The bad emperor of Tang Dynasty

"Guo Nuan. Be careful on the road. I'll wait for you."

A new day begins.Early in the morning outside the city of Niya.The Deira caravan that Guo Nuan followed was loaded with a large amount of goods.The long camel team is ready to go.The king and Reheman in the city came to see him off.

"Eh. I..." It's too late to explain that you may not come back.Guo Nuan's left cheek was kissed by the affectionate Reheman.

"Hehe. Don't worry. We will come back safely." Accompanied by the cheers and laughter of the crowd.Della relieved the embarrassed Guo Nuan.

After saying goodbye to the hospitable Niya people.Feeling Reheman's hot gaze from his back.Guo Nuan never dared to look back.Staring at the hinterland of the golden sand dunes in the distance.The city of Niya is getting farther and farther.

It is said that the Della caravan is going to do business in Wusun Kingdom in the Turpan Basin deep in the Western Regions.Della had a deep friendship with King IX of Niya.Therefore, most of the goods he transported this time were the assets of the Niya royal family.Of course as a trading partner.If Della can sell a large number of precious goods of the Niya royal family this time.He can also earn at least more than one hundred thousand taels of silver.At the same time, more than 120 hired caravan followers were supported.groom.bodyguard.Handymen and others.

However, this batch of valuable goods must be safely transported in the vast desert.In addition to resisting the harsh drought of nature.Sandstorms and beasts.The biggest enemy is the robbers ambushing on the road.

Because Guo Nuandra has a good relationship with his grandfather and grandson.Although he is an ordinary bodyguard of the Deira caravan.But compared to riding a camel outside.For those team members on the mule livestock transport.He was treated well.Guo Nuan is now sitting comfortably in the carriage with his grandfather and grandson.Avoid the wind and sun.Especially if you eat sand in your mouth.However, the wheels of the carriage are prone to sinking into the soft sand pit.Ask everyone to pull it out from time to time.Trouble is a little more troublesome.But who told Della to be the head of the rather old caravan.There is still special treatment.

"En. The value of this batch of Niya royal family's goods is estimated to be more than [-] yuan. It is indeed a big deal." In the carriage.Guo Nuan took Della's cargo list.He studied it carefully for a while.He frowned.

Niya specialty colorful brocade: 100 pieces.There are [-] pairs of green shuttles.There are also [-] sheets of fine satin.In addition to these, there are [-] red and green Sahara.Small iron knife, iron awl.There are also weapons such as iron knives and iron swords.Bronze ware, bronze cones, small copper ornaments, copper bowls, etc.It contains precious purple mouse skin.Treasure belt. More than [-] catties of gold jewelry.Plus dozens of red crystals as big as cat's eyes.

Guo Nuan studied economics and trade in her previous life.Among them, I studied accounting.for these goods.According to statistics and mental arithmetic formulas carry quick calculation.He can calculate the approximate value in a short time from the simple list.This is undoubtedly amazing to Della, who has to use the Chinese abacus to continuously dial the beads to accumulate.In the eyes of his grandfather, Guo Nuan was no longer just an ordinary bodyguard.

"Guo Nuan. How about learning caravan trade from Grandpa Della. I can teach you all the business experience I have accumulated in the Western Regions for decades." Della saw Guo Nuan's potential.His eyes sparkled brightly.Guo Nuan smiled and gave a haha.Neither agreed nor opposed.Fooled the past.

The carriage was a little bumpy.Little Aina was sleeping soundly curled up on the fluffy blanket in a corner of the carriage.Della saw that Guo Nuan had no intention of doing business.After all, everyone has his own aspirations.He laughed in understanding.Then he took out a yellowed parchment map from his pocket.

Guo Nuan took the map.There are circles dotted with ink smudges on it.The desert is marked.Gobi.mountains.There are also large and small town coordinates.Especially the most important is the location of precious water sources marked in the desert hinterland.

"Here. To here. We will have to march for about eight days. We will arrive at a western Turkic Tiele tribe for supplies in the Gobi wasteland. Then we will travel [-] miles across the death zone of the Bime sand dunes to reach the capital of Wusun." Della explained the map route to Guo Nuan in detail.

Della said.There is a big lake in that area.A lot of weeds grow.Birds and beasts can be found hunting on the barren grass.There are also some sources of potable water puddles.Of course, there are also desert wolves hidden in the big swamp.These dangerous beasts often hunt their prey in packs at night.Caravans staying overnight in Dahuze are often attacked by wolves.

Leave Dahuze.Go northwest and bypass a large Gobi basin.After five days, you will encounter a deserted city.This is Halle.It has been abandoned for more than 150 years.But in the past ten years or so.In this deserted city gathered some mysterious heretics.With a black veil.Survive by robbing caravans for money and food supplies.Once encountered.Whoever sees will kill.But the legend is the scariest thing.Those pagans like to peel off the skins of passers-by and make them into puppet offerings in honor of evil gods.Human flesh is cooked in a large pot.Divide it.It is said that many caravans who have bypassed the deserted city said they saw the small hill of skulls piled up next to the city gate.Terrifying.

"Uh, those wolves that Grandpa Della just mentioned. Wild dogs and the like. Compared with these pagans, they are much cuter." Guo Nuan listened to Della's rumors of the Western Regions with relish.It seems that I am not afraid at all.

"In short, we can stay far away. We should try to stay as far away as possible." Della saw Guo Nuan's disapproval.As a veteran who eats more salt than Guo Nuan, he kindly reminded him.

"Of course. It is rumored that the thousands of pagans in the deserted city live very simple lives. They like to eat human flesh and skin them. The most important thing is. They think that the gods they believe in need huge treasures to enshrine. So they robbed merchants all these years The treasures accumulated by the team..." Della muttered mysteriously.When it comes to this.There was a pause in the tone.This made Guo Nuan prick up his ears for a moment of curiosity.

"What's wrong with the treasure? How much is it worth?" Guo Nuan quickly asked after taking the conversation.

"Hey. Some say it's worth more than 1000 million silver. Some say it's worth more than 5000 million. Who knows. These are all treasured by the pagans in the huge basement under the ruins of the city."

It's not that Guo Nuan covets these heart-pounding huge treasures.However, this person's unique spirit of curiosity and exploration made him excited.

Got back to reality.Guo Nuan drew out her excellent carved waist knife.The rhombus snowflake alloy blade is shiny.Niya's knife skills are really good.Guo Nuan spent more than 40 silver coins to get it.Ignore these cannibals for now.Heretics who plunder treasure.His first job is to protect.Today's Guo Nuan is no longer the rich young master of Chang'an.Still the royal son-in-law.People are wandering in foreign lands.Except for some false titles that are said to be heard.It is not necessary to eat and drink to survive.Guo Nuan sat on the bumpy carriage for a while.He ducked out of the carriage and jumped down neatly.The escort work for the desert escort began.

Looking around.Except for the rolling sand dunes.And the hot sun overhead.Occasionally, I encountered some caravans of the same trade who passed by a few miles away.The landscape is barren.

Guo Nuan ran to the middle of the camel team.He chatted for a while with an old Persian groom who could speak Chinese.The groom had stayed in Luoyang for over ten years.I heard from him that he once worked as an errand in a prince's mansion of the Tang royal family.Responsible for raising the rare and exotic animals in the West in the zoo of the prince's mansion.Like a leopard.lion.Alpacas and such.These exotic animals are all from the Middle East.Or imported from Tianzhu.

Guo Nuan did not expect this seemingly ordinary uncle to have such a special resume.Soon the two guys were chatting amicably.

Inadvertently.Guo Nuan mentioned the pagan who was comparable to the barren city.This made the groom's expression suddenly change.It turned out that he had a nephew who also followed him to do business in the Western Regions three years ago.But the nephew was hired by other caravans.Later came the bad news that he disappeared while passing through the mall.

There was a pain in the face of the Boss groom.Guo Nuan also knew that his nephew probably died in Huangcheng.

Communication from these caravans.Guo Nuan became acquainted with them within a few days.For that mysterious religion.He got a general understanding from the miscellaneous chatter of the crowd.

It was rumored more than 200 years ago.In the middle east plateau.There was a flash of heresy.Art also shines brightly over time.Then came the rise of Islam.The Dashi Dynasty at that time was to ensure the purity of the people's belief in Islam.The dynasty began to wipe out the religions of Shanzhu.Been silent for decades.I didn't expect that the deserted city would be revived again.

Followers of the Shinzo religion believe in anthropomorphic gods.This is a kind of half-orc god combined by the founder of the religion based on the shape of human beings and the head of animals.Generally speaking.Some business travelers who escaped said.Religious people in this deserted city worship the dog-headed and human-body god.However, some people say that it is a statue of a wolf head and a human body.Some people even rumored that they held huge religious ceremonies every full moon day in the basement of the ruins.Worship a large wooden statue more than ten meters high.The head of the statue is covered with dozens of sheets of cloth woven from human skin.Their leader is an old monster who is only five or six years old and speaks like a baby.It is said to have lived for more than 200 years.

"Ah. Is this nonsense? The more you say it, the more mysterious it becomes." For a Tianzhu servant.He is a little difficult to communicate.What the other party said was serious.It seems that this is not a rumor he processed.

"I don't understand the statue of the lonely old god. It's as wide as a square. In the basement with a domed ceiling like a starry sky. I heard that there is a giant statue of the lonely old god carved from sandalwood. Just lift the human skin hood and look at the head of the god. You can rejuvenate yourself." .Of course, only the most sincere believers can get the grace of the statue. As long as you are not a fanatical religious person. If you look at it, your black hair will turn into white hair overnight. The skin will wrinkle.

"Quack. Really." Guo Nuan and the talkative Tianzhu servant looked at each other.The other party smiled honestly.Blinking his pure eyes: "Who knows. Maybe it's a myth made up by pagans."