The distinguished guest mentioned by Suo Wudei is naturally Xu Jingzong, who pinned the four thousand elite teachers to the waistband of his trousers.

As to whether the defenders of Gaochang could be strangled by Jiang Gan, Xu Jingzong had no doubts at all. If Jiang Gan can't wipe out the 8,000 Gaochang army that has lost its combat effectiveness like chopping vegetables and melons, then it is really a straw bag.

Jiang Gan can sit in this position of commanding 5,000 people, not to mention anything else, at least there is no problem in this march and battle.

The 4,000 army marched into Xizhou City and controlled the city defense of Xizhou in just a few pillars of incense.

Later historical records record that on February 13 of the ninth year of Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty, Xizhou City returned to the rule of the Han Dynasty.

………… It has been nearly three months since Zhang Zheng and his party set off from Yizhou, and now they have entered the depths of the desert.

Zhang Zheng's only harvest in Yizhou was to accept a thorn Shi as a younger brother. When Zhou Fei promised that he would send the supplies to Xizhou in Chang'an to Yizhou, he took the lead in sending someone to report to Zhang Zheng about it.

Zhang Zheng also generously drew a big cake for Zhou Fei, and said that after returning to Chang'an from Xizhou, he would say a few kind words for him in front of His Majesty.

All in all, everyone was quite satisfied with this meal in Yizhou Thorn Mansion. I watched the yellow sand in the sky being swept up by the wind and eroded to the south.

Zhang Zheng couldn't help but lose his eyes, and then looked up at the sun in the sky like a white disk. In the middle of the desert, the weather during the day is so hot that people doubt life.

Sweat mixed with mud and sand turned everyone in the team into mud figurines who had crawled out of the mud.

The only person in the entire team who was treated preferentially was Cui Shu, who was pregnant. But the so-called preferential treatment is really nothing more than a small tent made of linen that can be stretched out on the back of a camel.

The tent can keep out the wind and sand, but it is also more stuffy. Cui Shu was a little irritable, lifted the corner of the tent to look at Zhang Zheng, who looked like a clay figure, and then handed him a pot of cold ice water.

Zhang Zheng stretched out his hand to take it, took two large sips first, and then carried the kettle and poured it straight down from his head. Suddenly, a chill penetrated from the forehead to the femur.

The most precious water resources in the desert were wasted by Zhang Zheng. Cui Shu was also blinded by the dazzling sunlight, and after taking the silver kettle handed back by Zhang Zheng, she couldn't help but ask: "We have been on the road for half a year, but we haven't arrived in Xizhou yet, is this really okay?" ”

"Don't worry, no problem." Zhang Zheng smiled and replied, then looked at the endless earthy yellow, and a trace of irritability suddenly appeared in his heart.

The scenery outside the gate is like this, it makes people feel amazing at first glance, but it will make people feel uncomfortable after looking at it for a long time.

But Zhang Zheng still had the patience to let the troops slow down again and again. As for the reason, there is only one! That's military training.

The 2,000 men under Kurban have now begun to look good under the training of the Tang Dynasty soldiers.

At least the neat array will make people subconsciously feel that this is a strong army. These troops, composed of bandits who come and go like the wind in the desert, have a hint of fierceness at a glance.

As for why these people are so obedient, it is because Kurban's methods are really too brutal. Datang's strict military law has 48 articles and 18 prohibitions, which he has implemented meticulously.

The slightest offense by a soldier will inevitably be met with a severe punishment from Kurban. To say that Kurban, this person was originally a Qiuci person, due to the conflict between the prime minister and the royal power in Qiuci, the situation in Qiuci was unstable, and the people's lives were difficult.

Kurban just couldn't stand the life of being exploited at all levels in the country, so he entered the desert and became a sand thief. But when his identity changed from the low-level people to the ruler, he treated the original class more harshly than others.

Under Kurban's high-pressure policy, coupled with the two hundred Tang Army's fierce eyes, a group of extremely vicious bandits could only obediently turn into finger twisters.

"Zhang don't drive, fifty miles ahead is the Devil's Sea, the villain's suggestion is to rest in the Devil's Sea for two days first, and then the team passes through the Devil's Sea in one go, otherwise it will stay in the Devil's Sea for too long, and it will be easy to lose its direction and become a headless fly, what do you think?" While the two were talking, Abudu's flattering words sounded in Zhang Zheng's ears, and Zhang Zheng subconsciously raised his head to look ahead.

"Devil's Sea." The fact that it can be named after the word devil is enough to prove that this place is extraordinary. The so-called Devil's Sea is actually a weathered sand forest, and it is also called a desert city by merchants on the Silk Road.

As the fine sand inside is carried away by the strong winds, the large particles of sand and dust left behind form huge pillars over time.

According to Abudu, the scope of the Devil's Sea is not large, only about a hundred miles in circumference. But it is one of the most dangerous places on the Silk Road.

Because the wind in the Devil's Sea was very strong, and there was no reference in it that could make one discern the direction, there was only a huge pillar of sand that could not be seen at a glance, and the shape was almost identical.

If you want to get out of the Devil's Sea, you have to rely on the marks made by your predecessors, but the marks made by your predecessors are also easy to be weathered by the wind, so you have to gamble on your luck if you can get out of the Devil's Sea smoothly.

The entire Devil's Sea is like a huge labyrinth, and countless people die in this small sand forest every year.

And Abdu's so-called rest and recuperation means that a large army is waiting outside the devil's sea, and a small army is sent in to explore the way first.

If it is found that the mark made by the previous caravan is still there, the large army will set off again. This is already a tacit agreement between all the caravans on the Silk Road.

"Then let's rest in place." Pursing his chapped lips, Zhang Zheng ordered the team to be stationed on the spot. Chen Yu, who was next to Zhang Zheng, received the order and went to arrange the stationing.

When Abudu heard this, he also sent a dozen camel riders from the team in the direction of the Devil's Sea. Camel riders are also one of the characteristics of the Silk Road, they have no other use, their only role is to explore the Devil's Sea to discern the direction.

But this does not mean that their ability is small, every senior camel rider needs to know the skills of watching the sun, listening to sounds, finding sources, exploring water, and knowing the way.

Otherwise, entering the Devil's Sea is a dead end. So don't look at the camel riders as if they don't play much of a role in the caravan, in fact, no matter which caravan the camel riders go to, it's all fragrant.

Before the camp was set up, everyone saw a few horsemen driving out of the desert, running to Zhang Zheng and handing two documents to Zhang Zheng.

Then he left without saying a word. Everyone is not surprised by this scene, because there will always be all kinds of mysterious people around Zhang Zheng.

Nowadays, it has become more and more frequent.