In the original plan, no matter whether they could find the remains of the Yi tribe in the end, they would only stay in the desert for ten days at most. If they failed, they would return to the Yuan army base camp, rest and reorganize, summarize their experience, increase or decrease their manpower, and then return to the desert.
More haste, less speed. When it comes to treasure hunting, patience is essential.
Therefore, the water and food they brought were only enough for about ten days.
Today is the Laba Festival on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and there is still seven days until the full moon night. If they can successfully reunite with Wu Yuanchang and others, or find their way back on their own, there will be no problem returning to the Yuan Army base camp before the fifteenth day.
Unfortunately, these three people have no talent for finding their way. Even Zhao Mian, who has an amazing memory, is at a loss when faced with a vast sea of sand that looks the same everywhere.
They still hadn't found the fourth person or the second camel until the sun went down. The sandy road was difficult to walk on at night, so they found a natural rock cave and planned to spend the night there.
After nightfall, the desert suddenly became cold. The bonfire burned brightly in the cave, lighting up and warming this small world.
But the three of them were still very cold.
How cold was it? Not to mention Zhao Mian and Zhou Huairang, who were both from Nanjing, even Wei Zhenfeng, who grew up in Beiyuan and traveled all over the country, said that the desert was too cold at night and he couldn't stand it, so he wanted to go back to Shengjing.
The camels that followed them were mainly carrying food and water. Zhou Huairang searched through everything before finding a black long coat, which he recognized as Shen Buci's clothes. Apart from that, there was nothing else to keep warm.
Zhou Huairang asked, "How about we shave the camel's hair?"
"Have you asked Camel for his opinion?" Zhao Mian thought for a moment and made a difficult decision. "The three of us should huddle together and use our body temperature to keep each other warm."
The master had been guarding the northern border for many years and was quite experienced in keeping warm. He had told him before that human body temperature was the most useful thing at times like this.
Zhou Huairang was so frightened that he was incoherent: "Ah, Your Highness, I am so sorry..."
The most intimate thing he and His Highness had ever done was when they went to school hand in hand when they were five years old. Now he was suddenly asked to sleep together with His Highness - how could he be so worthy? He was not worthy!
Zhao Mian took it calmly: "You're almost dead, and you're still being shy with me?"
Zhou Huairang was extremely terrified: "I dare not! I will obey your Highness!"
Wei Zhenfeng agreed with Zhao Mian's proposal. It was normal for three grown men to huddle together at night when they were out in the cold. When he led troops to fight, he often ate and lived with the soldiers. However, there was one thing he needed to pay attention to.
While Zhou Huairang was busy maintaining the bonfire, Wei Zhenfeng pulled Zhao Mian aside and said, "Let Zhou Huairang squeeze in between us later."
Zhao Mian asked: "Why?"
Wei Zhenfeng told the truth: "Because if I squeeze with you, I might have a reaction, and I would be shy if others saw me."
"..." Zhao Mian would not miss any opportunity to suppress the royal family of another country. For example, now, he glanced at Wei Zhenfeng's waist and said, "If you can't even control your lower body, how can you achieve great things in the future?"
They suffered such a disaster in the desert, and he looked haggard due to the unfamiliar climate, and his clothes were not very attractive. Wei Zhenfeng was in such an environment and was still in the mood to think about these things. He really couldn't give up lust.
Wei Zhenfeng laughed: "It's easy for you to say that. If you have the guts, don't get hard on the 15th."
Zhao Mian sneered: "Do you think I can't do it? Just wait and see."
Wei Zhenfeng's expression was indescribable: "So, you want to compete with me even on something like this?"
Zhou Huairang thought that he could just hide in a corner and pretend that he didn't exist. But without any warning, he suddenly sat in the main seat of the trio.
On the left was the unrestrained Prince Beiyuan, and on the right was the supreme and noble Crown Prince. Zhou Huairang, a small study companion, was sandwiched between two handsome young men. He stared blankly, not daring to move, not even daring to breathe loudly, and just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Three boys of the same age sat in a row against a hard stone wall, covered with the same robe. In front of them was the brightest flame in the dark night, but for some reason, Zhou Huairang always had the illusion that his head was brighter than the bonfire.
Putting aside the extremely harsh climate, the night view of the desert deserves the title of "a wonder on earth".
The yellow sand is like snow, the wind blows the sand waves and makes the camel bells ring, it is ethereal and distant, and scatters like a starry sky.
The stars in the desert are brighter than those in Nanjing Dongling. Looking out of the cave, the stars and the moon are so bright that they seem to be within reach. If you reach out and pick them, the Milky Way will be in your arms.
However, the young men had no intention of appreciating the beautiful scenery as they were each immersed in their own thoughts.
Wei Zhenfeng was absent-minded. They had to find a way back as soon as possible and get back to the base camp before the fifteenth day. Otherwise, there was not even a tree on this sandy land, how could the delicate prince bear it.
Oh, by the way, I will ask the doctor to check Zhao Mian when I get back to make sure he is alone. Ji Chong said last time that it seems that you can’t have sex when you are pregnant
It's difficult.
Zhao Mian's face was gloomy. In order to find the Xixia treasure, he had put himself in danger many times.
It would be best if Gu Ruzhang really left behind a huge treasure. If he finally found out that this was just a trick by Gu Ruzhang to sow discord among the Three Kingdoms, he would definitely be furious.
Zhou Huairang's whole body was stiff and he was shivering while holding Shen Buci's clothes.
Alas, it would be better if Old Shen was here. It would be better for four people to sleep together than for him to be alone between His Highness and the little prince.
It was okay to squeeze in now, but if they really had to spend a full moon in the desert, would they still be so crowded? Even if he knocked himself out, he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't wake up halfway.
Help, someone please save him... Turn him into a camel too, he is willing to carry Your Highness out of this vast sea of sand - it's up to you, little prince.
The three of them wrapped themselves in long coats and snuggled up to each other by the campfire. Fortunately, no one suffered from hypothermia and they spent the long cold night relatively safely.
The next day, when the sky was just beginning to brighten, they continued to go out to look for people and the way, and then found a place to spend the night before the sun went down. At night, they made a fire and huddled together for warmth.
Two days passed, and not only did they gain nothing, they also failed to find an oasis. Seeing that food and water were becoming less and less, the three of them became more or less anxious.
The most anxious person was Zhou Huairang. He was tanned a lot, and he didn't have the special physique that the little prince could turn white after a night's sleep. He was now so dark that he could compete with Li Er in the past. He felt that the prince had become much colder towards him.
The only consolation was that the prince's stomach seemed to realize that he would not be able to eat Shen Buci's food in the short term, and that if he continued to be pampered, he would die. Under the prince's strong desire to survive, he finally opened his arms to the pancake.
Zhao Mian took the kettle and pancakes from Wei Zhenfeng and asked, "Don't you want to eat? They're delicious."
Wei Zhenfeng said nonchalantly: "I have eaten secretly before."
Zhou Huairang shook his head and said, "I am not hungry. I will just watch Your Highness eat."
Zhou Huairang watched Zhao Mian swallow the pancake with warm water, and suddenly he felt sad: "Your Highness, our food will definitely run out one day. What will we do then?"
Zhao Mian paused while eating the cake and said, "Then eat some, young master."
Zhao Mian: “…”
"The little prince can also eat a little. If the little prince starves to death, there will be no one to cure the poison for Your Highness."
Wei Zhenfeng: "…Thank you."
Seeing that Zhou Huairang didn't seem to be joking, Zhao Mian hesitated for a moment between being moved and cursing, and chose the latter: "What's wrong with Zhou Huairang? Can you say such nonsense?"
Wei Zhenfeng looked at Zhou Huairang for a moment and concluded: "He seems to be about to collapse."
After being lost in the desert for so long, a person with a weak mind would have despaired long ago. The fact that Zhou Huairang has managed to hold on until now means he is at least qualified.
Zhou Huairang choked up and said, "Your Highness, I am useless. I am too stupid to lead Your Highness out of danger. If Your Highness had met Old Shen or the old marquis at that time, they would definitely be able to protect Your Highness. Why did Your Highness meet me?" Zhou Huairang became more and more sad as he spoke, tears falling down his face. "I am an unlucky guy who always brings bad luck to those around me. Your Highness should not have brought me to the desert. Wow, I am sorry, Your Highness..."
Zhao Mian and Zhou Huairang had known each other for more than ten years, and this was the first time he saw him crying so sadly. Hearing Zhou Huairang calling him "Your Highness" all the time, and mentioning him in every sentence, Zhao Mian knew that Zhou Huairang's collapse was not because of him, but because of him.
The naive and innocent childhood sweetheart is innocent and optimistic by nature. He is always cheerful no matter what happens. The only person who can make him angry and break down in tears is his best friend - his Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Zhao Mian's heart seemed to be gently touched by a soft feather. He suddenly felt very fortunate that his father had ignored the Prime Minister's objection and insisted that Zhou Huairang be his companion.
My father once said that friendship is something that cannot be replaced by love and family affection. My father is the emperor, he has a prime minister, two children, and loyal ministers who are willing to give everything for him, but he has no friends.
And he has.
Zhao Mian stretched out his hand and placed it on Zhou Huairang's back: "You are not the unlucky one, I am the unlucky one."
Zhou Huairang covered his face and cried: "No, no, I am just an unlucky guy..."
Zhao Mian consoled her, "That day in Chongzhou, it was me, not you, who was chosen by Wan Huameng to marry the young prince. So, I am more unlucky than you."
Wei Zhenfeng felt a little uncomfortable: "I say, I have no objection to the deep friendship between the two of you, but can you please not use marrying me as a criterion for whether you are unlucky or not?"
Zhou Huairang was patted on the back by Zhao Mian, and gradually calmed down. Afterwards, he felt very ashamed for crying so hard.
His Highness and the young prince were both of noble descent, and they were able to remain calm and endure hardships after being trapped in the desert for such a long time. He, a little companion, actually lost his composure first and asked His Highness to comfort him. He really deserved to die.
Zhou Huairang wanted to find a place to reflect on his mistakes, so he told Zhao Mian that he wanted to go to the bathroom. He was not lying, he really wanted to go to the bathroom, he had been holding it in for a long time.
"Can you go alone?" Wei Zhenfeng asked, "Do you want me and your Highness to accompany you?"
Zhou Huairang was so ashamed that he said, "No need."
Zhao Mian warned him: "Don't go too far."
Wei Zhenfeng looked at Zhou Huairang's back and sighed, "Xiao Rang is really loyal to you."
Zhao Mian raised his lips slightly: "This is natural."
Wei Zhenfeng said half-truthfully: "If you can't bear to eat him, you can eat me."
Zhao Mian's face changed, and he said in a stern voice: "Wei Zhenfeng, you are also sick, right?"
Wei Zhenfeng said seriously: "Zhao Mian, do you know that some insects will eat their other half in order to reproduce?"
"So? What do you want to say?"
Wei Zhenfeng looked at him, and was silent for a long time, then he lowered his eyes and smiled: "Nothing." He stood up, patted the sand off his body and said: "I'll go see why Zhou Huairang hasn't come back yet."
"I hate bugs the most." Zhao Mian suddenly said, "No one needs to be eaten, including our camels. I can lead you out."
At this time, Wei Zhenfeng actually laughed at him: "You are such a boaster, Your Highness. I will wait for you then."
After Wei Zhenfeng left, Zhao Mian stroked the camel's fur alone, still thinking about what Wei Zhenfeng had just said. He always felt that there was something else in Wei Zhenfeng's words.
He saw the bundles on the camel's back, and with an idea in mind, he opened one of the bundles that contained dry food.
He didn't really care about the dry food, he just knew that it was enough for the three of them to eat for five or six days. Now it was the third day of their encounter with the sandstorm, but the remaining food was still considerable, enough for them to eat for at least four or five days.
In other words, there was one person who had hardly eaten anything in the past three days.
Zhao Mian thought of Wei Zhenfeng always saying that he had eaten it secretly in advance, and his heart felt like a stone was thrown into a lake, and waves of emotions surged.
hateful.
There was a sound of hurried footsteps behind him, Zhao Mian turned around abruptly, ready to scold Wei Zhenfeng. But when he looked at the boy running towards him, he couldn't curse for some reason.
His eyes widened slightly: "You..."
"Zhao Mian," Wei Zhenfeng interrupted him with a slight gasp, "We found it."
The surprise came too suddenly, Zhao Mian was stunned, and for a moment he didn't react to what Wei Zhenfeng was saying.
Then, his hand was held.
Not holding his hand respectfully like the subordinates did, nor grabbing his wrist domineeringly when Wei Zhenfeng was angry, but... really holding hands.
His hand was held in Wei Zhenfeng's palm, and he could clearly feel the warmth of the other's palm, just like when he and Zhou Huairang went to school hand in hand when they were five years old.
He has grown up, and he and Zhou Huairang would never hold hands like this - who would two grown men hold hands
But why could the eighteen-year-old Wei Zhenfeng hold his hand so naturally and casually? There was no emotion or ambiguity in the boy's actions, as if he just wanted to hold his hand on a whim, so he really did it.
While Zhao Mian was in a daze, Wei Zhenfeng had already run ahead of him. When he turned his head to look at him under the scorching sun, something suddenly moved, blowing away the light on the boy's face: "Why are you standing there? Let's go."
Zhao Mian came back to his senses and heard the rustling sound of the wind. He suddenly realized that it was the wind that was moving.
His body was passively carried forward by Wei Zhenfeng, who held his hand and led him across the yellow sand. Together they climbed over the sand dunes, and then he saw a scene he had never seen before.
(End of this chapter)