What greeted Xia and Shang was a sluggish wind, whistling and blowing the sand and gravel on the ground, making it difficult to open one's eyes.
The village is not small and can be seen at a glance, but many of the houses have been abandoned for many years. The whole village is empty, and there seems to be no one there.
When we got here, the old man who had been silent finally spoke: "Many people have left and gone to the capital. Some have died, and some have become famous and bought a house in the capital. Anyway, if you go out, you will never come back again."
. There are also people fishing for treasures by the river. No one in the village is normal at this time."
Xia Shang responded.
"Granddaughter, take them back. Grandpa will go to the hillside to the east to find some herbs."
"Oh, come with me."
The little girl ran to the front quickly.
The old man was a little worried and added: "Don't let your mother know."
"Grandpa, don't worry, I know."
The little girl took Xia Shang back home, but before entering the house, the little girl said to Xia Shang seriously: "When you go to my house, don't speak loudly. Mother doesn't like outsiders."
Xia Shang was a little surprised, but he didn't ask any more questions and followed the little girl into a dilapidated courtyard.
Judging from the direction of the courtyard door, it is obvious that you entered through the back door.
This family was really poor. The yard was full of yellow mud, and a stone mill had been abandoned for who knows how long. There was no green at all as far as the eye could see. The only life was the two big black sheep and a few calves in the sheepfold.
Why didn't Xia Shang really think he was in the Gobi Desert if he couldn't hear the sound of the Yellow River?
The little girl took Xia Shang to a remote small woodshed, which was filled with firewood and a bamboo bed covered with dust.
"Just rest here and don't make any noise, okay?"
Xia Shang nodded, and then the little girl left.
Following a strange old man to such a desolate village, Xia Shang also had his own plans.
He wanted to ensure the safety of Sophia, because this woman was of great use to Xia Shang, not just for Dahua. He had always had a bold idea, but he had not implemented it because of the actual situation, but when he saw Sophia and her Western
After becoming friends, Xia Shang felt that one day his vision could be realized, so Sophia must help.
But Sophia's blond hair is too conspicuous. If she enters the capital at this time, she will be noticed by others, and it is not allowed to reveal her whereabouts.
In order to hide it, Xia Shang put a lot of yellow mud on Sophia's hair before meeting the old man, so neither the old man nor the little girl noticed the difference in Sophia.
Now, Xia Shang needs a secluded place to think about what to do next, and by the way, see if anything else will happen in the capital.
Now this place just meets the needs of Xia and Shang. Apart from being a little shabby, there is nothing obviously wrong with it.
Moreover, Xia Shang himself also needs to recuperate, at least until the breath in his body calms down.
This is the woodshed. After closing the door, only a little bit of dappled sunlight comes through.
In such a dry environment, it was conducive to drying the two of them in the shade.
After staying in the woodshed for half an hour, Xia Shang obviously felt much more comfortable.
At this time, Sophia, who had been in a coma, finally woke up.
"Where is this?"
"A private residence."
"Residences? Why...why is there wood everywhere here?"
"Because this is a woodshed."
"The woodshed... I remember we were unconscious in the water..."
"Fortunately, I didn't lose my life."
"My head hurts."
"Be patient, someone will give you a simple treatment."
Sophia was silent, opening her eyes with great difficulty and scanning her surroundings.
After a long time, the door opened, and the old man from before brought a bowl of medicine, and then looked at the two of them curiously: "Drink it, wait until tomorrow, and then leave by yourself. After a while, my little granddaughter will bring it to you.
Eat, and don’t be discovered during this period.”
Xia Shang thanked him, took the medicine, and the old man left quietly again.
The family was a little strange. Xia Shang didn't understand why it was so mysterious, but he didn't think much about it. He just brought the hot medicine bowl to Sophia and said, "Drink it."
Sophia looked at the bowl of dark stuff with a stern expression: "What is this?"
"medicine."
"I never drink your medicine."
"Okay, wait until you want to drink."
Xia Shang put the bowl aside and said no more.
After a long time, dusk came and a gentle drizzle began to fall, and the woodshed became cold and gloomy.
"Cough...cough..."
Sophia gradually regained her energy, but she also gradually felt physical discomfort, shivering in a worn-out rough cloth.
Xia Shang didn't look at her, wondering what he was thinking.
Sophia had never encountered such cold treatment before, and she was very uncomfortable with it. After enduring it for a long time, she finally couldn't bear it anymore.
"Why are you so graceless?"
"What is grace?"
"Grace is why you don't care about ladies at all?"
"I've given you medicine, but if you don't drink it, there's nothing I can do."
"You...what is your medicine made of? Is it effective?"
"You won't know if it works until you try it."
Sophia felt a little weak and looked at the cold medicine bowl on the window sill: "You...can you give it to me?"
"Take it yourself." Xia Shang responded calmly.
"you!"
"What am I? You are just a liar who deceived the entire country. I don't regard you as a good person. I am good enough to you now."
Sophia wanted to say something, but she coughed violently again. She quickly stood up holding the wall and took the medicine bowl from before.
That dark decoction is more terrifying to Westerners than poison. It is really hard to believe that such a thing can cure diseases.
But after thinking about it, I still endured the pain and drank the medicine.
Just then, someone knocked on the door, and then there were two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks on the windowsill.
Xia Shang stood at the window and saw a petite figure quickly disappearing before his eyes.
The little girl must have brought food.
Looking at what was placed in the window, there were really two bowls of gruel, but the gruel was too thin and looked a bit shabby.
"Is it something to eat?" Sophia was a little anxious. It looked like she was starving.
Xia Shang glanced at her: "It's food. I'm afraid that a princess like you will dislike it."
Sophia was really hungry, so she squinted her eyes and poured it into her stomach regardless of what was in the bowl. It was not very elegant to eat.
Seeing Sophia eating, Xia Shang also had doubts: "Are you really a Western princess?"
"Without a doubt."
"Then why did you come all the way to Dahua?"
"For the prosperity of the country, for gold, silver and jewelry, and for... and for finding ways to realize our ideals." (To be continued)