Meeting the Bride
The bride's train was met by the nomads twenty li from the encampment — a sign of the greatest respect.
A gray, beautiful, yet somehow absurd "foreign" evening was approaching. Red-bearded dignitaries, adorned with golden badges, dismounted from their wonderful swan-like horses and knelt down. Following them, an innumerable (as it seemed to the princess) army instantly dismounted and followed the example of their leaders. The princess, reclining in her palanquin, stood up to her full petite height. Her chest heaved violently, her gaze excitedly swept over the countless bowed heads, over the immeasurable sea of snorting swan-like horses... Could it be that she is the mistress of this border empire? If only the entire imperial court, all those envious court ladies, could see this scene right now...
The stoutest and most esteemed of the dignitaries rose on his crooked legs and spoke in a deep bass:
— O, Heavenly Camel! The lord awaits you by his fire. But if you are tired, a tent has been set up for your lodging.
The devoted Liu Shu translated:
— O, goddess! Allow the weary body to rest under the shade of the tent that is already prepared for you!
— Yes! — said the Lotus Flower. Liu Shu translated the princess's reply:
— I long to see the lord. But the modesty of a maiden does not allow for haste.
The Usuni were delighted: she knows the steppe customs! Indeed, they were surprised by the brief response and the lengthy translation.
In her palanquin, she was carried to a high hill. But it was not a hill — it was a giant tent, seemingly "clad" on the outside with the skins of spotted beasts — snow leopards... The grand entrance was covered by three skins of Turanian tigers with bared, whiskered faces. On either side of the entrance stood two heroes from her personal guard, frozen like statues...
At dawn, her maidservants woke her. They did not know that the princess had not closed her eyes all night and had only fallen asleep just before morning. The morning in the mountains is always fresh, even in summer. The princess, shivering as she wrapped herself up, stepped onto the green carpet of grass and immediately soaked her feet: how cold the dew is! But she was quickly lifted back into the palanquin.
The journey did not last long. The bright sun had not yet begun to truly shine when Liu Shu approached the palanquin:
— Delicate Lotus Flower! The capital is just ahead... They had just climbed the hill, and the princess's gaze opened up to...
...In a deep, flat basin like a table on the left bank of the river, which flowed into the Warm Lake, lay the main encampment of the Usuni lord — the city of Rigu (Chiguchz).
To the north, beyond the river, rose mighty mountains, while to the south, the basin was enclosed by hills. The city was protected by a high adobe wall. The second wall — the inner one — surrounded the encampment itself. To the west, the calm surface of the lake shimmered under the morning sun and faded somewhere in the distance.
Beyond the wall, many gray cubes were scattered about, vaguely resembling peasant huts — such as the princess had seen when the court made its moves from Chang'an to Luoyang. But most of all, there were dark round tents, bustling with tiny human figures, and toy riders dashed about. Smoke rose from everywhere; they were cooking and frying — preparing for the festivities.
A vast strip between the walls, as well as the entire eastern part of the city, was undeveloped and resembled a huge corral for livestock. All of this was quite clearly visible.
At the city gates, the bride's procession was once again met by the elders. This time, there were about twenty women with them — evidently court ladies. From the princess's perspective, their clothing was barbarically vulgar, garishly luxurious.
They immediately took the high guest and her maidservants under their care.
Near Chigu, the city looked even less like a city; it was almost laughable to compare it to Chang'an. Instead of streets, there were paths worn among the dense low grass: thousands of horse hooves and the soles of pedestrians had worked for this. Deep ruts from carts were also visible: in some, yellow puddles stood.
Closer to the shore was something resembling a city quarter. About two hundred clay huts with thatched roofs surrounded by small vegetable gardens and even smaller orchards — from the perspective of the princess, who had grown up among the vast imperial parks of Chang'an. There were also about twenty or thirty wooden cabins. And that was it!
The remaining area was occupied by felt round huts, where large families of the local inhabitants lived. Among them, barefoot, dirty, and blond boys ran around shouting.
The supreme Usuni ruler was called a name that sounded like Lezhaomi to the Chinese ear. He held the title of Kunbag. He was a tall, powerful old man with a reddish-gray beard from old age and blue eyes. His entire appearance radiated good-naturedness. But the princess understood: this was a deception. Terrible nomads cannot be kind. She was irresistibly drawn to look at the steppe leader again and again. And she did so stealthily.
The Bride of Kunbag. Part - 1. The Lotus Flower