Chapter 84 The Delegation

Chapter 84 The Delegation

They walked back leisurely. The bonfire that had been lit during the Tuo dance was still blazing fiercely. The Tuo dancers and drummers had left, leaving only two constables adding wood and tending to the fire, while the rest were common folk warming themselves and chatting by the fire.

"This fire will burn until dawn," Zhao Xiping said.

"I didn't know that; last year, Sui Liang and I came straight home from outside the city," Sui Yu said, peering over. "Should we go warm ourselves by the fire?"

"Sure."

The three of them walked over, and the people sitting around made room for them. Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping sat on either side of Sui Liang. The ground was covered with dry wood, heated by the flames, so their bottoms didn’t feel cold when they sat down.

The flames, reaching more than a person’s height, danced wildly in the cold wind, changing shape. Mischievous children chased after the elongated tongues of flame, which seemed to playfully tease them, retracting just as the kids cried out in excitement.

Sui Yu nudged Sui Liang. "Why don't you run around and play with them?"

Sui Liang was tempted. He stood up but, before leaving, reminded them, "Remember to call me if you leave."

"We won't forget you. I'll wait here for you," Sui Yu chuckled.

Sui Liang happily ran off, following the group of children, his face illuminated by the firelight, his eyes sparkling.

"Aren't you too young to have a child this big?" asked an aunt sitting nearby.

Sui Yu widened her eyes in surprise, waving her hand. "No, I don't have any children. This is my younger brother."

Just then, Sui Liang ran past, shouting from behind, "Sis—"

Sui Yu covered her ears, and Sui Liang laughed heartily.

After sitting for about the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, Sui Liang got tired and returned, saying he was thirsty and wanted some water.

"Let's head back; it's getting late," Zhao Xiping said. "If you haven't had enough fun, come again tomorrow. The fire will burn for several days, and there will be people here every night warming themselves and chatting."

Sui Yu and Sui Liang followed him.

There were still pedestrians on the road. Taverns and general stores along the long street were open, their doors adorned with bright lanterns. Children in fur coats and hats darted in and out of the stores.

"Do you want some candy?" Zhao Xiping asked Sui Liang, looking down at him.

"Yes," Sui Yu answered quickly. "Let's go buy some; I want some too."

Inside the store, the owner was wiping the counter when he heard footsteps. He looked up, smiling warmly. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to you too," Sui Yu said, pulling out some copper coins. "Give us three pieces of candy. How much is it?"

"Fifteen coins."

"That's quite a bit more expensive than usual," Zhao Xiping added six more coins.

The owner smiled. "For good luck."

Handing over the candy, Sui Liang caught it. Standing under the lantern, he carefully compared the sizes, giving the larger pieces to the adults and keeping the smallest for himself.

The three of them walked home, savoring the sweet candy against the chill of the wind. Before they could open the door, Meoguan, the cat, meowed and greeted them.

"Meoguan, do you want some candy?" Sui Liang offered a bit from his mouth to the cat. Meoguan licked it, made a few sounds, and shook its head, running away.

Sui Liang looked at the candy licked by the cat, hesitated, and threw it on the ground without eating it. He noticed his brother-in-law watching him and chuckled, shrinking his neck.

"Tomorrow I'll buy you more," Zhao Xiping said.

Sui Liang shook his head, running into the kitchen, shaking his head and saying, "No need. I've already tasted it."

"What?" Sui Yu asked. "I'm going to make peach soup. Wait a bit and have some later."

Sui Liang nodded.

"Are you hungry?" Sui Yu asked the man who had entered. "Do you want a bowl of hot mutton soup?"

"Not hungry. Let's wash up and sleep."

She prepared a pot of peach soup, each having a bowl, and used the remaining water to wash their faces and soak their feet.

After all the hustle and bustle, they finally lay down in bed as the rooster crowed.

Sui Liang yawned, feeling sleepy. He tucked himself in and fell asleep within moments.

As the sound of his breathing steadied, Zhao Xiping gently squeezed Sui Yu's foot, whispering, "Come closer."

Hearing his voice, Sui Yu knew what he was thinking. She stayed still, saying, "It's late. I want to sleep."

The man remained silent, but his hand under the quilt slowly moved upward, his rough fingertips gliding over her delicate ankle, barely wider than his thumb.

A tingling sensation spread from her feet upwards. Sui Yu bit her lip, feeling his rough fingertips slide up her calf towards her knee, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

The man chuckled softly, repeating, "Come closer."

Sui Yu complied, biting him in frustration.

Zhao Xiping turned her face toward him and leaned in for a kiss.

Under the quilt, things became warm and moist. The man bent like a bow, lifting her soft, cold feet onto him, shamelessly saying, "I’ll warm your feet."

Sui Yu snorted, lifting her toes and lightly rubbing them against him, hearing his breath hitch. She chuckled again.

The rooster crowed twice, and the door opened. The man went out. Sui Yu lay on the edge of the bed, watching him. She heard Meoguan meow and the pigs in the sty grunt.

The water in the pot was heating up. After washing, Zhao Xiping brought the water in, seeing Sui Yu already asleep. He wrung out a cloth, wiped her hands clean, then her feet, emptied the water, closed the door, and held her as they slept.

The following days were like New Year's Eve, filled with nothing but eating and playing.

After the fifth day, Zhao Xiping spent three days tanning the dried wolf skins. With the wolf skins, Sui Yu wouldn't be cold when she went hunting again. Only then did he lead the camel and take Sui Yu and Sui Liang out.

From the south to the desert, to the Great Wall in the north, on the uninhabited wilderness, Zhao Xiping and Sui Yu shot arrows. Flying birds in the sky, field mice on the ground, foraging rabbits, and passing rats—all became targets for the couple.

Sui Liang dragged the heavy wolf skins around, running wherever the arrows landed.

After the Lantern Festival, Qin Dashun also joined in.

In the morning, they wrestled; in the afternoon, they practiced archery; in the evening, they sparred with staves. Zhao Xiping's days were very fulfilling.

After Qin Dashun joined them, Sui Yu no longer accompanied Zhao Xiping outside. She stayed home to process the hunted game: field mouse skins, bird feathers, rabbit skins—all needed to be cleaned up.

By early February, the accumulated field mouse skins were enough to make a leather vest.

Sui Yu wandered around the streets for half a month before finally buying a piece of tanned cowhide from a foreign merchant. It was two feet long and more than a foot wide, costing her two strings of cash.

The cowhide was thin yet tough. After cutting it to size, Sui Yu used arrowheads to punch holes in the cowhide and sewed it onto the outside of the mouse skin vest. The remaining cowhide was used to reinforce the chest area, protecting the heart.

With the vest complete, it was late February, and the soil was about to thaw. Before that, Zhao Xiping had to make a trip back to his hometown.

Sui Yu took down the dried wolf meat. A fifty-pound wolf, after drying, yielded only about twenty pounds of meat (according to Sui Yu's measurement).

She packed the wolf meat into a bag and took down two dried pheasants and five dried field mice from the wall. These were all placed into a hemp sack. She walked around the house and said, "Should I bring a bag of dried turnips back for my parents?"

"That's enough. We have dried turnips at home," Zhao Xiping said as he tied the wolf skins to his back. "Are you really not coming back?"

"What for? To get scolded?" Sui Yu glanced at him.

Zhao Xiping thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine. The pigs, the camel, and the chickens need you here. I'll go quickly and return within ten days."

"You can stay a few more days if you want." Sui Yu walked over, straightened his clothes, and instructed, "Be careful on the road. Don't travel at night, and don't skimp on meals."

Zhao Xiping raised his hand, noticing Sui Liang watching intently. He gently smoothed her hair.

"Alright, I'm leaving." He pushed her away, went into the camel pen to lead the camel out, and said, "No need to see me off today."

He threw the sack of meat onto the camel's back, slung some provisions over his shoulder, and tied bundles of firewood and hay on either side of the camel. After checking everything, he whistled loudly to the woman standing under the eaves and led the camel out.

Sui Yu laughed and spat at him, then followed him out.

Qin Dashun was sitting in the courtyard weaving baskets. Seeing them pass by, he quickly stepped out and asked, "Leaving today?"

Zhao Xiping nodded and gestured toward home, saying, "Thank you for looking after things."

"Don't worry, it's all on me," Qin Dashun assured him.

Zhao Xiping left, and Sui Yu took a shovel and led Sui Liang to dig in the vegetable garden. The wild chives planted last winter had sprouted tender shoots, and the leeks were also growing. In another ten days or so, they would have fresh greens to eat.

"Sui Yu, didn't you plant any scallions and garlic this year?" Aunt Du, who was also in the garden, pulled out a handful of scallions and tossed them over. "Dig trenches, plant the scallions, and they'll grow roots. One plant will become a cluster."

Sui Yu thanked her and let Sui Liang pick them up. "We usually gather wild scallions and garlic while herding sheep. When we bring them back, we store them in sand pits, which keeps them fresh for ten to fifteen days. But we don't eat them often since Sui Liang doesn't like scallions and garlic, so I didn't plant them."

Sui Liang stuck out his tongue.

Aunt Du looked at Sui Liang and said, "My grandson doesn't like them either. By the way, have you heard? Another woman in the brothel is pregnant. Three old men came to claim the child, wanting to follow Old Niu's example and take a wife with a child back."

Sui Yu shook her head; she hadn't heard about it.

"What happened next?" she inquired.

"I'm not sure," Aunt Du shook her head. "Let's see what happens in a few days."

Sui Yu felt uneasy. After planting the scallions, she carried the shovel and led Sui Liang back home, heading directly to Seventeen Villages.

Uncle Niu's door was half-open. Sui Yu knocked and walked in. Tong Huaer was holding A'shui, basking in the sun in the courtyard. A mat and a quilt were laid on the ground for A'shui to roll around on.

"Sui Yu is here?" Tong Huaer got up and said, "Old Niu isn't home; he went to the river to wash diapers."

"I'm not looking for him. I just need to say a few words and leave. I heard that someone in the brothel is pregnant, and three men are fighting to claim the child. They won't easily let her go. If they get angry, they might think of you, as you were the first one," Sui Yu said.

Tong Huaer nodded; she had also heard about it.

"They might try to take you back once the child is born. Stay inside for a while, and tell Uncle Niu to stay in too. Keep the door locked," Sui Yu added.

Tong Huaer turned pale.

"Be careful. I'm going now," Sui Yu turned and walked out.

"I'll see you off." Tong Huaer carried A'shui and saw her out. "Sui Yu, thank you."

Sui Yu remained silent.

Tong Huaer watched Sui Yu and Sui Liang walk away, then closed and bolted the door.

Three days later, Sui Yu was watering the garden when she heard loud shouting in the village. Thinking it was just a family argument, she ignored it and continued watering. After finishing two buckets, she led the camel back.

"Who's arguing?" Sui Yu asked someone in the alley.

"People from the brothel came to take Tong Huaer. Old Niu refused to let her go and threatened anyone who entered with a kitchen knife."

Sui Yu opened the door and led the camel inside. She went to Seventeen Villages, but the crowd at the entrance blocked her view. Hearing that Uncle Niu was holding his own, she went back to cook.

The brothel people came three times, each time being blocked by Old Niu. On their last attempt, they forcibly broke in but found only Uncle Niu inside. Unable to find Tong Huaer, they were chased out by Uncle Niu's knife.

After that, the matter was dropped.

One morning, while Sui Yu was cooking, someone pounded on the door. She stood in the courtyard and asked, "Who is it?"

"I, Old Niu," Uncle Niu grunted.

The door swung open, and a bag of grain was swiftly tossed inside. Uncle Niu, seeing it was her, asked, "Is Zhao Xiping not at home?"

He has returned to his hometown, what you are... Without waiting for her to finish speaking, Uncle Niu turned and ran.

Uncle Niu, though old and short, ran swiftly, vanishing down the alley in a flash.

Zhao Xiping returned for two nights and then set off again. Leaving the village and taking the main road, he encountered a diplomatic mission carrying banners. With unashamed audacity, he offered to guide them, and by evening, he took advantage of the situation to stay at a post station, enjoying free lodging and meals.