Chapter 71: The Monumental Barrier (5)

Sometimes, what the monuments separate are not just two nations; more often, they divide people’s hearts. Once a barrier arises between people, even if efforts are made to mend it, it remains like a shattered moon in water or withered flowers in a mirror—unable to return to its original state of ambiguity.

Li Kuo kept pondering how to eliminate this invisible boundary. After much reflection, the young man finally understood: to remove this invisible separation, the most crucial factor was the effort of those trapped within it, their own desire. No matter how much outsiders encouraged or helped them, if they lacked the courage to step out of the area confined by the barrier, everything would be in vain.

All he could do was keep encouraging them and guiding them in the right direction. Whether they could break free from the mental siege depended on their attachments and their own wisdom.

Li Kuo was grateful to have met these Tang people and even more so for persisting in leading them. Without him, the fate of immigrants like Wang Xiaochun would undoubtedly have been tragic. Soldiers like Lin Feng, who were trapped in Tubo, could at least feel a sense of sorrow when looking eastward, thinking, “I see the sun, but not Chang’an.” Yet these Tang people had no idea what the Tang Dynasty or its army was. The word “hometown” carried an overwhelming weight for them. (Note 1) For those like Wang Xiaochun who chose to stay in the Tang army, their feelings were undoubtedly complex. On one hand, they were delighted to become reservists in the Tang Dynasty’s Copper and Martial Camp; on the other hand, they had to say goodbye to their past decades of life. Although the Tang soldiers treated them kindly and welcomed them into their ranks with sincerity, their long-established habits couldn’t be changed overnight.

For example, the Tang people didn’t eat highland barley bread, their soldiers didn’t like roasted whole sheep, their officers didn’t believe in Shambhala, and their generals dismissed Buddhist deities… Wang Xiaochun could easily list many such contrasting habits—things they were accustomed to and found hard to give up. But since everyone had decided to join the Tang army, they had to adapt to Tang ways. Only by doing so could they truly integrate into the Tang Dynasty and become authentic Tang people!

After incorporating nearly a thousand Tang survivors, the Tang army grew stronger once again. Commander Gao Xiuyan assigned the newly joined Tang people to the Copper and Martial Camp, under the leadership of Lieutenant Li Kuo. As a result, Li Kuo’s camp, originally planned for 600 men, now had nearly 1,600 under its command.

At the suggestion of the White Wolf tribe chief Suta, they left five hundred White Wolf warriors and three hundred Tang army veterans in River Mouth City as reinforcements. In this way, after forcing the main Tibetan forces along the Red Ridge to retreat to Nine Curves City, they could safely bypass Wuhai, cross the vast Dafei River, cross Qinghai, and return to Tang via Yinglong City.
Once everything was arranged, the army set out early the next morning. Commander Gao Xiuyan ordered the Tang soldiers to bring two highland horses each, in addition to their own mounts. Since the Tibetans had left them so many warhorses, there was no reason not to make full use of them!
“General Li!”
Wang Xiaochun, dressed in the black armor newly issued to him as a soldier, happily rode up to Li Kuo’s side. At that time, the Tang army had no shortage of horses, so even these newly enlisted reservists could each get one.
“How are the armor suits fitting for the brothers?”
Li Kuo gently held the reins and smiled.
He was most worried that the soldiers might be neglected in terms of supplies, leading to feelings of inferiority among them.
Wang Xiaochun clearly wasn’t yet used to this new title. He was momentarily stunned, thought for a while, then scratched the back of his head and said, “We’ve never worn such fine armor before. It’s so shiny, as if coated with tung oil. Um, just like the stele in front of River Mouth City.”
Hearing this, Li Kuo’s heart sank. From Wang Xiaochun’s words, he already knew the purpose of that stele. During the reign of Emperor Taizong, the Tang Dynasty had seized vast lands in the Nine Curves and River Mouth areas. Emperor Taizong ordered a stele to be erected outside River Mouth City to showcase the Tang Dynasty’s military prowess. The River Mouth Stele became as famous as the Han Dynasty’s Stele for Pacifying the Hu, earning admiration from all nations and making the Tang Dynasty a dream for many tribes. (Note 2) But unforeseen events occurred—after the Tibetans rose to power, they sought to compete with the Tang Dynasty for control of the Hexi Corridor.
The Tang people naturally fought back, but due to various internal and external factors, they suffered a crushing defeat in the Battle of Dafei River. The direct result of this highland battle was that the Tibetans took control of the Nine Curves and River Mouth regions, turning fertile lands into grazing grounds for the Hu in just one night! To humiliate the Tang Dynasty, the Tibetans even used that stele as a horse-anchoring stone!
Day after day, year after year, the inscriptions on the front side of the stele were worn away until they were unrecognizable. The faded characters seemed to whisper softly, expressing their sorrow and anger. What was most hateful was that such a task of anchoring horses was given to a Tang descendant like Wang Xiaochun. Having grown up in Tibet, how could they understand this humiliation?
Using your hands to destroy your own possessions—could there be anything more cruel and hateful than that?
“Xiaochun!”

Li Kuoyang raised his head and said, “Do you know why the surface of the stele is so bright? That’s because it has been soaked and nourished by the blood of countless comrades! Remember this day—today you stepped out of the besieged city and beyond the boundaries of the stele. From this moment onward, you must become true Tang people. No matter how others oppress you, fight back fiercely. Don’t feel fearful or helpless; we are always by your side, and the Great Tang is always by your side. See the sun above? Where the sun rises is the Great Tang!”
“Where the sun rises is the Great Tang!”
Wang Xiaochun felt as if a dark box deep in his heart suddenly opened, and inexplicable emotions erupted like thunder in winter.
Is this really the Great Tang? Is this my hometown?
The young man clenched his fists, feeling warmth surge in his spine. His back, which had been hunched for so long, suddenly straightened out.
Note 1: “Seeing the sun but not Chang’an”: From “Shi Shuo Xin Yu, Shu Hui, Chapter 12-3.” At that time, a messenger came from Chang’an. Emperor Yuan of Jin, upon hearing about the situation in Luoyang, could not help but weep. Emperor Ming, still young, was confused and asked Emperor Yuan why he was sad. Emperor Yuan replied, “Seeing the sun but not Chang’an.”
Note 2: In the eighth year of the Zhenguan era (634), Emperor Taizong of Tang decided to reopen the Silk Road from the Han Dynasty era. He ordered the military hero Li Jing to lead troops to conquer the Tuoguhun, who were blocking the route in the Western Regions. The Tang army marched nearly a thousand miles and achieved a great victory, bringing the entire region of present-day Qinghai under the rule of the Great Tang Empire.