In the marching team, someone fell down from time to time.
The companions were unable to take their bodies back home or even bury them, so they could only let them dry in the desert.
Yang Ben has marched to the center of the desert.
Because Dong Wenbing could not be found while stationed in the outer oasis, he tortured several captives of Oru and finally got clues.
"There is Lake Chala in the Tengger Desert, which is a large oasis that can accommodate 10,000 people to rest there, restore their physical strength and horsepower, and hunt for food."
After discovering this, Yang Ben decided to continue pursuing Dong Wenbing even if he didn't want to make meritorious deeds.
Because Dong Wenbing has already tried his best.
He was worried about leaving such a Yuan army stationed in a place where it could invade Gansu at any time, and he must annihilate them.
A cloud covered the scorching sun, making people finally feel less exposed.
However, after taking only a few more steps, Yang Ben suddenly stopped and raised his hand to stop the soldiers behind him.
But it was at this time that he realized that Huo Qubing was not that easy to deal with.
He realizes he may be lost...
~~
The southern end of the desert.
"Commander, we have rescued King Yan!"
There was still a long way to go, so Dong Wenbing got off his horse and stepped on the yellow sand to face the real gold.
In just these two months, his hair has turned completely white, and his face has been sunburned as black as coal, and his face is covered with ridges, making him look so haggard.
Zhenjin had also been helped off the horse. Although his legs were injured, he still tried to stand up.
He will be a wise prince, courteous and virtuous enough, and he is showing enough respect to Dong Wenbing at this time.
Dong Wenbing walked a few steps faster and caught a glimpse of his two sons out of the corner of his eye, and in an instant he discovered that both sons were injured.
Dong Shiyuan and Dong Shixuan, both of them were outstanding in both civil and military affairs.
Dong Shiyuan fought bravely, while Dong Shixuan grew up in the army. He was engaged in martial arts during the day and studied at night. He was known for his diligence and wisdom.
Both of them are Dong Wenbing's pride.
But he didn't look at them at this time, and he didn't have time to ask whether they were seriously injured.
Dong Wenbing stepped forward and bowed to Zhenjin first.
"Old minister, my rescue came late. Please forgive me, Your Highness..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhenjin stepped forward and held his hand, wailing endlessly.
"Dong Gong, if I fail to do my job well, my father will definitely be furious. I am so unfilial and want to be the son of a man..."
"The King of Yan is known for his filial piety. Your Majesty will forgive the King of Yan."
Dong Wenbing burst into tears looking at the polite young man in front of him.
Zhenjin glanced at Dong Shiyuan and Dong Shixuan, and said: "Because of me, the two gentlemen, Mr. Dong and others, were injured. I am so ashamed."
Through his eyes, Dong Wenbing could feel his sincerity and heart. The princes had cultivated a good prince for the Yuan Dynasty, who was filial, tolerant, wise, and considerate of his subordinates.
As for whether the errand can be done well, that is what the old Mongolian people value.
If the Yuan Dynasty truly practiced Han law, would there be any need for the crown prince to make meritorious deeds? Throughout the ages, several princes have become crown princes through meritorious service.
"Your Highness doesn't have to be like this." Dong Wenbing sighed, "I will take Your Highness back now."
Zhenjinben could use a few words of encouragement according to etiquette.
However, he pouted, and then sighed: "I hope I won't be a burden to Mr. Dong."
Dong Wenbing was stunned for a moment, and he clearly felt that King Yan seemed to have been drained of his energy.
Of course, it is inevitable that you will feel depressed after a setback, and you will surely recover slowly...
Dong Shixuan, who was standing aside, glanced at Zhenjin.
In fact, if Zhenjin hadn't said it, Dong Shixuan would have just felt that it was natural for him to desperately save King Yan. On the contrary, when Zhenjin said it in a low tone, Dong Shixuan suddenly felt that he was a little weak.
The next night, the team entered the desert. When Zhenjin heard that he had lost more than 3,000 people in the desert in order to save himself, he couldn't help but burst into tears again.
"Your Highness, do you think it's not worthwhile for us people to work hard without caring about our own lives?" Dong Shixuan couldn't help but ask when he walked into the real gold tent to deliver medicine.
Zhenjin was stunned for a moment, and suddenly thought of Yan Yunyun's sarcasm that day.
His shoulders couldn't help but shrink.
It was precisely because he thought she was right that he felt frustrated.
In fact, he had heard Kublai Khan say to others more than once, "This kid Zhenjin is too weak." All these made him unable to find confidence.
Dong Shixuan did not wait for an answer, but saw the change in Zhenjin's body, and asked again: "When Your Highness succeeds to the throne, he will implement Han law, strive for great governance, and bring peace and prosperity to the people of the world. As long as His Highness has the confidence to do this, there is no need to worry.
Becoming a drag?”
His words were meant to comfort Zhen Jin.
However, unexpectedly, Zhenjin was just stunned for a moment, and then avoided Dong Shixuan's gaze.
Yan Yunyun's words came to mind again.
——"You are the sustenance of the vain ambitions of northern scholars, but your weak shoulders cannot bear it..."
The feeling of fatigue came up from this, and Zhenjin suddenly felt very tired.
I have to go back to Kaiping to see my father and face the questions from the teachers.
Thinking of the disappointed looks in the eyes of the elderly Yao Shu, Dou Mo, Xu Heng and others because he failed in his errand, he felt that he didn't know how to face it.
After being enlightened, he realized that it was so tiring to have so many people place high hopes on him.
~~
Dong Shixuan returned to the tent and lifted off the gauze wrapped around his waist.
The blood had dried and was mixed with sand. When it was opened, it affected the wound and caused a sharp pain.
He grimaced in pain, looked down, and saw that the wound that had been treated with wound medicine was still festering.
Thinking of the way Zhenjin didn't say a word tonight, thinking of his father's white hair, and thinking of all the people who died in the desert in the past two months... Dong Shixuan seemed to be smiling, with a bitter look on his face.
"It should be...a man who is determined to die."
But on the march the next day, Dong Shixuan's face was as dark as water, and he did not show that he was tortured by injuries in front of his father and brother.
They trudged through the desert, wounded soldiers died every day, and the surviving soldiers killed the injured horses to collect blood.
In this way, on the seventh day, I finally saw Chala Lake again.
"Commander! Found it..."
The soldiers cheered and ran towards the oasis ahead.
Even Dong Shixuan couldn't help but quicken his pace, impatient to find water to wash his wounds.
As he walked, the wound on his abdomen was still hurting, and he suddenly felt something was wrong.
"Father...that's not right!"
Dong Shixuan shouted: "The men we left behind did not come out to respond..."
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
Before he finished speaking, many Tang troops suddenly stood up in the trees of the oasis, firing crossbows at the Yuan troops.
The Yuan army who was running at the front fell to the ground immediately.
Marching in the desert, they were not wearing armor and were even shirtless.
Crossbow arrows penetrated these naked bodies, making the Yuan army appear extremely vulnerable.
This is a battle of idleness and labor, which is extremely unfair.
However, it was no longer possible for Dong Wenbing to order a retreat. In front of him was the only oasis within a radius of more than a hundred miles.
"Put on armor! Meet the enemy!"
The Yuan army blew the horn and dragged their tired bodies trying to snatch the oasis back from the Tang army.
However, the Tang army, which was full of physical strength, had already fought out of the oasis, and before the Yuan army was fully prepared, they shot and killed as many as possible.
Shirtless corpses kept falling down, and blood kept seeping into the sand...
~~
"Follow me and kill him!"
Dong Shixuan could no longer command his soldiers. He could only get on his horse and drive the reluctant thin horse into the oasis through the yellow sand.
Only by occupying the oasis as soon as possible can we defeat the Tang army.
He could see that the Tang army was not large in number, only more than a thousand people.
However, the wound on his abdomen had burst open.
While galloping, he even felt as if his intestines were about to flow out.
"Bang!"
The thin horse could not be controlled and bumped into a Tang soldier. Dong Shixuan fell to the ground with another loud "bang".
With his equestrian skills, he shouldn't have made such a mistake.
But after trekking in the desert for too long, being injured and not receiving supplies, he was already exhausted.
"Kill the prisoners!"
The shouts of Tang Jun rang around him, and Dong Shixuan was furious.
He is not a prisoner.
His surname was Dong, a famous scholar, and his courtesy name was Shunqing. Throughout his life, he promised himself to be loyal and righteous, and he was honest in running the army. He was good at reading the Book of Changes. His character was indifferent, and he governed his family with etiquette and law.
He has the ambition to help the world, how could he be a Hulu?
With this anger, Dong Shixuan stood up with support and reached out to pick up his knife.
"puff."
A Tang military commander stepped forward and stabbed Dong Shixuan in the neck with a knife. Blood flowed down the tip of the knife, ruthlessly taking away his life.
Darkness gradually came over, and Dong Shixuan thought of Zhen Jin's attitude when he asked Zhen Jin that night.
At this moment, he no longer thought about whether it was worth it or not.
I thought to myself, that prince is really good at everything, but he is not strong enough, otherwise this battle should not have been fought like this...
~~
"Second brother!"
In the array at the rear of the Yuan army, Dong Shiyuan shouted angrily and directed his soldiers to fight forward.
Zhenjin looked at this scene, but two words came to his mind.