Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Six: See Lei Speedily Return
Five days later.
An airship landed outside Cheshi City.
In total, it is six thousand miles from Jiuquan in Guizhou to Cheshi in the Western Regions.
Nowadays, trains do not connect to the Western Regions and only go to Lanzhou at most, so they are not an ideal means of travel.
Think before and after.
Zhang Heng chose the airship, which is relatively fast and does not have high requirements on the landing location.
“Is this Cheshi City?”
Zhang Heng stepped off the airship and frowned as he looked at the small city in front of him.
“Commander, this is Cheshi City, an important town in the Western Regions. Among the hundreds of kingdoms in the Western Regions in ancient times, it was called the Cheshi Kingdom.”
Zhang Xiaofo followed behind Zhang Heng, with Adjutant Wu on the left and right.
“It looks very small, and the city is quite dilapidated.”
Zhang Heng looked forward, and when he saw the men standing at the city gate holding spears, who looked like gate soldiers out of touch with the times, he was speechless and said: "Spear soldiers, they are ancient enough!"
“Commander, it’s not surprising that no one has cared about the Western Region since the Eight-Nation Allied Forces entered Beibu. Even trade has been greatly affected by this. This has been twenty years.”
“As for Yang Zengxin, the King of the Western Regions, the local old Uighurs call him a fool. He is also an existence that cannot be explained in detail.”
"This man was a Jinshi in the fifteenth year of Guangxu's reign, a Confucian scholar. He believed in Huang Lao's way and promoted the rule of non-action, which meant that he did not have to do anything, and the people in the Western Regions would not starve themselves to death."
“It turns out that they won’t kill themselves, but they won’t be too happy either.”
“In addition, he also has two mantras, what are they called: Don’t ask about the affairs of the Central Plains when there are disputes, and you will become an ancient people in ignorance.”
"Refuse to intervene in external disputes. As the general trend of the world is, if we divide for a long time, we will unite, and if we unite for a long time, we will divide."
"When the world is under great rule, he, who is guarding the Western Regions, will be a first-class hero. He can just sit back and wait for the princes for generations. He does not have much ideals and ambitions."
“Of course, it’s not all bad.”
“This person is strongly opposed to the independence of the Western Regions. He is also a good political hand. He can help the various tribes in the Western Regions to reconcile and mediate disputes. The various tribes also support him.”
“In terms of military strength, he has three regiments with more than 4,000 people, mainly stationed in Dihua.”
“The weapons used are relatively backward, but now everyone has too much time to take care of themselves. The terrain in the Western Region is complex and the people’s livelihood is difficult, so no one can care about him.”
Although Zhang Xiaofo is young, he is only twenty-three-four.
But he went to the grave at the age of eight and followed his family in fighting everywhere, and he also had a deep understanding of the Western Regions.
Listen to his explanation.
Zhang Heng finally knows what kind of existence this King of the Western Regions is. He is a complete bastard.
That is to say, in the Western Regions, when placed in the Central Plains, people had already beaten out their brains.
"Forget it, what does this matter have to do with us? Let's go to the city first to see my uncle. Business is more important."
Zhang Heng traveled lightly this time and did not bring many people with him.
There are five people, Zhang Xiaofo, Adjutant Wu and a guard platoon, so there are only a dozen people in total.
However, when they entered the city, they still caused some commotion.
Although the guard platoon was not large in number, each one was armed to the teeth. The spearmen guarding the city gate looked at each other in a daze, as if they were seeing future warriors.
“Uncle.”
In an inn in Cheshi City, Zhang Heng found the Star Reacher.
Zhaixing Taoist looks a little thinner and tanned compared to half a year ago.
But his energy is good, his eyes are as bright as lightning, and he seems to be making progress in his Taoism.
"coming!"
The Taoist Taoist smiled.
“Uncle Master, how is the situation here?”
Zhang Heng sat next to Taoist Master Zhaixing, and he did not forget to introduce: "These five are gold-touching experts I invited from Changsha."
“It’s not easy to handle.”
“It stands to reason that Chishi Ridge is not far from Cheshi City. People here should have heard rumors about the Hanban.”
“But I searched and searched, but I still didn’t know their description of the Drought Demon.”
“It is expected that the drought demon has either returned to the heaven or has become ancient and has not appeared for hundreds of years, so these people have no impression of it.”
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing briefly told Zhang Heng what he had learned.
Hearing his words, Zhang Heng thought for a moment and said: "Since the early Ming Dynasty, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth has begun to decline. It has been more than six hundred years."
“From that time on, the world was no longer suitable for the existence of drought demons.”
“If it goes, it will go. If it doesn’t go, it will probably only decline with the times. It’s not surprising if it dies.”
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing nodded and said: "I think so too, but it doesn't matter if it dies, the teleportation array it guards will be difficult to find."
Zhang Heng took the words and said: "I have a stupid idea. The five of them are all masters of gold. If you are willing to spend time, let them search the entire Chishi Ridge. If you don't believe it, you can't find it."
“However, this method may take a long time, and it may not be possible for several years.”
“Uncle Master, you are good at stargazing and divination. I wonder if you can think of something from this?”
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing shook his head: "Han Ba, it sounds like a monster, but it is not the case. Its personality is God, the God of Drought."
“To speculate on its affairs is like calculating on gods.”
"Don't say it's me. Even if we invite all the people in the world who are good at deduction, we still won't be able to deduce anything related to it. Otherwise, I don't have to worry."
Hear this.
Zhang Heng was silent for a while and then asked: "Uncle Master, have you told the ancestors of the Yinsi about this?"
Taoist Master Zhaixing waved his hand: "It is the Jade Emperor's intention to depose the teleportation array and change it to the way of ascension. Even if the ancestors know the location of the teleportation array, they cannot tell us, otherwise it will violate the rules of heaven."
Zhang Heng didn't see it that way and said: "Let's talk to the ancestors. The ancestors only know that we are looking for the teleportation array again. They don't know that the approximate location of the teleportation array has been found now. We only need the precise location. Tell us, maybe there is
An unexpected bonus.”
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing thought about it and felt that it didn’t matter if he gave it a try, so he nodded and agreed.
That night.
Zhang Heng and his party stayed at an inn in Cheshi City.
Later midnight.
Zhang Heng was sleeping soundly and had a vague dream.
In the dream, outside Chishi Ridge, there was a divine general wearing an emerald crown, gold and jade clothes, holding a three-pointed two-edged sword, and riding a bay-red horse, beckoning him to run to a treasured land.
As a result, before he could take any action, a strong gust of wind suddenly blew in front of him, knocking him off his back.
When you wake up from a dream, open your eyes and take a look.
It turned out that the window was open and a strong wind was blowing outside.
“This dream?”
Zhang Heng frowned slightly.
As the saying goes, saints have no dreams. Dreams are caused by mental distraction and numerous thoughts.
Zhang Hengming is a man of the Tao and has not had any dreams for a long time.
Now he suddenly had a dream, and there were many abnormal scenes in the dream, which always made him feel that there was something profound about it.
It’s dawn.
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing knocked on Zhang Heng's door, sighed and said to him: "Last night I told the ancestors about the teleportation array. The ancestors just said that everything should be done as it happens, don't force anything, it seems they won't ask us.
What did you reveal?"
Zhang Heng was silent for a while and then said: "Uncle Master, I had a dream yesterday. I dreamed that a god took me to a treasure land. I'm afraid this dream is not simple."
“Treasure land?”
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing became serious: "Please tell me carefully."
Zhang Heng recounted this dream in a few words.
After hearing what he said, Taoist Taoist Zhaixing was overjoyed: "This man of God must have pointed it out. That treasure place is most likely the location of the Drought Palace. This is your dream."
“Uncle.”
Zhang Heng quickly stopped: "The teleportation array has long been banned by the Heavenly Palace. The ancestors abide by the heavenly rules, how could they know the law and break the law? This dream is really just a dream."
When Taoist Zhaixing heard this, he nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right. Seeing how happy I am, I'm confused even when I speak."
After speaking, he added: "This dream is a good omen. Since you dreamed that there will be a god guiding you outside Chishi Ridge, let's set off immediately. Don't miss the opportunity."
Zhang Heng thought so too.
Everyone packed their bags, took water bags and dried meat, and headed straight for Chishi Ridge.
At this point, the sky is filled with yellow sand, and there is no guide.
“Is it possible that the man of God hasn’t arrived yet?”
Zhaixing Taoist murmured a little.
Zhang Heng didn’t know what he meant, so he could only ask people to set up camp and live outside Chishi Ridge first.
This stay is three days.
Another early morning, Zhang Heng suddenly heard the sound of camel bells coming from outside.
When I went out, I saw an old man and a young man coming.
They were riding an old camel. The older one was sixty or seventy years old and the younger one was seventy or eight years old. They looked like a pair of grandfather and grandson.
Asked again, they were local residents living outside Cheshi City and were preparing to go to Chishi Ridge to catch wild camels.
“Uncle, I’m sorry.”
“In the dream, there were bay-red horses, and they were riding old camels.”
“There is no emerald crown, gold and jade clothes, not to mention the three-pointed two-edged sword. I do have a set of shabby robes and a horse harness, but they are not comparable to the attire of a divine general.”
Zhang Heng whispered to Taoist Taoist Zhaixing.
“It’s a bit wrong, but the representation of things like dreams may not be so accurate.”
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing also murmured in his heart: "We have been here for three days. Let's treat the dead horse as a living horse. What if there is something harvested?"
Zhang Heng thought about it, this dead horse died completely.
Okay, let’s treat it first. After all, it’s a rainy day to spank the child, so it’s just idle time.
“Uncle, what is your surname? Do you understand Chinese?”
Zhang Heng called out to the old man wearing a small round hat and long robe.
“My name is Kurban. When I was young, I went to the customs to sell fruit and I can understand Chinese.”
Uncle Kurban answered first, and then asked: "Who are you? This is Chishi Ridge. You'd better not go in, otherwise you will get lost and die there easily."
When Zhang Heng saw that the old man could speak Chinese, he thought it would be easier to communicate with him, so he said bluntly: "We are scholars from Guan Nei, and we are looking for another underground palace. Do you know?"
Uncle Kurban shook his head: "There are only wild camels in Chishiling. There is nothing but camels."
“You don’t know?”
Zhang Heng’s heart cooled, and he asked again: “Do you know what is a treasured place in Chishi Ridge?” Fearing that he would not understand, he explained: “It’s just a very good place?”
“This place is not good, not good at all.”
“We have no choice but to live here, there is no other place to go.”
"Treasure land. Without treasure land, it would be very dangerous."
Uncle Kurban still shook his head.
This time, Zhang Heng’s heart became even colder, and he looked at Taoist Taoist Zhaixing: “Uncle Master, it doesn’t look like that!”
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing was also very distressed, so he could only say: "Let me see it this way. I will follow him in, and I will go wherever he goes. I will walk along and see if I find anything."
the other side.
When Uncle Kurban heard that he wanted to follow him, he asked him to walk through the Chishi Ridge. He shook his head at the places he had visited.
Because he came with his children this time, he just wanted to see if there were any lone wild camels on the outskirts of Chishi Ridge and pick up some bargains, and was not prepared to go in depth.
He also explained to Zhang Heng that it was very dangerous to go deep into Chishi Ridge.
There are some places he has been to when he was young, but after going there once, he never dared to go there again. Now he only dares to wander around the outskirts.
“We have the camels and supplies you need.”
“You go, your child doesn’t have to go, he stays in the camp.”
“When you come back, I will give you ten gold bars, enough for you to become Master Kurban and enjoy your old age, and you will never come to Chishiling again.”
Zhang Heng is very good at persuading others.
Anyway, after seeing the gold bars and Adjutant Wu's pistol, Uncle Kurban compromised.
“Uncle, it’s all up to you.”
Zhang Heng did not go with him on this trip.
Since there were few people, it was easy to get things done, so the only people who went were Uncle Kurban, Taoist Master Zhaixing, and Zhang Xiaofo.
In addition to the three of them, there were six camels, and even Hei Laoliu and the others stayed behind.
“I don’t think this Kurban is a dreamer. He treats a dead horse as a living horse doctor.”
"Stay in the camp and stop anyone else if you see them. The person who said he was not in compliance with the dream is still behind."
Before leaving, Taoist Zhaixing explained to Zhang Heng again and again.
Zhang Heng nodded and took note, sending the Taoist Master out.
Until I could no longer see him, I turned around and found that little Kurban, who had stayed with them, was looking into the distance with a look of reluctance, fiddling with the holes in his tattered robe.
"This child's clothes are in tatters. Let me take out Little Buddha's clothes and change them. Let's get him some new clothes."
Yi Xinyue saw the holes in little Kurban's clothes and said with a motherly voice.
Zhang Heng nodded and didn't care.
the next day.
“Emerald Crown?”
Little Kurban came out of the tent with a watermelon rind on his head.
“Gold and jade clothes?”
Look again.
Little Kurban is wearing a gold jacket with a jade buckle, and uses Zhang Xiaofo’s clothes to change Xiaohou’s coat.
When the sun shines on my body, it shines golden, like a jade garment with golden threads.
“Three-pointed two-edged sword?”
Little Kurban came out, holding a branch in his hand.
This branch has three branches at the top. He is holding it in his hand and gesturing, like a three-pointed two-edged knife.
“Dark red horse?”
Little Kurban wears a watermelon rind on his head, holds a tree branch in his hand, and holds a maroon tent frame between his legs to make a horse.
After leaving the tent, he waved the branches and made chopping motions, as if fighting an invisible enemy again.
“His!”
Zhang Heng took a breath.
the other side.
Taoist Taoist Zhaixing and Zhang Xiaofo are eating sand with Uncle Kurban.
Suddenly, there were bursts of thunder in the sky, causing the Star Reacher to instantly raise his head.
"go back."
The Taoist priest turns the camel around.
“Taoist priest, what’s wrong?”
Both Zhang Xiaofo and Kurban were a little confused.
“Three thunders will sound, and thunder will return quickly.”
The Taoist priest slapped the camel on the butt: "This is the signal for us to go back!"
Zhang Xiaofo was stunned for a while after hearing this.
Looking up at the sky, I found that after three thunderclaps, the thunderclouds dispersed quickly.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Xiaofo was a little confused: "Jing Lei summons, is this still a human being?"