Shu Yan was overjoyed and knew that he was saved. Although I can't see the faces of these people clearly and don't know their identities, since they are the same kind, there is no reason to see death and not save them.

Just as he was about to struggle to get up, he saw a woman wearing a white veil hat jump off a camel and said urgently: "You are very weak, don't be in a hurry to get up." ”

Shu Yan sat up, and the woman took out a gourd from her thick bag and handed it to him. Shu Yan glanced at the woman, tall and tall, with a free and easy demeanor, wearing a white Dawan-style women's dress, and a mask in the white gauze hat. This is the usual attire of a woman in the desert area, he didn't dare to look closely, and took the gourd, it turned out that there was still some temperature, and he knew that it was overwarm. 33

"Drink slowly, don't rush."

Drink a sip of warm water, from the lips, tongue, mouth, to the stomach, all the way to moisturize, all the way warm. Shu Yan knew that his long-dried stomach was as weak as his appearance, and he didn't dare to drink it all even if he was eager for it. He listened to the woman's words and slowly drank half a gourd of water.

Shu Yan was halfway drunk, and suddenly remembered Zhao Shunlai, and hurriedly shouted: "There is another person, save him too!" As he spoke, he turned around and moved to Zhao Shun, who was lying next to him.

"You don't have to do it! Rest for someone to save him. The woman commanded, took a robe from the hands of others, and reproached tenderly: "At this season, the night is very cold, and I actually wear so little!" ”

Shu Yan stretched out his hand to take it and stood up from the sand pit, slightly struggling. The woman subconsciously wanted to help forward, but stopped abruptly and let Shu Yan put on her clothes.

At this time, an old man got down from a tall camel, walked up to Shu Yan, and said with a smile in a stiff Luoyang official dialect: "Oh, isn't this Shu Lang?" ”

Shu Yan ate a bunch of food, in this deserted place thousands of miles away, someone actually knows me! He looked at the old man by the moonlight, and he looked very much like a Dawan person in terms of appearance and clothing, and when he looked at his face, he really looked familiar, but he couldn't remember it for a while. He arched his hand and said embarrassedly: "Uncle, please forgive me for being clumsy, I really can't remember, and please make it clear to the old man." ”

"Hahaha." The old man also arched his hand and said, "No wonder, we only met on one side, and it was a few years ago. Do you remember the Dawan father and daughter in Yuewu Restaurant? ”

"Dawan father and daughter?" Shu Yan was startled, and then recalled carefully, and sure enough, it was the Dawan merchant Tuge. "Uncle, why are you? When I left Yuewu Restaurant, weren't you still in Luoyang? And thanks to the road map you gave me to go west, it helped me a lot along the way! When he said this, he was to bow down.

Tug hurriedly clasped his hands together and said: "That year, our father and daughter were killed in Luoyang, and my daughter Luowa had a very good impression of you, and she has always praised you as a benevolent and righteous person. This time, my father and daughter were doing business in Luoyang, and when they heard that you were going to Dawan, they knew that you had no experience, so they gave you a road map I had drawn. ”

When the two of them were talking, there was already Tuge's entourage next to him who was treating Zhao Shun. However, Zhao Shun's physique was not as strong as Shu Yan's, and he had passed out. Gently pried his teeth open, dripped some water in, and supplemented by the method of pinching people, but still did not return.

"He's not awake, is he dead?" An attendant.

Tug hurriedly walked over and touched Zhao Shun's snort, which was still warm.

"Maybe there is still salvation, keep him warm first, and at the same time give him a slow drip."

Someone took a few warm clothes and put them on Zhao Shun's body, treating him in the same way.

When there was no hope, Shu Yan was very calm about death, and now that he has a chance to survive, of course he is anxious. He said to Tug very worriedly: "Uncle, we have a total of three people, and we have buried one yesterday, you must save this one!" ”

Tug nodded a little embarrassed and said, "It depends on his own body, we can only do our best." It's best to be alive, and if you can't, don't be too sad, after all, the living are more important than the dead. After comforting Shu Yan, he ordered his subordinates: "Set up the tent and spend the night here." ”

The men set up their tents with all their hands and feet.

Shu Yan was unwilling, so he gathered around Zhao Shun, and before the tent was completed, he heard a slight sound in Zhao Shun's throat, and then slowly opened his eyes.

"He's finally alive." Shu Yan cried with joy and shouted to Tuge and the others.

Tug was certainly pleased. At this time, the tent had just been set up, so he said to Shu Yan: "It's cold outside, let's come into the tent." ”

These people are accustomed to this kind of road, have a lot of experience in desert life, and are even more familiar with pitching tents. In a matter of moments, four tents were erected, each of which could accommodate four people.

I didn't know how to arrange it, so I listened to Tuge: "Traveling thousands of miles, it is best to travel lightly and simply, and it is not advisable to carry too many bags." It's a shame to say that our tent was originally customized for the number of people, and there was not much surplus. Now that there are more people, I can only squeeze in. According to the Chinese etiquette, the master and the servant should be divided into superior and inferior, and should not live together. But I know that you Shulang is a tolerant and generous person, and besides, your retinue has just woken up, and you can't rest assured that you will be left to someone else to take care of you, and the three of us will live in a tent, and we need to squeeze in two of my retinues, I don't know what you think? ”

After listening to this, Shu Yan was sincerely afraid: "I am grateful to be able to allow the old man to take him in, and besides, I Shu Yan is also from a poor family, and I have never cared about the dignity and humility, as long as the old man is convenient, I have nothing to say." ”

Tug nodded, and ordered someone to carry Zhao Shun into a tent. Shu Yan was either taking care of Zhao Shun or talking to Tuge just now, and suddenly remembered that the girl was coming, and unexpectedly turned his head to look, only to find that the girl was staring at him silently in the dark. Although he had no distractions, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. Fortunately, after the girl was discovered by Shu Yan, she also moved into a tent.

There were more than a dozen people in Tug's caravan, only this one woman, and the rest were all men. Of the four tents, the woman had one for herself, and the rest were crammed into three tents. Shu Yan didn't know who this woman was, and listening to their tone, it should be Tuge's daughter. But since there was only one woman, why not bring a smaller tent? Such a large tent only lives for one person, not to mention too much, it is inconvenient to carry, and it is even more laborious to set up.

Shu Yan was wondering, when he heard two people talking to the two people who were fastening the ropes to the tent:

"Think how spacious we were when we came. It's good to vacate this big tent for her to live alone, so that we are crowded like this. ”

"People are women, so they can't sleep with us."

"Oops, it's okay to have one Huawa, but there are two more, but how to squeeze!"

"It's getting colder, and it's getting warmer."

"That's all I can think about."

The two of them were talking, and after tying the rope, they came back in a circle, and when they saw Shu Yan, they were busy and stopped talking. Just as he heard Tug calling him, Shu Yan followed him into the tent. There are bunks in the tent, which are the size of the tent, just right for four people, and a little crowded for five people. Although it's not as comfortable as sleeping at home, at least it's warm.

"This time I went to Luoyang and sold a lot of goods back. There are no thieves here, but wild beasts will still haunt them. Sit down and rest, and I'll take care of my caravan. Tug said and went out.

The moment he lifted the curtain, Shu Yan caught a glimpse of a wisp of cooking smoke rising outside, and the woman was cooking something on a simple stove. He couldn't help but open the curtain and look out, somehow, this cooking scene reminded him of Xiao Mo in an instant. It was a commonplace, a blissful moment, but how long have I been—or never have been able to enjoy it.

After a while, Tug came back and saw Shu Yan looking at the entrance of the tent, so he stopped and smiled without saying a word.

Shu Yan was very embarrassed, I was afraid that the other party would mistakenly think that he was peeping at other people's daughters, what had happened!

Tuge seemed to be completely unconscious, and smiled at Shu Yan: "You haven't stuck to your teeth for several days, and it is not suitable to eat hard rice at present, my daughter Huawa specially cooked porridge, and it will be fine immediately." ”

"Your daughter?" Shu Yan remembered and said, "Isn't her name Luowa, and I've met in Yuewu Restaurant?" ”

Tug paused and smiled, "Do I have to have only one daughter?" ”

"Are you two daughters?"

"Of course, the one you've seen is my second daughter, named Luowa. This is my eldest daughter, named Huawa. ”

"Oh, I see. I didn't hear the owner of Yuewu Restaurant talk about this, he only said that you didn't take Luowa to Luoyang this time, it turned out that you brought this daughter. ”

Tug laughed but didn't answer.

Shu Yan said a little puzzled: "When I left Luoyang, I heard the owner of Yuewu Restaurant say, uncle, you still have goods that you haven't sold, why did you suddenly sell the goods and turn back?" ”

"Uh-" Tug hesitated slightly.

An entourage next to him said, "It's not because of Huawa?" She insisted that we get rid of the goods and rush back! ”

Tug glanced at the man and smiled at Shu Yan, "Don't listen to him. To do business, the most important thing is to look at the market. If the market is favorable, the transaction will be made in time, and it will be very happy to buy and sell. At that time, the market was on a downward trend, and of course I had to make a timely move. ”

"Business is changing rapidly, and it's normal for you to close deals as soon as possible. I'm amazed that you were able to catch up with us so quickly with a caravan. And the desert is so big, it's incredible to be able to meet us when we've already gone off course! ”

"Keep urging, day and night, can you not be happy?" The attendant said this, and when he saw Tug glaring at him sternly, he hurried out.

"Actually, it's really my daughter's credit to be able to find out that you. We walked to a place where it was already dark and we were about to set up our tent and sleep, but Huawa noticed that there were fireworks here. Dozens of miles off the safe route, on the verge of a land of death, there is no water source at all. I thought someone must have been unable to find the way, so I rushed over with someone, and I met you. ”

As he was talking, sure enough, an entourage brought a pot of porridge and served a bowl to Shu Yan and Zhao Shun. Maybe it's because he hasn't eaten for several days, this bowl of porridge tastes so delicious, Shu Yan ate two big bowls in a row, and he couldn't get enough of eating up the porridge in the pot. This is the most comfortable meal he has eaten since Xiao Mo left.

"My daughter said, your stomach has been empty for a long time, and you can't stand it if you eat too much at once, so you won't do more, and tomorrow your body will be well, and then let you eat enough."

Shu Yan put down the dishes and chopsticks, and said with a smile: "What the old man said is, please thank Ling Ai on my behalf." ”

After resting for the night, Shu Yan had fully recovered on the second day. Although Zhao Shun has not recovered, he does not need to be taken care of. Breakfast was minced porridge, with meat added gradually.

After everyone had eaten, Tug ordered the tents to be put away, and encouraged: "There is Yanqi City not far ahead, let's work harder, and strive to advance to the city at sunset, and it is more comfortable to live in the city than in the wilderness." ”

The crowd obeyed Tüg's orders and prepared to walk. Shu Yan and Zhao Shun still rode their own camels, and Liu Cai's camel had no owner. Shu Yan wanted it to help Tuge's camel team share some other heavy loads, but the caravan didn't carry much cargo on the return trip, and the camels were very relaxed, so they let it follow behind and walk empty. Tug is an old acquaintance on the Silk Road and is very familiar with the road conditions. He led the way in front, Shu Yan followed behind him, but the woman Huawa walked at the end of the line. Shu Yan was secretly puzzled: Chinese women are generally at home, do not contact strange men, and pay attention to whether men and women give or receive kisses. Since this woman from the Western Regions has gone abroad to do business, how can she avoid men and women like a woman in the Central Plains!

Everyone was fed up with the suffering in the wilderness, so they all worked harder, and really rushed to Yanqi City before sunset. Of course, the conditions in the city are much better than in the wilderness, and the Yanqi Kingdom is still a relatively famous and prosperous city-state among the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions. The group found an inn in the city and enjoyed the night.

The next day, Tuge said to Shu Yan: "When I returned from Luoyang, I was in a hurry, the goods were not purchased enough, and half of the burden was still empty. Now that I am here, I want to go to the market to have a look and buy some convenient goods to bring back to Dawan to sell. Speaking of which, don't laugh at me for being greedy for money. ”

Shu Yan hurriedly smiled: "It is the duty of a businessman to buy and sell, and it should be so. Besides, so many camels are empty, otherwise it would be too wasteful to walk and feed in vain, and it is time to sell some goods back. ”

"Good, good. When I first arrived here, I had to investigate carefully, and I couldn't act blindly. But don't worry, we won't be delayed for too long, and we'll leave tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. ”

Some people died, but not completely......