"The Knights Hospitaller," the adults called them.
The child only saw them once, the only time.
Unfortunately, the place where they are stationed is too far away from here. The average person has to walk along the road to the west for half a month and pass through a large desert before they can find them in a small oasis.
The desert is dangerous.
The adults told him so, so the child planned to wait until he grew up to go to those noble knights, just like in the story, to be their retinue, sharpen their swords, clean their riding boots, and learn skills. , withstand the test. Until one day, they recognized themselves and could become one of the noble knights.
But he couldn't wait any longer.
There are still six years until he turns fourteen.
He looked at the scorching sun in the sky and waved the wooden knife in his hand in distress.
Six more years to go.
When he turned back, he saw a small black spot in the rising heat in the distance.
Someone is coming.
The man came on horseback, but the sound of the horse's hooves was weak.
After walking in, the child discovered that the man on the horse was very old, wearing shabby robes, like a beggar, with a dirty and messy beard, and his face was covered with sunburns from the scorching sun.
Not mighty, not majestic.
Not like a knight, but riding a horse.
The horse covered with mud and dust walked in. The old knight's eyes were dry and cracked, his mouth was full of thirsty blisters, and he was dying.
"water… "
The old knight raised his eyes and looked at him, praying: "Please give me a bowl of water."
He groped from his arms and took out two green copper coins stained with sweat. The child hesitated, took them, turned around and ran away. After a long time, he came back with a bowl of water.
The water from the well dug out of the saline-alkali land had a bitter taste and impurities, and the children ran over and spilled a lot of it.
But when the old knight took it, he looked up and swallowed it as if he had found a treasure.
He drank half of the water in the big bowl. He hesitated for the other half, then leaned down and brought the bowl to the horse's lips, and the horse drank all the water.
Only now did the child see that beneath the dirt and dust, the horse's skin seemed to be dark green. Strange, like an old knight's robe.
The strange horse rolled its big eyes, looked at the child, and suddenly stretched out its tongue to lick him.
The old knight smiled and stroked the horse's head:
"It likes you."
The child touched the saliva on his face, looking confused.
The old knight cherished the few drops of water remaining at the bottom of the bowl and licked it into his mouth, wiping off the traces on his beard. His voice was still hoarse: "Where is the next village?"
"It takes two days to go north. It's a long way."
The child pointed into the distance and looked at the old knight's shriveled money bag, "You can take a rest and stay at my house tonight. My house has a clean guest room, hot water and dinner, and it only costs five cents."
The price of five cents was quite cheap, but after hesitating for a moment, the old knight shook his head and replied hoarsely:
"It's too late."
As he spoke, he patted the horse's head, and the strange horse stepped on its hooves and limped toward the north.
The child was a little disappointed. It was rare to see many outsiders in this ghost place all year round.
"Are you leaving?" he asked. "Where are you going?"
"Go to the next place."
Said the old knight, "Then to the next place."
…
…
Three hours later, a thunderous sound sounded from afar.
Big earthquake**.
The blazing iron armor reflected the brilliance of the scorching sun, and the cloak of the bloody cross fluttered in the wind.
The knights on the horses were dusty and had chapped lips.
In the empty village, there is only a tattered wooden horse, and the little boy on the wooden horse has disappeared. The stench came from the deepest part of the village, green flies danced in the scorching wind, and there was the faint sound of some beast chewing.
The sword dancer at the front got off his horse, drew his sword, and walked into the village. Soon, he came out with a small head in his hand.
He looked like a child, but his face was covered with dark spots and there was dried blood at the corner of his mouth.
"Commander Bann, we are late."
The sword dancer replied hoarsely: "The 'epidemic' has already arrived."
Among the knights, the silent man waved, and another group of knights dismounted, picked up the "showers" in their hands, and walked into the dead village.
Soon, the bright light of the flames rose from the village, and the dying screams of the beasts came one after another.
Under the scorching sun, the entire village seemed to glow and blend into the sun.
Black smoke rose from the ashes and condensed, like a pillar of disaster holding up the sky.
The crows who came from afar found nothing and circled around the smoke in despair, screaming.
Like a curse.
"Let's go."
Ben turned his horse's head and looked at the hoof marks left in the dry soil.
His voice was hoarse, like red-hot iron:
“To the next place, and the next place.”
…
…
After being able to cook, Ye Qingxuan soon discovered the second advantage of the old nun.
- Diligence and dexterity.
Even in a deserted place like Guixu, she was still able to make use of the limited conditions and weave a few decent cushions out of the dry weeds in the corners.
So, the masters finally said goodbye to the cold floor and stone table, and their tortured buttocks had warm cushions.
With food to eat and a cushion to sit on, life instantly becomes happy. Even in a place like Guixu, the tense nerves were slightly relieved.
Although she has lost Schubert's power, it is obvious that the old nun is not willing to be a burden to be taken care of, but plays her role diligently.
It's better than nothing, but what she does is always satisfying.
And, couldn't be more picky.
I really don’t know whether she was a nun from a monastery or a nanny from a wealthy family. She took good care of those trouble-making old men in every aspect.
Of course Ye Qingxuan was also assigned a cushion, and it was the best one.
Sitting on the only intact stone chair in the hall, with a hay cushion and the animal skins donated by the old men on his back, Ye Qingxuan suddenly felt as satisfied as a mountain king in the morning light.
It's a pity that his subordinates are not a group of burly and brave bandits, but a group of scrawny old men... They are old men again. I really don't know why I am so destined to the old men.
Ye Qingxuan sighed helplessly, lowered his head and looked at the pages of the inheritance book in his hand.
After several hours of rewriting, the new Chapter of Destiny finally took shape.
It was obviously just a few pieces of tissue paper, but it was shrouded in a halo. After the structure is closed, the music theory no longer exerts gravity on the outside. The complicated music theory on the page distorts the sunlight and binds it to the left and right sides of the notes.
This is the most precious place in the inheritance pages, which show music theory, engrave music theory, and confirm music theory.
This shows that this path works.
Ye Qingxuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.