Chapter 219 Abandoned Outside the Pass
The baked naan in Kucha is crispy and contains mutton. The mutton is chopped and mixed with pepper powder, then wrapped in dough and simmered. The flavor of mutton and pepper is completely locked in the crispy dough. Once you break it open, the rich and fragrant aroma rushes straight into your nose, and the mellow and fresh aroma of mutton makes your mouth water.
This was the most authentic mutton Sui Yu had ever eaten. She wasn't sure if it was because the grass in Kucha was lush, so the sheep raised there were fresh and fragrant without any smell of mutton, or if it was because the sheep breeds inside and outside the Great Wall were different, resulting in the mutton in Dunhuang not being as tender as the mutton in Kucha, or if it was because the cooking methods were different?
"If the journey wasn't too far, I would have bought dozens of sheep and driven them back when I returned," said Song Xian.
Sui Yu chewed his naan and nodded repeatedly. It didn't matter how long the journey was, the key point was that the road was sandy. There was almost no grass or trees on the road from Loulan to Yumen Pass. If he took the sheep on the road, they would probably starve to death on the way.
After eating a naan bigger than her face and drinking some mixed vegetable soup, Sui Yu was full. She saw a pile of mutton naan in the pottery basin and said to the big-eater male servant, "If you're not full yet, keep eating. Don't save. Eat all these. If you leave them for the next meal, there will be no more freshly baked naan."
"As long as I can eat my fill, it tastes good even when it's cold." Gan Da is not picky about food.
Sui Yu smiled and said, "This isn't expensive. I can feed you as much as you want. I don't know if there's any left outside of Kucha City. I'll buy a batch of naan for every meal in the next few days. Let's eat as much as we want first, otherwise it would be a shame for all the hard work we've put in on the road."
"That's not much hardship, just a little more walking." Zhang Shun reached out and took another toasted naan, saying, "Since following the master, we have never suffered any hardship."
The speaker has a heart, and the listener also has a heart.
When the baked naan was almost gone, Sui Yu and Song Xian packed up and prepared to go to the city to find a caravan. Before they even left the house, they heard the tinkling sound of camel bells, indicating that a caravan was approaching.
Sui Yu and Song Xian looked at each other, put down their bags and walked out. This time, there were three caravans coming together. All three were small caravans. They left the customs in early spring and returned in early autumn. When they returned, they would stay in Dunhuang for a few days to sell some goods before returning to the customs.
Sui Yu stepped forward to greet her, and the people in the caravan were quite shocked when they learned her identity.
"Shopkeeper Yu? I've heard that the North City Inn is yours." The older merchant looked her over and said, "Your husband is a captain in Dunhuang, right? Why are you still traveling outside the border to trade?"
"I want to make more money." Sui Yu said half-truthfully.
The merchant smiled. He stopped probing and asked, "How many days have you been here?"
"Five or six days."
"oh."
Sui Yu thought for a moment and asked, "Where are you planning to go next? We'll go with you."
"We're going back to the border." The merchant was surprised again. "It's almost May, and you haven't returned yet? We need to enter the border before August and leave the northwest before the snow falls in Hongchiling."
Sui Yu planned to return before September. She had gone through so much trouble to come out, and she wanted to visit one or two more places.
"This is like this. This is our first time in Kucha. We don't understand the situation and are afraid of being cheated. Can you let us follow you when you go to buy goods in the next few days? We won't interrupt or ask too many questions." Sui Yu stopped beating around the bush and stated his purpose directly.
At this time, a man who was busy unloading goods came over. He introduced himself as a native of Sishui County. He wanted to settle down in Dunhuang next year. In order to make it easier to leave the country, he wanted to live in the border for a few years, but he had no place to live.
Sui Yu understood what he meant. This person wanted to build a house in Dunhuang. However, the houses and land in Dunhuang were all government-owned. The land allocated to each person was only for living in and could not be sold. The only way was for local people to buy the wasteland and build a house on it with their own money. However, such houses were already occupied. If the government-allocated houses were not full, no one would be willing to pay extra money to buy land and build a house.
"I wonder if you have ever stayed in my guesthouse? No? Oh, when you go back this year, you can stay at the Changgui Guesthouse in the north of the city for a few nights. A guest room comes with a large warehouse and a livestock pen. It only costs one cent a night, and there are people to look after the camels, letting them out to graze during the day and driving them back into the pen at night. You want to buy a house for living and storing goods, right? You can rent a room from me. It will cost you three hundred cents a year, and that room will not be rented out to anyone except you. Your goods will be kept in the warehouse and no one will touch them. There will be someone guarding it when you are not there, so there will be no theft." Sui Yu said.
"This is more cost-effective than buying a small courtyard in some village. My guesthouse has food and drink. Whenever you go back, you can buy a bowl of hot soup noodles with a dozen copper coins. You don't have to light a fire, boil water, and cook." Sui Yu introduced slowly.
"I understand. You want to use my name as Captain Zhao to buy a house in Dunhuang. If you plan to settle down in Dunhuang, then buying a house is definitely a good deal, and I'm willing to help. But you're only staying for a few years, and you'll have to buy furniture. If you don't go back for a long time, your house will be covered in dust. When you go back for a few days, it will take two days to clean it. It's really not cost-effective."
"I want to bring my wife and children here to live for a few years, and I still want to buy a small courtyard." Hua Suichun found an opportunity to interrupt.
Bring your wife and children? Sui Yu was speechless for a moment, but she still didn't want to give up this business. She asked again: "After your wife and children come, will you stay at home with them, or continue to go out?"
"If you want to make money, what else can you do besides leaving the country?" Hua Suichun smiled.
"Then I suggest you rent my guesthouse. The people in the village are somewhat xenophobic. Everyone works in the fields for a living, but your wife and children don't work and yet have no worries about food and clothing. Think about what that will mean." Sui Yu said.
Hua Suichun seemed to be lost in thought.
"My guesthouse is always occupied. Besides the servants, there are cats and dogs. Oh, and my family also lives there." Sui Yu added, "It's not too deserted, but it's not too busy either."
"Don't rush to make a decision on this matter. Think about it." The elderly merchant interrupted their conversation and said to Sui Yu, "Well, you seem to be a kind-hearted person, and I've wasted a lot of your time. Who knows, maybe Hua Xiaozi will need your help in taking care of him. Bring your people with you into the city with us tomorrow."
"Oh." Sui Yu smiled.
Song Xian also laughed. Sui Yu was really good at being humble and approachable. She admired him a little.
"I won't bother you unloading anymore." Having accomplished her goal, Sui Yu said goodbye. She told the old merchant, "I know a place that makes really delicious baked naan. I'll bring you a batch tonight. You don't need to prepare any dry food."
The merchant nodded, and seeing Sui Yu return to the house, he also turned and went in.
Sui Yu and Song Xian left Agu Lane with brisk steps. This time she asked five male servants to take with her, and these five people were begged from Captain Hu.
After walking around the city, Sui Yu met a group of familiar Hu merchants. This group of Hu merchants came from Wusun and bought seven good-quality Pegasus horses to sell to Chang'an.
"Then you won't stay in Dunhuang this winter?" Sui Yu asked.
"Yes, we will leave Kucha the day after tomorrow and arrive in Chang'an before winter." Hu Shang nodded.
Sui Yu looked around the Tianma, asked about the price, and compared it with the Ferghana horse bought by Song Xian. The Ferghana horse was a Dayuan horse, while the Tianma was a breed from Wusun. The Dayuan horse had a larger skeleton and was more ornamental, but also more expensive.
"By the way, I wonder if you have brought any grain seeds. I want to buy some." Sui Yu thought about the grain seeds. The grain seeds of Kucha Kingdom can be found in the Han Dynasty. Now, if he wants to find new grain seeds, he can only run to a farther place.
The Hu merchants waved their hands, saying that they did not do grain seed business.
After parting with the Hu merchant, Sui Yu and Song Xian went to their old place to buy baked naan. It was in a secluded alley. An old man with a goatee and his wife were selling naan from their home, and their customers were all nearby residents. They had come here the day before yesterday, attracted by the aroma, and followed the people nearby who were looking to buy baked naan.
The old woman making naan smiled when she saw Sui Yu and Song Xian.
"We want two batches of naan." Sui Yu raised two fingers.
The old woman understood, and she pointed to her carpet and motioned them to sit and wait for a while.
Sui Yu and Song Xian sat over there, and the five male servants also went over and found an open space to stand.
The courtyard is built with bluestone as the foundation and loess as the walls. A jujube tree grows in the yard, and grapevines climb along the wall. An old cat perches on the wall, wagging its tail. This is a small courtyard with a strong sense of life. Sui Yu sat under the jujube tree, chin in hand, watching the customers coming in and out to buy naan. The women here are tall, fair, and really beautiful.
A brown-haired boy with freckles under his eyes walked over. Sui Yu and Song Xian looked at him silently. He looked between the two of them and stopped in front of Sui Yu.
"You Han people are really good at doing business. All the women are out making money." The brown-haired boy spoke Chinese with a mutton-flavored accent.
Sui Yu nodded, "Yes, the people of our Han Dynasty are extremely bold and dare to think and act."
Otherwise, how could we conquer the Western Regions?
The brown-haired boy seemed to understand her implication, and a hint of annoyance appeared on his face.
"You can speak our language," Song Xian interjected, jokingly asking, "Are you planning to go to the Han Dynasty to do business when you grow up?"
"No, I plan to bring our music and dance to Chang'an," the young man said excitedly.
Sui Yu and Song Xian couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" he asked.
Sui Yu shook her head. She didn't understand why she wanted to laugh.
"Can you take me away?" the brown-haired boy whispered.
Sui Yu wanted to laugh again. This guy was bold in thinking and doing things, and he was not afraid that they would sell him out.
"How old are you? Do you ask this every time you meet a Han Chinese merchant caravan? How did you grow up?" she asked.
"Fifteen, you're the second caravan I've asked. By the way, my name is Kurban."
"Why didn't the first caravan take you with them?" Song Xian was curious.
"They went west and said they would take me to Dahan when they came back, but I never saw them again after they left. I don't know if they died in the West or forgot about me." Kurban shrugged.
The old lady who baked naan stuck her head out and chattered a lot, and Kurban also replied in Kucha language. No one knew what they said. The old lady brought out two ovens of naan and pushed Sui Yu and his group out.
Kurban chased out, but was dragged away by someone who was buying baked naan nearby.
"Isn't your teahouse short of musicians? Take this boy back." Song Xian suggested.
"He has a home and family, why would I kidnap him?" Sui Yu shook his head.
As they were almost at Agu Lane, Sui Yu winked at Song Xian and said, "Go to the pasture and call them back for dinner."
"Oh, okay."
Song Xian left, and Sui Yu continued walking with five male servants.
However, none of the five servants spoke until they walked back.
"Shopkeeper Yu, I've made up my mind. This time I go back, I'll stay at the North City Guesthouse for a few nights to see how things are. If it's really as you said, I'll bring my wife and children to Dunhuang next year to rent your house long-term." Hua Suichun came out after hearing the noise.
Sui Yu signaled the male servant to send a batch of baked naan across the street and said, "I won't let you down. I don't see any bullying or discrimination at my place. Your wife and children can stay with me, so you don't have to worry when you go on a long trip."
"Okay." Hua Suichun looked at Sui Yu and asked, "Where are you planning to go next? Will you go abroad to do business in the future?"
"In three to five days, we will leave Qiuci and go to Wusun, then return to Dunhuang. Next year, we will enter the customs and go to Chang'an, and then leave the customs in the spring of the year after." Sui Yu figured out something. This person seemed to want to join her caravan.
Hua Suichun didn't say anything else, so Sui Yu didn't ask any further questions.
The next day, Sui Yu and Song Xian each brought two pieces of silk and followed the small caravan into the city to buy goods. One bought silver and the other bought copper, and they exchanged all the silk directly.
One piece of silk was exchanged for ten pieces of silver or twelve pieces of bronze. After Sui Yu bargained, the Kucha merchant also gave each of them a bucket of sand-tempered pottery bowls and a stove.
In the next few days, Sui Yu and Song Xian followed the small caravan to sell goods in Kucha City, one to find out the real prices, and the other to become familiar with the Kucha merchants.
Five days later, the three small caravans packed up and left Kucha to head east. Sui Yu and Song Xian led the team out of Kucha and prepared to head to Wusun.
"Erhei, you stay here." Sui Yu stopped Erhei from leading the camel. "Don't you want to escape? Since you don't want to be a slave, I'll give you this chance. You can stay outside the Great Wall from now on."
Erhei was stunned, and the others stopped and quieted down.
Sui Yu looked at the others. Their flickering eyes, puzzled expressions, frank expressions, and tightly pursed lips all revealed their thoughts.
"I know some of you share the same desire as him, wanting freedom instead of slavery. But you're more clear-headed than he is, aware of your own abilities and that you can't survive on your own outside the Great Wall. Perhaps you still have some conscience and are grateful to me, willing to protect me on this journey," Sui Yu said calmly. "I was once a criminal slave, so I understand your feelings. Today I'm setting Erhei free. We'll come back in two years to see what happens to him. Will he starve to death outside the Great Wall, or be beaten to death outside the Great Wall, or sell himself to make a living as a potter's kiln worker? If he can make a living outside the Great Wall on his own, not to mention becoming rich, but just having a small house to live in, enough food and drink, and the ability to marry and have children, then you won't have to go through the trouble of trying to escape. I'll pay you to go free."
The others were swirling with thoughts, but those with a clear mind understood that a Han Chinese living outside the Great Wall, without family support, unable to speak the language, without laws to govern them, without money or shelter, was like a sheep among wolves. However, some were optimistic, believing they had the ability to make a living. With Sui Yu's promise today, they felt reassured.
Two years, just two years. As long as Erhei can survive and gain a foothold, they will be free.
"Okay, that's it, let's go." Sui Yu said no more.
The camel's hooves moved and the camel bells rang. Erhei watched the familiar people leave, and his ears were filled with the unfamiliar Kucha language. He was panicked. He didn't even have the next meal, so how could he survive?
Erhei chased after him and begged Sui Yu, "Master, I know I was wrong. I was lost and greedy. I know I was wrong. Please take me away."
"Impossible." Sui Yu said coldly, "Leave now before I regret it. If you make me angry, I'll sell you off."
"Little man, bah." Xiao Chunhong spat in his face, "Master shouldn't have saved you back then."
Erhei stopped and stood there in panic, not knowing what to do next.
The camel caravan went away, and Erhei suddenly realized that he had no way to retreat and no way to survive. He collapsed to the ground, face down, and cried loudly.
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