Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 45: The Capital Region, the Heart of the Empire! (Bonus chapter for those who love reading and keep reading!)
The plaza in front of the station was a sea of ​​noise.

The bright yellow minibuses formed a long, crooked line, with the drivers leaning out and shouting in thick Beijing accents, "Where are you going? Are you coming or not?"

Interspersed among them were the "boarders" pedaling their "flatbed carts," their backs lined with dirty but thick cotton pads, their shrewd eyes scanning the passengers leaving the station, searching for potential business.

Previously, Qi Yun had traveled through remote, mountainous border regions of Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, where time seemed to stand still. The surrounding scenery, along with the clothes and expressions on people's faces, stubbornly remained in the style of the mid-1980s.

At this moment, my feet are firmly planted on the platform of this important city in the capital region.

Only then did I truly feel the vibrant, restless, chaotic, and wildly energetic atmosphere of the heart of this ancient country in 1995, like the steam rising from a pressure cooker!
The air, heavy and hot, carrying the smell of rust and sweat, rushed towards him, irresistibly engulfing him completely.

"Once things at headquarters are sorted out!" Zhao Yue patted him on the shoulder. "If you have time, I'll take you around Beijing."

Qianmen Gate, Wangfujing, Xidan... there are far more bustling places than this train station!

After exiting the station, the noise subsided slightly, but the flow of vehicles and people continued unabated.

As soon as they stood still in the square, four men wearing identical dark gray jackets and with sharp expressions silently surrounded them.

The leader, a man in his forties with a square face, walked straight to Zhao Yue, pulled out a dark blue-covered ID, and only showed the inside pages once.

"Comrade Zhao Yue?" The voice was deep.

“It’s me.” Zhao Yue immediately straightened his back and took out his ID to hand it over.

Their eyes quickly scanned the documents, and almost simultaneously they extended their right hands, gripping them tightly with a firm grip.

The square-faced man then turned to Qi Yun and extended his hand as well: "Comrade Qi Yun, right?"

"You must be tired from your journey. I'm Li Jianguo from the Archives Department at headquarters."

His hands were dry and strong; he squeezed briefly and then released them. "Your situation has been reported by Captain Zhong and Comrade Zhao Yue."

The main reason we invited you here is to help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation.

Don't feel pressured; just treat it as a sightseeing trip to Beijing. Relax.

Although the words were polite, Qi Yun felt that when the gaze lingered on him, it carried a penetrating scrutiny, which was definitely not an ordinary reception.

He nodded: "Understood, Comrade Li. I will cooperate."

"This way," Li Jianguo said, stepping aside to lead the way.

A dark green, old-fashioned Toyota Coaster van was parked a few steps away on the roadside, its body covered with a fine layer of dust, looking travel-worn.

The car door slid open, and several people filed in.

As soon as Qi Yun sat down, the car started smoothly.

At the same time, a black Santana started moving almost simultaneously, following closely behind the Coaster.

Looking ahead, another Santana of the same model had quietly merged into the traffic and was leading the way.

This display of force silently proclaims the significance of this trip, which is far more than just "getting to know the situation."

The car drove away from the hustle and bustle of the station square and merged into the traffic flow on Chang'an Avenue.

In the mid-1990s, Beijing's traffic density was far from the terrifying levels that would later become, and the roads appeared wide and unobstructed.

The Coaster drove smoothly, its windows like moving picture frames.

The scenery on both sides of the road is completely different.

On one side, brand-new glass curtain wall skyscrapers rise from the ground, reflecting dazzling light in the afterglow of the setting sun. The huge neon signs on the roof have not yet been lit, but the words "Sate" and "Guiyou" already show their grandeur.

On the other side, there is a continuous stretch of gray-walled, gray-tiled alleyways and bungalows, with low gate towers, mottled walls, and old men and women sitting at the doorways fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans, while honeycomb briquette stoves emit blue smoke.

Occasionally, one can see tall, vermilion gates tightly shut, with faded slogans remaining on the lintels, and armed soldiers standing guard at the entrance, exuding an air of quiet authority. These are the secretive, heavily guarded government compounds.

Bicycles are the main feature of the streets, with bells ringing all around. People dressed in various work clothes and polyester shirts pedal hard, their faces showing the energy of busy people working for a living.

The bus, pulling two carriages like a heavy beetle, was crammed with people, and the windows were covered with advertisements for various products.

In front of the music store by the roadside, a loudspeaker blared pop music at an alarming rate.

Trendy young people gathered in twos and threes, wearing exaggerated ripped jeans, their eyes looking down on others.

"Wow, look over there!" Zhao Yue pointed to a uniquely shaped building outside the window. "It's newly built, called 'Fangzhuang Residential Area.' I heard it's all high-rises with elevators, amazing!"

His tone carried a hint of superiority, as if he were a well-traveled and knowledgeable person from Beijing.

"Look ahead, do you see that? That cluster of red walls and yellow tiles, the corner tower of the Forbidden City!"

"Further west is it."

He knew the city like the back of his hand, pointing out the sights and sounds of the capital to Qi Yun, this "outsider".

The car didn't head towards those bustling areas, but instead made several turns and gradually entered a quieter neighborhood.

Tall poplar trees lined both sides of the road, their leaves rustling in the twilight.

Finally, the Coaster came to a smooth stop at the entrance of a large courtyard.

The courtyard wall was very high, plastered with mortar, and topped with barbed wire.

The two heavy, dark green iron gates were tightly closed, with a small gate next to them that was only wide enough for vehicles to pass through.

Beside the gatepost was a cement guard post, where a soldier with a gun stood ramrod straight, his sharp eyes scanning the oncoming vehicles from under his hat brim.

There is no company sign.

Li Jianguo got out of the car, showed his ID to the guard post, and said a few words in a low voice.

The soldiers stood at attention and saluted, and the small door slid open silently.

The Coaster slowly drove in, followed closely by Santana escorts in front and behind.

The iron gate slammed shut behind the car with a muffled thud, temporarily shutting out the bustling, vibrant, and lively Beijing of 1995.

The scene inside the courtyard is quite different.

The road is wide and clean, with tall plane trees on both sides, their branches and leaves lush, casting deep shadows under the light of the streetlights just coming on.

Rows of red brick buildings in the Soviet style are hidden behind the trees, square and upright, carrying the weight of the old era.

The buildings are not tall, mostly three or four stories high, with large windows, and some windowsills have several potted common flowers and plants.

Occasionally, you can see staff members in dark blue or gray uniforms hurrying by, nodding to each other and rarely talking. There is a low-key and restrained sense of order in the air.

The car eventually stopped in front of an unremarkable red brick building with a simple house number hanging on the door and no other signs.

As dusk settled, the light shining from the windows of the small building appeared particularly cold and desolate.

Li Jianguo got out of the car first, then turned to Qi Yun and Zhao Yue and said, "We've arrived. Comrade Qi Yun, please follow me."

The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard.

Qi Yun took a deep breath of the air, which carried the cool scent of grass and trees, and stepped out of the car.

　Thank you so much to the big fan who loves watching and has been following along!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)