《拉薩情書》

第八章、張揚無意間引狼入室
01
次日上午，張揚去文物局找老朋友李明，兩人在訪客室外聊著。
「李明，我想請你幫忙私下打聽一件有來歷的文物。」
「揚哥，你難得開金口，說說看，是怎樣來歷的文物？
「《倉央．嘉措情詩手抄本》真跡。」
「我聽過有這件文物，但在局裡這些年我從來沒見過。如果這本真跡還在，肯定是價值不菲的國寶級文物。」
「你的意思是，文物局裡沒收藏這件文物？」
「如果有收藏，我一定有機會見識，你忘了我的工作是文物的數位化處理。是誰讓你打聽這件文物的？」
「是一位教授，倉央．嘉措的後人，我的老客戶。」
李明心想：「若能找出這件國寶級文物，那可是大功一件，我不如將計就計，順藤摸瓜，利用張揚這條線索，找出這件文物。」
「揚哥，你就說我願意私下提供協助，請你安排我去見這位教授。」
張揚想了一下說：「那我先問過教授，他若同意，回頭我領你去見他。」

02
張揚離開後，李明隨即進辦公室跟主任噶爾‧達瓦報告此事。
「……主任，我的想法是，咱們就順藤摸瓜，利用張揚這條線索，找出
這件文物。」
達瓦說：「你的辦法可行，你就跟著倉央．嘉措的後人明查暗訪，盡快把這件具有歷史意義的文物給找出來。倫珠．央金跟著你去，一起執行這件任務。」
一旁的央金說：「是，主任。」
「我會出具一份公文書，讓你們可以隨時調動境內公安局人員，協助你們取回這件文物。你們兩個要好好表現，行動機敏些！」
李明和央金兩人，有默契地同聲說：「主任，我們會全力以赴！」

03
張揚來到旅館，跟櫃台人員招呼一聲，就上樓找札希和安妮父女。札希不在，張揚到隔壁房找安妮。
「安妮，我剛從文物局過來，老朋友李明說尋找那件情詩手稿，他們可以提供必要的協助，就等教授點頭，我來安排雙方見面。」
「張揚，你真的很熱心。等我父親回來，我會跟他說去，這事麻煩你去安排囉！」
張揚滿意地微笑說：「只要幫得上忙，我義不容辭。」
一旁的美多，心裡直覺得這事不妥當：「尋找情詩手稿，安妮怎麼會牽扯上文物局？札希老師多年來，訪查行程一直很低調，就是不想引起官方注意，給他們機會插手。當著安妮的面，我就先別表示意見，澆張揚的冷水，等老師回來再做處理…。」
札希剛回到旅館房間，美多就敲門進入。札希背對美多，擰毛巾擦臉。
「老師，你應該還不知道張揚將安排文物局的官員，來見你吧？」
札希掛回毛巾，轉過身來，驚訝問：「文物局官員？這怎麼回事？」
「我聽張揚和安妮對話，似乎是張揚自告奮勇，聯絡了他在文物局的朋友，說要幫老師找回那卷失落的情詩手稿，而安妮也認可了張揚的做法。」
札希憂慮說：「安妮這ㄚ頭，根本搞不清楚狀況嘛！跟著張揚瞎起鬨，這下子驚動了官方，恐怕往後我們的行程，會被官方給盯上。」
「那麼，老師有什麼因應的對策？」
「妳立馬去把ㄚ頭找來，我跟她說清楚其間的利害關係。
「好的，我這就去」美多轉身離開。
札希雙手交叉抱胸，表情凝重。
安妮和美多進到房間裡，美多把門帶上。
「安妮，張揚去聯絡文物局官員來見我，不會是妳出的主意吧？」
「不是，張揚說他文物局的朋友，可以提供我們一些必要的協助，我就答應了。」
札希拉下臉責問：「妳聽過《引狼入室》這個寓言故事吧？」
安妮點頭說：「聽過，莫非…」
「妳讓文物局的官員知道我們父女正在找尋情詩手卷的線索，後果就是引狼入室。」
從父親異常嚴厲的表情，安妮驚覺到自己做錯事，給父親添了麻煩。
安妮懊惱說：「Daddy，對不起。」
「每次我回來西藏，雖然都會找張揚開車接送，但我從不讓他知道我正在訪查情詩手卷，我如此低調行事，就是不想驚動官方。」
「那我跟張揚說去，就不需要他朋友的協助了。」
札希搖手說：「太遲了！官方一旦聽到我們正在找尋這份手卷，就像蒼蠅沾上肥肉，肯定不會善罷干休的。」
安妮望著父親憂心的表情，跟著忐忑不安起來。

04
格桑進到那家餐飲廳，在那片牆上看到安妮留下的那帖詩，駐足閱讀。格桑平靜的心情，起了波瀾。他雙手捏握，臉上出現奕奕的神采。
此情可待，只是當時已惘然╱我仍困頓在情繭裡╱還沒參透人世的滄桑╱直到有人，自來世喚我╱說羽化總在體會無常與變態之後╱放下一切受想行識╱遠離顛倒夢想╱那時，自會有佛陀渡我╱般若波羅密多……
格桑複誦著，自言自語說：「安妮，遇見妳是我今生最美好的運氣，我會好好珍惜的。」

旅館裡，安妮斜靠窗口，望著街景撥打張揚手機。
「張揚嗎？」
「我是，妳是安妮？」
「嗯，我跟父親商量過，他說這是我們自個兒的家務事，就不勞駕你朋友協助了。」
「可我都跟對方說好了，這下糗囉！」
「父親不想把事情弄複雜，只好對你說抱歉。」
「好吧！我跟朋友說去。」
「給你添麻煩，不好意思啊！」安妮按掉手機通話鍵，望著街上來往的人車。

05
小昭寺文物研究室裡，湯懷民(格桑)坐在桌前，點開筆電視窗。在收信夾裡看到唐夢影寫來的電子信：
懷民：
一個月前來到巴黎，生活已安頓下來，目前在語言學校修習法語，明年應該就能進到藝研所。
法國的男人相當主動，不時有男士主動邀約我，不過你放心，我不會暈船的。你在西藏過得好嗎？聽說那裡的冬天冰天雪地，你要保重身體，有空時跟我寫信。下回你要回台灣前，記得告訴我，如果正好有空檔，我就回去台灣陪你囉！
你的未婚妻 夢影在巴黎塞納河濱
讀完這封信，湯懷民看著信裡幾張夢影在當地自拍的生活近照，心中不免生出一份歉意：「夢影，對不起，一切都是命中注定的緣份…」

06
文物局辦公室裡，李明接到張揚打來的電話。
「李明，我是張揚啦。」
「我是李明，老哥請說。」
「先前跟你說好的那件事，起了變卦喔。」
李明一臉狐疑問：「怎說？」
「札希教授的意思，不想把事情弄複雜。」
「喔？文物局有足夠人力資源，協助札希教授，很好的事情不是嗎？」
「我看還是尊重當事人意思吧！對你抱歉囉！」
李明無奈說：「好吧！後續若有需要我們提供協助，隨時給我電話。」
座位上的主任達瓦全程聽著，對這件事已了然於胸。
「主任，張揚說札希教授…。」
「我都知道了，咱們似乎打草驚蛇，對方起了戒心，這事咱們只好化明為暗，暗地裡跟蹤。」達瓦接著說：「央金，你跟著李明去札希投宿的旅館，在張揚的車上裝置追蹤器，你們兩人開私家車，遙遙跟著張揚車子，全程掌控他們一夥人的行蹤。」
座位上的央金起身，恭敬說：「是！主任。」
達瓦叮嚀說：「等到他們找到目標物，你們才現身，來個螳螂捕蟬、黃雀在後。」
李明伸出拇指誇說：「主任，您高招啊！」

07
張揚把車子停在旅館旁停車場，下車走進旅館。
埋伏在對街轉角處的李明和央金立即從車上下來，往停車場快步走去，來到張揚的廂型車後方，央金把風，李明趴在車底盤下方，把追蹤器黏貼在避震器後方隱密處，隨即起身，拍去手套上泥土，兩人快步走回對街，開門上車。
副駕駛座上的李明，從置物盒裡取出追蹤儀，按開電源拉出小天線測試訊號
。追蹤儀上小螢幕出現一個箭頭。
李明滿意說：「準備好了，咱們兩隻黃鵲就等著捕螳螂。」
旅館門口，張揚身上揹著手上提著幾件行李出現，身後跟著札希、安妮、美多，三人手上也提著小件行李。四人往停車場去。
張揚把三人行李陸續搬上貨車，三人依序上車，副駕駛座上坐著札希，張揚關上車門，一行人往日喀則方向去。
央金開車，車上坐著李明，李明大腿上架著追蹤儀，房車悄悄跟在張揚貨車後方數百公尺處。
貨車前座，札希向張揚抱怨起來：「咱們這趟行程，一路上恐怕不平靜啊！」
「教授，您是擔心文物局那頭，接下來會有動作吧？」
「是啊！先前我一直很低調，就是不想官方介入。」
張揚臉上表情尷尬說：「對您真的抱歉，我思慮不周，給您添麻煩了。」
札希憂心說：「這卷手稿真跡，一旦官方插手，只怕我找到了，官方會要求我交出來。」
「您佬的意思我懂了，可是這等重要的文物，交給國家收藏保管，不是更妥當些？」
「這卷手稿真跡是我家族的傳家寶，對我而言具有無可取代的意義。」
張揚理解說：「您這麼說，也是啦！」

Chapter 8: Zhang Yang Inadvertently Lets the Wolf In
01
The next morning, Zhang Yang went to the Cultural Relics Bureau to meet his old friend Li Ming. The two of them talked outside the visitor room.
“Li Ming, I want to ask you for help to quietly inquire about a certain artifact with historical provenance.”
“Yang, it’s rare for you to ask for help. Tell me—what kind of artifact are we talking about?”
“The original manuscript of Tsangyang Gyatso’s Love Poems.”
“I’ve heard of this artifact, but I’ve never seen it in the bureau over the years. If the original still exists, it must be a national treasure of immense value.”
“So you mean the bureau doesn’t have it in their collection?”
“If they did, I would have had a chance to see it. Remember, my work involves digitizing cultural relics. Who asked you to inquire about this artifact?”
“It was a professor, a descendant of Tsangyang Gyatso, and my longtime client.”
Li Ming thought to himself, If I can locate this national treasure, it would be a great achievement. I might as well follow the lead and use Zhang Yang as a way to trace it.
“Yang, just say I’m willing to offer assistance privately. Arrange for me to meet this professor.”
Zhang Yang considered and said, “I’ll first ask the professor. If he agrees, I’ll bring you along to meet him.”
________________________________________
02
After Zhang Yang left, Li Ming immediately went to the office to report the matter to Director Gar Dawa.
“…Director, my idea is to follow this lead from Zhang Yang to locate the artifact.”
Dawa said, “Your method is feasible. Work with the descendant of Tsangyang Gyatso, investigating both openly and covertly. Find this historically significant artifact as soon as possible. Lunzhu Yangjin will go with you to carry out this mission.”
Yangjin, standing nearby, said, “Yes, Director.”
“I will issue an official document allowing you to mobilize local police to assist in retrieving the artifact. You two must perform well and act with caution!”
Li Ming and Yangjin spoke in unison, “Director, we will do our utmost!”
________________________________________
03
Zhang Yang arrived at the hotel, greeted the front desk, and went upstairs to find Professor Zaxi and Annie. Zaxi was not there, so Zhang Yang went to the next room to find Annie.
“Annie, I just came from the Cultural Relics Bureau. My old friend Li Ming said they can provide the necessary assistance to locate the love poem manuscript. Once the professor agrees, I’ll arrange for the meeting.”
“Zhang Yang, you’re really helpful. When my father returns, I’ll tell him. Thank you for arranging this!”
Zhang Yang smiled, satisfied. “As long as I can help, it’s my duty.”
Medora, standing nearby, felt uneasy. Finding the manuscript shouldn’t involve the Cultural Relics Bureau. Professor Zaxi has always been low-profile in his investigations, precisely to avoid drawing official attention. I shouldn’t voice my opinion in front of Annie yet—let him calm Zhang Yang later when the professor returns…
When Zaxi returned to the hotel room, Medora knocked and entered. Zaxi faced away, drying his face with a towel.
“Professor, you don’t know that Zhang Yang is arranging for Cultural Relics Bureau officials to meet you, do you?”
Zaxi hung up the towel and turned, surprised. “Bureau officials? What’s going on?”
“I overheard Zhang Yang talking with Annie. It seems he volunteered to contact his friends at the bureau to help recover the lost manuscript, and Annie agreed to his plan.”
Zaxi frowned, worried. “Annie has no idea what’s going on! By joining Zhang Yang’s meddling, she’s alerted the authorities. From now on, our movements may be monitored by them.”
“So, professor, what’s the countermeasure?”
“You immediately go get Annie. I’ll explain the risks and stakes to her.”
“Understood,” Medora said and left.
Zaxi crossed his arms, his expression stern.
Annie and Medora entered the room; Medora closed the door.
“Annie, you didn’t suggest Zhang Yang contact the bureau officials, did you?”
“No, Zhang Yang said his friends could provide some necessary assistance, so I agreed.”
Zaxi’s face darkened. “You’ve heard the fable ‘The Wolf Enters the House,’ right?”
Annie nodded. “Yes… could it be…”
“By letting the bureau know that we’re searching for the manuscript, you’ve inadvertently let the wolf in.”
Seeing his unusually severe expression, Annie realized she had caused trouble.
“I’m sorry, Daddy.”
“Every time I return to Tibet, though I rely on Zhang Yang for transport, I never let him know I’m investigating the manuscript. I keep a low profile precisely to avoid official interference.”
“Then I’ll tell Zhang Yang he doesn’t need his friend’s help.”
Zaxi shook his head. “Too late! Once the authorities hear we’re searching for the manuscript, they’ll swarm like flies on meat—they won’t let it go.”
Annie looked at her father’s worried face, anxiety creeping in.
________________________________________
04
Gesang entered the restaurant and saw the poem Annie had left on the wall. He paused, reading it. A wave of emotion stirred in his otherwise calm heart. Clenching his hands, a bright expression appeared on his face.
This love could wait, but I was already bewildered / Still trapped in the cocoon of affection / Yet to comprehend worldly vicissitudes…
Repeating the lines to himself, he murmured, “Annie, meeting you is the luckiest thing in this life. I will cherish it.”
Meanwhile, Annie leaned against the hotel window, dialing Zhang Yang’s number.
“Zhang Yang?”
“Yes, this is he. You’re Annie?”
“Yes. I spoke with my father. He says this is our own family matter; we don’t need your friend’s assistance.”
“But I already told him…”
“Father doesn’t want to complicate things, so I’m sorry.”
“All right, I’ll tell my friend.”
“Sorry for the trouble!” Annie hung up and stared at the street below.
________________________________________
05
In the Small Jokhang Temple’s relic research room, Tang Huaimin (Gesang) sat at a table, opening his laptop. In the inbox, he saw an email from Tang Mengying:
Huaimin,
A month ago I arrived in Paris and have settled in. I’m currently studying French at a language school; next year I should enter the Art Research Institute.
French men are very forward, often inviting me out, but don’t worry—I won’t get carried away. How’s Tibet? I hear winters there are freezing. Take care of yourself, and write when you can. Next time before you return to Taiwan, let me know; if I’m free, I’ll come with you!
Your fiancée, Mengying, by the Seine in Paris
Looking at the few selfies of Mengying in Paris, Tang Huaimin felt a pang of guilt: “Mengying, I’m sorry. Everything is fate…”
________________________________________
06
At the Cultural Relics Bureau office, Li Ming received a call from Zhang Yang.
“Li Ming, this is Zhang Yang.”
“This is Li Ming. Go ahead.”
“The matter we discussed before has changed.”
Li Ming asked suspiciously, “How so?”
“Professor Zaxi doesn’t want to complicate things.”
“Oh? The bureau has sufficient resources to assist him. Isn’t that a good thing?”
“I think we should respect his wishes. Sorry about that.”
Li Ming sighed. “All right. If you need our help later, just call me.”
Director Dawa, sitting nearby, had been listening and already understood the situation.
“Director, Zhang Yang says Professor Zaxi…”
“I know. Seems we’ve scared the snake, and they are wary. We’ll have to act subtly, following them discreetly,” Dawa said. “Yangjin, go with Li Ming to the hotel where Zaxi is staying. Install a tracker on Zhang Yang’s car. You two will follow in your own car, monitoring their movements from a distance.”
Yangjin stood, respectfully replying, “Yes, Director.”
Dawa instructed, “Wait until they find the target, then reveal yourselves. Like the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.”
Li Ming gave a thumbs-up. “Director, brilliant!”
________________________________________
07
Zhang Yang parked at the hotel lot and went inside.
Li Ming and Yangjin, lying in wait at a street corner, quickly approached Zhang Yang’s van. Yangjin scouted while Li Ming crouched under the vehicle, attaching the tracker behind the suspension. They stood, brushed off dirt from their gloves, and returned to their car across the street.
Li Ming took out the tracker, turned it on, and extended the antenna to test the signal. The small screen displayed an arrow.
“Ready. The two of us—the orioles—will wait to catch the mantis,” Li Ming said.
Outside the hotel, Zhang Yang appeared carrying several pieces of luggage, followed by Zaxi, Annie, and Medora, each holding small bags.
Zhang Yang loaded their luggage onto the van. The three got in one by one; Zaxi took the front passenger seat. Zhang Yang closed the door, and they drove toward Shigatse.
Yangjin drove, Li Ming sat alongside with the tracker on his lap. Their car quietly followed several hundred meters behind.
On the front seat of the van, Zaxi complained, “This journey is unlikely to be peaceful.”
“Professor, you’re worried about the bureau acting, right?”
“Yes. I’ve always been low-profile to avoid official interference.”
Zhang Yang’s expression was awkward. “I truly apologize for causing trouble due to my thoughtlessness.”
Zaxi said with concern, “If the original manuscript is found, once the authorities get involved, they’ll demand it.”
“I understand, but isn’t it safer to let the state preserve such an important artifact?”
“This manuscript is my family heirloom; it’s irreplaceable to me.”
Zhang Yang nodded. “I understand. That makes sense.”