The year is drawing to a close, the time is already dark. A cold wind gathers, and clouds of sorrow gather.
Then clouds appeared in the rivers and seas, and sand flew in the desert.
On the second day after leaving the Tianmu River and heading north, snow began to fall in Suyan.
The earth, which was scorched yellow in midsummer, was now pale. Ice particles formed from snow mixed in with the sand and gravel, making the hills extending into the distance sparkle with light. The vortexes caused by the wind stirred them up, and when they hit people, they made a "tapping" sound and rubbed their faces so hard that they hurt.
In such a harsh and cold place, even the locals are unwilling to travel at this time.
Xiao Nanhui turned his head slightly to look at the figure behind him.
There was hardly any sign of hunger or pain on his face. Only when he was extremely tired would he appear a little weak due to his panting. Apart from that, he never complained at all.
If you didn't look at the desolate scenery around them and the dusty clothes on the two people, you would probably think this was an early spring outing.
Most of the time, the two of them just moved in silence across the wasteland.
In a trance, she felt as if she had returned to the night at Baiyao Pass in Huozhou. She was no longer the natural general who had just been appointed general, but just Brother Yao, a servant with a bad temper; the person in front of her was no longer the emperor surnamed Su, but Master Zhongli, who liked to wear long gowns and had a thin figure.
The prosperity of civilization creates gaps in status, while barbarism and primitiveness can bridge the gap between people.
Sometimes she simply forgot to address herself as the emperor and her subject, and her actions often overstepped the boundaries, but she did not feel anything was awkward, nor was she frightened to death like she was when she first met the emperor.
There's something more to fear and worry about right now. That's survival.
The water of Tianmu River rushed down rapidly, and the rocks and soil on the bank made it almost impossible to get close. After finding the first spring, she could only find a way to get water using her armor.
This is a method often used during desert marches. Basically, the iron tools are buried in the soil, and then hay and stones are placed on them. After one night, some condensed dew can be collected from them.
In addition, we have to rely on some sour fruits like Elaeagnus angustifolia to replenish water. Although the amount of water we can get every day is pitifully small, it is better than nothing.
Besides water, there was also the problem of food. The easiest food to find in this desert was a small four-legged snake. Although it was extremely difficult to swallow, it was the safest food. However, what she could eat, the other person might not. She often tried hard to catch some small animals, but often came back empty-handed.
Her mouth felt dry and bitter, her stomach empty. When she was starving, she even half expected to see the An Daoyuan Night Owl. She would find a way to shoot it down and roast it for a hearty meal. After all, Old Man Xie wouldn't dare touch the people she was with. As long as she could get out alive.
But whenever she cast her eyes towards the distant horizon, there was nothing there.
The war not only took away the souls of the dead, but also the vitality of the land. All animals with legs and the ability to run were frightened and fled in all directions by the continuous fighting for several months. Only a few vultures would occasionally pass by in the sky, flying high and far, looking as small as a few sesame seeds.
However, food and water are not the most serious problems. The most urgent thing right now is to stay warm.
The night in Suyan arrives about an hour later than in Quecheng, but once night falls, the temperature drops rapidly. It's winter now, and even during the daytime, temperatures are freezing, not to mention the chill at night.
She was wearing a coarse cloth jacket that soldiers often wore when marching, which could still keep out some of the wind and cold. However, Su Wei's clothes were much thinner. She had tied the cuffs of his robe tightly before setting off in the morning, and tucked the hem of his clothes into his shoes and boots as much as possible to prevent the cold wind from blowing in and taking away the warmth from his body.
As the sky began to darken, Xiao Nanhui found a sheltered spot, chopped some dead wood with a flat bow, and started a bonfire. After doing all this, she searched for stones of suitable size and tried to build a windproof wall for their shelter tonight.
While she was doing all this, the man just sat there quietly. If he hadn't coughed occasionally, he would have seemed to have merged with the silent earth.
It wasn't the first day she'd known this man was incredibly patient, but just because he didn't speak didn't mean Xiao Nanhui wasn't aware of his physical discomfort and fatigue. They'd been traveling for two or three days straight without even a decent meal. She might be able to hold out for a few more days, but if this continued, he'd probably collapse.
After thinking for a while, she took advantage of the last bit of light before dark and left again with the string in hand, hoping to try her luck.
Fortunately, when she passed by a small bush, she found a half-eaten yellow sheep.
Gazelle should not be wandering in such a desert. It is very likely that due to the unrest in the vast land, some of the livestock raised by the nomads escaped and became a delicious meal for the wolves.
But the strange thing is that in a season when food is so scarce, the wolves probably won't have any food left, and even the vultures will find it difficult to get a few leftovers.
Did something scare away the wolves?
Xiao Nanhui felt uneasy, but seeing that most of the gazelle was still alive, she couldn't just leave. She was also worried that the wolves might return, so she used her dagger to cut off some flesh and bones, carefully covering up the bloody smell before leaving.
When she returned to the campfire, the smile on her face was almost overflowing.
"Your Majesty, I found some food. You don't have to eat the fruit."
She thought he was very tired and didn't want to speak, so she picked up some dead branches to use as a support and carefully placed the half piece of yellow mutton on the fire.
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