The first destination of this class beyond the Western Regions is still exactly the same as the original historical line, which is the country of Khotan.

Therefore, the route along the way is basically the same as last time, nothing more than a short rest after arriving in Shanshanguo, and then continue to reach the western city of Khotan.

Therefore, on this road, for Hu Biao and others, who are already a little familiar with the road, there is really not much to say.

If there is anything unusual, then they have passed this way, and they have been a little too calm.

The horse bandits and sand thieves who herded and farmed along the Silk Road, and who made waves when they encountered the right targets, seemed to have disappeared in one night.

It's very good to be ready to fight, vent the feeling of being idle to the bones some time ago, and grab some more war horses by the way.

On the peaceful journey all the way, I am very unaccustomed to it.

That is, after crossing the desert and the next door, the group came to the edge of the big lake in Lop Nur, and the situation changed somewhat.

At that time, AT, who assumed the responsibility of scouting, met some migrating Shanshan herdsmen by the lake during the reconnaissance process of going out two or three miles ahead.

This is from their mouths, I heard that in the last month or two, a gang of horse bandits called 'bald thieves' has risen in the territory of Khotan.

This group of horse bandits is very eccentric, and it is said that all of them are shiny bald heads.

On weekdays, they don't see them plundering the surrounding small tribes, but they are looking for the famous horse bandits and sand thieves in the surrounding area.

After each time the bandits were eliminated, the bald robbers took only a portion of the loot, and the rest was given to members of the surrounding small tribes.

Now it is loved by some small tribes, and the momentum is also quite amazing.

So much so that these herdsmen are also looking forward to the day when the bald thieves will be killed in Shanshanguo, because they can also do it.

Such a news was then secretly told to Hu Biao and others by AT.

"Special! Lao Yang's taste is really a little worse, and the broken name of 'bald thief' has no momentum at all. ”

From the statements in the mouths of those herdsmen, it is basically determined that those 'bald thieves' are simply Hu Biao and others who were tossed out by Yang Dongli and them.

After looking at each other for a while, he whispered a sentence in his mouth.

Miraculously, when Hu Biao complained about such a sentence, in the Baishan base, which was nearly 2,000 miles away, Yang Dongxuan, who had just returned with his subordinates, sneezed loudly in his mouth.

"Not good! I caught a little cold last night, and the bearded girl always kicked the old man in my blanket~"

Thinking so about Comrade Lao Yang in his heart, he tightened his sheepskin robe; Now his dress and temperament are already very much like a serious Hu man.

As for being called a 'bald thief'? The mouth grows on someone else's body, and others call it that way in private, what can he do? He's also powerless......

*****

In the time that followed, because nothing happened quietly all the way, so under the fast whip of Hu Biao and them, the Shanshan country was getting closer and closer.

A day or two later, the capital of Shanshan Kingdom was destroyed by the mud city.

The low city wall is faintly in everyone's sight.

Just like last time, Ban Chao beckoned everyone to pause for a while before entering the city, and tidied up his clothes, which can be regarded as a must not lose the demeanor of a Han envoy in front of the Hu people in the Western Regions.

But after everything was ready, Ban Chao turned over and was ready to move forward again.

Hu Biao walked to the head of the horse, grabbed the reins of Banchao's war horse, and said:

"Ban Sima, I don't know if my subordinates are worthy of Sima's trust?"

"Unification, how do you say this? You and I have been born and died many times, and Ban naturally trusts you absolutely. After hearing this, Ban Chao immediately expressed this in his mouth.

The tone of the answer was very affirmative, and the process was not even the slightest hesitation.

Seeing this, Hu Biao also let go of the last bit of worry in his heart.

The main thing is that he is about to enter the capital of Shanshanguo, Mud City, as long as Ban Chao contacts Shanshanguo after entering, Yang Dongli and the others have already run away, so naturally they can't hide it.

Even with Ban Chao's brain, he can easily think of the so-called 'bald thief',

In fact, it is a gang tossed out by Yang Dongli.

In a sense, this is also a major crime of deceiving superiors, and it can even be regarded as a major crime of rebellion; Because this is a private recruitment, in the eyes of some officials, you say, do you want to rebel?

If Ban Chao wanted to march in anger, it would be a huge trouble.

Fortunately, Ban Chao himself is not a pedantic person, and his trust in Hu Biao is also quite sufficient.

This made Hu Biao think for a while, and then took the initiative to start confessing: "Ban Sima, since the last battle with the Hun envoys, my subordinates feel that I can't wait for more than 30 people in the Western Regions, and they are still lonely.

If you have to do that risky method every time, it will not be a way in the long run.

So before leaving, I withstood Yang Shichang and the others, and after recovering from my injuries, I didn't have to rush back in a hurry, but secretly recruited some people in the Western Regions for future use.

Please rest assured, we have no intention of being self-reliant in the Western Regions, and these manpower are naturally handed over to Sima for Sima to drive. ”

After hearing this, Ban Chao's face was quite exciting, and he stared at Hu Biao with an annoyed look.

In the end, after 'sigh~', he said dejectedly:

"In a hurry, this is just the way to do it; But you must remember that you must not act like this in the future, so as not to be suspicious of His Majesty and Shangguan.

This time, Ban will help you cover it up as much as possible.

Remember to use the manpower recruited this time in the future, and try not to be involved with us; Gan Ying, Tian Xi, Ma San, you and others should remember that this matter should not be spread randomly. ”

In the past few months, he has already had a very good relationship with Hu Biao and others, and he just agreed.

Speaking of this, after thinking of something, Ban Chao asked again:

"The Great Immortal of the Western Regions, how can they contact Yang Shichang and the others in the future, and in addition, in just a few months, how many people can Yang Shichang and the others recruit, and do they have a scale of 100 people?"

Joke! If there are only 100 people, where can the 'bald thief' have such a big momentum?

Based on Hu Biao's perception of Yang Dongli and others, under the hard work of these guys, if their team is counted as cannon fodder, there are at least three or five hundred people.

But in order not to overstimulate Ban Chao, this thing said half-truthfully:

"Ban Sima doesn't need to worry, presumably after I appear in the capital of Shanshanguo, they will come to contact me; Yang Shichang is a good general, and the scale of 100 people under his command should be there.

And the combat power he has is placed among the Hu people, and he can be regarded as an elite manpower. ”

Hearing such a statement, Ban Chao no longer had any doubts.

After taking everyone with him, he marched towards the capital of Shanshanguo.

It's just that even Hu Biao doesn't know how much he looks down on the ability of Yang Dongli and others to pull the team with his evaluation of only three to five hundred people.

Soon after, he knew how naïve his thoughts were......

lq