After exterminating the subordinates sent by the county order, Lu Shouwen ordered people to dig a big pit and bury these people, leaving no evidence, so as not to know in advance that the county order was prepared.

If these people are gone and never return, the county order must be suspicious, but it is also better than someone to report the news.

Now there is only one guide for Dong E, and it is even more difficult to pass the information back, if you get lost in the desert, you will definitely be dead.

At this point, we have to move forward together, take one step at a time.

Under the guidance of Dong E, the mission first returned to the small river two days ago, and walked along the small river for three days.

Pointing to the rolling hills ahead, she said to Gu Shengchao: "Big brother, look, if you pass through the pass in front, you will reach the real desert. There are perennial sand and rocks, and the camel caravan has gone back and forth for hundreds of years, and has stepped out of a road. This road will take more than ten days to get out, and there will be no supplies along the way, so we need to store enough water here to get on the road. ”

When they heard this, they hurriedly dismounted and went to the river to fetch water. As long as it can hold water, you can carry pots, bags, pots, etc., all of which are filled with water and placed in the horses and carriages.

Dong E found the problem and reminded: "Don't leave the water bottle and water bladder as much as possible, there are sandstorms in the desert from time to time, and horses are usually lost because they are afraid of running around, so don't put everything on the horse's back, so as not to find it." ”

The people who attacked them all rode horses, and now that there were enough horses, Gu Shengchao picked one to ride and gave the carriage to Dong E.

The wounds on her body have not healed, and she can recuperate alone in the carriage.

The fodder for the horses was prepared, and the people stopped for a while before heading out on the road.

Passing through the naturally formed passes between the hills, there is no longer any shelter ahead.

Even the grass is pitiful, and only a cluster of greenery can be seen at a long distance.

As far as the eye can see, it is all gravel and gravel, tiled in the vast sea.

Sure enough, as Dong E said, in the endless desert, a shallow imprint with a slight arc faintly appeared.

It was a path that horses and camels had repeatedly trampled on for hundreds of years.

Moving forward unhurriedly along this road, everyone has no extravagant hopes, and more than ten boring days are also annoying to think about.

Some people are bored, but some people are happy, Lu Shouwen pointed to the looming road ahead and said excitedly: "There are many discussions about whether the border is open or not, and only after the debate is there is no discussion, let us come out for verification." There has been no normal trade between the two countries for many years, and it stands to reason that the traffic has been blocked for a long time, but this road proves that private trade has never been interrupted, and it further illustrates the necessity of opening the market between the two countries. ”

With this road, Dong E can concentrate on recuperating and practicing in the carriage, and she doesn't have to worry about getting lost.

Travel during the day and camp at night.

After six days of smooth progress,

On this day, Dong E suddenly felt chest tightness in the carriage, and suddenly felt bad, so she poked her head out to watch.

The sky is clear in the southeast, but the fog is in the northwest, and the wind blows from there, and the breeze is gentle, bringing a strong earthy smell.

Not good.

"Stop, stop, it's dangerous." Dong E got out of the carriage and stood up and shouted loudly.

"What's wrong?" The ancient saints came on horseback.

Looking at the misty distance, Dong E said anxiously: "There will be a sandstorm coming soon, we must immediately gather together, and everyone can gather together to resist the strong wind." ”

"No, it's so mysterious?" Some will be skeptical.

For this righteous sister who had just met, Gu Shengchao obeyed his words, and he immediately rode his horse to Lu Shouwen in front of him, shouting as he went: "Stop in front, follow in behind, everyone in a circle." ”

Lu Shouwen stopped when he heard the voice, and when he saw that it was Gu Shengchao, he asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Sandstorm, there's a sandstorm coming." Gu Shengchao pointed to the northwest.

"Does anyone else know?" Lu Shouwen had never experienced it firsthand, so he turned around and asked for other people's opinions.

Some of the accompanying team members have experienced it, and after looking at it from a distance, they said uneasily: "Looking like it, it's better to prepare first." ”

Listening to everyone's opinions, Lu Shouwen raised the festival in his hand high and shouted: "With my festival as the center, all the horses and horses are coming around me." ”

An order was given, and everyone proceeded in an orderly manner.

The horses also seemed to sense the danger, and when they saw their master dismount, they lay down without waiting for their master's instructions.

At this moment, out of nowhere, two tall horses came running, circled around the crowd, and then galloped towards the south

Everyone was busy, and no one cared where the horses came from.

The carriage carrying Dong E wanted to stop upwind, trying to shield everyone from the wind and sand, she stopped the coachman and said: "Big brother, absolutely not, the vehicle can only be parked downwind, otherwise it will smash people if it flies." ”

The coachman disagreed: "How strong the wind can be, listen to my fine." ”

Dong E had no choice but to ask Gu Shengchao for help.

The words of the deputy envoy still worked, and although the coachman complained, he had to drive the carriage to the downwind to stop.

Seeing the coachman's dissatisfied expression, Dong E still had something to say: "Big brother, quickly take the horse off the cart, and throw away the wheels, otherwise it will still be swept away by the wind." ”

"It's not over, it's up to you."

Looking at the coachman's posture, if she is not the deputy envoy's sister-in-law, she will start beating people.

Dong E was aggrieved and tearful, so she had to lean on Gu Shengchao for comfort.

Gu Shengchao saw it in his eyes, and he was also suspicious.

Just as I was wondering, I heard someone exclaim, "Look what's over there?" ”

The crowd followed the man's gesture and looked, and a large mountain appeared in the distance, slowly moving towards it.

The mountains stretch for dozens of miles, all composed of yellow sand and gravel, and they come from the sky and the earth.

Strangely, the wind that could be lifted so high that everyone felt it was not very strong.

Such a terrifying scene made everyone's heart tremble.

"Hurry up and lie down, gather and lie down, it's best to huddle together."

Although Dong E was wronged, she still reminded loudly for everyone's safety.

This time, no one retorted, and they all consciously gathered together, shoulder to shoulder, lying on the gravel-covered ground.

I can't wait to dig a hole and get into it.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew, and the wind blew fiercely in my ears.

The horse, driven by the coachman, was frightened, and its front hooves were raised high, neighing incessantly.

Seeing that the situation was not good, he got up and ran towards the carriage, and quickly plucked the horse from the carriage.

The horse was frightened, and fled.

When the driver tried to return to the crowd, he couldn't move against the wind, and it was like a wall in front of him.

A dense burst of sand and gravel hit his face, and it hurt terribly. As a last resort, he took two steps back and hid behind the car.

The clear sky just now darkened instantly, and there was nothing to see from three steps away, and endless grains of sand swept across the sky.

Sensing something pushing him behind him, the coachman turned his head, and the heavy carriage slowly floated against him.

The coachman was so frightened that before he could react, the carriage flew away overhead.

He didn't pay attention and suddenly felt unsteady on his feet, and the wind swept him off the ground.

"My life is at my disposal."

The coachman lamented, regretting that he shouldn't have made his own decisions, and had to go against the little girl Dong E for the sake of face.

Suddenly, a big hand grabbed his ankle in time, pulled him down and pressed him under him.

The coachman squinted and watched, the sand and gravel were afraid of pain in his eyes, a few grains of fine sand flew into his eyes, tears poured out disobediently, and he quickly closed his eyes.

At that moment, he also saw that it was the deputy envoy Gu Shengchao who saved him.

"Thank you!"

With a mouthful, the mouth is filled with sand.

Neither of them dared to open their eyes, nor did they dare to speak.

The ancient saint Chaorao has strong internal strength, and he has to fight desperately against the storm to avoid being swept away.

After a while, the sand piled up on top of the two of them, slowly forming a beam of sand, and they had to protect their mouths and noses with their hands to avoid suffocation.

Anyway, it was dark and the sun and the moon couldn't be distinguished, and the two of them stood motionless to resist the storm.

The wind howled, the ghosts cried wolf, and all kinds of sounds mixed together flew overhead.

The fine sand and gravel continued to accumulate in front of and beside him, gradually covering half of his body, and the arm that was clinging to the ground was all buried by the sand.

It's okay this way, with the fixation of the sand and stones, Gu Shengchao also saved his strength, and he could finally take a breath.

Persevered, persevered, and finally was really exhausted, and then fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was still gloomy. I couldn't see anything clearly in front of me, and there was still a howling wind in my ears.

His body was particularly heavy, and he raised his hand with difficulty and touched it, and his whole body was already buried in the sand.

Remove the fine sand from your nostrils with your hands and continue sleeping.

groggy, woke up and fell asleep, fell asleep and woke up again.

It felt like a long time.

The wind finally subsided.

Gu Shengchao stood up tiredly, and the entire sky seemed to be covered with many layers of tulle from top to bottom, and the dim yellow color filled the sky and the earth.

The smell of earth in the nostrils is overwhelming.

The coachman at his feet seemed to be dead, motionless.

Pick up the sand around him and pull him out of it.

Gently patted his face: "Hey, are you okay?" ”

The coachman opened his eyes and looked at the sky: "I'm just asleep, it's fine." ”

He spat out the fine sand in his mouth and asked, "Is it daylight or black?" ”

"I don't know." Gu Shengchao shook his head.

It is really impossible to judge, unless it can be estimated with an hourglass time.

Not far away, a vague figure was shaking, and Gu Shengchao ran over.

Someone also stood up, the same ignorance, as if in a dream.

"Dong E, Dong E." Gu Shengchao called out loudly, lest the righteous sister have an accident.

"Big brother, I'm here."

Dong E stood up, slapped the sand on her body, and ran towards him.

The two hugged each other tightly, and both had a sense of relief for the rest of their lives.

"Second Brother Lu, is the second brother here?"

Seeing that the righteous sister was fine, Gu Shengchao went to find Lu Shouwen again. He is the envoy, the backbone of the mission, and he must not make mistakes.

Someone sat up, felt the knot from the sand and held it high: "I'm here, I can't die." ”

Everyone woke up one after another and reported peace to each other.

Counting the number of people, there are still unfortunate situations.

Two people are missing, and it is estimated that they were swept away by a sandstorm.

One person died when he was hit in the head by a stone blown by the storm, and he was killed directly.

There were also many people whose shoulders and thighs were injured by flying stones, but what a blessing it was compared to death.

There was also a loss of supplies, all the vehicles flew away, fortunately the horses had spirituality, and they all accompanied the owner to lie down, and it was not a problem for one person to ride.

In the midst of the busyness, someone shouted happily: "Look, it's almost dawn." ”

Everyone watched, and in the dim sky, a shallow white of fish belly really appeared.

Finally, after the long night, everyone suddenly had spirits.

The dead man could not be returned to his hometown, so he had to be buried on the spot.

Gu Shengchao found a hoe and found a place with less sand and gravel to dig a pit.

Digging down, the stones gradually increased, and even green bricks appeared.

In a desert like Beihu, which lacks the soil quality to burn bricks, it can only be transported from the Dawu Dynasty, and the price of bricks and tiles is naturally very high, which is not something ordinary people can afford.

The green bricks are a little loose, and you can pick them up with a few buckles by hand.

The more he took it, the more Gu Shengchao suddenly felt that his feet were loosening, and he jumped into the air when he couldn't make a move, and avoided it from afar.

There was a boom.

The place where he had just stood collapsed, and the whole sky was full of dust.

Curious, two men approached to check, but heard a sound similar to the turning of a mill below, and suddenly shot countless sharp arrows.

The incident happened suddenly, and the two men had no time to dodge, and were killed by an arrow instantly.