In the smaller side living room next to the Justice Hall, there is also a long table in the middle. Xu Xuegong, Xu Xuezhong, Battle, Li Jie Kundu, and Ah Shan Kun, who had serious expressions, all sat on one side, and Catherine and Henry sat opposite.

Xu Xuezhong asked tentatively, "Can you understand Chinese?" ”

Both Catherine and Henry bowed their heads and did not speak.

Xu Xuegong looked at the two people opposite, and faintly felt that they were very different from the Kokand soldiers he had seen, not like the kind of guy who did a lot of evil. But the speech barrier can't communicate, can't determine their identity, can't get the information they want from their mouths, and feels a little helpless.

When everyone was worried, Xu Xuezhong got up and said, "I'll go and see if Xue Ying has come back, only she knows foreign languages, see if you can try." ”

Xu Xuegong nodded, and Xuezhong walked out.

After a while, Xu Xuezhong came in with Xu Xueying and Xiaomei.

Catherine and Henry heard someone coming in, and subconsciously glanced up at the same time, and then lowered their heads again.

Xu Xueying is a person who has been in a church school for several years to understand the world, and it can be seen at a glance that these two people are of European descent and are by no means Asian faces. And her first impression was that these two people were a little different from the Kokand bandits who killed people without blinking an eye - there was a thick childishness and a hint of conscience in the dark blue eyes. She went straight to Catherine and sat down, and when she saw that the water she had prepared for them was cold, she commanded:

"The water is cold, change two bowls of hot ones for them......"

Xiaomei hurriedly went to change the hot water.

Xu Xueying glanced at Catherine again, and tried to ask in English, "Are you from Kokand?" ”

Catherine and Henry were taken aback when they suddenly heard someone talking to them in English! He raised his head suddenly, looked at Xue Ying in surprise, and shook his head at the same time.

Xu Xueying continued to ask in English: "Then you should be British?" ”

Catherine and Henry looked at Xu Xueying in horror, not knowing how to answer. Thinking that he was already a prisoner of the other party, and that the British mercenaries were also accomplices in the massacre of the people, if he admitted that he was British, the final result would definitely be death; But if you don't recognize your nationality, you have to make up a lot of lies to deal with the other party's interrogation, which is not prepared in advance, and it is not what you want to do...... Just leave it to fate! The two nodded slightly.

Xu Xueying turned around and told everyone: "The two of them are British!" ”

At this time, Catherine coughed violently again......

Xiaomei brought hot water, and Xu Xueying said to Catherine in English: "Let's drink saliva first!" ”

Only then did Catherine tremble and take a sip of the bowl, then gently put it down. Both bowed their heads again and fell silent.

When Battle saw this scene, he felt very uncomfortable. He thought for a while and said to Xu Xuegong: "These two are like childish children, different from the Kokand soldiers. We're all here, maybe they're all scared, so let's just let Xuezhong and Xueying talk to them here first, and see if we can ask something......"

Xu Xuegong nodded, got up and walked out with everyone, leaving only Xu Xuezhong, Xu Xueying, Xiaomei and the two guards.

Xu Xueying saw that Catherine kept coughing, so she asked in English, "Are you sick?" ”

Henry was a little relieved at this time, and said, "She's had a bad cold for several days. After taking the medicine, it still doesn't get better, and I keep coughing......"

Xu Xueying tried Catherine's forehead with the back of her hand, feeling that her hands were already a little hot. She said to Xu Xuezhong:

"We have a lot of colds here, and we're running out of herbs. There were still honeysuckles and licorice, and none of the snow lotuses were gone. For a cold like hers, you have to use Snow Lotus. ”

"It's okay! I'll send someone up to the snowy mountains to pick it now. Xu Xuezhong said.

"In one hour, the sun will set. Is it possible to climb to the top of the mountain after such a long journey? Xu Xueying said with some concern.

"It's okay! Those who really pick snow lotus have their own 'reserved land'. I usually don't move it when I find it, and I only pick it when I use it...... They knew where there was a snow lotus, and asked them to bring torches and come back at night. Xu Xuezhong said, then got up and prepared to go out to arrange for someone to go up to the snow mountain to pick snow lotus.

"There was such a battle today at the Great Glacier and Bingdasaka, and I don't know if the Kokand army that came from behind has gone? Is it safe to go to Bingdaban to pick snow lotus now? Xu Xueying asked.

"It's okay! I think part of their 'self-reserved land' seems to be in the Centipede Ridge on the east side of Tianger Peak, and they go there directly to bypass the Bingdaban and the Great Glacier......" Xu Xuezhong said, and hurriedly walked out......

It was slowly getting dark. Xu Xueying prepared a simple dinner for Catherine and Henry, but Catherine shook her head and said that she had no appetite to eat, and Henry ate a steamed bun......

Late at night. The three people who had been sent out to pick snow lotus returned. They entered the side parlor, where one of them had several strips of green cloth wrapped around his head, and blood was still oozing from the strips, and his leg was a little lame.

"Fell?" Xu Xuezhong hurriedly asked:

"It's okay! I accidentally tripped on the way down the mountain. The man who had been injured in the fall replied.

They handed over the dozen snow lotuses they had just picked back to Xu Xueying.

"It's too dangerous to go up the snowy mountains at this time! Hurry up and let Chinese medicine Li bandage it, and you can eat something and go to rest quickly, it's hard work! Xu Xueying said with some distress. turned around and handed Snow Lotus to Xiaomei, and asked Xiaomei to go and hand it over to Li Zhongyi to boil.

Catherine and Henry, who were next to her, saw this scene clearly, and couldn't help but feel a little moved in their hearts, thinking: "I am their captive, and it is logical that I should be tortured coldly; But they Chinese did not whip themselves, and even almost risked their own lives in order to treat themselves. Do they not hate the robbers who have invaded their homes and slaughtered their fellow citizens? ”

Both of them were a little confused......

Xu Xueying saw the thoughts of the two of them, and said to the two of them in English: "You two are not like Kokand robbers who do all kinds of evil and kill people without blinking. We believe that both of you are innocent, deceived and taken advantage of...... Don't think about it too much, drink the medicine for a while, and treat the disease first......"

Late at night in the green pine village of the Heavenly Wolf Valley. The enemy command post was filled with smoke and the atmosphere was very tense. Sharman, Croun, the adjutant, the two cavalry battalion commanders, and the other three leaders were all terrified by the attack on the Survey Crew and the annihilation of the Cavalry Escort Squad today, and discussed what to do next.

Clun looked anxious, the attack on the mapping team was a huge mental blow to him! This not only makes it difficult for his "core mission" to be achieved, but the British agent who handed him over to him will lose face in front of his superiors, and he will be severely punished if he doesn't get it right! …… He had smoked several cigars in a row.

Clun snuffed out the half-smoked cigar with his fingers, threw it on the ground, and yelled at the lieutenant angrily:

"I still don't understand! Although there is no Chinese army in this area, we have learned the power of these civilian forces, and this is still a very dangerous place. Why did you send a team to protect them? …… If they don't come back, how do I explain to Sir Mike? How can we accomplish our core mission? ”

The adjutant looked frustrated and explained, "Major Croun, we have made arrangements for the safety of the mapping team. Although it was a small squad of cavalry that escorted them to the Great Glacier, at the same time a battalion of cavalry was left specifically at the mouth of the West Valley. While participating in the search of the mountains, this cavalry battalion can respond to the surveying and mapping team at any time in case of danger......"

"Souyama! It's Soushan again! Is this search so important? Even more important than the loss of the mapping team? Clounn interrupted the adjutant impatiently.

"Searching the mountains is indeed very important, and if the Mongols in the Valley of the Celestial Wolf are not eradicated, it will definitely leave a big problem for future operations......" The adjutant wanted to continue to explain.

"! …… You are searching the mountains for fear that someone will run out to report and expose our whereabouts. But what have you found so far, apart from a few half-dead sheep herders? …… You escaped a key man on your first night here, and then his family was rescued by armed civilians. We are already well known here, we have long been completely exposed, and there are no secrets to speak of. But what kind of mountain search operation is still going on, this is simply ridiculous! …… Preparing a cavalry battalion at Nishiguchi is a complete joke! Starting from the mouth of the West Valley to cross the ice Dasaka and then to the Great Glacier, the fastest cavalry also took more than an hour. What does an hour after the alarm go out? It means total destruction! When this cavalry battalion arrives where it should be, all it sees is a corpse that has been thrown away! …… What a stupid arrangement? It's a stupid pig-like conductor! If this continues, not only will we not be able to complete our core mission, but we will all be destroyed in this damn Sirius Valley! Clounn continued to yell hoarsely.

No one else dared to speak up, and no one had the proper way and sufficient reason to appease Crown's anger.

Sharman couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Major Cloun, Catherine, we are all very sad that they have an accident. Tomorrow I will send mobile forces out to find out their whereabouts, and I will find out who is working against us. Where are their nests? We must rescue them first, and then destroy this force and wash away the shame of the Kokand and British soldiers! ”

Clun vented the anger in his heart, seemed to calm down a little, and said worriedly:

"The disappearance of Catherine and Henry would have been better if it had happened ten days later; Because within ten days, the military telegraph provided by the British Empire for the army of Kokand will be delivered. At that time, the situation here can be reported to the base camp immediately by telegram, and additional professionals can arrive as soon as possible...... But now this situation makes us embarrassed, very passive, and very helpless! ”

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased somewhat, the adjutant leaned in and said, "The people who attacked the mapping team should not be too far away from us, and their lair should be within a radius of fifty or sixty kilometers. The reconnaissance detachment has already begun to put on makeup and can set off before dawn. Search from four directions, and you'll have the exact message before dark tomorrow. ”

Clone was very skeptical of the adjutant's arrangement, and said contemptuously: "There are dozens of criss-crossing Tianshan Valleys and dozens of large and small villages in the area you mentioned. Just relying on these people in the reconnaissance detachment, isn't finding their real lair tantamount to looking for a needle in a haystack? I don't understand how you can have such faith? ”

The adjutant hurriedly explained: "At that time, in order to select our advance team base, the reconnaissance detachment had been operating in this area for more than a month in advance, and it had a good understanding of the situation in this area...... There are now four places that are most suspicious: the first is the Baluntai fortress of the Mongol tribe of Turgot; the second is the Taohua Village in Nanshan of Urumqi where the Han militia gathers; the third is the Urumqi Nanshan Chrysanthemum Terrace of the Kazakh Naiman Tribe; The fourth is the Nayinke Grand Canyon and the Baurtu Mountains of the Heshute Mongol tribe. The most advantageous thing for our reconnaissance operation now is that there has been no snow for the past two days, and the horseshoe prints left by these troops on the march will not be covered by the new snow, and the direction of their movement will be completely discerned. ”

After the adjutant said this, Clun felt that he was still a little organized, so he nodded helplessly and said, "May God bless you to find Catherine and them as soon as possible." After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the command post.

Seeing that the adjutant had drawn up a plan for the reconnaissance and search seemed to be very rigorous, and that Clone was basically satisfied, he ordered immediate action according to the plan.

It was late at night. In the side living room of the Taohuazhai Gathering Hall, Xu Xueying and Xu Xuezhong were still accompanying Catherine and Henry. Xu Xueying wrapped Catherine in a fat leather jacket, and every once in a while, she poured out the cool water, and then poured hot boiling water for Catherine to drink slowly. But Catherine still had a fever and cough......

Xiaomei pushed the door and came in, holding a large bowl of freshly fried Chinese medicine in her hand.

Xu Xueying took the medicine bowl and said to Catherine in English: "This is made with freshly picked Tianshan Snow Lotus and several Chinese herbs, which is the most effective in treating colds. Hurry up and drink it and sleep again, this is only used by Gege and Niangniang in the palace. ”

Catherine hesitated and glanced at Henry, who smiled and nodded.

Catherine picked up the medicine bowl and tried to take a sip, but immediately "Wow! He spit out, his expression was extremely painful, and he cried out:

"It's bitter!"

Xu Xueying said in English: "The medicine that can cure diseases is bitter, and the more bitter it is, the more effective it is." Drink it slowly......"

Henry asked Xueying: "Miss Xu, I just saw the three people who sent the snow lotus, one of them had a head injury, and his leg seemed to be broken, was it an injury from climbing the snow mountain to pick snow lotus?" ”

Xu Xueying replied in English: "Yes! At that time, it must have been dangerous to go up the snowy mountain, but when I was going down the mountain, I accidentally slipped down and hit my head and thighs on the stones, but the injury was not serious...... This freshly picked snow lotus can not only cure colds, but also have the function of stopping bleeding, directly mashed and applied to the wound, it can be effective immediately. They're fine, it doesn't matter, it's fine to recuperate for two days......"

Catherine and Henry looked at each other as if they were feeling a strong sense of gratitude...... Catherine finally insisted on drinking the bowl of Chinese herbal soup. Although she looked pained, her heart was much brighter.

Xu Xueying saw that Catherine had finished drinking the medicine, her heart was a little more steady, and she said in English: "After drinking the medicine, go to bed quickly, and wake up tomorrow...... Henry is resting here, and there is a quilt on the small bed next to him, so you can make do with it. Catherine and Mei came to my room to rest, and the rest will be talked about tomorrow......"

Henry felt very relaxed at this time, and said to Catherine, "I think sleeping here is more comfortable than in the Valley of the Wolves. You go with Miss Xu, and I'll sleep well here. See you tomorrow! ”

Xu Xueying took Catherine and Xiaomei back to her residence......

Ahsankun left Battle late and returned to their felt bags. In the felt bag, Bao Lidu and Cai Layer Batu slept very sweetly. The clouds are looking after the two children, waiting for him to return, and have something important to say.

"Did everything go well today?" Cloud asked.

"Today's operation went well, and all the people and horses who went to the Great Glacier to destroy the Kokand thieves were killed...... Two more were caught. ”

"Did you ask anything?"

"Those two men were British, young children, not murderous scoundrels like the Kokand thieves. They don't understand us, Xueying understands British and is trying to communicate with them...... It's so late, hurry up and go to bed! ”

When Yun Duo heard Ahshan Kundu say the word "sleep", his eyes suddenly widened as if he remembered something, and he grabbed Ahshan Kundu's hand and said eagerly:

"I'm waiting for you, I have something to tell you quickly. I also fell asleep while I was waiting for you just now...... In a trance, I saw the leader of Sangeji open the curtain and come in, walked to the side of Caitai Batu and Baolidu, leaned down and touched the heads of the two children, turned to me and nodded and smiled, and got up and walked out. He walked to the door and turned back to me and said, 'Clouds! You have to tell Ahsan that our Sharga Sumu and the surviving people are locked up in the Tibetan Soldier Cave in Qingsong Village, go and save them! After saying that, he shook a snow lotus in his hand, and then opened the door and left. I wanted to send him off, but I woke up from a dream......"

Ahsankun was taken aback after hearing this! I felt like my heart was being jerked...... couldn't help but burst into tears, and said to the clouds:

"This is the old man asking us a dream, to save the living as soon as possible! …… You rest first and take care of the two little ones. I'm going to find Battle right now! ”

Asan Kundu said, immediately put on his leather jacket, took out the felt bag, and walked briskly towards Battle's felt bag......