Chapter 44 (First published on Jinjiang Literature City)
Chapter Forty-Four
Lin Rong spent more than ten days in Liangzhou, and before she knew it, it was September.
Liangzhou borders the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions and Tibet. Heading west to Tibet, one encounters majestic mountains, mountain ranges embracing grasslands, and snow-capped peaks. Further north into the Western Regions, one finds desolate Gobi Desert, barren deserts, and vast grasslands.
Lin Rong used to live in the south, where she heard people say every day how the barbarian tribes ate raw meat and drank blood, and how cruel and terrifying they were.
In reality, except when the weather was bitterly cold and food was scarce, when the cavalry chieftains of the various barbarian tribes would lead their armies into the pass to plunder, Liangzhou was generally peaceful and undisturbed by war.
After all, the nomadic tribes were used to a nomadic lifestyle. Even if they attacked and entered a city, they were not willing to occupy and defend it. As long as there was no war, the local people lived a relatively peaceful life and did not live in constant fear or misery.
Lin Rong thought that she would suffer from acclimatization problems or even develop some acute illnesses after arriving in Liangzhou.
To prevent illness, Lin Rong specially filled a sheepskin water bag with water from the six southern states, intending to mix it with water from Liangzhou and drink it little by little. This was a folk remedy, meant to ward off miasma and stabilize the internal organs, thus preventing vomiting and diarrhea.
Fortunately, she was in good health. Having survived so many major disasters, she was able to adapt well to the food in Liangzhou without experiencing much discomfort.
However, Liangzhou was too cold, and winter suddenly arrived in September. Lin Rong was unprepared and almost developed a headache from the cold.
Seeing that Lin Rong was dressed in thin clothes, Aunt Zhang from the village specially recommended that she go to the foreign merchants who sold furs to buy a winter robe.
Aunt Zhang used the Hu language to bargain and helped Lin Rong buy a piece of yak hide for making a robe to keep warm at a relatively cheap price.
"Lynx fur is very valuable, but it's also the warmest and thickest. A fur robe can last for more than ten years. When the robe is tied around your body, it's like a big quilt. Once the belt is loosened, you can just spread out on the ground and that's enough to spend the night."
Aunt Zhang, with her carefree manner, winked at Lin Rong and said, "Back then, Miao Miao's father and I undressed and slept on the grassland, and I conceived a son and a daughter..."
Miaomiao is Aunt Zhang's youngest daughter, and she is only six years old this year.
She heard her mother call her name, and blinked her big, dark eyes, turning around, puzzled.
But Lin Rong was a naive young girl who had experienced such things. She immediately understood Aunt Zhang's lewd words and her ears turned bright red with embarrassment.
Aunt Zhang recounted that she and her husband were nomadic, using the sky as their blanket and the ground as their mat. They took off their clothes to cushion their movements and had sex in the grasslands, which resulted in the birth of their son and daughter.
Lin Rong finally understood the differences between Liangzhou and the six southern prefectures.
Girls from the south are gentle and refined. Families with some means often emphasize literature and use dogma and etiquette to restrain their daughters. However, most people in the border towns have a lot of contact with the Hu people, and they are unrestrained and rough around the edges, so they are not so distant and reserved when they get along with them.
Lin Rong was a typical girl from the south, with a gentle temperament, mild manner, and soft-spoken manner. Even though the red sores on her face had not healed and left large red marks, making her look quite ugly, the young men of Yumen Village still had a good impression of her and often helped her with chores, such as chopping wood, fetching water, herding sheep, and feeding chickens, to express their affection.
Although Lin Rong had no romantic feelings for men, she would not turn away the kindness of others. She would only reciprocate by giving them food or other items to express her gratitude after they had helped her.
As time went by, the villagers of Yushan Village all knew about this new family in the village. It was a hardworking and sweet-talking young girl. She was new to the village and didn't know anyone, so they couldn't let her be taken advantage of.
Not only would they invite Lin Rong to cook mutton at home, but they would also have the children bring her a bowl of ghee milk tea, which they usually made to warm her up, and teach her how to eat it with a milk fan.
Lin Rong received many benefits from the villagers, and she was very grateful. She had no way to repay them, so she could only help the villagers with what she could.
In the past, warhorses were mostly used in border battles.
In order to raise warhorses as strong and healthy as those of the Tibetans, local officials secretly learned from the barbarians how to raise their horses.
Originally, in order to obtain strong and healthy warhorses, the Hu people did not keep foals in stables, but instead adapted to local conditions and let their warhorses graze freely in valleys and plains.
However, the soldiers in the military camps are busy with drills and patrols on weekdays and have no time to raise horses. If soldiers were specially assigned to herd horses, it would be a waste of manpower and money.
In order to raise horses for defense and to prepare for any eventuality, Liangzhou officials would sometimes entrust young foals to the pastures of ordinary people in the city, so that the herdsmen could help drive and graze the horses, and let the warhorses be raised in pastures with abundant grass.
After one or two years, when the warhorses have adapted to the extreme cold and heat and are physically strong, they will be sent back to the military camp for cavalry training.
Yang Feng was contracted to herd such official horses.
In another month, he will be able to complete his task and collect his payment. However, the laborer who helped with the work had a family matter to attend to and could not help herd the horses. Yang Feng then thought of Lin Rong, who was skilled in horsemanship, and wanted to ask her to fill in for more than ten days.
Upon learning that she would be helping to herd the government horses, Lin Rong was surprised. She was worried that she would not be able to handle the job, but she was also eager to try. After all, she could earn two taels of silver for doing this for more than ten days, which was much better than selling pancakes outside.
Although Lin Rong knew that more money meant a tough job, especially having to sleep in the grasslands and valleys for several days in a row to take care of the military horses, ordinary people definitely couldn't endure this hardship.
Yang Feng was worried that Lin Rong, being a young woman, might not be able to handle it, so he gently advised her, "Of course, I was just saying it casually. If you feel tired, then forget it."
Lin Rong shook her head and said, "What's so tiring about this? I'm happy that Brother Yang is giving me work to do!"
Lin Rong accepted the task and gave Aunt Zhang a coin, asking her to help take care of the poultry in the house.
Lin Rong also brought her puppy, Da Huang, along on this trip.
But Da Huang had only ever herded sheep for Lin Rong. When he saw those huge military horses, he immediately became so frightened that his legs trembled.
Lin Rong laughed heartily, put the puppy in a leather bag, and carried it on the horse's back. She also mounted her horse and rode off with the others into the vast and boundless plains.
At night, Lin Rong noted down the location of the dozen or so military horses under her command, then sat back down by the campfire and focused on eating.
Lin Rong distributed several dried chicken legs to Yang Feng and another couple of laborers. She also took out some cheap, high-quality tea leaves, a piece of ghee extracted from mutton fat, and a bag of goat milk, and demonstrated to Yang Feng how to brew tea and soak meat in it.
Lin Rong is eager to learn and is now quite experienced in making butter tea.
However, most people in Liangzhou drink salted tea, but Lin Rong is a girl from the south who prefers sweet flavors. So she added some honey to her tea and said proudly, "This is how we southerners drink tea. It's a bit strange, but I like it very much."
Lin Rong stood around the blazing campfire, smiling as she introduced the guests. She even made teacups out of broad leaves and poured some sweet milk tea for each of them.
The tastes in the two places were really different, and the couple who worked there smelled the strange sweetness and declined repeatedly.
Only Yang Feng took a sip, frowned, and then took another sip.
Lin Rong leaned closer to look at him and asked anxiously, "Brother Yang, how is it?"
Yang Feng smiled and said, "Not bad."
Lin Rong smiled happily, eagerly picked up the teapot, intending to pour more.
Yang Feng's face turned green. He hurriedly said, "Ahem... but please give me the salty kind."
"Sigh, I thought Brother Yang would understand me very well." Lin Rong's upturned lips immediately fell, and she handed another pot of salted milk tea to Yang Feng with a regretful look on her face, as if she thought it was a waste of his talents.
Lin Rong's expression was so vivid and adorable. Her almond-shaped eyes, illuminated by the golden starlight, shone brightly, causing Yang Feng to be momentarily lost in thought.
At that moment, Yang Feng felt that Lin Rong was as beautiful as a fairy. Even though her face was covered in sores and she didn't have any elaborate hairpins, it did not diminish her beauty and charm.
At night, Lin Rong took down the large yak robe and spread it out on the boundless plain.
Lin Rong lay down inside her coat, using the soft robe as a blanket, listening to the howling wind in the distance, watching the twinkling stars filling the sky, and comfortably stretching her limbs.
Lin Rong hugged the fluffy big yellow dog and thought of the large patch of Ag grass and gray-backed green grass she had seen in the pasture this morning. This is the favorite fodder of military horses and also the grass that Sesame likes to eat.
Lin Rong couldn't help but sigh, "If Sesame were here too, that would be wonderful..."
Eight days later, the horses were taken back by the official in charge of horse administration in Liangzhou. Yang Feng received his reward and gave Lin Rong two taels of silver.
This was the first time Lin Rong had received such a generous reward, and her excitement was indescribable.
This is not just an ordinary two taels of silver!
This represents Lin Rong's hope for survival! It also means that she has finally taken root and sprouted in Liangzhou, and she has a foothold.
To celebrate this day and to give back to her neighbors for their usual care, Lin Rong specially set aside some money to buy half a lamb to stew.
Liangzhou doesn't have many winter vegetables, but it does have radishes, so Lin Rong bought some thick white radishes to stew with mutton.
Radishes are cooling in nature and can moisten the lungs and clear heat, which perfectly counteracts the dryness and muttony smell of lamb. This is how the Pei family used to eat them together to prevent phlegm, dampness, and dryness in the lungs.
However, the south is humid and hot, while Liangzhou is dry and cold. Locals prefer spicy and hot foods and don't eat this kind of soup very often.
Lin Rong stewed mutton soup and personally carried a basket to deliver the food to the villagers.
She intended to deliver a bowl to the Yang family, but unexpectedly, Yang Feng brought some fruits and vegetables as visitors.
Lin Rong was unaware that Yang Feng's repeated visits were already an act of hospitality. She only felt that Brother Yang was gentle and considerate, and even gave her tasks to do, making him a truly excellent older brother.
Lin Rong smiled happily, quickly wiped the table in the yard, and called Yang Feng to sit down.
"Brother, you've come at the right time! Have a bowl of mutton soup first, and I'll make you some noodles!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Feng blushed, feeling delighted but too embarrassed to accept. He repeatedly said, "How could I trouble Miss Mu? Please don't move. I just came to deliver a few winter pears and will be leaving soon!"
"No, you keep bringing me food, and I haven't given you anything in return. That won't do. My mutton soup is really good; even Aunt Zhang praised it. Brother, please sit down. I'll be done in a quarter of an hour!"
Having said all that, Yang Feng could only stammer a reply and obediently sit down.
He actually wanted to try the noodles Lin Rong cooked, but he was too embarrassed to ask. However, Lin Rong's hospitality made it hard to refuse, so he decided to stay and have a bite.
Yang Feng glanced at the busy figures in the kitchen several times, wondering whether he should go in and help.
She was afraid that being too attentive would annoy Lin Rong, and she was also afraid that sitting and waiting for food would make Lin Rong think she was lazy.
Yang Feng was filled with a thousand thoughts, and he was extremely worried.
Fortunately, Lin Rong came out shortly afterward, carrying a large bowl of mutton soup noodles.
Yang Feng looked up and his neck turned red again... So Lin Rong remembered his big appetite, and even used such a big bowl of noodles!
Will she think he eats too much?
The two chatted and laughed inside the house, unaware that outside the unclosed courtyard gate, countless figures in black uniforms were already approaching the small courtyard one by one, following the faint whistle of their superiors and the military orders they had received.
A storm was brewing, and hundreds upon hundreds of secret guards silently approached, like a densely woven net that blotted out the sky and surrounded this peaceful little mountain village.
Elite and valiant guards and personal guards were everywhere!
Hidden among the lush branches, a broad hand pressed down on the long, razor-sharp blade at their waist, awaiting their lord's order to kill.
At that moment, a black-covered carriage silently approached and stopped outside Lin Rong's house.
As the curtain was lifted, a pair of phoenix eyes, sharp as winter snow, were hidden in the thick black mist inside the car.
The man sat upright in the carriage, his black hair tied up in a crown, draped in a black robe, so handsome he seemed like a celestial being descended from heaven. Only his solemn demeanor, with a hint of thunderous rage, sent chills down one's spine.
The person who arrived was Pei Zan.
Unfortunately, news of Lin Rong's recent outing with others on horseback and spending several days sleeping under the open sky on the grassland eventually reached Pei Zan's ears.
The wilderness was vast, and the army was migrating everywhere, making it difficult to capture people. Pei Zan patiently waited for Lin Rong to return to the village, and took the opportunity to investigate the background of this man named "Yang Feng".
He was just a country farmer, whose ancestors had never held official positions, and whose appearance and character were of inferior quality.
It's utterly ridiculous that such a vulgar man could catch Lin Rong's eye.
Pei Zan thought of the bowl of soup that Lin Rong drank, a soup that would prevent her from having children;
Thinking of how Lin Rong disregarded everything, even concealing the matter of "Xishui," and schemed and plotted, all for the sake of escaping;
The thought that Lin Rong might be treated like a dog, pleasuring other men... made him want to tear her to pieces!
Pei Zan's jaw was clenched, his cold eyes glaring like an eagle's, suppressing his overwhelming rage, even his surging blood was boiling in his chest.
A moment later, Pei Zan lowered his eyes and slowly hung the long sword used to slay enemies on his waist.
-
Inside the courtyard, Lin Rong also served herself a bowl of steaming hot mutton soup and placed it on the table.
Before she could even pick up her chopsticks to eat the meat, a deafening roar suddenly came from the courtyard gate.
The courtyard gate was broken into pieces and on the verge of collapse.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Rong looked up in surprise.
In a fleeting glance, her chopsticks clattered to the ground.
Lin Rong struggled to breathe, her heart stopped, and instantly her boiling blood froze, leaving her limbs and bones powerless... She witnessed the most terrifying scene of her life!
As sawdust and dust fell, Pei Zan, tall and elegant, stood before the door.
The man's eyes were like cold stars, unusually cold, as he stared silently at Lin Rong, exuding a murderous aura.
Before Lin Rong could escape, she heard Pei Zan smirk, a half-smile playing on his lips, and utter a sarcastic remark.
"Lin Rong...it seems you've had a very comfortable two months of betrayal and absconding?"
Author's Note: This is Saturday's update~
During the Yuan Dynasty, the management of military horses was the core of the horse administration. There were three main methods of raising official horses: first, through official stables, which was the primary source of official horses in the Yuan Dynasty; second, by designating pastures around Mongol military camps for the army to graze; and third, by the government allocating some military horses to private families for care. Regardless of the method, the treatment and management standards for military horses were the same as for official horses, with the state responsible for providing feed and related supplies. However, because raising horses required a large amount of pasture and resources, the Yuan government also shifted some of the burden to the private sector. Horses raised by private individuals were also subject to strict management and became part of the horse administration. (Quoted from a search. Some common knowledge in the text was actually researched, but it's too trivial to explain in detail; don't worry too much about it, this article is fictional.)
If there's a screen, everyone will refresh the chapters the next day, and the changes will be released.
The next few chapters will be quite intense. If you're not a fan of intense content, you might want to hold off for four or five days. We'll be moving on to other chapters soon. That's just how the outline is, so please bear with me. =3=
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