In the hot summer, in the desolate wilderness, a caravan of Shatu people was walking slowly.
The rocks and gravel on the ground were burned hot by the sun. From a distance, the air on the ground was twisting due to the heat.
The conflict between the seven Shatu tribes on the Gulang grassland continues and becomes more and more intense. The Uli tribe and the Ebony tribe are in conflict, and other tribes are also more or less implicated. For this reason, the Shatu merchants The business of the team was also greatly affected. Small groups of Saudi Arabian caravans were often harassed. Fighters from the Uli and Ebony tribes also targeted the other side's caravans. The Uli tribe's people When they encounter the caravan of the Ebony tribe, they rob and kill them all. Similarly, when the people of the Ebony tribe encounter the caravan of the Uli tribe, they rob and kill them all. In such an atmosphere, even if they are not involved, The caravans of the other seven Shatu tribes that entered would also be affected by the fish pond. They encountered the soldiers of the Ebony tribe and the Uli tribe who were shot in the eyes. They were either harassed or robbed and killed...
The scimitars in the hands of the Shatu people were not only ruthless when slashing at foreigners, but the internal strife among the Shatu people was even more cruel and bloody. If the seven tribes of Shatu had not been sheltered and sheltered by the Han Empire, as Shatu people For the losers in the internal struggle, what awaits the seven tribes of Shatu is genocide.
When the grassland began to become chaotic, it was no longer safe for small groups of Saudi Arabian caravans with dozens or hundreds of people to travel. Only the safety of large groups of Saudi Arabian caravans was slightly guaranteed. If there are more, you don't have to worry about being swallowed up by the small groups of cavalry from the Ebony Tribe and the Uli Tribe. Moreover, when the Shatu people's caravans come out, they all carry the flags of other tribes, not the Uli Tribe. The flags of the Ebony Tribe and the Ebony Tribe, even the caravans of the Ebony Tribe and the Uli Tribe, will fly the flags of other tribes after leaving their own territory.
The Shatu people's caravan in front of them is under the banner of the Tumo Tribe, the Coyote Tribe and the Wind River Tribe. At first glance, one would think that this caravan is composed of several detachments from the Tumo Tribe, the Coyote Tribe and the Wind River Tribe. The caravans from all the tribes merged and went on the road together. The whole caravan numbered about four to five hundred people, and they brought with them seven to eight hundred rhinoceros horses and camels. Those rhinoceros horses and camels were all loaded with goods, especially The goods on the camels were piled like hills. The long caravan stretched for hundreds of meters, walking in the desolate wilderness. From a distance, it looked like a long snake.
In fact, this caravan came from the Uli Department, and everyone in the caravan was from the Uli Department.
The more chaotic the Gulang Grassland becomes, the more prominent the role of the caravan becomes, because the salt, tea, silk cloth, and ironware brought by the caravan to the tribe are all things that are most urgently needed by the nobles and the grassland.
"Those damn bastards in Yulong Mountain..." Adebe, who was riding a rhinoceros horse, looked at the ridge on the horizon in front of him and couldn't help cursing, "And those Han people, they all deserve to die!"
After climbing over the hill in front, you enter Yingwei County in Pingxi County.
Adebe, who is in his fifties, is the leader of this caravan. In the past, Yingwei County meant nothing to Adebe, because it was just a poor and small place in Pingxi County, but since last year Since the second half of the year, when the border area of Yingwei County was established, Yingwei County has become dazzling in Adebe's eyes.
What was being traded there were the Dayue tribe in Yulong Mountain who did not obey the rule of the Shatu people, the small tribes of Wusu tribe and Pi Le tribe, and the mountain people in Yulong Mountain. Those scattered small tribes and mountain people. A mountain road was opened from Yulong Mountain to Yingwei County, and then furs, medicinal materials, gems, exotic animal core crystals, and precious wood were continuously transported from the mountain and became popular goods for Han merchants and firms. .
You must know that these things were monopolized by the caravans of the Saudis in the past. Now there are people who are openly competing with the Saudis for business. Of course Adebe is not happy. What makes the Saudis even more uncomfortable is that Yingwei County The Bianji does not do business with the Saudi Arabian people, and their Saudi Arabian caravans cannot intervene in it. Moreover, the prices of these things sold in the market over there are cheaper than those sold by the Saudi Arabian people. Originally, they were still doing business with them. Those Han merchants and firms doing business have either begun to purchase goods from the border market in Yingwei County, or they have used the prices from the border market in Yingwei County to bargain with them, driving the Shatu caravans to death. Desire.
Now the caravan is working harder than before, but the money it makes is not as much as before. Riding on the Rhinoceros horse, Adebe began to miss those days in the past. At that time, their Saudi Arabian caravan entered Pingxi City. During the Han Dynasty, there was no fee to enter the city, and you could enter the city on horseback. The Han people's petty officials and common people were trembling in front of them, and they did not dare to look at them. If they saw Han people who didn't like them, they could ride on rhinoceros dragons. They can be whipped with whips at will, and sometimes they can even be chopped with knives. They are not afraid of killing people because the government does not dare to pursue them. The worst they can do is to lose some money and goods. When they see something they like, they can snatch it, occupy it, and defraud it. Come here, the weak Han people are like a flock of sheep in front of them. Adebe and many Saudi people around him can't understand why these weak Han people, like sheep, can occupy such a large area of land and great good things in the pass. They can live in cities and gorgeous mansions, but why these brave Shatu people can only endure the wind, frost, snow and rain on the grasslands outside the pass and live in tents? God is really unfair!
Of course, Adebe never believed that Gulang Grassland was a shelter given to them by the Han people. They always felt that Gulang Grassland was snatched by them with a knife and had nothing to do with the gift of the Han people.
The resentment in his heart made Adebe feel that the day was getting hotter. After scolding, his throat became even dryer. Adebe picked up the kettle hanging on the saddle, raised his head and drank two big gulps of water. It tasted sweet. The water flowed into his hot throat, making him feel much better all of a sudden, and some water drops sprinkled on his thick and long beard, shining in the sun.
"Ah..." Adebe felt comfortable and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Just as he put away the kettle, he heard the sound of horse hooves coming from beside him. A man was slightly younger than him, thin and had a beard and a long and narrow face. The man riding a rhinoceros horse had come to his side.
"Aren't you in Yingwei County yet?" The man spoke, his voice hoarse and arrogant.
Adebe did not dare to neglect this person, because this person was a steward sent by the nobleman behind Adebe. He had a higher status than him in the Uli Ministry. This time he entered the customs with his caravan. There is another important task. Before coming, the nobleman behind Adebe had told Adebe to listen to this person's arrangements.
"Over the ridge in front is Yingwei County. Today we can pass through Yingwei County and camp at Qianzi River in the evening. We will drive another day tomorrow and reach Pingxi City by tomorrow night!" Debe pointed at the ridge in front and replied respectfully.
"Can't we buy the new spinning machines, looms and water and fire machines made by the Han people in Yingwei County? If we can buy them in Yingwei County, we don't have to go to Pingxi City. I can bring them earlier. Go back and meet Mr. Harker with your things!"
"There probably won't be any in Yingwei County. If we go to Yingwei County, I'm afraid we'll be in big trouble!" Adebe licked his lips, "Yingwei County is home to many members of the Dayue tribe, Wusu tribe and others from Yulong Mountain. There were not many people in the Pi Le Club last year, but this year there are almost five to six thousand people. Those people rely on Bianji to do business, open workshops, and run restaurants and inns. They have formed a very big force. If they look at Something must have happened to us. Last time there was a caravan from the Fenghe tribe. More than a hundred people wanted to go to Bianji in Yingwei County to have a look, but in the end only seven people came back alive. The rest were all in They were killed by those bastards from Yulong Mountain near Bianji in Yingwei County..."
"They don't care about the Han people's border areas?"
"The Han garrison just stood there with their hands folded, watching, and didn't care. Later we found the Governor's Mansion in Pingxi County, and the Governor's Mansion said that the tribes in Yulong Mountain were not within their jurisdiction. The affairs of the Shatu people and other tribes, Let us solve it ourselves, who killed our people, let us find who..."
"Damn you bitches, sooner or later I will chop off all their heads!" The noble steward cursed fiercely, "Then go to Pingxi County!"
"Um!"
"Besides those few things, Your Majesty wants you to bring back two Han people who know how to handle those things. No one in our tribe knows how to handle them, especially how to handle wool. Lord Huck wants to see for himself... "
"This..." Adebe frowned suddenly.
"Why, Adebe, when did you lose your courage? Can't you do such a small thing well?" The nobleman's steward looked at Adebe with contemptuous eyes, "There are only a few Han people, this is also difficult. Didn’t you bring back several Han women before?”
Thinking of the heads of the Shatu people hanging on the walls of Pingxi County before, Adebe swallowed his saliva, "Since the fall of the Ye family, Pingxi County is not as good as before. If this matter is discovered by the Han people, I'm afraid... "
"Just tell me whether it's okay or not?" the steward interrupted Adebe.
Adebe finally gritted his teeth and nodded heavily, "After arriving at Pingxi City, it's best for us to divide into two groups and act separately. I'll get the few things that Mr. Harker wants first. You first Bring the things back on the road, and then I'll go get the people. Now we have a tense relationship with the people from the Ebony Department in Pingxi City. You must not reveal your identity... "
"You must know that this is a major matter of concern to the adults. The distinguished guests from the tribe also want to see these things. If this matter goes wrong, you can go and explain to the adults yourself!"
"yes!"
The Shatu people's caravan was walking in the wilderness, and on the ridge in front of them that Adebe pointed at before, Yan Liqiang was on a hillside, squinting and looking here...
"The Shatu people are coming..." Shi Dafeng licked his lips and whispered excitedly. The rhinoceros horse under his crotch also became a little restless, tapping the ground with its front hooves...
Shen Teng, Shi Changfeng, Zhou Yong and others were all riding rhinoceros horses, next to Yan Liqiang, and next to everyone, under the hillside behind them, there was a dark mass of Kyudo Club students riding rhinoceros horses...
(End of chapter)