From the moment I resolved to make this place my home, I planted a grove of desert poplars. And with them, a n…
From the moment I resolved to make this place my home, I planted a grove of desert poplars.
And with them, a name took root: Poplar Bazaar.
My restless heart, once fated to wander, has slowly found its peace.
I came to know everyone in Poplar Bazaar and at Jade Gate Pass by name, including the general's.
He was a man of many worries, which often followed him here. Pointing to the wells we dug together, he said this place reminded him of Hexi—a string of lonely wells that would one day run dry.
His dream was to connect this oasis to Hexi and all the way to the heart of the Tang Empire, turning this desert into a land lush with water and grass.
On that day, he said, Hexi would be reclaimed, and Jade Gate Pass would return to the realm.
The trade routes to Chang'an would reopen, and I would lead my caravans down that road again, openly and with pride.
In time, the poplars grew tall. Their seeds, carried on the wind, spread the name of our golden home to lands far away.
As for me, I continue to build my fortune, waiting patiently for the day my caravan once again sets out for Chang'an.