There are hundreds, thousands of oasis, large and small, distributed in the Jinzhou desert, occupied by Qiang, Hu and various forces. Although they are mainly Qiang, Hu tribes, they fight each other much more frequently than Yanzhou. Therefore, the changes and replacements of dynasties and kings are far more frequent than Yanzhou.

It is quite rare for Western Qiang Kingdom to have a history of five or six hundred years.

Even so, the Western Qiang Kingdom lost more than 90% of its cities twenty years ago and was almost destroyed. At this time, the border was basically rebuilt on the ruins after the Dayan troops retreated westward.

In addition to larger forces like the Western Qiang Kingdom, many medium-sized Qiang and Hu forces in Jinzhou also proclaimed themselves as kings, city lords, and official titles in the territory they occupied. However, in addition to operating farming, pastoral commerce and mining minerals, they sometimes also play horse thieves and send troops to raid merchants and other forces.

It is hard to say what the difference between this type of force is from horse thieves; and the large number of horse thieves rely on plundering alone and cannot maintain it for a long time. They pay great attention to operating territory, maintaining basic supplies, or directly investing in stronger vassal forces to seal one or two oasis cities for rest and recuperation.

Large vassal states like the Western Qiang Kingdom usually recruit some large horse thieves forces, either openly or secretly. In addition to enhancing their own strength, they can also use horse thieves to attack and weaken the strength of the enemy. There are also many horse thieves, who are themselves losers in the battle for hegemony among the Qiang people.

In short, the situation in the Jinzhou desert is much more complicated than imagined, and is often confused and unclear.

As for the entire eastern part of Jinzhou, the Pinglu Oasis where the Western Qiang Kingdom is located is the first large oasis with a radius of more than a thousand miles after the Hexi River exits Tieliu Ridge. The two are more than 13,000 miles apart.

Between Pinglu Oasis and Tielu Ridge, the glacier melting water that leads to Wushao Ridge has also nurtured a series of small and medium-sized oasis, which are as many as hundreds of small and medium-sized oasis, like a long bead chain, connecting the two major regions.

These oasis are small like Yequ Mountain, only three to five thousand acres, several miles in radius, and the largest ones are hundreds of miles wide. They are passed by business and travelers in peacetime and as springboard plots for troops to attack during wartime. They have a slight and important position in the eastern part of Jinzhou, collectively known as the Xixia Corridor.

Throughout history, the former Xiqiang Road connecting the Jinyan Prefectures has overlapped with the Xixia Corridor.

These old forces in small and medium-sized green prefectures have long been completely destroyed by the war between Yanzhou and the Qiang over the years.

In the war twenty years ago, no one would admit that it had failed, but it was actually a loss-making loss.

The Hu Ben Army was defeated, and the soldiers and horses in Hexi were withdrawn to Tieluling, while the soldiers and horses of the Western Qiang Kingdom and the coalition forces of the Tibetan and Qiang Kingdom countries were also withdrawn to the area west of the Pinglu Oasis.

Which of Hexi and Xiqiang countries is unable to divide their troops and control the hundreds of small oasis on the Xixia Corridor for a long time? However, both sides will not tolerate other forces intervening in. They will send troops to sort out almost every time. They would rather let it be deserted than tolerate other threats beside them.

Five hundred miles south of Yequ Mountain, that is, under Rongyang Peak of Wushaoling, there is a Crescent Lake oasis with a radius of hundreds of miles, which is completely deserted. At this time, it is just a resting place for business travelers to pass.

Only Yequ Mountain, which deviates from the former path of the Western Qiang, will both sides allow horse thieves to manage. After all, the strength of Hexi and the Western Qiang Kingdom is still limited, and it is impossible to clean up all the horse thieves who are like weeds near the former path of the Western Qiang.

Of course, the powerful enemy that Hexi really wants to prevent is not the Western Qiang Kingdom, which was once destroyed twenty years ago, but the Tibetan and Qiang Kingdom that has just unified the Chaihu Oasis in recent years.

The Chaihu Oasis with a radius of more than 3,000 miles is less than 2,000 miles west of Pinglu Oasis. Whoever can chop Chaihu Oasis uniformly is destined to be the overlord of the eastern part of Jinzhou; the fertile soil of three thousand miles is enough to support hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and its strength is even greater than that of the Dong family.

The Western Qiang Kingdom was willing to form an alliance with the Dong family at this time, and probably felt the threat of the Tibetan and Qiang Kingdom annexation.

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Chen Hai's thoughts flew away, Ning Chan'er looked at the scene in front of her, but asked Hu Bilie with innocence and curiosity:

"So many slaves are scattered outside to work, and no one is taking care of them. Are you not afraid of them running away?"

At this time, in the Oasis and Yequ Mountain, except for the necessary supervisors, the horse thieves did not even release the warning on the periphery.

There is indeed no need to vent the whistle.

The oasis is only a range of three to four thousand acres, and the furthest distance from Xiaoshicheng is only more than two thousand steps.

The horse thief occupied the strong stone city and was not afraid of sudden attacks by foreign forces.

As long as foreign forces cannot attack Shizhai for a short time, and cannot even draw water from Yequ Lake to obtain supplies, they will not be able to gain a foothold in Yequ Mountain.

Although Yequ Mountain is only five or six hundred miles away from the Xiqiang Ancient Road, this is a paradise for ordinary people that cannot be crossed even if they die. Horse thieves are not afraid that these slaves can escape from the range of Yequ Mountain.

"Slaves will escape. Look at the consequences of those who are fugitive slaves!" Hu Bilai laughed and pointed to a small forest not far away and said.

There is a southern edge of the oasis. There are seventeen or eighteen poplar trees with knotted roots rooted in the depths of the sand. At this time, three or five corpses of ragged clothes were hung on each tree, absorbing seven or eight vultures and hovering in the air, waiting for Chen Hai and the others to pass through, and then flying down to peck at the flesh.

Judging from the clothes and the bony flesh, many of these dead bodies must be fugitive slaves who were caught and executed after escaping.

Even if the escaped slaves prepare sufficient water and food and walk in the vast sand sea, how could they escape the pursuit of horse thieves? Even if they escape to the Crescent Lake Oasis to the south, there is a deserted place. In addition to the monsters that came out of Wushaoling to hunt, they happened to encounter a business trip and offend and anger the horse thieves. They are only one or two chances.

When I saw Chen Hai and nine others galloping towards me, twenty or thirty horse-studded thieves riding out of the stone city.

Hu Bilai showed an iron plate with dark black and ink engraved with an eagle-headed human body pattern. The horse thief did not question anything, but said that the leader Fan Dachun was not in the mountains, but before leaving, he said that Hu Bilai might come here in the next few days and specifically ordered them to treat him warmly.

The leader Fan Dachun was not in the mountains at this time. Although there were more than 200 horse thieves stationed in Shicheng, it was difficult to decide major issues. Therefore, Hu Bilai and his friends had to stay in Shicheng for two days and wait for Fan Dachun and his friends to come back before they could discuss the important matters.

Chen Hai and Ning Chan'er also lived in Yequshan Stone City as if pretending to be ignorant. By the second night, the horse thief leader Fan Dachun led more than a hundred horse thieves back and set up a banquet in the narrow stone city to entertain Hu Bilai and his group.

Chen Hai and Ning Chan'er were also invited as guests.

"The Dong family in Hexi wants to form an alliance with the Western Qiang Kingdom, but the lord of the Western Qiang Kingdom forgets the deep blood hatred of the past. Once the Ye family colludes with the Dong family in Hexi, don't say that we will be suppressed by the Ye family in the Western Qiang Kingdom, and the Ye family will also use the power of the Dong family and will never tolerate you living outside the ancient road of the Western Qiang Kingdom. At that time, even the Lord Fan City, you will not be able to be free and comfortable in Yequ Mountain, right?"

At this time, Hu Bilai no longer cared about the secret matter being brought to Chen Hai. Ning Chan'er heard it and explained to Fan Dachun directly what he was going to do at the banquet.

"I'm afraid that it's a bit inappropriate for the outsider to talk about this? Are you not afraid of your identity being leaked and let the Lord of the Western Qiang know that you have secretly colluded with us horse thieves to destroy the marriage between Ye and Dong Ning?" Fan Dachun heard the name at first, and thought he was a bearded man, but in fact he was a middle-aged man with a fair face and a gloomy eyes. At this time, he smiled femininely and responded to Hu Bilie's words, but when he raised his glass to drink, his eyes were circling on Chen Hai and Ning Chan'er, who had unknown origin.

"This time I walked in a hurry and didn't bring any gifts. I happened to meet a lost little fat sheep on the road, so I took it to Yequ Mountain to worship for the Lord Fan City to enjoy." Hu Bilai laughed at this time and said without any concealment.

"Are they talking about me?" Ning Chan'er pointed at her nose and asked Chen Hai naively.

Chen Hai spread his hands and said, "You seem to have a little ordinary appearance at this time, but the vast sand of the desert is so big that most of the women have rough and black skin. Even if they take a few beautiful women, they will wither after playing with them for a while. Those with fine skin and tender flesh like you can be considered the best. Didn't you see that Captain Hu wants to swallow your saliva from time to time? If he hadn't given you to Lord Fan, he would have done it long ago."

Chen Hai said this, not only did Ning Chan'er not only did not get angry or annoyed, but also smiled shyly, as if she was embarrassed by Chen Hai's praise.

Although Ning Chan'er did not show her true face, her smile also looked like a stunning city. Even though Hu Bilie and Fan Dachun realized that Ning Chan'er's expression was too strange at this time, she could not be confused by Ning Chan'er's smile.

Chen Hai bowed to Hu Bilai, Fan Dachun and said with a smile: "The maid beside me has a very bad temper and is scheming. I have tried to murder me several times. I have been like selling it out. I will get rid of it this time. Thank you for your willingness to take over!" "..." Fan Dachun was a martial arts master in the early stage of Mingqiao Realm, and was moved by Ning Chan'er for a short moment. At this time, he slapped the jujube wood case in front of him and destroyed the black sheathed spirit sword behind him. Just as he was about to ask Chen Hai, what is Ning Chan'er's origin, he felt that the true energy magic power in the Linghai Secret Palace boiled uncontrollably, like water rushing into the boiling oil pan. The violent true energy rushed towards the twelve Xuanhu. Suddenly, he could not suppress the rioting true energy. A mouthful of blood spurted out, shouting: "Ni Lingsan!"

Ning Chan'er pressed her slender jade hand on the ground, and hundreds of rays of light bloomed, sticking to the ground like a spring tide. The walls flowed in all directions. In an instant, a sparkling spring tide spiritual cover formed, completely covering the banquet hall, shouting at Chen Haijiao: "I can only hold on for thirty breaths. If you can't kill these people, we can only run away."

In addition to Chen Hai, Ning Chan'er, Hu Bilai and other nine people in the stone hall, there were thirteen horse thieves leaders attending the banquet. In addition to these people, there were more than 400 elite horse thieves who were fearless in death outside the stone hall.
Chapter completed!