A Love Letter from Lhasa 10

Chapter 9: The Relentless Pursuit

48

Zhangyangs passenger van passed through the ancient city of Gyantse and arrived at the famous Pelkor Monastery.

Zashi went to see the presiding lama and presented the token given to him by Lama Tsering, an administrator at Jokhang Temple.

The presiding lama glanced at the token and said, "Honored guests who have traveled such a long way, please follow the Tulku to the side quarters to rest."

The presiding lama respectfully led Zashi and his party toward the side quarters. As they walked, he gestured to the attendant lama beside him, signaling him to prepare to receive the visitors.

Zashi and his party followed the presiding lama into the side quarters and took their seats in order on cushions placed on a low wooden platform. A line of novice monks soon brought out wooden trays and tea containers, serving Zashi and his companions vegetarian dishes and butter tea.

Zashi handed over his business card and said, "We apologize for imposing on you during this visit."

The presiding lama glanced at the card and asked, "Are you a descendant of Tsangyang Gyatso?"

"Thats right. For more than a decade, I have traveled to Tibet every year in search of the handwritten manuscript of the love poems by my ancestor, the love monk Lama Tsangyang. But so far, I have found no reliable leads. I would be grateful if Your Reverence could keep an eye out for it."

"The Tulku has heard of Tsangyangs handwritten love-poem manuscript from his own teacher. If any information about its whereabouts comes to light, the Tulku will immediately send someone to inform you. Honored guests, our monastery has prepared a vegetarian meal. Please enjoy it."

Yangjin and Li Ming ate at a small shop outside the monastery while keeping watch and monitoring the movements of Zhangyang and the others.

At the entrance to Pelkor Monastery, Zashi and his party stood with the presiding lama and the attendant monks who had come to see them off. The four visitors pressed their palms together and bowed to the presiding lama and the others. The monks returned their bows and watched as the visitors got into their vehicle and drove away.

Yangjin and Li Mings sedan also pulled away shortly afterward, following them from a distance of several hundred meters.

49

Zhangyangs vehicle continued westward. At dusk, it arrived at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.

Zashi went to visit the presiding lama and presented the token to explain the purpose of his visit.

"Your Reverence, we have come here in search of the lost handwritten manuscript of the love poems by our ancestor, the love monk Tsangyang Gyatso. We were directed here by an attendant lama at the Potala Palace, who advised us to travel west and ask our fellow Rinpoche at your monastery for clues about the manuscript..."

"Are you a descendant of the love monk Tsangyang?"

"Thats right. Here is my business card." Zashi immediately handed it to him.

The presiding lama examined the card carefully, then stepped forward and took both of Zashis hands, pressing three times against his palms. Zashi immediately understood the gesture.

"You have traveled a long way to get here, benefactor. Please follow me to the side quarters to rest and have a meal."

The presiding lama respectfully made arrangements for the group to stay overnight and have their meals.

Yangjin and Li Ming checked into the hotel closest to the monastery and watched the activity inside through the window with high-powered binoculars.

Late that night, the presiding lama deliberately changed into ordinary clothes, put on a wig, and disguised himself as a pilgrim before knocking on Zashis door.

In the candlelight inside the room, the two men sat on the edge of the bed and talked at close quarters.

"When I was young, I did indeed see a sandalwood box decorated with gold. But I didnt know what was inside. My teacher wouldnt let us ask about it."

Zashi said excitedly, "A sandalwood box decorated with gold? That must be it!"

"It was during the Cultural Revolution. Buddhist monasteries everywhere were in a state of fear and uncertainty. My teacher didnt dare keep such a valuable cultural relic inside the monastery. I heard from my uncle in the monastery that it was handed over to a group of Tibetan herders, who took it away."

Hearing this, Zashis confidence grew considerably.

"Your Reverence, who was the leader of that group of herders? Where might they have gone?"

"Half a century has passed. I really cant say for certain."

"Thank you, my fellow Rinpoche. With this lead, well search among the various herding groups from now on."

50

The following morning, Zashi and Zhangyang discussed their next steps in the side quarters. Annie and Meido listened nearby.

"This lead from the presiding lama gives us a direction to pursue."

"Since we have to search among the herding groups, we should start with the lakeshores and basins where larger numbers of herders gather, and investigate each location one by one."

"Thats exactly what I had in mind. However, this could take a great deal of time."

Zhangyang gave a wry smile and said, "Well just have to rely on luck. There are thousands of herding groups throughout the Tibetan regions."

Zashi said, "Annie and Meido, once your vacation is over, you should each return to your respective schools."

Annie said, "My schedule is more flexible. Id like to stay here longer and gather more material for my doctoral dissertation."

Zashi replied, "All right. You can decide for yourself when you want to return to California."

Zhangyangs passenger van arrived at a lakeshore. After getting out, Zhangyang walked around to the back of the vehicle and opened the rear door. He immediately noticed that a sedan had been following them from a considerable distance.

"Professor, weve been followed all this way."

Zashi asked in surprise, "Followed? It must be your friend from the Cultural Relics Bureau, right?"

"Thats what I think, too. Li Ming really has his ways."

"They managed to follow us all the way here. That means they must have been keeping an eye on us long before this."

Zhangyang thought for a moment and said, "I know where the problem lies."

He immediately inspected the vehicles luggage compartment, then turned around and crawled underneath the chassis. Sure enough, he found a tracking device attached underneath.

Zhangyang got up and showed the device to the other three.

Meido said, "These people are unbelievable!"

Annie said, "Zhangyang, it seems your friend isnt very friendly after all!"

Zhangyang scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Its all my fault for thinking too highly of human nature."

Zashi said, "Hurry up and think of a way to shake them off."

Zhangyang suddenly had an idea. He snapped his fingers and said, "Ive got it!"

Meido asked, "What have you come up with?"

Zhangyang put on a mysterious air. "Im going to play a little trick on them. Just wait and see."

The four of them arrived at the tent area of a herding group. Zhangyang asked one of the herders about a falconer, and the herder pointed him in the right direction.

After finding the falconer, Zhangyang gave him a banknote and the tracking device.

"Brother, first thing tomorrow morning, as soon as it gets light, tie this thing to the eagles claw and release the bird. Let it fly as far away as possible."

The falconer accepted the banknote and the tracking device.

Zhangyang then drove the passenger van to a secluded spot and concealed it beneath animal hides.

Whistling cheerfully, Zhangyang walked toward Zashi and the others with a playful grin.

"All taken care of. Tomorrow, Li Ming and I are going to play a game of hide-and-seek."

Zashi and Meido both laughed, but Annie still looked suspicious. She had no idea what Zhangyang was up to.

51

That evening, Zashi and the others accepted the herders offer of lodging for the night. Their host prepared a lavish whole roasted lamb.

Inside the tent, the aroma of lamb mingled with the rich smell of milk, tempting the four hungry guests. On the floor, which was covered with thick yak-hide rugs, the male host carved the lamb with a dagger while the female host poured milk tea for everyone.

It was Annies first time trying lamb blood sausage and sheeps eyes, but she remained remarkably calm and brave. When she ate a roasted sheeps eye, she opened her almond-shaped eyes wide.

Meido asked with a smile, "Pretty good, isnt it?"

Annie puffed out her cheeks, covered her mouth, and took a deep breath before saying, "The texture is crunchy. Everything else tastes like the sauce."

Zhangyang said, "Try the lamb blood sausage. This is one of the most authentic delicacies in our Tibetan region."

The host explained, "People in Tibet love lamb blood sausage. After a sheep is slaughtered, its blood and small intestines are the main ingredients used to make it."

Annie picked up a slice and put it in her mouth. After tasting it, she said, "Its springy and tender. Much better than ham!"

The host smiled and said, "Making delicious lamb blood sausage takes a bit of work. First, clean the small intestines and set them aside. Pour the sheeps blood into a large basin. Chop up the finest cuts of lamb and add them to the blood, then mix in an appropriate amount of salt, Sichuan peppercorns, chopped scallions, and other seasonings. Stir everything together thoroughly, then stuff the mixture into the intestines and tie them into short sections with cotton thread. Next, put the stuffed sausages into boiling water and cook them until they float to the surface and turn grayish-white. When theyre about eighty percent cooked, take them out and arrange them on a plate. When properly prepared, they wont crumble, turn mushy, or split out of their casings. Theyll be fragrant, tender, and soft, without being greasy or tough."

52

Late at night, a series of wolf howls came from the distance. Annie put on her jacket and crawled out of the tent to get some fresh air. She sat on a stack of bundled hay and gazed at the countless stars in the night sky.

When Zhangyang saw Annies silhouette as she walked out, he got up, put on his jacket, and followed her outside.

"Youre not used to the smell of mutton inside the tent, are you?"

Annie nodded with a smile and pointed toward the sky. "The stars on this plateau are incredibly bright."

"Thats right. Theres absolutely no light pollution here."

"Are there packs of wolves around here?"

"Quite often. But unless theyre starving, wolves generally dont dare approach the herders tent areas."

"Zhangyang, you seem like a pretty optimistic person."

"I suppose I am. Whether youre happy or not, another day still has to pass. Ive never had great ambitions in life. I just try to live an honest, ordinary life."

Annie said, "Life moves at such a leisurely pace here. These past few days, Ive felt as if the spring inside me has unwound."

Zhangyang shrugged and smiled. "Theres nothing wrong with that! Whats the point of keeping yourself wound so tight all the time? Even if you gain wealth and status, what does it matter? If you dont know how to enjoy life, whats the point? My former boss was just like that. He worked himself to the bone like an ox. In the end, he was so poor that all he had left was money. And the worst part was, he was in heaven while his money was still in the bank."

"He was in heaven while his money was still in the bank..." Annie laughed.

"Exactly! He amassed so much wealth, yet he spent his life rushing around and exhausting himself. What was the point?"

"Zhangyang, you understand the philosophy of life better than I do!"

"Not really. Everyones circumstances are different. You just have to learn to adjust."

"After I return to California, perhaps Ill come back here again."

Zhangyang asked curiously, "Isnt life in California good?"

"After I return to California and get my degree, if Im lucky, Ill find a job teaching and doing research at a university, just like my father, and live a stable life. But thats probably all there is to it..."

"To be honest, part of me hopes youll stay. But Ive thought about it. If you stayed in Tibet, besides teaching and doing research, what else would you do? Would you want to become a herder?"

Annie smiled. "Thats not entirely impossible. After all, this is where my roots are."

Zhangyang shook his head and smiled wryly. "Ha! Im an uneducated fellow. All I can do is wander around and make a living wherever I go."

Annie smiled sweetly. "As long as you live without worries or troubles, it doesnt matter if youre wandering. Being happy is what counts."

"Thats true. Being happy is what counts..."

Zhangyang gazed at Annies beautiful profile and, before he knew it, felt his heart flutter.

53

After daybreak, the falconer tied the tracking device to the eagles claw and released the bird into the sky.

A few miles away, Yangjin and Li Ming were hiding in their sedan. Sure enough, their car followed the eagle in the direction it flew.

Inside the tent area, Zhangyang pointed toward the trail of dust rising from the vehicle in the distance.

"Li Ming has taken the bait. Lets get out of here!"

Zashi and the others loaded their personal belongings into the van. Zhangyang immediately drove off in the opposite direction.

The passenger van traveled along a highway through the open wilderness.

Zashi said, "Those people wont give up so easily!"

Zhangyang declared confidently, "Professor, Im the one who brought this pack of wolves here. Ill take responsibility for getting rid of them!"

"Wed better find that manuscript as soon as possible, before things get even more complicated."

Zhangyang said, "All right. Ill stay with you every step of the way!"

Yangjin and Li Ming realized they had fallen for the diversionary tactic. When they turned back to look for the others, Zhangyangs group had already vanished without a trace.

Li Ming asked a local herder, "Brother, Id like to ask you about the group of people who stayed here last night."

"They left early this morning."

"Do you know which direction they went?"

"I didnt pay attention."

Li Ming and Yangjin exchanged glances, then immediately got back into their car.

Li Ming said, "Lets find a nearby town, call Director Dawa, and then decide what to do next."

Yangjin replied, "Thats all we can do for now. Weve lost track of them, so were bound to get an earful from the director!"

Li Mings sedan arrived at a general store in the town. Li Ming got out and used the public phone while Yangjin remained in the drivers seat.

Li Ming returned to the sedan, opened the door, and got into the passenger seat.

Yangjin asked, "What did the director say?"

Li Ming gave a wry smile. "He said, A young man without a beard cant be trusted with a task."

Yangjin asked again, "What did the director instruct us to do?"

"He said hell send telegrams to the public security bureaus of all the counties and cities, asking them to help locate Zashi and his group."

Yangjin said, "Your friend Zhangyang is very alert. Well have to be more careful in dealing with them from now on."

Li Ming looked frustrated. "Lets not talk about that for now. Wed better find somewhere to get something to eat, then head back to Lhasa."