Free Web NovelChapter 2135: Chapter 1554: Jurchen Tree Burial, an Unexpected Discovery!
"Wu... Sha~~"
Priest stared silently for a long time, as if to engrave the scene of tree burial in his mind, and integrate it into the possible future sacrificial rites, to resonate with the spirits of these Forest Sea Tribes. At this moment, a low wind chant arose in the old forest, like a domain of the deceased, narrating a dusk solidified after death. But soon, the joyful shout of Wudou Wen suddenly rose, calling the souls of kin.
"Look! My Grandpa Mafa’s grave... that corpse dressed in rags!... Do you see? There’s a reflection on his chest, something shining... Look from here! Do you see? It’s right under the torn beast skin!... Huh! It seems there’s not just one reflection, but two? How could there be two?..."
Wudou Wen scratched his head in confusion. But soon, a simple smile appeared on his face, and he spoke to the three people under the tree.
"Wait for me! I’ll climb up the tree now and bring my grandpa down!"
"Wu Xiong! The tree is so tall, can you just climb it?"
"Yes, I can! Over ten years ago, I was not even ten years old. I carried Amma up and tied him to the tree! Back then, he was so heavy, but I could carry him up; now he’s just lightweight bones... Bringing Grandpa’s bones down would definitely be easier!"
As he said so, Wudou Wen embraced the tree and started climbing powerfully like an agile bear. But after only climbing five or six meters, he suddenly froze, clinging to the tree without moving.
"This isn’t right! This doesn’t feel right! Why have I become so heavy? How come I’m climbing but still falling down? It wasn’t like this over ten years ago! Could it be that it wasn’t me who climbed the tree then? But how could it not be me? I remember clearly it was me who did it..."
"Priest! This clumsy bear is too heavy and tall; he can’t reach the top of the tree... I’m too bulky as well, can’t climb up there. Can you?"
"..."
Priest paused for a moment, looked at the 20-plus meter high "tree grave," then glanced at his own still sturdy arms and legs, and shook his head with self-awareness.
"I don’t think I can either... Ali? Can you do it, Ali?"
Chief of Harman, Ali squinted his eyes, gazing at the corpse dressed in rags on the treetop, examining the faint dark red of the rags and the reflection peeking through the beast skin wrapping the body. He was silent for a while, then said in a low voice.
"Chief Divine, give me a rope! I can go up, but to bring down the corpse intact... it must be well tied to my back!"
"Alright! Be careful, don’t overdo it... If you can’t, we’ll find someone smaller and more agile!"
"Mm... don’t worry!"
Ali seemed a bit distracted, yet he stared steadfastly at the weathered corpse. Soon, he replaced the bear-like Wudou Wen, climbing up like a lean monkey. He climbed to ten meters, twenty meters, and finally reached the burial site, leaning over to look.
Then, as if possessed by some spirit, his whole body trembled suddenly, swaying twice, hanging motionless on the tree.
"???"
"Ali? Ali?!"
"Wu Xiong, has Ali been possessed by your grandpa’s spirit?"
"Ah? Grandpa, don’t be angry! I just wanted to bring you down to take a look, find the shiny good stuff... Once done, I’ll put you back on the tree!"
"Ali!!"
The constant calls from below floated up, reaching Ali’s ears, finally waking this dazed Shushu Jurchen Chief and Deputy Commander of Harman Guard from his stupor.
"Chief Divine! I... I’m fine! I’ll come down right now!"
"Apologies! To this old man... let me bring you down first to meet your descendants, I’ll lay you back to rest afterward... perhaps, you might prefer to follow the Han Land customs, with a tombstone and earthen burial?"
On the tree, Ali barely managed to say a couple of sentences, then turned around, muttering to the bones on the tree. Carefully, he untied the moldy ropes, binding the completely weathered bones, clad in rags and beast skin, onto his back.
"Swoosh..."
"Creak..."
For an experienced individual, descending the tree, though more dangerous than ascending, was quicker. The corpse on his back felt lightweight, creaking under the beast skin and rags, whispering God knows what. Soon, Ali descended, finding a clean spot to lay down the bones respectfully.
"My apologies!"
"Grandpa! You’re down, Grandpa! Let me see what the shiny thing in your arms is!"
Wudou Wen eagerly dashed over to undo the wrapping of the corpse, but Ali shot him a fierce glance. That glance was so intimidating, even stunned the brave Wudou Wen, making him a bit at a loss.
"?? You’re daring to glare at me? You dare to glare at me? Watch, I’ll bash... no way! You don’t have such audacity! Could it be Grandpa? Grandpa is still possessing him? Is it you, Grandpa?"
"You foolish bear! This skeleton is your Grandpa Mafa! Go on, kneel down, bow to your ancestor... You should know, he was not only your grandpa but also... once a Deputy Commander, an officially titled Third Grade Military Officer!"
"?? Why kneel? What is kneeling? Official? What is an official?... What on earth are you saying, I can’t understand a word?... Tell me! Are you Grandpa or not?"
Wudou Wen widened his innocent eyes, his face full of puzzlement. As Ali watched his simpleminded expression, at this moment, a kind of indescribable sorrow welled up in his heart upon seeing this Jurchen Chief who had turned completely barbaric, this descendant of a once Deputy Commander... feeling a pang of sympathy and lament!
"Emperor Taizong!... Back then, the Jurchen Tribes you bestowed titles upon, who surrendered to the Empire one by one disappeared! Not even memories, nor legacies remain! If the Ancestor High Priest hadn’t saved me two years ago, the fate of Harman Guard might have been the same, right?"
"Alas! Nature’s Spirit brought down a terrifying cold wave, the court abandoned us, leaving us struggling for survival... Oh, Chief Divine of the Eastern Sea! Whom could the Northern Jurchen Tribes rely on in this desperate situation? How tragic and woeful is the destiny of the Jurchen Tribes?"
At this very moment, Ali’s filled emotions transformed into two long sighs. After a while, he respectfully bent over to undo the beast skin wrapping. So, the skeleton with its hollow eyes, clad in clothes tattered like rags, finally fully revealed itself.
The skeleton, even after tens of years, remained in an embrace. The arm bones were crossed, tightly clutching two shining Copper Seals! Under those Copper Seals was a tattered uniform vaguely displaying a tiger insignia, indeed the official uniform of the Ming Dynasty’s Third Grade Military Officer, Deputy Commander!
"?! This attire? The Copper Seals pressed on the attire?... Two Copper Seals?!"
Priest exclaimed, his eyes suddenly widening. He took a step forward, carefully retrieving the two Copper Seals from the skeleton’s arms, confirming they were seals from a Ming Dynasty garrison! Yet, flipping them over for a closer examination revealed two different official titles, leaving him unsure who the original owner was?
"Turuting Mountain Guard Deputy Commander... Produced by the Ministry of Rites... fourth year of Yongle..."
"Du’erbi River Guard Deputy Commander... Produced by the Ministry of Rites... fifth year of Yongle..."
"?? Du’erbi River Guard?! How come there’s also the Du’erbi River Guard’s garrison Copper Seal?..."
"Priest! Think carefully, consider the name of Wu Xiong’s tribe!"
Ali’s face turned somber, giving a low-key reminder. And Priest paused in surprise, exclaiming.
"Chief Divine! Du’erbi Tribe... Du’erbi River Guard? Could it be, the origin of this clumsy bear Du’erbi Tribe, isn’t native to Turuting Mountain Guard, but the westward migrating Du’erbi River Guard?!"
