Life and Death in Tibet: The Dream of Chenye Chen

Chapter 5 Restoration of Cloth
When our troops were stationed in Yapi, the local monks and laymen lined the road to welcome them, offering hada, wine and food to the troops one after another.Tibet calls wine "choke".Store it in a special long tube and wear it on your back all year round with a belt.Tibetans drink alcohol, especially when offering wine to guests, they first pour the wine into the palm of their hand and drink it themselves, and then offer it to the guests to show that it is non-toxic.

After Ping An stationed in Yapi, I reported to Tibet with "Xia Zha is far away, the Fan people have no intention of resisting, please ask for instructions, so as to reassure people's hearts".After getting permission from high-level officials, I devoted myself to the work of peace and comfort, and the troops also advanced to Quba, Zengba, and Jiaomuzong successively.Every time we went to a place, we respectfully and formally called the local monks and laymen to understand the truth of the Chinese and Tibetan families, and further explained that their leader, the Dalai Lama, was verbally instigated by the British to send troops to resist us.Now that the Dalai Lama himself has gone into exile, the imperial court cares about the livelihood of the Tibetan people and no longer pursues what they have done in the past. It just asks that from now on, everyone can live and work in peace and contentment, and don't panic.In addition, I appointed various small teams to regularly go down to inspect the nearby villages, inquire about their sufferings, and try to help some Tibetans who are sick and have no livelihood.Those who are really unable to support themselves will be given a certain amount of financial subsidies.In the past, the men who provided firewood to the army still gave money and asked them to provide it.I myself have repeatedly emphasized the discipline of the army to my non-commissioned officers, strictly prohibiting officers and soldiers from trespassing on civilian houses and monasteries for any reason.So the order quickly improved, and the Tibetans were very happy. People from far and near spoke well of our army, and argued with each other to express their sincere kindness to us.The superior commanders (Zhao Erfeng, Lianyu) also called to praise me for my deep knowledge of governance, and for keeping a turbulent place in order, which makes people feel at ease.It took two months before and after, and the secret agents of Tibetan soldiers in Gongbu territory were all eliminated.

Gongbu is located in the southwest of Jiangda, with a length and width of more than [-] li, bordering Bomi in the east and Yefan in the southwest.Ajungaga, the westernmost place, is the birthplace of King Bianjue Duoji of Tibet. The people are simple and honest, the climate is mild, and the products are much richer than other places.However, under the oppression of the Dalai Lama over the years, the lives of local residents have been miserable.The willingness to send troops this time is still due to Dalai's prestige.Since our troops stationed here, the daily life of the people has changed a lot, and everyone is grateful for such a change.

Jiaomuzong (Zhamu Town) is located in the center of Gongbu, where the fields are fertile and the climate is warm and pleasant all year round.There is a large lama temple on the nearby mountain, with a very large area, and there are three or 400 lamas living in the temple.The abbot's eminent monk, Hutuktu, is a well-known and respected religious celebrity. When we met, he was kind and amiable. During the days when I went to Gongbu, he had been in close contact with me.I also tried to ask him about the customs of Tibet, and his answers were always eloquent, detailed and to the point.One day he sent for me to a dinner party and a walk in the willow grove.Fruit cakes and wine dishes are placed on the drinking table, and there is a hot pot in the middle. The hot pot dishes are made of shark's fin, sea cucumber, squid, scallops, golden hook, mushrooms, and vermicelli, mixed with meatball chicken soup, and pickled sour vegetables It is mixed with sour soup and made into a hot pot soup. It tastes delicious. Even though I have lived in the mainland for many years, I have never eaten such delicious food. I don’t know how this lama did it.Since then, it has been 25 years since I returned to the mainland from Tibet. I often think back to the feast in the Muzong forest in Gongbujiao, and I miss the taste of the hot pot on the table at noon.I also tried to imitate the ingredients and recipes of the great lama at that time. Although I couldn't get the original taste as before, but the friends who ate the hot pot I made all praised it. It can be seen that people's mouths are sensitive to the taste , will still have the same preferences.

One day, I also hosted a banquet for Hutuktu to visit the willow forest, and invited all the officers of the battalion to accompany me. I set up four tents in the wild forest, and each tent set up a table for the big lama.Hutuktu looked very happy and accepted my invitation.After drinking for three rounds, everyone drank more happily, and they all played finger games to add to the fun. For a while, there was a lot of people in the tent, and the guests, regardless of distinction, shouted wildly at each other.Hutuktu's entourage lama was startled when he heard the weird sound outside, and sneaked in from the grass outside the tent to see. When he saw that there were fists waving everywhere in the banquet, he thought that a fight had started. Immediately panicked, he ran back to the other lamas and told them, "The great lama's life is in danger, hurry up and save his life!" So everyone didn't have time to ask, and followed him to the four tents. It was even more noisy, and the lamas couldn't figure out what was going on. They could only hear the shouts of "jumping! Guessing!"One of the lamas even rushed to the streets of Lhasa city for a while to ask others what "guessing the fist" meant. After hearing the answer, he ran back after a long journey to tell other lamas, and everyone laughed and broke up. .Hutuktu and I also couldn't stand up for a while laughing because of this matter.

I went to Zuomuzong and stayed there for half a month, and then I was ordered to go to Ozun Gaga to search the property of King Bianjue Duoji of Tibet.I led the troops to go there, and it took four days of mountain roads to get there.That place is also a place with high mountains, streams looping around, few residents, and as far as the eye can see, there is a piece of desolation.Our battalion headquarters is located at Diba's house. Although the house is spacious, the furniture is extremely simple, which is far worse than the ones at Jiaomuzong and Yapi.According to the survey results, the King of Tibet has more than 30 houses and manors, and each manor has hundreds or thousands of cattle and sheep, and there are various kinds of rice grains stored in the warehouses.I assigned relevant personnel to clean up the registration, and it took two months before it was completed.In the place of Wozuo Gaga, there are several old residences of the king of Tibet.I also sent a few people to stay behind, and I opened the lock myself and checked them one by one.Upstairs there are ancient bows and arrows, ancient soldiers' armor breastplates, various bronzes and porcelains, all of which have an inch of dust accumulated on them, all of which are ancient relics hundreds of years ago!In the dark light, I found a large pile of porcelain bowls and Gaochun dishes. Diba who accompanied me said: "This is a bowl from the Tang Dynasty." The feeling of holding it in the hand, all of them are clean and smooth, it is really impossible to look like a modern item!I stayed in the room full of antiquities for a long time, and suddenly remembered that before Xia Zha's exile, he had carried a Kanjur Sutra and secretly hid it in a secret room near this place. It is the real treasure of Tibet!I hurriedly asked Diba beside me.He said: "Yes. It is indeed hidden here somewhere. You just need to summon the leader of such and such and order it to be handed over. Don't say that I told you, okay?" After that, I will handle the matter according to his words , Sure enough, he asked about the whereabouts of the great Kanjur scripture.The full text of the scriptures is divided into one hundred and eight volumes.Each volume is one thousand pages thick; the scriptures are two feet six inches long and eight inches wide.The scriptures in the book are all written in Tibetan red gold powder, sealed four times on the bottom and embedded with thin plates.The surface of the board is a rectangular frame five inches wide and two feet long, with three inch-sized golden Buddhas embedded in the middle, more than 100 pieces of coral jewels are adorned on the edge of the frame, and many blue-washed agates and red sapphires are surrounded on the inside of the frame. Inlaid into exquisite pattern decoration.The three golden Buddhas are all surrounded by huge diamonds, each with 36 golden Buddhas.In the round light of the head of the Buddha statue, embedded are golden and round pearls, about one-third of the diameter.The frame surface is alternately covered with five-color brocade.It is an absolute rare treasure!Zhang Ziqing, the secretary of Zhang who accompanied me, tried her best to persuade me to quickly remove all kinds of jewels around the scriptures before submitting the report.But I know that this scripture is so important, it is so precious, and it has already been known far and wide. If you tamper with it and hand it in, Tibetans will definitely ask questions.Once I track it down again, is it something my ordinary head can handle?So resolutely rejected this kind of miss.But I am afraid that some people on the left and right will use their brains and sternly order the collection of scriptures to be returned to the original place, and we can discuss it later.In the following years, because I was in a hurry when I left Jiangda, I couldn't make a detour through that place.Fortunately, everyone has their own owner. Things in the world are not something you can take away if you want. Even if you risk your life to take it, apart from damaging your reputation and violating the taboo of creation, what good will it do?

That place is remote and secluded, almost equivalent to a paradise.I have been there for half a month, so it can be said that I have nothing to do.Read books when you have time to relieve loneliness.The days are long, and people tend to get sleepy. Fortunately, Diba and a few local friends often come to visit. Although the dialects are very different, there is always someone around who can translate, and I gradually understand a part of Tibetan. Time After a long time, we became more familiar with each other.Diba has a 15-year-old daughter who has just opened the cardamom, and she is very cute and joyful.A platoon leader named Tan Hongxun in our army proposed to her, and Diba readily agreed. On the day of the wedding, there were loud drums and music, and a dozen or so Tibetan girls, all dressed up, accompanied the bride to the door of her husband’s house. Time is full of beauty, and laughter fills the room.The bride, however, was generous, showing no signs of shyness or coyness. Immediately, the bride's father, Diba, took the lead in playing a joke game to entertain the guests.Seeing his self-satisfied look, you would never have guessed that he was the father-in-law of the groom tonight.On this day, everyone had fun until the dawn of the next day, when they were full of wine and food, and they were reluctant to leave.

After the troops arrived at Gongbu, the grain and rice carried with them gradually decreased.The officers and soldiers under my command had to eat more tsampa every day, and I gradually learned to eat this authentic Tibetan food.When I was stationed in Wojungaga, there was a period of time when I ran out of rice, so I had to replace it with pasta all day long.Soon after our mission was completed, we received a new order to move to Demo.When Diba heard that the troops were about to leave, he arranged a banquet to see us off.Most of the dishes on the table imitate the tastes and recipes of the Han people, and they are still delicious.However, when the banquet was about to end, the kitchen inside brought out a bowl of rice for everyone!Although it looked yellow in color and the rice grains were rough, the people present were surprised, and everyone asked, "Where do you get these rice?" Diba smiled and said that he bought it from the savages in the mountains.Before this, I always knew that there are many wild people in the mountains in southern Tibet, and their habits are rough, but I still couldn't help being curious. Diba said: "From Jiaomuzong to here, there are mountains all the way. Behind the mountains, go further." Go forward, and in six or seven days, you will reach a place called Yugeshu. If you continue to walk forward, you will start to reach the territory of those savages. There is a variety of upland rice in that place, and the output is quite large. I have always known a few wild plants that I am familiar with. I also went to Gongbu to do some business. I asked them to buy some rice half a month ago, and it just happened to be delivered today." I always thought that places where there are wild people are usually far away from the road that the troops walk.Hearing this remark now, he couldn't help being overjoyed, and expressed to Diba that he wanted to detour to the place of the Yefan tribe to learn about the situation there, so as to increase his knowledge of Jueyu.Diba said: "It's very easy. You only need to walk for five days from here, then head south to the mountains. There is a large wilderness below the mountains. You will definitely meet those wild animals." I was very excited to hear this.A few days later, I took a small group of soldiers and set off. After walking for six days, I really found the deserted wilderness behind the mountain.The next day we met two savages and got to know each other well.Both of them were in their thirties, with disheveled hair, bare feet, and no clothes. They were wearing a strange collared gown, and the lower part of the waist was covered by two pieces of cloth like skirts. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be made of bamboo. into the skirt.Holding a long chimney in his hand, like a pipe used by Westerners to smoke cigars, the pipe contains wild rhubarb leaves, and when he sees people coming, he sits cross-legged on the ground.No manners, simple and cautious appearance, not out of the mountain spirit.When I asked them what they were doing in Tibet, they answered that they were weaving bamboo and rattan ware, and showed us the finished products in front of them, all of which were simple and lovely in style.I also asked how far their home was from this place, and the answer was six days.Ask them how many days it will take them to reach the place where the Yefan tribe lives?He pointed to the sky with his fingers and muttered something in his mouth; he also said that even if they walked from their hometown to the place where the savages lived, it would take at least twenty days.I couldn't think of any more questions to ask them, so I told them to go back to rest and come back to our camping place at night. I still had something to ask them.

After dusk, I sent someone to call the two wild fans to ask them about the local production. They told me that there are many things produced. In addition to upland rice, bamboo and rattan, they can also produce cinnamon, musk, velvet, and wild lotus. .Because my translator said that the Yefan people were not very familiar with their language, I had to let them go back early.

Early the next morning, we found another person who was familiar with Yefan's language to be our interpreter.So the caller immediately called the two wild fans and asked them about their daily life repeatedly, and then they gradually became familiar with each other.According to the translator, their settlements are full of high mountains and there are few plains.As for people, they are still living in a primitive state, without the concept of government and society.No religion, no words.Build some shacks with wood for their homes, and cover them with a layer of bark to protect them from wind and rain; cut and cut thick moso bamboos and leave knots to make utensils for eating and cooking.Rice is placed at one end of the moso bamboo, and the captured wild insects are stuffed into the other end to make dishes. The two ends are sealed with mud, watered and baked, and when the rice is cooked, pour it out and eat it with your hands.Weaving bamboo and rattan to make clothes is mainly to cover the body, not to keep out the cold and wind.The folk customs are barbaric and simple, and everyone lives in peace and contentment without using any currency.Because they live in the deep mountains, they don't have the concept of road access. Usually, when everyone travels, they are all climbing vines and sticking to trees, jumping up and down like monkeys, riding clouds and fog.When encountering a steep cliff, that is, to climb up the vine ladder, you never go around it, and there is no market for buying and selling there.But every year, raw fans and cooked fans have to go to the mountains at the junction of each other to trade once.Shufan exchanged the copper, iron, porcelain, and earthen pots they exchanged in the markets of Gongbu and other places for the antler, musk deer, lotus, and osmanthus in the hands of the Yefan people; their way of keeping accounts was to use symbols to get giant bamboo Cut it open, stab it with a knife to write the symbols in the bamboo tube, and then sew it up. Each person takes one end. When the account is settled at the end of the year, take the two sides of the bamboo tube and count the symbols inside.After talking so much, it was already noon that day, and I also felt tired, so I got up and gave the two wild fans a teapot, knife, magnetic bowl, hand beads, sugar cakes, etc., as reward gifts.Ye Fanren was overjoyed for a moment, thanked him and left.When I first came to Tibet, I thought that Tibetans were all barbaric peoples. On that day, I finally realized that there is still a big difference between the barbarians among the Tibetans and the barbarians in the deep mountains and old forests. There is a distinction between civilization and barbarism.

The next day I started on the road again, leading my soldiers to Demo, and arrived four days later.

Demo, located at the easternmost end of Gongbu, has more than 200 households and a large Lama Temple.The residence of the local Diba is very gorgeous, which can be compared with the beautiful building of the Yapi camp officer.That place is a wide plain with scattered houses and quiet scenery.The rice fields are connected, and the products are rich.Diba is also very cautious and kind, and often visits me.During the time I lived there for more than a month, we had a good relationship.My work is still roughly the same as when I was in Gongbu. Everything is mainly about peaceful appeasement, so the local monks are also very kind to me.In my free time, I let Diba take me into the mountains to hunt.Among the wild animals in this place, bears are the most valuable. Since ancient times, musk and bear bile have been produced, which are treasures exported to the interior.

There are many deer musk deer in Tibet.I originally intended to go hunting with some local Tibetans in deep mountains and old forests, so I gradually learned the secret method of getting musk deer.Deer is an animal, usually three or two feet long, resembling a deer but without horns, and its fur is gray-brown.Every day in spring and summer, I will lie on my side in the mountains at every turn. The smell is very foul when my navel opens. Bugs and ants fly around, absorb it, and then slowly open it.After a long time, when the navel is full, it becomes a musk deer.The most expensive kind of musk deer is called "snake head incense", which is a rare treasure, the treasure of musk deer!In fact, after the snake smelled the stench, it crawled and attached itself to the deer's navel, and the deer bit its head and walked away. After more than a month, the snake's body had rotted off, but the snake's head was still in the navel, and after a long time it became a musk deer. Weight at least one or two upwards.Other ordinary musks weigh only three or five dollars.During the hunting process, the deer runs as fast as flying, and no hounds in the world can catch up with it; but there is a problem with the deer, every time it runs a little far, it stops suddenly and turns around frequently, so it is still given experience. The hunter takes the chance of easy catch.Generally, after a hunter in Tibet catches a deer, he immediately removes the navel and hangs it on the roof of the house. After dozens of days, it is dried, and then he digs an earthen kiln, puts it in, wraps it in leaves, and then wraps it in leaves. Cover it with a thin layer of soil, bake it with a fire to remove the sweat, and then there will be a burst of strange fragrance, and the fragrance is ready to use. Ever since I left the Dajianlu border with the large army, the Tibetans gave me no less than dozens of musk along the way. pieces.After arriving at Gongbu, more musk was given as gifts.In normal days, I asked people to buy it from many parties. By this time, I had hidden more than 200 pieces of musk around me, weighing 110 three taels.

One day, a local Diba brought his uncle Jiagua Phuntsok to see me.Phuntsok's current position is a local battalion officer named Gongjue. He is over 60 years old, and he still looks like a stalwart man, and he looks very kind.As soon as we met, he became very emotional, and told me tearfully how the Tibetan king had abused these local officials over the years, and said: "Seeing the majesty of the Han chiefs today, it is really a kind of joy to get out of the sea of ​​suffering." I had nothing to say, but tried to comfort me.Phuntsok sincerely invited: "This place is not far from Gongjue where I live. Although there are only a few thatched houses, it can still accommodate the knees of the guests. If you don't mind, go and taste the dishes cooked by my wife. Is it?" I happily agreed.The next day, we set off, took Diba and several officers from the battalion headquarters, walked for more than ten miles, and crossed a small river with a width of several feet. There was a boat crossing the river. The boat was more than two feet long and about three feet wide. The ruler was split and rounded and gouged out into the shape of a boat without any carpentry processing. It looked like a relic from the ancient times, and the transition was very smooth.Going forward for more than two miles, I arrived at the official house of Pengying.But it turned out to be a magnificent mansion.The Phuntso couple welcomed us outside the village. There were more than sixty people in total. As soon as we arrived, they presented fruit cakes and snacks made by themselves.Peng Cuo smiled very happily: "The children at home are happy to sing and dance. It's not bad. How about we go and see together? You are always busy marching and fighting in the army. I'm afraid you seldom have this kind of free time?" After finishing speaking, he led us into a large hall, and immediately there were more than a dozen girls with colorful makeup, with their dancing sleeves flicked, they came lightly.The singing voice is also melodious.It took half an hour for the performance to end, and Peng Cuo asked me to go to the garden for an archery competition.When we went out, many bows and arrows had been prepared in the open space. Of course, the making of bows and arrows was not comparable to the craftsmanship in the interior, and it looked clumsy.And me?At home, generations have loved these ancient bows and arrows. However, after the use of muskets in war, the archery handed down from our ancestors is like Guangling San. It is unexpected to meet them again in a place like Tibet. surprise.So I took my men there to compare shots and had a great time.After the archery was over, Peng Cuo brought more than a dozen good horses, and said: "Most men and women in this place can ride strong horses and move things on the ground. Please come and have a look." Seeing the plain ahead for several miles, the fine grass is like felt. Every thirty or forty steps in the grass, a club is erected, and the height of the pole is about chi.Those women riding horses had their hair all tied up with ribbons, and their right arms were exposed. They rode on the horses with a gallop, and when they reached a pole, they would bend down lightly and stretch out their hands to pluck the pole.In such a horse game, winning or losing is determined by how many poles are pulled.I noticed that one of the women was about fifteen or sixteen years old. Although she was not the prettiest in appearance, she was agile and vigorous, and she was very eye-catching.I saw her get on the horse's back and pull out five in a row, while the rest of the male and female riders only pulled out one or two.Everyone applauded warmly for the wonderful riding and performance just now.In the end, Peng made a mistake and took me back to my place of residence.Only then did I calm down and visit the sutra hall he set up upstairs.There is a solemn and simple Buddha statue in front of the hall, and the surrounding furnishings are all noble and elegant, except that there is a slightly crooked round bowl in front of the Buddha statue, and the bowl is decorated with golden flowers, which does not match the other furnishings. , I asked about the origin of this bowl, and the answer was that this unusual bowl was made of human skulls.I couldn't help but gasped, and turned my head away, not wanting to look at it again.Someone next to me told me that in Tibet, lamaseries around the world have the same bowl, which is used as a vessel for revering gods...I still can't understand this thing.At the end of the visit, we sat down to the banquet. The first thing we served was pasta. While eating, we all praised the extraordinary physical strength of the girls in Tibet during the riding competition just now.I also went along with the conversation and praised the woman on horseback who pulled five poles in a row. Even a man who has been trained may not have her extraordinary and clean ability.Hearing this, Peng Cuo showed a kind smile on his face.He told me: "The female equestrian you praised is my niece Nishihara."

I paused, but I was still full of praise, but Diba also smiled at the side: "If you like it, sir, how about giving it to you as a concubine?"

Everyone laughed.I just laughed along with everyone, and then I sat down one by one, and the dishes on the table were very rich.Mrs. Peng Cuo personally cooked them in the kitchen, and they tasted very good.I have never been good at drinking, but that day, I made an exception and drank a lot.Finally, a pot of fresh fish soup with pickled and sour vegetables was served, which was extremely delicious.I have been eating for a long time and only deal with the greasy content of beef and sheep. Even if I have the expensive Xuanwei ham every meal, I have long been tired of it. Therefore, drinking such an ingenious fish soup is really a meal. The benefits are unforgettable for a lifetime!Peng Cuo's wife saw that I loved drinking that pot of soup so much, she asked someone to fill another Meng basin, and told me to take it back. After the banquet was over and we left, Peng Cuo and his wife came out to see us off, all the way to the other side of the river.Back at the previous camp, it was already dusk.

In the Gongbu area, the original folk customs are very simple.After I came, I tried my best to communicate and appease the policy, and people soon settled down.The relationship between Han people and Tibetans has also become much more harmonious.Some officials in Tibetan areas, such as the lamas living in the temple, visited my camp from time to time to test customs and customs, and they all talked about the various benefits brought by our army's arrival here.The only shortcoming is a place called Bomi not far from Gongbu. The people there are strong and cruel by nature. They often come to Gongbu to spy on the situation in the name of doing business. This brings looting of wealth.Historically, all the surrounding towns close to Bomi, such as Gongbu, Shuobanduo and Larry, were often affected by such sudden disasters.Gongbu suffered the most.The government has also repeatedly sent troops to conquer, because the terrain of Bomi is really complicated and dangerous, and the army is tenacious, and there is no result for a while. If it is dragged down like this, the surrounding areas, as long as the defense vigilance is slightly negligent, will be attacked. Toxic.When the nearby people heard that it was the Bomi people who were coming, they were all afraid of them, and their faces changed when they talked about it.After understanding this situation, I became more aware of what I had to do from an overall perspective.My original thought was that after the army entered Tibet, the Dalai Lama Shazha led his men to flee to Darjeeling, India, and defected to the British. The world in Tibet would be at peace. The regulations for the governance of the area have drawn up a law and order regulation, and even made Tibet a province belonging to the mainland.I listed the six major issues of how to build a province, the army, transportation, agriculture, education, and mining, and listed the regulations one by one. Fortunately, these ideas of mine were not reported in writing.Now in Gongbu, after listening to the conversations of these monks, I realized that things in Tibet are not so simple and easy, because even Bomi, where there are erratic bandits, is worth considering as a strong opponent.If this situation does not change for a long time, it will inevitably affect other places.Thinking about it this way, I made up my mind and concentrated all my energies on studying all the conditions of Bomi. I learned that its geographical location is at the east end of Gongbu. There are two roads to enter, one is From Dongjiu (now Dongjiu) to Lulang; another route from Baimagang to Juelagou, both in Gongbu territory.The terrain of Bomi can be said to be a remote place surrounded by thousands of mountains. All food, fruits and vegetables are rarely produced. It is also natural that the people are extremely poor and powerful.

One day, I got up in the morning and thought about going to a nearby lamasery. I happened to meet Diba on the way, and said with a secret smile: "Peng Cuo heard you keep talking about Xiyuan, and I wanted to give you his niece for a long time. A servant is fine. Nishihara himself is also very happy, and even the clothes and luggage that come to you are ready. Today, Peng Cuo and his wife plan to send their daughter here in person. You will not be offended because this seems to be a bad habit of Tibetan natives Refuse to accept it?" I stood there in a daze, not knowing how to react for a moment, and after a while, I realized that it was my own joke that created such a result. Because there were too many people on the road, it was inconvenient to talk about it in detail, so Jodiba Let's talk in the Lama Temple.Seeing the eminent monk Hutuktu there, he couldn't help but tell him about Xiyuan in front of Diba.After hearing this, Hutuktu laughed: "Oh, this is really a wonderful thing. How about letting me be the witness? I have heard that this girl is more powerful than ordinary men. She is the head of the army. , Isn’t it like adding wings to a tiger?” I knew that this matter was basically a fait accompli, so I was more generous and agreed with a smile.Diba left first, and in the rest of the time, I chatted with Hutuktu and listened to him talk about various ancient Tibetan myths. There are hundreds of bandits, and they have rushed to the area of ​​Juolagou yesterday!" I hurriedly asked in detail, and immediately bid farewell to Hutuktu, returned to the barracks to pass orders, and personally led the two teams of soldiers to set off and gallop away.After chasing for more than 30 miles, I arrived at the ditch that Diba mentioned. I saw that it had been raided and looted overnight by wild bandits from Bomi, and they had left with a full load at dawn.The people in that area have already fled and scattered, only an old man came to me in fear and said that the wild bandits had already retreated along the river.I thought about it, and felt that the wild bandits hadn't gone far enough to escape, so I ordered a guide to lead us to chase them forward. Unexpectedly, the old man's expression turned pale, and he kept trying to persuade us not to chase.Because the terrain ahead was unclear, I thought about it, and it was difficult to catch up, so I gave up my previous idea and led the team back to my camp.During this time, Diba and Peng Cuo had already sent Xiyuan to where I lived.Fan Yukun, Zhang Ziqing and other colleagues all gathered there, waiting for me to come back to celebrate.Pengcuo and his wife led Xiyuan out from the back of the crowd to meet me. They saw Xiyuan's beautiful clothes and bright eyes, very charming.I saw it for a while, and I felt a burst of joy and love.Since so many distinguished guests came, and Ziqing and other colleagues helped me with cooking, the barracks turned into a banquet hall for wedding celebrations for the first time that night. Everyone was busy lighting up lights, moving tables and chairs, pouring wine, cooking After serving the dishes, after a while, everyone sat at the table one after another, drinking the wedding wine that was a match made in heaven.At our table, Ziqing and Diba played a game of fist guessing. Diba lost almost every time. He couldn't drink anymore, but Ziqing insisted on letting him drink one cup at a time.When everyone had eaten halfway, Diba became drunk and turned into a mess.So Phuntsok and his wife got up to say goodbye as well, with a look of enjoying themselves, Fudiba went back first.

The next day, I was still annoyed when I thought about the Juelagou incident, which had been a disappointment.Thinking about recruiting or conquering such a group of old savages who lived in the deep mountains, I really don't know where to start.So he ordered Diba to find a few more people who were familiar with the situation in Juolagou, and to learn about it in detail.Another day later, an old man came, and what he said was vague.I repeatedly asked him to help me find a person who could carry the paperwork to Bomi for me.The old man said: "There is a stuttering man named Lu Lang, who was familiar with the battalion officer of Bomi Dongjiu before. He can take your orders." I asked for a long time, and gave the old man food and drink. During the third tour, the old man seemed to be drunk, so I asked him again: "You are so old and have lived in Bomi for so many years. Don't you know anything about those savages?" Start with a calm answer:
"I went to Bomi with the Dalai Lama 20 years ago, but I didn't go very far before returning halfway."

"why?"

"Because the respected Dalai Lama went to pay homage to the living Buddha, so I went with him."

I was very surprised: "Isn't there only one Dalai Living Buddha in Tibet? Where there is a Living Buddha, do you want to worship another Living Buddha?"

The old man said: "I was also very surprised at the beginning, because the Dalai Lama would go to worship in person every 12 years, so I also believed it later."

"Then—where is the living Buddha?"

"The living Buddha here is [-] miles away from us. I don't know which country or where it is. But I do know a little about the way to go. It is from Baimagang to Savage Mountain. It takes several months to get there. The place is full of lotuses, the climate is warm, the trees are sparse, the mountains and rivers are beautiful, the exotic flowers and herbs are overflowing with fragrance. The living Buddha lives in the lotus stamens, and the lotus blooms. People can live in it. During the day, the flowers bloom, and people sit in it. At night, when the flowers close, people sleep in the flowers. The soil on the ground can be turned into tsampa. The dew on the branches and leaves of trees, flowers, and leaves is like jade. Liquid wine. Anyone who goes there with sincerity can immediately become a Buddha."

After the old man finished speaking, he still looked interested.I saw it and couldn't help laughing.Then I asked him: "Old man, have you ever been there yourself?" "No, I just ran to Baimagang and then came back." I heard that what he said was absurd and unbelievable, and I didn't want to listen to it again. Just let him go back.

The next day, to the Lama Temple.I will tell Hutuktu what the old man said yesterday.He said: "These people in Bomi deliberately told myths, in order to make it easier for them to go out to rob. Eight years ago, some people in Bomi also created such legends, which caused a sensation in Gongbu. There are more and more people pilgrimage to the living Buddha in the direction of Yeren Mountain. Some of them bring a lot of money and travel with the whole family; some go alone regardless of their parents and wives; As soon as they entered the territory of Bomi, they were all robbed. As they said, the Dalai Lama made a pilgrimage to the Buddha. This is true. Every three years, an eminent monk is sent there. Go there in person. I still remember that five years ago, the Dalai Lama and his entourage of more than 8 people went to make a pilgrimage to the Buddha, passed by us, and then came to the junction of Bomi and Savage Mountain, where they were stopped by wild bandits. Because of the pilgrimage over the years, there has been an unwritten rule when passing through the Savage Mountain. The traveler must give the wild bandits a lot of copper, iron and magnetic tiles as gifts, which are called "travel money". When the Dalai Lama passed by, they thought that the number of gifts was not enough, and they quarreled with each other. A bandit leader came out and said, "I have a previous case, which can be used as evidence." Lai took a closer look, and found that the old savage was at least 12 years old, but his hair and teeth still looked like children. He walked up to the Dalai Lama and recited to everyone the number of presents he passed every time in the past 200 years. The Dalai Lama took The group of people who came were speechless, so they had to stop in the mountain and make up for the missing parts that the wild bandits said, and then they were allowed to pass through."

I said, "It's really strange that a living Buddha like the Dalai Lama should also pay homage to another living Buddha!"

Hutuktu was also obedient and unable to answer.

(End of this chapter)