“She’s just envious of the significant amount of silver that Mi Niang can get. It’s just jealousy. There’s nothing to discuss with such a mean-spirited old hag.” Granny Zhao walked out of the crowd with a stern face, holding a basket that gleamed, her eyes scanning the onlookers one by one. “The officials in the yamen have made their judgments, and there’s no one drumming and shouting for injustice. Everyone with eyes can see what happened. We are all from Dakang. Originally, we should take care of each other as fellow villagers. Mi Niang, a young lady, suffered grievances and doesn’t seek your consolation, but don’t slander her behind her back.”
“The one talking nonsense is that troublesome woman. When Mi Niang was found, we all saw it with our own eyes. That villain had his clothes properly on him, so what’s the matter?” Granny Zhao worked at Magistrate Hu’s house and was Miss Hu’s personal servant. She could easily say something back there that would cause a stir among these people. The onlookers tactfully echoed a few words and then dispersed.
“Are you Bahu? I heard that you heard the sound and saved Mi Niang. Mi Niang, did you thank him properly?” Granny Zhao had heard of Bahu’s reputation, and today, upon seeing him, she found that he was a strong and firm young man, not the violent person rumored.
“Mi Niang suffered because of me. I don’t deserve her thanks.” Bahu felt a bit awkward under the gaze of this old woman. He unconsciously straightened his posture, noticing a smudge on his shoe. He discreetly changed his position to hide the dirty part of his shoe.
“Hmm? What do you mean?” Granny Zhao glanced at Mi Niang.
“If you have something to discuss, then go ahead. I want to chat with Granny Zhao for a while.” Mi Niang signaled Bahu to leave and handed him the medicine bowl.
Granny Zhao squinted at the natural movements between these two people. It seemed very natural, and neither of them thought it was inappropriate. Such understanding was not something that could be cultivated overnight.
“Miss Hu gave me a rare break. Will you accompany me for a walk outside?” Granny Zhao handed the basket to Mi Niang. “It’s mostly Miss Hu asking me to give this to you. She heard about your incident this morning and praised your good judgment. Wan’er also mentioned your insistence on bringing Da Huang to the Mo North. She really likes you and asked you to visit her when you have time.”
“I’ll go play with Wan’er after the marks on my neck fade away.” Without Wan’er and Granny Zhao, her name wouldn’t have been mentioned in Miss Hu’s ears. Feeling a warmth in her heart, Mi Niang understood that when Granny Zhao mentioned her in front of Miss Hu, it was probably to prevent her from having a tarnished reputation and being scorned by others. Having a name associated with an official’s daughter might make people think twice.
Putting the basket back into the felt bag, Mi Niang walked aimlessly beside Granny Zhao. She casually recounted the events of the previous night and the reasons she was abducted by him.
“I see something between you and Bahu?” Granny Zhao asked with a hint of meaning.
“Yes, we both have intentions, just waiting for me to nod.” Mi Niang treated Granny Zhao as an elder, and speaking such words in front of elders made her somewhat shy.
“His reputation isn’t very good. You should consider it carefully. Don’t let him deceive you.” Granny Zhao had only met Bahu today, but she had heard rumors about his fights with his father more than once. When people in Lingshan talked about Bahu, they often mentioned his unpredictable temper and quick changes, which made him difficult to understand.
“Yes, we’ve considered that. We had concerns about his reputation before, worrying that it might affect the child in the future. However, after what happened last night, I’ve realized that reputation is just what others say. Everyone has their own opinions, and as long as it doesn’t meet others’ expectations, rumors will lean toward the negative.” Mi Niang picked two pieces of grass and twirled them around her fingers. During her time in Dakang, her reputation was even worse than Bahu’s. After countless rumors, even with Mr. Gu’s acknowledgment of her innocence, there were still whispers of disdain.
“Bahu’s bad reputation is mostly related to his conflicts with his father. This actually shows that he’s not bad in other aspects. Otherwise, those who dislike him wouldn’t miss the chance to label him.” Granny Zhao commented.
“I was confused, or maybe you young people think quickly. What you said is right. People are accustomed to such things.” Granny Zhao paused for a moment, realizing and thoughtfully wishing that Wan’er could be as clever and sharp as Mi Niang.
“So, how did Bahu explain the incident of his abducting you this time?”
“He said he implicated me and offered compensation. I can’t figure this out completely. After all, it’s not Bahu intentionally playing tricks on me. If I blame him, it wouldn’t be fair. So, I’ve decided to let it go, let him lie low for a while. Once I feel at ease, I’ll just forget about it.” Mi Niang thought a lot during the sleepless night. If Bahu suffered because of her, she didn’t know how to handle the situation.
“You’re a clever child; I worried for nothing.” Granny Zhao patted Mi Niang on the shoulder. With Mi Niang’s temperament, her future days wouldn’t be bad.
“It seems to marry Bahu is indeed a good choice. His relationship with his family is strained, so you won’t have to worry about the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship after marrying him.” Among the refugees who migrated north to the desert, many young women had gotten married during this period. However, the men were either disabled or elderly. With their circumstances, the only way to marry off these girls was to offer a high dowry, without any bride’s dowry. The refugee girls were willing to marry under these conditions.
Compared to the other men, Bahu’s overall conditions were not bad. His only drawback was his bad reputation, but considering Mi Niang’s past experiences, they were a suitable match. After pondering for a moment Granny Zhao advised Mi Niang, “Don’t tell Bahu about your previous experiences, especially given that Mr. Gu was burned to death. Some people might be bothered by this.”
“Bothered? Is my luck that good? People in the desert don’t care about such things.” If this were in the past, Mi Niang wouldn’t dare to say the words ‘luck hard enough to kill a husband.’ She would be afraid of someone taking it seriously and blaming her.
“You child, there’s always that one person out of a thousand who minds. Don’t go looking for trouble for no reason.” Granny Zhao furrowed her brows and patiently advised, “Young lady, it’s not the same for you as it is for young men. You still need to consider your reputation.”
Yet, she was willing to be with Bahu, giving up her concern for reputation. Mi Niang’s thoughts were in turmoil; she had just shed the shell of her reputation, and now she had to find another way to cover herself.
” Granny Zhao, is wan’er also working at Magistrate’s House?” Mi Niang couldn’t wait to change the subject.
“I had her help in the kitchen, taking care of our shared sheep. Wan’er will marry a local herder in the future. If she has good hands in the kitchen and knows how to raise livestock, that’s already quite good.”Granny Zhao embraced Mi Niang and joked, “If you happen to meet a young man with good character in the future, be sure to introduce him to our Wan’er.”
“Sure, Granny Zhao, you’ve helped me a lot. Wan’er is like a real sister to me.” Mi Niang gave her assurance.
“Mi Niang.” Bahu finally found her after looking around, and as he approached, he shouted from a distance, “I found someone selling cattle and sheep. How many cows do you want to buy?”
“You go ahead and work. When you have time, go find Wan’er to play.” Granny Zhao patted Mi Niang’s hand and, after glancing at Bahu, turned and walked away.
Mi Niang approached, and the bruises on her neck became more apparent. There were four purple thumbprints on the side of her neck and a bruise on her forehead. Bahu turned his head, sighed softly, and instinctively stroked Mi Niang’s head, confirming once again, “Does your head hurt? Do you feel dizzy or suffocated? If you’re uncomfortable, don’t force yourself.”
“It hurts when I comb my hair in the morning, but it’s fine when I’m still.” When she was beaten, her eyes swelled, but after a night’s sleep, she woke up feeling much clearer.
“I’ll move a felt bag for you to live alone later. Don’t do anything these days, rest and sleep more. I’ll cook three meals a day for you and bring them over. I’ll wash your clothes and I’ll take care of the cattle and sheep for you.” Bahu originally wanted to suggest that she move in with him, but he felt it might be too much, so he didn’t dare to say it.
Mi Niang remained silent, and Bahu waited with bated breath. He was also testing the waters. If Mi Niang rejected him, it would indicate that she didn’t want him anymore.
“I’d rather sleep with my little sisters.” Mi Niang said slowly.
“That’s fine, but I’ll bring you the meals I cook. Even if you don’t eat, Da huang still needs to eat.” Afraid that Mi Niang would refuse again, Bahu said eagerly, “If you don’t eat, Da huang will.”
Fine, you can just marry Da Huang then. Mi Niang rolled her eyes secretly.
“How much are the cattle and sheep selling for? It’s the peak season when the grass is lush and the cattle and sheep are fat. Who would sell them now?” Mi Niang didn’t bring up the previous topic again.
Bahu was pleased. There was an opportunity. If Mi Niang didn’t refuse, it meant she agreed. He breathed a sigh of relief but still answered cautiously, “It’s Old Aoga’s family. He’s sick again, and he has too many livestock to take care of, so he’s thinking of selling some. Now, it’s up to us locals to pick first, and the remaining ones will be sold to the merchant convoy.”
Mi Niang wanted to buy two cows, and with the remaining money, she planned to buy sheep. She asked Bahu to help her buy, thinking she could at most get five sheep. To her surprise, in the afternoon, Bahu brought over seventeen half-grown lambs and two well-built young bulls, one male and one female, both in good condition.
“I really didn’t spend any silver. In the north, grain, tea, and sugar are expensive, but meat is cheap. The merchant convoy doesn’t want these half-grown lambs. They are hard to raise, and it will take a long time to find a place for them even when we return to Dakang. It’s not cost-effective.” People in the north raise cattle and sheep primarily for meat and oil production. They sell a portion every year to buy grains. Accumulated savings come from selling sheep wool, camel hair, sheepskin, cowskin, wolf pelts, and felt, with well-prepared fur being the most valuable.
“Really? You’re not deceiving me?” Mi Niang doubted.
“If I wanted to give you livestock, I would do it openly and honestly, like raising the betrothal gifts when proposing.” After saying this, Bahu cautiously glanced at Mi Niang and saw a faint smile at the corner of her mouth. Unable to resist, he also raised the corners of his mouth.
“I didn’t say I want to marry you.” Mi Niang maintained her tough stance.
“I’m the one who wants to marry you.” Bahu finally spoke out boldly. This statement made him nervous, and he shivered internally. “Take some time to observe me. I’m good at cooking, washing clothes, and taking care of people, but I’m not good at talking. However, in front of you, it’s when I talk the most. Over the years, I’ve only shown this side to you. I don’t want to miss you, watching you marry someone else.”
This man’s mouth is even trembling. Mi Niang tightly bit her lip to avoid revealing a smile. However, her eyes couldn’t deceive anyone, and Bahu could clearly see his own blushing face through her smiling eyes.
“I, I’ll go cook for you. What do you want for lunch? Lamb buns?” Bahu nervously stammered, and as if escaping, he looked at the sky. It was already dusk, so there was no such thing as lunchtime.
“Master, why have you been standing here? Where’s the cart? Did you lose it yesterday?” Chaolu shouted from the other side of the river. He needed the cart to transport grass.
Indeed, he had cut the cart traces last night and forgot about the cart once he rescued Mi Niang.
“I’ll go look for it. You prepare the noodles, and I’ll come back later to make lamb head buns.” Bahu whistled and, before long, a vigorous black horse galloped down the hill from a distance.
The cart was still in its place, and Bahu, holding the reins on the horse, pulled it back. On the way, he encountered an ox cart, and the driver was Big Beard.
“Dead. I came out to dig a hole and buried him.” Big Beard’s facial hair was particularly unkempt. He informed his parents and the other two brothers about this news, but there was no reply until they breathed his last.
“Go back earlier; it’s getting dark.”
The two carts passed each other, and Bahu, sitting on the horse, saw his appearance clearly. He had bled profusely, in excruciating pain, with a grim and grayish face.
In the evening, Bahu picked up a basket of lamb buns and went over. He knew that, at the very least, he needed to start winning people’s hearts. When he came, he could take the initiative to find a place to talk privately.
“He is dead.” Bahu waited until Mi Niang had eaten and drunk enough before giving her this news.
“Good that he’s dead, clean.”
