"This silver tree belongs to the Mongolian palace. Does that mean we're inside the palace?" Wu You seemed to only just realize this.
As the silver light completely dissipated, the two could clearly see their surroundings.
The magnificent Mongolian-style architecture and spacious courtyards proved that this was definitely not a place for ordinary people.
"Perhaps the things the leather bag needs are in the Mongolian Khan's palace," Gu Qingqing said, looking towards the buildings deep within the courtyard—it should more accurately be called a palace. "There doesn't seem to be anyone else here."
The two girls stepped out from under the huge silver tree, and without the shade of the tree, they realized it was quite sunny outside.
"Let's go try our luck at that palace over there," Wu You said, being straightforward, and was ready to do it as soon as he thought of it.
"Wait," Gu Qingqing slowed her pace. "Wu You, look, there are a few large black dots on that patch of brick ground, and they seem to be moving."
Wu You looked over and indeed there were several large dots, very dark in color. "Could those be manhole covers?"
Gu Qingqing was speechless for a moment: she had never heard of such high-end facilities in the Mongolian palace.
Wu You boldly pulled Gu Qingqing toward the large black dots. The dots weren't so much moving as they seemed to tremble slightly, as if they were being blown by the wind. Even more strangely, upon closer inspection,
one could see thin, long black threads extending from the sides of some of the dots, like… hair? "My God!!" Wu You exclaimed, her trembling finger pointing into the distance. She saw several large black dots rapidly moving toward them, and upon closer inspection, it seemed as if limbs were about to extend from around them.
The two of them quickly retreated several steps, but the black dots followed them, eventually surrounding them completely.
The two girls were speechless for a moment, Wu You clutching the leather pouch tightly to her chest.
Gu Qingqing stared at the slowly gathering black dots, seemingly realizing something. She looked up at the bright sun overhead, then at her feet, her expression filled with confusion.
Wu You's heart leaped into her throat. She clearly saw the irregular black dots on the ground suddenly extend "thorns," each one pointing a sharp, knife-like "thorn" at the two girls.
Wu You mustered her courage and said, "We're willing to go with you, as long as you don't hurt us."
Instantly, all the black dots stopped thrusting forward, then slowly retracted their "thorns," quickly rearranging themselves into a neat vertical line and moving forward.
Gu Qingqing and Wu You could only follow behind.
"Qingqing, what are these things?" Wu You whispered to her companion.
"I think it might be shadows."
"Shadows?" Wu You subconsciously looked down at his feet. Since it was noon, his shadow was only a small patch at his feet, about the same size as the large black dots, only much lighter in color.
"It's strange, our shadows are so light they're like watermarks." Wu You voiced his doubts. "How can those people's shadows be so dark and dense? I've never seen such dark shadows before, like a huge puddle of thick ink spilled on the ground."
"I can't figure that out either. I speculate that the owners of these shadows are probably guards from the Mongolian court, but for some reason, we can't see their actual forms." Gu Qingqing was very puzzled.
If these large black dots were indeed human shadows, they did look more and more like people, and you could even see clues about the "guards'" attire from the edges of the shadows—they should all be wearing armor and carrying sharp weapons.
But these shadows were all silent and unnaturally dark, as if all the blackness in the world had been concentrated here.
Soon, the two were led by the shadowy figures of the guards to a courtyard. The building inside was a typical Mongolian yurt-style palace with a golden roof.
"This must be the Great Khan's Golden Tent," Gu Qingqing thought, her excitement barely concealed despite her nervousness. As
soon as they entered the courtyard, they could hear loud conversations coming from inside.
It turned out the world wasn't entirely silent; the sounds were like music played by silver angels on a silver tree, with a surreal and distorted quality.
The shadowy figures of the guards stopped in the courtyard, forming two neat rows before the palace gate, as if guarding the place.
"Does this mean we can go in?" Wu You, his throat dry with nervousness, cleared his throat awkwardly.
Gu Qingqing wasn't much better off; sweat poured from her forehead. They had no choice but to grit their teeth and go in.
The Great Khan must be inside the Golden Tent, right?
And who were those people talking so loudly? Although they could tell the people were very agitated, neither of the two girls could understand what they were saying.
"Why do those people sound so strange? Especially their accents, they sound a bit like foreigners..." Wu You shuffled forward. Gu
Qingqing also listened carefully to what the people inside were saying. It seemed they were arguing about something, and it was quite heated. Gu Qingqing thought she heard a word—Sarazan.
"Wu You, I think I know who these people are..." Gu Qingqing said in a very low voice. She and Wu You entered the palace gate, using the pillars as "cover" to find a clever spot—a spot where they were out of the sight of the guards but not completely exposed inside the palace.
Wu You's eyes lit up upon hearing Gu Qingqing's words: "Who is it?"
"This indeed happened during the period described in Rubruck's *Journey to the East*. Möngke Khan was a monarch who advocated freedom of religion. Because missionaries from various sects came to the palace of this victorious steppe ruler to preach, Möngke Khan simply gathered these missionaries together and had them engage in a theological debate." Gu Qingqing's voice seemed to radiate light, a light emanating from the content of her words, illuminating the spacious palace, illuminating this peculiar era filled with bloodshed yet also defending a certain kind of freedom. "
Various sects?" Wu You hid behind a large pillar, secretly peeking into the center of the palace. There stood a low, gilded table, on which, besides fruit and mare's milk wine, were writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
There was no one around the table, not even the throne at the head of the table.
That should have been Möngke Khan's throne, but it was empty at this moment.
On the gilded table were Western-style silver candlesticks, their bright candlelight casting shadows on the walls of the golden tent.
The shadows were human shadows, about a dozen in total. Some were sitting, some were standing, and some were gesturing wildly. Their movements and voices combined to create a remarkably captivating "shadow play."
Gu Qingqing lowered her head, pondering Wu You's earlier question: "Yes, various sects, including the 'Saracens' someone mentioned earlier, which was the 12th-century European term for Muslims; there's also Christianity, represented by Rubruck; even the Nestorian Church, a heretical sect of Christianity at the time; besides these, there are Buddhist monks, Taoist priests… perhaps other sects, but I don't remember them very clearly."
Wu You was stunned, utterly unable to believe that so many religious figures had gathered in the tent of a Mongol Khan! There were Christians, Muslims, monks, and Taoist priests!
"Is this real? This...this looks just like a painting."
"It's a historical fact," Gu Qingqing said confidently. "There's a specific record of this in the *History of Chinese Christians*. Möngke Khan ordered that no one should use provocative or abusive language towards others, nor incite chaos; violators would be executed.
Therefore, this was bound to be a fierce yet orderly theological debate."
Although everything here was bizarre, it repeatedly refreshed Wu You's understanding of this world.
"Qingqing, these people don't speak the same language, right? Is there a translator here?" Wu You looked at the shadows on the tent walls. Some were guards holding weapons, while the others were in various poses—some sat calmly, some gestured vigorously, and some even sang songs. He couldn't understand what they were singing; it was probably a song from some religious sect.
"If you listen carefully, you can understand a little of what they're saying. I think this world probably skipped translators to make communication easier." Gu Qingqing had already spotted Möngke Khan among the figures. He wasn't seated on his throne, but stood imposingly to the side, listening intently to everyone's debate.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Möngke Khan seemed to make a beckoning gesture.
Indeed, a beckoning gesture, directed directly at the two of them. Though the gesture was subtle, it carried undeniable authority.
"We should go over there," Gu Qingqing said, composing herself and stepping out from behind the pillar—it wouldn't look good to have the guards pull her away.
"Isn't this a debate? What sect do we represent?" Wu You followed behind Gu Qingqing, head bowed. "What religion do you believe in?"
"..." Gu Qingqing was stumped by Wu You's question. She walked forward with her head bowed in a devout manner, pondering the question—what religion do you believe in? She had always thought of herself as a complete atheist, but deep down, everyone has some kind of faith, right? What did she believe in?
The Great Khan Möngke spoke calmly, using a strange tone, to the two of them.
Although some of his words were difficult to understand, the two of them understood most of it. The Great Khan Möngke had invited these two newly arrived missionaries to state their position and explain their doctrines.
Wu You was completely confused. Although her great-grandmother often burned incense and prayed to Buddha, she didn't have a clear religious stance. She had even fantasized about having a wedding in a church when she was young.
After experiencing Ru Hua's situation these past few days, she had gradually come to understand what had truly existed... He had believed in things like witchcraft, but he wasn't truly convinced, so it couldn't be considered faith.
In a daze, Wu You saw his and Gu Qingqing's shadows cast on the tent. Those shadows were much darker than they had been in the courtyard. Although still much lighter than those of the people in this world, they seemed to be slowly deepening, as if infected by other shadows, gradually becoming the same black as them.
Wu You subconsciously looked at his hands; they were no longer clear, or rather, somewhat ethereal, as if he were slowly becoming "transparent."
Could it be that if he stayed here too long, he would lose his physical form and become a complete shadow?
Could he still leave this place?
Could he still leave this palace?
Could he still leave this world drawn by the silver tree?
Could he still leave this painting?
"Your Majesty, Great Khan Möngke, we uphold science," Wu You heard Gu Qingqing's voice echoing in the Mongolian golden tent.