75. Chapter 75
"none"
The aroma of medicine, spicy ginger, and noodle soup wafted through the cold air.
The firewood illuminated the faces of the hungry and cold people, while the hustle and bustle of others busy cooking rice and soup contrasted with the desolate and lonely surroundings, creating a sad and heroic beauty.
Qi You looked at the people in front of him who were taking out dirty and broken wooden bowls and were about to scoop up the medicine soup, then looked up at the sky again and sighed.
There would have to be four or five tribes mixed together, all fierce and warlike. Putting aside the debt he was in, just getting them to live in peace and improve their hygiene habits was a headache.
Today's medical facilities are backward, and disease prevention is a major challenge. All Qi You can do is encourage them to wash their hands frequently, maintain personal hygiene, and eat cooked food.
These points seem simple, but they are actually very difficult to implement.
For example, when Tuyusu and Kuha were holding their bowls, almost half of their long black nails were immersed in the soup.
Qi You had never felt so embarrassed before and didn't know how to start.
After thinking about it again and again, and considering that they were cold and hungry, Qi You had to give up for the time being.
Sabusu noticed that Qi You looked a little off, so she followed him into the tent and sat down. She asked bluntly, "Seventh Prince, are you worried about food?"
Qi You pondered for a moment and said, "Food is a concern, and so are other things." Seeing Sabsu stunned, he sighed and explained, "It's just a matter of their living habits."
Sabusu was still puzzled, not knowing why Qi You brought up the topic of living habits. She advised, "Don't worry, Seventh Prince. The place they lived in before was not even as good as a shack. Once they move into a house that can shelter them from the wind and rain, they will definitely get used to it quickly."
Qi You shook his head slightly and smiled bitterly, "That's not the problem. Do you remember when I planned to build the village, I separated their drinking water from the toilet to ensure clean water. I also ordered that livestock were not allowed to drink human drinking water, nor were they allowed to bathe or wash clothes in it. I required them to wash their hands before and after meals, clean their teeth every day, and not drink uncooked water or eat uncooked meat."
Sabusu certainly remembered that Qiyou had set rules and regulations, but even though there was a toilet, they still urinated everywhere. After a long period of correction, they finally got better.
As for their hand washing and various cleaning habits, and how they live their daily lives, I can't see them and can't control them.
Sabusu said, "Since they take it seriously, there's no need for you to worry about it. Just let them be."
Life is so precious, how can we let them do whatever they want? Qi You smiled and said, "This is very important and needs to be taught. A cold can kill a person, and there is a shortage of doctors and medicine here, so we can only take precautions in advance. If a plague such as cholera or plague occurs, besides waiting to die, it also depends on the health of the person and whether he can survive it."
Sabsu heard that during Galdan's last battle with the Qing, few soldiers died on the battlefield. But on his way back, soldiers in the barracks fell ill, and the disease spread, killing hundreds, nearly a thousand men—more than the casualties on the battlefield.
Sabsu suddenly became nervous and said, "If there is a plague, it will be terrible! I will go and take a look and remind them to be more careful."
Qi You stopped him and said, "They are so hungry, let's feed them first. By the way, the Tugu people come from the waterside, and their tribe is good at fishing and hunting. Let them show their skills and push the fish they catch into the village."
Sabusu was stunned and couldn't understand Qi You's thoughts for a moment.
Qi You explained, "They are considered outsiders, especially with their appearance. They are obviously refugees. Other villagers will instinctively reject and look down on them. If they bring fish into the village instead of coming empty-handed, everyone will be more polite to them."
Sabusu couldn't help but laugh and said, "That's right, it's like visiting relatives. It's not good to ask for money from poor relatives empty-handed. Seventh Prince is really thoughtful."
Qi You didn't want to be so thoughtful, but he had no other choice. Externally, he had to ask Kangxi for money and food to feed this group of people, and they couldn't let things get out of hand.
After drinking the medicinal and ginger soup and having their meal, the group finally began to behave like normal people. They gathered in groups of three or four around the fire, listening to Tu Gusu and the others talk about their future plans.
Qi You waited until Tugusu and the others finished their work, then called him over and told him about the fishing.
Tu Gusu's face was full of pride. He said, "Apart from anything else, fishing is what we are best at. I'll go and call a few people out. Don't worry, Seventh Prince. If you don't believe me, just watch from the side and see if I'm bragging."
Qi You smiled and agreed, and followed them to the lake to watch them dig a cave in the ice.
Tugusu's tribe was skilled at fishing, and Kuha and Elchun were not to be outdone. After a full meal, they regained their strength and took the initiative to lead their men into the forest to gather firewood. They then called a few other men and, armed with bows and arrows, they headed deeper into the woods.
When a big hole was dug in the thick ice on the lake, the fish below swam over in a rush, opening their mouths to breathe in the fresh air.
There were almost no fish in the lake that had ever been caught before, and there were so many fish that they kept jumping out and sliding far away on the smooth surface of the lake. The bright red fins sparkled in the sun, and in Qi You's eyes, they were brighter than any jewels.
It's all silver!
Catching fish was too easy, and Changde's strengths were not brought into play, and he looked quite depressed.
Qi You stood on the ice for a while, his feet starting to feel cold. He gently shifted his feet back and forth and said, "Throw back the small ones and only catch the big ones. With so many people here, the remaining rations are not enough. Let's use some to make fish soup to fill our stomachs."
Chang De immediately became happy and said, "In this awful weather, a bowl of fragrant fish soup is the best thing to do."
The dry food they brought consisted of multi-grain biscuits, which were not soft to begin with. When they got cold, they were harder than stone and could break your teeth if you bit into them.
Qi You's teeth ached at the thought of the multi-grain pancakes, and he quickly said, "Add the pancakes in and cook them together."
Chang De agreed and excitedly ordered the soldiers to carry buckets, dig a hole at the lakeside, and open the belly to clean it.
Here, Kuha and Elchun picked up firewood. In addition to catching a few hares and pheasants, they also carried out a roe deer.
They were hospitable by nature, and in order to thank Qi You, they did not keep any of the prey they had hunted. Instead, they asked the women to clean it all up and cook it in a big pot.
At lunch, the three of them sat together with Sabsu and his son, and Qi You to eat.
He Ye and Zhang Song and several other little girls gathered together by the fire, drinking fish soup from their bowls in small sips.
The three of them looked at them several times in succession. Tu Gusu couldn't help but speak first, frowning and saying, "How can these girls be so unruly? Not only are they poking at the fire, they're also straddling it. The Seventh Prince hasn't even eaten yet, and they're not doing anything but enjoying it first. It's really unruly!"
Kuha saw that several people were still warming their feet on the brazier, which was also a taboo among the Daur people. Although he didn't say anything, he nodded frequently as he listened, looking dissatisfied.
The Ewenki revere the god of fire. For example, they cannot use pointed iron to poke the fire, and women cannot knock over the fire. Other tribes also have many taboos, such as women's menstruation and childbirth are considered unclean, and the list is too numerous to count.
Qi You pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Every tribe has different customs. They don't know your tribe's taboos. There's a saying that ignorance is no crime, so don't blame them."
After hearing this, a few people were still dissatisfied, but they didn't say anything more.
Qi You glanced at them and said slowly, "However, I still have to say one more thing. I suggest that you respect each other in the future and don't force others to follow your own customs. At least in my place, men and women are the same, and they are no worse than men. They go to school and learn many skills that men don't have. They are not here to play, but to explore the way. When the weather warms up, they can go up the mountain to draw maps."
The three of them were stunned. They never expected that these little girls could be so capable.
Qi You said, "Oh, by the way, I'll have to trouble you again in the future. Remember to control the people in the tribe and don't provoke them. Otherwise, I will not be polite and will kill them without mercy!"
Chang De followed up, saying, "We just kicked out a few drunken bastards before the New Year. The Seventh Prince wasn't just talking nonsense; he fired directly."
When Sabusu saw Changde making random additions, several people's faces turned red and white, and they froze there.
She cursed the bastard inwardly for causing trouble, then quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile: "The girls are quite capable, you'll see later. Hey, the fish in the pot is almost overcooked, we have to eat it quickly!"
There were two pots in front of him. In one pot, fish was stewing, while in the other pot, roe deer and other meats were cooking.
After all, they were new arrivals, so they couldn't say much and could only snort in disappointment.
At this time, Degao and Guihe came forward with hot water and put it down beside them. Qiyou rolled up his sleeves to wash his hands, and Sabsu and Changde followed suit.
When the three of them saw the actions of Qi You and his companions, they looked puzzled, but guessed that this was Qi You's etiquette for entertaining guests, so they washed their hands together.
Qi You was full of concerns.
They are naturally free-spirited and uninhibited, and it is not enough to force them or just reason with them. They need guidance from many aspects.
If he reminded them to wash their hands, they would overthink it and think Qi You disliked their dirtiness. So he simply set an example himself and helped them get used to it.
After washing his hands, Tu Gusu stared at the boiling pot. Not afraid of the heat, he reached out and quickly grabbed a piece of meat from the pot.
He took out a sharp dagger from somewhere and cut the meat with a few strokes. He first threw a piece of meat into the fire to worship the fire god, then picked out another piece of meat and handed it to Qi You, saying respectfully: "Seventh Brother, please enjoy it."
Qi You knew that Tugu Su let him use it first because he regarded him as the most honorable person.
However, the meat in Tu Gusu's hand was still dripping with blood. Qi You didn't know whether to reach out and take it or refuse.
After hesitating for a moment, Qi You took the meat from the bowl in front of him. After thanking him, he smiled and asked, "Do you usually eat like this?"
Because Qi You was there, in addition to salt, ginger and the wine brought by Sabsu were added to the pot of stewed meat to remove the fishy smell.
Tu Gusu said, "We don't usually add these things. We only add some salt and wild onions. In winter, there are no wild onions, so we only add salt. Seventh Prince, please eat quickly. This meat is cooked to perfection and is very nourishing."
Qi You was in a state of confusion. Eating bloody meat was a custom in his tribe, but he couldn't eat it. It wasn't because it tasted bad, but because of the parasites.
Sabusu and Changde, father and son, couldn't eat either. They saw that Kuha and Elchun looked accustomed to it. They looked at each other and then looked at Qi You together.
Everyone was waiting for Qi You to pick up his chopsticks first. Tu Gusu stared at Qi You, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, and asked, "Seventh Prince, do you think this little thing is not worth your while?"
Qi You pondered for a moment, then pointed at the meat in the bowl and said frankly, "This meat is not cooked. I have never eaten it before. I am afraid that I will get an upset stomach if I eat it."
The three of them looked slightly pale, and Tu Gusu said angrily, "Seventh Prince, you are a noble, used to eating delicacies from land and sea, and you will definitely look down on our simple meals. However, you are worrying too much. Our tribe has been eating like this for thousands of years, and we have survived!"
Qi You put the meat back into the pot and said in a good-tempered manner: "Listen to me, if you think I'm right, just listen to me. If you think I'm wrong, you can do your thing and I'll do mine. We should respect each other, is that okay?"
They came here for refuge and were taken in by Qi You. Although they were poor, they knew how to be grateful.
I worked hard to catch fish and took out all the prey I caught, hoping to give something back.
Their rights were taken away, but they endured it because Qi You treated the people in their tribe well and settled them.
Previously, a few girls had violated their taboos, and Qi You had suddenly become strong for their sake, not giving them any face. Thinking of their previous friendship and their different customs, they tolerated it.
Their ancestors all ate like this, but Qi You opposed it. This is disrespecting their ancestors!
They would rather die than allow their ancestors to be humiliated!
The three of them looked grim. Tu Gu Su said angrily with a cold face, "I want to hear what the Seventh Prince has to say!"
Is this also a cultural clash?
Qi You saw how several people were about to jump up and fight desperately, and he sighed secretly. He asked gently, "How do you treat your illness when you get sick?"
Tu Gu Su said in a deep voice, "Being sick means you've offended a god. You should ask a shaman to exorcise the evil spirits and divine. The shaman will know which god you've offended. If your soul has been taken away by a demon, go get it back!"
Qi You had read a document before. When the People's Republic of China was founded, these tribes were poor and backward, and the shamans and doctors had not yet separated.
The shaman's method of recovering souls is very bloody, and beating drums and shouting to exorcise evil spirits is only the entry level.
Other ways of chasing souls include swallowing needles, eating burning charcoal, chopping off arms, lying barefoot in a fire, etc.
These methods, which seem incredible to ordinary people, are their firmly believed methods of curing diseases.
Qi You asked: "In the end, were their souls retrieved? I mean, did they survive?"
Tu Gu Su said unconcernedly, "Since they have made a deal with the devil and given their souls to the devil, if they survive they will be evil spirits, and if they die they will be exorcised!"
As expected, Qi You had already anticipated how Tu Gu Su would respond. Seeing his self-righteous attitude, he felt like a dog biting a hedgehog, at a loss as to where to start.
Qi You looked sincere and spoke in a gentle voice. He stood up, bowed, and nodded, saying, "I know you must have a lot of dissatisfaction in your hearts. If I have offended you in any way, please forgive me."
When the three saw Qi You's actions, their anger disappeared, and they stood up one after another, becoming a little at a loss.
Tugusu stammered, "Seventh Prince, it's alright, alright. Please take a seat. We are not worthy of your generous gift."
Qi You raised his hand to let them sit down, then sat down and said seriously: "Since I have taken you in, I hope you can live well, preferably without illness or disaster. I heard that some people in your tribe are good at using herbs. When they feel unwell, they will pick some herbs to take."
Tu Gu Su smiled and said, "Seventh Prince is really amazing. He even knows all this."
Qi You laughed along with him. Following their inherent ideas, he broke down the truth into pieces and explained it in a way they could understand and listen to. "We Manchus used to do the same. Besides shamans, we also used herbs to treat illnesses. We are a little different now. We have the Imperial Hospital in the palace, but when we get sick, we still mainly take medicine. I think the gods are kind-hearted. They will pity the souls who have made deals with demons and will do their best to help them defeat them."
Seeing the bewildered faces of the others, he patiently said, "We shouldn't give up either. Besides the shamans, we also need to save ourselves. The Han people have a saying, 'Diseases come from the mouth.' This saying has been passed down for many years and has its own truth. You should know that nobles usually have people to serve them, and their food, clothing, housing, and transportation are all clean. Their bodies are well-maintained, so evil spirits cannot get close to them, and they live long. Not to mention, it's not uncommon to see people living to their eighties or nineties in the capital."
Today's average life expectancy is shockingly low. For people in their tribe, living to the age of 40 is considered a long life.
The three of them looked at each other and fell silent.
Qi You took in their reactions and continued, "The Buddhists say, 'In a single dust particle there are countless worlds, and in each world there are inconceivable Buddhas.' Our naked eyes can see three thousand dust particles, but there are still thousands and thousands more that are invisible to the naked eye."
He pointed at the meat bubbling in the pot. "Just like this meat, we look clean, but inside it are thousands of invisible things. Wash your hands and bathe to wash away the dirt. Cook the meat thoroughly to expel the invisible dust. It's okay for healthy people, but children and the elderly are weak and can't resist the cold, so they are most likely to fall ill."
Several people were stunned when they heard this. Although they still had some doubts, Qi You's words sounded so reasonable and were for their own good that they could not say anything to refute him.
Qi You looked at the fish soup in the pot and smiled, "The fish is almost melted. De Gao Guihe, you guys scoop a few bowls for them."
Gao Guihe responded and stepped forward, scooping three bowls and passing them over. Several people took a sip and their eyes lit up immediately.
The fish soup was incredibly delicious, unlike the fishy ones they had eaten before, and most importantly, it was full of salt.
Salt is precious, so they usually count it and only put a little bit in for seasoning.
Since they fled everywhere, salt has been hard to come by and they have been out of salt for several days.
The deliciousness of the fish is secondary. The salty taste is enough to make them as happy as if it were Chinese New Year.
The current excitement and food are no less sumptuous than during Chinese New Year.
After finishing the fish soup, the meat was cooked. Qi You picked a few pieces and put them in the bowl and let them eat first.
The few people were flattered to be valued by Qi You, and they were so flattered that they didn't know where to put their hands and feet. They stretched out their hands to take the bowls, not caring about their ancestors' habits, and ate with a smile on their faces, their mouths full of oil.
Sabusu had been listening nearby. Although he admired Qi You's good temper, he was also feeling a bit angry.
After dinner, everyone started packing up to head down the mountain. Tu Gusu wasn't bragging; if the cart wasn't big enough, they could have caught all the fish in the lake.
The carts they brought were filled with fish, packed in ice, and taken down the mountain to be cleaned and sorted.
Sabusu walked over and whispered to Qi You, "These barbarians! You're doing this for their own good, and yet they don't even appreciate it! Seventh Prince, after we get down the mountain, we must deal with them properly, or they won't become ignorant of their place!"
Their ancestors all lived in trees, and the Manchus have not come down from the trees for many years.
Qi You glanced at Sabsu and said calmly, "Their present is what our ancestors were in the past."
Sabusu was stunned, laughed awkwardly, and said, "That was in the past. We are different now... I'll go watch them clean up. It gets dark quickly in winter. There are so many people and fish. Don't let it get dark on the mountainside." After that, he rushed out of the tent.
The sun was shining brightly, yet the chill still bit him. Qi You looked at the busy camp, feeling indescribably melancholy.
He really didn't care about their attitudes at all, nor did he despise them or feel annoyed. He only felt deep pity and sadness.
Ignorance is not formed in a day or two. If we want to change it completely, we can only rely on reading and education, and take them out of the mountains to see the outside world.
They grew up here and survived in the harsh environment through hard work and perseverance.
In previous records, they were regarded as savages and conquered by force.
Later, the imperial court accepted their surrender in order to pacify the border and collect tribute from them. In times of war, they were summoned to the battlefield and used to meet the enemy.
The court never gave them a share of the relief and comfort it provided to other people, leaving them to fend for themselves. It also never really helped them and led them out to the outside world.
If gods really existed, they had never been cared for by the gods and Buddhas. They were just a group of beings left behind in the world, living like ants.
Sabsu and the others won't understand or comprehend.
Kangxi would not do that either.
Now that Qi You has seen and encountered this, how can he be angry, how can he look down on them, how can he bear to ignore them and abandon them again?
The author has something to say:
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solution between 2022-11-14 22:44:48 and 2022-11-15 23:29:14~
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