In mid-March, as they traveled southward through the melting snow, the further south they went, the thinner their clothes became. During the warm noon hours, Qiqige and Jiya would sit on the hump of the small camel, following behind Bahu.
“Remember, you must sit still and behave on the camel. If I catch anyone misbehaving, you’ll stay in the carriage for the rest of the journey and won’t get to eat until we arrive,” Bahu warned once again.
Both children nodded, showing no impatience at all.
Inside the carriage, Mi Niang was cooking. With both side windows open, she would occasionally glance outside. Sometimes, when their eyes met, Qiqige and Jiya would grin and wave at her, feeling quite pleased with themselves. At such moments, she would smile too, though she had her worries. However, children from other families were already riding horses when they were still in diapers, and by the age of two or three, they were already riding cattle. They were all robust children. When Qiqige and Jiya suggested riding the camel themselves, Bahu didn’t object, so she swallowed her concerns.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do—the children of the Mobei grew up on horseback.
The chicken soup in the copper pot bubbled away. Mi Niang poured in some fresh and tender mushrooms. After the snow melted, mushrooms would sprout alongside the grass. Whenever the convoy stopped, Qiqige and Jiya would finish their meals first and then take a basket to gather mushrooms. They would collect any mushrooms they found, regardless of whether they were edible.
A drumbeat sounded, signaling the oxen pulling the Lele cart to stop. Bahu went to the back of the Lele cart to fetch stools and wooden boards to set up a table. The chicken soup and rice from the earthenware pot were taken down, and the fire in the stove was extinguished with water. The oxen were untied and allowed to graze and drink water.
“Dinner’s ready.” Mi Niang arranged more than a dozen bowls, each with a meat patty at the bottom, covered with rice, and finally topped with chicken soup, with pieces of meat visible in the soup.
“Mom, give me food.” Qiqige, who had been carried down from the camel, ran over and reached out her hand.
“Stay away from my food table.” Mi Niang held out the ladle, not allowing her to come close. In spring, camels shed a lot of hair, and anyone riding a camel would end up covered in hair. Mi Niang rolled two rice balls and handed them over. “Be careful not to let the camels bite your hands.” Every time the two children rode camels or cattle, they would be given something to feed them, to foster a bond between them.
Bahu stood aside, waiting. After feeding the camels, he took the two children to the riverbank to wash their hands and pat off their hair. When they returned, Qiqige and Jiya each held a handful of water grass, still dripping with water.
“Mom, this is for you.” Jiya was still saying it was a gift, but Qiqige directly stuffed the grass into her mother’s hand, clutching her stomach and saying she was very hungry. She took her mother’s bowl and started eating.
“Go ahead and eat.” Mi Niang patted Jiya and tucked the two handfuls of water grass into the gap between the carriage shafts. Today, five chickens were stewed for dinner. People sat at the table eating, while outside a group of dogs surrounded them, each guarding a person, waiting for chicken bones to be thrown their way.
Hu Wen Yin walked over with his bowl when Bahu and the others had almost finished eating. Peering inside, he remarked, “I was tempted by the aroma of the chicken soup early on, thinking of coming for a sip, but I’m too late.”
Bahu didn’t take it seriously. He had his dining etiquette and wouldn’t share a pot of soup with a servant. Qiqige and Jiya had gone to play, leaving their seats empty. “Sit down and chat. Next time, come a bit earlier when you smell the scent.”
As soon as Hu Wen Yin sat down, the servants, who had been lingering, quickly finished their meals and took their bowls to the river to wash them. Mi Niang also scooped out the rabbit meat from the pot and mixed it with rice to feed the dogs.
“Alright, spill it. Why are you here?” Bahu glanced at him.
“I told you, I just wanted a sip of soup.”
Bahu didn’t even look at him. He gnawed on the chicken legs that Qiqige and Jiya hadn’t finished and tossed the bones to the dogs that were still reluctant to leave.
“Alright, alright. I wanted to ask if your family has any extra honey. Could you spare a jar for me? I want to use it as a gift,” Hu Wen Yin said truthfully.
After washing the pots and pans, Mi Niang saw that the two were still talking and didn’t go over to disturb them. Instead, she followed Qiqige and Jiya to look for mushrooms. Along with the grass and mushrooms, there were also bugs. When she approached, she found the two children kneeling on the ground, flipping over the bugs.
“Are you looking for bugs?” Mi Niang picked up the basket with only a few mushrooms in it and took the lead. After a while, the dogs came running over, threatening to trample the mushrooms on the ground, so she had to pick them up quickly.
“Mom, isn’t it pretty?” Qiqige held up a dung beetle.
Mi Niang glanced at it and immediately stepped aside. “Very pretty.”
“I’ll give it to you.” The bug was handed to her again from a distance.
Bahu once made her a chicken feather duster, which was more for show than for use, and she kissed him on the cheek, which the two children saw. Since then, the two children also started giving her things, like wild grass, rocks from underwater, interesting mushrooms, or flower buds… anything they liked ended up in her hands.
She had taught the same to Asyl before, but she wasn’t sure if Wan’er enjoyed it or not. Either way, she had received quite a few gifts.
Mi Niang took the bug and put it back into the grass. “Its mother is calling it home for dinner, so we won’t take it with us.” The dog, always eager to join in, came over, making it impossible to collect mushrooms anymore. She pulled the little girl up and called out, “Jiya, let’s go back. It’s time to leave.”
“Mom, you run, and I’ll chase you.” Jiya squatted on the ground without moving. He waited for the people in front to start running before he lifted his foot to chase after them. The dogs, who were still frolicking, also rushed up when they saw this.
…
Setting off again, Mi Niang rode on the chestnut horse beside Bahu. “What did Hu Wen Yin talk to you about for so long?”
It had been three years since the people from the Central Plains migrated to the Mobei. The large herds of sheep allocated by the authorities had been returned the previous year. “Wen Yin meant that the government plans to let go from this year onwards, whether it’s about migration or autumn grass harvesting. He came to tell me that when the autumn grazing fields relocate, I should bring along some people.”
Mi Niang frowned. “How did you respond to him?”
“I declined. My family’s responsibilities are already considerable. How could I have the capacity to worry about others’ affairs?” He hadn’t even taken a salary from the government. If he agreed to bring people now, he would have to do the same when it came to harvesting grass in autumn. Which family couldn’t spare enough manpower? Maybe even his servants would have to pitch in.
Mi Niang’s frown eased. “Aren’t there people on the western side managing these matters?” She didn’t specify who, but Bahu understood. He raised his eyebrows and looked back. “Maybe the father and son of the Hu family don’t want to establish this position. But we’re not sure, and no one can say for sure.”
When they reached the foot of the mountain, there was news that Zhong Qi had become the village head, overseeing all matters of the new pastoralists. This was akin to a small government office, managing about one or two thousand people. While it was closer to his superiors, any slight changes couldn’t escape the eyes of those above.
“It’s really frustrating,” Pandi complained indignantly, but it wasn’t until she arrived at Mi Niang’s house that she dared to voice her grievances loudly. “Do you know why Zhong Qi got promoted? It’s because everyone in our area is blind. After Zhong Qi and Mu Xiang had a fight last winter, Zhong Qi’s reputation became exceptionally good. Recently, there was news that the government doesn’t intend to manage us anymore, and some people suggested appointing our own officials to manage things. That’s when Zhong Qi emerged.”
Mi Niang poured her a bowl of water. “Drink some, calm down.”
Pandi didn’t drink and asked in confusion, “Aren’t you angry? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter to you. How could it?”
“He can’t affect your affairs either. The government is just across the river. What can he do? Do you think everyone will obey him one or two thousand people? If he dares to make a move, someone will report him to the authorities. Are you worried he’ll hold a grudge and take it out on you? Look at the local pastoralists in the Mobei. Are they afraid of the government officials?” Unlike in Dakang, the Mobei were inhabited by nomadic peoples. They were scattered and could easily move away, making them difficult to find. On the other hand, pastoralists had frequent interactions with the government. They went to the capital every year, and there were plenty of opportunities to lodge complaints.
Mu Xiang also admonished Zhong Qi at home. “You shouldn’t ask for things from the people below. Besides food, you shouldn’t accept anything others offer. You’re being pushed forward now because they want someone to take charge, someone who can influence the government. You’re just occupying that position. Others just don’t have the chance to show their faces in front of the higher-ups. There are plenty of people below who want to pull you down and take your place.”
After the initial excitement wore off, Zhong Qi also realized. “You’re right, but are you underestimating me too much? Am I the kind of person who can be easily flattered?”
Mu Xiang looked at her son, who didn’t look particularly robust. “You have a keen eye for personal gain and a fickle heart. A few compliments would inevitably sway you.”
Others might be angry at being called self-interested, but Mu Xiang believed it was a harsh truth. She continued with a thick skin, “You understand me best. With you around, I’ve taken many fewer detours.”
But because of him, her detours increased significantly.
…
After seeing Pandi and Lan Niang, Mi Niang beat the dried blankets. This year, Qiqige and Jiya were going to sleep in separate rooms. The brand-new felt bag was placed next to her and Bahu’s bed, and the siblings would still sleep together.
“Mom!” Even before the person appeared, Qiqige’s voice could be heard from afar. She ran in with a large handful of wildflowers. “Put them by my bedside.”
Following behind her, Jiya had a sour expression on his face. He didn’t like flowers, but if asked what he did like, he couldn’t come up with an answer.
When Bahu came back with the bed, Jiya crowded around him, sticking close to him wherever he went.
“Son, do you need something from me?” Bahu asked, bending down.
Jiya smirked. He wanted his father’s bow and arrow to hang on the bedpost. “For when I grow up to use.”
“Bow and arrow?” The arrowheads were sharp, and Bahu dared not give them to him. “You already have them. I made them for you before you were born.” Bahu rummaged through the box in the storeroom and pulled out a small wooden bow from two years ago, promising, “When you turn ten, Dad will buy you an iron one.”
Jiya happily went to show off to his sister. Seeing this, Qiqige also wanted one. Bahu and Mi Niang exchanged a glance and took out another piece of red cloth.
“I want a bow too.” But the red cloth wasn’t thrown away either.
Bahu had no choice but to give the unused wooden bow to his eldest daughter.
After the two children ran out, Bahu said, “I originally thought it would be easier. I was thinking of not making bows and arrows for the next son.”
“Who knows when we’ll need them.” It was strange too. Qiqige and Jiya were almost two years old, but there was no movement in her stomach, and she and Bahu had not been idle either.
Bahu glanced down and said, “Maybe we should wait a few more years. Once Qiqige and Jiya are older, we’ll have some peace too.”
