Chapter 289 Returning with Child
"It happened so many years ago, I can't quite remember it." Aunt Chun didn't want to talk about the past. Although her life was tight, it was relatively smooth. If she dwelled on the past, her family wouldn't be able to survive. Therefore, she deliberately forgot about the past, unwilling to talk about it or see old friends. As for separating from the Sui family and not living together, it was also because of this. Living together, they saw each other every day, and seeing each other's plight made them unable to forget their own. At first, they could sympathize with each other's suffering, but later they grew tired of each other, and seeing old friends made them unable to forget the days when they were trapped in the mire.
"We didn't discuss it. Once we had recovered and saved enough money to get by, we went our separate ways," Aunt Chun said calmly. "When our family of four left Loulan for Yuli, we didn't say goodbye to anyone, and we haven't run into anyone we knew in the years since."
Sui Yu didn't know what to say and could only remain silent.
"Yu girl, you met me today, and you might meet others in the future. I have a favor to ask of you. Don't mention us to others." Aunt Chun made a request. She looked at Sui Yu and said, "From now on, if you pass by Yuli again, just nod and say hello to me. You live your life, and we live ours. After this incident, we will have nothing to do with each other."
Sui Yu thought of Sui Wen'an, who avoided old people and old things. The same was true for Aunt Chun. The disaster had a lifelong impact on the living. All those who managed to get out of it alive lived under that shadow for the rest of their lives.
"Okay." Sui Yu agreed softly.
Aunt Chun breathed a sigh of relief. She kicked the sheep bones at her feet and chatted, "How many children do you have?"
"One, who will be six this winter."
"Oh, that's not small. Is it a girl or a boy?"
"It's a boy who looks like me."
Aunt Chun glanced at Sui Yu and said with a smile, "He will be a handsome man when he grows up."
Sui Yu smiled deeply and said lovingly, "He's a conceited person."
It was obvious that she was living a good life, and as long as she was living well, that was all. Aunt Chun stood up with the help of a jujube wood cane. She suppressed her smile and said uncomfortably, "Yu girl, that's enough. I have sheep to feed at home, so I'm going back. Don't be offended, I won't invite you to my house for dinner."
Sui Yu agreed and sent the old man out.
"Auntie, is there anything I can help you with? Clothes and money..."
Aunt Chun waved her hand without turning back and said, "Thank you for your kindness. Life is going well. Don't send me off. Go and do your own thing."
Sui Yu stopped and watched the old woman with a cane call her grandson who was carrying a load to leave.
Song Xian approached quietly and asked in a low voice, "Your tribe?"
Sui Yu didn't say anything and agreed.
"Why don't you let Auntie stay with us for dinner? I've sent someone to buy beef. Should we pick out some of the bulk goods our caravan brings and send them to her? Judging from the clothes Auntie and her grandson are wearing, they don't have a good life." Song Xian said.
"I offered it, but she didn't want it. Forget it, let her do what she wants." Sui Yu didn't intend to force her kindness. Eight years had passed, the hardest days were over, and Aunt Chun didn't lack any kindness to live on.
For her, whose days were becoming more and more hopeful, she could laugh off past hardships. But for Aunt Chun and the others, who had finally found a peaceful life, the past was still like rotten meat in their hearts. Even if they tried not to touch it, the stench would always linger in their noses, and they could not avoid it. If she forced her kindness on them, it would be another heavy hurt that they could not swallow or spit out.
"Let's leave tomorrow," Sui Yu said. "How's that diarrhea horse?"
"I just fed him rice soup with salt. If he doesn't have diarrhea in the afternoon, he will be able to walk tomorrow," said Song Xian.
"Let's see the situation in the evening," said Sui Yu.
In the evening, the diarrhea horse was in much better condition. It could eat and drink, and its spirits were restored. Seeing this, Sui Yu went to find the headmasters Xu and Li to discuss the day of departure.
The next morning, the caravan left, but stopped when it reached the western edge of Yuli State. Everyone rested there for two more days before setting off for Loulan.
On the way, Sui Yu thanked Song Xian and the heads of the other two caravans. In order to take care of her sudden impulse, a large group of people followed her.
Song Xian probably understood the situation a little bit, and she didn't mind at all.
Boss Xu and Boss Li joked that if they encountered this situation again next time, they would definitely ask her to give a reasonable reason.
Sui Yu smiled, but didn't answer. Instead, he changed the subject and asked, "Are you still planning to sell your horses when you get to Loulan?"
"No more selling, no more delaying on the road. Let's go back early. We should be able to reach Chang'an before winter." Boss Xu had a plan in mind. "Boss Qin should have arrived in Chang'an by now. The horses he brought back have made a name for themselves in Chang'an. We should follow him and take advantage of his fame to pick up some soup. Boss Song, Shopkeeper Yu, what do you think? Do you want to come with us?"
Song Xian looked at Sui Yu. Sui Yu was a little moved, but also reluctant to return home.
"Sister Yu, if you don't want to enter the customs, you can entrust the herd of horses to me and I will help you sell them." Song Xian didn't want to stay at home. She preferred to go to Chang'an, sell horses in winter, buy goods in spring, and return to Dunhuang in the summer of the following year. She would then rest at home for a month. If she felt uncomfortable, she could leave the customs before winter.
"I'll think about it. I promised my child that I would take him to Chang'an, but unfortunately his father can't go with us." Sui Yu was conflicted.
"When we get back, ask Captain Zhao if he can take half a year off," Song Xian suggested. "Even if he can't, leave Captain Zhao at home to manage the guesthouse's business. You take Sui Liang and the kid with you, and we'll go to Chang'an for the New Year."
Sui Yu pursed her lips and smiled. She knew without guessing that Zhao Xiping definitely didn't want to stay at home alone.
"Let's talk about it later," she said.
"I won't talk to you anymore. I plan to follow the caravans of the Xu and Li families through the pass to Chang'an." Song Xian made up her mind.
Sui Yu responded, indicating that he understood.
…
When they arrived at Loulan, when the caravan was resting, Sui Yu led a horse and a servant into the city. She traded the horse for five wool combing machines from a Loulan merchant. Through the introduction of the Loulan merchant, she found a wool trading shop and heard familiar Chinese before she even entered the door.
"It's Mao Dabiao." Xiao Chunhong recognized him. "They've come out of the customs to buy people."
Sui Yu realized that she had bought her private slave from this person.
"Huh? Han people?" The broker was surprised. He came over and greeted them, asking, "Are you from here, or did you come from the Han Dynasty? All the slaves have been bought. If you're not in a hurry, come back in two weeks."
The translator hired by Sui Yu heard this and conveyed the message.
Sui Yu nodded. She walked up to Mao Dabiao and asked, "Are you planning to sell this person to the Han people?"
"Yes, you want to buy someone? What kind do you want? Where do you live? The slaves have been escorted through the customs, and I can send the person over."
"We need women who can use a wool carding machine. Three or five will do." Sui Yu glanced at the slaves squatting on the ground. There were men and women, all dressed in tattered clothes. Judging from their appearance, most of them were Xiongnu. Perhaps they were captured and sold after the defeat of Cheshi in the war with the Xiongnu last year. Or perhaps Xiongnu who had fled to Loulan or Yuli were captured by the locals and sold for money.
"Yes, no matter where you live, I will send you there when you enter the customs. If you buy people from me, I will train them for you, and I will also handle the procedures for enslavement and customs entry for you, so you don't have to worry about it." Mao Dabiao said.
Sui Yu agreed and said, "My family lives in the Changgui Guest House in Dunhuang. Five or six years ago, I bought a dozen slaves from you."
Mao Dabiao couldn't remember it anymore, so he wrote down the address and said with a smile, "Since you are a regular customer, I will give you a good price when the time comes."
The matter was settled, and Sui Yu left with his servants.
The translator took the money and left. Xiao Chunhong then asked, "Master, what are you buying a wool carding machine for? Are you planning to raise sheep, shear their wool, and make woolen blankets?"
"Keep it secret for now." Sui Yu smiled mysteriously, "You'll know next year."
When Song Xian and others saw the complicated wool combing machine, they asked Sui Yu what her plans were, but she avoided answering.
"I feel like you've been acting mysterious ever since you met that monk in Dayuan." Song Xian whispered to Sui Yu privately, asking, "Could it be related to that white flower?"
"Sister Song, can you please pretend to be stupid?" Sui Yu acquiesced. She said helplessly, "I wanted to leave you a surprise. If you guess twice more, I won't have to hide it from you anymore."
"Okay, okay, I won't ask anymore. I'll wait for the surprise you come up with." Song Xian smiled.
After leaving Loulan, the Gobi Desert was exposed before their eyes. Due to the fear of ghost lights, the night watchmen dared not light a fire or even close their eyes to doze off, and only breathed a sigh of relief when they woke up at dawn.
The caravan waited until the sun came out before entering the Gobi Desert. They were extremely lucky as they met a caravan leaving the country as soon as they entered. The camel dung on the road was still fresh, and with the "road signs" to guide them, Sui Yu and his party did not have to spend much effort walking in the Gobi Desert.
The jingling sound of camel bells echoed across the Gobi Desert. When Lao Wan and his companions heard the sound, they became more anxious.
"Uncle, I will take half of the people to the north to block the camel herd's path to prevent them from running in front of the caravan. If so many camels are exposed to the public, we won't be able to take them all." Lao Wan said.
Wan Xingshan thought for a moment and said, "Be careful, it's easy to get lost in here."
"I know. It's not a big problem." Lao Wan responded. He sent half of the people away and rode a camel in a circle to intercept them.
Two camels walking in a herd of wild camels suddenly stopped. They stretched their necks and pricked up their ears to look towards the north of the Gobi Desert. The female camel with a lighter coat bleated twice and led an eggshell-colored baby camel out of the herd.
Seeing this, another camel with a bell hanging on its neck shouted twice to the herd of camels, and a baby camel followed it.
The other camels stopped where they were and kicked their hooves angrily. As the sounds of the two camel bells got farther and farther away, some of them chose to follow.
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