Shazhou is Dunhuang, is the westernmost part of the territory of Western Xia, a country, usually will draw their own territory larger, before the absence of modern surveying and mapping technology, the map is still a very good choice, at least to satisfy the self-esteem of nothingness.

On the map, west of Shazhou, a large piece of land is still in Western Xia, but in fact, Shazhou is very barren, less than 5,000 people, the city wall is still left by the Tang Dynasty, there are breaches everywhere, and the highest place is only more than one zhang.

The Great Song Dynasty was stationed in Shazhou for two days.

Liang Yibury has already left with 50,000 people.

He told Zhao Zongjing that Western Xia still had things to do, and it was not a matter of a day or two to find the remnants of Khotan, and when they found it and wanted to return to the Great Song Dynasty, he would bring someone to escort them.

At the time of leaving, Liang Yi was also very generous, leaving behind 2,000 stone of military rations and 500 fat sheep.

When a poisonous snake bites, it needs to coil its body first, and when you want to hit someone with your fist, you must withdraw your arms.

"Liang Yi is a poisonous snake, most likely he thinks that we will always be in the desert." Wang Ningxuan took two sips and said very politely.

Zhao Zongjing said twice, obviously, he also saw it this way.

The situation was not a good thing for Song Jun.

Shazhou is too barren, 20,000 horses, is a very big burden, not to mention food, even basic drinking water is not enough. In the vast desert, they had no idea where the remnants of Khotan were.

It has been 7 years since Zhao Li left Khotan, and he could not find the whereabouts of the remnants of Khotan.

What is even more embarrassing is that Wang Ningxuan had seen the remnants of Khotan a few months ago, but the valley was already empty, and there was nothing left.

People around him told Wang Ningxuan that two months ago, there had been a battle here, and someone had stormed the remnants of Khotanse in the valley and driven them into the desert.

The news came as a surprise to everyone.

First of all, two months ago, it was the day when the Great Song Dynasty and the Western Xia discussed that they would enter the Western Regions through the Dao.

The remnants of Khotan were stormed, but they were not killed, at least not primarily for the sake of killing, but driven them into the desert......

"It must have been done by Xixia!"

Zhao Zongjing asserted: "They must not want us to find the Khotanese people smoothly, and they want to drag us to death in the Western Regions!" ”

Everyone gritted their teeth, especially Zhao Li and Wang Ningxuan, who were even more angry.

"Damn Western Xia, they will be punished!"

It's Di Yong, after all, he is a veteran and has a lot of experience.

"Now is not the time to find bad luck in Western Xia, we must find a place to settle down, Shazhou is the territory of Western Xia, and it is not suitable for staying for a long time."

With almost no hesitation, they chose a very good place - Puchanghai!

Puchanghai is the Lop Nur of later generations, but Puchanghai at this time is not a dry desert, but an oasis with abundant water and grass.

The Tarim River pours precious water into the Puchang Sea, sustaining the lake for hundreds of miles, surrounded by vast reed ponds and a variety of creatures.

There are fat fish in the water, and the shore is flat and lofty.

Wang Ning'an formulated a detailed plan for navigating the Western Regions, of which Pu Changhai was the key.

Zhao Zongjing and the others need to use the excuse of looking for the remnants of Khotan to gain a firm foothold in Puchanghai. Make use of the water and soil resources here to build a defensive city, reclaim the land, and achieve self-sufficiency in food first.

With only two months to go before the beginning of spring, they needed to rush to Puchanghai, 1,600 miles away, as soon as possible, and purge all kinds of forces there, and then wait for Lu Huiqing, Zhang Dun and others to trek from Qingtang and join them.

It's a huge project, and you can't go wrong at all.

Zhao Zongjing finally confided in his subordinates the whole plan.

Before that, only a few people such as Zhao Zongxuan, Wang Ningxuan, and Di Yong knew the whole plan, even Zhao Li, they didn't know anything!

When he heard that the Great Song Dynasty was going to garrison troops in the Western Regions and run the Western Regions, Zhao Li was ecstatic.

The Great Song Dynasty did not give up the Western Regions, did not give up Khotan, the ministers of the Great Song Dynasty were really smart, they actually deceived the Western Xia and everyone, it was really amazing!

"The spirit of the country, the generosity, too clever!" Zhao Li danced excitedly, and the corners of his mouth grinned to the back of his head.

Zhao Zongjing couldn't help but splash cold water and said: "It's hard to say whether you can gain a firm foothold in Puchanghai." Moreover, this news must not be revealed, and we must also use the banner of looking for the remnants of Khotan...... Of course, finding someone is just as important! ”

……

In the next 10 days, Zhao Zongjing actively sent people to inquire about the whereabouts of the remnants of Khotan, and he scattered a lot of people and horses, looking for a radius of 50 miles from Shazhou, but there was no news.

In this regard, Zhao Zongjing was not surprised, with Liang Yi's shamelessness, he must have sent someone over a long time ago, and all the Great Song could get was the news that Western Xia wanted them to know, such as the remnants of Khotan being driven into the desert.

The rest of the really valuable information is not available at all.

Zhao Zongjing didn't like the feeling of being manipulated, but he had to dance according to the baton of Western Xia.

In the following days, Zhao Zongjing purchased food, made jerky, hoarded water, and made a posture of choosing the opportunity to enter the desert and look for the remnants of Khotan.

Although Liang Yibury left Shazhou, secret reports would be sent to him every day.

When Song Bing was about to leave Shazhou, Liang Yiburi was overjoyed.

Go, go!

As long as you enter the desert, all kinds of sand thieves, all kinds of dangers, you can kill you!

Even if those sand thieves didn't have the ability, their Western Xia capture army would not be relentless. All in all, this damn Song army will slowly be consumed in the desert, and little by little towards death...... The indemnity is gone, but it still hits 20,000 people!

Wang Ningan, you have debuted for more than ten years, and this time I am afraid that you will lose the worst!

The two sides are constantly battling wits and courage.

Zhao Li's mind is much simpler, he has already regarded the Great Song Dynasty as the kingdom of God, and Zhao Zongjing and others as omnipotent immortals, as if everything is in their calculations, and soon Khotan will be able to restore the country.

"Lord Wang, the villain has a request, I want to go to the Thousand Buddha Cave."

"Thousand Buddha Cave? Do you want to worship the Buddha and pray for protection? Zhao Zongjing didn't believe in gods and Buddhas, he wanted to be sarcastic, and suddenly remembered that Khotan was founded on Buddhism, and it was difficult to say anything.

"That's right, the villain ancestor, the great sage and the great Ming Han son Li Shengtian is in the Thousand Buddha Cave, there is a portrait, I, I want to go to worship the ancestor and tell him the good news!" Zhao Li had tears in his eyes, "The ancestor has been looking forward to the reinforcements of the Celestial Empire for a lifetime, and now that the army is finally here, I want to tell him to go!" ”

The portrait of Li Shengtian in the Thousand Buddha Caves may be the last portrait of Li Shengtian in the entire Western Regions.

Zhao Zongjing regretted a little, it stands to reason that he should have gone to worship Li Shengtian a long time ago, but there were too many things to do, and he was so busy that he forgot about it...... To leave immediately, he had to count his food and water, and he couldn't spare any effort.

"In this way, let Wang Ningxuan protect you in the past and bring sacrifices to show the Great Song Dynasty's respect for the ancestors."

Zhao Li obviously nodded, without hesitation, Wang Ningxuan took two hundred people, as well as rich sacrifices, and followed Zhao Li to find the Thousand Buddha Cave.

In the dense turns, there are many statues like cow hair, and Zhao Li finally found the portrait of Li Shengtian.

Kneeling in front of the ancestors, Li Shengtian cried profusely.

He told the ancestors about the suffering of these people in a fit-in-fit, and finally he wiped away his tears.

"The ancestors are above, the people of Khotan are bitter and sweet, the heavenly soldiers are coming, and Khotan is saved!" Zhao Li knelt and climbed half a step, staring at the majestic gaze of the ancestors, and laughed heartily.

"Please rest assured, the Great Song Dynasty will help rebuild Khotan, hundreds of years of hatred, dead lives, will not be a hundred deaths, those damned wicked people will be punished!"

……

Zhao Li burned the incense candles and offered sacrifices in front of the portrait, and then he fell step by step and left from the Thousand Buddha Cave. Wang Ningxuan followed closely behind, and they hadn't gone far yet, when suddenly there were footsteps behind them, and they hurriedly turned around, only to see two guards supporting a young general, still wearing shabby leather armor, and appeared behind them.

"Brother Li, yes, is that you?"

Zhao Li rubbed his eyes, but he didn't dare to admit it, but Wang Ningxuan on the side was stunned and blurted out: "It's you, Yu Chiyan!" ”

The young man on the opposite side was startled, she raised her head a little dazedly, and looked at Wang Ningxuan, suddenly shivering, revealing a look of disbelief.

"It's really you! You're back? ”

Tears burst out of his eyes in an instant, Wang Ningxuan only felt that a big stone was blocked in his chest, he walked over quickly, and said softly: "As I said, I will come back and bring soldiers over...... What, it's just the three of you, what about the others? What about your brother? ”

When asked this, Wei Chiyan's tears couldn't be stopped, her shoulders kept shaking, and it took a long time before she raised her head and said desolately: "It's dead, it's all dead." ”

Yu Chiyan seemed very excited, and in despair, she actually met the two most important people at the same time, so that she completely took off her disguise and turned into a weak little woman, sobbing in a low voice, and told her what had happened.

Since Wang Ningxuan left and promised to bring more men and horses to meet them, Wei Chiyan and the remaining Khotanese people have been eagerly looking forward to it,

But about two months ago, a large group of sand thieves suddenly appeared, they surrounded the valley of the Khotanese people, and finally less than 700 soldiers, more than 500 people died, including Wei Chiyan's fifth brother, he was slashed dozens of times, the blood was clean, and he still struggled to kill the enemy, but he was roped around his neck and dragged out for more than ten miles, and his body was mutilated.

The rest of the Khotanese were captured, and strangely enough, the sand thieves did not kill them, but took them into the desert.

Yu Chiyan escaped from the sand thieves by means of a sandstorm more than ten days ago.

She remembered Wang Ningxuan's words, rekindled her hope for the Central Plains, and fled all the way to Shazhou, she wanted to go to the Great Song Dynasty from the Hexi Corridor...... The ancestor was really good enough, and he actually sent the third brother and Wang Ningxuan to her at the same time!

"Sister, where are our people?" Zhao Li asked in a trembling voice.

"Pu Changhai." Yu Chiyan gritted her teeth.