turmoil

A group of people rushed all night and arrived at Zidal at noon the next day.Here is not a tall city wall like Gaochang City, but scattered tents around the oasis.Looking from a distance, the tents are connected into one piece, surrounding the sparkling lake water, forming clusters of clouds beside the pearl.

At first glance, these tents were set up very casually, but after careful identification, it can be seen that the tents are clearly separated, as if there is an invisible line dividing the Chu River and Han border.

Ding Ru'an was afraid that Yang Fan would be depressed, so he rode his horse to accompany the carriage, pointed his head and said: "Look, Lord Hou, those who can do business in Qidal are not ordinary people, except for a rich family, more or less have a backer, better He is also a well-known figure on the road. This is the camp where Hu merchants gathered. In addition to Huihe, Gumo, Yanqi and Qiuci also came to join in the fun. Over there is the camp of big cannibals... Well, these Hu merchants People come from afar, and they bring a lot of guards with them, most of them brought good things, lest they be missed by others."

Marquis Dingbian has a high status and it is inconvenient to show his true colors to others. After Wang Xuan's skillful modification, he turned into a middle-aged man with scorched skin.He followed Ding Ru'an's guidance and looked over, and saw that the Hu merchants from all walks of life seemed to be in harmony with each other, but in fact they were indescribably alienated. Horses were erected between the tents, dividing the market into country within a country.

The guards in strong clothes stood beside the carriage and camels, watching the group of visitors vigilantly.The pure white camel and the bloody red horse kicked uneasily, as if smelling the coming wind and rain.Torches and lanterns were lit at the entrance of the tent, and the bright firelight was reflected in the lake, like a galaxy rolling down backwards.

The carriage stopped suddenly, and Ding Ru'an probed again: "Master Hou, we're here."

Yang Fan's lingering poison has not been cleared, half of his body is still numb.But he didn't want outsiders to see his weakness, so he called his guards in and helped him out of the carriage.This is a separate camp, and there is also a lantern hanging at the door, and the four sides are not covered with bright paper, but transparent glass sheets.

The light of the fire illuminated the night, and the darkness was briefly dispelled.

The smell of barbecue wafted in the wind, it was the travelers who rushed to the camp first to entertain the later companions.The guards brought by Marquis Dingbian did not dare to slack off, guarding the tents one after another.A bonfire was lit in the tent, and the big bed was made soft and thick. To Yang Fan's surprise, there was a gilded bronze Boshan stove beside the bed, and white mist swirled up, filling the room with a delicate fragrance.

Marquis Dingbian is also a son of a wealthy family, but after smelling it for a long time, he couldn't tell the origin of the spice: "What kind of fragrance is this?"

Ding Ruan smiled and said: "My master concocted it, and I don't know what the formula is... I only know that this incense has the effect of calming the mind and relieving pain."

He paused, and rarely explained: "In our line of work, it is inevitable to fight with people. Some brothers got injuries and were so painful that they couldn't sleep all night. After smelling this fragrance, they could sleep more deeply. "

Yang Fan said casually: "Your master is quite leisurely and elegant... what about others?"

Ding Ru'an took the medicine bowl from the personal guard and handed it to Yang Fan: "I just asked, the master has something to go out, I'm afraid it will take an hour to come back... Master Hou is injured, you might as well rest for a while, and wait for the master to come back." I'll call you again."

He probably got someone's order, and his attitude towards Dingbian Hou became more respectful. Seeing that Yang Fan hesitated to take the medicine bowl, he took the initiative to take a sip: "It's a bit cold...Master Hou, it's better to drink this medicine while it's hot." .”

Yang Fan took the medicine bowl calmly, raised his neck and drank it, and then frowned slightly from the bitterness: "I am very sorry for disturbing your master... I don't know what your master's name is? I must personally thank you .”

Ding Ru'an smiled: "Master Hou, don't worry, my master will be back in a while, and when I see you...you can ask as many questions as you want."

He stared at Yang Fan and drank the medicine, then retreated, only Dingbian Hou was left in the big tent.Yang Fan stretched his hand into the sleeve of his robe and felt the smooth and moist bamboo fan bone. He thought: Is this master surnamed Ding the one I know?

If it is... what has he experienced in these years, how did he start such a big business?What is the purpose of painstakingly running the Silk Road Chamber of Commerce?

If not... why did he help himself over and over again?Even at the expense of being accused of "conspiracy" to provide food and grass for oneself?

Is it simply out of urgency and kindness, or do you have other plans?

If there is a picture... what is he drawing?

Yang Fan couldn't figure it out, he just felt that all the people and things seemed to be blurred through a layer of fog.It may be that the tranquilizing incense played a role, or it may be that the medicine Yang Fan drank itself had the effect of calming the mind and relieving pain. After a while, Dingbianhou sank into the leather mattress and fell into a deep sleep.

Yang Fan is not someone who is easy to let go of his guard, but the leather mattress under him is too comfortable, and the atmosphere in the camp is too safe. Surrounded by his confidants and personal guards, and Ding Ruan's people outside, he is like a cocoon. Chrysalis, once the body and mind are relaxed, they will be unable to extricate themselves from falling into darkness.

... He didn't wake up suddenly until the curtain was lifted and the cold night wind slipped into the tent.

Yang Fan didn't open his eyes, he heard the sound of footsteps, the person who came was very careful, every step was taken lightly - not a guilty conscience, but considerate and calm, afraid of alarming anything, and then slowly sat down beside the bed Down.He carefully lifted off the quilt, lifted Yang Fan's trouser legs, as if he wanted to see how he was hurt, but Ding Bianhou stretched out his hand like lightning, and grabbed his wrist.

Yang Fan opened his eyes quickly, and the next moment, the light in the tent faded like a tide, and was covered by the extremely gorgeous eyebrows.

Marquis Dingbian suddenly felt his throat dry, and all the inferences and speculations he had made a while ago were suddenly forgotten.

The man was a little surprised and apologetic: "Did I wake you up?"

I haven't seen each other for more than four years, and there are more than 1000 days and nights in the middle. Yang Fan thought that he would be unfamiliar and unaccustomed to it, but all his apprehension and near-feeling timidity disappeared in this understatement.

Dingbianhou's nose was sour, and there was a layer of grievance for no reason: "Why did you just come back!"

Zhang Jingche was a little funny, but also a little helpless.It is said that two people who have not seen each other for a long time meet suddenly, and their memory cannot keep up with the pace of time, so they have to get acquainted for a while no matter what.But he was not alienated at all, vaguely still the young man in white who walked into the bamboo forest back then.

He tilted his head to look at Yang Fan's eyes, and gestured with his fingers: "You're thin... haven't you eaten well for a while?"

Yang Fan has fought in the battlefield for many years, and he thought to himself that his heart was as hard as a stone, and he was invulnerable to swords and guns, but now for some reason, he was stabbed in two weak spots by Zhang Jingche's two words.

He rubbed his nose and said angrily, "What to eat! The military rations sent by the imperial court are all moldy rice and rotten noodles, and the soldiers are starving. I, as the commander, have no reason not to lead the way!"

Zhang Jingche laughed: "I said, why do you look like a little daughter-in-law when you meet each other? So it's because of this...what a big deal. As for it? I'm here, can I still make you hungry?"

Yang Fan was suddenly speechless.

After many years, he finally discovered the difference in this person. The involuntary loneliness and extremes of the year settled down like a big wave washing sand, and the gentleness and tolerance came out from the bottom of his bones.When Zhang Jingche smiled and shook his head helplessly, Marquis Dingbian suddenly had an outlet to vent his exhaustion and suffering from fighting alone all these years.

He is like a deep pool, a piece of lake water, accepting Yang Fan's grievances without hesitation.

Zhang Jingche really didn't care about the lack of food in the northwest camp. What he was doing was the business of gathering the wealth of the world. Although it was a bit troublesome to provide rations for [-] soldiers, it was not too difficult.In contrast, Dingbianhou's leg injury was more troublesome. He rolled up Yang Fan's trouser leg and found that the wound showed no signs of healing. He frowned: "The hidden weapon is poisonous?"

Yang Fan let out a "huh" and his tone was calm: "It's thanks to that Miss Wang who sealed the poison around the wound so that it didn't spread to the whole body."

"That's treating the symptoms but not the root cause!" Zhang Jingche said bluntly, "Why don't you try to take it out? Let the hidden weapon stay in your body, and the poison on your body will only flare up again and again!"

Yang Fan stared straight at Zhang Jingche with a pair of eyes, reluctant to move away: "Miss Wang said it was too difficult, she was not sure, and could only wait for you to come back."

Zhang Jingche took out a dagger from his waist. The blade was only half the size of a palm. It was not so much a "dagger" as it was a sharp knife.He roasted the blade on the bonfire, rolled up the trouser legs for Yang Fan, and patiently explained: "It's better to take out the hidden weapon as soon as possible... I'm going to cut open the flesh and see how deep it is, it may hurt a little, bear with me .”

Yang Fan pretended to be impatient: "Stop being wordy, just do it quickly!"

Zhang Jingche scolded with a smile, not as knowledgeable as him.Soon, he knew the reason why Wang Xuan didn't dare to do it - the hidden weapon had barbs and was very close to the blood vessel. If he took it out forcibly, it would break the blood vessel.What's more terrible is that it is not an ordinary blood vessel, but the aorta of the leg. Once it ruptures, a large amount of blood loss will cause a person to lose consciousness and shock in a very short period of time.

Zhang Jingche sighed: "Your injury is serious, and it caused me a huge problem."

How well did Yang Fan know him? Hearing this tone, he knew that Zhang Jingche was at least [-]% sure.Hou Dingbian's heart that had been hanging all the way was finally completely let go, and he was even in the mood to tease: "Yes, Miss Wang said, my leg may not be able to keep... If it is really disabled, Mr. Zhang will have to rely on the old friendship. For the sake of this, give me a bite of food."

Zhang Jingche took out parchment and charcoal from his arms, and wrote and drew on it: "What's the matter? I haven't given you less food all these years... Do you know who the assassin who attacked you is?"

"The assassins were dressed in black and covered their faces. I couldn't see their faces clearly, but I could smell a smell from them." Yang Fan paused, and added meaningfully, "The smell of sheep!"

Zhang Jingche quickly rolled his eyelids.

Yang Fan probed and saw that Zhang Jingche had drawn a general description of the wound and the location where the hidden weapon was stuck on the parchment. He couldn't help asking curiously, "You...you know medical skills?"

Zhang Jingche replied without raising his head, "I learned this."

Yang Fan was taken aback: "You learned this? Didn't you get brought up by your adoptive mother? I remember her..."

Just an ordinary rural peasant woman who struggles to survive by doing laundry for others, doesn't know a lot of Chinese characters, and hasn't even been to Luzhou City a few times?

Zhang Jingche's writing hand paused slightly.

For a moment, Yang Fan looked at his calm face, and for no reason felt that he had touched the deepest hidden heart of this person.

In other words, he was trying to show his deeply hidden side to others.

Yang Fan knew exactly what this meant, he suppressed his eagerness to move while his mouth was dry, and tried to go one step further: "When... did you learn medical skills?"

Zhang Jingche raised his head and gave him a gentle smile: "In the last life."

Yang Fan: "..."

This sounds like a harmless joke, but Dingbian Hou has an inexplicable premonition that this answer may be more than a simple "joke".

However, before he had time to ask, Zhang Jingche suddenly raised his finger and tapped lightly on his forehead: "If you have the energy to worry about others, it seems that Yang Hou is really fine... Then we don't have to wait for tomorrow, just tonight Solve it."

Yang Fan: "...what?"

Soon, Marquis Dingbian understood what Zhang Jingche meant - he was supported by his personal guards and moved to another tent. There was nothing inside and it was cleaned spotlessly.A wooden couch was placed in the center of the tent, and Yang Fan moved himself onto the couch with difficulty, looking around curiously: "This is where you treat people?"

The tent is full of lanterns, bright as day.Zhang Jingche dragged out a wooden box from the bedside, and when he opened it, a cold light suddenly jumped out.Yang Fan stretched his neck for a look, and was startled: "This, this is..."

I saw that the box was full of knives of various sizes, the big ones were the size of an adult's palm, and the small ones were only as long as a finger.

Zhang Jingche picked one, tested the sharpness of the blade with his thumb, raised his head and smiled gently at Yang Fan: "Don't be nervous."

It was fine if he didn't say anything, but as soon as the words were thrown out, Dingbianhou began to break out in a cold sweat. He had never been so nervous when facing the black-clothed assassin's pursuit and interception alone: ​​"You...what do you want to do?"

Ding Ru'an just came in to deliver the medicine, and when he heard such a sentence, he immediately exploded his hair.He stepped on the threshold with one foot hesitantly, in a dilemma, Zhang Jingche asked without looking back: "The medicine is ready?"

Ding Ru'an coughed twice, and walked up to him nonchalantly: "Master, the medicine is here."

Zhang Jingche raised his hand to take it, tasted it himself, and handed it to Yang Fan: "Drink the medicine."

Yang Fan stared at the steaming bowl of soup, shrunk indistinctly: "This is... what?"

Zhang Jingche's face remained unchanged: "Mafeisan, after drinking it will make you lose the pain for a short time, and the operation is not so difficult."

Hou Dingbian tied his tongue: "Hand, surgery?"

"To put it simply, it is to cut open your wound and take out the hidden weapon inside," Zhang Jingche said lightly. "The operation itself is not very difficult, but the position of the hidden weapon is relatively small. Once pulled out, it is likely to break the blood. causing profuse bleeding..."

Yang Fan's expression gradually became serious.

"...Yang Hou has been on the battlefield for a long time, so he should know the consequences of excessive blood loss. What I have to do is to suture the blood before the amount of bleeding exceeds your ability to bear," Zhang Jingche said, "And what you have to do is during the operation. Stay awake, okay?"

Zhang Jingche said it lightly, but Yang Fan knew that the treatment process must be much more difficult than what he described.He was silent for a moment before making a decision: "I won't drink this medicine."

Zhang Jingche slightly raised his eyebrows.

Yang Fan insisted: "Isn't it just to cut off the flesh and then sew it up again? I can bear it, you can just use the knife."

Zhang Jingche restrained his smile, expressionless: "Two choices, either you drink it yourself, or I will pour the soup down for you!"

Yang Fan: "..."