Daomu Biji

The jeep convoy was speeding across the endless vast Gobi desert. The climate is dry. The car is far away from the car. To escape the yellow dust kicked up by the previous car.

I'm sitting in the car. Looking out the window. Thinking about the previous decision. I also know if it is correct. It felt a little too reckless at this point. but. Now on the pirate ship. I don’t have the face to go back on my word.

Aning told me his plan before departure. I found that it completely followed Wen Jin’s route back then. Depart from Dunhuang. After crossing Dachaidan, we enter the Chaerhan Lake area. Exit the road that way. Entering the no man's land of Qaidam Basin. Then Dolma, the Dingzhu, leads the way. Take the team to the place where she broke up with the expedition team that year.

This route is almost exactly the same as what Wen Jin wrote in his notes. I was very puzzled. Where on earth did she get this information. Obviously. He knew Tamudra. Know the destined master Dolma. Know the route. It looked like she had read the notes. But the notes are in my pocket.

The convoy replenished supplies along the way. Soon we arrived at Dunhuang as planned. I was told. The route before reaching the Chaerhan area. It is still equivalent to a self-driving tour route. Relatively safe.

The appearance of Yadan on both sides along the way made me appreciate the desolation of the Gobi. This feeling of the end of the endless sky gives people a strong sense of abandonment. This feeling can be relieved at first by the many ruined residential areas on the roadside. But it’s time to leave Dunhuang. We drove on the Chaerhan Highway. After sailing directly into the Gobi Desert. It simply cannot be driven away. Because I drove continuously for more than ten hours. The surrounding scenery is almost the same. This feeling is suffocating. Aning also suffered a huge loss. The hustle and bustle of setting up camp made us feel more comfortable.

I was in a car with a Caucasian guy. He and another Tibetan driver took turns driving. on the way. I asked him these questions. See if he can answer.

Caucasus answered easily. After listening to it, I realized that what I thought was too complicated. I always think I should have read the notes. Then I learned about Tamuta. Decide on Dolma and the route. This is not the case at all. An Ning was exposed to the videotape and took the first step. I just went to investigate the courier company that sent the express. Through the memories of courier company people. They found the sender of the express. That person is Dolma.

after. A visit. Take the express and ask. These Tamudos. Wizard. The route was all asked. Current plan. They are all done according to the information given by Dolma.

I was relieved after hearing this. Put it this way. The content of the first paragraph of the third part of Wen Jin's notes is not important. What is important is the period from when they parted ways with Dolma to entering the Tamuta. It's a pity that I didn't read that section carefully. Be sure to find an opportunity to watch it again secretly.

then. The Caucasian man told me again what he knew about Talmuta.

Caucasians told me.

The concept of Tamuduo was only known after finding the Dingzhu Dolma. According to the memory of Dolma listening to the conversation between Wen Jin and the others at that time. It seems to be Wang Zanghai's last stop. As for what it is. Wen Jin and the others didn't know either. Just go look for it.

but. Later, Dolma was determined based on what she saw and experienced during her journey. You have your own judgment. She discovered the Tamutuo that Wen Jin and the others were looking for. It was the legendary Mother Kingdom of the Western Queen in their area. In the words of the local people. That one should be called Tarmusto. It means a ghost town in the rain. After she discovered this at that time. Just very scared. So I pretended that I couldn't find the way. Broke up with them.

"The Kingdom of the Western Queen?" I was surprised when I heard it: "Isn't that something from mythology?"

"Actually not. The Kingdom of the Queen Mother of the West really does exist. And it is an ancient country with a long history. There are legends from the time of the Yellow Emperor. The Queen Mother of the West is the queen of the country. Qinghai Lake is called Chixue Jiamu in the Qiang language, and Jiamu belongs to the Queen Mother. Meaning. We think it is the Yaochi of the Queen Mother. And Talmusduo is the capital of the Kingdom of the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother of the West represents the sacred power in the legends of the Western Regions. In the legend that Dingzhu Zhuoma heard when he was a child. This The city only appears when it rains heavily. If she sees it, her eyes will be taken away and she will become blind. So she is very scared."

"Then what you are saying is that what we are looking for now is actually the ancient capital of the Queen Mother Kingdom of the West?"

"It can be said that. According to the current analysis of archaeological data, especially in recent years, the existence of the Queen Mother of the West has been confirmed." Caucasian: "In fact, if the Tamuduo is in the Qaidam basin, then he must be It is part of the West Queen Mother Kingdom. This time I said that I was looking for Tamutuo. In fact, I was looking for the remains of the West Queen Mother Kingdom. What you need to know is that it is not that we are looking for the West Queen Mother Kingdom. It is what we find. It will automatically become the West Queen Mother Country. country. This is an archaeological expedition.”

I smiled bitterly after hearing this. Western Queen? I remember that thing is not something to be trifled with. Was Wang Zanghai’s last envoy the Queen Mother of the West? Does this make sense?

Think about it. It reminds me of the legend about descendants seeking the elixir of death. Could it be possible that Wang Zanghai also went to seek medicine that time? It feels so outrageous. He shook his head and shook off the thought. Don't think.

After that, I counted the equipment I took from Aning in the car. Their company has specially made clothes. My clothes would dry to death during the day and freeze to death at night if they were traveling next door. So I changed into my desert clothes in the car. I was surprised when I wore it. Found this on the belt of the dress. There is also the number 02200059.

I asked the Caucasian guy what the number was. He just said it was their company's barcode number. Their boss is obsessed with this number. It is said that it was also translated from a Warring States silk book.

I was very surprised. Thinking of the password on King Qixing Lu’s box. I wonder if this number has any special meaning?

The next two days. We penetrated deeper into the next door. Land Rover is very fast. These two days. We entered the belly of Qaidam.

Aning's people are very private. Camped several times. The few people we were with in Jilin and I all got along very well. I became familiar with the others. My kind of character. Getting along with others is quite easy. Thus. There is at least one benefit. I don’t have to face expressionless stuffy oil bottles all day long. And he didn't seem to want to pay attention to me at all.

This is actually a bit abnormal. Because of previous contacts. Although the stuffy oil bottle is also difficult to get along with. But it didn't feel as alienated as this time. I always feel like he is avoiding something. It's the black glasses instead. Seems very interested in me. He always comes to talk to me.

After the car entered the Gobi. Quickly left the road. Dolma, the designated master, began to lead the way. She was accompanied by her daughter-in-law and a grandson. In a car with Aning. At the front of the convoy. I don't know their situation. I only know that after the old woman started to lead the way. It started to become difficult to move the car in the right direction. Either gravel beaches or dry riverbeds in river canyons. Soon the team was filled with complaints.

Dingzhu Dolma explained. To find the mountain pass she saw back then. You must first find a village. their travels that year. It started from that village. Wen Jin's horses and camels were bought in the village. The village may be deserted now. But the ruins should still be there. Find it to proceed to the next step.

The old woman's memory is still quite good. Sure enough, in the evening. We came to the small village called "Lancuo". There are still people living in the village. There are four families with more than thirty people.

This discovery made us ecstatic. First, it proved the old woman's ability. Second, things are going smoothly. And they have been traveling in the desert for a long time. See where people gather. Always very happy. It was getting late. We decided to camp in the village.

Unfortunately. There was an accident when we entered the village. A car rolled into a wind-eroded ditch. There's nothing wrong with people. But the car was totaled. By this time we were quite far away from the nearest road. It is impossible to get any help. This meant that another car had to stay behind to take care of it.

After this incident happened. Aning started to look worried. That night we rested next to the abandoned car. Aning told us her worries. She was a little worried. Although it is equipped with a first-class off-road vehicle. But the surrounding conditions were really bad. If the mountain pass cannot be found in short order. These cars will definitely be scrapped here one by one. Sometimes it can be a very minor problem at the garage. But here it will paralyze the car.

And the farther they go into the basin. Abandoned vehicles and their passengers may not be able to be rescued in time and may be in danger in the Gobi.

Cars are different from camels and horses. When a camel is injured, it will heal on its own. Minor injuries do not affect progress. But a high-tech car. As long as there is an accident. But it's so fragile that it makes people sad. These are civilian cars after all. Not as strong as military. But this is not Aning's mistake. Because in this era. It was impossible for this team of nearly 50 people to ride camels into Qaidam. First, it is impossible to find so many camels at one time. 50 people. Plus camels to carry luggage and spare camels. Nearly 100 peaks may be needed. Such a huge camel caravan is really conspicuous. It will definitely be noticed by the government.

The mechanic who accompanied the team told her that there was no need to be so worried. The Qaidam basin is not too big at the speed of the "Land Rover". Twenty years ago Qaidam might have been the same feared sea of ​​death as the Taklimakan Desert. Now, it takes just over ten hours to travel through half of the development area. A lot of it is exploration based. Industrial based. So there is no need to worry so much.

However, this was immediately rejected by the grandson of the designated master Dolma. This young man named Tashi said that we trust the power of machines too much. Although Qaidam has been conquered. But safe areas are limited to areas radiated by the road network. It only accounts for about 2% of the entire pot. The other 98% of the area is desert. swamp. Salt cover. We have more than a dozen cars with less than fifty people. It is insignificant to this piece of soil that was devouring life tens of millions of years ago.

He said. Even along the least dangerous designed tourist routes. Every year, people get lost and die in accidents. Don't say we are now preparing to delve into no man's land.

he also said. Someone he had met before. They are all travelers whose purpose is to cross the basin. These people will not stay in the basin for more than two days. And our purpose is to search in the basin. That means. Our journey has no end. This is how we go around in circles in the desert. This was the biggest taboo of the shepherds here in the past. so. Miss Ning's worries are not unreasonable. It's better to be careful in everything.

Tashi’s words silenced us. Aning thought for a long time. Asked Tashi: What advice do you have for us?

Tashi shook his head and said: Since you want to enter Qaidam. So. The head must be pinned to the waistband. This has been the case since time immemorial.

Tashi's statement. It feels a bit alarmist after all. I've heard others say it before. Tashi was very angry that her grandmother agreed to guide us. He thought the matter was too dangerous. Aning and the others also used money to persuade his grandmother. It is a kind of karma. We bring danger and sin to his grandmother. But the old lady Dolma was determined. In Tibetan families, the status of grandmother is very high. There was nothing Tashi could do. I had to take care of him. So he basically didn't give us any good looks along the way. He didn't say anything nice either.

Even so. But in this Gobi village there are only a few low adobe houses. The cold wind blowing from the Gobi desert at night. Watching the twitching campfire. Think again about how far away we are from the civilized world. I still feel a shiver.

After he finished we were not interested in talking anymore. A few people sat by the campfire in silence for a long time. Everyone got into their own sleeping bags and rested. We're leaving early tomorrow morning. Aning did not set up the tent. They are all open-air sleeping bags. The temperature here sometimes reaches below zero at night. So we are all hiding behind the raised ridges. Stay warm by a campfire.

Lying there. But I feel that many people can't sleep. There were whispers brought by the wind all around. No wonder. This may be the last place marked on the map before entering Qaidam. Veterans of such activities naturally don't care. But a large part of the team are people who have been invited. Of course I get a little excited at times like this.

I don't know if I am a veteran or a newbie. Just look up at the sky. I found that the sky here is much closer to the face. The stars are also much clearer. I'm in the south. It’s been a long time since I became an adult that I’ve seen a sky full of stars. Now I can see the bright Milky Way in the sky so clearly. I couldn't help but feel sleepy.

but. Traveling long distances always works. There was a fuss for a while. The sounds around him gradually became quiet.

Aning and the others arranged for someone to keep vigil. Because there are many people. These tiring jobs are mainly performed by people hired by the local government. So it won’t be rotated to us. But because this is still a village. So there is no need to be too vigilant. Tashi also said it. Large beasts may appear only close to Hoh Xil. There is so little grass here that even mice don’t come here. Not to mention carnivorous beasts. So I didn't hear the night watchman chatting either. He might have fallen asleep. I heard a few faint animal noises in the wind. But I didn't pay much attention to it. We slept in the middle of the camp. To be eaten. It's not our turn either.

I was thinking about things. while looking at the night sky. I don’t know how long it took. Just when I was also drowsy. Hazy. Suddenly I felt someone walking in front of me. I shivered. I woke up and took a look. It turned out to be Tashi.

I was startled by him. He sat up hurriedly. Want to talk. He knelt down and pressed my mouth. He said softly: "Don't talk. Come with me. My grandma wants to see you."