The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 303:

The little girl saw the doctor's angry expression and puffed out her chest, saying bluntly, "This has been the rule for thousands of years. They are all pariahs, slaves, and our family's private property. Everything they have is a gift from us! This is God's will."

After hearing this, the doctor was stunned and speechless.

As a political commissar, Yan Bing wasn't as politically naive as the doctors, arguing about conscience or trying to reason with the exploiting class. He knew it was futile to reason with the exploiting class. The exploiting class has its own logic, and the proletariat has its own logic; their logics are incompatible. Any attempt to persuade the exploiting class through persuasion and education is as ridiculous as a sheep trying to convince a wolf to stop eating meat and instead eat grass like it.

"One day, the gods here will return to heaven. In the world, there will only be laws, and everyone will be equal before the law. There will no longer be any nobles! The rules that have been in force on the snowy plateau for thousands of years should indeed be changed." Yan Bing thought viciously.

Yan Bing didn't know that even in later generations, a small group of people still sang praises of this system, hoping to restore the glory of their ancestors. The descendants of slave owners harked back to the feeling of being superior to others, pursuing the joy of treating others as slaves and abusing them at will.

Yan Bing looked at the noble girl and said directly, "I swear to the Buddha that we didn't know those people were your Langsheng. Now they have gone to Qamdo. However, we are willing to give you some compensation, as if we bought those Langsheng."

Serfs were categorized by their degree of personal freedom as "chaba," meaning "employees," the highest class of serfs. A serf one class below the "chaba" was called "duiqiong," meaning "small households." They had virtually no personal freedom, and most were bound to serve their serf owners for generations. Even worse off than the "duiqiong" were serfs called "langsheng," meaning "household slaves." These serfs possessed no means of production and no personal freedom, essentially becoming the serf owners' personal property. Not only were they bound to their owners' slaves for generations, they were also subject to arbitrary gifting, dowry, trade, and even torture and murder.

If the serfs failed to escape, they faced a fate even worse than "pile poverty." Once captured by their lords, they were imprisoned. Forced labor was the mildest punishment, while gouging out eyes, cutting off noses, chopping off hands and feet, pulling out tendons, and skinning were commonplace.

After hearing Yan Bing's words, the Tibetans swore an oath on the Buddha's name, and they dared not disbelieve. Tibetans believe in Buddhism, even more than they believe in Jehovah, Jesus Christ, or Allah. Therefore, religion must be treated with caution. If Tibetan Buddhism is forced into extremism, the consequences will be disastrous.

Yan Bing mentioned compensation. Actually, slaves in China were very cheap. A nobleman who killed a serf only needed to pay him a piece of straw rope. Regardless of the price the slave owner offered, he would do his best to satisfy them now and settle the score with them later.

The Xiaobei Line in Baiga Township, as for the teams behind, they naturally also marched along different ancient Tea-Horse Roads. The revolutionary army must walk all the ancient Tea-Horse Roads that can lead to Lhasa several times.

The weather was still freezing, and even a short ride on horseback would cause the feet to freeze and become unbearably painful. Therefore, riders had to walk for a while to warm themselves up before remounting, and they had to dismount and stretch their legs after riding for about an hour. Some soldiers, inexperienced or self-righteous, would excuse themselves from walking and refusing to dismount, refusing to dismount. Once mounted, they would refuse to dismount, no matter the weather, fearing that other "sick" soldiers would compete for the horse. This constant sustenance on horseback from morning till night caused their feet to swell and gradually lose sensation.

They were even more reluctant to dismount and walk. Three days later, their legs began to swell and ulcerate, leaving them disabled and unable to walk. Military doctors immediately recognized the problem. If these soldiers had remained on their horses, they would have inevitably developed frostbite and tragically died on the road. Even if they had been discovered early, several soldiers had died in this bizarre way within a few days. This reality once again taught the comrades that life lies in movement, and everything must be conducted according to scientific principles, without any laziness.

Along the way, after the revolutionary army entered Tibet, many soldiers were deeply moved by the excellent qualities of their Tibetan compatriots, such as simplicity, bravery, and helpfulness.

Two female Revolutionary Army soldiers, helping with a logistics transport team, had their cart overturned and fallen into an icy ditch. Two young Tibetan men happened to be passing by, and the women asked for their help. Without a word, the men jumped into the frozen river and pushed the cart to shore. By the time they reached shore, their lips had turned purple from the cold. When the women tried to give them some military supplies as a token of their gratitude, the men smiled and walked away without taking anything.

Even in their twilight years, the female soldiers still believe that some Tibetans are the best among the Chinese nation.

Whenever they camped, the cattle and horses would crowd into the middle of the grassy fields. The Tibetans accompanying them would unload their gear, and the comrades would help, but they were still slower than the Tibetans. Once all the goods were unloaded, the Tibetans would immediately shout, and the cattle and horses would immediately disperse, grazing everywhere in the mountains and valleys, requiring no supervision.

As night fell, the Tibetans whistled again, and the grazing cattle and horses immediately returned to their campsites, without anyone having to drive them! The Tibetans simply drove a wooden stake into the ground and tied it with a long rope, and the cattle and horses formed themselves into rows. They then tied shorter ropes to the long ropes and tied them to the horses' hooves. The horses and cattle leaned on the ropes, standing or lying in an orderly fashion. Tibetan cattle and horses can also swim. To cross a river, they first put one cow in the water and tied it to the other bank. Then, they let the rest of the cattle and horses in. Without any calls or spurring, the horses and cattle automatically flocked to the spot on the other bank where the cow was standing.

These maneuvers initially stunned the non-cavalry soldiers. It was unimaginable that the Tibetans had trained yaks and horses to such a high level. Without Tibetan assistance, the difficulty of entering Tibet would have been exponentially greater.

This is how the revolutionary army advanced, learning and summarizing experiences and lessons. They then passed these experiences and lessons on to the troops coming up behind them so that they would not make the same mistakes again.

By this time, Li Yong and his troops had already left the Sichuan-Tibet border and arrived at Bianba Caoka Town, located at the eastern foot of Mount Danda. Here, the people's understanding of the Forward Party and the Revolutionary Army came almost entirely from the propaganda of the lama headmen and landlords. In these areas, the Revolutionary Army had also been vilified by these slave owners, and the people were generally skeptical of the Sichuan troops entering Tibet.

After the troops arrived at Caoka Town, the surrounding people quickly gathered around. There were many people watching from afar. Some came to watch the excitement, and some brave ones came to sell things. If there was anything the revolutionary army needed, the troops would naturally take out silver dollars to buy it.

The revolutionary army flew a red flag. Although they were slandered as red bandits and red demons, the Tibetans still called the troops entering Tibet "Red Han Chinese." After hearing this, Li Yong smiled slightly and looked around at the Tibetans who had come to see the revolutionary army. Perhaps these Tibetans were here to see how these people of theirs could have been cannibalistic.

At this time, rumors about Sichuan were rife in U-Tsang. The Red Han people had been slandered as evil and cannibalistic. Since the Han and Tibetan peoples didn't speak the same language, most people in U-Tsang believed the rumors. People flocked to see what the cannibalistic Red Han people looked like. As if to witness a foreign spectacle, the villagers noticed several women in the group, and the Tibetans pointed and commented on the revolutionary army. Li Yong, unfazed, worked with his comrades to set up their tents. Their simple design was incredibly quick to erect, a novelty that amazed the Tibetans.

Although the revolutionary soldiers looked dusty and their clothes were tattered, they were still dressed simply and neatly, and their discipline was strict. Their concentration on their work had a unique beauty. However, some naughty Tibetan children threw stones at the revolutionary soldiers. When the revolutionary soldiers looked at these naughty children, they immediately ran away laughing.

Troops entering Tibet were forbidden from promoting class struggle or mobilizing the masses. They were also forbidden from performing plays like the model opera "The White-Haired Girl," a favorite among revolutionary soldiers. They were also forbidden from performing them for the Tibetan public, or in other words, they were absolutely forbidden from performing them for the Tibetan public.

The comrades were naturally tired after a day's walk. But some, remembering the mountains they had climbed, couldn't help but sing a song they had just learned before entering Tibet—"The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau":

Who brought the ancient call, who left behind the thousand-year-old prayer.

Is there a silent song, or a lingering attachment that cannot be forgotten?

Oh ~

I saw mountains and rivers, connected to each other. Yalaso~ Is that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau?

Who is gazing at the blue sky day and night, who is longing for an eternal dream.

Could it be that there are still songs of praise, or that seemingly unchangeable solemnity? Oh...

I saw mountains and rivers, connected to each other. Yalaso~that is the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

This is the case with the Forward Party and the Revolutionary Army. There are always optimistic and passionate comrades at all times. They are united and are not afraid of any difficulties, as if they are born with an optimistic spirit.

After singing a few songs, it seemed as if the fatigue from the journey had been reduced a lot. Although the Tibetans did not understand the meaning of the lyrics of the revolutionary army's singing, they listened quietly. After all, music has a common melody for all mankind. The Tibetan children also sang along with the revolutionary army, and the scene was quite cheerful.

Chapter 304:

What happened next surprised the Tibetans even more. They saw the revolutionary soldiers take out iron cans, connect them to something with pipes, and actually light a fire. Then they took out a round object, filled it with water, put a lid on it, and started to boil the water.

Many Tibetans burst into laughter. Boiling water in Tibet is easy, but it's impossible to cook anything. Naturally, the Tibetans mocked these red Han Chinese for not understanding such a simple principle. Many Tibetans were also discussing the situation. Even some kindhearted Tibetans wanted to warn the revolutionary soldiers, but upon seeing the Tibetans approach, the soldiers immediately stood up, shouted something, and ran away. Many of the soldiers and the Tibetans couldn't speak the same language, so they couldn't understand what they were shouting.

But when Li Yong saw this situation, he immediately asked his colleagues who could speak Tibetan to invite a few Tibetans to come in for a visit. However, no matter how much he persuaded them, the Tibetans just watched from afar.

After the water boiled, the revolutionary army waited for the air pressure to drop before immediately opening the pot lid. The Tibetans then saw the Red Han people put some hard objects into the iron pot, sprinkled something else, and then immediately closed the lid.

After waiting for a while, the soldiers opened the lid and, in front of the astonished gazes of the Tibetans, they actually took out noodles from the iron pot and started eating them. This really shocked the Tibetans.

The Tibetans immediately shouted to each other that the object they had just seen must be something hard. Some Tibetans even swore to the Buddha that they had not seen it wrong. Some timid Tibetans remembered the propaganda of the lamas and chieftains. Now they saw the revolutionary army perform a magic trick - using hot water to soak hard objects into soft noodles. They thought that the lamas and chieftains' propaganda was true, and their hearts were already beating fast.

But they also smelled the delicious aroma, which immediately whetted their appetites and made them drool. Some children found it hard to resist the taste, sucking on their fingers while staring blankly at the revolutionary army.

In fact, along the way, this kind of situation basically happened: when the revolutionary army was eating, some Tibetans would come to watch, to see what the revolutionary army was eating, just to see the curiosity. However, the revolutionary army did not dare to give food to these children at this time, because these children might be the children of slaves, and the children of slaves are still slaves. If the revolutionary army gave them food, the slave owners would know and punish these slaves, which would make the revolutionary army's work more difficult.

There was a time when the revolutionary army gave a slave some food. When the slave owner found out, he started beating the slave in front of the revolutionary army. According to the regulations, the revolutionary army could not intervene in such a situation. In Sichuan, if the soldiers saw such a situation, they would just shoot the slave owner, but now they could not do that.

Finally, the soldiers could no longer bear it and sent a comrade who could speak Tibetan to inquire, but the comrade still came back sighing and saying, "The serf also admitted his mistake." The revolutionary soldiers were speechless and fell silent.

The officers and soldiers of the revolutionary army had become accustomed to mingling with the local people in every liberated area, working together to overthrow the former landlord class. However, in Tibet, the situation was completely different. The revolutionary army witnessed, more than once, the brutal beatings and torture of poor serfs by their owners. When witnessing this, the revolutionary soldiers had to imitate the other indifferent farmers and herdsmen, turning a blind eye and refraining from pulling them apart, speaking up for the serfs, or even seeking revenge. These were all unacceptable.

The revolutionary army ate instant noodles, but there was no such thing as just the noodles and no soup. They drank the soup entirely, leaving no trace. After eating, they rested early to recharge their batteries. The comrades knew they were heading for another mountain. They rested in this town today, and tomorrow, they wouldn't have to walk far, resting at Dandatang. They would cross the mountain on time the day after tomorrow, early in the morning.

The Tibetans saw that the revolutionary army was preparing to rest, and knew that there was nothing exciting to see. They could only leave with a lot of discussion. Today's rare sights were worth seeing. The foldable tents and the noodles that could be eaten directly after soaking were all things that the Tibetans had never seen before.

Wherever the revolutionary army arrived, if conditions were good, they would leave some soldiers behind to garrison and wait for the arrival of follow-up troops. In places like Bianba, the revolutionary army naturally had to leave some soldiers behind, and all the wounded and disabled soldiers had to stay in Bianba County. Many of these soldiers later settled down there, married and had children.

When marching in a high and open area like XZ, the most difficult thing is not necessarily the high mountains and cold water, the dangerous road, but the time it takes to get up every morning.

After the troops passed through Ganzi, they saw fewer and fewer residents along the way. Furthermore, the area was so remote and desolate that there were no Qing Dynasty post stations to be seen. Without post stations, the revolutionary army could not obtain any local supplies. They had to bring their own fuel for heating and food to fill their stomachs. In this desolate wilderness, they had to do everything themselves.

The weather in Xz is often cloudy and foggy, followed by howling winds and unusually cold weather. The mountaintops are covered with perpetual snow, and even during the hottest days of summer, people here have to prepare cotton clothes in case of sudden cold snaps.

As the troops marched down from Kangding, the officers and soldiers looked ridiculous, each wearing a fur coat underneath and a cotton coat outside, yet still shivering from the cold. Even in a harsh environment like Xiz, Li Yong could still smile wryly. The cold in Han winters is caused by the weather outside, a chill that spreads from the outside in. This Xiz cold, however, defies reason, originating from within the skin, without distinction between inside and outside. It's inexplicably cold, unbelievably cold.

The troops set up camp, and every day they had to pitch and take down their tents. After entering XZ, they were often subjected to harsh weather with wind and snow. Snow even piled up on top of the tents in the middle of the night, so they had to get up early every day. The first thing they did upon waking was to dismantle the tents, sweep away the snow, and then light a fire to dry the damp tents. Otherwise, the damp tent cloth would become extremely heavy, adding to the logistical burden.

This was the most agonizing time for the soldiers. With their tents dismantled, they had no shelter from the wind. The chilling wind blew in like a knife slicing through noodles, instantly exposing them to the elements. It felt as if the cold air from heaven and earth were converging upon them, leaving them feeling isolated and alone. It took a considerable amount of time to dry the tents and load them onto the yaks' backs. During this time, everyone's hands and feet were cold, their teeth chattered uncontrollably, and they felt the urge to throw themselves into the fire. Such suffering was something no ordinary person would ever want to experience.

The soldiers woke up early to prepare for the march. When more Tibetans arrived, the comrades had already dried and folded the tents, ready to lead the team out. Starting from Caoka Town, the seat of Bianba County, it wasn't long before they arrived at Dandatang, a post station in the valley on the eastern slopes.

Looking up at the mountain from Dandatang, the vast Danda Mountain is full of peaks, one peak higher than the other. The snow on the mountain looks crystal clear and beautiful, especially under the blue sky and red sun, it is really spectacular! Halfway up the mountain, a faint mule and horse post road looks a little small. The mule and horse post road is the ancient Tea Horse Road that has been used for thousands of years. It is like a winding belt, slowly disappearing from people's sight.

On the surface, Mount Danda is indeed majestic and beautiful, but actually climbing it is another matter. Because climbing this mountain is not a one-shot thing, it requires a battle of strength and will between man and nature.

This is the watershed between the Nujiang River and the Yarlung Zangbo River. The river to the east flows through Dandatang to the Bianba River and finally merges into the Nujiang River; the river to the west flows through Nzhuge and Alanduo to the Bomi area and finally merges into the Yarlung Zangbo River.

The Xiagong La Mountain, also known as "Danda Mountain," stands before us, with a peak elevation of 5298 meters. Its name, "Eastern Snow Mountain," means "Eastern Snow Mountain" in Tibetan. It is the most famous snow-capped mountain on the Sichuan-Tibet Road. Its steepness is synonymous with its location. It was a crucial route on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Local elders recounted how the caravans, passing through here, felt so high that they felt as if they could reach out and touch the clouds. This mountain would also be the highest traversed by the revolutionary army on their journey into Tibet. Shrouded in mist, it was nearly impassable without a familiar guide.

Liu Gongbu looked at the tall mountain peaks and recalled the conversation he had with Li Yong in Chamdo. At that time, Li Yong pointed to one of the roads into Tibet and said, "Comrade Liu Gongbu, what do you think of this route into Tibet?"

Liu Gongbu took a closer look and said, "Commander Li, this route to Lhasa is extremely difficult, mainly because the Danda Mountain is very difficult to climb."

"Have you ever climbed this mountain?"

"Commander Li, I'm not afraid of you laughing at me, but I've been collecting information about this mountain and have been planning to climb it, but I haven't done it yet."

Li Yong nodded slightly and said, "The revolutionary army has been ordered to come here to resist the British invaders. We have to cross the Danda Mountains. Is it okay for you to act as a guide?"

Liu Gongbu's expression changed. "Commander Li, be very careful! This Danda Mountain is the dividing line between Kham and Tibet. If we take this ancient Tea-Horse Road, we must cross the Danda Mountain. The Danda Mountain is steep and rugged, known as the "most dangerous place in Tibet." Especially since the mountain is covered with snow year-round, the terrain is dangerous and slippery, making travel extremely difficult. Officials, merchants, and travelers who pass through it all risk their lives, and many have died in the snow-capped mountains. We can definitely take other routes!"

Seeing that Li Yong showed no sign of changing his mind, Liu Gongbu continued to persuade him: "Danda Mountain, the Tibetan name is "Xia Gong La", which means "Eastern Snow Mountain". Every time you cross the mountain, there are dangers everywhere. It will take a whole day to cross Xia Gong La Mountain on foot no matter how good the weather is. The difficulty of Xia Gong La Mountain is not only time-consuming, but the most fatal thing is the complex and changeable roads. There are many plank roads with stone nails embedded in the cliffs and wooden boards. There is a turbulent river below the cliffs. When crossing these plank roads, you have to face the wall, press your abdomen, hold your breath and move forward. If you are not careful, you will fall off the cliff. The mountain is really high and dangerous. Moreover, breathing in the mountain is extremely difficult and can even suffocate people to death.

Merchants and travelers could only trudge dazedly along the narrow path, carefully navigating it with canes. A single misstep could send them plummeting down the mountain, crushing them to pieces. This is why it's called "the most dangerous part of entering Tibet." Local Tibetans circulate a mournful ballad: "On the snowy mountaintop, my mind is a blank. I've forgotten even my loving parents. Don't blame me for not making the pilgrimage to Lhasa; it's Shagong La that keeps me from flying over..."

Chapter 305:

Li Yong glanced at his comrades, and many of them showed a trace of fear in their eyes. Indeed, life and death on the battlefield is nothing, but the power of nature is beyond human control! The revolutionary army has come all the way and crossed the mountains.

There are countless of them. Climbing from the foot of the mountain to the top is a very strange process, during which you will experience many climate changes. As the altitude slowly increases,

People's feelings also gradually change. When climbing uphill at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, people's athletic ability is greatly reduced, and they basically move forward at a snail's pace.

Besides a decrease in athletic ability, the lack of oxygen at high altitudes can cause drowsiness at first, followed by difficulty breathing, which can be dangerous for those in poor health. Is high-altitude marching a challenge? Painful? Torture? All of these, and more!

The weather in XZ is unpredictable. Scorching sun, storms, cold rain, hail... these are the plateau's constant "intimidation" for the revolutionary soldiers. Here, "four seasons pass in a single day," "four seasons in one mountain," and "the weather changes every ten miles."

Sometimes, the scorching sun makes people dizzy. Sometimes, hail mixed with cold rain

The troops had been marching and camping on the vast snowy plains for a long time. The endless snowy fields seemed to have no end, and the strong reflected light caused many soldiers to suffer from snow blindness, swollen and painful eyes, and even blindness.

Although what Liu Gongbu said was true, Li Yong laughed and said: "This road is either for us or for other comrades. Anyway, we must all take it.

There are comrades walking along the way. We are entering Tibet this time to familiarize ourselves with the place. If we retreat when we see difficulties, we will never be able to understand this place. And since all the roads into Tibet are difficult, why not choose the most difficult one? Liu Gongbu, since you have collected information here, how do you think the local Tibetans got there?

"Local Tibetans must devoutly worship the mountain deity when crossing the mountain. First, they must visit the mountain regularly to offer sacrifices, lighting fragrant woods like cypress branches or powdered incense in an incense burner. The smoke that rises continuously into the sky expresses their boundless respect for the mountain deity. Second, at the top of the mountain or at the pass, there are piles of mani stones, from which colorful prayer flags are hung during festivals. This is a common sight in Tibet. A khata is hung on the mani stone pile or prayer flag pole, praying for a safe journey. However, it's a bit funny that the Danda mountain deity enshrined in this small temple is a Han Chinese who died on Danda Mountain."

When Li Yong heard that the Danda Mountain God was a Han Chinese, he immediately asked, "What's the matter with this mountain god?"

"Haha, legend has it that this man's surname was Peng. He was a Yunnan soldier during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. While escorting the salaries of officials from the Tibetan government from Sichuan to Lhasa across the Danda Mountains, the heavy snow caused the salary and himself to fall into a snow cave. They were only discovered the following year when the ice and snow melted. His face, however, retained the look of life, and the locals considered him a spirit. His body was moved to Danda Pond for burial, and a temple was built with a statue of the soldier inside. The locals revere the soldier as a mountain god."

From that time on, Qing troops and civilians entering Tibet would visit the Danda Temple to pray for the mountain deity's protection and a safe passage when crossing the Xiagong La Mountains. Legend has it that during the Qianlong reign, Qing troops entering Tibet to counterattack the invading Gurkha army also prayed at the Danda Temple when crossing the Xiagong La Mountains, ensuring a smooth passage. Later, Qing generals petitioned Emperor Qianlong for special funds and offered spring and autumn sacrifices. Qianlong even inscribed a plaque with the inscription "Teaching Zen, Serving Softly" and hung it in the temple.

Li Yong suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Even the mountain god is of Chinese descent, so why should we fear him? Now that we have entered Tibet to resist the invasion of foreign invaders, will the Han mountain god not protect us, but instead protect the invading British army? Liu Gongbu, I just want to ask you, can this road lead to Lhasa?"

"able!"

Liu Gongbu gritted his teeth and said, "To resist the British, I will lead the army over even if I die. Although I have a lot of information here, we still need to find two local guides when we reach the foot of the mountain."

"Well, this one is natural, what about the others? Tell me about them."

"Before entering the mountains, you must be fully prepared and everyone must get enough rest. Once inside, no loud noises or shouting are allowed, as there will be danger of snowstorms, avalanches, and rockfalls. You can't even spit or blow your nose, as this can lead to headaches and foot pains at best, or sudden and unexplained death at worst!"

Li Yong nodded slightly and said, "Loud noises can cause avalanches. As for the latter, it's naturally altitude sickness. The human body adapts to the low-pressure, low-oxygen living environment, and a series of physiological reactions occur, including headaches, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, and shortness of breath. The soldiers have been trained on these, and everyone knows what's going on. Only those who don't know will think they've offended the mountain god and caused these consequences."

Thinking of the mountain god, Liu Gongbu suddenly came to his senses. It seemed that the revolutionary army had not gone to worship the mountain god temple today. Liu Gongbu immediately found Li Yong and said, "Commander, we haven't gone to worship the mountain god temple yet."

Li Yong was stunned for a moment and said, "Liu Gongbu, our Forward Party is a materialist party. We never rely on gods or emperors. We rely on science and the lessons learned from constant experience. More importantly, we rely on the unity and mutual assistance of officers and soldiers and a noble spirit of revolutionary optimism. We believe that we can definitely conquer Danda Mountain. If you are worried, it's okay to go and pay your respects."

What Li Yong said was true. From Ya'an to Kangding, from Kangding to Ganzi, from Ganzi to Qamdo, and from Qamdo again, the revolutionary officers and soldiers crossed countless

The lessons learned from the high mountains and steep ridges, such as Queer Mountain, Lawu Mountain, and Jueba Mountain, etc., and in the process of crossing the mountains and ridges, a lot of experience and lessons were summed up in time.

Just like when we lacked experience in plateau marches, tired and sleepy soldiers suggested sitting down to rest. But now, all comrades know that sitting down on the top of a mountain with thin air is life-threatening. These are the lessons learned by comrades at the cost of their lives. If we don't trust these lessons and instead worship a mountain god and ask for his blessing, then what are the sacrifices made by the revolutionary army? Wouldn't it be enough to build a temple at the foot of every mountain? Isn't this just wishful thinking?

Liu Gongbu listened, nodded and said: "Since you don't want to go, then I won't go either. But we still need to find two guides for this climb, otherwise it will be bad if we get lost."

Li Yong nodded and said, "That's natural."

Finding a guide in Tibet was easy, even though the locals were terrified of Mount Danda, known for its frequent avalanches and torrential rains. But Tibet was poor, and a few pounds of salt and two pounds of tea were enough for these Tibetans to lead the revolutionary army.

Late at night, Li Yong and his men finally saw someone crossing from the other side of Mount Danda. They all looked half-dead, which frightened many of the soldiers. Li Yong, however, felt a sense of relief when he saw someone on the other side had managed to cross the mountain.

Crossing the Danda Mountains is extremely difficult. Before crossing, one must first spend a night at Dandatang to build up strength and food. Li Yong and his companions spent the night at Dandatang to continue their efforts. Traditionally, those crossing the Xiagongla Mountains have stayed here, continuing their journey early the next morning. It's unknown how many officials and business travelers have stayed here.

The troops could have reached Dandatang directly yesterday and crossed Danda Mountain the next day. However, Li Yong followed Liu Gongbu's advice and decided to give the comrades enough rest time. So they rested for one night in Caoka Town and another day in Dandatang.

During the day of rest, in addition to the instructions of Liu Gongbu and the Tibetans, Li Yong repeatedly instructed the soldiers not to walk fast, not to run, and even not to eat too much. All of this was to avoid altitude sickness. Liu Gongbu was very surprised why the revolutionary army knew this.

The next morning, we had to get up at around four o'clock and start climbing the mountain at around five o'clock. If the weather was good, we would reach Chalan Songduo on the other side of the mountain at around four or five in the afternoon. If the weather was bad, or if it was winter, it would take at least a whole day to get there.

The time involved wasn't the main issue; the mountain roads were also extremely dangerous, with the risk of falling off a cliff if one wasn't careful. Furthermore, bears were a frequent resident of the area, so in the past, traveling in groups was essential to avoid the risk of bear attacks. Consequently, even though Dandatang and Chalansongduo were separated by only a mountain, contact between the villagers was rare.

The cold wind blew in from all directions, and the ground was deep and shallow, making walking difficult. Although Liu Gongbu and the local Tibetans had repeatedly explained the horror of Mount Danda, when I personally experienced it, I still felt that the mountain was far more terrifying than they had described.

The mountain wind howled with terror, as if it could swallow you up at any moment. The mountain was high and the road was dangerous, covered with snow year-round, making walking extremely difficult...

Because the mountain was barren, some soldiers had to carry firewood up the mountain in addition to gas tanks to pave the road and burn. Each soldier was already carrying 50 to 60 kilograms of guns, ammunition, bedding, and rations. Adding a bundle of firewood brought the total to 70 to 80 kilograms.

At a certain altitude, the road became completely impassable. Fortunately, they had prepared in advance, each soldier carrying a bundle of firewood, laying it as they advanced. The higher they climbed, the higher the altitude. Looking back, the surrounding mountaintops loomed before them. They felt dizzy, their hearts racing, and many soldiers practically crawled. Even the mighty war horses began to pant.

The soldiers had been preparing for a long time to cross Danda Mountain this time, but no matter how well prepared they were, altitude sickness was still inevitable among the soldiers.

Some soldiers began to breathe with their mouths wide open, gasping for breath. They felt extremely uncomfortable and every step forward felt like a desperate struggle. One soldier fell to the ground with a "thump". No matter how his comrades helped him, he refused to get up. He was so uncomfortable that he decided to die in the snow.

"Get up, I command you to get up immediately..."

Li Yong was also feeling unwell. His mouth felt like it was on fire, and his chest felt like it was being pressed down by a piece of iron. Even if he tried to inhale, he couldn't get much air in. His lungs felt full and he couldn't breathe. He had no choice but to offer a can of water to the fallen comrade. The comrade gulped down a few mouthfuls, and only then did he feel better. He managed to get up again and continued on his way.

The revolutionary army originally had some high-pressure gas cylinders, but they had almost all been used up along the way, and they would not be used unless it was a life-saving moment.

Just then, a caravan of horses approached from the opposite direction, making passage even more difficult for Li Yong and his team. The cliffs were sheer, the torrent lurked deep, and the path was only a foot or two wide. The plank road was just a tree trunk suspended in mid-air... Gazing at the roaring torrent below, they had to be mindful of both their own safety and the safety of the mules and horses.

They had just walked for a while when they heard a shout from behind: "Oh no! The horses have fallen down." Li Yong turned his head and saw that a horse had fallen into a mountain stream more than 30 feet deep... Soon two yaks had also fallen down the mountain.

When approaching the top of the mountain, the doctor in front of us slipped and almost fell down. He looked down and his face turned pale. Would he still be alive if he fell down?

"Fuck it! I'll never take this road again. I'm half dead after climbing over it."