Everyone is familiar with Kublai Khan. He spent his life fighting and unified the world. Starting with Kublai Khan, the Yuan Dynasty was established, which consolidated the rule of this nomadic people.
However, many people are not very familiar with Phagpa. In fact, he was a very famous person in history, especially for his profound influence on the society and religion of the Yuan Dynasty.
Phagpa was the fifth patriarch of the Lama Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a native of Sakya in Tibet. His original name was Lokul Loksang. Phagpa is an honorific title for him, meaning "saint".
Phagpa also had another important identity, namely, Kublai Khan's Imperial Preceptor. His full title was "Under Heaven, Above the Earth, Son of the Western Heaven, Incarnation of Buddha, Creator of Writing, Protector of State Affairs, Master of the Five Sciences, Phagpa the Imperial Preceptor," also known as the Great Treasure Dharma King, or simply Imperial Preceptor.
During his tenure as Imperial Preceptor and State Preceptor, Phagpa not only promoted the comprehensive development of politics, economy, and culture in the Tibetan region, but also made significant contributions to the stability and development of the Yuan Dynasty, as well as the unity and cultural exchange among all ethnic groups in the country.
For example, the fact that Genghis Khan was called the "King of the Heavenly King" was written by Phagpa. As the spiritual leader of the entire Mongol people at that time, Phagpa can be considered the first person in history to create a god. In the decades after his death, some European nobles even worshipped the image of Genghis Khan as the king.
While the previous portraits were exquisitely beautiful, Zhuang Rui only viewed them with an attitude of appreciation. However, when he reached the top of the grotto, he became serious.
The murals in this grotto depict the burial of Genghis Khan.
According to Mongolian burial customs, "no mound of earth is made, no monument is erected, the tomb has no burial mound, and horses trample it to make it as flat as the ground."
Therefore, there are very few written or pictorial records about the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan.
Although in recent years, many scholars from all over the world, including some from Outer Mongolia, have claimed to have found the tomb of Genghis Khan and have presented various pieces of evidence.
However, the facts show that the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan remains out of sight and has not actually been unearthed.
As the founder of the Mongol Dynasty, Genghis Khan was incredibly wealthy. A Mongolian studies expert once claimed that Genghis Khan's tomb may contain a large number of rare treasures, and the artifacts inside are even more magnificent than the Terracotta Army unearthed from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.
This is not an exaggeration. Genghis Khan's tomb may very well contain priceless treasures he acquired from more than 20 kingdoms during his conquests, which is why archaeologists have been searching for it year after year.
To date, it seems that no organization or archaeological team has ever excavated a Mongolian tomb containing a large number of treasures. Not to mention Genghis Khan, even the tombs of his descendants are nowhere to be found.
The main reason for this phenomenon is the special nature of Yuan Dynasty tombs. There are almost no written records of them. Even the most authoritative book on Yuan Dynasty history, "The Secret History of the Mongols," is very taboo about the tombs of emperors and nobles.
One of the murals in front of Zhuang Rui at this moment is quite intriguing.
On the right side of the mural are two white Mongolian yurts with towering pointed roofs. To their left is a temple and a palace. Inside the palace is a woman who appears to be bowing her head in grief. This scene depicts the sorrow of Lady Yesui, who accompanied Genghis Khan, upon his death.
After staring intently at the murals on the wall for a while, Zhuang Rui turned to Batel and asked, "Brother Batel, are there any records or murals about Genghis Khan's death in the Genghis Khan Mausoleum, which is guarded by your people?"
Upon hearing this, Batel shook his head and said, "No, the Great Khan said before he died that his tomb would never be found by anyone and would never be known to the world. Brother Zhuang, I think you shouldn't waste your energy on this..."
As a member of a family that has been the guardians of Genghis Khan's tomb for generations, Batel understands Zhuang Rui's work and knows the benefits that finding Genghis Khan's tomb will bring, but he still does not want the souls of his ancestors to be disturbed.
It wasn't just Batel who thought this way; most people on the grasslands shared this mentality. According to Mongolian tradition, disturbing the soul of the dead is disrespectful. They were indifferent to the body of the deceased, but the key was that the soul was immortal.
Zhuang Rui smiled and shook his head, saying, "Brother Batel, Genghis Khan was not only a great emperor of China, but also occupies an important position in world history. If we can find his tomb, it will be of immeasurable importance for the study of Mongol Yuan culture, and it will also allow you to better understand the achievements of your ancestors..."
From the beginning of the last century to the present day, tens of thousands of experts, scholars, and tomb raiders have come to Inner and Outer Mongolia to search for the tombs of Mongolian emperors. Even if the national archaeological department does not explore them, these Mongolian imperial tombs will probably eventually be excavated by some people with ulterior motives.
It is well known that Mongols love to bury various gold and silver ornaments with their dead. If ordinary Mongols did this, how much more so Genghis Khan, who was the richest man in the world at the time?
Some experts who study Mongolian culture have speculated that the treasures in Genghis Khan's mausoleum are no less than those in Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum, and may even be greater. This argument has led countless tomb raiders to yearn for the vast grasslands.
Although the government has always maintained a cautious attitude towards Mongolian archaeology in order to take into account the national sentiments of the Mongolians, over the years, countless tomb raiders have secretly flocked to this place.
"Could this be the location of Genghis Khan's tomb?"
A very bold idea suddenly popped into Zhuang Rui's mind.
Mongolia is mostly plains with few mountains. Although the mountains in Alzhai Caves are not high, the scenery is beautiful and can be considered a rare feng shui treasure in Mongolia. Genghis Khan stayed here many times during his lifetime, so it is possible that he really did choose this place as his final resting place.
"Brother Batel, this place contains a lot of valuable information. I'd like to stay here for a couple of days. Could you perhaps send a message to Dr. Ren and ask him to come over as well?"
Upon seeing a man-made tunnel and grotto on the northwest side of the mountaintop, Zhuang Rui became even more convinced of his idea.
According to the accompanying shaman, this place had once served as a retreat for Genghis Khan to recover from his injuries, but to Zhuang Rui, it seemed more like a temporary resting place.
Chapter 1150 Discovery (Part 1)
Standing atop the mountain and looking at the Alzhai Grottoes, the entire mountain resembles a honeycomb, densely covered with caves of all sizes, like Ali Baba's cave, which holds countless treasures and secrets, waiting for people to come and explore.
The Buddhist statues and murals inside these grottoes, paintings that bear witness to the rise and fall of a nation's history, are, in Zhuang Rui's eyes, far more precious than Alibaba's treasure.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'We've seen these grottoes, so what's the point of staying here?'"
This place isn't too far from where Timur and his men gathered, so there shouldn't be any problem for the new doctor to come here. However, Timur and his men, who have been familiar with this place since childhood, really can't see what's worth studying here.
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this and said, "Temur Anda, this place preserves many Yuan Dynasty texts and pictorial materials, which are of great help to my studies, so I would like to stay here for a few days..."
Zhuang Rui wasn't just trying to fool Timur. He had two main purposes for staying there. First, he hoped to restore the spiritual energy in his eyes within a few days and conduct a comprehensive survey of the abrupt and mysterious Alzhai Caves.
As for the second objective, Zhuang Rui had prepared for the worst. If he did not find the tombs of Genghis Khan or the Yuan Dynasty emperors here, he planned to use the Mongolian paintings left behind in the Alzhai Grottoes to delve into the social structure of that time and the rise and fall of the Golden Family as the basis for his doctoral dissertation.
Zhuang Rui has been stubborn since childhood. Although he usually acts carefree and easygoing, he always sticks to what he believes in, and he won't turn back even if he hits a brick wall.
Therefore, even if this expedition to Mongolia yields no results, he will not change his doctoral research direction and choose the currently hyped Dunhuang culture again.
Although the Alzhai Grottoes are far smaller in scale than the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, by the time you finish walking around, the sun is already setting. The fiery red sunset shines on the grottoes, which are riddled with holes, adding to their mystique.
Out of consideration for the preservation of the grottoes, no electric lights were installed inside any of them, so even though Zhuang Rui wanted to stay a little longer, he had no choice but to leave.
Timur was indeed very familiar with the lamas in the temple outside the Alzhai Grottoes. After a few words at the temple, he arranged Zhuang Rui's food and lodging for the next few days. As for the expenses, Zhuang Rui only needed to donate a few incense money.
The lamas in the temples here all come from Tibet and practice Tibetan Buddhism. They have not been tainted by the commercialism of famous temples in the mainland. Most of them came here voluntarily to spread Buddhism and protect the Alzhai Grottoes.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'I have to go back now. I'll bring Dr. Ren here tomorrow and show you around...'"
After arranging Zhuang Rui's food and lodging, Timur and his sister Batel had to rush back to the settlement. They both had their own ranches, and they were really worried about not being able to go back for several days.
Zhuang Rui knew that the people of the grasslands worked at sunrise and rested at sunset, and that they had already gone to enough trouble these past few days, so he quickly said, "Brother Batel, Timur, Peng Fei and I can stay here. You don't need to come and keep us company every day..."
"Haha, it's alright," Zhuang Rui'an replied. "Next time I go to Beijing, you can come with me and show me around..."
Timur laughed heartily. He had already accepted Zhuang Rui's invitation and would visit Beijing as soon as he had time.
Strictly speaking, the earliest dynasty to establish its capital in Beijing was the Yuan Dynasty.
During Genghis Khan's time, Mongolia did not have a fixed capital. After Kublai Khan ascended the throne, he established the capital in Beijing, which was renamed Dadu, and carried out a series of renovations and expansions.
Due to the strength of the Yuan Dynasty, Dadu (Beijing) was a place where all nations paid homage and the world paid homage. Even when Zhu Di later established Beijing as the capital, he adopted the architectural style of the Yuan Dynasty without making any major changes.
Although this abnormal prosperity only lasted for a short period of one hundred years, it made these grassland people regard Beijing as a sacred place. Timur, who had never left the grasslands, was also very much looking forward to this trip to Beijing.
"That's easy, Brother Timur. You can make the arrangements these next few days, and then come back to Beijing with me in a few days. I'll show you around and give you some fun..."
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this. Before coming to the grassland, he never expected to meet a sworn brother here.
Although they hadn't spent much time together, Zhuang Rui could feel that Timur truly treated him like a brother, which made Zhuang Rui value and cherish this kind of brotherhood that was hard to find in big cities.
After seeing Batel and the others off, Zhuang Rui went to the place where he had previously left Zhui Feng. Because Zhui Feng was wild and no match for Chi Xue Xiao Bai and the others, he did not leave it with them, but instead found a separate place for it behind the temple.
"Hey, where's my horse?"
When Zhuang Rui was still more than 20 meters away from the stable, he saw that the stable was empty and there was no sign of Zhui Feng. He couldn't help but shout anxiously.
Zhuang Rui's shouts drew out a young lama in his twenties. Hearing that Zhuang Rui was looking for a horse, his eyes widened immediately, and he said, "That horse is yours? I said, why did you bring a wild horse? My senior brother was kicked and injured..."
The young lama looked indignant. In the afternoon, his senior brother kindly brought hay to feed the horse, but the horse kicked him to the ground and jumped out of the stable and rushed out of the temple.
"Ahem, young master, I'm so sorry, but my horse is a bit wild and most people can't get close to it. Is your senior brother seriously injured? Should we take him to the hospital?"
Zhuang Rui felt relieved when he heard that Zhui Feng was alright. He knew that with Zhui Feng's temperament, he was capable of doing such a thing. There was nothing he could do but quickly help him clean up the mess.
As for where Zhui Feng went, Zhuang Rui wasn't too worried. On this vast grassland, unless someone shot it, even chasing it in a car wouldn't do anything to it.
Seeing Zhuang Rui's good attitude, the young lama felt a little embarrassed and said, "It's not a big deal, but my shoulder is dislocated. I can't do heavy work for a week..."
Zhuang Rui gave Peng Fei a wink, took 2,000 yuan from his hand, handed it to the young lama, and said, "I'm really sorry, young monk, here's some money. Please give it to that master to help him recover..."
"No...no, there's no need for that. Senior brother just needs a few days of rest. I can't take your money..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui's actions, the young lama's face turned bright red. He pointed in a direction and said, "Your horse ran off that way. Go find it..."
"Okay, but you still have to accept the money..."
Zhuang Rui grabbed the young lama's hand, placed the money in it, and then, following the lama's directions, went out with Peng Fei to search for Zhui Feng, leaving the bewildered young lama behind. ...
"Damn, you little brat, you're having a blast, making me clean up your mess?"
Following the direction pointed out by the little lama, Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei walked for a mile or two before they saw Zhui Feng. The kid was shamelessly riding on a mare, ending his bachelorhood. Of course, Zhuang Rui had no idea whether Zhui Feng was a virgin before.
However, among all the animals Zhuang Rui kept at home, this was the first time he had ever had to clean up someone's mess. Even a ferocious beast like the white lion had never caused Zhuang Rui as much trouble as Zhui Feng.
"Luffy..."
Upon seeing Zhuang Rui arrive, Zhui Feng let out a long, excited howl. This beast is still a beast after all; he was caught doing something bad, yet he showed no embarrassment whatsoever.
"Alright, you can continue with your work. I'll come see you again tomorrow..."
Zhuang Rui waved his hand, turned around and left. He wasn't a breeding expert and had no interest in the "love" between animals. Besides, the horse's "thing" was so big that Zhuang Rui felt a little embarrassed.
As for the mare that Zhui Feng was riding, Zhuang Rui recognized it as one of the wild horses in the herd. Zhuang Rui was returning to Beijing in a few days, and he wanted Zhui Feng to experience life on the grasslands one last time.
The next morning, Zhuang Rui was awakened by the temple bell and went with Peng Fei to collect the vegetarian meal.
After breakfast, Zhuang Rui sensed the spiritual energy in his eyes. Although it had recovered considerably, the distance it could release was only a few hundred meters, which was not enough to cover the entire Alzhai Grottoes.
However, considering only one direction, several hundred meters is not a short distance. Zhuang Rui, alone, arrived at the top of the mountain of the Alzhai Grottoes. He wanted to see if there was anything suspicious under the grottoes where Genghis Khan was said to have recuperated.
Zhuang Rui originally wanted to bring Peng Fei along, but that guy was still bothered by the yellow-spotted horse he was riding. After breakfast, he went to Chasing Wind's place, saying he wanted to tame a good horse.
Standing atop the mountain, bathed in the morning sunlight, with the temple bells echoing in his ears, he felt increasingly light and ethereal. He closed his eyes slightly, and the few spiritual energies in Zhuang Rui's eyes surged forth, spreading towards the grotto beneath his feet.
The man-made grotto was not very large, only about twenty square meters. The underground rock structure was the same as that of the Alzhai Grottoes, which was red sandstone. However, Zhuang Rui always had a feeling that there must be another world below.
"Hmm? Could it be that my feeling... is wrong?"
The pervasive spiritual energy penetrated through the red sandstone and entered the lower part of the cave. Zhuang Rui frowned slightly because the rocks about ten meters below the cave were exactly the same as the cave floor, with no trace of excavation.
Once a cave is carved into the rock, it is impossible to completely fill it back in. This means that there is no situation as Zhuang Rui imagined beneath the grotto.
Chapter 1151 Discovery (Part 2)
Zhuang Rui felt somewhat discouraged. According to his analysis, the Alzhai Grottoes were the most likely place to be the mausoleum of Genghis Khan, but everything that the spiritual energy had observed had clearly shattered Zhuang Rui's illusions.
"Looks like I'll have to find some time to travel all over the Inner Mongolian grasslands..."
Zhuang Rui was somewhat unwilling. If it weren't for the time constraints and the fact that he had exhausted his spiritual energy in order to save Zhui Feng, he would have been confident that he could have found some tombs of Mongolian nobles or even emperors.
However, Zhuang Rui is a person who refuses to admit defeat. Just because he couldn't find it this time doesn't mean he will never be able to discover the tombs of the Mongol emperors and unravel the mystery of Mongol tombs that has puzzled archaeologists for thousands of years.
When Zhuang Rui began his doctoral research on the history of the Yuan Dynasty, he actually wanted to use his eyes to fill the gap in the archaeological record of Yuan Dynasty tombs. However, it is clear that the timing was not very good this time.