Chapter 113: The Peach Blossom Calamity

The next day, the township officials drove us in a Jeep 2121 to visit the ruins of the ancient city. Everywhere the eye could see, there was only yellow sand. During the Han and Tang dynasties, the soldiers garrisoned at Yangguan lived off the local water sources, and the area was once an oasis. The upper reaches of Xitugou were usually dry, while downstream, springs would gather into a stream flowing northward, often prone to flash floods. After the flood peaks, the banks of the gully would collapse, the riverbed would widen, and vast amounts of silt and sand would wash downstream, depositing in the lower reaches. As the northwest wind blew and shifted the sediment, it formed long ridges of sand, gradually burying the ancient city of Yangguan under water and sand.

By the Sui and Tang dynasties, this place had begun to decline. Countless poets and scholars once came to Yangguan to lament: "Drifting sands submerge three hundred miles; the war drums of Yangguan are heard no more."

Remains of willow trees still stood by the old riverbed; even a single rotten, hollowed-out stump was as thick as several men could embrace, a testament to the prosperity that once thrived here. There was a road, still relatively wide, and on either side, one could see the remains of what might have been civilian dwellings—waist-high walls, stone pillars for tethering horses, and occasionally, a set of three rooms still intact.

The township head, surnamed Xu, speaking with a heavy Gansu accent, gestured outside the car window: "This used to be Yangguan Village. Boss Zhu’s grandmother might have been from here. Further ahead is Longshou Mountain, and there is a gap called Hongshankou; that is where the ruins of the ancient Yangguan City lie."

Stepping out of the car and walking across the desolate Gobi, the profound sense of history hit us instantly. The endless desert and the sporadically visible broken walls and bricks formed a breathtakingly stunning landscape. Longshou Mountain, in particular—to call it a mountain is generous; it was merely a small hill. For some geological reason, the entire body of the hill was deep red, looking just like the legendary Flaming Mountains, standing out in stark contrast. It lay lonely across this ancient site, as if quietly waiting for that old friend who headed west to return once more to the sound of melodic camel bells.

I stooped down and brushed away the sand with my hand; sure enough, tiles appeared beneath the surface. Township Head Xu laughed: "We have an old saying here: 'Enter the Antique Beach, and you won't return empty-handed.' In the early years, the cultural relics unearthed here were hauled away by local farmers in horse carts; many were treated as junk, so there wasn't much of real value left."

I believed that if Fatty were here, he would surely be drooling; this was nothing short of a treasure trove. Seeing that there were no guards or patrols, I asked, "It’s just left scattered like this?"

"It’s not that we don't care, it’s that we can't. Conditions are poor; the township only has this one vehicle. By the time we get a report and send people out, the treasure hunters have long since slipped away. The township has no funds to hire anyone either. They say the higher-ups want to establish a protected area, but who knows when that will happen. These days, without money, shouting slogans is useless."

I realized this township head was a straightforward man who spoke his mind. I caught Zhu Zihao’s eye, and he immediately understood, saying, "I am here specifically to inspect this ancient city. I want to invest in a tourist attraction. That way, there will be income from visitors, and that money can be used to protect the ancient city. It can be considered a contribution to the people of my hometown."

The kid could go on forever once he started blowing hot air. He added, "I also plan to build a Yangguan Ancient City Museum here. It will be a non-profit institution to ensure that future generations remember this history and to provide a home for these relics exposed on the surface."

"Oh my!" Hearing this, tears welled up in Township Head Xu’s eyes. He grabbed Zhu Zihao’s hand and shook it repeatedly: "I’ve finally waited for this day! Boss Zhu is truly an idealistic, patriotic entrepreneur. You are the pride of us Yangguan people! As soon as I return, I will report this to the county immediately. If this succeeds, I’ll have the county erect a statue of you here in the ancient city to commemorate your great achievements today!"

Listening to the two of them harmonize, I wanted to find a place to laugh; this was just too ridiculous.

Back at the township, the head wanted to keep drinking, but we declined, saying we wanted to walk around. We just borrowed the car keys, wanting to see the scenery of the Gobi wilderness.

I suggested, "I’ve long heard that the night view of the Gobi is incomparably beautiful. My friend here happens to know a bit about astronomy, and it’s a rare opportunity, so we won't be staying here tonight. If it’s convenient, Township Head Xu, it would be best if you could find us a tent."

"Yes, yes, that’s easy. We have many herdsmen here." He then instructed his subordinates to prepare things for us. He even thoughtfully provided a grill, charcoal, a whole leg of lamb, and a hunting rifle.

"Roasted meat is the most comforting. When I was young, I liked camping too, but there are many wolves in this area, so take this for self-defense."

The Gobi at night was a complete change from the desolation of the day. The bonfire, the tent, and the roasted meat made me feel as if I had returned to the years of being an educated youth. I took a sip of the local white spirit; it was quite harsh. The temperature difference between day and night was extreme. I turned to Cha Wenbin, who rarely drank, and said, "Have a couple of sips."

He smiled faintly, took the bottle, and downed a mouthful. He hissed, seemingly unaccustomed to the sting of the alcohol, but he didn't return the bottle to me, keeping it in his hand as he poked at the fire, sending sparks dancing into the air. He poured a little of the liquor onto the ground before him, then raised the bottle above his head. I knew he was toasting Fatty.

"Any news from Master Long?"

Cha Wenbin hung his head and replied, "I’ve sent people to look again, but there’s not a shred of news. The same goes for Ye Qiu; he and Fatty have just vanished into thin air." He began fiddling with that jade ring again—the jade he claimed wasn't really jade. It was always tied to his waist; he said it was the last thing Fatty had left him.

I comforted him: "Don't think too much. Perhaps the kid is doing just fine somewhere; with his temper, he won't suffer anywhere."

"Do you believe in past lives?" He suddenly asked me this, and he asked it with complete seriousness. A Taoist asking a young man with a proletarian faith—naturally, I answered, "No. If there were past lives, he certainly wouldn't have let me be reincarnated in this dump."

He laughed too, patting me on the shoulder: "A child doesn't despise his mother for being ugly, and a dog doesn't despise its home for being poor. How can you talk like that?"

"Enough. What, do you believe it?"

"I believe it. I’m wondering if that painting is Fatty’s past life."

A jolt went through my mind as I suddenly remembered something, and a very tense feeling surged up. I said to him, "Oh, that’s right, Wenbin. I suddenly remembered something. Do you remember when we were educated youths and found a painting in the valley at Yeren Tun? The person in that painting looked exactly like Yuan Xiaobai. Could this be a coincidence?"

Cha Wenbin suddenly looked up and asked, "Where is Xiaobai?"

"He went to the United States," I said, thinking, surely you would know that.

Cha Wenbin said, "Tomorrow, let’s go to the county and make a phone call to ask about his recent situation. My heart feels heavy. I went to such lengths to find this Yangguan lead just to figure out the origin of that painting. From the beginning, I felt these two things were seemingly unrelated yet connected; it couldn't possibly be such a coincidence. Therefore, the matter of the ancestors of the Jiang family in Yangguan is especially important."

I stood up and looked around: "It’s all desolate here, what are you going to find?"

"Even if I can't find it, I have to look. A prominent family wouldn't leave nothing behind. At the very least, their ancestral graves must be in this area."

"You want to..." I immediately understood what Cha Wenbin meant. The living were gone, but the dead were still there. As for doing this, I glanced back at Zhu Zihao, who was sleeping inside, thinking that this kid wouldn't care at all; he had no emotional attachment to this place.

"There is a story about this place," Cha Wenbin paused and continued: "Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, in order to maintain friendly relations with the Western Region kingdom of Khotan, Emperor Taizong married off his daughter to the King of Khotan to seek peace and tranquility for the borders.

"The wedding procession, carrying the dowry, traveled a long distance and arrived at Yangguan, where they stopped to rest and prepare to pass through the pass. Unexpectedly, a violent storm broke out at night, sand filled the air, and the sky turned pitch black. The wind blew for seven days and seven nights. When the wind stopped and the sand settled, the town, the villages, the fields, the wedding procession, and the dowry were all buried under sand dunes, and the place became desolate from then on. As time passed, the wind blew and the shifting sands moved, exposing the things under the dunes, which people would then pick up. That is the origin of the Antique Beach."

"Where did you hear that? You tell it as if it were true."

"An old man in the township told me while you were drinking last night. He said he found a sword before the Liberation—supposedly a general's sword—with characters carved on it, and he invited me to his house to see it. I reckon he took us for antique dealers, you know, Hong Kong people—wealthy."

I laughed: "Maybe the story he told was just to sell that sword for a better price. It’s not surprising that things are unearthed here. After all, we’ve been in the trade for a few years. Don’t worry, I’ll go with you tomorrow. Anyway, the guy sleeping inside has plenty of gold now. How about it, is the time right yet?"

We didn't come out here for camping. Cha Wenbin was here to observe celestial phenomena. Two days ago, he suddenly noticed a solitary star in the northwest flashing with an exceptionally red and bright light. The position of that star is called the Tanlang (Greedy Wolf), the first star of the Big Dipper, and also the famously lethal star.

Cha Wenbin looked up and saw that the Lianzhen star in the sky was still its usual self. The Lianzhen and Tanlang are a pair of dual stars, also known as the famous Peach Blossom stars. The Tanlang governs killing but also governs peach blossoms. If both stars underwent changes, the most likely outcome would be a "Peach Blossom Tribulation."

"Not yet, it should be a little longer. As the saying goes: 'When Tanlang meets the bell and fire in the four tomb palaces, it brings great wealth and noble status; when fire meets Tanlang and illuminates the life palace, the hero is sealed and granted a salary. If there is no malice in these three directions, one should know of long life and prosperity in old age.' Where there is fire with Tanlang, a heroic figure will surely emerge. Since ancient times, a general’s success is built on ten thousand bones. I don't know how many more will die. I hope everything will be alright."