After ascending a stretch of slate path, Elder Chen pointed towards the pavilion and explained, "This area was actually an ancient theatre. The stage was right in front of the pavilion, where the high-ranking officials and nobility would sit to enjoy the opera and performances." This only deepened my confusion. Why would a viewing stand be erected within a temple? Imagining the clamor of past crowds made the whole place seem utterly absurd and grotesque.

The stone paifang Elder Chen mentioned stood above the main road, about a li from the Huanhou Temple. We trod upon the uniformly smooth slate path and soon arrived before the monumental archway.

Because the paifang was another key protected relic, the government had funded the construction of a surrounding wall, securing the main gate with an iron lock. The archway rested on a high platform, accessible by a short flight of steps built from dressed bluestone slabs. Elder Chen indicated the steps and noted, "These stone steps number exactly forty-eight, no more, no less." I counted as I ascended, and he was correct.

Elder Chen opened the gate, and a time-worn, ancient stone paifang appeared before us.

After Elder Chen’s thorough explanation, we finally grasped the history of the stone archway, absorbing with reverence the unique ingenuity of the ancient artisans' carving—

In the first year of the Tianqi reign of Emperor Xizong of the Ming Dynasty, Tan Cheng, the Xuanfu Shi (Pacification Commissioner) of Tangya, was dispatched to conquer Yu City, capturing Fan Long and Fan Hu; the following year, he was ordered to subdue Shui’an and defeat Yan Bangyan; in the third year of Tianqi, he was commanded to suppress She Chongming and She Shehui. Achieving outstanding success in these three campaigns, he was commended by the Imperial Envoy and Governor-General of Sichuan, Zhu Xieyuan, and subsequently promoted to Qianshi (Assistant Commissioner) of the Commanderies and Garrisons. The Emperor issued two decrees: one ordering the characters "Shuai Fu" (Commander's Residence) above the main gate, designating him the "Great General Pacifying the West"; and the second decree commanding the construction of a paifang, inscribed on its front and back with the eight grand characters: "Jingnan Xiong Zhen" (The Mighty Bulwark of Southern Jing) and "Chu Shu Ping Han" (The Screen of Chu and Shu). It was during this period that the Tangya Tusi system reached its zenith of prosperity.

The paifang was constructed from sandstone, featuring a simulated wooden structure with a one-bracket, three-layer eaves system and covered with cylindrical tiles over the dougong brackets. It stood 6.8 meters high at the center and 5.8 meters at the sides. Four square pillars supported the structure, each 50 centimeters wide, flanked at the front and back by 2.5-meter-long, bulging stone guard posts. A stone lion stood before the left guard post. The central gate measured 2.9 meters wide and 5 meters high. The side gates were 1.7 meters wide and 3.5 meters high. The lintels above were made of single stones, mortised and tenoned to connect with the pillars. Thin stones, 15 centimeters thick, were inlaid between the lintels, decorated above with relief carvings of figures and calligraphy. Beneath the central gate’s main lintel, elephant trunks served as ornamentation. The eight grand characters facing the street, "Jingnan Xiong Zhen," and those on the reverse side facing the administration office, "Chu Shu Ping Han," were all intaglio-carved, appearing vigorous and striking. The lintel surfaces above and below these large characters featured relief motifs such as "The Earth King on Inspection," "Shun Ploughing the Southern Mountain," "Fishing, Woodcutting, Farming, and Studying," "Clouds and Dragons Swallowing Mist," and "Seeing a Son off under the Locust Tree."

Elder Chen explained, "Back then, if anyone wished an audience with the Tusi Lord Tan Cheng, civil officials had to dismount from their palanquins, and military officers had to dismount from their horses upon reaching here. Look, the hitching posts are still perfectly preserved. Furthermore, everyone had a designated entrance; the side gate above which the characters 'Fishery' (Yu) and 'Farming' (Geng) were carved on the left side was exclusively for fishermen and farmers. The gate below which 'Woodcutting' (Qiao) and 'Studying' (Du) were inscribed was reserved only for woodcutters and scholars. Officials of a certain rank entered through the central gate. Because the Tusi period was heavily influenced by Han culture, women held a very low status and were strictly forbidden from using any gate for entry or exit."

"Logically, there should be a pair of stone lions in front of the gate, so why is there only one now?" Qin Ping'er asked, pointing at the oddly shaped stone lion on the left side of the paifang.

Elder Chen chuckled, "This young lady has a sharp eye for detail. There were indeed originally a pair of stone lions, one on each side. However, the eyes of the original right-hand lion faced towards Youyang in Chongqing. Some say that in an unknown year, it flew away to Youyang. If you ever have the chance to visit there, you might discover this runaway stone lion in the local area. Now, look closely at the one on the left; doesn't its neck bear deep rope-burn marks? Legend has it that a long time ago, this lion missed its companion and also wanted to fly to Youyang, but it was forcibly tethered by the locals, leaving these scars. Of course, this is just a legend; the real reason only one lion remains here has long been lost to memory."

By this time, the rain had completely ceased. The sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the dew-kissed weeds and shrubs so that they glittered, revealing the freshly washed, brilliant green skin of the surrounding mountains. This brilliance only served to accentuate the ancient grandeur of the stone paifang and the crumbling ruins hidden among the thicket. My thoughts leaped across a century of time, as if I could see the diverse figures of Tujia ancestors thriving upon this land.

"Let's go. I’ll take you next to see Tan Cheng's Tomb, the Tusi Royal Mausoleum, and the Husband-and-Wife Fir Trees—these are must-see spots for every visitor," Elder Chen’s words pulled me back to reality. "Tan Cheng's Tomb?" My spirits lifted. I thought to myself, finding Tan Cheng so smoothly and this quickly leading us to his grave? We didn't even have time to ponder the next question: even if we found Tan Cheng's tomb, what would we do next? How could he possibly reveal the secret of the Blood Soul Tablet to us?

The four of us understood each other instantly, exchanging a look, unable to suppress the excitement surging in our hearts.

Who knew that Elder Chen’s next words would plunge our blazing anticipation into an icy chasm? "This Tan Cheng Tomb is merely the best-preserved among his forty-eight decoy graves. Whether it is his actual resting place is unknown. Though a stone stele stands before it, there are absolutely no inscriptions on the tablet..."

"Forty-eight decoy graves?" I pressed him, "Why would he establish forty-eight decoy graves?"

"To clarify this, I must first briefly explain the history of the Tusi system to you. I am old now, and it is time that more people understood and remembered that history. After you listen, you will understand why Tan Cheng set up forty-eight decoy graves back then." A flicker of melancholy crossed Elder Chen's weathered face.

And so, under the shade of lush trees and grass, amidst the decaying ruins of the Tusi citadel following the heavy rain, we listened to Elder Chen's low voice reveal a history long forgotten by the world—

Xidu had always been a land where ethnic minorities labored and lived since ancient times. During the Spring and Autumn Period, it belonged to the Ba State; during the Warring States period, it was occupied by the State of Chu and incorporated into Wu Commandery. After Qin unified China, the policy was to "continue to appoint the Ba chieftains as barbarian rulers" over their subordinates. Subsequently, the feudal rulers of the Central Plains long implemented a policy of appeasement and lax control (Jimi) towards the southwestern ethnic groups. The implication was that the central government at that time paid little heed to the Tujia people of Xidu. If they submitted to the court, they were granted titles and honors; if they rendered meritorious service in conscription, they received rewards; and if they offered tribute to the court, they would receive generous reciprocation. This lenient Jimi policy and loose control ensured relative stability for the southwestern minorities, particularly the Tujia. The ancestors of the Tujia, the Ba people, thus settled down in this region. In the second year of the Xiangxing era of the Song Dynasty (1279), Tan Sanmao occupied the great water fields locally, and after the fall of the Song, he proclaimed himself the Dongzhu (Tribe Chief) of Sanmao Cave. This Jimi system lasted for over 1,400 years, from the demise of the Ba State until the end of the Song Dynasty.

During the Jimi period, the local Tujia people were referred to by the Han Chinese as the "Wuxi Man" or the "Linjun Race." The "Five Creeks" referred to the You, Chen, Wu, Wu, and Yuan rivers.

The Song Dynasty's Jimi system was a loose form of rule; the various Jimizhou (pacification prefectures) maintained an ambivalent relationship with the Song Dynasty. When the Song Dynasty declined and its authority weakened, the chieftains of the various Jimizhou began to defy Song control. Moreover, the areas governed by the six Jimizhou established by the Song Dynasty in Xidu were not extensive, and a considerable portion of the territory remained occupied by powerful local clans. These clans, along with the powerful gentry of the Jimizhou, rose up as the Song Dynasty waned, each seizing their own territory. After the fall of the Song Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty sought to govern these powerful local magnates by widely establishing Tusi (hereditary native officials) and adopting policies of pacification and capitulation.

The Tusi system operated under a feudal hereditary structure. Ranks, from highest to lowest, included the Xuanweisi, Xuanfusi, Anfusi, Zhaotao Si, and Zhanguan Si. Succession to the position of lord was not based on wisdom or folly; the son inherited from the father, and if there were no sons, the elder brother inherited from the younger.

The Tangya Tusi was established in the sixth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1346). Concurrently established in Xidu alongside the Tangya Tusi were the Jindong Anfusi and Longtan Anfusi, though Tangya was only a Zhanguan Si at that time. In the first year of the Tianqi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1621), Tan Cheng, the Xuanweishi (Military Commissioner) of Tangya, achieved great merit through three military campaigns and was titled Great General Pacifying the West by the court. The Tangya Tusi entered an era of unprecedented flourishing.