Chapter 310: Caravan Returns to the City
The sheepskin raft was pushed into the protruding bay. Lao Shuan used a pole to stabilize the sheepskin raft. Sui Liang and Gan Da carried the money box ashore, and Lao Shuan's eldest son also followed to help carry the box.
As soon as the sheepskin raft was empty, Lao Shuan immediately paddled away on it, and the sheepskin raft loaded with silk followed closely behind to fill it up, and Gan Da went over to unload the cargo.
Sui Liang stood guarding the cash box. Half a mile away, a large sheepskin raft, capable of carrying two camels, also docked. The current at the shore was two inches wider than the raft, and the raft got stuck. The boatman inserted two thick wooden poles into the crevices of the underwater rocks. He shouted, and the boatman shouted "Get up!", and the two kneeling camels stood up. Their movement caused the raft to rock violently, and the boatman, who was pressing the thick wooden poles, was exhausted until veins popped out of his head.
The camels came ashore, and probably because they were seasick, they left the shore and knelt down again. Soon, the ground was covered with lying camels, like huge brown rocks.
Sui Liang and Song Xian each counted the money boxes of their respective families, while the servants checked whether the cloth was soaked in water. The boatmen were also busy, floating on the water and checking whether the sheepskin rafts were damaged.
After everyone has finished their work, they will compare accounts and settle the shipping fee.
After the fare was paid, the boatmen carried most of the sheepskin rafts away from the river. Xiao Chunhong took Qingshan, Aniu and the Song family servants with them. They would not meet any farmers in the next half month's journey, so they had to replenish their food and fodder at the foot of Hongchiling.
It was already noon, and the remaining people were resting in place. Sui Liang looked towards the opposite bank and then looked downstream along the direction of the water flow, but he could no longer see the figures of the five soldiers.
"Li Wu, give the fifty strings of cash from the Song family to her," Sui Liang said. "Sister Song, the five clerks didn't want any money, so I didn't force it on them. Next time the caravan goes to Chang'an, we'll give them some good wine and furs."
Song Xian was surprised. "They don't want to accept it? That's strange."
"Maybe he's afraid that the Left Commandant will find out." Sui Liang smiled.
"Then we'll save a lot of money." Song Xian gestured for the servant to take the fifty strings of copper coins. She glanced in the direction the boatman left and said, "We'll leave after noon. We can't stay here overnight. For us, a deserted place is more reassuring than one with people."
Sui Liang listened to her.
Xiao Chunhong bought half a basket of young broad beans and two pieces of bacon from the village, and stewed five pots of rice with these two things. After the caravan members had a full meal, they tied the money boxes and goods to the camels' backs. They drank the rice soup with the salty taste of meat and drove the camels away.
When the caravan entered the woods, a group of tanned children came running over chattering, digging out a few fallen copper coins from the soil and picking up camel dung. Being young and ignorant of greed, a basket of camel dung and two or three copper coins could make them happy for half a day.
At dusk, the children who were picking up manure were preparing to go home for dinner when they met the "leeches" who had rushed over from the town after hearing the news.
"Boy, where is the caravan crossing the river today?"
"He left. He left after noon."
"Is it the caravan that has the tiger bone wine?"
A group of children looked around. They all knew about "leeches". The boatman was extorting money from the caravan, and the "leech" and his gang of little brothers were lying on the boatman and sucking his blood.
"Speak! Are you mute?"
"It's them, but I heard from my father that they have no tiger bone wine left. He said that if they find it next year, they will send it to us." said the tallest boy.
"Master Ma, brothers, do you want to catch up? The caravan can't move fast with the goods." asked a man with shifty eyes.
Leech thought of his father's legs. He looked up at the snow-capped mountains not far away, thought for a while, and then took the eight people who followed him and followed the camel's hoof prints to catch up.
The children ran back quickly carrying the dung baskets. They told their families the news. Most people didn't care much, but Lao Shuan was uneasy. Only he and his eldest son knew that the Sui caravan still had tiger bone wine. If they were caught up by leeches, the jar of tiger bone wine promised to him by the young shopkeeper would most likely fall into the hands of the leeches.
"Dacheng, take the pancakes your mother made at noon and go with you to see what's going on," said Lao Shuan.
"What are you looking at? How can a person walking like me outrun someone riding a camel or a mule?" Dacheng was unhappy. "If I chase after you now, I'm sure I won't be able to catch up with you, Leech. Do you still expect me to tip off the caravan?"
After much deliberation, Lao Shuan insisted that his eldest son give chase. "The leech came in a hurry, so he must have no food. He will be back after tonight. Don't sleep tonight, chase him. If you can catch up with the caravan, tell them and follow them to Dunhuang. Then, pick up the tiger bone wine and return with the passing caravan."
Dacheng was kicked out of the house, and he had to carry two bags and go out.
"Dacheng, where are you going?" someone asked.
"...Go out for a walk, no, visit relatives."
The person asking the question looked at the sky. The sunset glow was about to fade away and it was about to get dark.
The caravan stopped when it was completely dark. They rested near the riverbank and had a simple hot meal. Both the people and the camels, who had been tired all day, rested.
Nearing midnight, the night watchmen heard the sound of hooves coming from the direction they were coming from, and could vaguely see a few flickering sparks. They woke up the sleeping people, and the slaves skillfully carried and bundled the goods in the dark.
About half an hour later, the two brothers Gan Da and Gan walked around with torches to make sure that no goods or wooden boxes were left behind. Then they urged the others to catch up with the camels and continue their journey in the dark.
At the foot of the mountain, Leech and his group heard the noise on the mountain. He was anxious and angry. Without thinking about whether the people on the mountain could hear him, he shouted loudly that he was not here to rob people.
Dacheng, who had just walked out of the jungle, heard the sound and breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the caravan had heard the noise.
"Master Ma, are you still going to chase him?"
"Chase."
When the camel carrying the money box was crossing the river, it stepped on a rock that had been loosened by the snow water. Its hooves and legs became unstable, and the heavily loaded camel fell to the ground. As the camel cried out, the herd of camels fell into an atmosphere of restlessness.
"Damn it! I don't know where he fell, but he's definitely hurt. I smell blood." Ah Niu shouted, "Hurry up and bring the torch over! The cash box is smashed to pieces, and the copper coins are scattered all over the floor."
The torch had burned to the end, the flame was weak, and it was blown out by the wind after just two quick steps.
Someone sighed impatiently, and this sigh brought out the violent emotions in everyone. Qingshan drew his machete and said, "We won't run away. There are so many of us. I don't believe we can't defeat the damn thing following us."
"Yes, they have the guts to follow us, we'll make them go back dead."
"There shouldn't be many people following us. Even if a fight breaks out, we won't suffer any losses." Zhang Shun said in Sui Liang's ear.
Song Xian's servants were even more excited. She was also seething with anger, so she simply went along with the situation and said, "No more running away. If anyone comes, we'll kill them one by one. If a pair comes, we'll kill them both. Everyone, take out your machetes. We'll wait for them here."
At dawn, Leech and his eight lackeys caught up with him. From a distance, he saw a dark group of people and camels mixed together. He couldn't tell who was who, but he could feel the murderous aura.
"We're not here to rob you, don't get me wrong," Leech shouted. "We're villagers from down the mountain. We've caught up with you because we need a favor."
When Sui Liang heard this, his face went blank for a moment. He looked at Zhang Shun. Zhang Shun rubbed his nose and looked at Li Wu who was on guard last night. Li Wu lowered his head. This was not his fault. It was because the caravan brought too much money. He suspected that there were thieves at the slightest sign of trouble.
"Let's take a break." Song Xian said, "We didn't sleep last night and injured a camel. Let's rest for a day and continue our journey at dawn tomorrow."
The machete hit the ground, and the man slid down against the camel. The servant, feeling angry, glared at the perpetrator below.
"How's the camel?" Sui Liang asked.
"The joint of the front leg is broken. It needs to rest for a day and see if it can stand up tomorrow. The place where the sharp stone scratched its belly is bleeding. It looks scary, but it's not a big deal. They have thick skin and flesh, so it will scab over in two or three days." The veterinarian replied.
"What if it can't walk tomorrow?" Sui Liang looked at Song Xian.
"Release it into the wild," Song Xian said. "Leave it here. Once its legs heal, you can let it go wherever it wants."
Sui Liang smiled, stroked the fallen camel's mane, and said, "Let it go. If you pass by again next year, it might come looking for you again."
Song Xian smiled. This child was being naive again. This place was not far from the bottom of the mountain. There was lush grass growing among the rocks and there were trees at the foot of the mountain. This camel would have no worries about food and water after being released into the wild. Would he be stupid to bring it back to do hard labor?
Snoring sounds were heard in her ears. Some of the servants had fallen asleep. Song Xian also yawned. She looked at the nine people who were getting closer and closer. The big-bellied man who was walking in the lead had a face full of flesh and a fierce look. He was definitely not a good person.
Leech stopped about ten feet away from the caravan. He first apologized for the panic he had caused to the caravan, and then explained the purpose of his trip.
"My name is Ma Wang, also known as Leech. I'm in charge of the boatmen who ferry you across the river at the foot of the mountain. I don't know if you've heard of me. It's okay if you haven't. Next time you pass by, ask around and tell me my name. The boatmen won't dare do anything bad to you when you're crossing the river." Ma Wang said honestly, "I chased you down for the tiger bone wine you have. I have an old father who rowed a boat on the river when he was young. Now that he's old, his legs hurt so much that he can't walk. I heard earlier this year that tiger bone wine can cure this ailment, so I asked around and found out it was you. You gave Lao Shuan the tiger bone wine so he wouldn't get into trouble when crossing the river. Give me the tiger bone wine, and as long as I survive, I'll protect you from being cheated, deceived, or threatened by the boatmen when you're crossing the river."
Song Xian's eyes moved, and she looked at Sui Liang. This is worth a try. Making friends with leeches is more worthwhile than making friends with Lao Shuan.
"Okay, I do have a jar of tiger bone wine at home. When I get back, I'll ask a passing caravan to bring it to you." Sui Liang said.
"Only one jar? Including the one promised to Lao Shuan?" asked the leech.
Sui Liang's eyelids twitched. He clenched his hands and said, "I don't know when I will cross the river next time, so how can I promise him in advance? There's only this one jar, and there's probably only a small can left. This is what's left from before, so we'll keep it for ourselves."
The leeches were also trying to trick him. He thought about it and decided to just take one jar. It would be enough for his father to drink for a year. He would think of another way later.
"Then remember to ask the caravan to bring it over. After July, I'll have people guarding the river. When the caravan arrives, tell them my name and someone will go get the wine." Leech said, "Tell me your names so I can pass on the instructions when I get back."
"The two heads of the Sui and Song caravans are Sui Yu and Song Xian respectively," said Sui Liang.
"Just recognize the two female merchants from Dunhuang. My last name is Song, and I'll be accompanying any caravan passing through. Just recognize my face," Song Xian said. "Next time you leave the border, if you encounter Parthian merchants, I'll trade them for tiger bone wine."
The leech looked at her and said, "I've heard about this before. If you'd mentioned the female merchant, I'd have known. By the way, do you have anything to eat? We've only had water and rice yesterday morning."
Xiao Chunhong took out a bag of fried rice and threw it over.
The matter was settled, and the two groups slept on the ground at a distance from each other. Leech and his lackeys had a hot meal in the caravan at noon, and after eating, they returned and went down the mountain.
Dacheng walked all night and his legs were almost broken. After resting for two hours, he heard the sound of hooves and hurried away. Hiding behind a huge rock, he heard a few lackeys flattering the leech, and his heart sank.
After resting for a day and a night, the caravan set off again. The camel with an injured front leg could barely stand up, but it had difficulty walking, let alone climbing the mountain.
Song Xian had someone pick its copper bell, and from then on it was far away from its homeland and free.
The caravan went away, and the camel lamenting loudly, calling out to the herd. It tried to keep up, but could only watch the herd go further and further away. Finally, it had to fall to the ground and hear the sound of hooves.
The sun sets and the moon rises, the stars move, and the hoofbeats disappear. The injured camel stands up and finishes eating the soybean meal. It steps on the stones with its hind hooves, and the hoofbeats sound can be heard again on the mountain.
…
Half a month later, the caravan came down from Hongchiling. The ten-man team waiting in Wuwei County took out a horse whip given by Zhao Xiping. Sui Liang was overjoyed to see it, and he was escorted by soldiers.
Sui Liang was eager to return home, so the caravan traveled quickly and finally arrived in Dunhuang on the fifth day of June.
"Mother..." Lu Yaer's eyes lit up when she saw Song Xian. She dismounted and ran quickly out of the city, saying excitedly, "What a coincidence! I ran into you right after arriving."
Song Xian felt very happy, and all the fatigue from the journey was swept away.
Sui Liang glanced around and asked anxiously, "Are you here alone? Where's the kid? Where's my sister?"
"I came from the guesthouse. School is over, so I'll wait at the city gate on my way back to the city." Lu Yaer explained, "My sister-in-law is working in the fields. I don't know what she's doing, little cub."
Sui Liang was unwilling to give up. He stopped the caravan that was about to enter the city and said, "Lu Ya'er, please go back to the guesthouse and let my sister and the little boy come to pick me up."
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