The cold north blew on the body, as if cut by a knife. Zhao Zi rode on a horse, looked at the Tianshan Mountains in the north and the desert in the south, there was no green around, and said to the people around him: "Have you arrived at the mouth of the Guigu?" ”

The soldiers bowed their hands: "General, it's not here yet." Although the wind here is strong, it is far less powerful than in Guigukou, but it is just cold. I heard that in Guigukou, the strong wind in summer and autumn can blow people to the sky, and not even a shadow will be left! ”

Zhao Zi said: "So powerful? Today we're going to spend the night there and see how it goes. After the railway arrived in Yizhou, it was to be repaired to Gaochang. It can't be a summer or autumn time of the year when all the trains stop to avoid the wind. ”

The soldier said: "Here in the Western Regions, there is little rain all year round, and there are many such strange places. At the mouth of the Guigu Valley, if there is no shelter station, people and animals can shelter from the wind, and it is impossible at all. Because of the wind, I heard that the people and cattle that had caravans before were gone. ”

Zhao Zi nodded, led his subordinates, and went down to the Tianshan Mountain. Guigukou is the eastern gap of the basin where Gaochang is located, although the wind is strong, there is a water spring, and it is a place where people can pass. If you don't go to the mouth of the Guigu, there is a big desert to the south, and unless Yizhou goes around to the north of the Tianshan Mountains, it will not be able to reach Gaochang.

All the winds in this area are because the middle Tianshan Mountains stopped the cold wind from the north, and they just happened to be at the mouth of this valley. In summer and autumn, when there is a strong wind, there will be strong winds in this area that can blow away people and animals. At this time, people did not know the principle, and they were especially in awe of this area.

Heading northwest, at the foot of the mountain, it didn't feel as cold as it had just been, but the wind began to get stronger.

The soldier said: "General, it is only less than ten miles away from the shelter post. The subordinates went there to see that the place had long been abandoned, and only the ruins of a post house remained, and there was no human figure. In this area, within a radius of 100 miles, there are no people, and if the government does not send people to the post house, there will be no people. ”

Zhao Zi nodded, because the wind was too strong, and he didn't bother to speak, so he just led his subordinates forward. I don't know how long I walked, but an old house appeared in the desert in front of me, and at a glance, I was in a trance.

The soldier said: "General, that is the former shelter post, the only place to pass through from Gaochang to Yizhou." For dozens of miles around, only this place has a water source, and people and animals need to replenish water here. Now in winter, not when there is a lot of wind, there is nothing unusual. I heard that when the summer and autumn monsoons are abundant, the sky is full of yellow sand, and there are not a few days of calm in a month. The caravans that came and went hid in the post houses, and when the wind stopped, they marched together. Since Yizhou was no longer under the control of Gaochang and the trade route was cut off, this post house was abandoned. ”

Zhao Zi said: "In such a place, if the wind is strong, I am afraid that the railway will not be allowed." Let's go, go and see! ”

After speaking, Tima walked forward, with more than 300 of his subordinates, and hurried towards the abandoned post house. When I arrived, I saw that this post house was all earthen houses, which had been abandoned for a long time, and some of them had fallen into decay. In front of the inn, there is a large livestock pen and several water tanks.

When he arrived, Zhao Zi rode on a horse, looked at the abandoned post house, and was silent for a while before he said: "Look at the windows of the houses here, they are all very small, and I think it is a windy place." There is a post house, which must have been busy before, although there is windy weather, as long as you avoid the sky. ”

The soldier said: "The general is right, it was like this before. Merchants from Gaochang to Yizhou will avoid the windy April and May, and prefer to spend spring and autumn here. According to the natives here, when the wind is at its strongest, even people and animals can be swept up to the sky. ”

Zhao Zi raised his head, looked at the Tianshan Mountains not far to the north, and said, "It's difficult to walk here, can't you walk in the mountains in the north?" ”

The soldier said: "This is a trade route, there are no people around, and it is the safest." In the mountains to the north, although there is also wind, it is always lighter, but there are nomadic residents, so it is not safe to come as a trade route. Beiting and other places on the north side of the Tianshan Mountains can be climbed over the mountain from here. ”

Zhao Zi looked up at the Tianshan Mountains in the north and shook his head disdainfully. After the Song Dynasty army was stationed, there was a huge advantage in numbers, and the harassment of the nomads was no longer important. As long as the society is stable, it is not a time when thieves are rampant, and there is no hiding place for those who make trouble.

This is the tuyere, and when Zhao Zi was watching, a strong wind suddenly rose not far away, rolling up the yellow sand and covering the sky.

Zhao Zi saw it and said to his subordinates: "Let's rest here tonight for the night, and get up early to go back." Since there is no Gaochang garrison, this place is safe, and there is no need to watch. Wait until the railway arrives in Yizhou and the army arrives, and then talk slowly. ”

Everyone agreed, and dismounted together, some went to clean the house, and some went to fetch water.

When Zhao Zi arrived at the post house, he saw that the walls of the houses were very strong, although there were some collapses, most of them were still intact. It's just that most of the roofs have collapsed, and the house can't live in people, so you can only set up tents in it.

After reading around, Zhao Zi said to everyone: "Except for the vigilantes, each chooses a residence." The guards sent to the surrounding area were limited to thirty miles to check for the presence of enemy troops. When you come back, you will be armed within five miles. It's empty, and the range of armaments is larger. ”

Everyone agreed, camped, and rode out. The Western Regions are not as good as the Central Plains, even if you go thirty miles ahead, you can't see a human figure.

When they arrived at the middle house, the soldiers had already set up a tent, and a fire was lit in front of the tent, and meat was roasted on it. Zhao Zi sat down by the fire, took off his cloak, and said to everyone: "The shelter here, whether it is in the direction of Yizhou or Gaochang, there is no one in the hundred miles. That's why it's so difficult. Without this post station, the trade route is really difficult to pass in the windy weather here. ”

The soldier said: "The general is right, so the merchants in the north of the Tianshan Mountain often go around the north of the mountain, anyway, it is summer when the wind is strong." However, the merchants in the south of the Tianshan Mountains have no choice but to go here. ”

Zhao Zi nodded: "It's good to know here." This year, we will stay in Illinois, and as long as no one comes to attack, we will not cause trouble. Wait until the next year when the railroad is opened and the army arrives, and then we will say something else. There is no railway, and I don't know the inside story of Gaochang, so I don't dare to touch them for a while. ”

The 3,000 army under his command is nothing in the Central Plains, but here in the Western Regions is actually a very strong force. It's just that Zhao Zi is new to the situation, and he doesn't know the situation in Gaochang over there, so he can only act cautiously. After the First World War, the Song army was reorganized, the establishment of the army had been expanded, and Zhao Zi was used to fighting big battles.

After baking the fire for a while, the cold on my body disappeared, and I felt very comfortable with the heat all over my body. Zhao Zi took off the roasted meat, took a sip of wine, and half-lay on the ground, thinking about his thoughts. The Western Regions is too big, and when I arrived in Yizhou, it was still difficult to start with the recent Gaochang, and it was difficult to figure out the situation there. In fact, if you think about it, the two places are still too far apart by six or seven hundred miles. In addition, there is such a no-man's land in the middle, Gaochang withdrew the post station, except for the occasional aborigines, it is difficult for ordinary people to cross, in fact, two areas that are not connected.

Du Zhongxiao's military order asked Zhao Zi to use this small half a year to figure out the situation in Gaochang, and now Zhao Zi is worried. Originally, I thought that there were trade routes here, and it should be convenient to come and go, but when I went to Guigukou today, I saw that it was far from the situation.

How to send people to Gaochang to find out what the people there think, Zhao Zi has to think of a way.