Yuan Xi had dug many wells. The first were at Jade Gate Pass. Later, when sandstorms came, he dredged wells a…
Yuan Xi had dug many wells. The first were at Jade Gate Pass.
Later, when sandstorms came, he dredged wells at Karez.
Then he came here.
He knew the well beneath his feet was just an unremarkable point on the general's water map.
But it was points like these, connected one to another,
that linked this place to Karez, and Karez to all of Hexi—
and would one day flow all the way to the Tang.
Water seeped into the soil underfoot. The crowd urged him to
throw in a closing offering for good luck.
He took out several Tang coins—their square holes like tiny "well-eyes."
Threading them with red cord into an amulet,
he linked every well-eye together.