vstars Chapter 376 Curiosity is the Secret to Success
Chapter 376 Curiosity is the Secret to Success
The felt curtain was slightly lifted, and a gust of wind, carrying the unfamiliar scent of grass and the smell of the wilderness, rushed into the tent.
Zhen Xiaosi—Sizi, stood by the railing, her dark eyebrows framed by eyes that held the stars, now greedily absorbing the vastness that was so different from the palaces of Chang'an and the misty rain of Jiangnan.
The boundless sense of unfamiliarity did not make her shrink back; instead, it was like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring up ripples of "novelty."
She tilted her head slightly, her voice tinged with a hint of bewilderment at arriving in a foreign land, yet it was ignited by an even stronger force—the burning curiosity etched deep within her soul, a curiosity that had never been extinguished despite the passage of time:
“Young master,” she pointed to the vast and breathtaking world outside the tent, “is this place… truly still within the territory of the Tang Dynasty? Those places whose names exude an air of wonder—'Xiangshawan,' 'Qixing Lake,' 'Meidaizhao,' 'Kubuqi'…are their gates truly open at this moment?”
The young man standing to the side wore what appeared to be a nomadic outfit suitable for riding and archery, but it was made of rare black ice silk, embroidered with flowing cloud and kui dragon patterns, and his movements exuded an inner radiance.
Zi An stood tall and straight like a solitary peak, and even when he bowed, he exuded a calm and dignified composure.
He did not answer immediately. His deep gaze pierced through the boundless sea of grass before him, measuring this land that nominally belonged to the Tang Dynasty, as if he were silently surveying the boundaries in his mind.
When Zi'an looked at Sizi's profile, which was exceptionally bright due to pure curiosity, a faint, almost indulgent, approval flashed deep in his eyes—this vibrant life force that transcends time is a treasure he cherishes.
“Reporting to my lady,” he began, his voice not loud, yet carrying a strange penetrating power, like metal striking stone, resonating steadily within the dome, each word seemingly containing some kind of rhythm of heaven and earth, “Although this place is far away on the frontier, wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever the dragon's aura reaches, it is all within my thoughts.”
He did not directly say "Tang Dynasty", but used a grander and more mysterious category.
"The magnificent scenery you described—the Bay of Echoing Golden Sands, the Lake Reflecting Seven Stars, the ancient Meidaizhao Temple, the vast Kubuqi Desert, the boundless Hasuhai Lake, the melodious pastoral songs of Xilamuren and the Chulechuan Grassland, the newly emerging Kangbashi City, and even the scattered Mongolian tribes—their opening and closing is but a thought away."
Zi An pointed in the void, plucking an invisible string. "However, to enter this wondrous realm, according to worldly norms, talismans, registers, and appointments are the necessary procedures. Whether we travel freely like this or travel with a caravan, we must follow these procedures to appear composed." The phrase "worldly norms" he uttered carried a hint of transcendence; Zi An himself was either the rule-maker or the one who transcended it.
"Oh?" Si Zi's eyes flickered, as if drawn by invisible threads, skimming over the gentle curves of the grassy hills outside the tent, finally settling on the dome that carried the nomadic soul. "Then... is this dome tent a suitable choice for us to live in?" Her question was a natural inquiry into another way of life.
"Young lady, you have discerning eyes and can see into the depths of things." The young man's lips curled into a very faint smile, which added a touch of unfathomable insight and majesty to his youthful face.
"This is the finishing touch! Without this yurt, it would be impossible to receive the energy of heaven and earth and sense the changes of the four seasons."
He raised his hand, and the wide sleeves of his robe moved without wind, pointing towards the outside of the tent.
"At dawn, ascend to witness the golden crow patrolling the borders, leaping majestically from the edge of the primordial chaos, melting gold and iron, and staining the clouds and rosy hues for thousands of miles—this is the image of the emperor's tour; under the starry night, by the bonfire, dance with the shepherds, their long songs piercing the sky, their swirling dance stirring the night—this is the breath of all living beings. Only by dwelling here can one truly be in harmony with this realm and live up to the generosity of heaven and earth."
His words carried a grand narrative quality, elevating the simple choice of residence to the level of comprehending the laws of heaven and earth. "The scenery here, seemingly vast and boundless, is actually interconnected, with each step revealing a different aspect. Even with detours, every step you take unfolds a previously unseen panorama of heaven and earth before your eyes, like the trajectory of fate, seemingly disordered, yet possessing its own mysteries."
Sizi nodded slightly, but the flame of curiosity on her face did not die down; instead, it burned even brighter.
Sizi's gaze, sharp as an arrow, was directed towards the boundless, dense, emerald-green expanse to the northeast that blended seamlessly with the sky. Her voice was filled with pure curiosity: "What is that place... the place where the greenery is most surging and vibrant, what is it called? And why is it called that?"
The young man followed her gaze, his eyes suddenly becoming distant and profound, as if piercing through the veil of time and space, seeing the ancient changes and flowing dragon veins of this land.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his figure seemingly blending into the boundless grassland, naturally exuding an invisible, imperial aura that commanded the mountains and rivers:
"The young lady is pointing to Hulunbuir!" he declared in a clear, booming voice, as if proclaiming a divine decree.
"Its location is situated at the easternmost edge of Anbei, nestled against the western foothills of the majestic Greater Khingan Mountains, and resting on the Hulunbuir Plateau, the ridge of the dragon. Its name originates from the two immortal pearls of the grasslands above it—Hulun Lake and Buir Lake, two lakes like eyes, reflecting the universe."
His words carried a profound understanding of this land and a sense of control akin to that of a master: "Its terrain is like a dragon crouching in the wilderness, with its head raised to the east and its claws crouching to the west. Looking down from the heavens, it stretches 350 miles east to west and 300 miles north to south, with fertile fields covering tens of thousands of acres. This is a pasture bestowed by heaven, where the dragon's aura is concentrated, and the abundance of water and grass surpasses all others in the world. It should be the ancestor of all pastures! People praise it as the 'number one grassland in the world,' but in my eyes, it is the jade crown of the empire's northern frontier, the most dazzling wonder of the border regions."