Since using the meditation session, I have finally overcome my fear of the desert heat.

However, the effects of the constant heat wave, lack of water and scorching on the body are unavoidable

I could clearly feel the rapid weight loss and the contraction of my skin day by day.

Free.

The originally round and slender hands have turned into sauce-colored skeletons, which are simply impossible for people to look at.

After seven or eight days of walking in the seemingly endless desert, some old fellows who had walked this road for many years began to appear in a trance and despair.

"Guys! We're almost in the Peacock River Valley! Bear with me, everyone, and think more about the sweet water and food on the oasis! Hehe, speed up my steps! ”

On the edge of a rubble buried in yellow sand on the side of the road, Grandpa began to cheer up his fellows.

If the whole team of people and animals only has a day's reserve of drinking water, if they can't reach the water source as soon as possible, the slightest mistake will make everyone die of thirst and heat in this merciless Huanglong sand sea.

So confidence is very important at this time, and only grandpa can give everyone such confidence.

He said that the Peacock Valley was almost here, and that was true.

For more than 20 years, the old guys have formed absolute trust in their grandfather.

"Grandpa, on what basis do you judge? Peacock River Valley, Loulan Oasis? As I walked past my grandfather, I couldn't help but stop and ask curiously.

"Child, the clouds on the oasis are not the same as the clouds above the desert! If you look at the sky in front of you, the white clouds are thick and dignified, not as elegant as in the desert, all because of the different water vapor they contain. There is also this landform, the ruins where I am now standing, where the guide took me through when I first traveled for business, and has not stopped every year since. I saw him go from a village with fireworks to what he is today. ”

Grandpa put his arm on my shoulder and patiently explained.

"Flowing clouds and landforms are the two keys for us to identify our location in the desert, Jincheng, you have to learn this skill slowly. Guides sometimes make mistakes, and nine times out of ten caravans that die in the desert are guided in the wrong direction. So if you want to survive, you have to use your brain more to figure out a way. In the sand we just walked through, I wrote down at least 300 landmarks! Now, no matter where I enter the desert, I can take the caravan out safely. ”

Looking at my grandfather's extremely confident appearance, my originally nervous heart slowly calmed down again.

I also understand that the wisdom accumulated over the years is not something that can be learned overnight.

I still have a long way to go, and there are too many survival codes to learn to decipher.

Fortunately, it is a blessing to have such a master as grandpa and grandfather by his side!

Grandpa's judgment about the fast arrival in the Peacock River Valley was quickly verified.

There are more and more ruins in the sand piles along the way, which have witnessed the sand advance and retreat for thousands of years.

It also shows that once upon a time, it was also an oasis with gurgling rivers and poplars.

The camels with a keen sense of smell noticeably quickened their pace, and the hikers were a little unable to keep up.

When we camped in the evening, we didn't even see the shadow of the oasis in the valley.

But throughout the afternoon, the speed of people and animals was almost twice as fast as in previous days, which reminded me of the allusion of Cao Cao, the Duke of Wei, who "looked at plums to quench thirst" recorded in the Han book.

It seems that businessmen, like leaders, should also know how to inspire people is the way to win.

It wasn't until the afternoon of the second day that a sweet smell came from the air, and an endless sea of green appeared on the edge of the desert ahead, like a "mirage".

"Young master! The Peacock Valley has arrived! Loulan's homeland has arrived! ”

Qin Chong's eyes lit up and cheered with his eyes, and everyone took off their sun-shading robes frantically, and followed the camel horse and galloped away in the direction of the green sea.

The cool water of the river, the green grass, the undulating reeds, and the poplar forest and the sheep grazing by the poplar forest.

These landscapes, which I have long been accustomed to seeing on the shore of the Great Lake of Qingfengze, are now a paradise in the mortal world in my eyes, which is really beautiful!

Traders know how to stop in moderation, and just now they were still crazy and escaped from death.

But when we got to the river, everyone calmed down.

I just simply cleaned my hands and faces that had not been wet in the past ten days, and drank a few mouthfuls of sweet river water, and that's it.

When I was about to rush into the river desperately, I was pulled back by Qin Chong.

"Young master, it can't be like this! Catching the wind chill is a terrible thing! ”

"Qin Chong is right, you can't drink too much sweet water, those of us who have been short of water for a long time can't hydrate too much for the first time, otherwise our hearts and lungs will be excited, and the previous suffering in the desert will be in vain, hehe!"

Grandpa and Uncle Suder also stepped forward and smiled at me.

Grandpa personally bowed down, gave me a pottery bowl of river water, and said solemnly and kindly: "Jincheng, remember!" The clear water of the three pottery bowls is sufficient! This is the limit of the first time you arrive in the Peacock River Valley! ”

The Peacock River is also formed by the melting water of icebergs, the river water is cold and sweet, and I drank all the rations of three bowls in one go.

"In the face of the water of the great river, you can't drink when you're thirsty, you can't bathe in heat, it's really sad!" I handed the pottery bowl to Uncle Su, wiped my mouth and smiled bitterly.

"Young master, everything can be done in moderation, this is the way to survive in the business world, you will understand it slowly!" Uncle Su said as he took a bowl of water and drank it like wine.

"Master, the old owner of Kumuqi is here!"

Following the direction of Qin Chong's finger, I saw the outer justice leading three Loulan people in short robes and pointed hats walking briskly towards this side, and the elder who led the way should be the Kumuqi Dongjia.

"Master Yi! Sue Butler! Hello! I wondered if you should be there in the next few days, and sure enough! Ha ha! ”

The old man Kumuqi opened his arms far away, ran to his grandfather, and the two old friends from the rivers and lakes came to an affectionate hug.

"Steward Su, Shanshanguo's wine melons and fat sheep oats are all ready! It's waiting for you! ”

The old man Kumuqi happily pulled his grandfather and Uncle Su and walked towards the riverside inn not far away.

It seemed that our caravan was the most important guest of the year at the inn, and the innkeeper had come to greet us with such pomp.

In the poplar forest, the red and white wine flags of the Peacock River Inn were waving in the wind, making a pleasant noise.

The stone and wood structure of the Loulan-style building, with a flat roof and low windows and few windows, also has a foyer, a lobby, a courtyard, and a guest house, but no matter the scale and pomp, it is not the same as my family's Qingfengze Inn.

But it's still refreshing and clean, much better than the mosquito-covered street store on the side of the business road.

Qin Chong told me that the most attractive thing about this inn is that it has a bath directly connected to the river, much like the soup pool of my parent An Yue.

We went there to play after dinner, and we hadn't taken a bath for more than ten days, and our whole body was itchy and uncomfortable.

It is like an empty skin bladder attached to the outside of a skeleton that can be removed with a light touch.

Water! Water! The thought of bathing made me again.

"Young master, there is a kind of soup in this inn that quenches your thirst and is very sweet. It is said to be brewed with the leaves of the tree from Middle-earth, and it is cooled in a shady place before drinking. Every year when our caravan arrives, Master Ku will prepare a few large barrels in advance and put them in the foyer for us to enjoy, and I will bring them to you later! ”

Qin Chong had already seen what was on my mind and smiled at me with a grin.

"Then why are you still stunned? Let's go! ”

I couldn't stand it for a moment, so I picked up Qin Chong and rushed towards the foyer of the Peacock River Inn.

As Qin Chong said, this dark green soup is refreshing and slightly bitter, and after a pottery bowl is put into the stomach, I suddenly feel refreshed, and it is even better than the iced honey water prepared by Qingfengze's mother.

I drank three more bowls in one sitting, and then I lay down contentedly on the grass under the old apricot tree outside the foyer.

I felt that my shriveled skin was swelling little by little, just like the original dry poplar was glorious when it met water, and I felt completely alive.

The guys who came one after another, without exception, came to the front of the bucket and competed to drink.

At this time, I noticed two young women with blue eyes and red lips in the store, who were constantly refilling the bucket of water.

I have seen Loulan beauties a few times in Qingfengze, and the biggest difference between them and Tocharian, Guishan, and Roman women is their skin and hair.

Oatmeal-colored skin, black satin braids, and a tall nose bridge, sky-blue apricot eyes, and a graceful figure make people irresistible and bewitching.

But the strange thing is that these two beauties completely ignore me, a handsome man in Khotan, which is very puzzling.

On the streets of the royal city of Khotan, even the daughter of the prince's and minister's family would secretly send Qiu Bo when she met me, and whispered: The eldest son of Mrs. Khotan, the young master of the Qingfeng Ze Inn.

It seems that this trip to the desert has completely ruined the young master's face.

The sloppy appearance of the Qin Chong kid next to him is like a beggar, I don't have to think about it, I will only be worse than him.

In this situation, I still think about other women's autumn waves, which is really boring for myself, and I feel very depressed.

"Young master, these two beauties are the two thousand gold of Lord Kumuqi, Kuzhina and Kulia." Qin Chong muttered in my ear.

"Is it a beauty if it's so unbearable? Master Ben has seen more beauties! ”

I pursed my lips in disdain, and avenged them for ignoring me.

"I like it anyway!" Qin Chong said to himself in a daze.

Looking at Qin Chong's funny appearance, I almost laughed out loud.

Master Youyun: Chromophobia, it seems that none of us in our youth can escape such a catastrophe!

Sister Kurina may be Qin Chong's biggest motivation to cross the sand sea, and I am secretly saddened by the blindness of these two Loulan beauties, and the two have the same effect.