Chapter 1: The Yumen Pass
The sky was brightly lit, the edges of the ashy blue sky exposing a marble white underbelly of a dawn sky. The cold winds suddenly came to a halt. The open space spreading from the four cardinal directions fell silent and flickering blazes of flame somewhere in the distance gradually extinguished one by one. The towering city walls located in the midst of this vast wilderness came into focus, revealing a fuzzy and vague silhouette.
Dimly lit stars filled the whole sky as far as the eye could see and there were a few grains that floated in the sky, as if it was within one’s reach, alone and helpless as they dazzled as bright as snow.
The helmets worn by the soldiers stationed on top of the city walls shined and glittered, the surface coated with a thin layer of frost, pasting the brilliant red tassel onto the surface. During the early frost typically seen in September, the nights here were particularly cold in this region.
At the time of maoshi1, the border town was especially sound asleep and the guard in charge of keeping watch hurriedly rubbed his face as he strided toward the city walls to change shifts. Among the soldiers on duty, there were some fresh recruits from Liangguang2, who after spending half of the night in the freezing cold, their lips, hands and feet had turned purple and rigid. As they tried to move down the garrison’s multiple stories, they were knocked on the helmet with the iron spear of the Fire Chief3: “To hell with it, only stood for half a night and already acting like plague chicken4, not living but not quite dead. Better listen to this laozi5 and straighten up your backs and patrol around!”
This Fire Chief’s name was Yan Song, his physique thin and withered, a native of the Singing Sand Dunes6 located in Dunhuang county. At the border outposts, he had slowly undergone challenging experiences and became seasoned after 20 years of service. Now, at the age of a little over 40 years old, he already possessed a face full of wind and frost7. Before this assignment, he had previously served to defend the garrisons in the Hehe township. However, a few years ago, the Imperial court integrated the Hehe Garrison to become a part of the Yumen Pass’ Military fortifications . Thus, Yan Song had found himself relocated to this place.
The color of the sky was gradually being imbued with warmer tones of light, the wind sweeping everything away as it engulfed the wilderness. The dregs of sand, gravel and dirt were flurried by the wind until they became brittle and cold. The top of the sand dunes had been completely refined to resemble blue, clear jade. Near the horizon, there were a few rose-tinted clouds resembling flames. Yan Song patrolled once through from bottom to up on the city walls, and then leaning against the wall, he shook out the yellow dust that had gotten inside his black boots. The Chinese hyacinth orchids and grasses growing near the bottom of the corner of the wall were half-buried by the sands blown by the wind, without a trace of anger.
In the most distant place illuminated by the multicolored sunlight of the sunrise, a cloud of yellow, drizzling bone-gray ash appeared from the Northwest direction, leisurely welcoming the orange-red rays of light. Chief Yan had surveyed for a long time and took out an archaic looking Thousand-Mile Eyes8 scope, staring fixedly for a spell. Then the slight traces of a smiling expression appeared on his wizened face. He faced the multitudes of soldiers standing below at the garrison walls, staggering about as he walked down with his hands behind his back: “Motherfucker, it must be that old man Sun’s group.”
Perhaps the boundless flatness of the sands was too monotonous, it made the sun look massive, garish and beautiful as bright red crawled out of the screen of clouds. As it ascended above the sand dunes, the sheets of yellow sand underfoot were rendered as scarlet red as blood.
In the dazzling light of daybreak, the dark shadows gradually exhibited silhouettes. Camel bells swayed about as they rang out and among the meandering, yet orderly procession, there were men with different apparel and facial features carrying luggage, leading pack mules, camels, cattle and horses. They unhurriedly approached the last garrison of this yellow, sandy desert, the Yumen Pass.
The few men in the lead mounted large and tall horses, and among them, there were Han people and non-Han people, and they had arrow quivers strapped to their legs. After them, an elderly man smoking tobacco while sitting astride a camel followed and in the rear, a miscellaneous group of a hundred or so travelers trailed after them. All of their faces were painted with tired expressions and they were wrapped in fur pelts. Most of them were Han merchants with yellow skin and black hair, but there were also bald Arabs with high noses, Persians with conical leather hats and leather robes, Sogdians with dense beards and white attire. In addition, there were even a few Buddhist monks donned in kasayas and beads. Without exception, all of the pack mules jingled with noise as their backs were covered with large soft bags, and surrounding the caravan, there were many men carrying bows in their hands as they raised the head of their neighing horses and urged them on vigilantly.
The elderly man on camelback smoking tobacco had a head full of frosty-white hair, looking spirited, hale and hearty. This was precisely the old man Sun that the Chief had just said. Old man was the teasing name given to those who traveled the camel-horse roads. The old man’s name was Sun Xingweng, a native of Ganzhou, and was a bit older than 60-years-old. He had traveled the trade routes in the Western Regions for more than 40 years and was a well-known guide among these routes. At this moment, he flipped down from his camel, biting the tobacco in his mouth. He first bowed with his hands in front towards Yan Song, smiling as he beamed from ear to ear: “Military elder, this old man is here to bother again.”
“You have been away for more than five months, any more would have caused me to become anxious.” Yan Song smiled, “The city gate has just opened, you are the first ones today.”
“It is all due to the Imperial court’s blessing, Yumen Pass has been reopened and the road is smooth and carefree. We have been rushing without stopping, and taking advantage of the gates reopening, we can take a rest within the city walls and replenish our water and provisions.” Old Man Sun continued, “Nowadays, the caravans have been diverted from Dunhuang to Yumen. With the pack mules continuously traveling, if we had arrived any later, it would take more than half a day to pass the inspection at the checkpoint.”
Yan Song nodded in agreement. In the past few years, the Imperial court had been waging war with the Tujue9 and had opened access into the former routes in Yiwu after the Tujue had seized the territory. The Yumen Pass, which had been abandoned by the previous dynasty, was moved forward hundreds of miles from Dunhuang to the upper reaches of the Hulu River in Hecang County. Yumen was stationed with 5,000 soldiers and 800 troops were stationed at the pass. Before the opening of the Yiwu route, caravans and envoys mostly traveled to the Western Regions via the Dunhuang route. The Dunhuang route was full of deserts, and the path was often buried under sand blown by sandstorms. One could only rely on identifying the bones of people and animals as well as fallen horse feces to recognize the way. Along the way, there were many treacherous matters and not everyone could bear such hardship. Now the Yiwu route had been returned to the hands of the Imperial court and the ten relay stations had been re-established. Therefore, caravans continuously came and envoys went back and forth uninterrupted, and it was extremely bustling.
As soon as the city gates opened, the travelers landed on the ground to shake out their muscles and bones, preparing their documents for the inspection. Among the crowd, a strong and healthy jujube-colored horse poked out and sitting on top of it was a young man wearing brocaded attire and deer leather boots. With elegant, bright eyebrows and a graceful and unrestrained appearance, contrasting against the yellow sands and colorful rose-tinted sky, it was as if one entered a painting, it was completely dazzli
This young master dressed in brocaded robes said a few words to the middle-aged man with a short beard and pale face before the two dismounted their horses together. The pair shuttled into the camel caravan to look over their baggage and asked people to bring out fodder to feed the pack mules.
Yan Song’s gaze was sharp, and saw such people among the crowd and asked: “A brocade-clothed Young Master? Doesn’t seem to be like merchants.”
Old Man Sun mischievously laughed: “This is the Second Young Master from the Duan family in Longxi.”
Yan Song let out a surprised “Ai” sound, sizing up the people in question: “The Duan family from Liangzhou?”
“Isn’t that right.” Old man Sun puffed a thread of tobacco smoke, “Ever since the Duan family’s Patriarch and landlord changed, business in Hexi was handed over to the Second Branch to manage. But, for some unknown reason, a Duan family member from Chang’an has actually come.” Old Man Sun twirled the tobacco leaves, “This Second Young Master has a sense of knowing when to advance or retreat and the person is also humble, and is an excellent character.”
There was no one in the Hexi area that did not know of the Duan family of Longxi. The Duan family were originally merchants, but their business was not in the Central Plains. Silk clothes from Qingzhou in Shandong, embroidered raw silks from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, brocade from Sichuan, Yue ware10 and Xing ware11 made of porcelain, tea leaves from Jiangnan, all that one could have, were packed onto camels and crossed the Yellow River in Longxi, through Hehuang Valley and along the pass of the Qilian Mountains. Pack horses would clank along as they walked remotely towards the Western Regions and transported back invaluable frankincense, myrrh, musk, dragon’s blood, horses, pearls and other such precious jewels, flowing into the 81 provinces under the heavens and flow into the hands of nobility and their children.
After several generations, how much capital and silk the Duan family obtained and how many rare treasures were collected, no one could clearly say. One only knew that the Duan family used gold and silver to pave the ground, tawari wood as fuel and their wealth could rival an empire.
More than 30 years ago, the eldest son of the Duan family, Duan Zhiting, ascended the ranks in the Imperial examinations and became an official. Their work as merchants was handed over to the second son, Duan Aoming, to manage. The Eldest Branch shed off the robes of a merchant and moved to Chang’an. Carrying a goldfish badge and a white-jade belt, with a single stride, he entered the gates of nobility and deep courtyards.
Yan Song held a small post, about the size of a sesame seed, in the army, but he was awfully familiar with the rumors of the Imperial court. At present, he felt his chin with his hand: “There are some rumors that the Emperor’s new Imperial consort came from Longxi, and from one of the side branches of the Duan family…”
While they were conversing, a dispute arose at the city gates, a tall, high-nosed Persian merchant wearing a tall felt boots, a lengthy beard, thick eyebrows and deep set eyes was leading a camel, and currently grumbling and quarreling with a Han man wearing a silk hat and blue robes.
The Han man was of medium stature and more than a head shorter than the Persian merchant. Now, his face had flushed red with anger, and he raised his head to curse: “Your manservant is unreasonable, your camel refuses to move, then please make way and let the people behind go ahead instead of occupying the road.”
A gray-haired camel coveted the thorny grass next to the city gates and was currently nibbling leisurely as it sprawled on its stomach to obstruct a greater part of the road. The Persian merchant was not fluent enough in Mandarin and his accent was heavy. Seeing the people in the back complaining, it was inevitable that he was somewhat irritable and the grumbled explanations were unintelligible as he gestured.
Behind, there was a simple and honest youngster of about 17 or 18 years old sitting astride a large black mule that stepped forward to help lead along the camel. But the camel was strange, the more you drove it, the more leisurely it became. At present, the four legs kneeled and dropped to the ground and just simply blocked up the road entirely. Everyone stood in a circle to watch, both angry yet finding the situation laughable. The camel’s skin was coarse and its flesh thick, nor a horsewhip or a kick worked. The Persian merchant stood to the side helplessly, watching as his camel was trampled on by everyone’s boots, its fur mottled with dirt. He repeatedly glared and puffed out his beard.
Yan Song pointed at that simple and honest looking youth, asking: “Is that child from the Zhou family?”
“Yes.” Old man Sun drew a breath of tobacco smoke: “After Huzi died, that child made a ruckus wanting to come out and lead the horses. His mother wouldn’t agree no matter what, but the family had seven or eight mouths to feed, ultimately, how could they not send him out?.”
Old man Sun called out to the young man: “Huaiyuan, come and greet Uncle Yan. “
That young man came running from a distance, happily smiling: “Greetings to Uncle Yan.”
“This child looks to have about 70 to 80 percent of Huzi’s spirit.”
One could not help but sigh. Zhou Huzi had traveled back and forth in the desert for 20 years, but perished in a sandstorm. When he died, even his remains could not be recovered. One could not know which heaps of bones on the road were whose and which lonely soul was that of an old friend wandering the sands.
“Such is fate.” Old man Sun unhurriedly spit out a rolled piece of shredded tobacco, “Let’s properly look after this child and it can be regarded as our explanation to Huzi.”
North of the Qilian Mountains, south of Heli mountain, to the west of Wushao Mountains, between these three mountains was the corridor of Hexi. To the north, it bordered Outer Mongolia, to the south, it reached Nantong and the Yellow River, and westward, there was Liangzhou, Ganzhou, Suzhou and Shazhou.
Hexi was originally the homeland of Hu people, non-Chinese people. Since the Han Dynasty, the Imperial court has stationed troops and fields here. Most of the Han people, or Chinese, were descendants of ancestors who were either destitute or criminals that migrated here. Households lacked patience to cultivate the fields and in order to scrape a living, among them, there were many like Yan Song, who joined the army at 20 years old and was to be paid back with fields at 60 years old. He earned pay in the army and occupied a meager and humble post. There were also others like Sun Xingweng and the Zhou family’s father and son who led pack animals in a caravan, leading businessmen and travelers who sought profit for thousands of miles and journeyed through the boundless desert, reaching to a location as far away as they could in exchange for a prosperous life for their family.
The officers had been inspecting for over two hours. Among the caravan, about ten or so foreign girls with skin as white as snow and green eyes like jade were stopped. The troops guarding the city walls were dazed, fixedly staring at the group for quite a while. The person in front rummaged through their bosom to find documents for a long time, gasping for breath as he fished out a folded silk book and rushed over: “Officer Sir, these are all the dancers I bought. Here are the documents, inviting the Sir to take a look at it.”
After Duan Jinke was done inspecting the pack animals’ loads, he patted the dust off his body and exited the pack of mules. Just as the youth was leading his horse forward, he saw Yan Song open a path next to the dancers, with a face full of smiles, saying: “This way Young Master.”
Duan Jinke cupped his hands in a fisted salute, “Many thanks to the Chief.”
Yan Song reported his full name and immediately people began to exchange pleasantries. Yan Song called for a pot of hot tea: “Tea prepared from cheap and old leaves stored for many years, afraid that the Young Master will disdain.”
Duan Jinke did not decline, after traveling through the night, his face had already been covered by sand and filled with cold wind. He promptly said his thanks and drained the cup in one gulp.
When they finally arrived at the last of the caravan, a youthful man wearing gray clothes, leading a gray-colored horse, an arrow quiver and a bag of provisions over his shoulder followed after the cart drivers of the cattle and horses to enter the Yumen Pass. Yan Song saw the youth’s back out of the corner of his eyes and loudly called out to him, “Li Wei.”
The man turned around, his brows and eyes deep as night and his face was stained with some ash. In such a cold morning, beads of sweat hung on his temples, one man and one horse, both were piping hot.
“Song da-ge.”
“Go back and settle down. Come over and have a drink.”
“There is nothing to do, naturally I will come.”
On the side, Duan Jinke drank his tea as he heard the dialogue between the two people. He raised his head to peek a glance. He knew Li Wei. Everytime Cao Dening went out to the Western Regions, he had to invite Old man Li as a guide and Li Wei’s entire team to accompany him. The journey of a thousand miles was full of crises, one after another. Besides the merchants and businessmen who were in the prime of one’s life, he didn’t skimp on inviting familiar guards to take care of him. In this team, although Li Wei did not say much, his archery skills were superb.
Early spring had followed Cao Dening as he set off from Ganzhou and passed through the Yumen Pass. After passing the Four Garrisons of Anxi, he headed straight to the country of Dayuan, which had taken a total of five months. Three-hundred silks and ten-thousand bolts of silks were carried by pack mules and transported over thousands of miles, finally returning to the Yumen Pass.
After entering the Yumen Pass, everyone’s hearts that had been suspended in midair were finally free from anxiety and after a few more days, they would arrive in Suzhou. After staying in Suzhou for a day, in about three or four days, one could enter the Baima Garrisons. After the Baima Garrisons, one would have arrived at the boundary of Ganzhou.
After sipping the last gulp of wine in his water sac, glancing at the caravan who were once again on the road, Old man Sun snugly slumped into his seat on the camel and dozed off.
Footnotes:
- Maoshi: 5-7 am ↩︎
- Liangguang: two provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi ↩︎
- Fire Chief/Sergeant : A small general/deputy of a grassroots organization. Derived from the New Tang Book in which a Shiyi (platoon) consists of 300 hundred people, and it is led by a colonel; 50 people are counted as a platoon and lead by a lieutenant; 10 people are considered to be a squad (fire team in Mandarin) and led by sergeant (fire chief). ↩︎
- plague chicken: Bird/avian flu has existed since ancient times and the manifestation is most obvious in chickens. Chinese slang likes to use it as a curse sentence referring to Wen Shen, the God of Plagues/Pestilence, which is basically a derogatory curse. ↩︎
- Laozi: “I, your father”, a gruff slang used for elders to refer to themselves, often used in a arrogant and commanding manner (not very polite) ↩︎
- Singing Sand Dunes ( 鳴沙山 Ming Sha Shan): Located in Dunhuang, China, they are famously known as the sand dunes, that when the wind blows, they will give out a singing or drumming sound. ↩︎
- a face full of wind and frost (idiom): showing the hardships of one’s journey/travel ↩︎
- Thousand-Mile Eyes or Qianliyan: a Chinese sea and door god. The name literally means “He of the Thousand-Mile” . ↩︎
- Tujue: also known as Göktürkler(s), a Turkic people of ancient Central Asia. Known in medieval Chinese as Tujue. They were a large federation of nomadic tribes that dominated the northern steppes. ↩︎
- Yue ware: type of Chinese ceramics, a siliceous stoneware characteristically decorated with celadon glazing. ↩︎
- Xing ware: type of Chinese ceramic produced in Hebei province in Northern China, notably during the Tang Dynasty. Typically has a white body with a clear glaze. ↩︎
TN: Hi everyone!! New novel that I am excited to finally publish on my site! It’s definitely been a work in the making!
Announcement: We have set up a kofi and patreon account! If you would like to support us or get early access to advance chapters, those options are available for you (in support us page)! Since I am a grad student, there should usually be at least 10 advance chapters in the document at a time, but depending on my schedules, there may be fewer or more. I’m currently extremely busy, but I have translated out some new chapters for you all! But, I will still post each week with the same schedule. Thanks!
Twin Dragons Translations 