By midday, Mi Niang had only finished shearing half of the wool from the sheep in her hands; it was her second sheep.
“You all can go ahead. I’ll finish this one and catch up later,” she said without stopping her hands, lifting her head briefly and then lowering it again. After the sheep finished chewing the grass in its mouth, she snipped a little more and handed it to the sheep.
“It’s the same if you catch them later in the afternoon,” a woman walked over, and whispered to Mi Niang, avoiding Zhao Lu, “This way, it doesn’t look like we’re lazy or trying to escape work.”
“Don’t think like that, auntie. Anyone with eyes can see the difference. You all can easily shear two sheep in half a day, while it’s a bit of a struggle for me to shear one and a half,” Mi Niang said, trying not to vomit as she accidentally inhaled some wool. She frowned, “We’re all paid the same. If I do less, you all have to do more. It’s okay for a day or two, but over time, will the owner still want me?”
“Zhao sister, it’s time to finish,” someone urged.
“You all go ahead. I’ll help Mi Niang shear this sheep,” the woman squatted down, lifted the sheep’s legs, and turned it over. Pressing one leg on the front hoof and the other on the back hoof, she sheared a large chunk of wool off the front elbow of the sheep.
“Auntie…”
“Don’t say more. You come and shear too,” the woman stuffed the wool from her hands into the wool bag hanging in front of Mi Niang, quickly sheared the wool from the sheep, untied the rope, and let the sheep go. “Let’s go, it’s time to finish work.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
“My little sister at home is about the same age as you, both from good families. If it weren’t for the heavens playing tricks, you two should be staying at home waiting to get married,” the woman sighed, comforting Mi Niang, “Don’t be in a hurry. This work is all about skill and proficiency. Shearing sheep is not that difficult. Most of the time is spent chasing, catching, and herding the sheep. Practice more, and you’ll catch up to us.”
“Got it. Thank you,” Mi Niang didn’t ask about the woman’s little sister. The current situation boiled down to being alive or dead, and the latter was not worth asking about while the former didn’t require asking.
The tools used for shearing sheep were strictly forbidden to be taken away privately. Mi Niang ran over and handed Zhao Auntie’s scissors to Zhao Lu. As for Zhao’s Auntie, someone was waiting for her.
“Tired? You finished your work and still went to help the little girl,” a woman asked.
“Tired? Under the sun and thirsty, how could I not be tired? That little girl is young and eager. If she can help a bit, I won’t ignore her. If she were lazy and avoiding work, I wouldn’t bother with her,” Zhao Auntie squatted by the river, rolled up her sleeves, and dipped her arms in the water to wash her hands. When she washed her face, she spat, “The smell of these sheep is hard to wash off. The whole meal will smell when I go back to cook later.
“That calls for a celebration with mutton tonight,” someone laughed.
“I don’t know if they sell soapberries here. If it were back home, a grab of hearth ashes would clean it easily. But here, they burn cow dung,” someone scooped up mud from the riverbed to clean their hands, complaining, “Money has to be spent everywhere.”
Mi Niang, worried about Da Huang, rushed to Bahu’s yurt without cleaning herself up. She quickly checked on Da Huang, untied the dog leash, and took it to the river for a drink. The wind blew from the east as she chose an open area to shake off the wool stuck to her clothes. She then wet her hands to remove any remaining wool. However, the sheep odor on her clothes seemed impossible to shake off.
“You wait here for lunch, and I’ll come back after I’ve eaten,” Mi Niang tied Da Huang back to its original position.
Since Da Huang had food outside, Mi Niang didn’t have to cook meals herself to compensate for it. She had cooked breakfast, and for lunch and dinner, she just needed to go back and eat the ready-made food.
“Mi Niang is back. Come and have lunch. We just served the dishes,” Lan Niang was the first to see Mi Niang. She stood up and greeted, “Do you want water? I’ve got hot water ready.”
“Thank you so much. I haven’t touched water all morning,” Mi Niang wasn’t polite, and she drank all the water in one breath before serving herself some rice. She walked over and squatted to pick up some vegetables. Seeing that Zhao’s Auntie and Wan’er were not around, she asked knowingly, “Has Zhao’s Auntie and Wan’er moved out?”
“They’ve moved out. They moved out after breakfast, and the food for the grandmother and granddaughter has been divided too,” Lan Niang picked up a piece of meat for Mi Niang, smiling, “Mi Niang, if you plan to move out one day, you must tell us in advance. Don’t just leave without saying anything. It’s unsettling to wake up and find no one around.”
“From the way you speak, you’re blaming Zhao Auntie? What’s her relationship with you? Should she inform you before moving or not? Why does she have to notify you?” Mu Xiang sarcastically teased her.
“Did you eat a firecracker? Always biting at me all day long,” Lan Niang, not taking it from her, put down the rice bowl and confronted her, “Mu Xiang, did I offend you or provoke you? Every time I talk to someone, you either snort or sigh. Explain it to me clearly. If I’m wrong, I’ll correct it, and if I’ve offended you, I’ll apologize.”
“Why are you arguing again? Calm down, we’re all sisters living in the same place. Fighting damages the relationship. Lan Niang, don’t argue with Mu Xiang. She talks fast, but her heart is not bad. She talks to me the same way,” Pandi intervened, pulled Lan Niang aside, and handed her a rice bowl, persuading, “Let it go. We’re all sisters. Don’t let a fight ruin the atmosphere. Even if you’re still angry, don’t let it affect your appetite. Look at Mi Niang; we can’t affect her eating even with our arguments.”
Mi Niang finished the last bite of her meal, and under several gazes, she picked up another chopstick of vegetables and fed herself, saying, “I’m hungry, so I eat faster. Besides, I’m busy with work. After eating, I have to go back to work and be on time.”
“Pandi has a point. Arguing damages the relationship. If you have any grievances, you should talk about them on the spot. Like me, I don’t have any issues with any of you,” Mi Niang stood up, preparing to wash the dishes, “If you have any conflicts between you, just clear it up right now. I don’t know anything, and I won’t intervene or take sides.”
With that, she left without waiting for any response. She rinsed the bowl with water, didn’t even rest, and left.
“I’m sorry. I’ve delayed your hospitality,” Mu Xiang intentionally teased Lan Niang but also feared that she might go crazy and hit someone. She picked up a spoonful of vegetables and walked away while eating.
“Don’t mind her, Lan Niang, eat your meal.” Pandi put the meat stars from her plate into Lan Niang’s bowl, changing the subject, “After eating, let’s go for a walk by the river. Whether we find work or not, let’s at least make ourselves familiar.”
Lan Niang glanced at Bai Mei. Bai Mei, not getting involved, lowered her head to eat. As for Ying Niang, a seven-year-old girl, she couldn’t understand much and just looked around with curiosity.
—
As Mi Niang passed by Bahu’s house, she glanced from a distance, seeing that Da Huang was having his meal. She didn’t want to disturb him, and the scissors, ropes, and salt were all with Zhao. She couldn’t start shearing the sheep yet. In the morning, she did consider doing it, but after what Zhao said, she didn’t want to bypass others’ working hours in the morning and evening, as it would undoubtedly increase the work time for others.
“It’s noon, and you’re wandering around alone here. What are you up to?”
Bahu’s voice came from behind, startling Mi Niang.
“What are you feeling guilty about?” Bahu squinted at her.
“Do you have any business?” Mi Niang glared at him without kindness. Midway through her glare, she remembered his current status, forcibly suppressed her anger, and conjured up a fake smile. “Master, it’s not time for work yet. I’m just here for a stroll.”
Bahu glanced at her. “Fine, take your time strolling. Don’t miss the work hours.”
Mi Niang watched him take a bowl of tofu, thinking he went to buy tofu. This meant there were shops here too.
In the evening, when they finished work, Mi Niang, rushing and hurrying, finally finished shearing two sheep. Before she could even heave a sigh of relief, she heard others saying her skills had improved, and she managed to shear one more sheep in the afternoon than in the morning.
Another breath got stuck in her chest, and when it came time to get paid, she couldn’t help feeling guilty and short of breath.
“Auntie Chao Lu, is there a shoe store around here?” After everyone else left, Mi Niang approached to help Chao Lu pack things up. She couldn’t handle the sheep, but she could manage the wool from one sheepskin bag. The scissors and ropes were neatly arranged on the cattle cart. She asked again, “When does the master plan to select and wash the wool?”
“Washing the wool isn’t urgent; it’s better to shear the sheep first and then wash. The urgency lies in shearing the wool. It’s October, and snow will fall in the northern desert. If the sheep’s wool hasn’t grown by then, they might freeze to death,” Chao Lu said, flicking a whip at the cow’s backside. Once the cow cart started moving, he paid no more attention. Old cows knew the way and could find their way back home.
“What did you just ask? A shoe store, right? Yes, we have one. Don’t be fooled by the small number of people here; we have everything. Every month, there’s a large DaKang convoy passing by. The goods they bring are more or less procured by the shops in our vicinity,” Chao Lu glanced at Mi Niang, thinking of the dog Bahu personally going to feed outside the gate at noon. He had known Bahu for over three years and never heard him mention interacting with any girl.
“You help me unload the wool later. Once the cow cart is empty, I’ll be off work. My house is behind, and when I go back, I’ll take you to the shoe store. This way, the shopkeeper won’t overcharge you, seeing you as a newcomer,” Chao Lu said.
“Sure, thank you, Uncle Chao Lu. It’s best to have a local guide,” Mi Niang replied.
The two of them moved the wool bags into the warehouse made of felt. Mi Niang stood in the yard surrounded by felt, waiting for Chao Lu to untie the cattle rope. Inconspicuously, she surveyed the surroundings.
“I thought you lived in the front yard’s felt bag. It turns out you’re just like us, working short shifts from dawn till dusk,” Mi Niang casually chatted as they walked.
“Not quite the same. I also have to guard the master’s house at night, one shift every ten days. In two days, it will be my turn to take Bala and Al’s wolves, roll up the felt, and guard the cattle and sheep,” Chao Lu laughed. “And we don’t get paid.”
“…” Was this something to be happy about? Mi Niang was shocked. Even in DaKang, slaves who were sold with a lifelong contract received monthly wages.
“They say it’s selling oneself into slavery, but it’s repaying debts. I leased twenty sheep from Bahu a few years ago. Nearly half of them died. When the lease expired and I couldn’t return them as agreed, I sold myself and learned how to raise sheep with him,” Chao Lu looked at Mi Niang. “Now you understand why I’m laughing, right? I didn’t lose out; I even learned the skill.”
“How does this leasing work?” Mi Niang couldn’t help but be intrigued, although she was certain it wouldn’t work for her. It might be an option for Ying Niang, even if she had to sell herself for five years at the age of twelve.
“The minimum lease is for two sheep, regardless of gender. When you lease them, they are lambs. Two years later, you return them as mature sheep, along with a lamb,” Chao Lu explained.
“How many lambs can a ewe give birth to in one litter?” Mi Niang calculated.
“If it’s good breeding stock, a ewe can give birth to three or four lambs in one litter. Ewes enter heat four or five months after giving birth, and they carry the lambs for five months. If everything is taken care of, two years later, you return mature sheep and lambs, and you can have four or five more sheep on hand,” Chao Lu said.
Mi Niang understood that this was the best-case scenario. “Uncle Chao Lu, how did your sheep die?”
“Oh, they died from illnesses,” Chao Lu casually mentioned. “Raising livestock is like this. With heaven’s blessings, you can develop, like Bahu, from a few dozen cattle and sheep to over a thousand in just a few years.”
Unfortunately, when things go wrong, all the livestock may die. Mi Niang silently added that in her thoughts.
“Look, the ones hanging outside the gate are shoes and cloth shops.” Chao Lu led Mi Niang inside. “Shops selling goods usually hang their merchandise outside, indicating what they sell.”
“What kind of shoes do you want? Cloth shoes or straw sandals? Cloth shoes cost twenty cents, and straw sandals cost seven cents.”
Mi Niang gritted her teeth inwardly. She glanced at Chao Lu, who nodded and reluctantly counted out seven copper coins. “A pair of straw sandals.”
It was really expensive. In her hometown, five cents could buy two pairs of straw sandals, and twenty cents could get a bag of scraps from the cloth shop, enough to make several shoe uppers.
“Things are really expensive,” Mi Niang muttered to herself after leaving the felt bag, speaking softly.
“It’s normal. Goods brought by trade caravans are expensive, but the local beef, mutton, and milk in Mo Bei are cheaper than in DaKang,” Chao Lu said as he was ready to leave, asking Mi Niang if she still wanted to buy anything.
“If you have things to do, go ahead. I’ll browse around a bit more.”
Most of the felt bags along this road were used for business and selling goods. Mi Niang walked along the street and saw a clinic, a tofu shop, a wine shop, an oil store, a grain shop, and even a meat market.
“Miss, you seem unfamiliar. Are you new to Lin Shan?” Su He, the owner of the meat shop, was cleaning the chopping board and, upon hearing footsteps, looked up and recognized Mi Niang.
Mi Niang ignored his words and stood at the door asking, “Do you still have meat?”
“If you have money, I have meat,” Su He replied with a nonchalant tone.
“What other types of meat do you have?”
“There’s still a leg of lamb.” That was what he planned to bring home for dinner.
“How much per pound?” Mi Niang walked inside.
“Fifteen cents per pound. How much do you want?” Su He smirked; this girl had quite the courage to step inside.
It was much cheaper than in DaKang. Mi Niang took out a handful of copper coins and placed them on the counter. “Two pounds. Don’t cut too much; this is all the money I have.”
