After hearing Liu Shengping's words, I felt somewhat bewildered. I couldn't discern the authenticity of his claims, and everything seemed too mysterious and unfamiliar to me. I urgently desired to know what exactly transpired in those past events.
I inquired further, "Who are they? What did you actually discover in the Cao family's Qing Mountain?"
"I've already mentioned I don't know. 'They' is a term I've only heard from your father's mouth." He leaned back against the kang cabinet again, frowned, and said, "I only know that someone wanted you all to go down into that tomb, and it seems to be those people from back then."
"And yet you..."
"My goal is simple. I don't want to play by their rules. I pretended to receive a letter from your father. Initially, I planned to wait for you to come and then take you to the back mountain. But unexpectedly, those two kids from the Cao family took the lead. However, anyone would do, as long as it disrupts their plans, I achieve my goal." He interrupted me and added curiously, "What I find intriguing is that, judging by your appearance, those people didn't directly interact with you. Taking such a detour, it truly leaves people puzzled."
"Alright, it's time to share your story now. You guys must have discovered something to attract the attention of those people. How much do you know about this matter?"
I hesitated a bit. His words sounded too enigmatic and were practically impossible to verify. Even his identity was under suspicion in my mind. Although I had found an "insider" from that year, eager to piece together the unknown secrets with him, remembering Second Master's warning, I sighed and confessed, "I'm sorry, your words are hard for me to believe. Can you tell me how you came to know my father?"
Amidst the lingering smoke, his eyes gazed lightly at me. I suddenly regretted it; I still couldn't figure out this guy's identity. If he was someone like Old Soldier, provoking him like this would likely lead to dire consequences.
Unexpectedly, he tugged at the corners of his mouth, sighed, and with a hint of regret in his eyes, turned his head to look out the window. He began, "If it weren't for what happened later, your father and I would have been excellent allies."
He lifted his wine cup, gesturing for me to take a sip. Hesitating, I took a sip. This type of liquor didn't leave a lingering aftertaste, rather, it was exceptionally spicy. As I swallowed it, the burning sensation reached my stomach, and I stuck out my tongue. He slyly said, "A bit weak."
Then, while reminiscing, he began narrating the beginning of his acquaintance with my father.
As it turned out, Liu Shengping was not of Han ethnicity; his original name was Duo Jie, meaning Vajra in Tibetan. I had some understanding of Gannan; it was predominantly inhabited by Tibetans, and due to its unique geographical location, the region had largely remained untouched by wars, maintaining a primitive way of life.
Duo Jie and my father's encounter traced back to a geological exploration team entering Anzigou on a snowy day. Aside from the cold periods in some areas of the region, Gannan experienced long winters and short springs and autumns. Even though winter solstice had not arrived at that time, Gannan was already covered in heavy snow. It was in such a snow-filled environment that a geological exploration team entered Anzigou.
The entire team was bundled up tightly, consisting of around thirty to forty people, with several blindfolded and mouth-covered donkeys carrying heavy loads. The items atop these donkeys were covered with blankets, making it impossible to discern their contents.
They directly found the overseer of Anzigou upon entering, who happened to be Duo Jie's father.
Hearing this, I was somewhat surprised. I thought there were no surviving overseers left in that area.
The chieftain system was a product of feudal society, likely implemented since the Yuan Dynasty, and it was only practiced among a few ethnic minorities in southwestern and southern China. It was a political system that governed the original regions and peoples, a means for rulers to "use the barbarians to control the barbarians."
This system persisted until before the liberation. According to Duo Jie, Anzigou in Gannan County, where he lived, fell under the jurisdiction of the Zhuoni Yang chieftain. In the territory under his control, there were forty-eight major tribes called "flags," each led by a flag chief and overseen by an overseer. The flag chief was typically a confidant of the chieftain, usually residing in the city and rarely descending. The one truly managing the affairs of the tribe was the overseer, usually the leader of a major tribe.
From my understanding, those overseers in pure Tibetan areas, if they hadn't been killed during the "Five-Eight" rebellion, would likely have passed away of old age by now.
Duo Jie explained that at that time, his father had wisely hidden in the mountains with provisions ahead of schedule, avoiding disaster. Although the chieftain system had been overthrown later on, this system had been in use for over a hundred years by then, and with Duo Jie's father being decisive in his actions and treating people justly, even after the turmoil, he still held considerable influence locally.
So, when the geological exploration team came in, they directly sought out Duo Jie's father, expressing their intention to go to the Moon Lake in the mountains.
There was a local legend near the Stone City that on the majestic snowy peak behind it, a deity resided, suppressing an ancient demon in Moon Lake. Every year, during the month with the best weather, red-robed lamas would perform Tibetan Buddhist rituals there.
These people looked suspicious, and since it was already heavily snowing, it was impossible for them to bring people up the mountain. However, for some reason, after the geological exploration team spoke with Duo Jie's father, that very afternoon, without any explanation, he took them deep into the snowy mountains.
The exact date was unknown, as they never returned. At the time, some Tibetan villagers from Anzigou were planning to go to Sichuan Songzhou to trade goods, a traditional trading center for tea and horses. Crossing the mountains from the gully next to Cuomeifeng, passing through Bailongjiang, and then crossing the Min Mountains into Sichuan was their route. Yet, when they passed through a local tribe, they were robbed. Not only were their goods stolen, but two people were also stabbed.
The Tibetan people had their own "rules." For a grindstone, if one person was killed from your village, they would kill one person from your village in return. If both villages had casualties, they would retaliate in kind. The cycle could go back and forth, resulting in the deaths of ten to twenty people between the two villages. Killing someone meant paying a life price.
According to the injuries sustained by the two stabbed Tibetans, the other side had to compensate with more than a hundred and eighty yaks, which was no small matter locally. In such incidents, the first thought wasn't to go to the public
security bureau but to the local overseer.
When the affected Tibetan families, with women carrying infants, went to find Duo Jie's father, unfortunately, he had yet to return from the mountains. If they lost control and broke the established rules, it would be seen as Duo Jie's father being timid and afraid of trouble.
So, this matter fell on Duo Jie's shoulders. Without any hesitation, he promptly selected over ten young and strong lads from Anzigou, armed them with good guns and horses, and rushed straight to the tribe of the other party.
They launched a night raid, speeding through the night, bursting into the tribe and killing a man and a woman. They captured the three robbers and tied them to the backs of horses, returning with them.
Of course, the other side wouldn't let them leave unscathed. After a brief panic, the tribesmen from Sichuan also gathered dozens of people to chase after them. As they neared the intersection of the Minjiang River, a skirmish ensued between the two sides, with chases and counter-chases, mutual killings. Duo Jie and his group were forced into an abandoned fortress.
By then, this incident had escalated beyond just a few people being stabbed and compensation for livestock. It involved issues of honor and reputation. People in that region placed great importance on "rules," sometimes even more than life itself.
The tribesmen from Sichuan, having caught up with them, surrounded the fortress, attacking until dawn. Still, Duo Jie and his group, cornered inside the fortress, managed to injure several of their pursuers.
Realizing that a prolonged fight was futile, the tribesmen from Sichuan, determined to prevent them from escaping and to avoid being mocked if they let them go, resorted to piling firewood at the entrance of the fortress. Even if they didn't burn them alive, they intended to smoke them out.
Fortuitously for Duo Jie and his group, the weather in the mountains was unpredictable. Before the fire was lit, rain poured down, forcing the tribesmen from Sichuan to take shelter. The heavy rain continued until nightfall. During this time, Duo Jie and his group, seizing the opportunity, escaped and fled deep into the mountains. The tribesmen from Sichuan, seeing they had entered the mountain gully, dared not pursue further, withdrawing reluctantly.
In this manner, Duo Jie and his group brought the captives back to Anzigou. Later, the other party sent someone to negotiate, and after settling the number of yaks owed, they redeemed the prisoners.
Upon hearing the entire story, I couldn't help but ask him, "Where does my father come into this?"
Seemingly sensing my confusion, Duo Jie said, "At that time, your father and his friends appeared to be in a hurry, as if pursuing someone. From the direction they were coming, it was towards Anzigou, and, of course, it was later confirmed. Their target was that geological exploration team that had entered the mountains."
Before I could comprehend, he continued, "When we were chased down by the other party in the middle of the journey, with no chance of winning in a direct confrontation due to the difference in numbers, it was at that moment that your father and his friends emerged from the side. They caught the other party off guard, especially one skilled individual who was like a grand general appointed by Gesar himself. With one person and one spear, he overthrew seven or eight of the opposing men. I believe you should know this person."
Initially puzzled, I looked at Duo Jie, who gazed back at me with a meaningful expression. A figure gradually became clear in my mind, and I ventured to guess, "Second Master?"