The Western Regions Protectorate is located in the fortress place, which is the throat of the Tang Dynasty to the countries of the Western Regions, like a long corridor that goes outward, stretching outward, the Tang people sent troops to raise cattle and sheep around it, to cultivate and raise soldiers, when they are not fighting, they are all farmers in our territory, and they are warriors who defend the land in armor during war.

But to the west, you have to pass through a desert to reach the countries of the Western Regions, and now this desert under the moon is in the hands of the overlord of the Western Regions, and if you want to get through the Western Regions, you must first defeat the Great Food, which is also a competition between countries that the ancestors of the old Tang people have been looking forward to for generations.

When the desert first reveals its delicate face under the moon, that little bit of sand and gravel is the best decoration.

A number of people gathered on the periphery of this desert, more than a dozen fires were raised on the spot, seven or eight people gathered in front of a fire, once night fell, the cold in the desert suddenly increased, often people could not do it, so they had to light a fire and barely spend the night in the same place.

This group of people were dressed in different clothes, some were dressed in black leather armor and Tang knives at their waists, and some were wearing thick coats draped over their bodies, and their bodies looked thin and thin.

Each of them was almost equipped with their own horses, and they all carried thick packages behind them, thinking that they had a heavy responsibility on their shoulders, otherwise they would not have been so prepared to come to the desert.

One of the black-armored men was a majestic man, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, his rough face looked yellow in the light of the fire, and the armor on his body should have followed him for a while, and the large and small knife marks could be seen.

He looked at the fire rising around him, but still lowered his voice, "Keep the fire as small as possible, we are not the only ones in this desert." ”

As soon as these words came out, countless eyes were cast, and they also understood that they were ordered to come here in danger, and they should tense their nerves at every moment.

"But when there is sunlight, they will split up, divide into eighteen people, set off in different directions, avoid fighting, and it is best to find out the enemy's situation!"

The black-armored man leaned on the hilt of his sword with one hand as he turned around and commanded.

Everyone also understood it, and they didn't shout loudly, nodding at the black-armored man one by one.

"In short, we are the advance force, and only by inquiring clearly, can our army move smoothly and destroy the Great Food! Do you understand? If there is an accident, if you can escape, you will flee, and if you can't escape, you will solve it yourself!" The black-armored man's eyes revealed resoluteness, which was a battle-hardened realization.

After he finished speaking, he sat down next to a young man who was making a fire alone, and frightened the young man who was pushing the fire with firewood and almost fell.

"Uncle, why are you here?"

The young man had dark skin, a square face, faint little black eyebrows, but his eyes were big and smart, his small short hair was tied up at the back of his head, and his body was much shorter than that of the man in black armor.

The young man slowly stuffed the firewood into the fire, poked it a few times, and then sat down, looking helpless, "Uncle......"

"Boy, you've got something else to do tomorrow. ”

"Something else?"

"In addition to those who are scouting the Great Food Army, there are also several groups of people who are going to draw a rough map of this desert!" said the black-armored man.

"Me?" the boy asked, looking a little puzzled, pointing his finger at himself.

"That's right, you're just a recruit after all, it's still too early for you to face the big food, since you're under my command, I'll protect you, and you'll just follow us. ”

The young man unconsciously lowered his head and smiled shyly, "I understand what Uncle means, but I don't have the skills to draw!"

The black-armored man grinned and pointed to the group of people behind him, "See, there are a few people sitting there, most of them are working as errands in the Duhu Mansion, they have all read a few articles, and they are a little knowledgeable, tomorrow you take one of them to the east." ”

"Okay, I will definitely finish what the uncle has explained, so I'm just a guard?" said the young man, glancing at the fire.

The people sitting around the fire were indeed different from them, they were talking and laughing about something, talking or pointing at the country, he didn't know, they might be superior to people like himself who only worked hard.

This group of people will even take out a wine jug to take a sip in the midst of talking and laughing, how leisurely, thinking that there is also a pot of wine in their baggage, seeing that they drink quite happily, is it also a bag of wine?

The black-armored man didn't need to move away from this glance, and grabbed him over, "How is it, I regret joining the army, just a pawn?"

"I just envy those who can get into the school, I don't regret joining the army, I can have something to eat, and I can make contributions, so do you regret it?"

"Hey, remember the fame but take it right away!" The black-armored man smiled indifferently, patted the young man's back, and stood up with his hands on the ground, "This desert is the territory that my ancestors have wanted to obtain for generations, and it is also the hunting ground for you and me to gain fame, huh?"

"Understood, uncle!"

"The kid is teachable, he has a style and style!"

At the beginning of the next day, when the sun was shining, a group of people had already packed their bags, and the slightest carelessness in the desert would be lost in the flying sand, and they could only judge the general direction by the height of the sun.

What the Tang Kingdom needs now is a road to the Western Regions, a map of the countries in the Western Regions.

The man in black armor brought the young man he had talked to last night to the man, "Mr. Bang, this is the person I said about protecting you." ”

As he spoke, he arched his hand at the black-clothed man in front of him, his movements were a little rusty, for them rough people, these etiquettes are naturally not used on weekdays.

When the young man saw that the uncle had introduced himself, he could be regarded as arching his hand: "Mr. Bang, I, my name is Huan Quji, and I am the scout of the Tang Dynasty Protector Army!"

The gentleman also had a long bundle of hair coiled behind him, and a faint smile on his face responded to the two, his face looked fair, and there was no need to show any wrinkles, if it weren't for the scumbag of his chin, he would look too delicate.

He held the horse's rope in one hand, and carried his burden behind him,

"Good name, you don't think you're too old, right?" Mr. Bang's voice was thin and brittle, completely different from the majestic voice of the black-armored man, is this a literati?

Huan Quji couldn't help but be a little curious about this gentleman, "Mr. Hui, the little one is almost eighteen this year!"

"General Xie Jie, he's probably too young. Mr. Bang asked the black-armored man with a frown.

"It's okay, although he is a rookie, he has a bit of a fist, and I put him in the back to take care of you, Mr. Bang. Xie Jie didn't beat around the bush and said directly.

"Take care of me?"

"I heard that Master Bang has never practiced martial arts, and this kid has some hands and feet just enough to protect Mr. Bang, and putting him behind us is also to protect this recruit. ”

"Uncle......" Huan Qujian glanced at Xie Jie, turned his head to Mr. Bang and said: "Sir, don't worry, I will definitely be able to protect you, you can draw with peace of mind, and you will not let an enemy come in front of you!"

Huan Quji's eyes stared at Mr. Bang, as if a bright light pierced his eyes, Mr. Bang was stunned and nodded.

"Don't be reluctant, little brother, saving your life is still the most important. ”

Mr. Bang pulled his horse forward and walked in front of Huan Quji, his figure was thinner and a little shorter than the young man, but this person gave Huan Quji and even Xie Jie a sense of awe, "I was also ordered to come here, everyone can do their jobs." ”

"Yes, yes. ”

"When will General Xie Jie leave?"

Xie Jie looked up at the sun that had just been raised, "Don't worry, wait for our advance troops to go first, and your team will go behind, and the road should be much safer." ”

"Don't move now?" Mr. Bang sat down on the spot after asking, untying the burden behind him, which contained a bamboo slip book in addition to a piece of white paper, pen and ink, and dry food.

He untied the bamboo slip book, lowered his head and read it carefully, and stopped looking up to speak, as if the two people standing beside him no longer existed.

Xie Jie shook his head with a wry smile, and then touched Huan Quji's head, "Child, you and Mr. Bang should stay where they are first, and after we set off for an hour, you will move forward slowly!

"Uncle, don't worry, I won't embarrass you!"

"Remember what I told you?"

"Credit, but take it right away!"

"Yes, good boy, you're not for me, you're for yourself!"