Shazhou is Dunhuang, which is the westernmost part of the Western Xia territory. A country usually draws its territory larger. Before modern surveying and mapping technology, it is still a good choice to open a map, at least it can satisfy the empirical self-esteem.

On the map, to the west of Shazhou, a large area of ​​land is still from the Western Xia. In fact, Shazhou is very barren, with less than 5,000 people, and the city walls are still left in the Tang Dynasty. There are broken holes everywhere, and the highest place is only more than 1 meter.

The people of the Song Dynasty were stationed in Shazhou for two days.

Liang Yimang has already left with 50,000 people.

He told Zhao Zongjing that Xixia still has something to do, and it would not take a day or two to find the remains of Khotan. When they find it and want to return to the Song Dynasty, he would bring people to escort it.

Before leaving, Liang Yimeng was still very generous, leaving behind two thousand stones of military rations and 500 fat sheep.

When a poisonous snake bites a person, it is necessary to first wrap up the body. When you want to hit someone with your fist, you must retract your arms.

"Liang Yi buried it is a poisonous snake. He probably thought we would always be in the desert." Wang Ningxuan spat and said bluntly.

Zhao Zongjing yelled twice, obviously, he also saw this.

The situation is not a good thing for the Song army.

Shazhou is too barren, with 20,000 people, which is a very big burden. Not to mention food, even basic drinking water is not enough. In the vast desert, they have no idea where the remains of Khotan are.

Zhao Li has been away from Khotan for 7 years, and he has nowhere to be found for the whereabouts of the remains of Khotan.

What is even more embarrassing is that Wang Ningxuan had seen the remains of Khotan a few months ago, but the valley was empty and there was nothing left.

People around him told Wang Ningxuan that two months ago, a battle occurred here, and someone attacked the remains of Khotan in the valley and drove them into the desert.

This news surprised everyone.

First of all, two months ago, it was the day when the Song Dynasty and the Western Xia discussed to enter the Western Regions by taking the opportunity to go there.

Someone attacked the remains of Khotan, but did not kill them, at least not for the sake of killing, but drove them into the desert...

"It must be done by Xixia!"

Zhao Zongjing asserted: "They must not want us to find the people of Khotan smoothly, and want to drag us to death in the Western Regions!"

Everyone gritted their teeth, especially Zhao Li and Wang Ningxuan were extremely angry.

"Damn Xixia, they will be retribution!"

However, Di Yong is a veteran after all, and has rich experience.

"Now is not the time to find bad luck in Xixia. We must find a place to settle down. Shazhou is the territory of Xixia and is not suitable for long-term stay."

Without hesitation, they chose a good place in Puchanghai!

Puchanghai is the Lop Nur in later generations, but at this time the Puchanghai was not a dry desert, but an oasis with abundant water and grass.

The Tarim River injects precious water resources into the Puchang Sea, maintaining the lake for hundreds of miles. It is surrounded by vast reed ponds, and various creatures gather here.

There are fat fish in the water, and the shore is flat and fertile soil.

Wang Ning'an formulated a detailed plan to manage the Western Regions, among which Pu Changhai was the key.

Zhao Zongjing and his team needed to gain a foothold in Puchanghai under the pretext of finding the remnants of Khotan. They used the water and soil resources here to build a defensive city, reclaim land, and first achieved self-sufficiency in food.

After counting, they had only two months before spring began, and they needed to arrive at Pu Changhai 1,600 miles away as soon as possible, and clear out all the forces there, and then wait for Lu Huiqing, Zhang Dun and others to come from Qingtang to meet with them.

This is a very large project, no mistake can be made.

Zhao Zongjing finally revealed his overall plan to his subordinates.

Before this, there were only a few people including Zhao Zongqiu, Wang Ningxuan, Di Yong, etc. who knew the entire plan, and even Zhao Li knew nothing!

When Zhao Li heard that the Song Dynasty wanted to station troops in the Western Regions and manage the Western Regions, he was ecstatic.

The Song Dynasty did not give up on the Western Regions or the Khotan. The Song Dynasty’s husbands were so smart that they actually deceived the Western Xia and everyone. It was so amazing!

"The country is so bold and generous!" Zhao Li danced excitedly, and the corners of his mouth were grinning behind his head.

Zhao Zongjing couldn't help but pour cold water on it and said, "It's hard to say whether he can gain a foothold in Puchanghai. Moreover, this news must not be revealed. We also have to use the banner of finding the remains of Khotan... Of course, finding people is equally important!"

...

In the next 10 days, Zhao Zongjing actively sent people to inquire about the whereabouts of the remnants of Khotan. He sent out a lot of people and searched for a 50-mile radius in Shazhou, but there was no news.

Zhao Zongjing was not surprised by this. With Liang Yi's shamelessness, he must have sent people here. All the Song Dynasty could get was the news that Xixia wanted them to know, such as the remnants of Khotan were driven into the desert.

The rest of the truly valuable information is not available at all.

Zhao Zongjing didn't like the feeling of being manipulated, but he had to dance according to the baton of Xixia.

In the following days, Zhao Zongjing purchased grain, made jerky, and hoarded clean water. He acted as if he could enter the desert at the right time and search for the remnants of Khotan.

Although Liang Yimeng left Shazhou, he would report it to him every day.

When Song Bing was about to leave Shazhou, Liang Yi was overjoyed.

Go, go quickly!

As long as you enter the desert, all kinds of sand thieves and all kinds of dangers, you can kill you!

Even if those sand thieves were not capable, their Xixia life-capturing army would not be lenient. In short, this damn Song army would slowly consume in the desert and die little by little... The compensation was gone, but instead they also paid 20,000 people!

Wang Ning'an, you have been in the industry for more than ten years, and this time you are probably the one who has lost the worst!

These two sides are constantly fighting wits and courage.

Zhao Li was much more simple in his mind. He had already regarded the Song Dynasty as a kingdom of gods and Zhao Zongjing and others as omnipotent gods, as if everything was under their calculations, and Khotan would soon be able to restore his country.

"Prince, the villain has a request, I want to go to the Thousand Buddha Cave."

"Thousand Buddha Cave? Could it be that you want to worship Buddha and pray for blessing?" Zhao Zongjing did not believe in gods and Buddhas. He wanted to speak sarcastically. Suddenly, he remembered that Khotan was established by Buddhism, and he was immediately unable to say anything.

"It's like this, the villain's ancestor, the great sage, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Li Shengtian, had a portrait in the Thousand Buddha Cave. I, I want to worship my ancestors and tell him the good news!" Zhao Li's eyes were filled with tears, "The ancestors hoped to think of reinforcements from the Celestial Dynasty for the rest of their lives. Now the army has finally arrived, I want to tell him to go!"

The portrait of Li Shengtian in Thousand Buddha Cave may be the last portrait of Li Shengtian in the entire Western Regions.

Zhao Zongjing felt a little regretful. Logically speaking, he should have gone to worship Li Shengtian for a long time, but he had too much trouble and was so busy that he forgot... To set off immediately, he had to count the food and drinking water, and he couldn't take any effort.

"Let Wang Ningxuan protect you from this, bring sacrifices to express the Song Dynasty's respect for the ancestors."

Zhao Li obviously nodded without hesitation. Wang Ningxuan, with two hundred people and generous sacrifices, found the Thousand Buddha Cave with Zhao Li.

In the dense and colorful statues, Zhao Li finally found the portrait of Li Shengtian.

Kneeling in front of his ancestors, Li Shengtian cried loudly.

He told his ancestors intermittently all the sufferings suffered by these people, and finally wiped away his tears.

"The ancestors are above, and the people of Khotan are full of hardships and sweetness. The heavenly soldiers and generals are here, and Khotan is saved!" Zhao Li knelt down and crawled half a step, stared at the majestic gaze of his ancestors, and laughed sincerely.

"Please don't worry, ancestors, the Song Dynasty will help rebuild Khotan. Hundreds of years of hatred and dead lives will not die a hundred times. Those damn evil people will be retribution!"

...

Zhao Li burned incense and candles in front of the portrait and offered sacrifices. Then he fell step by step and left the Thousand Buddha Cave. Wang Ningxuan followed closely behind. Before they could go far, footsteps suddenly came from behind. He hurriedly turned around and saw two guards supporting a young general, wearing worn leather armor, appearing behind them.

"Brother Li, is that you?"

Zhao Li rubbed his eyes but did not dare to admit it, but Wang Ningxuan beside him was stunned and blurted out: "It's you, Yuchi Yan!"

The young man opposite was startled. She raised her head blankly, looked at Wang Ningxuan, and suddenly shivered all over, showing an incredible look.

"It's really you! Are you back?"

Tears burst out in an instant. Wang Ningxuan felt a big rock blocking his chest. He walked over quickly and said softly: "I said I will come back and bring soldiers here... Why, there are only you three, what about the others? Where are your brother?"

After asking this, Yuchi Yan couldn't stop crying. Her shoulders kept shaking. After a long time, she raised her head and said desolately: "Die, all are dead."

Yuchi Yan seemed very excited. In despair, she met two most important people at the same time, which made her completely remove her disguise and become a weak little woman. She sobbed in a low voice and said the passage again.

Since Wang Ningxuan left and promised to bring more people to pick them up, Yuchi Yan, and the remaining members of the Khotan tribe have been eagerly looking forward to it.

But about two months ago, a large group of sand thieves suddenly appeared. They surrounded the valley of the Khotan people. In the end, less than 700 soldiers, more than 500 people died in battle, including Yuchi Yan's fifth brother. He was cut dozens of times and his blood was flowing clean. He still tried hard to kill the enemy, but he was trapped by a rope and dragged it out for more than ten miles. His body was incomplete.

The remaining Khotan people were captured. What's strange is that the sand thieves did not kill them, but took them into the desert.

Yuchi Yan escaped from the sand thief by taking advantage of a sand storm more than ten days ago.

She remembered Wang Ningxuan's words, rekindled her hope for the Central Plains and fled all the way to Shazhou. She wanted to go from the Hexi Corridor to the Song Dynasty. Before leaving, Yuchi Yan remembered her ancestor Li Shengtian. It was thousands of miles away. She longed to get the blessing of her ancestors... The ancestors were really effective, and they actually sent the third brother and Wang Ningxuan to her at the same time!

"Sister, where are our tribe members?" Zhao Li asked in a trembling voice.
Chapter completed!