post Office has been on this road for two hundred years! Miss Shangguan can't figure out if her mount can reach Longxi? You are courteous to others, and the woman really gave you the face of Master Yi! Young master, you have to be careful! This Shangguan girl is not simple, but people will eat you! ”

Don't look at Qin Chong's usual stubbornness and disrespect, he is really the first to analyze things.

I also feel that I am beginning to fall deeper and deeper on the road of abusive love, and I clearly pretend to be a distant Yamika in my heart, the eldest sister of the Ku family who is infatuated and righteous, and I will feel a faint pain in my heart when I think of them.

But now I can't see a young and beautiful woman on the way, and I want to love one when I see one.

How can it go on like this!