Chapter 309: Knowing the World Without Being Worldly

Chapter 309: Knowing the World Without Being Worldly

By May, summer had arrived, and the river at the foot of Hongchiling entered its flood season. Sui Liang had not yet emerged from the Qinling Mountains when he heard the roaring sound of rushing water. The sound was so powerful that he thought it must be similar to the waterfall described by the elderly teacher.

"Song the Head of the Household, Little Sui the shopkeeper, once we leave this mountain, we will not accompany you further," said the lead soldier dressed in black uniform.

Upon hearing this, Song Xian expressed her gratitude, "Alright, once we leave this mountain, we will reach the river. After crossing the river, we will ascend Hongchiling. There are soldiers guarding the pass on Hongchiling, so the road ahead is less likely to be troubled by bandits. We can manage on our own."

"Brothers, thank you for your hard work in escorting us this far. Please leave us your addresses. When our merchant caravan goes out again and finds something good, we will send some to you in Chang'an for you to try," said Sui Liang, who had once been a servant and had experience dealing with soldiers. Having worked in guesthouses for many years, he knew well that a little bribery was the best way to win people over.

Indeed, upon hearing this, the five dusty soldiers visibly relaxed, their tense expressions fading away. They eagerly inquired about what good things could be found outside the pass.

Sui Liang looked at Zhang Shun, who thought for a moment and, after Song Xian mentioned that the fur and carpets outside the pass were of good quality, added, "Last spring, when we returned from Dayuan, we found their kumis to be quite delightful. Our master used it to entertain the commandant, who greatly enjoyed it, saying it was rich in flavor and didn't cause headaches even when drunk. Also, when we passed through Kucha, we encountered a group of Parthian merchants who had Tiger Bone Wine (a traditional Chinese medicinal liquor). It's said to be very strong and can strengthen the body. We bought two jars, and our master didn't even drink them, using them instead to bribe people. If we come across Tiger Bone Wine again when we go out, we will send some to your homes when we go to Chang'an."

"Ah, we do love good wine. When you go to Chang'an in the future, bring us a few jars of kumis or sheep's milk wine from outside the pass," said the lead soldier, tapping his whip and shouting to Sui Liang, "Don't forget about the Tiger Bone Wine. If you come across this rare item, remember us brothers."

Sui Liang nodded readily, "I won't forget. Next time we go to Chang'an, it will be either next year or the year after. We will definitely visit you then. Just don't turn us away at the door, treating us like beggars."

"Cut the crap. What beggar carries a fortune?" said the youngest soldier in black, digging a lump of mud from his shoe and throwing it at the wooden box filled with copper coins. "Is this stuff fake? Should I go through the trouble of opening the box to check?"

"Xiao Liu!" the lead soldier barked, his face stern. This merchant caravan had a good relationship with the Left Marquis. To try to extort money from them was like having their eyes blinded by filth or their brains addled by water.

"I was just messing around. I haven't even had a drink yet, but I'm already drunk. Don't take it to heart, kid," said Xiao Liu reluctantly.

"We'll make sure to send some good wine your way soon, and make sure Xiao Liu drinks to his heart's content," said Sui Liang with an innocent expression, as if he hadn't understood their subtle exchange.

Song Xian quietly stepped back, watching Sui Liang's slender figure and thinking how unfair heaven was. She remembered something she had never told anyone: before her father died, he said she was stubborn and couldn't see herself clearly. She wasn't naturally a smooth talker, lacked the flexibility of a merchant, and had poor judgment of people. If she went into business, she might make a decent living, but she wouldn't go far. She had always resented this, feeling her father was deliberately belittling her and biased against her. Now, she somewhat agreed with his words.

Sui Liang, a young man who had never ventured far, was described by Sui Yu and seen in the letters on the road as a child who hadn't grown up, innocent and naive. This seemed to be confirmed when they left Dunhuang—he burst into tears as they left the city and often shed tears when camping at night, saying he missed home, his sister, his nephew, and his brother-in-law. Most of the letters he sent back with the caravan were filled with homesickness and longing for his loved ones.

Yet, this naive kid wasn't afraid to deal with strangers. When meeting the Left Marquis, he stood his ground just like Sui Yu; when encountering the Head of the Household, he greeted him like an old friend; in front of these seasoned soldiers, he could casually joke around. Unlike her, who would think twice before speaking, afraid of offending someone.

What shocked Song Xian was that she could see Sui Liang's naivety. In business matters, he was green, often seeking help from servants or her when he didn't understand something. This just proved that he was a natural at socializing, naturally adept at navigating the complexities of human interaction, like a born merchant. But compared to merchants, he had an extra layer of honesty. If he were the son of some big shot, Song Xian could understand his confidence, but he wasn't—his family background was actually a disadvantage.

Song Xian let out a sigh. If dragons beget dragons and phoenixes beget phoenixes, Sui Yu and Sui Liang, with their inherited intelligence, were born smart. Her father was also a capable man, so why was she like a blocked vessel, appearing dull next to capable people, with age bringing no progress.

A bright light suddenly hit her, and Song Xian raised her hand to shield her eyes. The caravan had come out of the mountains, and without the canopy of trees, the sky suddenly cleared.

"Where will you cross the river? Which mountain will you ascend?" asked the lead soldier in black.

"This river is called Lishui. Follow it upstream for a day, and you will reach the ferry crossing of the big river," explained Zhang Shun, taking out a wooden board and charcoal from his pocket. "Sir, which neighborhood and alley do you live in? What is your full name? Let me write it down."

While the soldiers were giving their addresses, Song Xian urged her camel closer to Sui Liang and asked with a flushed face, "Liang Ge, should we give them some money?"

"What does Elder Sister Song think?" Sui Liang didn't dare make the decision alone, as he didn't want to bear the cost by himself.

Song Xian: "...Then let's give it?"

Sui Liang was waiting for this and immediately agreed, "I'll have Xiao Chunhong get fifty strings of cash. Is that enough?"

"I'll add another fifty strings," said Song Xian.

"Alright, I'll have Li Wu hand it to them when we leave."

"Little brother, we will accompany you a bit further. We will return only after you cross the big river. I took a quick look around, and the forest here is dense, with dried camel dung on the ground. It seems no caravan has passed this way for a while. We are a bit worried about letting you travel alone for a day," said the bearded soldier. "If something happens to you because we were lazy, the Left Marquis would not forgive us."

"Then we will trouble you, brothers. When you come to Dunhuang, visit the Changgui Inn, and our family will slaughter pigs and sheep to entertain you," said Sui Liang politely.

The black-clad soldiers knew they'd never make it to Dunhuang in their lifetime, but they still smiled and agreed.

The caravan rested at the foot of the mountain for an hour, with both the people and camels rested and refreshed, before setting off again.

They didn't travel at night, and it wasn't until the next evening that the caravan reached the banks of the great river. There were no other caravans on either side of the river, only three boys guarding sheepskin rafts under a tree on the opposite bank.

"Boys, we have business," Zhang Shun called out loudly. "Go fetch your elders, we need to cross the river."

"It's late today, wait until tomorrow."

"Then we’ll wait it out," Song Xian said. "We'll spend the night by the river."

"Ask if they know Old Shuan, and tell them we're hiring his family's sheepskin rafts," Sui Liang remembered his sister's instructions. If the Tiger Bone Wine proved useful, Old Shuan's family would be their connection along the great river.

Zhang Shun relayed the message loudly, and upon hearing the question about which caravan they were from, one boy darted off as soon as the name "Sui" was mentioned.

By the time dinner was ready, people from the opposite bank arrived. Besides Old Shuan's family, there were a dozen or so ferrymen. They rowed across the river on sheepskin rafts, buzzing about the Tiger Bone Wine even before they reached the shore.

In the presence of the soldiers, Sui Liang firmly stated they only had two small jars and promised to find more for them next year when they cross the pass.

"Young innkeeper, eat early and rest. We'll cross the river at dawn when the current is gentler, and the sheepskin rafts will be more stable," Old Shuan finally found a moment to speak. "I'll go back and gather more people. By tomorrow morning, we'll have a hundred sheepskin rafts ready, hopefully enough to get you all across in one go."

Sui Liang thanked him profusely and promised again, "Next year, I'll have someone bring you Tiger Bone Wine. No, I’ll check with the caravans returning this year. If they have any, I'll buy it from them and have it sent to you by a passing caravan."

Old Shuan chuckled to himself. The boy was still a bit naive, daring to make such a firm promise. It was likely his family had some in stock.

...

At the first crow of the rooster the next morning, before dawn, both banks of the great river were already alive with activity. Sheepskin rafts entered the water, the splashing drowning out the birdsong in the forest.

With the river crossing arrangements nearly complete, Sui Liang, accompanied by Li Wu, found the soldiers preparing to return. He spoke kindly, offering them two jars of fine wine from Song the Head of the Household and himself, as a gesture before the mare's milk wine and Tiger Bone Wine could be delivered.

Li Wu handed over a bundle with a hundred strings of copper coins.

The soldiers declined, not because they didn't want it, but because of Xiao Liu's earlier remarks. If he hadn’t hinted for the caravan to pay, they might have accepted. But his implication changed the meaning, and if it were reported to the Left Marquis, they wouldn't be able to justify it and would gain nothing.

"We're loading the goods now. Go keep an eye on the goods, make sure no one walks off with anything valuable," the bearded soldier said. "When you come to Chang'an in the future, look us up. Enough chit-chat, get to work."

Li Wu looked at Sui Liang, who nodded, and he took back the offered bundle.

"Brothers, until we meet again," Sui Liang clasped his hands in farewell. "Next time I go to Chang'an, I'll bring my sister and nephew to thank you in person."

The boatmen were calling, and Sui Liang didn't linger. He hurried over.

"Young innkeeper, come aboard this sheepskin raft. This old man steers steadily, I promise you won't fall in," Old Shuan called out.

Sui Liang boarded the raft with Gan Da and five chests of money, while Song Xian and her servants took another sheepskin raft.

"Young innkeeper, do you still have Tiger Bone Wine at home?" Old Shuan asked in a low voice once they were away from the shore. "The two jars you gave me last year are finished, and my old legs have been hurting again lately."

Sui Liang watched as the sheepskin raft drifted further from the shore, the sound of the flowing river growing louder. He sighed and said, "Old man, you're really pushing your luck."

"This old man keeps his word. I promise you won't fall into the water. I'm not an ungrateful scoundrel."

Sui Liang didn't believe him but relented, saying, "When I get back, I'll have someone send you a jar, or have a passing caravan bring it to you. But let's be clear, you can't keep doing this."

"Alright, alright," Old Shuan agreed without further argument, promising, "From now on, whenever your caravan needs to cross the river, just come find me. My family will ensure you cross safely."