The other day I actually saw a modern edition of "The Complete Works of Emperor Gaozu of Tang" in a bookstore (well, it mainly focuses on government decrees), I was utterly speechless...
Interestingly, some poems were co-written by the emperor and his family. For example, Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian wrote a poem in collaboration with Empress Wei, his daughters Princess Changning and Princess Anle, his sister Princess Taiping, his son Prince Wen Li Chongmao, and eight other ministers, each contributing a line. How elegant!
4. Yesterday we talked about Huan She's handsome and dashing appearance. Guazhou is in present-day Gansu, and I've met some Gansu guys, and they're all incredibly handsome (drooling...). They're all the same type as Huan She, so charming! Zhidao Xiangsi raises his arms and shouts: Are there any readers from Gansu?
5. When Huan and Li were joking, they both quoted lines from Zhou Xingsi's "Thousand Character Classic" from the Liang Dynasty.
6. The *Hubusi* (胡伯思): In Chinese historical records, it is also translated as *Hubusi*, *Hunbusi*, *Hupoci*, *Hebisi*, etc., and later as *Huobusi* (火不思), derived from the Turkic word *kopuz*. It appears in the murals of the Yuan Dynasty tomb in Dong'er Village, Pucheng, Shaanxi, depicted as being held horizontally and played. I have seen photos of modern *Huobusi*, which look very much like a guitar.
7. There are four origin stories of the Turks, which are similar yet contradictory. I mainly selected and elaborated on the accounts in the *Book of Zhou* and the *Book of Sui*. Sigh, writing poetry is really not easy; it has to be coherent and rhyming. It took me two hours to finish.
8. Ashina later became the surname of the Turkic royal family.
9. Western Sea: This may be the Caspian Sea.
10. Ruru: Also written as Ruru, Ruirui, or Rouran. Historically, it is said that Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty "changed their name to Ruru because of their ignorance and insect-like appearance." Considering that the Turks also hated the Ruru people, the name Ruru was still used in poems and writings, while Ruru was used when mentioned elsewhere.
11. The term "Dashi" (大食), known as "Tiaozhi" (条枝) in the Han Dynasty and "Dashi" (大食) in the Tang Dynasty, is a transliteration of the Persian word "Tajik" (塔吉k), which later became known as Arabia. My high school history teacher often recounted how, upon seeing the word "Arabo" (阿拉伯), he wondered what it meant, only to later realize he had misread it; it wasn't "Ci" (刺), but "La" (剌), meaning Arab. The name Baghdad is also a transliteration from Persian.
12. Yu'er: Turkic poetry.
Chapter Eleven
11. 【Jade Pool】
The two first returned to Dahai Village to inform Uncle Zhao and Aunt Zhao. The couple were very worried upon hearing they were going to Tanhan Mountain, saying that Turks and Tiele people frequented the area, making it very unsafe. Li Weiying said, "Don't worry, Huan Lang is here." Huan She nodded with a smile. Zhao Jie and Tuxi Zhuoer were still in Yiwu and had not yet returned, so Huan She entrusted the Zhao couple to take care of Tuxi Zhuoer. After resting for two days and making preparations, they finally embarked on their journey north.
Following the topographical map drawn by Huan She, they rode northwest for three days, traversing golden sands and green grasslands, until they arrived at the southern slope of Tanhan Mountain, the eastern section of the Beishan Mountains. Leaning on their horses, they gazed into the distance. The blue sky was clear and pristine, and seven massive peaks stood majestically from east to west. Especially striking was the westernmost main peak, its three closely connected summits of similar height, towering high and piercing the clouds. It was early spring, and the peaks were covered in snow, truly resembling enormous silver helmets.
The two stared, breathless, in a solemn silence for a long time before Li Weiying finally said, "It really looks like the helmet of a god." Huan She nodded, then suddenly laughed. Li Weiying asked, "What are you laughing at?" Huan She replied, "It's disrespectful to say it." He whispered in her ear, "But it also looks like a big steamed bun." She chuckled, "Are you hungry again? Let's eat some dry rations first." The two ate a little and continued their journey towards the foot of the main peak.
Below the southern slope, rustling white poplars formed a dense forest, where many Turkic nomads grazed their herds. Upon seeing Huan and Li's Han Chinese attire, they gathered around. Having likely lived far beyond the Great Wall for a long time and never encountered Han Chinese from the Central Plains, and seeing the handsome man and beautiful woman, they were extremely curious, chattering incessantly. A robust man in his fifties approached and asked, "My name is Daman, and I am the chieftain here. Who are you?" Huan replied in Turkic, "We are Han Chinese, and we have come to admire the majesty of this sacred mountain." They were pleasantly surprised to hear Huan speak such fluent and polite Turkic. Daman said, "Then you've already seen it." Huan She said, "We want to climb the mountain ourselves and make a wish to the gods." Daman said, "Want to climb it? Young man, you're thinking too simply. This Tanhan Mountain is high and steep; it will be very difficult for you to climb it." Huan She translated Daman's words to Li Weiying and said, "We've traveled thousands of miles from the Central Plains to get here; we must try. Uncle Daman, since you say climbing the mountain is difficult, could you give us some pointers?" Daman smiled and said, "It's too late to climb the mountain today; let's set off early tomorrow morning."
Huan and Li, finding this reasonable, did not refuse and allowed Daman to arrange for them to stay in the Turkic tents. As the sun began to set, Daman invited them to the main tent for a meal. Li Weiying took out two large, white, lustrous pearls, about the size of a fist, from her bundle and asked Huan to give them to Daman. Huan exclaimed in surprise, "We've never found pearls like these in the desert!" Li Weiying replied, "These are salt pearls, a specialty of Gaochang." Huan gave the salt pearls to Daman, who was overjoyed, saying that such fine salt should be exchanged for a good horse.
Huan She politely said it was nothing and there was no need to thank him, while asking Li Weiying, "Why did you think of bringing this gift?" She smiled and said, "I heard the wandering singer say that he didn't need money. For nomadic people like us, money is not enough to spend, so bartering is the most practical thing to do. I didn't expect to bring a gift, but in my haste, I remembered that the grasslands were short of salt, so I just took out the salt beads that Aunt Zhao gave me."
Overjoyed, Daman invited the two men to sit beside him. Someone brought a copper basin for them to wash their hands. Daman personally placed a plate containing a sheep's head, hind leg, and ribs in front of them, smiling broadly. Huan She pondered for a moment, then picked up a small knife from the plate, cut two slices from the sheep's head, sprinkled them with a little salt, ate one slice himself, and handed the other to Li Weiying. Seeing the mutton was still slightly bloody, she hesitated for a moment. Huan She nodded in acknowledgment, and she ate it in one bite. Huan She then presented the sheep's head to Daman, a gesture of respect from the Turks to their host. Daman was delighted, patted Huan She on the shoulder, and invited everyone to eat and drink together. During the meal, Huan She asked about the flammable stone, but no one knew anything about it.
After spending the night in the felt tent, the next morning, Daman instructed his son, Xutuogu, to lead them to the southern slope of the main peak of Tanhan Mountain, as it was gentler than the northern slope. He also pointed out the route up the mountain. Huan Li thanked him, handed the horse to Xutuogu to take back, and began walking up the mountain. Xutuogu had already walked a short distance back when he suddenly called out to them, "The snow-capped peak is difficult to climb; if you can't walk anymore, hurry down!" Huan She responded from afar.
The mountain path was steep and narrow, and the thick layer of snow and ice made the journey extremely treacherous. The freezing weather further slowed the progress. The air was thin, and each breath was a struggle, as if one could never catch their breath. Even Huan She, with his strong physique, was gradually becoming breathless. Seeing Li Weiying's face turn pale, he was deeply worried and said, "Let's rest for a bit." She couldn't speak, only nodding. Just as Huan She was about to help her sit down, she suddenly vomited, gasping for breath, her face turning purple. Huan She frantically patted her back, saying, "Let's go down." She gasped for breath, shook her head, and whispered, "I'm alright." She took the water bag Huan She offered and drank deeply, finally regaining some color.
Huan She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank goodness, thank goodness." Li Weiying asked, "Thank goodness for what?" He laughed, "Thank goodness I'm not Cao Ling. You're already vomiting so badly before you're even married. I don't know how badly you'll vomit after we're married. I still want to have ten sons. Heh." She was both angry and amused, "You... I don't want to marry you..." The nausea returned, and she bent over to vomit. She had already thrown up everything she ate that morning, and now she was only dry heaving. Huan She quickly patted her back and said, "It's alright, I was just talking nonsense." She said, "Lide Hasniwit." Huan She was stunned, "What did you call me..." She caught her breath, "Nonsense." Huan She then remembered that he had once lied to her in the Yanqi dialect that "little lover—Lide Hasniwit" meant "nonsense." He hadn't expected her to remember it so well. He laughed and said, "Ha, I am Lide Hasniwit, I am, I am."
Having gotten the upper hand in a verbal exchange, he smiled and helped her uphill again. They hadn't gone far when she clung tightly to Huan She's hand, refusing to let go, and whispered, "Huan Lang, my...head hurts so much." Huan She noticed her lips had turned purple and, alarmed, pulled her into his arms, saying, "Let's get down here quickly." She hummed in response, but felt a splitting headache, the world spinning, and her vision blurring. Huan She knew there was no other way but to get back to lower ground as quickly as possible to save her. Gritting his teeth, he carried her on his back and hurried down the mountain.
Going up the mountain is easy, but going down is difficult. Adding to the difficulty, the ice and snow made it slippery. He was carrying someone and was in a hurry, so he slipped into a crevice. Luckily, he pulled back quickly, but his left foot still got stuck. He endured the excruciating pain to steady himself and slowly pulled his foot out, only to find it pierced by sharp ice blades.
He continued carrying her down the mountain, limping. As they descended, she gradually regained consciousness and noticed Huan She's unsteady gait. Looking down, she saw that his left boot was soaked in blood. She cried out, "You... put me down...!" Huan She was also in too much pain to walk. Hearing that she could speak again, he knew she was feeling better, so he put her down and collapsed onto the snow. Li Weiying turned around and was horrified to see a trail of deep, bright red bloody footprints on the ice. She gasped in shock and reached out to untie his boot, but the blood and snow were frozen together. With the slightest movement, Huan She cried out in pain.
She looked down the mountain and saw what appeared to be a lake in the distance, so she said, "Let's go to that lake to wash up." She helped him to his feet, and he put his arm around her shoulder. He walked with all his might on his right foot, only daring to lightly touch the ground with his left. They walked slowly like this for almost half an hour before finally arriving at the lakeside.
Remnants of ice still floated on the vast, azure lake, shrouded in a misty, cold fog. The surrounding snow-capped peaks and towering, verdant fir trees were reflected on the lake. Every now and then, a cold wind would knock the snow off the fir branches onto their hair, then slide across their eyelashes, blooming before their eyes.
He said, "Fairy Lake."
She said, "Jade Pool."
After a long moment of holding their breath, they finally smiled at each other. Li Weiying helped him sit down, and by the lake, she dampened a silk handkerchief. The lake water was icy cold, and she was so cold she couldn't even stretch her fingers. She went back to Huan She and asked for a short sword, then cut down a cedar branch and started a fire. Li Weiying sat down, gently lifted his injured foot, and placed it on her lap. With the damp silk handkerchief, she carefully wiped away the congealed blood and ice from his left boot, finally removing his boots and socks. She saw that his soles and ankles had several bloody holes from the ice blades. After cleaning the wounds, she took off her belt and wrapped it around his wounds, then took off her fur coat to cover his left foot. Ignoring his cries of "Quickly put these on, don't get cold," she hurriedly carried his boots and socks towards the lake.
Huan She's feet were wrapped in her warm fur coat, the warmth penetrating to his heart. Gazing at her back as she washed her boots and socks, he suddenly recalled that day at the hot spring, it was the same scene, she washing his blood-stained clothes while he sat by the campfire waiting. When she finished washing, she turned and smiled, a smile as beautiful as if the world had just begun, reborn, against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks, green fir trees, and azure lake. Huan She's heart ached: "Wei Ying, what does it matter if I'm injured for you? But how long can these days last?"
She returned to Huan She's side and saw his sorrowful expression. She asked softly, "Is it still very painful?" Huan She had something stuck in his throat but couldn't say it. His throat was churning. "If in the future, if in the future you go back to...him...will I still be able to see you?" She was startled and remained silent for a moment before saying, "Of course, I...I can't bear to never see you again."
Huan She said softly, "Then... will you still remember me? You asked for the spirit stone and returned to the past, when you didn't know me... we were destined to never meet... will you still remember that I ever existed?" Li Weiying was speechless, "I..." She was also at a loss for words, "The matter of the spirit stone is ethereal and unpredictable..."
Huan She said, "What if we really find you? I...you...when you burn the spirit stones to make your wish, could you say one more thing, just say, just say that I can see you again?" Li Weiying said, "Huan She..." He hurriedly said, "Promise me first." She said, "Okay, I promise."
He breathed a sigh of relief and said with a bitter smile, "I wanted to see you... but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to claim my reward if I didn't see you again. You know I'm a rascal." She gently took his hand and said, "How could I forget? You were so good to me, you were with me through life and death several times. I remember, I'll always remember... but Cao Ling..." Seeing Huan She staring straight at her, she suddenly felt flustered: "I..." He said, "Don't say it... I know, I know..."
He draped the fur coat over her shoulders, and the two remained silent. Li Weiying was busy tidying his boots when he suddenly snatched them away. She cried out in surprise, but he said, "Are you tidying them like that to burn them?" She snapped out of her daze and said "Oh." He hastily tidied the boots and socks, and put them on before they were completely dry, saying, "Let's get down the mountain as soon as possible, otherwise it will be even harder to walk after dark." She helped him up, and the two leaned on each other as they descended the mountain.
After a few days of rest, Huan She's foot injury gradually healed. Daman said that Mount Tanhan would be easier to climb in the summer and advised them to stay. Huan She asked Li Weiying what she thought, and she agreed without hesitation. Huan She was secretly pleased that he could spend more time with her, so he followed Daman to graze his livestock, living by water and pasture, and hunting wild animals together. Huan She was skilled in riding and archery, which pleased Daman greatly. Daman asked him if he and Li Weiying were husband and wife. Huan She didn't know how to answer, so Daman repeatedly offered to give him his granddaughter, which made Huan She both amused and exasperated. Under Huan She's guidance, Li Weiying gradually learned to speak some Turkic for daily communication, and her days became quite leisurely.
That day, Huan She and Xu Tuogu hunted wild foxes and marmots, and each household received two or three pelts. Huan She gave them to Li Weiying to keep. A few days later, she came to Huan She's tent and said, "Huan Lang, I have something for you." Several Turkic youths in the same tent eagerly opened the bundle she had brought, which turned out to be a scarf made of fox fur. The youths laughed, "Everyone else makes coats out of fox fur, and you only made a scarf?" Huan She chased them away, looked at the fox fur scarf, and said, "Summer is almost here... Hmm, tell me honestly, did you learn any needlework when you were young?" She said, "I've never liked this since I was little, and I rarely handle needles and thread." He smiled and said, "Hmm, that's understandable. Look, you have to tighten the thread like this." He had grown up in the army since childhood, and it was common for him to mend his own battle clothes when they were torn.
She said, "Isn't it ugly?" He said, "Hey, it's just ugly." She glared at him resentfully, then turned and walked away. Huan She quickly stepped forward and grabbed her, "I was just teasing you. This scarf is really pretty; I'll wear it out tomorrow to show off." She said petulantly, "It's almost summer; you don't have to force yourself." He said, "I'm a rogue; are you going to argue with me? Actually, I've wanted this kind of fox fur scarf for many years." She laughed, "Fine, then you can wear it all the time and you're not allowed to take it off."
Afterwards, Huan She indeed wore a fox fur scarf all the time, even making Li Weiying feel embarrassed. She advised him, "You should take it off. I know it's crudely made. Just wear it secretly, don't show it to others." He then took off the scarf, saying, "Why didn't you say so sooner, my wife? Look at my neck." Li Weiying saw that his neck was covered in rashes and felt very sorry for him, saying, "You silly boy, I was just saying it, but you took it seriously." Huan She said, "Hmph, how could you feel better if I didn't do this?" She said, "Huan Lang, you're just flattering me." He said, "You went to great lengths to make this, it's a token of your heart. I don't know when you'll be able to make clothes for me again... I'll treasure it." She smiled and said, "Alright, keep it carefully."
As they were talking, Daman sent a message to the two of them, saying that everyone was going to attend a ceremony elsewhere the next day, and specifically instructed them to dress neatly and present themselves properly. Huan Li guessed that it was a wedding or a party or something, but the messenger smiled without answering and told them to do as instructed.
The next morning, everyone, especially the young people, dressed up beautifully, some girls even adorned themselves with jewelry from head to toe. In contrast, Huan She and Li Weiying appeared much more simple. Huan She wore a clean, dark robe, while Li Weiying changed into a light lotus-root-colored blouse and a pink skirt, looking fresh and beautiful. Huan She noticed that she had no hairpins or ornaments in her hair, and remembering how she had sold her jewelry to buy him medicine, he felt deeply ashamed.
It was late spring. The melting snow from the northern mountains gradually formed rivers on the grasslands. Clumps of crimson water lilies swayed in the wind by the water's edge. Li Weiying washed her face and suddenly saw Huan She's reflection in the clear river. She raised her hand, and bright water droplets splashed onto his reflection. His face sank slightly into the deep water, then rose again, his smile even more handsome and warm. She couldn't help but reach out to cup his face in her hands, but it immediately scattered when she touched it. As she leaned forward to touch his reflection again, he gently held her shoulder. "Be careful." Still standing behind her, he plucked a water lily, still shyly glistening with morning dew, and, gazing at her reflection in the water, tucked the flower into her hair. Her smile was as bright as a spring breeze. A gust of cold wind swept by, ruffling and shattering their reflections, turning them into shimmering ripples.
The group rode westward for about two hundred li, encountering more tribes along the way, all dressed in their finest attire. Finally, they arrived at a wide-open grassland with several large tents. The tribes stood in solemn formation. Some Turkic soldiers carried out a corpse wrapped in tarpaulin and set it on fire. After asking Daman, they learned that a special agent had died and a funeral was being held that day. Li Weiying asked, "Then why is everyone dressed so smartly, like at a wedding?" Daman replied, "Almost. You'll see in a moment."
Suddenly, a loud wail erupted. Several women circled the large tent, wailing and slashing their faces with knives until they were covered in blood—a horrifying sight. Li Weiying was so terrified she could barely breathe. Huan She pulled her into his arms, shielding her from the horror, and comforted her, saying, "Those are the deceased's wives and concubines. They are doing this to mourn their dead husbands." Then, the mournful neighing of horses was heard. She trembled, and Huan She held her even tighter. "Don't be afraid," he said, "they only killed the special forces' warhorses."
But this wasn't the end of it. Next, the group followed the Special Agent's family to lay his ashes to rest. At the burial site stood a stone statue, its face roughly resembling the deceased. Around it stood numerous stone pillars, nearly a thousand in total. Huan She asked Daman what this meant, and Daman replied enviously, "The Special Agent was a warrior of the Turks. Each of these pillars represents one person he killed." Huan She and Li Weiying felt a chill run down their spines. The Turks had invaded Tang territory for years, massacring cities and plundering wealth. This Special Agent had killed Han Chinese; these nearly a thousand pillars were practically pillars of skulls! Huan She could no longer contain himself. He gripped his sword, but Li Weiying stopped him, pulling him onto a horse and away into the distance.
She asked, "Are you going to do it at the burial site?" He replied bitterly, "I'm going to smash the urn containing the special agent's ashes. He slaughtered my Han people, and now he's dead and still boasts about it." She said, "I'm angry too, but what good will it do you? He's dead. You might act impulsively, but you'll die under the blades of those Turkic soldiers. Let's settle this national grudge on the battlefield later." He said, "Wei Ying, don't forget I'm a fugitive. Do I even have the right to go to war?" She said softly, "How can you be a fugitive? You've just been wronged. A man's service to his country isn't just on the battlefield, nor does it depend on the identity others give him. He should repay what he deserves, and if he doesn't, he should repay what he deserves when the opportunity arises. You've wasted your life. What about your uncle? What about yourself? And...aren't you afraid of hurting my feelings?" He held her hand and said, "I was confused. I'm glad you reminded me." She smiled gently and said, "Alright, remember these words. Even if I'm not by your side, remember them." Huan She agreed.
Xu Tuogu arrived, complaining, "Why did you run away? Luckily, Si Lifeng wasn't paying attention, or you would have been severely punished." Si Lifeng was the son of the deceased special agent, in his thirties, and his rank was one level below the special agent. Li Weiying apologized, "I'm really sorry, I was scared, so I insisted that Huan Lang come with me." Xu Tuogu said, "Oh, that's not your fault. You're Han Chinese, it's your first time seeing such a scene, so it's bound to be frightening." He added, "Don't be afraid now, go back. There's more fun to come." Huan She asked, "Isn't the funeral over yet?" Xu Tuogu laughed, "It's long over, now it's time to play games."
Huan Li, curious, followed Xu Tuogu back to the grassland where the burial site was located. The place, which had been bleak and rainy just moments before, was now a scene of jubilation. Young men and women were playing and chasing each other under the bright sunshine, expressing their love and desire. Huan Li stared, bewildered, thinking he had returned to the wrong place. Xu Tuogu explained, “Our Turkic tribes usually live scattered across the vast grasslands, rarely meeting. Men and women have no chance to get to know each other, so they take advantage of funerals to find their loved ones. This time, a great figure like Teqin has died, so even more tribes have come. Isn't it perfect to find a handsome young man or a beautiful woman?” Huan She and Li Weiying suddenly understood. No wonder Daman had told them to dress up nicely, and the young people in the tribe were all dressed as if attending a wedding.
Huan She asked, "Have you found a girl you like?" Xu Tuogu replied, "Yes, but I can only look, not touch." Li Weiying asked, "Why is that?" Xu Tuogu said, "I've fallen for a Tiele maidservant who serves Silifa. People call her Yisilai, saying she was captured during the attack on the Tiele. She's as beautiful as a snow lotus on Mount Tanhan. I spotted her immediately in the crowd. She's so beautiful, yet so pitiful. It's a pity that when I tried to speak to her, Silifa's servants chased me away." He spoke with great regret. Huan and Li comforted him.
Xu Tuogu said, "Alright, I'm going to see her again. You two can wander around as you please." Huan She and Li Weiying looked around at the commotion and chose a secluded spot to rest. Suddenly, they heard someone shout in the distance, "Catch it! Catch Silifa's falcon! A hefty reward awaits!" Instantly, a large brown falcon swooped down towards Huan and Li, its leg still attached to a long rope, indicating it had escaped during training. Huan She and Li Weiying, hearing it was Silifa's falcon, didn't bother catching it. They both lowered their heads, letting it fly past them as it continued towards the Special Agents' burial site. As the two were secretly chuckling, Xu Tuogu shouted from behind, "Quickly, help me catch it! I want to exchange it for Isley!" Upon hearing this, Huan She leaped onto his horse and chased after the falcon, with Xu Tuogu and many other riders giving chase.
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PS: The Jade Pool of the Tang Dynasty is today's Tianchi Lake in the Tianshan Mountains. Actually, there's another lake in Xinjiang today called Sayram Lake, which was also called Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) or Milk Sea in ancient times. The conclusion is that in ancient times, the Western Regions were filled with Tianchi Lakes in the Tianshan Mountains.
I started writing at 2:30 PM, intending to finish explaining the spirit stone matter today, but I didn't expect to be up until 10 PM, and I'm still far from done. Ahem, why am I, someone who hates mountain climbing, making up a mountain climbing scene? Lying down, it's green; lying down, it's translucent green; lying down, it's translucent dark green!!!
Tegin: In Turkic, TEGIN is a high-ranking official title, often held by members of the Turkic royal family. One of the six steeds of Emperor Taizong of Tang's Zhaoling Mausoleum was named "Tegin Piao".