The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 315 Xuanzang's Twists and Turns

Suddenly, he heard the sound of an arrow breaking through the air behind him and narrowly passed over Xuanzang's shoulder.

Curses were heard from the Tibetans from behind, complaining that the arrow had missed its target.

Xuanzang, who was on horseback, was still a little dazed by the sudden change, but he saw Feng Dexia draw his sword and cut the rope connecting the carriage and the horses, and heard the sound of a whip.

It was Feng Dexia who whipped the horse hard.

The horse ran wildly in pain, and Xuanzang almost fell off its back. He bent down, grabbed the reins tightly, and pinched the groom's abdomen.

The horse was out of control and couldn't stop. Xuanzang looked back and saw Feng Dexia was also behind and the Tibetans were chasing him.

On the empty plain, there was only the sound of the wind whistling in my ears.

He didn't know how long he ran, but when he looked back, Xuanzang could no longer see Feng Dexia behind him, nor could he see the Tibetan troops.

He didn't know where he had run to, probably still in the Tibetan territory. The scriptures were lost, and so were he.

The horse finally calmed down. Xuanzang looked at the wilderness around him and felt confused again for a moment.

The horse had been running for too long and was almost exhausted, so Xuanzang had to dismount to let the horse rest. He walked to the river, scooped up some water and drank several sips.

After calming down again, Xuanzang re-examined the surrounding environment. It was empty and there was no living person around. Only the wind was blowing.

It seems like it is going to snow again. There is a calm river nearby and a snow-capped mountain in the distance.

The cold wind blew his thin monk robe rustling. He sat down cross-legged by the river, closed his eyes, breathed steadily, and thought carefully about everything that had happened in the past few days.

Xuanzang tried his best to understand why people in the world were like this.

He also didn't understand how he, a monk, got involved in the open and secret struggles between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo, and how the grudges between the two countries were so complicated.

After a long time, it was getting dark, the wind was getting stronger, and the snow was getting heavier.

Xuanzang led the horse and continued walking along the river. He should be able to find people along the river.

The wind and snow were getting stronger and stronger. Xuanzang walked along holding the reins. There was already a lot of snow on the horse's back, and the horse's nostrils exhaled hot air in the cold air.

Finally, Xuanzang discovered a little fire in the distance amidst the heavy snow and wind, and heard the singing of Tibetan children in the wind, singing the story of the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo.

He led the horse and walked quickly forward. When they arrived in front of the tent, Xuanzang spoke to them in the only Tibetan language he knew.

The herdsmen treated the monk very kindly, Xuanzang's horses were taken care of, and Xuanzang was able to spend the night in a warm tent.

When Xuanzang said he was from the Tang Dynasty, there was more hope in the eyes of these Tibetan herdsmen.

Originally, Xuanzang thought that after the battle in Qinghai, the war between the Tang army and Tubo had resulted in a crushing defeat for Songtsen Gampo and Lu Dongzan.

I thought these herdsmen would be hostile to me, a Tang person, but the herdsmen did not resist. Instead, they asked if they could go to Qinghai.

Xuanzang listened to the family's story and took a sip of hot barley. It turned out that they knew that the pastures in Qinghai were better, and many Tibetans went to Qinghai to live with the many Tang troops.

Xuanzang heard them talking about Chongwenguan, an official residence where Tibetans were taught to speak Guanzhong dialect and the Central Plains language.

They also want their children to learn the language of the Tang people and read Tang people's books.

At first, Xuanzang didn't understand why these herdsmen thought this way. It was obvious that Songtsen Gampo had always wanted to make Tubo strong again, and he had been doing so.

In this regard, Xuanzang could only attribute it to the herdsmen's admiration for the strong. The herdsmen's lifestyle determined that they were prone to rely on the strong, and the current Tang army was the strongest.

On the contrary, despite his painstaking efforts, Songtsen Gampo eventually lost Lu Dongzan.

The Tibetan child said that if they kept going east, they would find the Tang army. Recently, more and more Tang troops would enter this area, and they would give food and books to the Tibetan children.

After hiding from the wind and snow in this tent for a night and resting, at dawn, Xuanzang took his horse, thanked the herdsman, and rode away.

The Tibetan child asked his grandfather beside him, "Why doesn't he go east?"

The child's grandfather said, "I don't know."

The child asked again: "Will the Tang army come again today?"

The old man replied with a smile on his boring face: "It will come."

The child said, "I want to tell the Tang army about Xuanzang."

The old man still nodded.

"Will Tang Jun give me soap?"

"As long as they bring it, they will give it to you." The old man replied incoherently with one end of the whip in his mouth. His big black and white hands held the two ends of the rope, and soon a beautiful whip was made.

The grandson was playing happily with a beautiful whip in his hand.

Xuanzang rode his horse all the way, following the same route he came.

The scriptures were extremely important to him.

What would be the use of returning to the Tang Dynasty if we lost the scriptures?

In Luoshui, as Feng Dexia was a Tang envoy, the Tibetans naturally did not dare to touch him at all.

"Zanpu, what on earth do you mean? How can you go back on your word?" The angry roar of the Tang envoy came from inside the house.

This was followed by the words of Songtsen Gampo, "I am already punishing the warriors who made mistakes."

Outside the house, several Tibetan warriors were kneeling on the ground, enduring the beatings, silently enduring them in the snow.

"Made a mistake?" Feng Dexia's tone became a little higher, and he added: "You want to kill Xuanzang."

Songtsen Gampo said: "I didn't intend to kill Xuanzang."

Feng Dexia said angrily: "It was your warrior who did it."

Facing the Tang envoy's scolding, Songtsen Gampo said calmly: "It was the warriors who acted on their own initiative. I have already punished them. If the Tang envoy is still not satisfied, I can kill them."

Feng Dexia was so angry that he was breathing heavily. He waved his sleeves and said, "This is what you arranged behind my back."

Songtsen Gampo smiled and said, "I have sent people to look for Xuanzang."

"Xuanzang is a prisoner of the Tang Dynasty, but he is a Tang citizen after all. If he dies in Tubo, you can just wait to welcome the Tang army."

Songtsen Gampo sat calmly, listening quietly to the whipping sounds outside the house.

Feng Dexia left again, and no one knew what he was going to do. This frequent visitor to Tubo was really angry.

A Tibetan minister walked into the room and said something.

Songtsen Gampo nodded in understanding, and the whipping outside the house stopped.

Of course, they were unwilling to let Xuanzang go back like this. If they could subdue Xuanzang, Tubo could even get the support of the Indians and the full help of Nepal.

Even if he really couldn't keep Xuanzang, he didn't want Xuanzang to return to the Tang Dynasty so smoothly.

For two consecutive days, Feng Dexia was looking for Xuanzang. He once suspected that the monk had frozen to death on the plateau.

So Feng Dexia simply waited in Luoshui, watching the Tibetan warriors coming and going, waiting for news about Xuanzang. Under a snowy mountain in Tibet, Songtsen Gampo released an eagle under the escort of Tibetan warriors.

And this scene happened to be seen by Xuanzang.

It would be difficult for others to find someone on the plateau, but it was very easy for the Tibetan king to find someone on the plateau.

Seeing Xuanzang standing in the distance, Songtsen Gampo waved his hand and asked all the warriors around him to disperse.

After hesitating for a moment, Xuanzang stepped forward and saluted, saying, "Zamp."

Songtsen Gampo smiled and said, "I have punished the warrior who made the mistake. I never intended to offend you. I hope that the Tang Dynasty can live in harmony with Tubo, and you can return to the Tang Dynasty safely."

Xuanzang whispered, "My scriptures."

"It's right here. You can pick it up any time."

"Thanks Zamp."

Seeing that Xuanzang was about to leave, Songtsen Gampo said again: "Wait."

Xuanzang stopped and looked back, and saw Songtsen Gampo still standing at the foot of the snow-capped mountain with a kind smile on his face.

He said loudly: "I will return the scriptures to you. Can you help the Tibetans explain the Buddhist scriptures?"

Xuanzang hesitated again.

Songtsen Gampo walked forward, looked at the snow-capped mountains in the distance, and said: "My warrior made a mistake, but you survived. The Indian king said that you are a person with great wisdom. I have always admired wise people, just like the prince of the Tang Dynasty."

Xuanzang chanted a Buddhist name and said loudly, "Yes."

Songtsen Gampo walked side by side with Xuanzang and continued, "You see, Tibet is extremely friendly to you, but the warriors know that you are unwilling to stay in Tibet as a distinguished guest, but want to go to the Tang Dynasty as a prisoner. They think you have offended me."

Xuanzang said: "I won't bear grudge against anyone."

"Yes, you are different from them." Songtsen Gampo looked at the Tibetan warriors standing in groups of two or three not far away, and continued, "They are all ordinary people, but you are different."

Xuanzang continued, "If the Tang army comes to capture me, I will definitely follow them back. I hope the Zamp will give me convenience."

Songtsen Gampo smiled and said, "Okay, as long as the Tang army comes to arrest you, I will let you go."

He brought Xuanzang to Lhasa, watched him enter a temple, and returned the scriptures.

Songtsen Gampo stood in front of the temple, looking very lost, extremely lost.

"The Tang envoy is here again."

After hearing the words of the warrior beside him, Songtsen Gampo once again saw the angry Feng Dexia.

"Zanpu! You want to let him go, then kill him, and now you want to keep him. What exactly do you want?"

Outside the temple, Feng Dexia said loudly.

Songtsen Gampo smiled and said, "This time it was Xuanzang who took the initiative to stay in Tubo. I did not force him."

"you!"

"Please tell the Tang envoy that Xuanzang is willing to stay in Tubo. I will let him go once he has settled his affairs here."

Feng Dexia observed the smile of the Zanpu, gnashed his teeth and said, "Well, I have learned a lot from the Zanpu's methods."

Songtsen Gampo smiled bitterly and said nothing.

For half a month, Xuanzang ate only a bowl of barley every day, and after waking up every day, he would preach to the Tibetans. This continued for a period of time.

This time Xuanzang bid farewell to Songtsen Gampo for the third time.

The first time was when he came to Tubo from Nepal, the second time was when he helped Tubo dig Buddhist caves, and the third time is now.

Songtsen Gampo knew that he could not keep Xuanzang, so he handed Xuanzang a piece of clothing and said, "This is Tibetan clothing. I hope you can stay."

Xuanzang also gave Songtsen Gampo a volume of compiled Buddhist scriptures in return.

During this visit to Tibet, Xuanzang helped Tibet to build Buddhist caves and compile Buddhist scriptures. This time he followed Feng Dexia on the journey home again.

This time there were no Tibetan warriors following, nor were there any ambushes along the way.

Xuanzang was riding on the horse. He whispered: "People in this world are very interesting. When I went to India with nothing, many people wanted to kill me. But when I came back from India, they wanted my scriptures."

Feng Dexia said: "You should be thankful that the Tang army is very powerful now."

Xuanzang chanted the Buddha's name, closed his eyes and remained silent.

After spending so much time with Xuanzang, Feng Dexia hated Xuanzang's behavior very much. He believed that everyone in the world was good, and he believed that Songtsen Gampo was also a kind person.

A monk who advises everyone in the world to be kind is like a living Buddha.

Feng Dexia didn't think so. He felt that the reason why Songtsen Gampo let him go was because if he continued to make things difficult for Xuanzang, it would be bad for his reputation as the king.

As for Tubo, the attitude of the King of India and the Nepalese towards Tubo was very subtle.

The King of India let Xuanzang go, and the Nepalese also let Xuanzang go. If Xuanzang truly wanted to stay in Tubo, that would have been fine.

But if Tubo made things difficult for Xuanzang, it would only bring disadvantages and no benefits to Tubo in the future, and it would also lose allies like Nepal.

Feng Dexia was used to judging the enemy based on the situation.

But Xuanzang judged people with the heart of Buddha.

We were almost at the border of Qinghai, and the herdsmen here gathered around us, with their children laughing and playing around.

Xuanzang also saw the Tibetan herdsmen who took care of him that night.

After entering Qinghai, Feng Dexia felt relieved, because from here on, it was the territory ruled by the Tang army, and the Tibetan troops now dared not cross the border even a single step.

When we reached the edge of Qinghai Lake, we saw more and more Tang troops walking around.

Xuanzang was finally able to speak Guanzhong dialect, and he saw a vast field.

Feng Dexia explained: "The army was in Tianshan to conquer Yu Gushe, and the prince ordered the establishment of military farms in Qinghai to ease the pressure on farming in Guanzhong. Now the large tracts of land here belong to the Tang army, and the Tibetan herdsmen can also grow food here."

Xuanzang glanced at the Tibetans working in the fields. There were many Tibetan herdsmen here.

Feng Dexia explained: "The Tang army won the battle in Qinghai, but we treated the herdsmen here well and lived with them, allowing them to share the fruits of the Tang people's governance in Qinghai. We also educated them and let them read Tang people's books. Look at those children, they are reading the Analects and Tang people's stories."

Xuanzang saw with his own eyes a group of Tibetan children learning to read and write with a teacher, and there were even Tibetans playing some games that he had never seen before.

Over the past ten years, Xuanzang has seen many landscapes on his journey westward. In many places, the scenery has remained unchanged for several years. But in just over ten years, he felt that he needed to get to know the current Tang Dynasty again.

Feng Dexia took Xuanzang to meet General Niu Jinda and General Li Zhen who were stationed in Qinghai.

Although Li Zhen is a general, he has recently been in charge of matters related to agricultural construction, and is also in charge of trade exchanges in the Hexi Corridor.

It just so happens that both generals are here today.

(End of this chapter)