Tuoba finally agreed to Yeletan's idea, leaving a team of men and horses to continue the search for the lost children. Tuoba Yan said very clearly to them, to see people in life, and to see corpses in death.

This sentence is not only said to the tracing team, but also to all the people of the Qingyun Ministry. Sure enough, the floating panic people were appeased.

The women, who lost their children, stayed with the team. Yele poured three or four days' rations on them, while the large army continued without further delay.

The Grand Wizard fiddled with the compass and led everyone south. Although he didn't go in the wrong direction, the Great Wizard was not a true guide after all, and lacked experience. He couldn't find a water source, he couldn't find an oasis, and what was more terrifying, he couldn't avoid the territory of the sand pirates.

So, when Tuoba found out that someone seemed to be following them, they had been targeted by the sand thieves for a long time.

"When did the group of people in the back come over?" Tuoba grabbed the reins of his horse and stopped to ask Jimmy.

Jimmy has been at the end of the line, taking care of the elderly, the sick and the disabled. When Tuoba ran over to ask her, she realized that there was a group of unknown people behind her, riding camels, slowly following them.

"I—I didn't pay attention." Jimmy was stunned, "Perhaps, a passerby?" ”

"Isn't Alem with you?" Tuoba Yan frowned, "You're alone in the back?" ”

"We didn't have enough water with us, so I asked Alem to go ahead and find a water source."

Tuoba was depressed, and the more critical he came, the more he couldn't find anyone. He said to Jimmy, "Go ahead and find General Kutulu and ask him to bring the cavalry." I looked at these people, like sand thieves, and they were not easy to deal with. ”

Jimmy knew the seriousness of the situation and rode quickly to report the news. Tuoba Yan looked back at the group that was following him, and saw them gradually moving away, as if he knew that he had been discovered.

Tuoba Yan silently calculated, there were less than 1,000 people under his command who could still fight, plus he had to protect the people of Qingyun, and General Kutulu would bring a maximum of 500 people. He had heard that the sand thieves were outlaws who burned and looted, and did all kinds of evil. Moreover, the sand pirates were larger, organized, disciplined, and no less effective than the regular army.

At this time, General Kuturu received the news and returned from the front with his cavalry. He came to the Khan's side and asked with a heavy face: "Khan, you can see clearly, are you really a sand thief?" ”

"I haven't seen sand pirates, I can't be sure." Tuoba asked, "If it's really the sand pirates, can the general be sure to beat them?" ”

General Kutulu did not answer this question directly, but asked rhetorically: "Has the Khan seen how many of those people there are?" ”

"Not much, just a few dozen." Tuoba said disappreciatively.

"It could be a pioneer or a sentinel, not to be underestimated." General Kutulu reminded.

Tuoba Yan frowned, feeling that Kutulu was too cautious, "So what, they are only four or five hundred people at most, but they are just some robbers, can't my Qingyun soldiers beat a group of thieves?" ”

"The sand thieves are haunted and are the kings of the desert." General Kutulu attached great importance to this group of thieves, "Khan, although they are fewer than us, we are not familiar with desert warfare. And the enemy is in the dark, I am in the light, and if I really fight, the outcome is unpredictable. ”

Even General Kutulu could not predict the victory or defeat, and Tuoba Yan did not dare to be careless. He stared at the rear, looked at the almost ant-like figure, and asked General Kutulu, "Why don't we take the initiative?" ”

"The gang ran away and couldn't catch up." General Kutulu said, "The desert is unpredictable, and we must not act rashly, Khan, and we must hurry up and find a dead forest to settle down." ”

"Very good." Tuoba Yan nodded, and asked a cavalryman to convey orders to the large army in front. The Qingyun soldiers had no experience in desert combat, but when they arrived in the dry woods, they lay in ambush and waited for work, and they might have a chance of victory.

Soon, the team began to pick up notice, and Tuoba Yan still followed behind the group, and he rode his horse, a little impetuous. Of course, it's hard to be sure who is being followed all the way. Tuoba Yan and General Kutulu have no good countermeasures for the time being, and only hope that this is just a false alarm, and they have thought too much.

Finally arrived in the dry woods, but General Kutulu suggested: "Khan, I have thought about it, it is better to divide the troops into two ways, right?" ”

"The soldiers are divided into two ways, how to divide them?"

"Khan, you take the herdsmen to go first, and I will lead the cavalry and Qingyun Iron Guard to stay." General Kuturu said.

Tuoba pondered for a moment, letting the incapable herders go, keeping them safe and reducing the burden. He nodded slightly, "The herdsmen just let Alam protect them, I will stay and fight with the soldiers." ”

"Khan, you are our noble Khan, and nothing will happen." General Kutulu persuaded bitterly, "You are the hope of Qingyun and the last descendant of the Tuoba clan." ”

Indeed, the three sons born to the old khan Tuoba Hao, the eldest prince was killed in a mutiny, the second prince was killed, and in the end, only Tuoba Yan was left.

Tuoba smiled bitterly: "Don't say it, I'm still a khan." Qingyun has fallen into such a situation, and I have an unshirkable responsibility. General Kutulu, let me stay, I beg you. ”

The words were sincere, if they had been placed in the past, Tuoba Yan would never have pleaded with others, nor would he have pulled down his face to admit his mistakes. General Kutulu suddenly realized that Tuoba Yan had matured, and he was no longer the arrogant and willful third prince, nor was he the depressed and disappointed khan after the defeat. After a series of lows, he is more like a convincing khan.

"Since the Khan insists, the last general dares to disobey the order?" General Kutulu knelt down on one knee and said, "Please give the Khan's order." ”

"Good. General Kutulu, I order you to lead the Qingyun Iron Guard to ambush around the dead woods. Alem and Abtai took the herdsmen first. The rest of the cavalry, I commanded the battle. ”

"The last general commands." General Kuturu said.

After the arrangements were made on Tuobayan's side, Alam and Abutai also received orders from the heralds, and the Khan asked them to leave with their people first. Alam anxiously asked, "What about the Khan?" ”

The herald said: "The Khan is protected by General Kutulu, General Zuo can rest assured." ”

"Okay." Alem turned to Jimmy and said, "Go and call the herdsmen so that they should not rest, and get on their horses and hurry." ”

Jimmy took the order, and Yele froze in place, looking uneasy. Alem said politely: "Yelekedun, I will escort you away. ”

"I don't worry about them, I've heard that the sand pirates are very powerful." Yel-tin had learned everything from Jimmy's mouth.

"Don't worry, it's just some hooligans and thieves, and they can't make a climate." Alam was relieved, "The Khan and General Khutulu have been through a hundred battles, and they have more than enough to deal with a few thieves. ”

Ye Le poured out what she said, and smiled reluctantly, she didn't have good martial arts like her sister, and staying here would only drag everyone down. Even though she was worried, she had to leave, not wanting to cause chaos for Tuoba.

"Sister Yele, come quickly." Just then, Jimmy ran back and said breathlessly, "The herdsmen are too tired to walk after a day's journey. I didn't dare to mention that there were sand thieves, so I couldn't call them, so my sister came and helped me. ”

"I'm coming." Ye Letian immediately responded. She doesn't understand things on the battlefield, but Ye Letian is very good at inspiring the people.