Tomb Robber: I, Chen Yulou, am dedicated to cultivating immortality!

Chapter 245 Descendants of the Turks in the Sea of ​​Death
That's right.

Chen Yulou deliberately took a detour to Kunmo City for another biggest reason.

It’s about recruiting guides.

After all, on this trip, they have to go all the way north from Yuhai, across the Black Desert, and search for the ancient city of Jingjue.

Even though I have reviewed the plot countless times when I came here.

Repeated comparisons were made with the help of maps.

But the desert is unusual. There are few references and no routes.

It's the windy season again now, and the sand dunes are moving all the time. Unless you crawl around in the desert all year round, most people will die if they enter rashly.

"Okay, shopkeeper, I'll go right away."

Huamaguai is very good at this kind of thing.

Even after entering Hexi, I had a lot of interactions with the Uighurs and Huihui, and I had already learned a few simple words in the language.

He took two men with him and rode straight away.

As an ancient city on the Silk Road, the residents of the city were not surprised by the Han people. Even among the people who gathered around to solicit business at this moment, there were many Han people.

Some of them are descendants of former military households.

There were also merchants traveling to and from Central Asia to do business.

"Master Bai, come to my house for dinner. It will definitely suit your taste."

"I am a horse breeder. The gentlemen have a hard time traveling, so I can help take care of them."

"Everyone, I have been to the Black Desert. Not only can I be a guide, but I can also provide a camel team."

"..."

I heard an exchange between the two.

The merchants who came have confirmed that they are profitable.

Not to mention other things, for such a large team, daily food, clothing, housing and transportation are a huge expense.

Going to the Black Desert.

There are only two ways.

Either cross the Hashun Gobi Desert, which is known as the Kumutage River of Eight Hundred Miles, and then go north along the Fish Sea, or cross the East Tianshan Mountains and detour through Huozhou to enter the Black Desert.

The first route though is longer and takes more time.

But it is relatively safer.

The East Tianshan Mountains are covered by glaciers all year round. The highest peak is nearly 6,000 meters above sea level. It is an extremely cold area, and the temperature difference between day and night may reach 60 to 70 degrees.

Don't talk about people like them from the south.

Even the Yuezhi, Wusun and Gushi people of Qiangsai who have lived at the foot of Tianshan Mountain for generations do not dare to enter Tianshan Mountain easily.

Especially those hunters.

Everyone knows that the Tianshan Mountains are home to countless snow leopards, white foxes, argali sheep, red deer, stone martens, and wild horses. They are also the most valuable wild animals, and there are even snow lotuses worth thousands of gold.

But how many people entered the mountain?

Especially in this season.

If you exchange your life for money, you have to spend your life.

If we really want to forcefully cross the snow line of Tianshan Mountain, at least half of the team members will lose their lives on the mountain and become another glacier crystal corpse.

Therefore, as long as the group of merchants in front of them are not confused, they will definitely choose Hashun Gobi.

Thousands of miles away, water, grass, food, and clothing supplies along the way. Which of these things don't cost money?
So many people with flexible minds started to start a camel caravan business.

"Do you have a camel team at home?"

Chen Yulou, who was riding on horseback, glanced at the bustling and noisy people and landed on one of the little old men.

Wearing a felt hat.

He was wearing a thick cashmere jacket.

He looks like a Mongolian.

In the Western Region, all ethnic groups live together, but the Uighurs and Hui people are the largest.

The situation is similar to that in southern Yunnan.

The Mongolian and Jurchen tribes, almost all remnants of the previous dynasty, came here to avoid disaster.

"Yes, yes. Everyone, the horses you are riding are all Han horses. They cannot withstand the cold and cannot adapt to the sand."

“If you want to enter the Black Desert, it’s difficult to do so without a camel team.”

When his name was called, the little old man looked flattered and nodded repeatedly.

He knows what's going on in the city better than anyone else.

There were no merchant teams passing by, and every household was almost without rice to cook with.

In previous years, who would not be waiting for customers to come to the door, but would often go to the city gate to solicit customers.

There are so many people competing now.

Stand out on your own.

How could he not be extremely excited?
"How many camels are there?"

Of course Chen Yulou knew the importance of the camel team.

During this period, they were just crossing the Gobi Desert, and they all felt that they were struggling.

Although the little old man was trying to drum up business, he had to say that what he said did make sense.

Most of the horses in Chenjiazhuang's stables are Yunnan-Guizhou horses or Western Sichuan horses.

The biggest advantage of the horses bred in these places is that they are good at crossing mountains and ridges, and are suitable for running in the mountains.

But in the Western Regions, Tianshan horses or Hexi horses have been mostly used since ancient times.

It is more resistant to cold and drought, and its leg strength and physical strength are far better than those of the West Sichuan horse.

However, horses are no match for camels when traveling in the desert.

"Thirty-seven heads."

The little old man stretched out a few fingers and said proudly.

In Kunmo City, he was the only one with such a large camel team.

However, just as he finished speaking, he saw Chen Yulou shaking his head, with a flash of disappointment on his face.

"Too little."

"This……"

The little old man became panicked.

I thought that today's business would be a sure win. After all, no one in the entire Kunmo City could afford to raise so many camels, but he never expected that these people in front of him had such a big appetite.

"If it's not enough, I'll make up for it, maybe..."

"What's the most you can get?"

Before the little old man could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Chen Yulou.

"This...how can I collect forty or fifty heads?"

"It's still not enough."

Chen Yulou said no more and turned to look at the others.

"If any of you have camels, you can submit them. As for the price, you don't have to worry about it."

"I, my family has three heads."

"I also have six heads in my family, Mr. Bayi."

"Two ends, I can make up two ends."

"..."

He almost finished his words.

In an instant, all the merchants at the city gate were excited.

At the foot of the Tianshan Mountains and on the edge of the sand sea, who doesn't have a few camels, otherwise traveling would be a big trouble.

"Come here with a few people, let's talk about it, and write down clearly which household it is."

Chen Yulou nodded.

They were a team of almost three hundred people.

At least more than a hundred camels are needed to make enough.

After all, in addition to people, the total amount of food, water, clothing, and medicinal herbs is also extremely staggering.

"Yes, from the shopkeeper."

Hearing this, several guys from the village came out immediately.

On this trip, in addition to the bandits from the mountains, there were also people who were good at various trades.

The few people who came forward either worked in Chenjiazhuang's accounting office or had experience in various antique shops of Chenjiazhuang.

"Okay, everyone, if you have any questions, just ask them."

Seeing several clerks, they were surrounded by merchants almost in the blink of an eye.

Chen Yulou didn't waste any time, turned his horse's head and headed straight into the city.

It didn't take much effort.

They found a restaurant.

The earth building style is particularly conspicuous among the low earth buildings.

It looks like Han Chinese style at first glance.

I didn’t expect it to be true when I went in and asked.

The shopkeeper's surname is Wu, and his ancestors are from the Qin Dynasty in northern Shaanxi. I heard that he is from his grandfather's generation and came to the Western Regions in the Qing Dynasty.

Originally, he came here to establish the Shaanbei Guild Hall.

In the former Qing Dynasty, Qin merchants spread almost all over the country. Although they were not as good as Shanxi merchants and Huizhou merchants, their strength was amazing. Shaanbei guild halls were built all over the country.

It is just to facilitate Qin merchants to gather or discuss matters outside.

However, after the late Qing Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, and various guilds were overwhelmed with self-care. They could not return to their hometown, so they stayed in Kunmo City. In the blink of an eye, he was already the third generation.

Chen Yulou had tasted Shaanxi cuisine before in Hanzhong.

Although the taste is not as good as that of Sichuan and Hunan cuisine, it is rare to find a Shaanxi and Qin restaurant in the hinterland of the Western Regions thousands of miles away.

"May I ask your name, sir?"

"I don't dare. I don't have the surname Chen, and I have lived in Xiangyin for a long time." "Across the Sichuan River, we are in southern Shaanxi."

It’s almost the same as the old shopkeeper in Jianshui Ancient Town by Fuxian Lake.

The person in front of me has not been to his hometown for many years.

Even about the appearance of northern Shaanxi, I still heard it from my grandfather when I was a child.

Now I finally met a group of Han people doing business, and the homesickness immediately surged into my heart uncontrollably.

"Yes, Chen passed by the ancient city of Hanzhong when he came here."

A few casual chats.

Chen Yulou's voice gradually turned to the Western Regions.

"To be honest with Shopkeeper Wu, we plan to go north along the Yuhai Sea and then from Kunlun Mountain to Central Asia to do business. I wonder if the shopkeeper has any suggestions?"

"Walking through the Black Desert?"

Although shopkeeper Wu is a descendant of the Qin people.

But he had grown up in Kunmo City since he was a child. Apart from his appearance, he could hardly find many characteristics of the Qin people, and even the local accent was not much left.

But because of this, he is very familiar with the Western Region.

When I was young, before my family's shop started, I dabbled in all walks of life.

I followed my father to the southern Xinjiang and northern deserts to harvest herbs in the summer and skins in the winter.

So as soon as he heard Chen Yulou's words, he determined the route of their trip.

"Yes."

Chen Yulou didn't mean to hide it either.

Seeing his confirmation, shopkeeper Wu couldn't help but sigh, and pulled a bench from the side to sit down.

"This is not a good time to travel to the Black Desert."

Hear the words.

Chen Yulou and Partridge Whistle sitting beside him couldn't help but look at each other.

There was a flash of surprise in their expressions.

"Shopkeeper Wu, do you mean sand bandits or Fengxue?"

"neither."

Shopkeeper Wu shook his head.

"Mr. Chen should have never been to the Western Regions before, right?"

"This is indeed the first time."

"That's right."

Shopkeeper Wu looked around with a knowing expression, and then lowered his voice and said, "According to the Uighurs, the Black Desert is also called Taklimakan, which means the Sea of ​​Death."

"And the abandoned place of Hu Da."

"According to rumors, Feng Ji is Hu Da who gets angry and suppresses the demons in the desert."

"Sea of ​​Death..."

Hear these words.

Except Chen Yulou was able to remain calm.

The expressions of the people at the table changed slightly.

They traveled all over the country and saw countless weird things, but not every place qualified to be called a land abandoned by the gods.

The Insect Valley in Zhelong Mountain can be considered a place.

And they have personally experienced the horror of Worm Valley.

That is only thirty miles of primeval dense forest.

But the Black Desert is said to be endless, thousands of miles wide. Even on a flat road, it would take ten days and a half to ride a horse for a thousand miles.

Not to mention, Shopkeeper Wu’s last words.

demon? !
They have seen many monsters in the mountains and ghosts in the graves.

But the monsters in the sand sea were unheard of.

"What if we find a guide who is familiar with the Black Desert?"

Chen Yulou tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

It seemed random, but when the sound fell on the ears of several people around him, it was like cold spring water and gurgling streams, waking up several people from the shock.

"There are many people who have crossed the Black Desert."

“But there are probably very few people who dare to go there in this season.”

Shopkeeper Wu still shook his head.

There are more than a dozen large and small deserts in the Western Region, but only that area is called the Black Desert.

You can tell the difference just from the name.

It seems to be to verify what he said.

While talking.

A sound of thumping footsteps came from the stairs.

Surprisingly, it was Huamaguai who had been away for a long time.

I saw him walking in a hurry, frowning, looking indignant.

As soon as he came over, he grabbed a pot of warm water and poured it into his mouth.

"what happened?"

Seeing his appearance, Miss Hong also frowned.

"I visited several dental shops and thought I would inquire first, but when I heard that we were going to the Black Desert, I encountered obstacles everywhere."

"Then I went elsewhere, with no exceptions."

Huamaguai gritted his teeth and looked ugly.

He almost stopped talking, and even increased the price one after another, but those people were afraid of the Black Desert and were completely unmoved.

"Except the Uighurs?"

Chen Yulou was thoughtful.

If I remember correctly, what Shopkeeper Wu mentioned just now was the abandoned place of Hu Da.

There are at least a dozen tribesmen in Kunmo City.

"I've looked for it too."

Huamaguai shook his head helplessly.

"Those people are like stones, unable to speak at all."

"It seems that it is exactly what shopkeeper Wu said."

Chen Yulou nodded, didn't ask any more questions, and just said lightly.

He knows the kidnapper's character best.

In such a long time, I am afraid that I have traveled all over Kunmo City, and I will return without success if I have no choice.

"Wu will naturally not deceive."

Shopkeeper Wu waved his hand and then thought of something else.

"If Mr. Chen is not in a hurry, he might as well live in the city for a while and wait until the windy season is over before going. There will definitely be someone willing to go."

"How long will it take?"

Chen Yulou asked subconsciously.

"It's the middle month of the lunar calendar now. After the New Year, it should be almost the same in two or three months."

Three or four months.

Upon hearing this time, Chen Yulou rejected it without even thinking about it.

It has been more than a month and almost two months since they set off.

If it is delayed for another three or four months.

Wouldn’t it take more than half a year to spend on the road?
"I'm afraid not." Chen Yulou shook his head, "If we weren't in a hurry, we wouldn't risk crossing the Hexi Corridor."

"……Too."

Shopkeeper Wu was startled at first.

Then he smiled bitterly and nodded.

"If you have to go, Wu has a suggestion."

"Please tell me shopkeeper Wu."

Chen Yulou cupped his hands and said seriously.

"At the southern foot of Yuhai, near the Tianshan Mountains, where you are on this trip, there is a tribe that calls itself the Uighurs. It is said that they are descendants of the Turks. Many years ago, I had dealings with them once when I went to the Northern Desert to collect skins."

"Those people are brave and good at fighting. They are extremely brave and make a living by hunting."

"For them, the Sea of ​​Fish and the Black Desert don't have much respect. They are just granaries given to them by God."

Shopkeeper Wu said slowly.

"If Mr. Chen can find it, please ask the Uighurs to be our guides, and we will definitely be able to get in and out of the Black Desert without incident."

Turks and Uighurs.

Listen to these two ancient groups.

Even if it was Chen Yulou, he couldn't help but feel a little amazed in his heart.

You know, he had only seen it in textbooks, but he didn't expect that this nation that should have disappeared in the long history would still exist in the world at this time.

"Okay, Chen took note of it."

"Thank you, Shopkeeper Wu."

ponder for a moment.

Only then did Chen Yulou recover from his surprise, and thanked Shopkeeper Wu with a fist in his arms.

"Mr. Chen, you're welcome."

"Then I won't interrupt and go prepare meals for you first."

(End of this chapter)