This is the first time Song Wen has arrived at a real grassland. The desert grasslands of this era have not yet experienced severe desertification. They seem to be close to the Bashang grasslands of later generations. Tall pastures grow densely, and there are few sparse grasses on the short hills.
There are some trees growing there, and the scenery in the evening is very beautiful.
The team was headed for three Mongolian tribes five hundred miles away. During this season, the Mongolian herdsmen should camp on both sides of the Yinhua River to graze. In winter, they will migrate westward to several valleys in the upper reaches.
winter.
Taking advantage of the afterglow of the evening, the Khitan people began to camp and rest. Song Wen noticed that they had sent out at least six or seven scouts... None of them had set up tents, and they all gathered around the fire to rest with their weapons and weapons intact.
Centurion Song Wen and Xiao Teng gathered together to talk. Xiao Teng said softly, "The Tatars are wild and untamable. Many tribes have been wiped out in recent years because of their disobedience. Those who barely escaped have to go north."
Either go to those golden-blooded families...or get together and become horse bandits! It will be very difficult to exterminate them, and the king will have a headache for this."
Song Wen asked curiously: "How many people are there? Do they dare to attack the Liao cavalry?"
"Not necessarily, the gatherings are irregular. There are cases where two or three people rob passers-by. There are also times when three to five hundred people gather to attack the fortress of Junzhou, but it is very rare. There is no harm in being careful. In recent years, Daliao and women
The real people are fighting non-stop, and these Mongolian horse bandits are also a little restless."
Mingyue followed the big-eyed girl to the back of the sand dune to learn how to ride a horse. Several Khitan people were pointing and laughing at them. Daruchi leaned against a dead tree and quietly looked at the grassland that he had not seen for a long time. He didn't know what was going on.
What to think.
~~~~~~
Deep in the grassland, a large cart crashed and fell to the bottom of the muddy river valley. Two Mongolian women in Tatar costumes desperately carried the huge cart wheels, trying to pull out the broken axle and replace it...
…
"Drive...ha...drive...shh..."
An old Mongolian man with a stooped back rode an old horse up from behind. The old man glanced at the overturned carriage and said in a hoarse voice: "No more, just leave it here! You will live forever in heaven. Live on."
That’s the most important thing…”
"Abba...Eji is still sick and can't ride a horse!"
A red-cheeked girl of seventeen or eighteen years old said hurriedly.
The old herdsman shook his head with a cold face... "I can't care anymore. Let your sister-in-law take little Elekhi on horseback. You take little Batuk, dry food, dried meat and the remaining horses. You two will go south."
escape!"
A woman who looked less than thirty years old wiped the mud on her face and shouted... "No, I want to wait for my husband Dawu La to leave together!"
The old man's face instantly turned gray. He looked at the sky with his dull eyes and whispered: "Dawula has left and returned to the embrace of Changshengtian... There are more than thirty young people, not a single person or a horse has left.
Come back alive from the Nada Haizi Pass!"
A burst of mournful sobs came from the broken felt carport... Immediately afterwards, an extremely weak old woman from Cang poked her head out tremblingly. The old woman said to the two young women: "Listen to you, Aba
Damn it, hurry up! Those defeated Khitan horse bandits are all scum... They are more greedy than the most vicious tax collectors. We can't rush to the northern prairie to find the golden blood leader for shelter...
…Flee to the south! The farther away you are, the better… take care of Dawura’s baby!”
The old woman pulled out two dolls from behind, one was four or five years old and the other looked to be only two or three years old. The two boys were crying and holding the grandma's hand not wanting to leave.
The old man on the horse scolded: "You are the sons of Dawu La and the warriors of the Nadahai tribe! Don't cry and live well... Protect your aunt and Eji, and learn to ride a horse and draw a bow early... Immortality
God will bless you."
The two women each carried a baby on their backs and drove the seven or eight remaining horses in the family to escape southward along the river valley. The girl looked back and saw that her father climbed off the old horse with missing teeth.
, sitting in a dilapidated carriage, holding the hand of his seriously ill wife and looking at the others from a distance.
The big-eyed girl got a new novelty, a sheepskin sleeping bag.
Several Khitan people also gathered around to watch the fun. The people who started out as nomadic fishers and hunters are always enthusiastic about these good things that can be used in the wild!
The little girl put her hands on her hips and said proudly: "How about it? It's very good, isn't it? It's both a mat and a quilt. It's warm when you get into it! It's made of oilcloth on the outside and sheepskin on the inside, so you're not afraid of moisture! Add a tent and you'll be home..."
Several Khitan people watched curiously and then praised them profusely. Centurion Xiao Teng, who accompanied Song Wen back, also looked carefully and finally sighed... "It's a pity that it can't be used in the army. This thing is very sealed."
It's tight and can indeed keep you warm...but once you are attacked by someone while camping, you may be in a panic and delay important events, and ultimately lose your life!"
An old Khitan military leader next to him nodded... "What your lord is saying is that I fought many battles with the king's army. When marching in the army, I had to keep my clothes on and my armor on, and my sword in my hand, and I had to sleep with one eye open!"
Otherwise, you will definitely be the first to lose your life..."
Song Wen originally wanted to popularize this sleeping bag in his army. After listening to the experience of these two old Khitan soldiers, he couldn't help but nod secretly... Sometimes he still takes it too much for granted. There is no need for comfort in this era.
So high? The biggest and most simple requirement of all people is to live and live well.
Xiao Teng chatted for a while and left. An Chun arranged the guards for the night and then led the rest of the people to quietly surround Song Wen and the little girl. Taoist boy Mingyue had been learning to ride horses hard these two days, and was already snoring from exhaustion.
Ru Lei... had been driven to the manger by everyone long ago.
Mingyue didn't care either, she laughed and washed her beloved strange horse... With a weight of more than 200 and close to 300, finding a horse that can carry itself and charge and run is really difficult.
Two horse saddles were placed on the blanket. The little girl curiously got into the sheepskin sleeping bag and twisted around like a caterpillar, and finally fell asleep next to Song Wen.
Song Wen took a cloak and covered the little girl's sleeping bag, thinking silently.
After a while, Song Wen raised his head, and Daruch quietly walked over and added a few pieces of dry firewood to the firewood pile. Then he looked back at Song Wen and said softly: "Master, do you really want me to go back to my tribe?"
Song Wen nodded: "Just call me Brother Wen from now on. I have already said that as long as you, Daruchi, step onto the prairie, you will be free!"
"Then what do you need me to do?"
Song Wen shook his head: "It depends on you. This is just an intention and an idea of mine. The first step is to sell the salt tea and medicinal materials that the Mongols urgently need..."
Daruch shook his head: "The Khitans have a special market for us to trade. We can't go to other places to buy and sell privately... If we catch them, they will be dragged to death with horses! In addition, the Mongols have no gold and silver and cannot afford it.
Our wine and good stuff.”
Song Wen's eyes lit up... "But you have war horses, cattle and sheep, and your most precious wealth...cavalry soldiers!"