Chapter 203 Mother and Son Meeting
Walking out of Nanshan and heading west along the river, there are caravans on both the south and north banks. The sound of camel bells drowns out the sound of waves, spreading in waves towards the dense forests and mountains.
"Hey, cakes, do you want to buy some?" A nearby farmer shouted while carrying a basket.
Zhang Shun took a detour to take a look. It was millet and bean dregs cake. It was irritating to his throat when he swallowed it. He had never eaten this thing since Sui Yu bought it for him.
"How much is one?" Zhang Shun asked.
"Eight cents each."
Zhang Shun immediately frowned. A palm-sized rough cake was sold for eight cents each. Was this a robbery?
He ran over to tell the hostess, but Sui Yu immediately waved her hand and said, "If we wait another day, there will be no shortage of caravans waiting to cross the river. While they are waiting in line, we can make our own dough and make pancakes."
"Shopkeeper Yu, aren't you going to replenish your dry food?" Wang Ping came over with a bag of millet and bean dregs cakes.
"It's not worth it. The pancakes are not tasty and the price is too high." Zhang Shun continued.
Wang Ping shrugged. "There's nothing we can do. In their eyes, we're just fat sheep."
This was the second time Sui Yu heard the term "big fat sheep". She smiled and continued walking past the pancake stall.
"Hey? Is that Shopkeeper Yu?" The merchant who heard the noise on the other side asked.
Sui Yu turned around in surprise and said loudly, "Yes, it's me. I remember you guys. You left the confinement last spring and only came back this year?"
"Yes, this trip is quite long." The merchant looked at her and said, "Your little boy gave me half a taro cake so that we could help him find his mother. Look, this half piece of taro cake was not eaten in vain."
Sui Yu smiled and said happily, "When you come to Dunhuang again, I'll give you two baskets of taro cakes."
"Okay, I'll put the account down first."
After the teasing, the merchant asked Sui Yu seriously: "You are willing to leave home when your child is so young? I asked the child if he still remembers what you look like, and the child shook his head."
Sui Yu laughed and said half-seriously, "You are so annoying. You are rubbing salt into my child's wounds."
The merchant was slightly stunned, then smiled and said, "The child is smart, I can't help but tease him."
"Three baskets of taro cakes, no more teasing from now on." Sui Yu warned, and said, "I won't chat with you anymore, my caravan has gone far away."
"Okay, we should go too."
Wang Ping stopped Sui Yu and gave her a piece of brown rice and bean dregs cake. He asked, "How old is your child? I remember you didn't have any children yet."
"The last time you passed through Dunhuang was right after my guesthouse was completed. I got pregnant the year after I built it. In two months, my child will be two years old." Sui Yu took a bite of the brown rice and bean dregs cake and chewed it slowly. She said solemnly, "When we get to Dunhuang, I'll introduce you to him."
Wang Ping wanted to laugh. What did he need to know about a two-year-old kid?
Song Xian was waving, Sui Yu said something to Wang Ping, and then she started running with big strides.
The escorts who were traveling with him saw this and said, "This shopkeeper Yu has practiced, and his legs and feet are light and powerful when he runs."
"Her husband is a captain in the army, so he should have been taught." Wang Ping continued.
"He is a warrior. No wonder he is so heartless as to let a woman go out to do business." The escort understood.
"Are there any female escorts in your escort team?" asked Wang Ping's second uncle.
"Yes, but the female escorts don't travel far. They are all teaching students in the martial arts school."
"Then you are not considered a bodyguard." Uncle Wang Ping said in a light tone.
The escort was surprised. From what he said, it seemed that the second in command still wanted to protect the shopkeeper Yu?
The caravan continued along the river. As it was getting dark, Sui Yu saw a man selling chestnuts on the roadside. Thinking that Xiaozai and Zhao Xiping had never eaten them, she ran over and asked, "How much are they?"
"A basket is sixty coins."
This backpack held at most ten pounds, and the hairy shells on the chestnuts had not been peeled off yet. Sui Yu let out a long sigh and was wondering if there was enough money in the cash box when she suddenly thought of bartering.
"I have a pottery cauldron here with fine clay. I bought it from Chang'an. Would you like to exchange it?" Sui Yu asked.
Seeing that he seemed to be ready to move, Sui Yu called Zhang Shun to bring over a clay pot and started to talk nonsense: "I bought this pot for a hundred coins, and I transported it so far, so I'll calculate it based on a hundred and twenty coins. I'll trade the pot for two baskets of chestnuts from you."
The man selling chestnuts reached out and knocked on the pottery cauldron, then touched the bottom. There was a seal on the bottom. He stroked the pattern and asked, "Is this a word?"
"Yes, the four characters are from the Chang'an Chen family." Sui Yu took back the pottery cauldron and asked, "Will you trade it in? If not, I'll leave. If it weren't for the child, I wouldn't listen to your exorbitant price."
"Change it! I didn't say I didn't want to." The man was a little anxious. He snatched the pottery cauldron and handed it to Sui Yu along with the basket and chestnuts. "Take it away. It's getting dark, and I should go back."
Zhang Shun took away two baskets of chestnuts and asked, "Did we lose money?"
"I don't know." Sui Yu shook his head.
They did not stop even after dark and continued on their journey all night. They arrived at the bank of the river at dawn. Last night's caravan had already crossed the river, and there were only two caravans left in front of Sui Yu. There was a group of people on the other side of the river, and it was unknown how many caravans they were.
Before it was their turn, Sui Yu arranged for Xiao Chunhong, Liu Yaer, Gan Da Gan Er to use the lees of mulberry wine to make and knead the dough, while the others slept on the floor. After sleeping for an hour or two, the dough began to ferment.
Without a chopping board, the dough can only be kneaded in the basin to release the air. After it is kneaded smooth, pinch off a lump, flatten it and stick it on the iron pan.
Wang Ping and his second uncle came over. He said in amazement, "You guys are quite leisurely and don't mind the trouble."
"With more people, the hands are quicker and it won't be a big deal," said Sui Yu.
Wang Ping sat down and didn't move. When the golden pancake came out of the pan, he quickly reached for it. He was so hot that he grimaced but couldn't bear to throw it away.
Sui Yu handed a pancake to the second in command, and when the pancake was taken out of the pan, she shoveled it into the basin on her left so that they couldn't get it.
They waited from morning till dusk, and finished baking one pot of noodles from the two pottery pots they bought from Chang'an. Qingshan and his companions collected two loads of firewood, and finally it was Sui Yu and his group's turn to cross the river.
Unfortunately, the boatman who was paddling the sheepskin raft was the one Sui Yu met when she came here. The boatman's face fell when he saw her.
Sui Yu felt uneasy, thinking her lies had been exposed. However, before she could say anything, the boatman said in a gruff voice, "What are you standing there for? The price is still the same. Get on board."
Sui Yu responded cheerfully, and the servants led the camel toward the river.
Sui Yu took out a stack of pancakes from the pottery pot, and took out a handful of chestnuts and stepped onto the sheepskin raft. She gave these to the boatman. She chatted with him shamelessly on the boat. After crossing the river, the boatman's face looked much better.
"See you next year." Sui Yu waved to the boatman.
"I won't do this next year. I go into the water so often and my legs ache every time the weather changes," said the boatman.
"What's your name? I'll be out of seclusion next year and go to the Western Regions to have a look. If there's a cure for this disease, I'll come to see you the year after next."
The boatman hesitated for a moment, muttering something, but then he said expectantly, "My name is Guo Laoshuan, and the one paddling the raft is my eldest son."
After saying goodbye to the boatman, Sui Yu headed towards Hongchiling.
"Is it snowing in the mountains?" Zhang Shun asked the merchants waiting for the boat.
“It hadn’t snowed when we came down.”
"It's not even October yet, so even if it snows it won't be much."
Zhang Shun thanked him and ran to catch up with the caravan.
There was a caravan leading the way in front, and Sui Yu followed them. The caravan of Wang Ping's clan followed behind Sui Yu's caravan.
After climbing for seven days, they arrived at the valley. The wind was biting cold. The travelers put on all their clothes, wrapped themselves in blankets, and hunched their necks as they continued on their journey.
There was heavy snow on the top of the snow-capped mountains, the water in the cracks of the rocks in the valley had frozen, and the sparse and short weeds had turned yellow. Looking around, the world was filled with nothing but snow and yellow.
The caravans going up the mountain were in a hurry to continue their journey, not daring to rest, day and night.
Sui Yu gave five pancakes to each person. If they were hungry, they could take a bite and chew it. If they were thirsty, they could take a sip of cold water. Eating and drinking should not delay their journey.
After walking for two days and two nights, they finally walked out of the valley. Sui Yu was too sleepy to walk anymore. She asked people to take down the felt and wooden boards to build a felt house. She threw five bundles of hay to the camels and no longer cared about anything else. As soon as the felt house was built, she crawled into it and fell asleep.
The same was true for the other two caravans. They also had felt, not only felt but also blankets, so they could sleep comfortably and continue on their journey after waking up.
After crossing Hongchiling and entering Wuwei County, the mountain was bitterly cold and the water had frozen into ice, while the fields below the mountain had just finished the autumn harvest and the farmers were busy selling grain on their shoulders.
Sui Yu found a farmhouse and had a good sleep. He also replenished the camels with food and fodder, a mixture of soybean meal and millet. After resting for two days, the caravan set off again.
The entry fee had been paid when entering the city, and the "pass" documents were checked when leaving the city. The city guard would stamp them and let the caravan leave the city.
After passing Wuwei and Zhangye, the wind was filled with yellow sand, dry and cold. Sui Yu listened to the merchants ahead of her cursing this hellish place, but she didn't care. The closer she got to Dunhuang, the more energetic she became.
It was the end of October when they walked into Jiuquan County. Seeing that it was about to snow, Sui Yu decided to take a detour to return to her husband's home. Mrs. Zhao had just finished her confinement and her child was still young and could not travel long distances. In order to avoid any complaints from her sisters-in-law, Sui Yu only took the two elders to Dunhuang.
It snowed on the first day after leaving Jiuquan. Zhao's father and mother rode camels covered with blankets to avoid the cold, but Sui Yu did not stop on their journey.
In Dunhuang City, Zhao Xiping looked at the falling snow and felt worried. He went out of the city in the wind and snow, and waited for a whole day but there was no sign of Sui Yu.
It was dark. Sui Liang took his nephew by the hand, holding a hot water bottle and listening to the sound of the wind. The camels in the livestock pen were moving around and the camel bells were jingling, but no camel bells were heard in the distance.
"Uncle, where is my dad?" The kid poked his head out to look.
Thinking that his sister would be back soon, Sui Liang stopped hiding the truth and said, "Your father has gone to wait for your mother. Your mother will be back soon."
The boy was stunned for a moment. The next day, when Zhao Xiping left the guesthouse again, he wanted to go too, holding his father's legs.
When the faint sound of camel bells came from afar, Zhao Xiping suddenly became alert. He looked at his son in his arms and said, "I'll take you to pick up your mother. Let's see if you can still recognize her."
The kid looked to the east, and the next moment he was held in Zhao Xiping's arms.
"I finally saw the city wall of Dunhuang." Sui Yu shouted excitedly, "I'm back——"
Song Xian smiled. This trip was really not easy.
"Madam, look, is that the master coming?" Xiao Chunhong shouted.
The lone camel was getting closer and closer. Zhao Xiping asked the caravan in front and learned that Sui Yu was right behind. He took the child out of his wolfskin coat and slowed down his approach.
"Remember to call your mother later, she misses you very much." Zhao Xiping instructed.
Sui Yu ran out of the caravan, and the little boy saw her. He looked at her seriously, and when Sui Yu approached, he suddenly burst into tears.
"I recognize you." Zhao Xiping smiled at Sui Yu. He jumped off the camel with the cub in his arms and said, "This brat has a good memory. I thought he had forgotten what you looked like."
Sui Yu didn't say anything. She moved closer to the father and son, silently looking at the child who had lost a lot of weight. The fat on the baby's face had disappeared, and his watery eyes had become bigger.
The cub wiped away his tears and stretched out his hand to her eagerly.
Sui Yu hugged him and kissed him. The little boy just stopped crying but started crying again in grievance. He pulled her clothes and buried his face in her neck.
"Don't cry, baby. Mommy is back." Sui Yu hugged him tightly and coaxed him softly, "I received the message you asked the caravan to send to me. I rushed back to see you as soon as I heard the news. I missed you, too."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com