Hello! It’s so nice to have contact again! Last time I talked to you was a mere three years ago when I was 8, in 212 BC! If you don’t remember me that’s fine, my name is Wen Liu. I wrote to you the day prior of my fathers and mine expedition.
We left about a year ago, we left at the end of winter and at the moment it is ripe winter. We stayed on our original plan which was to travel from Cherchen al the way west till we reached New Saral. Our expected time to arrive was a year ago but obviously it didn’t go that fast.
Our first stop was Khotan. This city was cheap and stocked. Since it was not far out west and isolated, the completion made things cheaper and better made. So father and I traded along of things in this city to stock up for the future market.
A few slow months later we edged on to Yearjand. By this point I was very weak. Food was not abundant in fact pretty scarce and not to sound negative but father only could afford very little food for us. He even gave most of it to me. But we just couldn’t spend our money cause we didn’t have that much and we would need it to last near up to three years. We also needed a portion of the money to purchase and collect things we can trade once we got to New Saral.
A year later I was thinner than when we left. We were then in Kashgar. I remember incidents in Kashgar that made this account. My father and I had a donkey, one of our most prized possessions. The donkey, Jidong – would often carry me, when I tried, and also all the things we planned on trading. He was honestly a wonderful soul. Anyways, In the city of Kashgar I meet a young boy, named Gezi Chang, a few inches taller than myself. He was 10 years old it turned out, only a year, but he also wasn’t as thin as I was. He was also traveling along the Silk road but stationed with his father in Kashgar. One day, early in the morning I awoke to the voice of my father screaming. I quickly jumped to my feet, overlooking my surroundings, I saw my father and immediately started running towards him. He was on the side of a road getting punched in the stomach by Gezis’ father. I started screaming, I looked up and saw Gezi running away in the middle of the street. What was going on? I heard my father grunt to me to get away. A few minutes later, when my father was doubled over on the ground, I stared at gezis’ father from across the street while crying, scold my father to never accuse him of stealing his things again, and if he saw him again, he would be in for it. He then left. I ran over to were my father lay and helped him up. Turned out that while we were sleeping they came over and started to steal some of our things. GEzi was holding them, and that’s why he was running away. His father told him to go back with our things. When my dad awoke to them scurrying around with our things he got quite upset. Although, my father and Gezis were about the same size, mine was a lot weaker. We left from Kashgar a few days later.
A few months later we were in the city of Sarparkand. I remember that in this city I was always terrified thinking that Xionngnu were going to raid us. I stayed very close to my father this whole time and was very aware of my surroundings. Although while we were here no Xionngnu’s attacked, at the time there were very brutal battles between the Chinese military and this group. The Xionngnu were a group of nomads who often attacked and raided cities. We then left for Bukhara.
A few months at Bukhara I had already seen a man killed for disobeying Emperor Qin. After seeing that I was quite emotional. My often would whisper to my father to ask if we’re doing anything illegal or disobeying Emperor Qin. He would reassure me that we were safe and no, we were not. I also noticed in Bukhara that people often bought from people of their own religion or close to. This was quite annoying. My father told me though that, that was why we were going west were, it was not crowded and we would get a more desperate group.
I did notice a difference though in population along the road when we were in Khlva compared to Khotan or most of the other cities. It was quite peaceful out there. I had seen a lot of things though, from different arts to the innovations of technology.Finally we made it to New Saral were we currently are. Father was right we get a lot more customers out here and its nice. Jidong is still alive and well. I hope we never have to sell him. Father is proud of me for helping him achieve the journey, but he doesn’t know that I’m more proud of him that he is of me! I’ve got to go, I’ll talk to you soon! Bye!
We left about a year ago, we left at the end of winter and at the moment it is ripe winter. We stayed on our original plan which was to travel from Cherchen al the way west till we reached New Saral. Our expected time to arrive was a year ago but obviously it didn’t go that fast.
Our first stop was Khotan. This city was cheap and stocked. Since it was not far out west and isolated, the completion made things cheaper and better made. So father and I traded along of things in this city to stock up for the future market.
A few slow months later we edged on to Yearjand. By this point I was very weak. Food was not abundant in fact pretty scarce and not to sound negative but father only could afford very little food for us. He even gave most of it to me. But we just couldn’t spend our money cause we didn’t have that much and we would need it to last near up to three years. We also needed a portion of the money to purchase and collect things we can trade once we got to New Saral.
A year later I was thinner than when we left. We were then in Kashgar. I remember incidents in Kashgar that made this account. My father and I had a donkey, one of our most prized possessions. The donkey, Jidong – would often carry me, when I tried, and also all the things we planned on trading. He was honestly a wonderful soul. Anyways, In the city of Kashgar I meet a young boy, named Gezi Chang, a few inches taller than myself. He was 10 years old it turned out, only a year, but he also wasn’t as thin as I was. He was also traveling along the Silk road but stationed with his father in Kashgar. One day, early in the morning I awoke to the voice of my father screaming. I quickly jumped to my feet, overlooking my surroundings, I saw my father and immediately started running towards him. He was on the side of a road getting punched in the stomach by Gezis’ father. I started screaming, I looked up and saw Gezi running away in the middle of the street. What was going on? I heard my father grunt to me to get away. A few minutes later, when my father was doubled over on the ground, I stared at gezis’ father from across the street while crying, scold my father to never accuse him of stealing his things again, and if he saw him again, he would be in for it. He then left. I ran over to were my father lay and helped him up. Turned out that while we were sleeping they came over and started to steal some of our things. GEzi was holding them, and that’s why he was running away. His father told him to go back with our things. When my dad awoke to them scurrying around with our things he got quite upset. Although, my father and Gezis were about the same size, mine was a lot weaker. We left from Kashgar a few days later.
A few months later we were in the city of Sarparkand. I remember that in this city I was always terrified thinking that Xionngnu were going to raid us. I stayed very close to my father this whole time and was very aware of my surroundings. Although while we were here no Xionngnu’s attacked, at the time there were very brutal battles between the Chinese military and this group. The Xionngnu were a group of nomads who often attacked and raided cities. We then left for Bukhara.
A few months at Bukhara I had already seen a man killed for disobeying Emperor Qin. After seeing that I was quite emotional. My often would whisper to my father to ask if we’re doing anything illegal or disobeying Emperor Qin. He would reassure me that we were safe and no, we were not. I also noticed in Bukhara that people often bought from people of their own religion or close to. This was quite annoying. My father told me though that, that was why we were going west were, it was not crowded and we would get a more desperate group.
I did notice a difference though in population along the road when we were in Khlva compared to Khotan or most of the other cities. It was quite peaceful out there. I had seen a lot of things though, from different arts to the innovations of technology.Finally we made it to New Saral were we currently are. Father was right we get a lot more customers out here and its nice. Jidong is still alive and well. I hope we never have to sell him. Father is proud of me for helping him achieve the journey, but he doesn’t know that I’m more proud of him that he is of me! I’ve got to go, I’ll talk to you soon! Bye!
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