CHAPTER 10 – THE TAKLAMAKAN DESERT
View of the Taklamakan Desert from Space, covering 337,000 square kilometers.
15:30 (Central Asia Time)
Tuesday, January 3, 62 B.C.E.
Somewhere between Tashgar and Khotan
Southwestern section of the Taklamakan Desert
Yurkan did not like what he saw as he examined the horizon from atop his horse: he had seen that kind of gray sky before and it didn’t bring good news. The sub-zero temperature was also getting even colder as a strong wind kept getting stronger. He finally decided not to take any chances and started shouting orders to his caravan men…and girl.
‘’A SAND STORM IS APPROACHING! FORM AT ONCE A TIGHT CIRCLE WITH OUR CAMELS, WITH THE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE. MAKE IT QUICK!’’
While Nauca, not having lived yet this kind of experience, obeyed by imitating the others around her, the men of the caravan, seasoned travelers who had crossed the Taklamakan Desert before, hurried to assemble the camels and horses strung into a long file and form a circle, with the more fragile horses led inside the circle formed by the kneeling camels. Once the circle was formed, the big bundles carried by the camels were taken off their backs and piled to form a protective wall on the side from which the wind was blowing. They were still building that wind barrier when Nauca saw a wall of dust and sand that was about to reach the caravan. She froze for a moment, prompting Borund in grabbing the left sleeve of her coat and shouting at her over the strong wind.
‘’QUICK, GET BEHIND THE WALL AND PROTECT YOUR FACE!’’
Shaking off her lethargy, Nauca stepped behind the wall of bundles, which also protected their valuable horses, and sat down on the sand, joining the caravan men. Seconds later, visibility abruptly fell to zero, with a whirlwind of dust and sand enveloping the whole caravan. Nauca couldn’t even see her hand when extended in front of her, while the fierce, howling wind made the freezing temperature drop even more. She tried to speak to Borund, sitting close to her, but couldn’t be heard by him over the wind. That attempt at communicating in fact only resulted in her having to spit out dust and sand. She thus gave up on that and waited, praying that her horses would survive this ordeal.
What felt like an eternity passed before the sandstorm exhausted itself, by which time night had fallen. Half buried in sand, Nauca dug herself out and got on her feet, then looked around at their camels and horses, to see if they were all alive and well. The camels appeared well, having endured the storm stoically. However, one of their horses was down on its side, not a good sign for a horse. Hurrying to it, she checked the animal quickly, only to feel sadness after a few seconds: the poor beast was dead. Seeing Yurkan approach, she looked up at him while still kneeling next to the dead horse’s head.
‘’It is dead, Yurkan. On the other hand, we could now use its meat to supplement our food supplies. I can do the butchering job.’’
‘’A good idea! Get some help to drag its body away from our circle before starting to quarter it. In the meantime, I will get a fire going.’’
Nauca didn’t need to ask with what Yurkan would feed his fire, as Sarmatian nomads used the same combustible in Winter: dried animal excrements. Both camels and horses produced lots of them while moving, while the cold air of this desert quickly froze them solid. Enlisting the help of a dozen men, she had the dead horse carried to a spot some twenty meters away, where a small sand dune would hide her butchering job from the horses of the caravan: there was no point in making them more nervous by quartering one of their own in plain sight.
Some two hours later, pieces of horse meat were roasting over a small campfire, with hungry caravan men looking on. Letting Borund check on the meat, Nauca went to see Yurkan to speak to him.
‘’Do you know where we are and when we could arrive in Khotan, Yurkan?’’
‘’Where we are exactly right now, I don’t know. However, we are still heading the right way, judging from the stars and from the position of the Himalaya mountains to our right. With luck, we should arrive in the Khotan oasis in a few days. Even if we miss Khotan, we will be able to find it by following the dry bed of the Karakash River, which flows by Khotan.’’
‘’You reassure me, Yurkan: I was wondering how you could find your way in this immense desert.’’
‘’Well, we are following the southern fringe of the Taklamakan, instead of cutting straight across it, for a good reason, Nauca. If a caravan master would be foolish enough to want to cut his way straight across, then his caravan would never survive to get to the other end, as there is no water to be found in the middle of the Taklamakan Desert. On the other hand, by following the southern fringe of the desert, we can use the string of oasis cities built at the feet of the Himalayas, where mountain rivers flow and where there are a number of important mountain passes which allow caravans from India to link up with the Silk Road. We may very well meet one or more of these Indian caravans once in Khotan.’’
‘’Really?’’ said Nauca, grinning. ‘’I met Indian merchants while passing in Urgench with Hiram’s caravan. I got my rhinoceros hide shield from them. A good thing I did by buying it: it saved me from a few bandits’ arrows near Bunjikat.’’
Yurkan smiled at her enthusiasm on that subject.
‘’I must say that India seems to be a fascinating country, from what I heard of it. One day, I just may visit it while pushing a caravan south.’’
‘’I too would like to visit it one day. After all, I left Tanais to see the World.’’
‘’And what do you think of your traveling to date, Nauca?’’
‘’Well, it is tough going at times, but it sure beats spending Winter in the Taiga milking mares day after day. I also get to see sights I would have never seen otherwise, while I also get to know good people…like you.’’
‘’Nauca, you do have a way with words. Maybe you should one day write an account of your trips. You do know how to write in Greek, right?’’
‘’Yes, I do, but I didn’t think about buying some ink and parchment before leaving Tanais.’’
‘’Then, buy some once in Khotan: with all the Chinese merchants passing by there, I am sure that you will find writing supplies there. I am also certain that you will be able to write a fascinating story about your travels. Maybe it will end up one day in a famous library somewhere. Then, you will be able to say that your name will endure.’’
On that, Yurkan walked away, leaving Nauca to dream about such a prospect.
13:56 (Central Asia Time)
Monday, January 9, 62 B.C.E.
Khotan Oasis, Taklamakan Desert
Everyone in the caravan, including Nauca, pushed a sigh of relief on seeing the Khotan Oasis appear ahead in the distance: they had to endure three days earlier a second sand storm, in which they had lost a further two horses. Thankfully, both Tamat and Minad had survived that new ordeal, to Nauca’s immense relief. She smiled to Yurkan, who was riding alongside her horse.
‘’I have been dreaming about getting a hot bath for the last few weeks. I hope that they have a bathhouse in Khotan.’’
‘’They do have more than one bathhouse, Nauca. Don’t worry about that.’’
The tone used by Yurkan surprised Nauca, who eyed questioningly the caravan master.
‘’You don’t appear overly thrilled to arrive in Khotan, Yurkan. Why?’’
‘’Oh, I am happy to arrive there, so that we and our beasts could rest, have fresh water and food and so that we could do some trading with other caravans passing by the oasis. However, the gate toll we have to pay per beast to enter Khotan has been climbing steeply in the last three years, going from two to five silver pieces per animal. That has seriously hurt my profit margin but, unfortunately, I have no choice but to pay those tolls, as Khotan is a vital point to get water and food while crossing the Taklamakan Desert.’’
‘’Five silver pieces per animal? That’s outright theft! What are the other caravan masters saying about that?’’
‘’They are also fuming about this but they can’t do anything: it is the Chinese soldiers of the Imperial garrison in Khotan who are forcing us to pay that toll. Those who refuse to pay are turned away or, if they protest too loudly, have their goods seized. Those Chinese soldiers also don’t hesitate to become violent if they wish so.’’
‘’There is a Chinese garrison in Khotan? What about the local king?’’
‘’That king is a mere puppet, Nauca. While not officially so, Khotan is in effect a protectorate of the Han Empire, has been so for decades.’’
‘’And how big is that Chinese garrison, Yurkan?’’
‘’It numbers about 2,000 soldiers, led by a Chinese general named Huo Qing. That Qing is a true bastard and a thoroughly corrupt one at that. Once in Chang’an, I will make an official complaint about him with the imperial administration.’’
‘’But will they listen to you, Yurkan?’’
‘’I believe so. Emperor Xuan is said to be an honest, hard working man who cares for his people and who has been fighting government corruption since he acceded to the throne. Anyway, registering an official complaint won’t hurt us and could get that Qing bastard relieved.’’
Nauca could only nod at those words: fighting with the local powers could only bring bad things to caravan merchants and she and the two other caravan guards employed by Yurkan could do very little when faced with 2,000 Chinese soldiers. As infuriating as it was, they thus would have no other choice but to pay those gate tolls.
Two hours later, the caravan arrived at Khotan, which was contained within a fortification wall that was about three kilometers-long in circumference. However, before entering the city, Yurkan led his caravan to the nearby river irrigating the oasis surrounding Khotan and had his horses and camels drink to their content, while his men refilled their water pouches. He also let his beasts graze the grass and vegetation for a couple of hours, wanting to cut the costs of his stay in Khotan as much as possible before entering the city. The Sun was low on the horizon when the caravan finally showed itself up at one of the gates, which was guarded by a mix of local guards and of Chinese soldiers. Judging by their meek attitude, it was quickly evident to Nauca that the local king’s guards wholly deferred to the Chinese soldiers, with the latter proving quite arrogant in their dealings with newcomers. Those Chinese soldiers were actually the ones who collected Yurkan’s payment to enter the city. Keeping her thoughts about this to herself, Nauca followed Yurkan at a trot through the gate, entering a city whose buildings were built mostly out of clay bricks. The local caravanserai proved to be situated near the city gate they had just passed through, but it also reserved a nasty surprise to the caravan when it entered its compound: the place was about as full as an egg! Thoroughly pissed by now, Yurkan nearly shouted in the face of the caravanserai master who came to him after he dismounted.
‘’WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU HAVE NO ROOMS LEFT? I JUST PAID 465 SILVER PIECES FOR THE RIGHT TO ENTER THIS CITY AND YOU TELL ME THAT YOU CAN’T ACCOMMODATE MY CARAVAN?’’
The caravanserai master shrugged his shoulders in response, looking very apologetic.
‘’I am sorry, but two caravans from India arrived in quick succession yesterday, while a caravan from China arrived this morning. This is actually the first time that I see four caravans show up within two days and I am struggling to cope with this. I however can provide shelter to your horses and camels once I juggle the beasts from the other caravans and tighten them a bit inside a few less corrals. I will also try to see if the other merchants will accept to squeeze themselves in order to free a few rooms for your people, but I can’t promise that they will go along with that.’’
‘’Do you at least have enough food, feed grain and hay for our stay?’’
‘’That I have, but just. A Chinese imperial delegation arrived here two days ago and requisitioned much of my surplus but, thankfully, they then went to the local Chinese fort for lodging, so they didn’t take any of my rooms. I doubt anyway that those fancy Imperial people would have been satisfied with the standards of my rooms or of my food. Look, I know that this is not ideal, but I am ready to sweeten the pot for you in view of the present conditions at my caravanserai. I am thus going to ask only half of my normal lodging fees for your caravan. However, I must still charge normal prices for meals: I just can’t afford to do better.’’
Yurkan sighed but patted the man’s shoulder in response.
‘’I understand, Azes. Is your bathhouse still in operation?’’
‘’Oh, it is and I added a new feature to it a few months ago, in order to attract customers: I hired a few young and pretty girls to help operate it and you will find them quite willing and welcoming...in exchange for a few coins.’’
Yurkan had a slight smile at this description of what were in essence prostitutes. However, one thought made his smile quickly fade away.
‘’Uh, I have a girl with me in my caravan. Do you have a separate bathroom available for her?’’
While surprised by that, Azes nodded his head quickly enough.
‘’I do have a separate bathroom used by my female cooks, maids and servants. Your girl will be welcome to use it.’’
‘’Good! About that Chinese delegation, do you know why it is here? Are they on a trip to somewhere further west from here?’’
‘’Frankly, I don’t know and I didn’t dare to ask. The Chinese in charge of the delegation looked to be an important man and he was accompanied by his wife and daughter.’’
That last piece of information made Yurkan raise an eyebrow in surprise: Chinese imperial officials did not normally travel with their families, unless they were being sent to occupy some new post inside the Han Empire.
‘’Oh? Maybe that official is on his way to establish a new embassy, possibly in Sogdiana. I will have to find more about that. Well, let’s go see if you can squeeze my people and beasts inside your caravanserai. Also, tell your innkeeper that he will have an extra 27 mouths to feed for supper tonight.’’
‘’Will do! Follow me!’’
Thankfully, the other caravan masters presently lodging in the caravanserai proved most accommodating and cooperative, accepting at once to tighten themselves up in order to let some space for Yurkan’s caravan. By the time that the juggling of beasts’ corrals and customers’ rooms was completed, Yurkan was already discussing trade matters with those caravan masters as they all went to have supper together at the great hall of the inn. Seeing his people busy eating at a group of tables in one corner of the hall, Yurkan excused himself for a moment with the other caravan masters and went to one table, stopping near Borund, his senior caravan guard.
‘’Who is guarding our corrals at this time, Borund?’’
‘’Nauca is! She took the shift from now to midnight. I was planning to temporarily relieve her after I will have eaten, so that she could eat supper herself. Gurak will relieve her at midnight.’’
‘’Good! Tell her to be vigilant: with so many merchants in town with their merchandises, local thieves will be quite tempted to try their luck tonight.’’
‘’Understood!’’
Satisfied, Yurkan then went back to join the other caravan masters at a table a few paces away.
22:51 (Central Asia Time)
Corrals of the Khotan caravanserai
Nauca was wearing her full set of armor and weapons and was also holding her Kontos long lance and her rhinoceros hide shield for her guard shift, making her a most intimidating sight for those passing near the corrals containing the camels, horses and bundles belonging to Yurkan’s caravan. That intimidation factor was actually something she was counting on to deter potential thieves. Up to now, as the time at which Gurak was due to relieve her approached, it seemed to have worked well.
Distant shouts, screams and noises of some sort of fight coming from the direction of the nearby fort sheltering the Chinese garrison in Khotan suddenly made her come to full alert in the night’s darkness. At this late hour, very few people in Khotan were still up, Early Sarmatian woman warrior in full armor if you excepted the men getting drunk in the few inns and taverns of the city, as lamp oil and wax candles were expensive and only gave up a poor level of illumination. Inside the caravanserai’s walls, only a few torches actually added to the moonlight, but Nauca’s high visual acuity helped her compensate for the low light level. Making a few steps from the corrals and coming out of the caravanserai’s entry gate, which had been left open to allow late drinkers to come back in, she looked towards the Chinese fort while listening attentively. It took her only a couple of seconds to realize that there was effectively some kind of fighting happening either inside or near the fort. The noises and screams soon increased in volume, as if the fighting was getting nearer. As Nauca was watching a street intersection some sixty meters away that led to the Chinese fort, she suddenly saw two shapes appear, running out of the street leading to the fort and turning the corner to head towards the general direction of the caravanserai. Pointing her Kontos lance and raising her shield to take a defensive posture, Nauca realized after a few seconds that the two persons running towards her were a woman and a child, both wearing what appeared to be expensive silk dresses. While staying fully alert and ready to react, she returned her lance to the vertical, now wondering what was truly going on. The woman, who was holding the hand of the child, then veered towards Nauca while shouting in Chinese at her. While Nauca couldn’t understand her, not knowing Mandarin Chinese, the desperation and fear in the woman’s voice was easy enough to recognize. As the duo got closer, Nauca was able to see that the child was actually a girl, a young one that could not be more than ten years old. As for the woman, she was in her early thirties and wore jewels worthy of a noble. The duo soon stopped two steps in front of Nauca, with the woman’s shouts turning to desperate pleas in Chinese. The noise from the fighting was now close to the street intersection, as if a group was doing a fighting retreat against a superior enemy. Faced with a dilemma between helping the Chinese duo and ensuring the safety of Yurkan’s caravan beasts and goods, Nauca quickly let her heart win over and she motioned with her lance for the woman and girl to enter the caravanserai’s courtyard, speaking to them in Sogdian.
‘’Follow me, quickly!’’
Her tone and gesture were apparently understood by the woman, who followed her inside the courtyard while dragging the girl by the hand. Going to the corral containing her own horses and those of the merchants of her caravan, Nauca quickly opened partially its gate and invited the woman and girl inside. She then used the tip of her lance and one foot to hurriedly create a hole in the large stack of hay filling the back of the corral, pointing the cavity to the woman.
‘’Crouch down in there, quick!’’
The woman again understood quickly what she meant and pushed the girl into the stack, making her roll in a tight ball before crouching close to her. Nauca then made a sign with one finger across her mouth to keep quiet, then quickly piled hay over the two Chinese. Once that was done, she grabbed back her lance and left the corral, closing back its gate before running back to her previous position just outside the gate of the caravanserai. Just as she was back at her post outside the gate, the dark silhouettes of four men slowly backing off while fighting with swords and lances appeared at the distant street intersection. As they moved back step by step, their attackers also started to be visible to Nauca, who then felt confusion: both the defenders and attackers appeared to be Chinese! She also noticed that one of the four men defending themselves was dressed like a Chinese noble, while the three others appeared to be soldiers or guards. The armors worn by those three soldiers also appeared to be more elaborate than those of their attackers, possibly indicating that they were elite soldiers. The noble and three soldiers were resisting the assault of more than triple their numbers and their valiance impressed Nauca, who wished that she could have helped them in their unequal fight. However, her duty was to protect the caravan’s beasts and goods. The noble and his Han Dynasty Chinese soldier in armor
guards were then finally submerged by their adversaries and cut to pieces. On seeing that, Nauca took a few steps back to position herself to block the gate of the caravanserai and shouted out in Sogdian as loud as she could.
‘’ALARM! ALARM! ALARM!’’
Hoping that Gurak, who had been due to relieve her soon, would react and come quickly, Nauca then lowered her lance and held her shield high, ready to defend the gate of the caravanserai. Taking a few steps forward in order to see what was now happening at the street intersection, she saw that part of the attackers were now dragging the bodies of the nobleman and of his guards towards the Chinese fort, while four Chinese soldiers were walking up the street towards her, looking around every house corner and alley entrance. It was obvious to her that those four were looking for the woman and girl she had just hidden. Thankfully, Gurak showed up at a run, armed and armored, just as the four Chinese soldiers were about to arrive at the gate of the caravanserai.
‘’NAUCA, WHAT IS HAPPENING?’’
‘’I don’t know, Gurak.’’ lied Nauca while pointing her lance at the four Chinese soldiers, stopping them from entering the caravanserai. ‘’I saw a fight between two groups of Chinese men at that street corner over there. Four men fighting against a much more numerous group were then massacred and their bodies were dragged away, while those four came towards the caravanserai.’’
One of the Chinese soldiers then said something in Chinese, addressing Nauca and Gurak in a harsh, commanding tone.
‘’What are they saying, Gurak?’’
‘’I don’t know: I don’t speak Chinese.’’
‘’Then, you better get Baoyu or Lushan, so that they could ask these assholes what they want.’’
‘’Right!’’
To Nauca’s relief, Yurkan, Borund and Lushan, an associate of Yurkan, arrived at a run at that moment, holding either swords or axes.
‘’WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?’’ shouted Yurkan. Nauca took on her to answer him.
‘’I saw a hard fight between two groups of Chinese down the street. One group, which was vastly outnumbered, was massacred and then had their bodies dragged away. Those four here were part of the larger group but I can’t understand what they are saying.’’
A look at the Chinese soldiers was enough for Yurkan to identify them.
‘’They are part of the Chinese garrison of Khotan. You said that those killed were also Chinese?’’
‘’Yes! They looked to me like a Chinese nobleman and three of his bodyguards. I don’t like the smell of all this, Yurkan.’’
‘’Me neither! Lushan, could you ask those soldiers what they want?’’
Lushan, who specialized in the commerce of gems, jewels and spices, nodded his head and spoke with the senior Chinese soldier in a short exchange before looking at Yurkan.
‘’That soldier says that they are looking for two fugitives, a woman and a young girl. They are the wife and daughter of a traitor, or so he says.’’
Yurkan, who was no fool, quickly started to understand what could possibly be happening here: he had heard plenty in the past about court intrigues in China, which could well turn bloody. He next looked at Nauca, who still had her lance down and pointed, and spoke to her in Greek.
‘’Did you see that woman and child, Nauca? Tell me the full truth.’’
Understanding that the whole caravan could now be at risk because of her actions, Nauca answered Yurkan reluctantly, hiding her frustration.
‘’Yes, I saw them! The nobleman and his guards were covering their escape. The woman came to me, obviously desperate, and I hid them inside one of our corrals. You are not going to let those bastards slaughter a mother and her young daughter, are you?’’
Yurkan did not answer her, instead looking at Lushan, who didn’t understand Greek, speaking to him in Sogdian.
‘’Tell those soldiers that Nauca saw one woman and a girl run past the gate of the caravanserai a few minutes ago. They then disappeared in a side street to the left, six houses away.’’
Lushan translated that into Mandarin Chinese for the benefit of the senior soldier, who seemed to believe him and who then disappeared at a run in the night after giving an order to his three companions, heading towards the street corner indicated by Lushan. Yurkan let out a sigh of relief once the soldiers were gone and spoke to Nauca in Greek, keeping his voice low.
‘’I think that you did the right thing by hiding those two Chinese, Nauca, but we will now have to play things very carefully. If that woman and girl are truly important persons victims of some kind of intrigue, then the local general will search the whole city to find them. I was told earlier that a Chinese imperial delegation had arrived from China and went to the garrison’s fort for lodging. Maybe the nobleman you saw being massacred with his bodyguards was an imperial envoy who was a threat to the local Chinese general, a Huo Qing. If that general finds out that we helped that woman and girl, then he will probably have us all killed.’’
‘’I…I’m sorry if my actions put our caravan at risk, Yurkan.’’ said Nauca, lowering her head. Yurkan’s reply, made in Greek, surprised her.
‘’Don’t be, Nauca! That General Huo Qing has been abusing his powers here by arbitrarily raising the tolls caravan masters like me have to pay to enter Khotan. I would not be surprised if complaints about his abuses reached Chang’an and caused the sending of an imperial envoy. It would actually make me happy if we could actually help expose that bastard. I will however ask you to keep all this to yourself. Only you and me will know about that woman and girl hiding in our corrals: the fewer people know about this, the better.’’
‘’Thanks, Yurkan: you are a good man.’’
‘’And you are a girl with a big heart, Nauca.’’ replied Yurkan, who then shouted around him in Sogdian.
‘’ALRIGHT, LET’S GO BACK TO BED! THIS SHOW IS OVER!’’
Yurkan waited until the others, except for Gurak, who was now taking up his guard duty, were all back inside the inn, then made Nauca walk with him, heading towards the corrals used by his caravan. He spoke again in Greek while keeping his voice to a near whisper.
‘’Let’s do as if we are inspecting our corrals and show me discretely where these two Chinese are hiding.’’
Nauca nodded her head in comprehension and started walking slowly past each corral, to finally make a discreet gesture when passing in front of the corral where the woman and girl were hiding.
‘’They are hiding under the hay in this corral, Yurkan. What do we do now?’’
‘’Go inside and do as if you are paying a visit to your horses. In the meantime, I will go speak with the woman.’’
‘’But you can’t speak Mandarin, no?’’
Nauca’s remark made Yurkan grin, exposing the white of his teeth in the darkness.
‘’A merchant who can’t speak the language of his principal customers is a poor merchant indeed, Nauca. I am not exactly fluent in Mandarin but I can get by. Go give water to your horses now.’’
‘’Understood!’’
Opening the gate of the corral just wide enough for them to walk in, Nauca and Yurkan entered it and went to Tamat and Minad, Nauca’s mount and pack horses respectively. As Nauca grabbed a bucket of water in one corner to present it to her horses, Yurkan bent to a crouch and went to the big pile of hay at the back of the corral. Stopping and kneeling next to it, he then spoke in a low voice, using Mandarin Chinese.
‘’I am a friend. I need to speak with you.’’
A couple of seconds went by before part of the hay moved and the head of a woman appeared, looking at him with fear and anxiousness. She was still fairly young and was certainly pretty.
‘’Who are you?’’
‘’I am a caravan master. You are hidin