Can we still go back without a map or even a reference?
One hundred and fifty thousand people!
For a moment, Li Qing really wanted to peel off Lan Yu.
Lan Yu was confident, "We still have enough food and grass for a long time. Don't worry. Once we find the main force of the Yuan army, it won't be a problem to go back."
Li Qing was silent, and Li Jinglong didn't say a word. At this point, all he could do was hope.
But they had no confidence at all in finding the main force of the Yuan army.
The army was on the road again, marching aimlessly in the desert against the sky full of yellow sand.
There was no map, no reference. If the army passed in front, the wind and sand behind would smooth out the traces, making it impossible to even turn back.
Li Qing even suspected that they were not walking in a straight line at all, but in a roundabout way.
One day, two days...Ten days passed, and still not a single hair of Yuan Ren was seen. Now, even the ordinary soldiers felt that something was wrong.
Although the generals and commanders repeatedly boosted morale, the morale of the troops gradually began to weaken.
Soldiers are not fools. The current situation is not something that can be comforted by painting. Everyone has an ominous premonition.
The water source has been exhausted. Sesame oil and elk cakes can relieve thirst, but they cannot solve the fundamental problem. The wind and sand are blowing, and the human body has no external water source to replenish it. It can only rely on its own secretion of water for seven days at most.
Of course, the reason why the army has been able to persist for so long and is still holding on now is all because of Lan Yu's thorough preparation, but he was also the one who pulled the army into danger.
The generals didn't know whether to thank Lan Yu or hate him, but now, it was too late to say anything.
Li Jinglong was really anxious and no longer wanted to make meritorious deeds. At this moment, he had completely recovered the mental state that a sixteen-year-old boy should have. His face was full of panic, "Brother Li, we can't go on like this."
"..." Of course Li Qing knew that he couldn't go on like this, but he had nothing to do. The road ahead was bleak and there was no way out. Even if Sun Wu was reborn, what could he do in this situation?
The water source issue is secondary, but the more important thing is military morale!
The sky is full of flying sand all day long, with no target and no retreat. The soldiers' psychology is too big. Under such circumstances, they may mutiny or even bomb the camp at any time!
Once the camp roars, the 150,000 troops will be completely finished.
Li Qing looked back and saw that the soldiers were covered with yellow sand, and their faces were as solemn as water, even with a hint of despair. He could feel that the psychological defenses of these soldiers had reached their limit.
To be honest, it's amazing that the soldiers can march in the desert for so long. They are just big soldiers, and they don't have the desire to win like Lan Yu. They just want to win the battle, get some rewards, and make their family live a good life. Some.
But, now, they just want to go home.
Li Qing's hands were full of sweat, as if he had a time bomb strapped to his body, and there was no timer yet, so he didn't know when it would explode.
Maybe, it will be the next moment!
This feeling is too painful.
"Brother Li, Lan Yu is looking for you." Li Jinglong drove his horse over with an extremely ugly face. Since being tricked by Lan Yu, he has never called the commander-in-chief again. He always calls him by his first name.
Li Qing nodded lightly, patted the horse, and followed Li Jinglong to Lan Yu's side.
"What's the matter, Marshal?"
Lan Yu looked around and whispered, "Come closer."
Li Qing frowned, leaned closer and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"That... Youma is about to run out." Lan Yu's face was stern.
Li Qing: (??`??Д????)!!
"Don't worry, the general guarding Yau Ma is my adopted son, and the news has not been leaked yet." Lan Yu looked funny, as if she wanted to cry, "Do you have a way to solve the water source problem?"
"Can I have..."
"Shh, keep your voice down." Lan Yu lowered her voice, "You are a scholar and there is ink in your stomach. Think about it and see if there is anything you can do."
Li Qing smiled bitterly, "In this situation, even if Confucius comes, water can't be changed...hiss~"
He was suddenly startled, and his solemn expression was gradually replaced by joy. "I thought about it. I can conjure water, but...it shouldn't be much. Morale is so low now that...there is even a risk of bombing the camp. How to solve this?"
"Do you really have a solution?" Lan Yu became more energetic, "As long as you can solve this problem, leave the morale to me."
After a pause, "Brother Li, we have no retreat and we need to unite."
Li Qing gritted his teeth and said, "It was you who led the army to a dead end."
"Now is not the time to settle accounts." Lan Yu said, "Brother Li, you don't want the entire army of 150,000 to be wiped out, right?"
Li Qing: "..."
"Okay, don't be angry." Lan Yu said softly, "You are sure you can get the water, right?"
"Yes, but not much."
"As long as there is water, it will be done." Lan Yu looked overjoyed, paused, and then said: "I heard that Brother Li is the direct disciple of Immortal Zhang Sloppy, but is it true?"
Li Qing couldn't keep up with Lan Yu's thoughts for a while, so he nodded and said, "Why do you ask?"
"Isn't that enough?" Lan Yu chuckled, "You can do it tonight and figure out where the main force of the Yuan army is in front of the army."
"Isn't this nonsense?" Li Qing said angrily, "If I had that ability, I wouldn't have to watch the army fall into despair."
"Whether you can calculate it or not is not important." Lan Yu said, "What is important is to convince the soldiers that you have figured it out."
Li Qing was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Okay, I'll cooperate with you."
The ancients were generally superstitious, especially the illiterate soldiers. If you practice this in the army, it might actually be useful.
This time Lan Yu asked him to deceive the three armies.
…
In the evening, the army was stationed, and Lan Yu ordered people to build a wooden platform.
The wooden platform was surrounded by kerosene, which made the faces of Li Qing and Li Qing turn red.
The soldiers sat next to each other around the wooden platform, just looking at the two people.
Lan Yu shouted in a deep voice: "The imperial court has spent a huge amount of money, brothers have to travel through mountains and rivers, we will definitely win!
If nothing is gained from this battle, I will kill myself to apologize to the court and the three armies! "
Lan Yu said it sincerely, and he was indeed ready to apologize. He was the one who pulled the army into a desperate situation. He did not want to shirk this responsibility, and he could not shirk it.
It is still unknown whether or how much of the 150,000-strong army can return. The only way to survive is to find the main force of the Yuan army.
However, this time the soldiers of the three armies were surprisingly calm. Except for Lan Yu's confidant and adopted son who responded, more than 90% of the soldiers did not respond.
Obviously, they don't like Sapphire.
Seeing the cold scene, Lan Yu's face turned red with embarrassment. Fortunately, it was not obvious due to the firelight.
He continued to shout in a deep voice: "Soldiers, we will definitely find the main force of the Yuan army, because..."
He drawled a long note, took a deep breath, and raised his voice to the limit:
"Li Jianjun is the direct disciple of Immortal Zhang Sloppy. He is proficient in the art of yin and yang and knows all the tricks. He has decided to spend his life at the cost of it, which is unbelievable!"
Lan Yu's voice became hoarse after all this yelling. She took a breath and looked at Li Qing who was standing aside.
Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it was time for him to perform, and stepped forward slowly, looking resolute and confident.
Tonight, he took off his battle robe and armor and wore black clothes and trousers. His thick hair swayed gently in the wind, and the firelight illuminated him, which made him even more handsome and extraordinary, with a faint air of immortality.
After marching for so long, all three armies were in trouble, but he was not.
I'm sorry, Master, I have to ruin your reputation today... Li Qing's voice was clear and penetrating:
"I, Immortal Zhang Suluo, am the only direct disciple!
Immortal Zhang Sloppy is a man of great knowledge and has the ability to make every plan. Although I am a little inferior to Master, I can still reach the level of an Immortal even if I risk my life and use forbidden techniques! "
Barabara...
After bragging for a while, Li Qing changed the subject: "The soldiers have worked hard all the way and are unbearably thirsty. I will first cast a spell to get fairy water for everyone, and then cast a spell to find out where the Yuan Ren's main force is."
With that said, he pulled out his sword and copied Uncle Ying's trick of catching zombies in later movies and TV series.
A quarter of an hour later, Li Qing stopped and said loudly: "I have finished casting the spell. All you need to do is fix the iron helmets, wooden barrels, basins and bowls and other utensils, and hang the swords on them. The immortal water will appear tomorrow."
After a pause, "If there is no immortal water, I am willing to be punished by military law!"
Lee Sin even changed his identity.
Uncle Ying's moves were good at bluffing people. Coupled with Li Qing's vows and Master Zhang's sloppy reputation, the soldiers were convinced.
Anyway, there is no loss in trying. After a while, the soldiers began to take action. They took off their belts and connected them into a rope. They were fixed with flagpoles and spears on both sides. They tied their swords on top and placed utensils on the bottom.
Lan Yu looked at the busy people and asked uncertainly, "Can we really get water like this?"
"Yes, but the amount shouldn't be much." Li Qing said, "To prevent soldiers from looting, the commander-in-chief had better send his followers to guard the water. Tomorrow, the collected water will be collected together and distributed evenly according to the situation."
"Okay!" Lan Yu nodded, "I'll let someone do it right now."
At this time, Li Jinglong walked onto the stage and asked the same question as Lan Yu.
Li Qing chuckled and said, "I have already issued a military order, how can it be false?"
"Well..." Li Jinglong nodded slowly, "Brother Li, can you tell me what the principle is?
In other words, are you really good at magic? "
Li Qing pondered for a moment, and then told the truth. If the army really could go back, and this guy told Lao Zhu that he knew magic, he would be miserable.
"It's not a spell. As for the principle... you don't understand even if I tell you."
Li Jinglong refused, "How can I understand if you don't tell me?"
"..." Li Qing said well, "Okay, it actually doesn't matter. The evaporation rate in the desert is very high during the day, but the desert cannot store heat, and the temperature is very low at night. The steam will liquefy when it is cold, and metal will dissipate heat faster, which is beneficial to Steam condenses into water and does not absorb moisture.
understand? "
Li Jinglong looked confused, but nodded frequently, "That's it!"
Li Qing rolled his eyes and said, "Be stricter."
"How could I talk nonsense about such a big matter?" Li Jinglong looked serious.
After a pause, "Are you going to sit here tonight?"
Li Qing smiled bitterly and said, "If not, how can I make the soldiers believe that I am using forbidden magic?"
"Thank you for your hard work." Li Jinglong took off his robe, "It's cold at night, so put it on to keep out the cold."
"No, I'm an immortal now." Li Qing refused. With his true energy, he could still withstand the cold. Besides, he wouldn't get sick, so it didn't matter if he tried hard.
In fact, it's okay if he doesn't eat or drink. Although he will be very thirsty and hungry, it will not affect the normal functions of the body, and he will not die.
Therefore, even if the army is really lost, he can survive.
However, he doesn't want to be stuck in the desert forever. If he encounters quicksand and gets buried, he will still die.
"Brother Li..." Li Jinglong's eyes were moist, he sniffed and bowed, "Please accept Jinglong's bow."
Li Qing didn't expect this guy to be so emotional, so he suppressed a smile and said, "Okay, go back to sleep!"
…
"There is water, there is really water."
"This is the fairy water, Supervisor Li...oh no, Master Li Xian really asked for the fairy water."
At dawn, the soldiers started making noises. After a while, Lan Yu rushed out of the camp with red eyes. When he saw that a large amount of water had been collected, he was so excited that his whole body started to tremble.
He quickly regained his composure, ordered his cronies to gather water together, and began to distribute water to the army.
At first glance, the water collected seems to be a lot, but when it is distributed equally to each soldier, it is not much.
It's only two mouthfuls of water for one person, but the encouragement of these two mouthfuls of water to the morale of the soldiers is immeasurable.
At this moment, Li Qing's identity as an immortal master was completely confirmed, and the soldiers were full of confidence in finding the main force of the Yuan army!
A soldier carefully guarded the water he was given. He took a small sip and held it in his mouth for a long time before giving up and saying with enjoyment on his face: "It's so sweet. It's worthy of being a fairy water."
Li Qing looked ashamed and thought to himself: "It's not that the water is sweet, it's that you are too thirsty."
Only when people are thirstiest can they appreciate the sweetness of water.
Lan Yu walked up to the stage, patted Li Qing on the shoulder, and couldn't hide her joy: "Well done, I won this battle, I will definitely give you credit."
Li Qing smiled bitterly and said softly: "Commander, this little water can't solve the problem. The soldiers can only last for half a month at most."
"Half a month is already good." Lan Yu's eyes were blazing, "I have a strong feeling that we are very close to the main force of the Yuan army."
"..."
Li Qing did not attack him, but muttered: "Then give the soldiers an accurate time within half a month, so that they can have confidence in their hearts, so that they can persevere."
"Okay, it's only half a month."
Half an hour later, Li Qing stood on the wooden platform and told the soldiers with an unpredictable expression that he had obtained the secret and continued to march. Within half a month, he would definitely encounter the main force of the Yuan army.
The generals were convinced and all had high morale. After reorganizing, they set off again.
In the sky full of yellow sand, the 150,000-strong army marched silently alone. The wind and sand were so strong that it was impossible to talk, but the atmosphere was no longer dull, and everyone looked full of energy.
One day has passed, two days have passed... Ten days have passed, and the Yuan army has still not been found. Morale has declined, but the time has not yet come, and the identity of Immortal Li Qing has not been questioned.
At noon that day, Ao Yingshi, a Yuan man, claimed that he had made a major discovery and wanted to report it to the commander. He was taken into the commander's camp by Lan Yu's adopted son.
Lan Yu was in a bad mood. The army was reaching its limit again, and she didn't look good at the moment. "What major discovery have you made?"
"Commander!" The Eagle Master couldn't help himself with his joy. "I found it, found water, and even... found the main force of the Yuan army."
"ah?"
Lan Yu jumped up from the chair, stepped forward quickly, grabbed the man's collar, and said with a trembling voice, "Seriously?"
"Commander..." The man was out of breath and struggled to take something out of the bag on his chest, "Commander, please look at this."
Lan Yu took a closer look and saw that it was a fish scale the size of a fingernail.
Li Qing and Li Jinglong hurriedly stepped forward. When they saw the fish scales, they looked overjoyed. Where there are fish, there is water, and where there is water, the army can continue to survive.
"The main force of the Yuan army must be nearby!" Lan Yu said with unprecedented confidence, "Send the order for the entire army to rest."
After saying that, he looked at the Eagle Cooker and said, "You are very good. I will reward you heavily when you go back this time. You should have a way to let Hai Dongqing go to the water source again, right?"
"Yes!" When the man heard that he was being rewarded, he nodded hastily, "It's simple. As long as it is starved for two days without food, Haidongqing will go again."
"Okay, let's rest for two days." Lan Yu called the soldiers, "Send the order, bring out the good things, let the brothers eat and rest, and prepare for the decisive battle!"
Li Qing and Li Jinglong looked at each other and felt refreshed. As long as Lan Yu's guess was true, the main force of the Yuan army would probably be here.
To take a step back, even if the Yuan army is not here, with water, the army can survive for a long time. They are not short of food, but they are short of drink. In short, this is a great happy event!
…
Two days later, early in the morning.
The Eagle Master cut off some of Haidongqing's feathers to make it fly less fast. A Qingqi followed closely on horseback, and the army slowly moved behind.
At midnight in the afternoon, the forward troops rushed back to join the army and brought back the expected good news.
Water is fresh water!
"Have you found the main force of the Yuan army?" Li Qing asked.
"Back to the Immortal Master, the lake is too big, like a sea. The general and others were in a hurry to come back and report, and did not explore along the way."
Lan Yu said with red eyes, "The main force of the Yuan army is right there, send the order, the army speeds up!"
Towards evening, the army finally arrived at the lake.
Looking at the extremely clear lake water, everyone was trembling with excitement. Without any instructions, everyone immediately took the utensils, filled the water, and drank until they were full.
It was only a hundred miles away, but it was a different world. It was like a large oasis. Li Qing looked around, but he couldn't see the end.
After resting for an hour, Lan Yu couldn't wait to issue the military order and continue to advance.
Li Jinglong advised: "Would you rather take a rest for the night?"
"The main force of Yuan Ren is nearby, what if we let them escape again?" Lan Yu glared, "The battle is about to begin, no one can restrain me."
As he spoke, he glanced at Li Qing emphatically.
Li Qing frowned and said softly: "Commander, don't you think something is missing?"
"You mean Haidongqing, right?" Lan Yu said with a smile, "The place where we marched before was completely deserted. There weren't even any insects, ants, snakes, or mice. Of course we couldn't meet Haidongqing. That thing is powerful, but after all it's just a human. The beast has nothing to eat, so of course it won’t go.”
Li Qing scratched his head and said nothing. As the army advanced, he felt really confused.
He didn't know it, but the army knew it. They firmly believed that Li Qing had a plan, and the coach was so confident that there was no doubt at all.
Lan Yu looked excited, and the bright moonlight shone on the lake, sparkling. After watching it for a while, he suddenly remembered something and couldn't help laughing.
Li Qing was puzzled by his smile and asked strangely: "What's wrong?"
"Damn, we just walked away and ended up at the Fishing Sea!" Lan Yu grinned sillyly, "You can't be wrong now. When Genghis Khan divided his relatives, he gave this place to his own brothers. Descendants, you can see the importance of this place.”
You still know that it’s a blind move... Li Qing rolled his eyes and said angrily, "Since you know, why don't you come directly?"
"I've only heard of it, but I've never been here before. I don't know the way!" Lan Yu spread her hands, looking innocent.
"..."
After marching all night, the army slowly stopped at noon the next day, but it did not set up camp or bury pots to make rice.
The soldiers looked straight ahead without blinking!
There, there are countless tents scattered in an orderly manner.
From a distance, it looks like a small grave.
They found it. After going through a lot of hardships and almost dying in the desert, they finally found the main force of the Yuan army. Everyone was trembling with excitement.