Tang riddles

After weighing again and again, Shen Sui made the final decision, asking Sima Chengzhen to bring her sect master's token to go to the ancient city of Loulan on his behalf, and to assist the vanguard ahead and the old general Xiao Su's deployment.Shen Sui assigned twelve elite Qianyumen brothers to follow Sima Chengzhen, Senior Brother Chen, and four disciples of the Xuan family, Xuan He, Xuan Shun, Xuan Gong, and Xuan Sheng.These 12 people are already half of the people brought by Shen Sui. After all, she is not leading troops to fight, she is disguised as a caravan, and it is not good to bring too many people, otherwise it will make people suspicious.

Counting it, Xuan Weizi is also a disciple of Xuan's generation. Although he is older, he started late, so his seniority is lower.This time, Xuanweizi was also sent by Shen Sui to support Sima Chengzhen, and rushed to the ancient city of Loulan first.Shen Sui gave him the black-feathered fast eagle's communication post. This black eagle with the fastest speed in the Thousand Feathers Sect will become the only means of communication between the front and the rear.Communication in the desert is really difficult. Ordinary birds can't even survive in the desert. Only large raptors can communicate over long distances.

The night before Sima Chengzhen's departure, Shen Sui stayed up all night, and led Hutuo to interrogate the two Sogdian businessmen who escaped from the sandstorm overnight.According to their recollection, the sandstorm came so suddenly that even the experienced guide who had traveled this route for many years did not expect it, so his own life was also cut off in it.

"Mobei has just entered spring, and it is indeed the season of frequent sandstorms. But this area is full of Gobi, and there is still a long distance from the desert. Generally speaking, the routes we choose are to avoid frequent sandstorms in previous years. Otherwise, we would not dare to come out to do business in such a season. It’s just that we cannot predict the will of the gods. This sandstorm may be our punishment.” said one of the Sogdian businessmen, who had thick black hair. He has a big beard, thin cheeks, a straight nose, and deep eye sockets.Probably because he was overly frightened, his complexion was extremely pale, and he trembled when he spoke, terrified of panic.

"The open fire is indeed our fault. I have persuaded the Han man that the Qiang sheep is the incarnation of the gods, the elves on the plateau, and cannot be killed, but the Han man killed five of them in one go, and one of them was killed." We have offended the gods!" Another Sogdian merchant cried and said, he was older, with a thin beard, and his cloudy eyes were full of regret and fear.

Hu Tuo translated the words of the two Sogdian merchants to Shen Sui. After listening, Shen Sui frowned and asked:

"The Han people killed Qiang sheep? What happened?"

Kuta hurriedly asked in Sogdian, only to hear the younger bearded Sogdian businessman reply:

"This time we ran a business back to the Western Regions, and we followed the caravan of a Han shopkeeper. They transported a large amount of silk, porcelain, and tea bricks. After selling them in the four towns of Anxi, they bought furs, gold and silver. Caravans, sold back to the Central Plains. Several of us are from Kucha, and were recruited into the team halfway. We originally wanted to go home with this caravan, serve as their guides, and get some employment fees. When the time comes, our goods We bought it together with them, and we don’t have to worry about sales, and we can raise the price a little bit. It’s just that the shopkeeper, the Han, seems to be running a business for the first time, and he doesn’t know much about the rules of this road. When we walked near the Peacock Sea, I saw five Qiang sheep in the desert. Qiang sheep seldom appear in such a group. We Sogdians worship Qiang sheep very much and think that they are elves incarnate of gods. But the Han shopkeeper was blinded by money. The horns and skins of Qiang sheep are very expensive in the Central Plains, so the Han shopkeeper immediately sent people to hunt them down and killed the five Qiang sheep viciously. They skinned them and cut off their horns. Shortly thereafter...we were hit by a sandstorm, and the Han shopkeeper and his caravan were blown away, and most of the goods were buried in the yellow sand. It must have been retribution!" He was furious.

After Hu Tuo translated, Shen Sui was silent for a moment, and asked slowly:

"You said that you saw the ancient city of Loulan, which has disappeared for many years. Do you remember the location, and can you guide us?"

After hearing Shen Sui's words, the two Sogdian businessmen hesitated.They have just gone through a life-and-death test, and they managed to escape from death. It is really difficult for them to return to that place of death in such a short period of time.Shen Sui didn't want to force them, but he really needed someone to lead the way in the desert.Because even Hutuo has never been to the ancient city of Loulan. This ancient city has been buried under the yellow sand for hundreds of years, and this is the first time it has appeared after disappearing for so many years.

"Don't worry, I will never be stingy with the rewards. These five gold leaves will be used as a deposit first, and after the matter is completed, there will be ten times the reward." Shen Sui added.

When the two Sogdian merchants saw the gold leaves, their eyes straightened. The person in front of them was really generous, and there would be ten times the reward after the deal was completed, which would be fifty gold leaves. You don't have to worry about it for the rest of your life.

As the saying goes, there must be a brave man under a great reward. The two discussed for a while, and finally gritted their teeth and agreed.Probably because they felt that the sandstorm had passed, it would be safer to go there again, and they could get such a huge reward just for leading the way, and they would no longer have to travel around and work hard, so the two finally agreed to the invitation to be guides.

Shen Sui asked the slightly younger bearded Sogdian businessman to set off tomorrow and follow Sima Chengzhen and others to the ancient city of Loulan.And the old Sogdian businessman stayed temporarily, in case of the worst situation——Shen Sui had to go to the ancient city of Loulan to take the risk himself.

After talking with these two people, Shen Sui went to see Bai Liuniang and Xiao Kai again.Xiao Kai was still unwilling to reveal the other two secrets he knew at first, but after learning that Sima Chengzhen would go to the ancient city of Loulan to investigate tomorrow, he pulled Shen Sui aside and said:

"Okay, let me tell you the second secret. I sincerely hope that you can find the main altar. Liu Niang should not let Liu Niang hear about this matter. She should not know."

Shen Sui nodded, waiting for him to finish.

"The big formation outside the main altar will cause a mirage phenomenon. It is hard to say whether the ancient city of Loulan seen by the two Sogdians is really the ancient city of Loulan. Maybe it is a mirage. I have peeked at it. The letter written by the Priest of Heaven to my brother mentioned how to break the law of the Great Formation of the Main Altar. The Priest of Heaven is in charge of half of the ancient scriptures of the holy religion, and the other half is in the hands of the saint. The scriptures in the hands of the saint record freedom Unfortunately, we can't see the way to get in and out of the big formation.

According to that half of the ancient scriptures, to destroy a large formation, one must first find the formation's eye.To find the eye of the formation, you need to break through the imaginary maze of the mirage.That maze is related to the wooden model polyhedron maze in your hand.Only by cracking the maze can we discern the direction in the confusion of the mirage, find the eye of the array, and thus find the location of the main altar. "

It's a maze again, but Shen Sui hasn't found any clues to solve the maze so far.She faintly felt that to unlock the maze, she still lacked some key information, perhaps, related to the knowledge background of the person who created the maze.What exactly was the maze created by the creator, if she could find out, it would be the most critical step to unravel the maze, and there would be no problem after that.

Just relying on those two prompts is too thin, like a jigsaw puzzle, if there are not enough pieces, how can she assemble a complete pattern.

"Shen Bozhao, you really need to be mentally prepared. The location of the main altar is hidden very deeply, and the purpose of the saint to lure you to the altar has never been clear. The conflict between the saint and the great pope has always been puzzling. You and I I don't know anything, if you want to break into the dragon's pond and tiger's lair, no matter how careful you are, you will have to pay the price." Xiao Kai reminded.

What he meant was that he would not set off with the team before Shen Sui and others solved the maze. Of course, Shen Sui did not intend to let Xiao Kai follow the Taoist gate. Xiao Kai and Bai Liuniang were still in their own hands. hands as well.Starting with the Daomen, the changes in it are unpredictable.

"I just hope that you can clearly explain everything you need to say at once. What is the third secret? Can you tell me?" Shen Sui said.

Xiao Kai shook his head and said: "I won't say it now, I can only say that this secret has nothing to do with the maze itself. I will tell it when I get the antidote. Before that, I don't want to say a word. will not say."

Shen Sui chuckled lightly and didn't ask any more questions.

After talking with Xiao Kai, she glanced at Bai Liuniang, who had been silent all this time, and went to Sima Chengzhen's residence, and explained everything she had learned from her investigation to Sima Chengzhen, and finally exhorted:

"Master, the origins of those two Sogdian merchants cannot be proven, nor should they be easily believed. Therefore, in the process of his leading the way, you must be careful of his tricks, and you will never go wrong. In addition, the The origin of the Han shopkeeper is also very strange. This season is not the best time to take the Anxi desert business route. Winter has just passed and spring is coming. The temperature is still very low, and there are frequent sandstorms. In short, he appeared out of season and It’s too coincidental, what’s the origin and purpose, it’s best to find out from the Nasodian merchants.”

"Don't worry, Bozhao. As a teacher, he has traveled all over the world in his early years. He has more experience than you. As a teacher, he will never miss anything that should be paid attention to." Sima Chengzhen was still calm, and his calm attitude also gave Shen Sui Great encouragement.Master's wisdom is boundless, not comparable to her, she believes that Master has the ability to solve the mystery faster than herself.

Shen Sui gave Sima Chengzhen the maze model he copied: "You take this with you, maybe you will need it on the way."

"Okay, I accept it for the teacher." Sima Chengzhen took it with a smile, looked at it for a while and said:

"Bi Luo Huang Quan, Liuhe Bafang, interesting. You know, the word 'Bi Luo' comes from my Taoism, and refers to the first of the six heavens in the east. Lingbao's top-grade Miaojing said: The six heavens in the east, the Qi of Bi Luo (same as "Qi", referring to the innate vitality) starting from Spica (one of the 28 mansions, the head of the seven mansions of the Eastern Qinglong), once at the end (same as "second", here refers to the end of the year, month or four seasons) and gradually Head north."

As soon as Sima Chengzhen finished speaking, Shen Sui slowly widened his eyes.Daoist terminology... yes, whether it is Biluo Huangquan or Liuhe Bafang, these are all terms derived from Daoist sect.Why... people in the cult use Taoist vocabulary so frequently?Is it for the convenience of my understanding?Or... the person who built the labyrinth himself was born in a Taoist sect?

Shen Sui's thoughts gradually drifted away, and when she came back to her senses, she found that Sima Chengzhen was watching her quietly.

"Master..." Shen Sui murmured.

"Don't worry, you'll figure it out. As a teacher, I haven't figured it out, but as a teacher, I don't worry at all." He laughed.

"Yes, thank you Master for your guidance." Shen Sui bowed down.

***

In the morning of the next day, a group of seven members from the Taoist sect, 12 elites from the Qianyumen sect, and a Sogdian merchant guide, took as much water and food as possible, and set off quickly.Shen Sui stood on the top of the city and watched them leave. The vast desert under the rising sun in the distance made her feel powerless.

Hope, everything goes well.Master, this disciple will wait for your return here.

When she walked down the wall, Kuta was waiting for her.Shen Sui saw a rare solemn look on his face, and couldn't help but cast him a questioning look.Kuta replied:

"Dalang, I didn't expect that the place where I was born and raised would hide such a big secret. The cult's headquarters must have existed for many years, at least older than my grandfather's generation. I have never heard of such a mysterious existence. My uncle is more knowledgeable. He told me many bizarre rumors, but I have never heard a word of a cult from him. They deliberately hide this For many years, it has been hidden so well, I am really a little scared."

"Khuta, you should have heard of Zoroastrianism."

"Naturally," said Hutuo.

While walking back to the post house, Shen Sui talked with Hutuo:

"Zoroastrianism, what is the situation in Loulan?"

"Zoroastrianism is a religion widely believed by the Sogdians. There are a large number of believers in the nine surnames of Zhaowu. It is widely spread in Gaochang, Yanqi and other places around Loulan. I think Loulan is no exception. It's just that Loulan perished in the Northern Wei Dynasty. There are too few records after the subjugation of the country, and I can't tell exactly what happened." Hutuo said.

"The cult was developed on the basis of Zoroastrianism. After Loulan fell, the local Zoroastrianism in Loulan also perished. Perhaps it was then that the cult began to sprout from the seemingly rotten dead wood in Loulan. In fact It is also the result of years of accumulation that the cult can reach today's scale. Now the cult is divided internally, internal and external troubles, and the building will collapse, so there is nothing to fear." Shen Sui said with a smile.

Knowing that Da Lang was comforting him, Hu Tuo couldn't help but nodded and said, "Hu Tuo understands, thank you Da Lang for your guidance."

However, the centipede is dead but not stiff, and this dying backlash is also very fatal.Shen Sui was vigilant in his heart and did not dare to relax at all.Right now, the leaders in the cult are all extremely cunning people. The enemy is in the dark, and we are in the open. They are really passive.She has been trying to reverse the situation, but with little success.

Back at the post station, it was still early, Shen Sui first sorted out the current situation once again, sorted out the latest information from all parties, but did not get any new clues.In Youzhou, the flat waves are like a lake, Li Jinyue is still accumulating strength, and the father and son of the Zhang family in Qujiang also stand behind Li Jinyue, secretly assisting.Shen Sui didn't want Mao Mao to worry, and most of the replies did not mention the details of the current situation.The royal family who lived in Luoyang moved back to Chang'an at the beginning of the year, and Chang'an has not changed much. Except for Zhang Shuo's death of illness not long ago, everything is as usual.The battle for the throne between King Zhong and Prince Shou has taken shape, and most courtiers are waiting and watching, and have not yet stood in line.Chang'an is peaceful with singing and dancing, prosperous and beautiful.

Actions to clean up cults in various places have achieved remarkable results.Officially, most Zoroastrian temples were demolished and shut down, and all people related to Nestorianism and Zoroastrianism were investigated and arrested.Among the folks, the Thousand Feathers Sect and the Beggars' Clan have joined forces to clear out the infiltrated members, and they have already achieved large-scale victories.

Seeing the power of the cult gradually collapse, Shen Sui always felt a sense of disobedience. Did the cult just give up like this?She sent someone to keep an eye on Tangmen, but Tangmen did not move at all.Including the public transportation agency family involved with the cult, the calm was a bit too much.

It was noon in the blink of an eye, Shen Sui went back to his room to accompany the maidservant for lunch.At that time, the bride happened to be in their room, the maidservant Lian seemed a little unwell, she had no appetite, she was resting on the bed with her eyes closed.Seeing her coming in, Xiongniang asked her to keep her voice low so as not to disturb the maidservant.

Shen Sui was a little worried. Ever since she arrived at the military camp of Loulan Mansion, the maidservant has been groggy, with headache and chest tightness.Xiongniang came to see her every day, saying that this is a normal phenomenon in the late pregnancy, so there is no need to worry.The maidservant lotus is heavy, her back hurts and her legs hurt, and she can't walk anymore. It is almost difficult to step out of the room without someone to help her.Shen Sui always wanted to spend more time with her, but she was entangled in many things, so she was really helpless.

After hastily eating lunch, Shen Sui leaned against the couch, held Zhang Ruohan in his arms, and accompanied her to take a nap.Shen Sui couldn't sleep by herself, she was thinking about her own thoughts, but Zhang Ruohan fell asleep in her arms.

But her seemingly ordinary nap brought unexpected consequences...

The author has something to say: notice, the baby is coming soon in the next chapter!I haven't named the baby yet, what should I call it?

PS: Qiang sheep are Tibetan antelopes.