Having decided to get married, Bahu began preparing the betrothal gifts, tidying up the felt bag, replacing old bedding with new ones, and acquiring furniture such as tables, chairs, and a bath bucket. There was one more thing he couldn’t overlook—informing his parents.
“I’ve agreed with Mi Niang that we’ll propose in half a month and get married the next day. I’ve invited two uncles to attend the ceremony and act as matchmakers. Mother, can you make it for a meal that day?” Bahu deliberately chose a day off to come, ensuring that his younger siblings would be at home.
“Sandan, Agula, both of you should come along and meet your new sister-in-law.” Bahu specifically mentioned the names of the two.
“Sure, if it weren’t for Mother stopping me, I would have gone long ago.” Sandan had heard from a classmate at the private school in Lingshan about his abducting a Central Plains girl, failing to succeed, and losing his life in the process. She was curious at the time, and later, she heard that the girl got close to her second brother. She couldn’t resist wanting to meet her. However, when she mentioned it to her mother, her mother didn’t allow her to go, fearing that she might cause trouble. What trouble could she cause? Still, her mother forbade her to mention it at home.
Agula first looked at his father’s expression. As expected, his father’s face was darkened. He lowered his eyes and touched his lower back, where the scars from letting his elder brother and sister-in-law go were still clearly visible. This was the price he paid.
He didn’t say anything for a while, waiting for his parents’ reaction.
“Go where? We don’t need that meal at home.” Ang Qin scolded his daughter with a rough voice, casting a glance at his wife.
Bahu didn’t speak and just stood waiting for his mother’s answer.
“My son is getting married; of course, I will go. Even if there’s no meal, I’ll still go.” The woman’s eyes were sore. Bahu was her favorite child, and she was the one who harmed him. At such a young age, he was driven out to establish his own household. Despite having a family and business, his reputation was ruined. Finally finding a new bride, even if her son didn’t come to inform her, she would still go.
“You make sure to come; I won’t wait for you after the time has passed.” Bahu looked seriously into his mother’s eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely come.”
Bahu smiled, “Then I’ll go; there are still things to take care of.” With no one to help, he had to handle everything himself. Fortunately, most of the household servants were married, so if there was anything he didn’t understand, there were people he could ask.
“Third brother, you haven’t said whether you’ll come to drink our second brother’s wedding wine,” Sandan asked loudly.
Bahu paused, and Agula said, “I’ll go. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Uncle. Second brother, are the brothers from Uncle’s family coming?”
Bahu ignored him. Agula, being a grown man, didn’t dare to mention whether he would attend his elder brother’s wedding feast. Instead, he used the excuse of meeting Uncle. Perhaps he had forgotten how his father was beaten and crawled on the ground by Uncle.
“Uncle doesn’t even recognize you. Do you still think about meeting Uncle?” Once Bahu left, Ang Qin started making sarcastic remarks. Whether Agula attended or not was his choice, but not even asking him and making the excuse of meeting Uncle made the old man feel like he had been slapped in the face.
“What about Uncle’s brothers? They don’t even recognize their aunt. Would they talk to you, a wild brother?” Ang Qin continued his strange tone.
“What do you mean by that? Isn’t it because of you that my nephew doesn’t recognize his aunt? How did you talk back then? You said I had no nephew but a son and no brothers but men. Now, my brother and nephew don’t recognize me. Out of my three sons, only one is with me. When a man gets drunk, he hits me. All of this is caused by you, the old turtle grandson. Do you still have the face to mock my son?” The woman’s face turned red, and before the words were finished, tears streamed down her face.
“I didn’t mean that. I misspoke. Hit the mouth of this old turtle grandson of mine.” As long as he didn’t drink, the old man would tolerate anything, especially in front of his old wife. He would quickly yield if he softened up in front of her.
Seeing this, Sandan and Agula both shifted their eyes indifferently. They were long tired of such scenes. No matter how good the words sounded, they wouldn’t hesitate to hit someone when drunk.
“When our second brother gets married, you should go. You’re his real father. If you don’t go, won’t it make Bahu look bad? Outsiders will make fun of him,” the woman pleaded, wiping away her tears.
He wouldn’t go. He wanted everyone to know that Bahu, this unfilial son, hit his real father, had a wicked personality, and was not a good person. He couldn’t wait for everyone to mock his son as worse than an animal.
But he didn’t say that out loud. “When our second son is getting married, you should go. You’re his real father. If you don’t go, it will be hard for Bahu’s face. Outsiders will make fun of him,” the woman pleaded again.
He still wouldn’t go. He wanted everyone to know that Bahu, this unfilial son, hit his real father, had a wicked personality, and was not a good person. He couldn’t wait for everyone to mock his son as worse than an animal.
But he didn’t say that out loud. “Uncle will also come. You know their temper. They might hit and scold me when they see me. If they start a fight, Bahu’s marriage might not happen,” he said.
“In that case, forget it. I’ll take Sandan and Agula over.” After thinking for a moment, the woman changed her clothes, took her son and daughter, and went out to buy clothes to make clothes. She hadn’t seen her older and second brothers for seven or eight years. She had aged a lot during these years, and she didn’t know if her older and second brothers would recognize her.
The three of them first went to a ready-made clothing store to check the styles. When they entered, they came face to face with Bahu. He was there to buy wedding clothes, and the styles and fabrics had already been chosen. Only the size needed adjustment.
“Second son, give me the measurements for the bride. I’ll choose some good fabrics and have the embroiderer make a few robes for her. I’ll give them to her on the day of your wedding,” the woman said when she saw Bahu. Only then did she remember this matter.
Bahu didn’t refuse and also gave his measurements. “I’ve grown a bit taller again. Make clothes for me based on these measurements. The previous ones are a bit short.”
Agula didn’t want to watch other people’s affectionate mother-son moments at the door. With a stern face, he went into the shop to choose a style. Since Bahu was driven out of the house, his clothes had all been bought from outside stores. His mother rarely used needles and thread, and when she did, it was only for Bahu. Moreover, it was always a complete set, including clothes, shoes, socks, and a hat.
Humph, he wasn’t interested.
“I want this set, this set, and that set.” Agula raised her tone and glanced at the door from the corner of her eye, saying loudly, “I’ve also grown taller, let’s measure the size again.”
“I’ll go first; I still need to buy ribbons to decorate the parade float.” Bahu stepped over the threshold and hurriedly headed to other shops.
With various preparations almost done, Bahu took Chaolu to the Xia Ranch to select cattle and sheep. There were thirty-three strong bulls, sixty-six adult sheep, and six horses and camels—this was the dowry prepared by Bahu to marry Mi Niang. They also needed to prepare cattle and sheep for slaughter for the consecutive two days of feasting and the ceremonial knocking on the door of sheep for the wedding.
Such a big event naturally couldn’t escape the notice of Mandu Ratu’s couple. Seeing Bahu happily choosing good-quality livestock from the herd, Mandu Ratu stared at her man with a gloomy expression. “All the livestock your mother brought as dowry are either not slaughtered properly or have died of old age.”
“If I don’t marry you, how much inheritance can your father give you?” Mandu Ratu casually asked, feigning innocence. She could tolerate not being seen, but it was unbearable for her to see that even the maid who fled here for refuge was treated better than her, the daughter-in-law. What hurt her the most was the sincerity of the man—Mandu Ratu was no match for Bahu in his affection for Mi Niang.
“What? Want to come to the Mobei and herd cattle with me?” The man grinned, holding the woman’s face and deliberately making a gesture as if he were going to kiss her in front of everyone. Sure enough, her cheeks turned red, and she shyly pushed him away and ran off.
Bahu waited for the two of them to loosen their embrace before walking over, giving Mandu Ratu a strange look and saying, “I inquired with people; there’s a caravan coming from the west, arriving in these few days. I’ll leave a sled for you, so I won’t come to send you off.”
“Are you looking forward to me leaving so much?” Mandu Ratu sighed, propping her legs up and sitting on the ground, taking a blade of grass and putting it in her mouth. “Life in the Mobei is comfortable. Thinking about leaving makes my heart feel bitter. Maybe I’m just getting old; I didn’t feel this way when I went to Dakang with the caravan a few years ago.”
“It’s not comfortable at all. I gave you the sheep, and you didn’t take care of them, did you? One of the ewes, not even a year old, went into heat and ran away, and you didn’t even notice. I guess the little one is already on its way.” Bahu kicked the man sitting on the ground and said, “Hurry back to your Dakang. You’ll starve to death herding sheep in the Mobei.”
“You talk nonsense. An eight-month-old ewes can’t be pregnant.” Mandu Ratu felt uneasy, but he refused to admit it.
“I don’t want to argue with you. Stop delaying; when the caravan comes, take my sister-in-law with you. After I marry Mi Niang, we’re also moving here.” Bahu came to inform him about this matter. Seeing Yanshi walking over, he lifted his foot to leave.
Mandu Ratu, not noticing Yanshi approaching, said, “I don’t believe you lack one or two felt bags. You’re so stingy. I was thinking you might come back and rely on my brother when you’re old, but it seems hopeless now.”
“Go find Agula.”
“You’re planning to return to the Mobei when you’re old? Abandoning your family and children?” Yanshi sharply questioned, unaware of the man harboring such thoughts.
Bahu just heard a sound and immediately hurried away.
Busy as Bahu was, Mi Niang, the newlywed bride, had a leisurely time. It wasn’t until the day before the proposal that Bahu brought the wedding attire and hair ornaments. Only then did she start feeling nervous.
With no parents or elders, Mi Niang invited Granny Zhao on the day of the proposal. After exchanging pleasantries with Bahu’s second uncle, they quickly dispersed, leaving behind hundreds of livestock for the onlookers to assess.
The next day, Granny Zhao brought a local wedding consultant to dress and groom Mi Niang. Accompanied by her brothers and sisters-in-law, they sat in the felt-covered cart, ready to send Mi Niang off. Today, they were all considered her family.
As the sheep’s head bumped against the wooden door, Granny Zhao, under the guidance of the wedding consultant, opened the door. Bahu, dressed in new attire, entered and led Mi Niang onto the decorated carriage. The newlyweds went first, followed by Bahu’s second uncle, who entertained the girls being sent off. Bahu’s second uncle casually noticed his second son, blushing and gazing at one of the girls in the wedding procession. He chuckled and sent him away on some pretext.
“Are you Bahu’s son? You’ve grown so tall. You resemble your father.” Bahu’s mother called over Sandan and Agula. “These are your cousins, from your second uncle’s family.”
Bahu’s son, in fact, didn’t know these three people, but hearing the introduction, he understood their relationship. He glanced at his father, who had retreated into the house and touched his nose. “Aunt, you’ve come at the right time. The new bride has just been brought in. You should go and take a look.”
“Coincidence my foot. The daughter-in-law has been brought into the family, and the mother-in-law shows up. Now Bahu understands why his dad scolded him for being confused when mentioning her.”
“Shall I go in first? Has your dad arrived?”
“He has, he’s inside.”
There weren’t many guests, and with the help of servants and those accompanying the bride, only three tables were filled. Those who knew her ignored her, and those who didn’t were even less likely to strike up a conversation. The woman kept her words to herself, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and walked into the house.
“Mom, I thought you weren’t coming.” Bahu greeted her and led her into the felt-covered tent. “Mi Niang, Mom is here.”
“Good child, sorry to trouble you. The celebration is a bit simple. If there’s anything lacking, don’t take it to heart.” The woman placed her package on the table. “I made you a few dresses; I don’t know if they fit. When you have time, try them on. If they don’t fit, take them to the tailor for adjustments.”
“Mom, you worry too much. Marrying Bahu, I don’t feel wrong.” Mi Niang took the embroidered shoes she had prepared for Bahu’s younger siblings. She also had pouches for them, but no one showed up until the end of the feast.
It wasn’t until the meal that Bahu’s mother finally saw her younger brother. She walked over cheerfully and called out, but he frowned, glanced at her, and impatiently said, “Are you mistaking me for someone else? I don’t have a younger sister.”
“Hey, today is my nephew’s big day. If you, as a woman, cry and make a scene, I’ll kick you out.” Bahu’s second uncle sternly stared.
“Mom, come and sit.” Sandan glared at his second uncle, pulled his mother over, and sat her at the table with Mi Niang’s family. Feeling embarrassed, she weakly said, “Mom, let’s go. You’ve seen my sister-in-law anyway.”
“Eat.” The woman forced a smile, starting to invite guests to the tables. She arrived late today, and if she left without eating, it would be a blow to her son’s face.
Once the feast was over, Bahu’s second uncle, accompanied by his son and nephew, escorted the bridal party as they left. On the way back, he warned Bagen, “Pay less attention to those pretty girls and stop staring blankly. You’re not like Bahu; I won’t allow you to marry a refugee girl.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, with a dowry of just four sheep? No respectable relatives to send off the bride during the wedding? You have to prepare her clothes and accessories? You’re not like Bahu; I don’t want to spend extra on these things. The pearls and jade your mother saved up are for your sisters.” Bahu’s second uncle waved dismissively. “And she’s skinny and short. Doing chores like beating felt and churning butter, fetching water from the river, I reckon she’ll be complaining all day.”
Unhappy, Bagen went back with a sullen face. Seeing the lit tent, he nudged his older brother and smirked, “Want to take a look?”
“Look at what? Teasing your brother?” Bahu’s second uncle and forcibly dragged him back to the tent.
Inside the tent, Mi Niang felt as if the candlelight had ignited the entire space. She felt like a sheep without its wool, hung on a frame over the fire, and the sticky sweat all over her body made her uncomfortably want to kick someone.
Bahu was also covered in sweat, both from the heat and urgency. He couldn’t find the entrance to the tent.
“Um, Mi Niang, where’s the entrance?” He was about to get off the bed to fetch a candle for better visibility.
“Don’t you know?” Mi Niang gestured with her index and middle fingers, revealing her eyes, but after just one glance, she blushed, covered her eyes, and turned away.
It’s probably the strong scent that Mi Niang questioned in her words, and the man, insisting with determination, didn’t seek help, muttering, “I’ll keep looking, keep looking.”
However, he only understood his things. When it came to a woman’s body, he had no idea. After groping for a while without finding the way, he became anxious and had to try exploring, “If you’re uncomfortable, just let me know.” So he could retrace his steps.
In the pitch-dark night, the carriage driver forced the horse-drawn carriage into the alley. Just as the horse’s head entered the alley, it got stuck, causing both of them to gasp in pain.
“Ouch, that hurts! Did you go the wrong way?” Mi Niang lay still, afraid to move.
Bahu dared not speak. Slowly maneuvering backward, just as the horse’s head emerged from the alley, there was a sudden collapse, and the carriage fell apart. The alley entrance immediately closed shut.
“Uh…” Finally relaxing, both wiped away their sweat.
“That should be it. Let’s sleep.” Mi Niang casually wiped herself and rolled away from the man.
While she fell asleep, Bahu lay awake until dawn, afraid to toss and turn. When the day broke, he got up and went to the river to fetch water and wash clothes. Afterward, he squeezed sheep’s milk and returned to churn butter.
One after another, he aimed at puncturing the bottom of the milk bucket.
“What are you doing so early in the morning?” Bahu’s second uncle seemed to have lost his temper, witnessing someone getting up early to work on the first morning after getting married for the first time.
“If you don’t prosper, it’s as if the heavens have turned a blind eye.”
