by Sewell, Ron
“Incredible,” said Petros. “They scrubbed up well and Yun has worked miracles with Ling’s hair and makeup. And I worried the transition from farmyard to town might be a problem.” He directed them to the lift. “Whatever the expenses are, we’ll pay them in full.”
“I found the obtaining of travel permits far easier than I imagined,” said Nathan. “I have good news.”
Petros raised his eyebrows. “A glass of wine, then you can tell me your news.”
Together they entered their suite. A white-jacketed waiter followed with two bottles of wine, one white, the other red, and filled their glasses as indicated. He departed and a few minutes later returned with a glass of orange juice for Fei.
Nathan picked up his wine glass, took a sip and savoured the taste. Turning the flute in his hands, he said, “You’ll never guess what. I left my son with the beads and he put your puzzle together.”
Petros shook his head. “I was told it might be impossible. Do you understand its meaning?”
“In truth, I took it to an old man I know. He’s a professor of Chinese languages. At ninety-four, his mind is still in overdrive. The cube gives us six clues. Heaven’s Ladder – Clouds – Sky Bridge– Brave Fortune – The Hidden Barrier – Dragons.”
A pained expression crossed Petros’ face. “Let me recap. Six sides and six clues. What are they telling us?”
Nathan nodded as he doodled on a napkin. “Short of solving the mystery, Plan A is back on the table.”
Petros leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. “Pound to a penny these symbols describe the location of where Empress what’s-her-name stashed away her retirement funds.”
“Wait a moment,” said Nathan, getting to his feet.
“Where’s he going,” said Bear.
Nathan began to sort through a pile of tourist leaflets on a side table. Smiling, he returned with a handful.
“Ok, Nathan, what’s with the brochures?”
He trembled as he spoke. “The Great Wall of China is where the treasure is hidden.”
Petros hunched over the table and frowned. “It’s a bloody long wall.”
“Think, how long did Lady Yehenara and her team of carts and soldiers stay away from the Forbidden City? Find out and you know the rough distance and vicinity. Check these pamphlets.” He unfolded one and placed it on the table. “The Great Wall North East of Beijing. The Heavenly Ladder is one of the most dangerous sections of the wall and rises into the clouds towards the Sky Bridge. This has to be the spot. I have no idea regarding the remaining clues but with lateral thinking they must make sense.”
“To be fair, your deduction is tenuous. Out of interest, where do dragons live in this mythical world?”
“In China,” said Nathan, “this mythical symbol goes back many thousands of years. In ancient times, the dragon was sacred, and I’m sure you know the emblem of Chinese Emperors. Dragons are rooted in the national culture and the Chinese people claim to be descendants of them. Where they live depends on which one you choose. Nine major dragons exist in China. As a generalisation, they live under the surface of the earth. Why do you ask?”
Petros leaned across the table. “Fortune favours the brave, so taking your thoughts to the extreme, the treasure is located under the surface of the earth, possibly in a cave.” He glanced at the woman and boy. We’re being rude to our guests. I suggest we sleep on it.”
“Fine, the treasure can wait.” He spoke to Ling and Fei and apologised.
“Finished?” said Bear. “I’m starving and Fei has figured out most of my magic tricks with a coin. Smart boy.”
Petros pressed the bell for the waiter.
Nathan, after talking to Ling and Fei, ordered.
“What are we eating?” said Bear.
Nathan levelled his eyes at Bear and whispered. “Spicy Wanton soup, followed by roast duck and noodles. I took the liberty of ordering you a whole duck. I hope you enjoy the flavour of the meat.”
They ate and chatted, with Nathan interpreting for Ling and Fei.
The meal over, Nathan checked the time. “It’s time we were going. Give me a ring sometime tomorrow and we can chat further.”
Petros and Bear escorted their guests to the entrance and waited until the rear lights of Nathan’s battered red truck vanished.
“We need to talk.”
“Tomorrow.” said Bear.
“Now.”
On their return to their suite, Petros grabbed the two half bottles of wine as he passed. He went and stood on the balcony and placed both on the small hardwood table.
Bear followed with two clean tumblers. “Not Waterford crystal but beggars can’t be choosers.”
Petros pulled back one of the chairs and sat while Bear did the same. “Red or white?”
“White, as you drink red. Okay, what’s so important?”
“Nathan’s come up with something but I want you to test your grey matter.”
“Is this going to be a long night? That duck was delicious but without doubt a good runner before they caught and chopped off its head.”
“Don’t tell me you’re still hungry.” Petros grinned. “Order half a dozen beef sandwiches.” He sipped at his wine and stared out at the lights of Kunming. This escapade, where would it take them?
A knock on the door and the night waiter entered with a platter of sandwiches.
“Ok, get on with the tale of Aladdin’s cave. The magic lamp, get it out and I’ll start rubbing.”
“More to the point,” Petros smiled, “what bothers me is he might be right and, if he is, what do we do next?” He handed across the brochure and reiterated Nathan’s story and assumptions. “So what do you believe?”
“We need to undertake a whole heap of research before making a decision. This treasure, if it exists – how do we get cart-loads out of a cave and this country?”
“Hadn’t got that far.” He frowned and held up three fingers. “Three options. One: go home, tell George, let him worry. Two: stay and do a bit of digging and then go home. Three: stay, dig, find the treasure and a way to take it out of China.”
“What’s going to happen to Ling and Fei?”
“They get an expenses paid trip to the UK and, if we find the treasure, a few quid in the bank.”
“My choice is number two. At my age, the rest of my life in a Chinese jail if we’re caught doesn’t appeal. I would suggest we delay Ling’s departure for the UK. Did you eat the last sandwich?”
“You ate every one. I’m knackered. Let’s finish the wine and go to bed.”
Petros, a man who worked and played hard, undressed and slid beneath the crisp white sheets. With his mind in a spin, he breathed long and deep, relaxing his body from his toes to his head. In the past, if he dreamt, the dreams were more often than not nightmares. In Afghanistan he had awakened night after night lathered in sweat from the same nightmare. Al-Qaeda, despite their losses, constantly inflicted death and destruction on the occupying forces. Often soldiers from his past, sent home in caskets, visited him in the dark.
In the early hours of the morning, a kaleidoscope of images whirled in his brain: Chinese soldiers, sweating, swearing, and guiding heavily laden carts towards the Great Wall; Lady Yehenara, in her fine clothes, giving orders to her men. Petros sensed the room was spinning out of control. He awoke, opened his eyes and focused on the moonlit window. Beads of sweat covered his forehead.
Chapter Nineteen
Early the next morning, Petros purchased a detailed map of the Great Wall. He noted it was not on a par with a British Ordinance Survey but met his needs.
During breakfast he and Bear checked and highlighted in red the positions of the clues. With the omission of the Hidden Barrier and Dragons, they approximated the locality of the treasure.
“What do you think?” said Petros.
“When’s the next flight to Beijing?”
“There’s one every day, but we need to talk to Nathan first.”
“I’ll get my c
oat.”
In less than five minutes they strolled out of the hotel towards the hospital.
“Good morning,” said Nathan. “What are you two doing here?”
“We need to talk,” said Petros, “and as one of Ding Lang’s men is on our tail, we thought it best to come and visit you. You can check my arm or something.”
Nathan smiled as he opened the door to his office. “It’s always a pleasure to talk.” He walked to the chair behind his desk and sat. “What’s the problem?”
“After our little chat last night, we believe your assumptions on the cube might be right.” Petros removed the map from his jacket pocket. “Red marker highlights the relevant areas. Look how close they are to each other.”
Nathan sat back and steepled his hands before speaking. “You’re bloody serious.”
“He is,” said Bear.
“So what’s your plan?” said Nathan.
“Tomorrow we fly to Beijing and take one of those tours around the Great Wall. I don’t believe we’ll turn up anything of worth. With regard to your house guests, could you delay their flights to England until we return?”
“I’m not sure I understand,” said Nathan.
Petros held Nathan’s eyes with his own. “Ling is entitled to her share if we discover something. A few days will change nothing.”
Nathan stood and walked the width of the room. “What are the odds of finding the treasure?”
“I believe the Lady Yehenara hid something.”
“But you don’t know,” said Nathan.
“We enjoy the hunt,” said Bear, “and you never know. Over the years, China has uncovered many riches. Take the Terracotta Soldiers, hidden in the earth for centuries. No harm in looking.”
Nathan returned to his chair. “I’d love to help you find it but I can’t. Let’s be fair, the police follow you everywhere. Suppose someone reports you?”
“We’re good at what we do,” said Bear. “Please care for Ling and Fei until we get back.”
“My pleasure,” said Nathan.
“Petros pocketed his map. “Thanks, we should be back in a week.”
A loud knock on the office door startled them. Ding Lang’s man entered. “Why closed?”
“This man is a patient,” said Nathan. He pointed at Petros. “Broke his arm. I’m checking his plaster cast. Doctors do such things.”
The man glanced around the room. “I stay.”
“Thanks, doc,” said Petros. “Come on, Bear, time to go.”
“Before you leave China, I must check your arm again.”
“No probs, doc,” said Petros.
Both turned and brushed past the police officer.
* * *
The next morning Petros and Bear travelled with China Airways to Beijing, landing at noon. Rules and regulations at the airport were straightforward, and with luggage for their stay they were soon in a taxi heading for Simatai and the Great Wall.
With the prime purpose of keeping it simple, Bear chose a guesthouse in Simatai, a short distance from the Wall.
A man and woman dressed in European clothing greeted them on their arrival. “Mr Kyriades and Mr Morris, welcome,” said the man in excellent English, “I am Sheng Su and,” he guestured, “ my wife Xiao-hong. We hope you enjoy your stay. Your room is ready and we can offer lunch if you are hungry.”
“Bear, tell me you didn’t hear that?”
“A few sandwiches to keep me going until this evening,” said Bear.
“Not a problem. Please leave your passports with my wife. She will complete the registration and you can sign the forms later.”
Sheng showed them to their rooms and left, not waiting for a tip.
Petros dumped his holdall on the bed and walked to the window edged with long white cotton curtains. One hundred metres away the Great Wall featured as far as the eye could see. A knock on the door disturbed his thoughts. He opened it to find a young girl holding a tray with a large plate of sandwiches and two bottles of Chinese Snow Beer.
“Thank you.” Petros nodded his appreciation. “Do you speak English?”
“I try.”
“The Simatai Great Wall, where do I book a tour?”
“Wall closed. Jinshanling, Gubeikou and others open. I can arrange.”
Petros found himself amused by the soft-spoken girl’s use of English. “Do you know how long?”
The girl stared at Petros. “Wall closed long time. Workmen repair.”
He nodded. “Thank you for your help.”
“You want me book another trip?”
“Later.”
She smiled and pulled the door shut.
Petros leaned on the wrought iron railings of the balcony and studied the Wall. No visitors makes it easy and difficult for us at the same time, he pondered. With gusto, he shouted into the next room. “Grub’s up.”
He let Bear in, who made a beeline for the sandwiches and beer. “The Wall is closed.”
Bear, with a mouthful of food, stared at him quizzically. “Explain.”
“We need to assess this job. Get those eaten and we’ll go for a walk.”
Bear gave one of his ‘I don’t give a shit’ shrugs. “No peace for the wicked.”
“We’re here to check the Wall.”
“I’m sure you’re not going to let me forget. Give me two minutes and I’ll get my jacket.” He grabbed the last sandwich and stuffed it in his mouth as they left.
Petros picked up a schematic of the Wall from reception on the way out. He checked the time. “It’s past four o’clock. A couple of hours of daylight left.”
“Can’t we hire a taxi and save our feet?” said Bear. “Tomorrow we can yomp as much as you want.”
“Good idea.” He returned to reception and asked them to order a car with a driver who spoke English.
The girl who delivered the food smiled shyly from behind the desk. “Drivers not speak English. You need tour guide. I arrange.”
“Bear, we’ll have to be careful what we say.”
In less than ten minutes, the taxi arrived. The passenger door opened and out stepped a Eurasian woman with one of the most becoming smiles Petros had ever seen. He guessed her age as late twenties. Blue eyes studied the two men waiting. She raised her right hand and brushed her long dark hair away from her face.
She gazed at the blond-haired man, well aware of the effect she had on the opposite sex, but this foreigner was not interested.
In a firm voice, she said, “Good afternoon. I am Abi Liu, your guide.” She handed across a laminated card with her photo and identification in English. Her handshake was soft. “You ask to see Great Wall?”
Petros returned her steady gaze. “We wanted to photograph the Great Wall at Simatai but I’m told it’s closed.”
Her expression confirmed his words. “Yes, unsafe. Government shut.”
“Abi,” said Petros, “can you get us close so we can show our friends we have been there?”
“Both sides, please,” said Bear holding up a disposable camera.
Abi smiled. “I talk to driver.” She returned moments later. “He agrees to take you as far as he can but not into the restricted part. I will explain the most interesting characteristics of the Wall.”
Both men settled into the rear seat while Abi sat in the front passenger seat.
The driver drove at a steady speed along well-constructed roads until they turned onto another, which ran parallel to the hills and the Wall.
At the top of a slight incline, the car stopped and Abi began her practised description. “The Great Wall built over two thousand years ago to keep out the marauding hordes. Taken as a whole, it stretches from Korea to the Gobi Desert. A lot has gone, the elements are partly to blame, but Chinese farmers continue to use those stones they can remove to repair their farms.”
She pointed. “This section, built during the Qi dynasty, required repair in the Ming dynasty. This includes many original features. Every brick can be identified by the numbers on them.
”
“Where did they make the bricks?” said Petros, trying his best to appear interested as Bear clicked away with his camera.
“In local factories,” said Abi. She pointed. “The Wangjing Tower is the highest on this section, reaching a thousand metres. From the top and at night you can see the lights of Beijing. To your right is the Fairy Maiden. Legend tells us an antelope, reincarnated as an angel, lived there, and fell in love with a shepherd. The next is the Heavenly Ladder, precarious to climb and leads to heaven.”
“What type of rock,” asked Bear, “sandstone or limestone?”
“Overall limestone but under the Wall are many caves. These are dangerous and sealed. Next we go to the lake.”
The driver drove for fifteen minutes before turning onto a level expanse of ground and stopping.
“Mandarin Duck Springs. One half warm, the other chilly. In the winter steam rises from the lake - most spectacular.”
“Why?” asked Petros.
“Water from two streams, one hot and one cold but from different sides.” The driver spoke to Abi who translated. “We will now travel the other side of the Wall. No place to stop but he promises to drive slow.”
The car accelerated, allowing the driver to make a sharp right turn. It jolted and bounced as it progressed along a rough track.
Petros and Bear gripped the roof straps to steady themselves. Forty minutes later, they were again outside their hotel.
Abi jumped out and opened the rear door, allowing both men to exit.
“Most enjoyable and interesting,” said Petros. “What do we owe you?”
“Five hundred Yuan for the driver and two hundred and fifty for my services.”
Bear removed a roll of notes from his trouser pocket. “Worth every penny. Here’s eight hundred; keep the change.”
“Thank you. Have a nice day.”
They waited until the taxi departed before entering the hotel. “I want to have a gander in those caves,” said Bear.
“Those in plain sight will be empty but Lady Yehenara might have closed one after hiding the gold. Get those photos developed and enlarged to foolscap size. They may well show something.”
