A small breeze was blowing, and there were scattered pits covered with ice on the dry lake bed.
The poplar trees and thorn bushes by the lake also look listless, giving people a dry and dead feeling.
There are some animal footprints left on the lake bed, indicating that animals came to drink here when the water level was low.
Today, November 11th, eight days of heavy snow have passed, and there are seven more days until the winter solstice.
The team arrived at the oasis supply point agreed upon for seven days. The lake was there but the water was gone.
But no one was afraid. The water in the team could last for seven or eight days.
Before setting off from the well digging place, the horses and camels were fed with water again.
Desert temperatures in winter are not as high as in summer, and less water is lost from people and livestock.
The thirty-three wild donkeys who had always followed the team ran into the dry lake bed, scratched the thin ice with their hooves, licked it and ate it, and then began to dig the soil with their hooves.
"There is water. Wild donkeys can find water. They dig, which proves that there is water below." The guide said.
"Dig a well?" Zhu Xi turned around and asked the chief.
"By digging in Luoyang, you can accumulate water and give it to the camels to drink. The camels are not afraid and they won't get sick from drinking it. The horses can't, unless the water is not too dirty."
The commander considered the situation in the team and felt that there was no need to dig a well and feed the camels, and everything else would be easy to handle.
A group of craftsmen rushed to the bottom of the lake bed with Luoyang shovels and dug up quickly.
When the wild donkeys digging holes not far away saw it, they all stopped and started watching again.
In the past few days, I have fed them water twice and fodder once, and they have also found some desert plants to eat.
They were no longer that scared of a group of things walking on two legs.
The Luoyang shovel can dig holes faster than a shovel, especially in such moist soil. As soon as the shovel goes down, a tube of soil will be brought out. There is a special person next to the Luoyang shovel with a stick to knock on the pipe of the Luoyang shovel.
One pit after another was dug, and sure enough there was water, so we continued digging deeper.
"The horse can drink, and there is still plenty of water!" shouted the craftsman digging the pit.
Then more than 400 one-meter deep pits appeared at the bottom of the lake a quarter of an hour later, and the sweaty craftsmen retreated.
The camels and horses that had already been unloaded were driven down in batches. The wild donkeys took the opportunity to occupy several pits and drank fiercely with their heads down.
They know it was dug by 'someone else', so what? After all, water belongs to everyone. If you dig the hole yourself, 'others' will come to drink it too! If you can’t step out of the pit, you still have to fix it yourself.
After the camels and horses finished drinking the water, they set up their racks again and the team left. The water saved this time to feed the animals could be used for at least ten days.
"Wild donkeys have found a water source and will move around the lake and leave their original location."
The guide walked on the sand, looked back, and spoke to Zhu Biao and Zhu Chong.
"I hope there will be heavy rains at the beginning of next spring and the lake will be refilled with water. We can save the lives of 33 wild donkeys."
Zhu Xi stepped on the sand with one foot deep and one foot shallow, which was very laborious.
He has become accustomed to walking for at least two hours every day so that the horses and camels can rest more.
Riding on an animal is cold, but walking by yourself is exercise and can keep you warmer.
At noon, everyone only put up a few tents for the cooks. The cooks only heated hot water, took out the tea noodles, and prepared them in bowls, and everyone ate this.
This one is sweet, with sugar in it. It’s cold now, so drinking a bowl will make you full and warm.
Add a handful of dried fruits to it to supplement vitamins and try to have a balanced nutrition.
Zhu Biao, Zhu Xi and the palace maids each received half a salted duck egg, and naturally the people in Xiaqiu Village also had some.
We started on the road again in the afternoon and everyone rode horses and camels. The horses' hooves were cleaned and shod. It was cold and they were not afraid of burning their hooves.
One day later, we entered the Gobi. Unlike the sandy land, the horseshoes were greatly worn.
One day later, we entered the Gobi. Unlike the sandy land, the horseshoes were greatly worn.
When the sun turned into an egg yolk and was about to set, the team set up camp. The sergeants memorized text while working, either addition, subtraction or multiplication tables.
Illiterateness is definitely not enough. Along the way, some people have already learned more than 2,000 characters. They are close to passing the exam, but they just need to be proficient in writing.
After they are successfully de-blinded and arrive at Helin, they will teach Xu Da's comrades in the team.
"Look, look to the west." Zhu Ping suddenly became excited and pointed in the direction of the setting sun and shouted.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, a group of wild donkeys ran over, gradually approaching, and did not stop until they were about fifty steps away from the team.
"They followed and did not stay at the lake." Zhu Xi looked happy.
"Quick! Send them fodder. If you can follow He Lin, find a way to raise them." Zhu Biao was equally happy.
The people in the team carried the fodder over, and the wild donkeys stepped back and stopped, waiting for the people to put the fodder on the ground and go back. They stepped forward and started eating happily.
"Isn't it true that the common people can support the imperial court as long as they have enough to eat."
Li Chang smiled, the wild donkey obviously took a fancy to the team's food.
The grass brought by the team must be the best. The bad grass is too heavy and has no nutrition.
The wild donkeys finished eating the fodder and continued to move forward. There was no sandstorm. The horses were placed outside with a simple wooden fence. The horses knew they could not go out and did not hit the fence.
The wild ass came to the outside of the fence, looked at each other with the horse through the fence, and planned to spend the night here.
Because it is surrounded by a circle of tents, it can protect the horses and camels from the cold wind. The wild donkeys can go in without a fence and have the same effect if they stay outside.
…
"The Gobi feels better. Walking is not as tiring as in the desert."
Zhu Ping stamped his feet. The sand under his feet was not so soft and could bear the strain.
"Your Highness, in seven days, at the current speed, we can reach Helin. There is grass in front of us. We... will survive."
The young general came over. He estimated the distance and became familiar with the place.
There is no desert like before, it is all Gobi, desert, grassland and sandy land.
Livestock can get water by eating grass and no longer need to feed grass.
"Chief, are you looking for a place to dig a well? Our water has been out for a long time. We need to take a shower today. Do you believe that one day we can go without taking a shower for half a month?"
Zhu Pingti requested that he change his appearance and finally got over it.
Zhu Biao nodded and agreed. It was not easy.
"At noon, we will have a bite to eat, speed up the journey, stay away from the sandy area behind, and enter a location with relatively more vegetation so we can dig a well, otherwise there will be no groundwater."
The head of the village suggested that if the prince and the King of Qin asked for new water, just do it.
"Okay, everyone get on your mounts and hurry up." Zhu Xiang shouted, and the people in the team mounted their horses and camels one after another.
The horses were equally happy as the camels. They knew the conditions of this environment and it was better than the way they came.
At noon, everyone grabbed a handful of meat floss and used the water in the water bag to make a meal.
Before midnight, a large number of low shrubs appeared in front of them. The eyes of the horses and camels were bright. This was edible and very delicious.
The wild donkeys that always followed the team were chasing them while eating. Obviously they didn't want to live here and still had to follow those things.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the King of Qin, will you camp here? Let's try to drill a well."
Li Chang held up his telescope and took a look. There was a place in front where the plants were the densest. The key was that he saw the color of the soil, which was brown.
(End of chapter)
