The riding and shooting competition is undoubtedly the grandest festival of the Shatu people. The Shatu people celebrate the festival like the Turks. They hold various activities during the day, but at night it is a bonfire party for the entire tribe, which is also a festival.

As soon as the sky was getting dark, dozens of bonfires were lit. Men, women, young and old came from all directions and gathered beside the bonfires with flames soaring. Large pieces of roasted yellow mutton were divided and given to the elders first.

Bags of carefully brewed horse milk wine are piled up by the bonfire and can drink as much as you want. Children walk through the fire with plates full of fruits. The laughter sounds of young men popped up and the loud and affectionate singing echoed beside the fire, and the pretty girl danced gracefully, pulling up the young men to dance together.

The bonfire party is also a world where young men and women talk about love. No one is more than they hoped for this moment. Seeing the couple hugging and dancing in the fire, Li Zhen was intoxicated.

"We Shatuo people have a short lifespan and a harsh living environment. At least seven will die if they give birth to ten children. There is nothing we can do! If we want the tribe to prosper, we can only have more births and more pregnancy!"

Zhu Yuefuguo was a little drunk and smiled at Li Zhen drunk and said, "You are a hero tonight. I don't know how many girls hope to bring you into the tent. Don't let your youth down."

Li Zhen scratched his head and smiled embarrassedly, "Don't Shatuo want to marry a formal matchmaker?"

Zhu Yuefuguo was stunned and then burst into laughter. He patted Li Zhen on the shoulder, "If you are willing to marry a Shatuo woman, I can be a matchmaker for you, but not tonight. Just enjoy it tonight. This is the reward you deserve to win the leader."

The Dunhuang City where Li Zhen lives is basically a gathering place for Han people, and its customs and etiquette are no different from that of the Central Plains. Although the Tang Dynasty is open, that is only for the powerful and powerful people. If ordinary people are trapped by firewood, rice, oil and salt, how could they consider the many good things after being full and warm?

What Li Zhen saw and heard in his daily life was always abiding by the law and etiquette, and there was no such thing as exceeding the rules and over-rituals, but today it seems a little different.

It was Li Zhen’s first time to come into contact with nomadic peoples. Although he knew something in his previous life, it was a different feeling to be there.

He thought of what Zhu Yuefuguo said just now, "If you want the tribe to prosper, you can only have more pregnancy." He couldn't help laughing. Why bother with this? He picked up the horn cup and toasted several elders from afar.

At this time, a group of girls ran from behind him and dragged him up with a smile. Li Zhen was caught off guard and was dragged into the dancing crowd by the girls.

The Shatu people believed in Zoroastrianism, and danced with a religious ritual. The dance postures were exaggerated and unrestrained, but in various forms. There were young men dancing together with the goddess in their hearts, and there were also a group of girls dancing in a row, with graceful and gentle dances.

But the most common ones were singing songs that both men, women, young and old participated. Everyone held hands and danced around the bonfire. This was also the most popular dance in the Tang Dynasty and has been passed down to later generations.

Li Zhen laughed loudly, he led the two girls and sang loudly. He didn't even know what he was singing, but the singing was so joyful that it infected everyone present.

A group of girls began to dance around him, and several young warriors burst into flames and sang loudly:

A group of swans flew up in Puchang Sea,

I am fascinated by my heart,

Make me chase it,

I'm looking for the most beautiful swan,

I am willing to build a love nest with her.

......

Li Zhen looked at his bright and passionate eyes, and his heart flew away with the girls. At this moment, the singing suddenly became rapid and the rhythmic drum sounded.

A girl danced from the fire, her beautiful eyes staring at Li Zhen. It was Zhu Yueminzhi who had changed into clothes. She was wearing a thin short jacket on the upper body, a fiery long skirt on the lower body, a flower crown on the head, a golden belt on the waist, and dozens of braids circling with her dancing posture.

Zhu Yueminzhi's appearance made the girls retreat one after another, and many people exclaimed, "The beautiful leopard is dancing!"

The young warriors all looked at Li Zhen enviously. It is said that the arrogant Zhu Yueminzhi had never danced alone with any young man. Today they all opened their eyes.

"What, don't you want to dance with me?"

Zhu Yueminzhi stared at Li Zhen standing still with a bright look, his face was a little cold, and he glanced at the girls next to him, "But you are willing to dance with those sparrows!"

"No!" Li Zhen shook his head and stared at her in surprise and said, "You... can speak Chinese?"

Li Zhen was shocked. He realized that Zhu Yueminzhi was speaking fluently in Chinese. Zhu Yueminzhi laughed proudly, his eyes were flowing, and he looked at him mischievously, "Can't it work?"

"I'm just surprised..."

Before he could continue, Zhu Yueminzhi took the initiative to hold his hand and ran to a group of young men and women dancing around. Li Zhen also let go of his heart, took Zhu Yueminzhi's hand, and danced happily.

The night was getting deeper, the elderly and children had already gone back, and fewer and fewer young men and women were dancing. They held hands and snuggled up to each other and walked towards the depths of the night.

Li Zhen and Zhu Yueminzhi sat on a high ground, leaning back to their backs, looking up at the vast starry sky above their heads.

"I can speak Chinese because my mother is Han. Her surname is Han and her name is Han Minzhi. She is my father's favorite woman. Unfortunately, she died when she was born, so her father gave me the name Minzhi."

"But...who teaches you Chinese?"

"It was my grandfather. My grandfather hired a Han man to teach us brothers and sisters to learn Chinese. Perhaps because I have half of the Han ancestry, I learned the best and made them jealous."

"Is anyone bullying you?"

"At first, but later I didn't dare to do so. When I was eight years old, I killed a brother who dared to bully me. Since then, no one dared to bully me, and even laughed at me. I treat myself as a man. If anyone dares to be rude to me, I will kill him."

Zhu Yueminzhi let out a long sigh. Li Zhen felt the excitement in his heart and asked with a smile: "Today, I shot the yellow sheep in your arms. Are you angry?"

"I was angry at first, but I stopped angry afterwards."

"Why?

"Because you are indeed better than me in riding and shooting, I have seen the elves you shoot, and their strength and accuracy are far better than me, so I am convinced and won't be angry with you."

"Is that true? Is it done if you are convinced?"

"Then what do you want? Do you want me to follow you? Impossible! I won't leave the grassland."

"Your mother is a Han Chinese, and you have half of the Han Chinese blood. Don't you want to go to the Central Plains for a walk?"

Zhu Yueminzhi was silent for a moment and said, "I don't want to do it! I didn't expect it before, and I won't think about it in the future. Li Zhen, I am not a Han Chinese, I am the daughter of the grassland. Although I have a Han mother and I will miss her, my roots are in the grassland."

Li Zhen looked at the starry sky and laughed, "It seems that it is impossible for me to take you away, but I can understand it, just like I don't want to stay."

Zhu Yueminzhi stared at the stars in the sky and murmured: "We are like two stars. Although we are back to back, we will never come together."

At this time, a couple ran past them holding hands, and then they realized that everyone had gone back, and the only one of them was left by the bonfire.

Li Zhen stood up, took out the moonlight gem he won from his arms and handed it to her, "This gem is given to you."

Zhu Yueminzhi took the gem with a little shyness and whispered: "Thank you!"

Li Zhen looked at her for a moment and said softly: "It's late at night, go back and rest!"

Zhu Yueminzhi lowered his head. After a while, she took out a red silk flower and handed it to Li Zhen. "There is such a flower in front of my tent. If you are willing to come, I will wait for you!"

She stuffed the words to Li Zhen, turned around and ran away. Li Zhen looked at her figure and ran away, gently rubbing the silk flowers in his hand, and ripples appeared in his heart.

He looked at the direction Zhu Yueminzhi was running and walked over quickly.

Zhu Yueminzhi's dome tent was very gorgeous, inlaid with gold wire, and a red silk flower that was the same as in his hand was inserted into the door. Li Zhen stood in front of the door and hesitated for a long time, and finally plucked up the courage to lift the curtain. There was no light in the tent, and it was pitch black. In the darkness, a sharp sword stabbed towards him and held his throat.

"Who is it?" Zhu Yueminzhi's cold shout came from the big tent.

Li Zhen handed the silk flower in, "It brought me here!"

The sword was taken away, and his two fiery arms wrapped around his neck...

At noon the next day, Li Zhen and the other four bid farewell to the Shatuo tribe and continued to head towards Dunhuang. They rode on the camels sent by the Shatuo people. With the sound of camels, Li Zhen's mood fluctuated and uneasy.

He held a fiery red silk flower in his hand and couldn't help but sang in a low voice.

A group of swans flew up in Puchang Sea,

I am fascinated by my heart,

Make me chase it,

I'm looking for the most beautiful swan,

I am willing to build a love nest with her.

......

"Look!" Xiaoxi pointed to the sand dune in the distance and shouted. Li Zhen raised his head. He saw that on the sand dune in the distance, a girl in red was riding a horse to look out to see.

Li Zhen also smiled, but felt an indescribable sadness in his heart.

But isn't life like this? It's like a long-distance train passing through countless stations. Most of the time, they just look at the scenery, and sometimes they get off by chance, but with the sound of the whistle, he has to set off again.

Many years later, when he looked back at that station, perhaps he would think of a beautiful scenery he had seen before.

Li Zhen raised his arm and waved to the girl in the distance. Gradually, their camels walked away, and the girl's figure disappeared behind the sand dunes.
Chapter completed!