It was already late at night when Bahu handed Yinshi over to Mandu Ratu. When he first moved here, he only brought two felt bags with him. He didn’t want to squeeze in to sleep with Uncle Muren and another male servant, so he decided to drive the carriage into the flock of sheep and spend the night there.
The car door wasn’t tightly closed. With his eyes closed, Bahu listened to the not-so-quiet sound of sheep munching on grass outside. His mind was still thinking about Mi Niang’s matters, planning to ask her when he returned. If she agreed, he would bring cattle and sheep to propose marriage.
Lost in thought, Bahu didn’t realize when someone approached the carriage. It was only when the person got close to the Lele carriage that Bahu reacted. The man suddenly sat up, pushed the door open to look outside, and seeing it was Uncle Muren, he lowered his eyes and sat back down.
“Thought it was your big brother?” Uncle Muren sat on the carriage shaft, looked up at the shimmering night sky, and asked heavily, “Did you have another fight with your father?”
“Fought,” Bahu leaned against the carriage wall, one leg supporting him, the other leg hanging out of the carriage door and suspended in the air. He yawned tiredly and closed his eyes. “If you can’t sleep, keep watch for me. I’ll get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll go back in the morning when it’s bright.”
“When do you plan to send Mandu Ratu away?” Uncle Muren slapped his leg and bluntly asked, “He’s an ungrateful fellow. For the sake of him and his wife, you’ve fought with your father and taken care of his mother. In the end, you give up your place to sleep in the cattle carriage, and he didn’t even say a word of thanks.”Bahu.
“He helped you count the cattle and sheep and said he wanted to show his mother around. He also told me he hasn’t had a yellow-fat beefsteak in a long time, jokingly saying he wants to slaughter a few to satisfy his craving.” Uncle Muren didn’t hide anything. Having been with Bahu for a long time, even though he was old, Bahu had control over him, so he was siding with Bahu.
“When you leave tomorrow, Mandu Ratu will be the master. If he wants to slaughter cattle or sheep, we can’t stop him. Are you comfortable with handing over such a large herd of cattle and sheep to him?” Uncle Muren looked at Bahu, who remained silent. Feeling suspicious, he continued, “He’s your blood brother, and it’s reasonable for him to eat some of your cattle and sheep. I might have been too petty.”
“I have more important matters to attend to. I can’t stay here all the time guarding cattle and sheep,” Bahu pondered repeatedly in his mind. He didn’t want to come back after one or two months only to find another man hanging around Mi Niang. But the thought of Mandu Ratu slaughtering cattle made him feel distressed. In the summer, with high temperatures, cattle are usually slaughtered for meat, and even if it’s just for personal consumption, he couldn’t finish all the meat before it spoiled. Mandu Ratu and Yinshi hiding here meant they couldn’t openly sell the meat.
“If you trust me, I’ll stay here and watch over them for you.”
“Guarding against wolves?” Bahu assessed him from top to bottom. The old man was hunched, but he seemed capable of managing the house and the yard. However, guarding the sheep at night would be challenging if wolves came.
“I’ll think about it,” Bahu lay down, lightly tapped his toes, and said, “You go back to sleep. Get up early tomorrow to cook.”
Uncle Muren left, and Bahu closed his eyes, weighing the options repeatedly. Ultimately, he inclined towards losing some livestock to keep Mandu Ratu.
Uncle Muren was good at cooking. In the morning, he made crispy pancakes with butter, boiled soup with dried mutton legs, and fried two bowls of milk tofu with butter. Bahu had a bite of pancake, a sip of mutton soup, and had two big bowls before putting the bowl down.
“When do you plan to leave?” Bahu asked after Mandu Ratu put down his chopsticks.
Mandu Ratu looked at Yinshi first, then said uncertainly, “We have to wait until your sister-in-law’s pregnancy stabilizes. By then, we’ll return to Dakang together with the caravan.”
“Okay, then you stay here and help me watch over the cattle and sheep. If you want to eat beef, if someone slaughters a cow to sell the meat, let Uncle Muren go buy it. Don’t touch my cattle.”
Mandu Ratu glanced at Uncle Muren, snorted, chuckled, and nodded in acknowledgment.
“I still have some matters at home; I’m planning to leave now. I’ll come for a visit in about seven or eight days.” Without saying more, Bahu stood up and left the felt tent.
“Second Uncle.” Yinshi suddenly spoke, following him out of the felt tent, furrowing her brow as she asked, “Second Uncle, did you take a liking to Mi Niang?”
“How did you all figure it out?” Bahu grinned and nodded in admission.
“Well done, you’re quite fast. Big brother thought you were going to remain single forever.” Mandu Ratu laughed, “Is she the girl from Dakang?”
“Yes, a few days ago, my sister-in-law took care of her for me.”
“Do you still prefer quiet and trouble-free, honest girls?” Yinshi still had a furrowed brow, “Second Uncle, you might think I’m breaking up a marriage, but you helped me, and I can’t hide it from you. I don’t think that girl is as honest as she seems.”
“Do you think Mi Niang knows what kind of person she is in your heart?” Bahu’s face lost its smile.
“What?” Yinshi looked bewildered.
“You said I helped you, and you can’t hide it from me. Mi Niang has helped you even more. Have you hidden anything from her?”
Yinshi’s lips moved, her face blushed, and under Bahu’s direct gaze, she couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of her eye.
“If Second Uncle doesn’t want to hear it, I won’t say it. I just wanted to help. Who knew it would turn into a Lü Dongbin situation.”
“Alright, you speak, and I’ll listen. I want to see how she’s not honest. She took good care of you for several days, and now you’re talking behind her back, saying she’s not well-behaved.” Bahu leaned against the carriage shaft, squinting and waiting.
When the conversation reached this point, there was no room for Yinshi to stay silent. She glanced at the man beside her, steadied herself, and holding back her emotions, she began her deduction, “Second Uncle, have you met Bai Mei? She is the genuinely honest one—few words, few ideas, obedient, and compliant. As for Mi Niang, she wields considerable influence when speaking in their felt tent. She doesn’t interrupt when others argue, but when her opinions clash with others, more people tend to support her. A person like that can’t possibly be considered honest.
“Isn’t that great? Since when is it a requirement to choose a wife based on having ideas and schemes? Do I have to marry a mute girl?” Bahu sized up Mandu Ratu, seemingly convinced. There are only two types of people who can’t sleep well in bed. Yinshi, despite her gentle and compliant appearance, had a penchant for stirring up trouble.
“Take good care of yourself during your pregnancy. When a caravan arrives, I’ll let you know.”
This statement was equivalent to a slap in the face for Mandu Ratu. Returning home with his wife, he was first detained by his father and then faced rejection from his brothers. The only thing missing was a direct order to leave.
After Bahu left, Uncle Muren exchanged glances with another male servant, quietly took some tools, and went to the pasture. Outside the felt tent, only a silent man and woman remained.
“What do you mean by that? What did Mi Niang do to offend you? Otherwise, how can you justify meddling in the relationship between those two?” Mandu Ratu asked with a stern face.
Yinshi didn’t admit anything, and indeed, Mi Niang hadn’t offended her. It was just the lukewarm attitude that made her uncomfortable. Knowing that the two might become sisters-in-law in the future, pretending to be indifferent and aloof seemed unnecessary. What was there to be proud of? Except for a pretty face, there was nothing else.
“I am Bahu’s sister-in-law. I felt sorry for him, so what’s wrong with caring for his well-being? Your parents treat him poorly, and if he marries a wife with ill intentions, his life will be miserable. I did a good deed, but no one appreciated it. From now on, I won’t do such annoying things.” Yinshi complained to her man, “Kind intentions go unappreciated, and I won’t bother with it in the future.”
Mandu Ratu scrutinized her expression, sensing that she genuinely felt wronged. He hugged her to offer comfort and said, “In the northern desert, we don’t have the concept of a stepmother, and besides, my mother is still alive. Don’t bother with Bahu’s affairs. That’s just how he is – stubborn and only listens to what he sees.” In the northern desert, there might not be the concept of a stepmother, but there is a tradition of a widowed sister-in-law becoming a wife.
“When are we going back?” Yinshi, feeling unwelcome in her in-laws’ home, was eager to return.
“Soon. We’ll go back when a caravan arrives,” Mandu Ratu replied. Initially, he had thought about maintaining contact with Bahu, exchanging goods through caravans, which would give him some status in his in-laws’ family. However, with Yinshi’s interference today, the already delicate relationship became even more strained.
…
As the sun set in the west and the wind intensified, Mi Niang stood by the river, waiting for Da Huang to drive the sheep over for water. The wind muffled the sound of footsteps, and Mi Niang, catching a glimpse of grey-blue fabric to her left, let out a startled “Ah” and simultaneously jumped two steps to the right.
“What guilty deed have you committed? You look scared,” He chuckled, breaking into a smile.
“Anyone would be scared if you silently approach them like that,” Mi Niang, still startled, couldn’t quite regain her composure, her heart pounding.
“What if it were Bahu?” He approached Mi Niang, speaking in a low voice. “You aren’t afraid of Bahu, and you don’t seem like someone timid, huh?”
Mi Niang glanced at the man, feeling that he was acting strangely today. She took a few steps forward and said, “I’ll go help Da Huang herd the sheep. If you have something, go ahead first.”
“I do have something, and that’s why I came looking for you.” His eyes darkened, and with a large stride, he grabbed Mi Niang by the back of her neck. Amidst her screams, he lifted her onto a horse, tossing the dog that had chased up into the distance behind the horse.
The figure of Da Huang became increasingly blurry. Mi Niang fell silent, seemingly resigned. She was placed horizontally on the horse, facing the round belly of the animal. After careful consideration, she firmly gripped the sheep-horn spike hidden in her sleeve.
The woman hung motionless on the horseback, which suited his intentions. However, after a while, he found it boring. He patted the rounded buttocks in front of him and whistled lewdly, “Nice feel, but not as soft as a lamb’s ass.”
“Why did you abduct me?” Mi Niang, dizzy from the shaking, showed little reaction to the slap on her buttocks.
“Because you’re unlucky and have bad taste. You set your eyes on the wrong person, specifically on Bahu, and I don’t want him to have it easy,” He said, pulling the reins to stop the horse. He tossed Mi Niang off the horse as if getting rid of a burden and then jumped down himself.
“Do you want to kill me?”
“Kill? I haven’t decided yet. Bahu hasn’t won you over. If I kill you and he forgets you and marries someone else, it seems like I would lose out,” He said, bending down to remove Mi Niang’s outer garment. “I heard that women from the Central Plains value chastity. Why don’t you follow me? Occasionally, you can sway in front of Bahu, and it’s best to cry in his arms.”
Mi Niang tightly held the torn sleeve, watching the seemingly mad man cautiously. How deep was his grudge against Bahu?
“Okay,” Mi Niang followed his words, “As long as you let me live a good life, I don’t care who I’m with.”
“I need to experience some benefits to know if what you’re saying is true,” He knelt in front of the woman, reaching for the tightly stretched chest wrap. He muttered to himself, “This feel shouldn’t be worse than a lamb’s ass… Ah—”
Mi Niang shook her hand to continue pressing the blood-soaked object into the flesh. The hot blood, resilient yet easily punctured flesh, made Mi Niang’s head buzz, but she persistently grabbed the man and pressed the sheep horn into his waist.
From a distance, Bahu saw the entangled figures. Without waiting for the horse to come to a complete stop, he leaped down, and broke the hand that held Mi Niang’s neck , delivered a swift kick to the chest. The man was sent flying, and Mi Niang, losing support, collapsed softly to the ground.
“It’s okay now, I’m here.” Bahu embraced Mi Niang, letting her lean against his legs. Shaking his hands, he checked her neck and face, wiping away the tears that had slid down from her eyes. His hoarse voice comforted, “Don’t cry, don’t cry. You just showed great courage, I’ve never seen a girl as calm and bold as you, even more fearless than the wild wolves on the grasslands.”
What kind of nonsense was he talking about? Which young lady wanted to be compared to a wolf? Mi Niang turned her face away, ignoring him, and continued crying on her own.
“Does your head hurt? How about your neck? Say something so I can hear.” Bahu checked her from head to toe, finding no visible injuries, but Mi Niang cried silently, making him worry about her neck.
“My head hurts a bit, and my neck too.” Mi Niang cleared her throat, speaking unaffectedly. She glanced at the man moaning and groaning, having seen too many dead bodies, she wasn’t afraid of this, but tears still couldn’t help but flow.
“I’ll take you back to see a doctor.” Bahu first tossed her legs onto the horseback, then lifted Mi Niang onto the horse. The wind carried the cool tears to his chest, and he felt a sourness in his heart. His rough hands wiped Mi Niang’s face, wet with tears.
“Are you scared? Do you want to cry?” Silent tears were more unsettling to him than the wailing with a trembling voice like his mother’s.
“What will happen to him?”
Bahu understood whom Mi Niang was referring to, “If he survives, he’ll probably have his face marked, and his feet chained with iron. Then he’ll be sent to mine as a laborer.”
