Chapter 2: Merchants

Chapter 2: The caravan

There are more than 70 people in this small caravan. The leader of the caravan is also known as the "head" is a middle-aged man with a frosty but also quite majestic face, Li Yaozu.

The political situation and people's livelihood of the Qing Dynasty are said to be 50 ethnic groups, but in fact, 50 big surnames. 99.9% of the people of the Qing Dynasty belong to these 50 big surnames.

Among the 50 surnames, Li also belongs to the middle and upper class. The mother of one of the 24 princes of the Qing Dynasty is the Li family.

This small caravan, except for the guides and more than a dozen external guards, are all from the Li nationality.

Li Yaozu is both a master and an elder.

"Lao Wang, what's going on?" In the carriage, Li Yaozu stared at the guide Lao Wang with burning eyes, which made the latter afraid to look at him.

The riding beast in the caravan is naturally a camel, and most of the vehicles are trucks. Only two camels are located in the center of the caravan. One is Li Yaozu's family members, and the other is for Li Yaozu to negotiate things, just like now.

"Head, there is something wrong with the gust of wind just now." Lao Wang is also an old man. He traveled south and north, suppressed the fear in his heart, and answered, "According to my decades of experience in the desert, that gust of wind is man-made."

"Are you sure?!" Li Yaozu was shocked and grabbed Lao Wang's clothes.

"I dare to guarantee this old life!"

In the carriage, it fell silent in an instant, and the atmosphere was solemn, just like the tranquility before the storm.

Li Yaozu can become the leader of the caravan, and his insight is naturally extraordinary. In this vast sand sea, there are ten people who can drive the sky with manpower to create winds...

Alchemist!!

The master of a caravan is neither big nor small. Whether it is the alchemist of his own country or the alchemist of Amestorius, Li Yaozu has seen it, and with various rumors and chronicles, he also knows the difference between the two.

Amestoris' alchemists pay attention to practicality, have strong utilitarianism, and are more or less aggressive and lethal under the influence of their own political and folk customs. In contrast, in the Qing Dynasty, alchemists advocate the natural way of heaven and earth, pay attention to the unity of heaven and man, and have studied more about the method of refining lead, mercury and gathering elixir, focusing on Assistance and spiritual practice.

This does not mean that the combat effectiveness of the Qing alchemist is lower than that of the alchemist. On the contrary, according to Li Yaozu's understanding, those brilliant alchemists who exist in the legend can change the celestial phenomena to drive the power of heaven and earth for their own use, which is extremely powerful.

It is rumored that the barbarians in the dense forest in the south almost broke through the capital of Huxiang Prefecture. At that time, the patriarch of the Zeng clan personally went to Kunlun to invite a powerful alchemist, cast a spell to control Yunmize Shuiyuan, evolved into a huge wave, and involved tens of thousands of barbarians into the bottom of the vast Yunmengze Lake in one fell swoop, becoming the blood food of endless fierce beasts.

Since then, the barbarians have never dared to invade the Central Plains for more than 100 years.

The words of the guide Lao Wang made Li Yaozu suddenly recall this story, and suddenly set off waves and huge waves in his mind.

A burst of blue and white, Li Yaozu's expression changed dramatically for a while, clenched his fist and made up his mind. This is my opportunity, and I must not miss it!!"

After learning from Lao Wang that the person driving the wind was near the track in front of the convoy, Li Yaozu immediately ordered the convoy to accelerate.

The other side.

After taking a beautiful shower, Zhang Shenmei used alchemy to create a small pavilion-like building and took out a small mobile kitchen from the storage equipment.

lian into an array and start!!

The silver light suddenly appeared, and the sand flow surged. Within a few minutes, there was a small pile of ingredients in front of Zhang Shen.

Although the desert is desolate, there are also a large number of creatures living in it, especially near the abandoned railway tracks. Zhang Shen used alchemy and soon collected ingredients such as non-toxic sand scorpions, lizards, cactuses, etc.

Zhang Shen is a foodie, so he specially exchanged some cooking skills with the great will, which are directly printed in his mind and can be called at any time when needed.

The ingredients were quickly processed, covered with sauce, and dressed with bamboo sticks. Zhang Shen began a pleasant barbecue.

Ding Ding! Ding Ding!!

Just as the food was ready to be eaten, a crisp camel bell came from Zhang Shen's ear.

Huh?! Zhang Shen built a pergola with his hand to look over, and an ordinary-scale caravan was coming in his direction.

Because there are a group of cruel robbers like sand thieves in the desert, each caravan will have a role similar to military scouting and reconnaissance, equipped with the best riding beasts to investigate the movements in the four directions.

Zhang Shen knew that he had entered the sight of the caravan, and he was too lazy to avoid it and turned his skewers by himself.

Li Yaozu left the car a long time ago and walked at the front of the team.

He has a good vision and inadvertently sweeps a few times to put everything in the pavilion into his eyes.

It doesn't look old... The clothes are strange, but the materials and needlework have never been seen... The mysterious gazebo and the small room (bathroom) next to it... Unknowable things used for barbecue...

All the signs show that the young man in sight is not simple.

The kebab was just finished. The attractive fragrance brought by spices from the alien world made the members of the caravan who had eaten dry food for nearly a month grow their necks, their faces full of longing, and their throats shrugged.

Li Yaozu swallowed the saliva in his mouth, turned over from the camel, sorted out his robe, walked slowly outside the pavilion, stopped, and arched his hand and said, "I am the head of the caravan. It's really a great fate to meet left in this vast sand sea. I can't help but come forward to disturb him. I hope you won't be surprised."

"It doesn't matter, come on."

The light wind and clouds shown by Zhang Shen made Li Yaozu strengthen his thoughts. He came in and sat down, and couldn't stop his thoughts from tumbling.

I saw that the old man opposite was a little excited. Zhang Shen didn't know why, but he didn't want to investigate: "Come on, Mr. Li, try my unique secret barbecue."

Li Yaozu had a whole face and took it with both hands: "Do you dare to ask the prince's name?"

Zhang Shen was a little uncomfortable by his seriousness: "My name is Zhang Shen. Mr. You don't want the prince to shout. It's uncomfortable. Just call my name directly."

"Then the old man crossed over." In just a few words, Li Yaozu saw Zhang Shen's nature and called him "Zhang Xiao Brother" in his words, as if he had pulled himself to the level of Zhang Shen's peers.

Zhang Shen is not particularly good at words, but Li Yaozu is really powerful. He communicated with Zhang Shen with a feeling like a spring breeze. Unconsciously, half an hour passed, and the relationship between the two has been pulled a lot.

"It's also a little late, and the caravan has to find a place to settle down. I'll leave first and come back tomorrow."

Zhang Shen was still not satisfied, and it was difficult to stay any longer. He glanced at the unfinished cactus, sand scorpions and desert lizards in the mobile kitchen, and gave a favor to Li Yaozu.

My family has also eaten dry food for a long time. Li Yaozu was overjoyed and quickly thanked him.

Watching that the caravan gradually drifted away, set foot somewhere two miles away, tied down a tent, and made a camp to make a fire, and Zhang Shen's mood sank.

In the conversation with Li Yaozu just now, the latter took the initiative to confess his origin. He was a member of the Li family in the Qing Dynasty. After half his life, he finally got into the position of the head of the caravan and was responsible for the deal with Ames Dolis, which was also a little famous in the Li family.

And Zhang Shen didn't mention much about his own origin, but just said that he came out to travel to gain knowledge.

The Zhang people are also a big clan in the Qing Dynasty, which is a little stronger than the Li people in all aspects, but Zhang Shen doesn't want to get involved and doesn't say that he is a member of the Zhang nationality.

He could sense that Li Yaozu took the initiative to make friends with him, which made him relax a little.

If you have nothing to do, you will be a thief.

Zhang Shen is much more relieved to be able to confirm the reason for the other party's enthusiastic performance. As for what Li Yaozu wants to get from himself, he will naturally know after a long time.

I was speechless all night.

The next day, as expected by Zhang Shen, Li Yaozu enthusiastically invited himself to accompany the caravan and return to the Qing Dynasty together.

Zhang Shen thought for a few seconds and agreed. Such a refreshing attitude made Li Yaozu's eyebrows jump. He thought about all kinds of persuasion and words that he had only thought about in the middle of the night, which made him really a little entangled.

In the next few days, Zhang Shen followed the caravan to Qingguo.

There are many people and miscellaneous eyes, and it is not easy for Zhang Shen to use alchemy to make clear water, capture ingredients, and build houses. The quality of life has slipped straight down, and the original "white clothes win snow" is gradually yellowed by the wind and sand, which looks a little "normal".

However, the members of the caravan have been speechless and numb to someone's behavior of drinking water and even feeding camels with sweet water. If Li Yaozu hadn't said hello in advance, they couldn't help jumping out and talking.

However, Zhang Shen's quality of life has declined. For the members of the caravan, since someone joined the team, drinking water and food have been supplied very well, and they can taste the delicious food added with expensive spices from time to time. The standard of living is like a rocket, and Zhang's image has also risen from the beginning. The "prodigal son" has become a "big man"...

"Eh, Brother Li, didn't you say that there are many sand thieves in the desert? Why are we about to reach the border of Qing all the way, or haven't we touched a sand thief?

Although Zhang Shen has experienced several worlds, he has never seen serious robbers, especially such characteristic sand pirates. It's a pity to think about it.

The situation of the Qing Kingdom in this world is also somewhat similar to that of the ancient Xia Kingdom, which is of special significance to Zhang Shen, who grew up watching martial arts films.

Li Yaozu smiled hoarsely: "Little brother, you are a skilled man and bold, and you don't care. For us merchants who run desert merchants, the word sand thief simply represents death.

"It's okay for you to talk to me in private. Don't ask other people in the caravan like this. It's very unlucky." Zhang Shen's regret was so full of words that Li Yaozu didn't know what to say.

Zhang San asked about the sand thief that morning.

In the afternoon, not long after the caravan left, a scout rode a camel and returned quickly.

"No, sand thief... The sand thief is coming!!"