Chapter 80: Frustrated
It was already 7 p.m. when they left the hotel, but the sky was still bright, far from sunset. Qin Tian had originally planned that once Director Jiang had deciphered the Kharosthi script on the bronze coin, she would continue her search in the Western Regions based on the clues in the inscription. If Tong Zhongyuan was willing to go home first, that would be best. If he refused, it would not be too late since it was the National Day holiday. She would thank him properly after returning to Shanghai. However, the trip was extremely difficult. The inscription on the bronze coin could not be deciphered. The gilded plate was also completely unsuccessful.
As she left, Mr. Jiang took a photo of the gilded plate and said that although it didn't seem to be related to Niya, he would keep an eye on it. He once again examined the details of the photo with a magnifying glass and asked her if she had any other items to help her make a judgment besides the photo.
Qin Tian suddenly remembered Qin Yunjie's words: Don't believe what you see. This photo was restored by the carving department based on Han Dynasty features, but who can guarantee that the damaged parts were carved according to Han Dynasty style? Perhaps she had made a mistake from the beginning. A mistake of subjective judgment.
As soon as this thought arose, it absorbed all her attention. Elder Jiang shook hands with Tong Zhongyuan and said something to him, but she heard nothing. Her mind was filled with the gilded plate.
"Do you want to eat roast lamb?" Tong Zhongyuan asked her.
She came back to her senses and said, "Eat it if you like it."
During this trip, she and Tong Zhongyuan were constantly on the road, enjoying the beautiful scenery but not the delicious food. Tong Zhongyuan searched for a mutton restaurant on the app and asked her what it was like. She took one look and said, "You've made your mark. This is the one."
The golden lamb sizzled and smelled delicious, but the presentation was crude. The entire lamb chop was impossible to cut with a knife and fork, and there weren't any available. Qin Tian waited for ages, but the owner didn't even offer disposable gloves. She couldn't resist asking, but the owner gave her a strange look and made a gesture of eating with his hands.
Qin Tian didn't really care. She'd been to many remote and impoverished places, and there were countless more outrageous places than this. She'd only asked about the gloves for Tong Zhongyuan's sake. She knew Tong Zhongyuan was particular. If he could just chew on it with his hands, he'd probably rather go hungry. Her mind raced, thinking, why not tear the meat for him? Her mind was made up, and as soon as she reached out her hand, Tong Zhongyuan had already picked up the lamb chop and started chewing on it.
Qin Tian's hands were suspended in the air, staring at him in shock. Tong Zhongyuan raised his eyes, saw her expression, and gave her a questioning look.
She quickly smiled and picked up another lamb chop to nibble on. Earlier, when Elder Jiang had called Tong Zhongyuan an idealist, she'd dismissed him. But on reflection, perhaps she didn't understand him well enough. She'd assumed he couldn't endure hardship, but even after staying in several hotels along the way that left her feeling itchy, he hadn't complained. In Niya, she'd wanted to wait for rescue, but he'd planned to walk 30 kilometers out of the ruins in a sandstorm. He loved to enjoy life, but he could also endure hardship.
He finished chewing a lamb chop and washed his hands. Faced with a large plate of hand-pulled rice, he couldn't help but ask for two pairs of chopsticks. He simply couldn't bring himself to eat with his hands. Qin Tian turned his head and chuckled as he chewed the lamb chop. Tong Zhongyuan glanced at her and placed another pair of chopsticks in front of her.
"Do you find anything wrong with the photo of the gilded plate?"
Qin Tian was no longer surprised by his sharpness: "I'm thinking, maybe what I saw is not the truth."
"How do you say that?"
"I told you, my dad searched for decades and found no clues. Before I came out this time, I went to see him. He said..." She paused, then continued, "There must be clues in this photo that he can't see, so he hasn't found it all these years. I think if I only look for it based on this photo, I might not find it either."
Tong Zhongyuan looked at her calmly. There was a reminder he hadn't had the heart to say. Perhaps he didn't need to remind her, she was just subconsciously blocking out the most likely place to find clues.
"What are your plans for the next few days?"
She'd just been thinking about this. With no clues about the gilded plate, there was no point in staying here any longer. But she had already arrived in Yining, and it was the National Day holiday. If she were alone, she wanted to learn about the local culture before leaving. Maybe she could find something valuable.
"What about you? Do you have any plans for National Day?"
Tong Zhongyuan said, "Director Fang said there will be a market and intangible cultural heritage activities in the next few days, so we can stay and play for a few days if we have time. What do you think?"
Qin Tian's eyes lit up. She was just wondering how to bring it up with him, but he brought it up himself. She said happily, "Okay. I think so too."
The grilled lamb skewers that had just been ordered arrived. Qin Tian picked up a skewer, put a tissue under it and handed it to him. He thanked him and took it. She also took a skewer and started eating. She ate too fast and almost burned her mouth. His heart tightened and he quickly handed her some water. She drank two sips and forgot the pain, and went back to eating the skewer of meat. Whatever she ate tasted delicious. Tong Zhongyuan was speechless. Was she really that greedy? He waited until the lamb skewers cooled down a bit and took a bite. It was indeed delicious. He would talk to him about that reminder when he had the chance.
The celebrations Mr. Jiang mentioned took place both downtown and in the suburbs. Qin Tian and Tong Zhongyuan strolled through the city early in the morning. As expected, it was all about the usual eating, drinking, and fun. They had breakfast and drove to the Tohulasu Grassland. At the entrance to the grasslands, a few makeshift tents and shops were set up, selling ethnic minority handicrafts and clothing. Qin Tian, observing the atmosphere, had given up hope. A market primarily catering to tourists wouldn't yield any good goods.
She randomly found a tent and entered. Inside, a dazzling array of embroidered items hung. At first glance, they were striking, but then again, the patterns were dull and regular. Ming Yuanxing was right. The culture of ethnic minorities was being eroded by modern technology, and it would soon be lost. There was no point in collecting a dress like this.
The shop owner had seen two tourists arrive early in the morning and greeted them with a smile. But Qin Tian's disappointment was obvious, and he clearly didn't like the clothes. A middle-aged woman dressed in Kazakh clothing stepped through the curtains and greeted the shop owner in Kazakh, mumbling a few words. The shop owner replied in Kazakh. The woman laughed and continued to communicate with the shop owner in Kazakh.
Seeing that Qin Tian had no success, Tong Zhongyuan lifted the curtain and signaled Qin Tian to look at another store. Qin Tian had been watching the two people's conversation, slowly walked over, and suddenly began to speak in Kazakh.
Tong Zhongyuan was shocked and kept lifting the curtain. Qin Tian walked up to the woman and spoke to her sincerely. The woman was a little surprised to see that Qin Tian was obviously a tourist and could speak Kazakh. She gestured and talked to Qin Tian in a long string. Qin Tian showed a surprised smile on his face and asked a series of questions while pointing at the woman's clothes. Tong Zhongyuan had already lowered the curtain and walked over. He couldn't take his eyes off Qin Tian. Her eyes were bright and charming, her dimples were slightly red, and her skin was whiter than snow. She laughed even more happily as she spoke. The woman took her hand and led her out.
Qin Tian turned his head and said to him, "Let's go and take a look with her. She said her grandmother collected several handmade robes when she was young."
"Can you speak Kazakh?" He clearly heard it, but still couldn't help asking her.
"Yeah, a little bit. I haven't spoken for a long time, and I thought I had forgotten."
This is more than just a little bit, he thought to himself.
The woman's name was Bota. She led them for a while and came to a yurt on the grassland. She smiled and said something in Kazakh to Qin Tian. Qin Tian smiled back and turned to Tong Zhongyuan and said, "She said this is her grandmother's tent. Her grandmother is very hospitable and told us not to worry."
Bota lifted the door curtain and gestured with a smile to Tong Zhongyuan that he could go in with her. Tong Zhongyuan bowed to her, lowered his head and went into the yurt.
This was their first glimpse of a yurt. The floor was covered with thick, colorful handmade carpets, the walls were covered with velvety tapestries, and the floor and walls were covered with floral rugs and embroidery. Looking up, interwoven wooden strips and collars formed a dome. Beams of light streamed down from this dome, where the Kazakhs observed the stars at night and decided their next destination. The vibrant ethnic colors and magnificent decorations blended seamlessly.
Qin Tian leaned over and whispered in Tong Zhongyuan's ear: "The Kazakh yurt is a white palace on the grassland."
An old Kazakh woman sat at a low table, wearing a headscarf with intricate embroidery. Bota saluted her, spoke a few words in Kazakh, pointed at Qin Tian, and then at Tong Zhongyuan.
Qin Tian placed his right hand on his chest, performed a national salute to the old woman, and spoke in a respectful tone.
The old woman smiled and stood up, opening her arms to hold Qin Tian. She looked him over carefully, speaking fluently. She then looked at Tong Zhongyuan, whispered a few words to Qin Tian, and then laughed happily. Qin Tian shook his head at the old woman, glanced at her, and whispered a few words. After that, he couldn't help laughing himself, and the old woman was amused by her and laughed out loud.
Tong Zhongyuan felt a little depressed. He had never experienced anything like this before. English was the universal language. Even in France, where the arrogant French disdained to speak it, it still had a place in formal settings, and simple private conversations were no problem. This was the first time he had ever experienced such an awkward situation where he couldn't understand a single word.
Bota noticed him and said to him in broken Chinese: "I am afraid you are good-looking."
Tong Zhongyuan smiled at her. He could guess what they were talking about. But what he wanted to know was what they were talking about while looking at him.
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