Huba stood in the mule and horse market west of the capital of the Great Xia Dynasty, watching the crowds come and go, his eyes empty, devoid of any spirit, only filled with despair.
"Sister, let's go back in a few days. I'll distribute my cattle and sheep to our people and make sure they don't suffer any loss," Huba said quietly to his sister, Huqi.
"Huba, young eagles must not only learn how to fly, but also how to be tolerant and humble. We'll sell the horse to..."
“No, absolutely not! I’d rather be a vagabond on the grasslands than let those despicable nobles get away with it.” Huba’s dirty face was filled with determination and madness, which was completely disproportionate to his short stature. Hu Qi seemed to see his stubborn old father again.
Huba and Huqi's father, the chieftain of the Tatar tribe, returned to Changsheng's embrace last winter. According to his will, his eldest son, Huba, was to inherit the majority of his estate. His other sons already had their own pastures and herders. Huba, however, had always stayed by his side, as there was a tradition on the grasslands of sons staying home to look after the house and tend the hearth.
But after the old chieftain died, undercurrents surged within the tribe. Huba's brothers made various moves, constantly trying to win over the herders who originally belonged to Huba and bring them under their command.
At the critical moment, Huba's sister Huqi and brother-in-law firmly stood by Huba's side, angrily denouncing the despicable behavior of his brothers, which allowed Huba to barely secure his position as the new clan leader.
In early autumn this year, well-connected tribes and traveling merchants on the grasslands led their warhorses south to the capital to fetch a good price. Huba, riding high on his success, selected three thousand fine horses from his tribe to take to the Great Xia capital. However, his sister Huqi expressed her concerns. She believed they should take fewer horses south and negotiate prices with their long-time clients, delivering the goods on the grasslands. After all, the traditional pastoral areas of the Tatar tribe were not far from the Great Xia army's northward route, and many of these three thousand fine horses had been confiscated from the homes of herders; it would be difficult to explain if they didn't get a good price.
But Huba, unable to resist the instigation and provocation of his older brothers, also developed greed in his young heart and insisted on leading a large herd of warhorses to the capital. After all, the price for goods on the grasslands was very low, while selling them to noble families in the capital would yield at least double the profit.
Seeing that she couldn't dissuade her younger brother, Hu Qi had no choice but to accompany him to the capital city of the Great Xia Dynasty. The bustling capital city astonished both Hu Ba and Hu Qi, who marveled at the wealth and power of the Great Xia. However, at the same time, the harsh reality also taught them a harsh lesson.
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