(Thanks to Dameng, Chubby, Hammer S, Tongle Village)

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In September, the autumn is high and the horses are fat, and the grass is withered and the eagle flies. The herdsmen who live in pursuit of water and grass begin to change fields, and the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains are full of scenes of harvesting pasture grass and millet, and Jiaohebi has also entered the busiest time of the year.

At this time, Zhang Fang left the Jiaohe Wall and followed Chen Tang to Wulei City, where the Western Regions Protectorate was located.

Chen Tang's inspection was over, and before returning home, he deliberately found Zhang Fang and asked for his opinion on the itinerary. Chen Tang had two suggestions: if you are eager to return home, you can send a team of people and horses to escort you into the customs by Jiaohebi. The second is to go to the Metropolitan Protectorate first, and then raise it for a period of time, and then the Metropolitan Protectorate will send someone to escort him into Beijing.

Although two options were proposed, Chen Tang selfishly hoped that Zhang Fang would choose the second one. He really wants to get along with this Zhang Gongzi more and see how many good things can be dug up. However, he also knew that after such an adventure, anyone would be extremely homesick, let alone a teenager under fourteen. And for no reason, who wants to go to a border desert like the Metropolitan Protectorate.

But to Chen Tang's surprise, after listening to it, Zhang Fang almost didn't hesitate, and happily chose to go to the Duhu Mansion, which really surprised Chen Tang. As long as Zhang Fang agrees to go, as for the reason, Chen Tang doesn't think much about it, anyway, this young man is very thoughtful, and he can't guess it.

Indeed, Chen Tang would never guess Zhang Fang's thoughts, but Zhang Fang knew Chen Tang's thoughts. Therefore, he vetoed Deng Zhan's dissuasion on the grounds that "he must thank the Metropolitan Protector in person, and it is safer for the Metropolitan Protectorate to escort him into Beijing", and decided to go west.

Zhang Fang and his party, the injuries are light and serious, the heavy ones naturally need to lie in the car, and the light ones are not suitable for bumps in order to prevent the wound from rupturing, so they all take the car. Chen Tang even gave up his car and gave it to Zhang Fang and his maids.

Zhang Fang was naturally honest and unkind, because he was here to help Chen Tang this time, and he should have taken the car.

Cao Xiong, Deng Zhan, Lin Tianci, Han Brothers, Qingyan, Zongba, Alimu and others all accompanied him. Only the only surviving Fu Wei Sancai, because the broken arm was too badly injured, stayed in Jiaohebi to raise him, and waited for Zhang Fang to return to pick him up.

Among them, Li Ren was unable to move due to his serious injuries, and Lu Nu took care of him with him, and he was guarded by the sixth junior high, so he could not go along. Similarly, Qu Liang was also unable to get up from the bed due to his serious injuries and stayed on the wall of the river. Only Han Chong, although his injuries were not light, he refused to stay because he was young and had a thick foundation. His exact words were, "I am Childe's servant, and of course I have to follow Childe wherever he goes." ”

So they went on the road together, but fortunately, the road was not far, the climate was pleasant, and there were doctors and workers to take care of them along the way, so there was no big problem.

All the way to the west, Zhang Fang seized the time to learn the Xiongnu language. If learning the Xiongnu language at first was based on the situation and had to be learned, then learning now is to prepare for the next major action. In this Western Regions, I am afraid that the time he has to stay is not short.

Zhang Fang's "foreign language teachers" have two, Lin Tianci and Zongba. Well, now this one-eyed pu man has been lucky enough to become one of the servants of the Hou Shizi of Fuping.

Lin Tianci taught more systematically, including the etiquette, taboos, titles and so on of the Huns. The choice of Zongba was based on the different accents of the north and the south - the Xiongnu language also has accent problems. Lin Tianci has a northwest accent, Zongba has a northeast accent, and this is his "mother tongue", and the accent is purer.

Zhang Fang's self-requirement is either not to learn, but to learn everything.

Zhang Fang also did not let the Han brothers and Qingyan idle, urging them to learn both Hu and Chinese characters. This is Zhang Fang consciously cultivating a few teenagers around him. The current they (she) may be mediocre, but who dares to assert that in a few years, after learning and beating, there will be no place for them (her) on the future Han stage?

Zhang Fang not only has teachers, but also classmates, that is Chen Tang.

Chen Tang is also learning Xiongnu language, which is a must. The Han Dynasty had been in control of the Western Regions for only about 20 years, while the Xiongnu had controlled the Western Regions for far more than 200 years, and the Xiongnu language could be said to be the "official" language of the Western Regions. No, I really can't deal with the countries of the Western Regions.

In order for the Chinese language to become popular in the Western Regions, it will take time not only to rely on cultural and economic advantages, but also to precipitate.

On this day, the team traveled to the West Sea (Bosten Lake), and the journey was more than halfway through. The shadow of the sun is slanting to the west, and it is time to camp again.

Zhang Fang jumped out of the carriage and climbed the nearby high slope, and in front of him was a large lake that could not be seen at a glance, and large areas of reeds were endless, as if they had grown to the edge of the sky. Many unknown waterfowl fly over the surface of the lake, and the sound of chirping is refreshing.

Qingyan and the Han brothers and other servants also climbed one after another, and they were all shocked by the beautiful scenery in front of them, and they were silent for a while.

Breaking the silence is the sound of fast horses' hooves.

Zhang Fang looked back and saw that it was a knight with a small flag on his back, and recognized that this was a guard outpost. But seeing the sentry riding through the long procession of carriages and horses, galloping to the front of Chen Tang's horse, he seemed to say something.

After a while, Chen Tang hurriedly ascended with a few servants and said to Zhang Fang: "The outpost has come to report, and the king of Yanqi has come to greet him with his courtiers." How about Childe go with the soup to wait? ”

Yanqi, one of the great powers in the Western Regions, with a population of tens of thousands, and occupies the main route of the Silk Road, is one of the important states that the Han Dynasty must have good relations with the Western Regions.

Zhang put his head down, looked at the saddle and stirrup of Chen Tang and his servants, and said seriously: "It's best to take off these objects, they can be kept secret for a while, don't get out that my Han army is not equipped yet, but let the Hu people equip it first." ”

Chen Tang was a province, and he was reasonable, and while instructing Hu Cong to take off the saddle stirrup, he said to Zhang Fang with a slight apology: "This thing is made by Gongzi, and the soup is made without telling him, which is really inappropriate, I hope Gongzi ......"

Zhang Fang waved his hand: "It's okay, the thing is just for use." These two objects can greatly improve the strength of the Han cavalry, and they should be used. However......" Zhang Fang paused and said solemnly, "before you get a decisive victory, you must keep it a secret so that you can maintain your advantage." ”

Chen Tang nodded frequently, and was suddenly stunned, what does it mean to "achieve a decisive victory"? Could it be ...... was about to ask clearly, but he heard Hu Cong say in a loud voice: "Look, King Yanqi is here." ”

In the distance, smoke and dust were high, and a large number of people and horses were clearly approaching.

The experienced Zongba looked at it and said, "There are at least 100 horsemen who have come." ”

The sound of hooves is like thunder, the flags are dancing, and the sound of shouting is approaching in an instant.

On Zhang Fang and Chen Tang's side, there were also fifty or sixty people, most of them were professional soldiers, and seeing the rapid arrival of the other party, they couldn't help but ride each other closer, pressing their swords and bows in their hands, and secretly guarding.

Although it has been notified in advance that it is King Yanqi who came, those who have been in the Western Regions for a long time know that in the land of the Western Regions, the wind and clouds are changing, and it is not uncommon to smile in the morning and draw a sword in the afternoon.

The cavalry rushed to a hundred paces away before stopping, and the hundred cavalry impulses formed a wild rush, mixed with sand and dust, and pounced on the Han army.

"Lower the curtains." Zhang Fang, who was sitting in the carriage, said to Qingyan, leaned back, closed his eyes, folded his hands on his abdomen, and said lightly, "The person who came is not good." ”

The wind struck, the curtain popped, and there was the rustle of sand on the roof of the carriage, so you can imagine the appearance of Chen Tang and the knights of the Han army who were waiting on horseback outside.

The wind and sand blew, and a rough voice sounded: "Yanqi Xiaowang Lusai, waiting here, which one is the deputy lieutenant Chen of the Duhu Mansion?" ”