Just as Zhuang Rui was about to reply, he heard the voices of several women behind him.
"Miss, the horse racing festival doesn't start until June. Where can we go to see it now?"
Zhuang Rui gave Bai Meng'an a wry smile, signaling him to go and deal with his sister. He then opened the car door, got out, stretched, lit a cigarette, and enjoyed a leisurely smoke. He didn't care how Bai Meng'an would persuade or educate the three ladies. After all, if Liu Chuan, the person in charge, wasn't in a hurry, why should he be?
"Xiao Zhuang, put out your cigarette, or you'll feel uncomfortable after you finish smoking it."
Before Zhuang Rui could even take a couple of puffs, Zhou Rui's voice came from inside the SUV. At that moment, he also felt a tightness in his chest and quickly put out his cigarette. He took several deep breaths before slowly recovering. Only then did Zhuang Rui realize that life on the plateau was not as wonderful as he had imagined.
It was already past eight in the morning. The rising sun shone on their faces, and they could feel a slight heat. There weren't many tourists on the street; most of the people coming and going were local Tibetans, strolling leisurely. Some sat in twos or threes at street corners or on the steps, chatting and squinting as they enjoyed the sunshine. When some people passed by Zhuang Rui, they would give him a kind smile and say, "Tashi Delek." Zhuang Rui knew that this meant "hello," so he followed suit and replied, "Tashi Delek." "Let's eat something first. After we eat, we'll leave Litang. If we stay here too long, I'm afraid we won't be able to stand it."
After talking to the women inside the car through the window, Bai Meng'an walked over and patted Zhuang Rui on the shoulder.
Zhou Rui led the way and found a breakfast stall that looked fairly clean. Zhuang Rui and the others found two tables and sat down. Liu Chuan walked up to order food in a carefree manner, but he returned dejectedly in less than a minute. Everyone saw that he had been trying to communicate with the owner for a long time by gesturing and guessing, but no one could figure out what he wanted to eat.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Rui, who had been keeping a low profile, stood up and shouted a few words to the owner in Tibetan. The owner immediately beamed and soon brought over seven bowls of mutton offal soup. The soup contained intestines, stomach, liver, and lungs, with scallions and cilantro floating on the milky white broth. It was neither fishy nor gamey, but had a rich flavor that made one's mouth water just by smelling it.
After a while, the owner brought over another plate of barley flour steamed buns. Zhuang Rui took a bite and found that the buns were even softer than white flour buns and had a sweet taste.
Zhuang Rui and Liu Chuan were already starving. After calling out, they grabbed steamed buns and ate them with the mutton soup. Zhou Rui, who was usually quiet, ate faster than anyone else. In no time, he had finished half of the steamed buns on the plate, and the other half naturally went into the stomachs of Zhuang Rui and Liu Chuan. The ladies and Bai Meng'an, who had been eating very politely, could only stare blankly at their empty plates.
"Hehe, I'm used to it. In the army, you have to fight for food."
Zhou Rui, unusually shy for someone his age, ordered two more plates of barley steamed buns and a dish of Tibetan pickled vegetables.
"Brother Zhou, could you ask this shop owner for me if anyone in Litang County sells Tibetan Mastiffs?"
After everyone finished eating, Liu Chuan seemed to remember the purpose of his trip to Tibet. Unfortunately, due to the language barrier, he could only ask Zhou Rui to inquire on his behalf.
Chapter 68 Preparation
While paying the bill, Zhou Rui had a long conversation in Tibetan with the breakfast stall owner. The owner pointed to the street with his right hand and shook his head. The group of people who had finished eating looked in the direction the owner was pointing and saw many large dogs running on the street, including Tibetan mastiffs.
"The shopkeeper said that there are Tibetan mastiffs for sale here, but their quality is similar to those on the street; they are all mixed breeds. If you want to buy a better mastiff, you have to go to Changdu or Lhasa. However, those places are mostly mountainous and agricultural areas, so there are fewer Tibetan mastiffs and the breed is not pure. Good mastiffs are also rare and very expensive. He said that twenty years ago, you could see pure Tibetan mastiffs everywhere here, but now those mastiff kings have all returned to the embrace of the snow mountain gods."
The Snow Mountain God that Zhou Rui mentioned is actually Mila Snow Mountain in Tibet. Tibetans worship the color white and therefore believe that there are gods in the snow mountain. Returning to the embrace of the Snow Mountain God means that those purebred Tibetan mastiffs have died or disappeared.
Zhou Rui hesitated slightly for a moment before saying, "I know of a place in Tibet where purebred mastiffs might still exist. I encountered one there two years ago, but it's hard to say now."
Zhou Rui's expression suggested he didn't want to talk about that place, presumably because it had given him an unpleasant experience.
Liu Chuan did not show any disappointment after hearing Zhou Rui's words. He had not expected to find good Tibetan Mastiff puppies in these places. Even if there were, the sellers would probably ask for an exorbitant price. He had traveled to many places and knew that the prices of local specialties were often much higher than in other places. It was like exporting something and then selling it domestically.
Zhuang Rui, however, was more concerned about Song Jun's affairs. Seeing that Zhou Rui still seemed to have more to say, he asked, "Brother Zhou, our purpose in going to Tibet this time is to find a good Tibetan Mastiff puppy. I wonder where that place you mentioned is? Can we go there to look for one?"
Zhou Rui glanced at Bai Meng'an and the others, hesitated slightly, and replied, "I have lived in Tibet for eleven years and am quite familiar with the area. Tibetan mastiffs are mainly distributed in the pastoral areas of the northern Tibetan grasslands, especially the pure nomadic grasslands. The Tibetan mastiffs raised by the herders there are not only tall and powerful, but also of pure breed, such as those in Nagqu, Shigatse and their surrounding counties."
"Then let's just go there."
Zhuang Rui interjected.
“Most of Nagqu Prefecture is grassland pastoral area, and many herders live deep in the grassland. If you want to find purebred mastiffs, you have to go to those herders. However, it is currently the end of winter, which is also the time when the grassland wolves are the hungriest and most ferocious. I am afraid that we will encounter a wolf attack when we go to the grassland.”
Zhou Rui finally spoke his mind. His most important purpose for this trip was to protect the safety of this group of people. Driving was actually secondary. Now that he heard Zhuang Rui say that he wanted to go to the Tibetan grasslands in northern Tibet to find Tibetan mastiffs, he couldn't help but feel uneasy, given his understanding of the vast grasslands.
“We want to go to the grasslands, where the blue sky is filled with white clouds, and the wind blows the grass low to reveal cattle and sheep. How beautiful that would be, Sister Xuanxuan, don’t you think?”
Upon hearing Zhou Rui's words, Bai Mengyao, who had finally quieted down for a while, jumped up again, seemingly forgetting all the travel plans she had just designed. Compared to the boundless grassland scenery, the plan to visit Litang Temple had become less important.
"How about this, Bai Meng'an, you and the ladies go to Mangkang County for a few days. The scenery there is very nice. I'll accompany Brother Zhuang and Liu Chuan to northern Tibet to look for Tibetan mastiffs. We'll all meet in Mangkang in a week, and then we'll contact each other by phone. What do you think?"
Zhou Rui was clearly a very responsible person. In a sense, the Bai siblings were now his employers, so his first thought was to ensure their safety.
"That's fine too..."
Bai Meng'an nodded in agreement. Bai Mengyao had secretly told him what happened in the car yesterday, and Bai Meng'an realized that Zhuang Rui was very likely to become his rival in love. Zhou Rui's idea could separate Qin Xuanbing and Zhuang Rui, and also give him a chance to get closer to Qin Xuanbing. Of course, he wholeheartedly agreed.
Bai Mengyao knew exactly what her brother was thinking, so she stopped clamoring to go see the grassland and remained silent.
"I'm going to the Tibetan Plateau with Da Chuan. There should be a chance to ride horses there, right?"
Lei Lei was unwilling to be separated from Liu Chuan. After this trip to Tibet, everyone would be busy with their own things, and they probably wouldn't be able to be together for a long time. Besides, being able to drive across the grasslands with someone you love is a very romantic thing.
"I'll go too..."
Qin Xuanbing also spoke up to express her stance. Actually, her original thought was that it didn't matter whether she went or not, as there were many places to visit in Mangkang. However, Lei Lei's mention of horseback riding attracted her. Qin Xuanbing liked horses and especially enjoyed the feeling of galloping on horseback. However, in the racetracks in Hong Kong, those so-called fine horses were alright at gait, but when they ran, they lacked a certain feeling.
"Yes, actually, seeing the grassland scenery is quite nice; it can broaden one's horizons."
Bai Meng'an said with a smile, as if he had agreed to go to the Tibetan grasslands together from the beginning. There was no sign of reluctance on his face. Zhuang Rui and the others understood his thoughts and couldn't help but chuckle to themselves.
"Since everyone has decided to go, you can wait for me in the Hummer for a while. I'll be right back."
Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus so quickly, and that it was the result he least wanted to see, Zhou Rui didn't say much. He just lowered his head and thought for a while, then asked everyone to wait for him, and then drove the Desert Prince out of Litang County by himself.
Zhou Rui's "a while" was quite a long time. The group waited in the Hummer for more than two hours before they saw the Desert Prince speeding towards them from afar, covered in dust. After stopping the car, Zhou Rui jumped out, carrying a long, narrow canvas bag slung across his back. He knocked on the Hummer window, and after Zhuang Rui opened the door, Zhou Rui quickly climbed in.
With a hiss and a rip, Zhou Rui pulled open the canvas bag, revealing something that surprised everyone: two gleaming black Type 56 fully automatic submachine guns, along with eight magazines. The golden sheen peeking out from the tops of the black magazines indicated that they were all fully loaded with bullets.
Chapter 69 Terrifying Experience on the Grassland (1)
No one expected that Zhou Rui would manage to acquire two guns in just two hours. It's important to understand that the country has extremely strict gun control regulations; even in Tibet, these standard military submachine guns are not something the average person can obtain. However, seeing that Zhou Rui didn't seem inclined to explain the origin of the guns, no one pressed him for details.
"Which of you knows how to use a gun?"
Zhou Rui took out a gun and looked at the people in the car, asking them a question.
"I've hunted in Europe."
"I can do that too; I've practiced indoor shooting."
"I fired a gun during my university military training..."
Three voices rang out: Bai Meng'an, Qin Xuanbing, and Zhuang Rui. Liu Chuan remained silent because he still preferred the Remington hunting rifle he had brought with him.
"Bai Meng'an, you'll be riding in the same car with me later. We already have one gun, so this one will be given to them. Brother Zhuang, remember to keep the safety on all the time. If you don't see me fire my gun, don't fire yours either."
After looking at Qin Xuanbing and Zhuang Rui for a while, Zhou Rui handed the gun to Zhuang Rui and gave him a few more instructions. In his opinion, the delicate young girl was clearly not as reliable as Zhuang Rui.
Bai Meng'an, who was standing next to him, was a little annoyed but had nothing to say. He also wanted to ride in a Hummer, but he was too embarrassed to say so.
"Keep one of these in your car so everyone can stay in touch. Once you enter the grasslands, there will be no cell phone signal..."
Zhou Rui then took out two walkie-talkies from his person and handed one of them to Zhuang Rui.
Seeing Zhou Rui's serious attitude towards this trip to northern Tibet, Liu Chuan and the others, who had been laughing and joking, also stopped laughing and became serious. ...
Zhuang Rui and his group traveled the Sichuan-Tibet route, which traverses the Hengduan Mountains. During the rainy season, there are frequent mudslides, and in winter, heavy snow often closes the mountains. The weather along the way is unpredictable, with the sun shining brightly at noon and the temperature reaching seven or eight degrees Celsius, but the temperature drops sharply at night, sometimes as low as minus ten degrees Celsius.
However, the Sichuan-Tibet Highway is undoubtedly the most scenic route after entering Tibet by land. It was shortly after the beginning of spring, and the earth was gradually reviving. Everywhere you looked, the low hills and plains were covered in green, and countless wildflowers bloomed. Only the distant, towering snow-capped mountains remained perpetually covered in snow. The white clouds floating in the blue sky seemed to merge with the pristine white snow.
They had already driven more than 200 kilometers out of Litang County and entered the Tibetan area. Mangkang County in Tibet was just a few dozen kilometers ahead. The terrain where the car was now was much lower, and the chest tightness and shortness of breath that everyone in the car had felt in Litang had lessened considerably. The scenery along the way was truly beautiful. Qin Xuanbing had been holding a high-magnification camera and taking pictures non-stop. Zhuang Rui was very skeptical that it was possible to capture images while the car was traveling at nearly 100 kilometers per hour.
Mangkang County is a city mainly based on animal husbandry. The blue sky and white clouds outside the car window, as well as the cattle and sheep moving slowly in the distance, formed a series of beautiful pictures. Although the people in the car had not slept in bed for two whole days, looking at the scene in front of them still gave them a refreshing and pleasant feeling. The sound of camera shutters clicking could be heard from time to time in the car.
"Zhuang Rui, Zhuang Rui, please respond if you hear me. Please respond if you hear me."
Zhuang Rui, who was resting with his eyes half-closed in the passenger seat, suddenly heard the walkie-talkie next to the gearbox crackle once, and then Zhou Rui's voice came through.
"I am Zhuang Rui. Please speak."
Zhuang Rui picked up the walkie-talkie and replied.
"Let's go into Mangkang County for a meal, and put the guns away properly!"
"clear!"
After answering, Zhuang Rui reclined the seat, picked up the Type 56 submachine gun that had been at his feet, crouched down and walked into the carriage, opened the safety compartment, and put the Type 56 submachine gun inside.
"Hey, there's a gun here."
Bai Mengyao, with her sharp eyes, spotted Liu Chuan's Remington hunting rifle and shouted loudly.
"That's what I brought, hehe. Don't think only Zhou Rui knows about the dangers of Tibetan wolves!"
"I'm driving," Liu Chuan said smugly, his hands busy as he followed the Desert Prince onto a side road and into Mangkang County.
Zhou Rui seemed quite familiar with Mangkang County, driving directly to the entrance of a restaurant. The restaurant didn't have private rooms, so everyone had to sit in the main hall. All they could hear was Tibetan, which they couldn't understand or speak, so Zhou Rui ordered the food.
"Brother Zhuang, look how barbaric they are, they even eat raw meat."
Bai Mengyao remained seated close to Zhuang Rui, her eyes glancing at the Tibetan men at the next table, and whispered something in Zhuang Rui's ear.
Zhuang Rui felt a tingling sensation near his ear. A girl's fragrance filled his nostrils, and his heart skipped a beat. When he looked at Bai Mengyao again, she was already sitting upright. Qin Xuanbing's eyes were also glancing in their direction, intentionally or unintentionally. Zhuang Rui knew that he had been tricked by the girl again, and he couldn't help but smile bitterly. Bai Mengyao had certainly given him a hard time along the way.
Throughout the journey, Bai Mengyao almost constantly called him "Brother Zhuang," and occasionally made some intimate gestures, which made Qin Xuanbing and Lei Lei look at him strangely. Zhuang Rui had not spent much time with girls, and although he was in a gentle embrace, he was suffering terribly.
Ignoring Bai Mengyao, Zhuang Rui glanced at the table next to him. Those people were indeed eating raw meat—more precisely, a raw leg of lamb. Each of them held a small knife, carefully selecting the most palatable parts and frequently cutting them. They then used the tips of their knives to pick the meat into their mouths with great skill, eating with relish and rhythm. A large piece of meat with bone was quickly devoured, leaving only the skeleton.
Zhou Rui had already ordered the food. He had somehow overheard Bai Mengyao's words to Zhuang Rui and explained, "That's normal. Tibetans have a different food culture than us; beef and mutton are their staples. They mainly smother cattle to keep the blood inside, making the meat tender. However, fewer people eat raw meat now. This is the only restaurant in Mangkang that still preserves this tradition, so I brought you here to see it."
"Brother Zhou, you're not going to make us eat raw meat too, are you?"
Bai Mengyao asked with a bitter face, and the people next to her nodded repeatedly. They couldn't accept this custom. Even Liu Chuan, a foodie, stared wide-eyed at it, let alone eat it.
"Hehe, no way, today I'm bringing you the 'Four Treasures' of Tibetan cuisine."
Perhaps because they were all young, Zhou Rui had been talking more than before these past few days. Seeing everyone's puzzled looks, he explained, "Butter, tea, tsampa, and beef and mutton are the four treasures of Tibet. However, some people may not be used to them. If you don't like them, you can eat something else first."
Not long after, the shop's waiters served butter tea, with a large bowl in front of each person. The tea was thick and soupy, with some oil floating on top. Zhuang Rui had long heard that butter tea was exceptionally nutritious, so he picked up the bowl and took a sip. He immediately felt a warm sensation throughout his body. After finishing the bowl of tea, the slight dizziness, shortness of breath, and palpitations he had experienced earlier due to altitude sickness all disappeared.
Then the dishes were served: hand-pulled beef and mutton, cold yak tongue salad, steamed buns, sweet tea, milk tea, yogurt, grilled sausages, and dried meat, all piled high on the table. The staple food was tsampa, but you had to mix it with butter tea by hand. Everyone felt it wasn't very hygienic, so no one ate it. Only Zhou Rui ate it with relish.
After finishing their meal, it was already past 1 p.m. They planned to stay overnight in Baxu County as it got dark. This stretch of road was not easy to travel. Before leaving, Zhou Rui actually bought two freshly slaughtered and skinned lambs, wrapped them in an oilcloth, and threw them into the trunk of the SUV.
Starting from Mangkang, they crossed the Jiaoba Mountain, which has an altitude of over 4,000 meters, and traversed the Nujiang Bridge. The scenery along the way was picturesque. Although the journey would definitely take longer than planned, Zhuang Rui still felt it was worthwhile. Here, he felt his soul was pure, as if the clear breeze and white snow could wash away the dust from people's hearts.
It was nearly midnight when they arrived in Baxu County. The group of people who had just arrived in Tibet were all exhausted. Although the shock absorption of both vehicles was good, they had been bumping around on the mountain roads for more than ten hours and their bodies felt like they were falling apart. Even Bai Meng'an, who was quite picky about hygiene, fell asleep as soon as he lay down on the bed after entering the guesthouse arranged by Zhou Rui.
The next morning, around six o'clock, Zhou Rui woke everyone up. They were heading to Nagqu that day, which would take two days if all went smoothly. This meant they would have to spend the night on the road. If they were unlucky and couldn't find any herders, they would have to sleep on the grasslands. Therefore, they had to leave early and try to find a herder's family to stay with before dark.
"Brother Zhou, it looks like we won't be able to find these herders. We'll just have to make do in the car for the night."
Zhuang Rui was in Zhou Rui's Desert Prince at the moment. He couldn't stand Bai Mengyao's harassment anymore and saw through the girl's thoughts, so he simply suggested that he and Bai Meng'an switch cars for a while. Bai Meng'an naturally did not refuse, but now it was already dark and they still hadn't seen anyone.
“There used to be a tribe around here, but they’ve probably moved away. Everyone should be careful at night; we’ll take turns keeping watch.”
Zhou Rui's expression was not good. According to his original plan, he was going to stay overnight at the herdsmen's home, but given the current situation, that was impossible. This was a small road that ran across the grassland from Basu to Nagqu. Perhaps because no vehicles had passed through for a long time, the dirt road was covered with withered grass, making it difficult to see the road ahead.