Chapter 39: The Hero (II)

The charm of life lies in the exploration and longing for the unknown world.
The travelers wading through the vast seas of Qinghai never know if a sandstorm will arise in the next moment until they encounter an oasis; the seekers coming from Samarkand can never cleanse their souls stained by dust until they hear the recitation of the Quran by believers, or until they see that reddish-brown glow through the mist. Only then do the travelers’ drooping eyelids suddenly open again.
“It’s land! It’s really land!”
Pu Dachui staggered to the side of the boat, gripping the railing beside it, overjoyed.
“It’s a small island! Hurry, tell everyone to find shallow waters to anchor!”
A glint appeared in Li Kuo’s dull eyes, just like that of a believer seeing the milky-white minarets of Mecca; his heart seemed about to leap out of his chest.
“The commander orders us to find shallow waters to anchor!”
“The commander orders us to shore up and rest! Shore up and rest!”
The bodyguards repeated their general’s orders over and over, their hoarse voices rising loudly, as genuine as life itself.
To be precise, Longju Island wasn’t truly an island—it was at most a cluster of reefs. But over time, erosion by wind and rain turned those rocks into soil, creating this gem among the vast expanse of Qinghai.
Longju Island was a narrow, strip-like island with lower terrain in the north and higher in the south, stretching out evenly before curving slightly at its southern end to form a shallow spoon shape. This spoon-shaped protrusion was the island’s only shallow area, as most of the coastline consisted of rocky terrain. Only here could the soft sand bear the weight of fully loaded fishing boats.
“The Dragon King of Qinghai has manifested! The Dragon King of Qinghai has manifested!”
A mile away from the beach, the Qiang fishermen were the first to leap onto the shore, kneeling facing north and bowing their heads. Fine sand slipped into their eyes and mouths, but they paid it no mind, stubbornly continuing this ancient and devout ritual.
It took the Tang army an entire round around the island to find such a landing spot—how could they not be delighted? Coupled with the exaggerated example set by the Qiang fishermen, before the boat could even stabilize, the inexperienced soldiers, disoriented by the storm, rushed off the boat and lay sprawled on the white sand, inhaling the pure, fresh air after the rain. Most of the officers were also exhausted to the bone, so they turned a blind eye to their subordinates’ disregard for discipline.

After about half a column of incense time, the soldiers on the fishing boat gradually made their way ashore. After enjoying some pleasant moments, these men from the Copper Warriors Camp, who had been lying on the ground, stood up laughing under the shouts of their commanders, shaking out the sand that had gotten into their sleeves, and lined up properly.

Li Kuo nodded, then, along with his trusted aides, stepped onto the wooden planks laid down by his personal guards, entering this unknown and strange land.

But as soon as Zhang Yanji stepped onto the soft sand, his feet gave way, and he stumbled forward. Thanks to Li Kuo’s quick reaction, Young Master Zhang avoided the embarrassment of looking foolish in front of his subordinates.

“Brother Kuo, help me! I really can’t adjust to this yet!”

Zhang Yanji moved his feet like a crab, swaying unsteadily in a comical manner.

Li Kuo was amused by him, and the gloom brought by the storm vanished instantly.

“Stop acting. If even you, Young Master Zhang, get seasick, imagine how bad it must be for us landlubbers—we’d probably vomit until our backs ache!”

Li Kuo mercilessly exposed his friend’s ruse, smiling calmly.

Zhang Yanji, however, shrugged nonchalantly, “With my poor swimming skills, I can only splash around in the Longqu Gully. In such a vast ocean, I really need to be careful!”

Li Kuo had no intention of arguing over such trivial matters and walked over to the Qiang fisherman to help him up. “Elder, we truly owe you a great deal for saving us this time!”

The Qiang man understood Tang language. He was slightly stunned, his oily eye sockets trembling as tears welled up. “It’s the will of heaven! The Dragon King of Qinghai has manifested! The general must be a sacred envoy sent by Shambhala to bring blessings to this place!”

Li Kuo, not expecting such a reaction, blushed all the way to his neck. After saying a few words of thanks, he hurriedly left.

The young man wasn’t averse to praise, but he really couldn’t stand nonsense involving gods and supernatural forces!

Walking along the shallow waters, gazing at the rainbow rising in the distance, the young man gave orders, “Tell Yu Cheng to take dozens of men to explore the surroundings of this island. The rest should wait in the open area in front of the shallow waters!”

Dou Qing nodded and gladly took the order. Most of the soldiers were from the north, used to fighting in battlefields, but they feared boats. Usually, calm weather was fine, but the entire night of storms had left them vomiting nonstop and exhausted. In his opinion, Longju Island was truly a lifesaver. If they didn’t rest properly, staying at sea for too long might drive them crazy.

“General Li, the scenery here is truly beautiful.”

Cuihua had somehow walked up to his side without him noticing. She had already taken off her shoes and set them aside, stepping barefoot into the deep blue seawater. Although it was already May, the waters of Qinghai were extremely cold. As soon as she stepped in, Cuihua quickly reacted.
“Be careful!”
Li Kuo was worried that the frail Cuihua might fall into the water, so he rushed over to help her.
“I’m sorry to embarrass you, General!”
Cuihua covered her mouth with a shy smile and lowered her head.
“Yes, the scenery here is truly beautiful.”
Li Kuo gazed at the waves rolling in the distance, layer upon layer, just like the ups and downs of life.
“If I wanted to settle here, I would beg you to stay. Would you agree?”
Cuihua bit her lip and spoke softly.
Li Kuo was momentarily stunned before responding firmly, “How can I think of having a home when the Xiongnu remain? If we don’t eliminate Tubo, this major threat, even if we hide in the farthest corner of the world, we still won’t find peace.”
“Ah!”
Cuihua was shocked and spoke in a trembling voice. She had only been joking, but General Li took it seriously. In her eyes, hiding in a secluded place would allow her to escape the oppression of the cruel Tubo people. Why then did General Li say it was impossible to have a home?
“General, General! There’s smoke rising from the grasslands to the north!”
Pu Dachui shouted after seeing a plume of black smoke rising into the air.
Li Kuo raised his head and saw the black smoke, shaped like a coiling dragon, rising straight into the clouds. The young man’s already tense nerves snapped taut as his hand instinctively moved toward the sword at his waist.
“Tell the men to be armed and on guard—no one is allowed to leave the camp!”
The young man was filled with doubts. Could even this island deep in Qinghai not escape the shadow of war?…
Note 1: Puchang Sea: Refers to Lop Nur in southeastern Xinjiang today. It was called Puchang Sea from the Han to the Tang dynasties. Located at the eastern entrance to the Western Regions, it was along the main route of trade between the East and West. In ancient times, the Congling River (today’s Kashgar River) and the Yutian River (today’s Hotan River) merged to form the Tarim River, which flowed into Puchang Sea.
Samarkand: Located in the Zeravshan River valley in the southeastern part of the country. As an important hub on the Silk Road, Samarkand connected the Persian Empire, India, and China, but it also suffered greatly from wars.
Quran: Refers to the Quran, as translated in ancient times.