The Source of Windbreaks and Sand Stabilization

Even in the Ili River Valley, a region in Northwest China known as the Jiangnan Beyond the Pass," the temperature difference between day and night is quite large.

It's only May in the Gregorian calendar, and the daytime temperature in the city is already over 30 degrees Celsius.

However, there were still quite a few people selling various kinds of barbecued meat on both sides of the street.

Especially those selling meat skewers.

The barbecue restaurant was quite busy, with long barbecue grills set up outside the door.

The aroma wafted out continuously, accompanied by occasional shouts and chants.

To be honest, the way the vendors called out their wares, mixed with the local accent, was remarkably similar to the accent of the lamb skewer vendor in a Spring Festival Gala skit from a few years ago.

Often, barbecue restaurants are interspersed with places that sell nuts, cold drinks, and ice cream.

"Yogurt rice dumplings?"

Chu Tianshu stood in front of a cold drink and dessert shop and glanced at it a few more times.

In Hailing, families cook zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) together. They make savory zongzi with pork belly and sweet zongzi with hawthorn or jujubes, all cooked in one pot. They distinguish the types by the color of the plastic bag used to tie the zongzi. Occasionally, some people also wrap solid zongzi and dip them in white sugar.

When Chu Tianshu was a child, he didn't like eating solid zongzi. Every time he got one, he would dip it in sugar and pour yogurt on it. At the time, he thought it was his own invention.

So this kind of thing has existed in the Northwest for a long time, and it's quite common.

"Have some to try."

Chu Tianshu glanced at the people around him, "And you?"

The four of them went out without a car, relying entirely on their own two feet, wandering around aimlessly.

Lin Chucheng eagerly raised his hand, and Tang Nu also asked for a copy.

Only Mo Xiaoyu raised her water bottle, indicating that she would only drink water.

Without making a sound, she took in everything around her—the sounds of people and vehicles, the laughter and actions of shopkeepers and travelers.

Chu Tianshu, however, was already gathered in front of the counter, watching the shop assistants prepare the zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).

Use a wooden spatula to flatten the rice dumpling, cut it into small pieces, place it in a plastic square box, and pour a layer of yogurt on top.

The counter also displays various fruit syrups, including dragon fruit, mango, and kiwi, all in vibrant colors.

After pouring the sugar syrup, pour a second layer of honey syrup mixed with a few honeysuckle petals.

After the three received the zongzi, Chu Tianshu took a bite first, but it wasn't as sweet as he had imagined.

It highlights the milky aroma and the cool texture of the crushed fruit, and when you chew the rice dumpling, you can taste the aroma of glutinous rice.

The Ili River Valley is a popular tourist destination and the first place in the province to show signs of spring.

This month is when the scenery of the Ili River Valley is at its peak.

There were many tourists on the street, eating as they walked, but Chu Tianshu and his group were not conspicuous at all.

It's rather unusual to see a woman like Mo Xiaoyu, with her bright looks and fair skin, not wearing a sun hat or carrying an umbrella, and only holding a mineral water bottle.

Mo Xiaoyu quickly noticed this and bought an ice cream from the shop next door, holding it in her hand to appear sociable.

There's no need to be so cautious.

Chu Tianshu laughed and said, "We might not encounter anything serious. Let's just treat this as a trip for fun."

Lin Chucheng nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes."

He would eat one piece before saying "yes," and the intervals between these three "yes" were not short. He would shake his head and sway his body, clearly extremely happy.

As they reached the street corner, a strong gust of wind blew by, Shangdu all of them.

Lin Chucheng's eyes lit up, and he pointed to the street next to them. "Let's go play over there."

On the streets there, many shopkeepers deliberately dressed their customers in a way that conformed to people's stereotypes about Northwest China.

They sell only dried fruit, yogurt, naan bread, rice cakes, and mutton pilaf.

There are also many shops selling keychains, unique clothing, fishing rods, whips, and other souvenirs.

This is a street area specifically prepared for tourists; it's exceptionally lively and also exceptionally expensive.

Locals rarely go there for sightseeing or dining.

"Go!"

Chu Tianshu made a decisive statement, "Wherever Senior Lin says we'll go, we'll go. Nothing else matters."

"Yay!"

Lin Chucheng quickened his pace and walked over there.

He looked around as he walked, but after walking more than half the street, he stopped in front of a flower shop.

The flower shop was filled with at least a hundred potted plants, all with lush green leaves and vibrant flowers, looking full of life.

There are also many saplings planted in pots, their gnarled and ugly appearance contrasting with the flowers, creating a kind of austere beauty.

The shop owner was a thin old man wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, with sallow skin and a kind face. He was leisurely watering the flowers at the entrance with a watering can and chatting with a few customers.

Several vehicles, including vans and small trucks, were parked on both sides of the store entrance, looking quite dusty.

Chu Tianshu knew that many tourists who came to Northwest China now knew that following a tour group wasn't that fun, so they often chose to look up some travel guides online and rent a car to travel by themselves once they arrived.

These orange-red car models are very popular at the store entrance.

There are more than a dozen similar vehicles on this tourist street, but the ones in front of the flower shop are old and worn, and don't look like they're rented.

"Grandpa, where did you get all these flowers and trees? They're so cute!"

Lin Chucheng went straight up to him.

The guests smiled when they saw that he was a child and didn't blame him for interrupting.

The florist chuckled, "You're so young, yet you have such good taste! These precious seedlings of mine were all brought from the mountains; many people from my workplace take care of them there."

"The land is excellent, the people are good, so naturally the seedlings are excellent."

unit?

Mo Xiaoyu stood at the door and glanced at the several signs in the flower shop.

"So they're from the plantation."

Mo Xiaoyu turned back a few steps and explained to Chu Tianshu, "It was probably during the city planning a few years ago that they wanted to turn this area into a tourist street, and they got the planting base to support them, so they opened this unique shop."

Chu Tianshu said, "I've heard that Yili is one of the world's three major lavender growing bases. They grow lavender there?"

"No."

Mo Xiaoyu shook her head and said, "The corresponding planting base here doesn't grow cash crops, but rather cultivates seedlings of plants that prevent wind erosion and stabilize sand dunes."

The city where Chu Tianshu and his group were located was actually close to the edge of the Ili River Valley.

Once you leave the Ili River Valley, it doesn't take long to see a desert-like landscape.

Large-scale windbreak and sand-fixing projects are underway throughout Northwest China.

They recruited local people to combat desertification, laid out grass checkerboards and planted vegetation in the border areas, gradually adding greenery to the desert.

"In earlier years, to prevent wind erosion and stabilize sand dunes, the main plants were tamarisk, saxaul, and white thorn."

"In recent years, directives have been issued to increase biodiversity in order to prevent pests and diseases. As a result, many oasis cities have established special planting bases to supply those working on desertification control."

Mo Xiaoyu explained in detail.

Chu Tianshu had a better understanding of the situation, and then looked at the shop entrance.

Lin Chucheng was already laughing heartily while chatting with several customers and shopkeepers.

The florist approached him and said, "Is this your child? He really wants to visit our plantation..."

"We're very interested too."

Chu Tianshu said with a smile, "If you don't mind, please let us come along, but we didn't drive here."

The florist noticed that Chu Tianshu was carrying a sword at his waist, and thought to himself that he was actually quite childlike at heart.

The other guests also gathered around.

"No car? No problem! We're the advance team transporting seedlings to the county anyway. We were going to stay for two days anyway, and the trucks have been empty for the past two days."

"We'll take you there."

One middle-aged man, looking at the tourists on the street, sighed, "The scenery there is truly beautiful from May to July every year. It's such a pity that tourists from other places don't go there."

Having reached an agreement, Chu Tianshu and the other three got into the car.

The van didn't have air conditioning, but when the van sped up on the highway, the wind rushing in through the windows was enough to make the interior temperature comfortable.

After driving for more than half an hour on the highway, the rolling hills became even more towering.

The distant hillsides and forests were shrouded in mist.

"The base is just ahead!"

The driver honked the horn twice, the sound echoing between the vast blue sky and distant mountains.

Despite being called a base, there were no signs of large-scale construction in the valley in front of it.

Small saplings and clusters of flowers accompany the trees, spreading from the mountain valley to the open hillsides in all directions.

It forms a unique landscape with the wild grasses and trees, varying in height and clearly defined yet coexisting harmoniously.

There are only a dozen or so wooden houses, scattered far away among the vast flower fields and saplings.

In some of the wooden houses, many wooden stakes were driven into the ground and wooden planks were laid on top, forming a path that extends over the sea of flowers.

A dozen or so young men and women, wearing sun hats and arm sleeves, walked along these paths, occasionally jumping into the flower fields to check for pests and diseases.

Some people sitting on small stools in front of the house picked up megaphones and shouted out.

"Attention!! No vehicles are allowed in this area. Please park outside, around the wooden houses on the east side."

Several cars skillfully drove to and parked in the open space next to the nearby wooden houses.

The driver got out of the car and said, "We're going to talk to them about this year's seedlings. You guys have fun on your own."

"Picking some flowers is fine, just don't damage the flower field. If you want to go back to the city before 7 pm, come find us here."

"After seven o'clock, it's better to stay here."

The driver waved to them and then disappeared into the path between the flower fields.

Chu Tianshu waved goodbye to them, looked at the sea of flowers, and took a deep breath.

The air here is much better than in the city.

Mo Xiaoyu bent down and whispered to Lin Chucheng, "Minister, is this place just for fun? Does it give you any special feeling?"

"This place is beautiful."

Lin Chucheng, somewhat uncertain.

"But if it's a special feeling, how about we go up the mountain and take another look?"

He pointed to the right, "The mountain over there."

Chu Tianshu squatted down and patted the child's shoulder.

"No rush, I meant bringing you out to have fun, that's the primary goal."

Chu Tianshu's eyes shone brightly as he said earnestly, "Staying cooped up in the base won't allow you to use your inspiration. If you're out having fun, don't let impatience ruin your mood."

Lin Chucheng breathed a sigh of relief and moved his arm to the right front.

"I want to go there first. All the flowers there are purple, and they look so beautiful."

Chu Tianshu laughed heartily, took his hand, and walked in that direction.

Tang Nu scratched his face. "So we really came out to have fun today?"

"It's a good thing nothing bad happened."

Mo Xiaoyu touched a flower bud the size of a longan with her fingertips, a slight smile appearing on her face, and took out her phone.

"I haven't had a vacation in ages! I'm taking lots of photos today to share with my girlfriends; they're so envious!"

A group of people strolled through the sea of flowers, gently touching unfamiliar flowering trees, their eyes following the stunning butterflies.

Before they knew it, they had already gone beyond the boundaries of the planting base and climbed up the hillside to the top of the mountain.

After crossing this mountain, we looked out over the surrounding area.

Several rivers flowed quietly over the lower part of the mountain.

Small lakes, scattered here and there, are nestled among the mountains.

Chu Tianshu surveyed the landscape, then suddenly his eyelids narrowed as his gaze fixed on a small lake.

"Let's go take a look over there."

He quickened his pace considerably, each step feeling as if he were gliding across a soft, resilient mat.

However, the other three were also fast runners and could keep up.

The aquatic plants along the small lake were uneven in height, and in some places, they showed signs of being eaten.

It's not surprising that there are many wild animals in the mountains.

Chu Tianshu swept through the grass and landed beside a large rock.

The rock resembled a reclining ox, both green and wet, half of it submerged in the water and slightly tilted.

On the land side, there is a shoe print.

The shoe print, as if carved by a knife or axe, is five or six centimeters deep into the stone.

"These are... the minister's shoes."

Mo Xiaoyu recognized the origin of the shoe print and couldn't help but look back at the mountaintop.

Standing atop the mountain, Chu Tianshu could actually see the shoe prints hidden in the grass by the lake.

Lin Chucheng scratched his head, frowned, and looked around before his gaze fell on the lake, as if he had remembered something.

"I think I was in a fight here before?"

Tang Nu quickly asked, "Who did you fight?"

"People..."

Lin Chucheng's eyebrows furrowed. "He doesn't seem human either."

Suddenly, a deep blue appeared in the green lake.

Hidden a few inches underwater, silently, they reached the shore.

(End of this chapter)