“
The dragon scroll possesses all power and strength. Whoever is worthy of finding the dragon scroll, will
become the next emperor of China!” The man breathed and then walked away, knowing China will change from
this day forward. Who will find the dragon scroll?
The past few months have been chaos. After the announcement of the dragon scroll all of China was in
conflict. Every small village in China has heard of this news. Troops of strong men leave and die. Boys and men
stopped building the wall and went out to search of this elusive dragon scroll. Men are lying to each other. They
are killing each other because all of these men are after one thing. Families are trying to survive this nightmare.
Their sons are not making money for their use. Starvation and thirst are the new enemy in my town. Troops
from different villages invade our space to find this dragon scroll. To be honest my brother told me about the
dragon scroll. He told me that the dragon scroll is what holds China together. This was a big secret between
Cōngmíng and me. I think that is partly why he died. Not just of homesickness, he knew something he wasn’t
supposed to know. Maybe he was murdered for knowing to much.
I was stirring my congee in the morning. Father can hardly afford rice now. I am starting to sell my
belongings for money. Some men that are searching for the dragon scroll seek a book to read at night, or some
extra clothing. I haven’t made that much, but enough to buy some rice for Father and myself. Our noodle
kitchen is now out of business. We can’t afford the ingredients for our noodles and there are no customers
anymore.
“
Father, I am going upstairs to my bedroom.” I said this slowly to Father.
“
UUHHH!” he grunted, which meant okay.
In my room I was studying my book about the great wall because there was nothing else to do and I was
hoping to maybe find something about my brother. I went over all of the facts in my head. If my brother was
one of the architects on the Great Wall how would he even know about the dragon scroll? Why did he die? All
these thoughts and questions were flooding through my head. Why does the dragon scroll hold China together?
Power and Strength are both in this scroll. All of these things. I needed a break I rested my mind and looked out
at the Great Wall. I loved the way, the wall curves against each mountain as though it was an unraveling scroll
spilling history. This thought hit me. It then occurred to me that the emperor blinded us. The dragon scroll is
with us all day. The dragon scroll is the Great Wall of China.
Many things happened since the dragon scroll was discovered. I showed my book to keepers of the
forbidden city. I told them my thoughts and they all looked at me. One of them examined me and said, “You are
intelligent and have wisdom young man. All of your thoughts are verbal peace to my ears.” Another said. “You
are strong on the inside and will hold China in a strong place. And the last one said, “You found the dragon
scroll, with your mind, not will your muscles and physical strength. To me that shows that you are worthy.” He
breathed “All rise, he looked at me and said, All hail emperor Àiguó! Someone so patriotic to the country
China.”
***