The dust settles

Chapter 15

When Xiao Eryi saw me, she gave me a childish smile, then bent down to do her own thing.The leather bag was opened, and all the instruments of torture shone brightly in the sun.The person who stole the seeds was pushed up. He was a tall and mighty guy, almost taller than the execution post.It seems that chieftain Wang Bo sent the best-looking person under his command.

The leather whip fluttered in Lao Eryi's hand.Every time the whip hits the person, it rolls like a snake, and at this stroke, something must be torn from the person, a layer of clothing or a piece of skin.The man received twenty lashes first.Every whip went down his legs, and when Lao Eryi put away the whip, the guy's legs were naked and nothing was left.From the part of the whip, people can know that there is a thief on the execution stake.The man looked at his legs. The fabric was gone, but the flesh was intact.He couldn't stand this, and immediately yelled: "I am chieftain Wangbo's subordinate! I am not a thief, and I am ordered to find what the master wants!"

The young master of Maiqi's family appeared on the stage, and he said, "How did you find it? Did you yell like this? Or did you look for it secretly?"

The hatred of the enemy in the crowd is always ready, like silver in the warehouse, it is there when it is needed.As soon as the young master's words fell, people immediately shouted: "Kill! Kill him! Kill him!"

The man sighed: "What a pity, what a pity!"

The young master asked: "Is it a pity about your head?"

"No, it's just a pity that I came one step late."

"That will inevitably kill you."

The man laughed loudly: "If I come to do such a thing, will I want to go back alive?"

"I think you are a man, say, if you have any request, I will agree."

"Bring my head to my lord, and let him know that his man is faithful. I shall not close my eyes until I am in his presence."

"He is a good man. If you are my subordinate, I will value you very much."

The man's last request to his brother was to return his head quickly, he said that he didn't want to see his master when his eyes had lost a little luster.He said: "In that case, it is too disrespectful to a warrior." The young master ordered people to prepare a fast horse.After that things are very simple.The executioner untied his upper body, and only his feet were still locked on the execution post, so that no matter how hard the bone was, he had to kneel down.The executioner knew that the eldest and young master cherished heroes, and didn't want this man to suffer more, so he lifted the knife and dropped it neatly, and the other end rolled to the ground.Usually, the severed heads are face down, with a mouthful of mud in their mouths.This head was not there, and his face was turned toward the sky.The eyes sparkled, and there was a mocking smile on the corner of the mouth.I think that's the smile of a winner.Before I could see all this clearly, the human head was wrapped in a red cloth, got on the horse and went away like a gust of wind.

I always feel that there is something in that smile.My brother laughed at me: "What can we expect your head to tell us?"

Before I could refute, my mother said, "That idiot's head might be right once or twice. Who can be sure that he is wrong?"

The eldest young master has always had a good temper, he said: "It's just a slave's smile when he is loyal to his master."

That's what smart people are, they're good-natured and intransigent, easy-going and opinionated.

Unexpectedly, chieftain Wang Bo sent someone again.This time it was two people, and we did the same.When those still warm heads galloped away with the fast horse, the eldest young master said softly: "I think this has worried me."

Chief Wang Bo's men came again, this time there were three of them.This time, my brother laughed out loud and said, "Wang Bo was joking with us with the head of his slave, well, as long as he has one, we'll cut it off."

It's just that the heads of these three people were chopped off and they were not sent over.We also sent fast horses here, but they were messengers right away.The letter was very simple. After sending his greetings, Chieftain Maiqi congratulated Chieftain Wangbo for having so many loyal and brave slaves under his command.Chieftain Wang Bo did not reply, but sent someone to take the three heads away.As for their bodies, lamas were invited to perform ceremonies and burnt them by the river.

With such a vigorous event, almost no one realizes that spring has come.

The poppy seeds that had just been harvested were distributed again and spread to a wider area.

15. Lost good medicine

The family decided that I would go on a tour of the Maggie family's territory.

This is a necessary lesson for the chieftain's son to grow up.

My father told me I could take whoever I wanted, except no maid.Tana, who is small, cried all night, but there was nothing I could do.I named and brought two servants: Suolang Zelang and future executioner Eryi.The others were arranged by the father.The steward is the butler of the merchants.A guard of twelve men, armed with a machine gun and ten carbine guns.There are also grooms, lamas who watch the weather, cobblers who repair boots, wizards who specialize in checking food for poisons, a luthier, and two singers, that's all.

If it wasn't for this trip, I wouldn't even know how vast the Maiqi family's land is.If it wasn't for this trip, I wouldn't know what it's like to be a toast.

Everywhere I went, the headman led the people out to welcome me.When they were in the distance, they blew their trumpets and sang songs.As we approached, the crowd knelt in the dust raised by our cavalry.It wasn't until I got off the horse and raised my hands that they stood up from the ground together, raising a big cloud of dust again.In the beginning, I always choked on the dust.The servants beat my back and gave me water in a hurry.Later, I gained experience, and only when I was in the limelight did I ask the kneeling people to get up.A large group of people cheered and stood up, shaking their sleeves, but the dust drifted to other places.I dismounted and handed the carbine to Solange Lang.I gotta say he's a real gun guy, and when he touches a gun, his face lights up.He was standing behind me with a gun in his hand, breathing much more heavily than usual.While my followers and I were eating all kinds of delicacies, he didn't eat anything and stood behind me with a gun in his hand.

The place where we are welcomed is always on the open grass not far from the headman's village. We accept kneeling, food, singing and dancing in a specially set up tent, and the headman also introduces important people under his command to me.For example, his housekeeper, the head of the village below, some particularly brave fighters, some elders, some skilled craftsmen, and then, the most beautiful girl.I tell them nonsense that I find boring but they find interesting.I say whatever is on my mind.I mean nothing when I say these words.The cripple steward said, the young master can't say that, the blessings of the Maiqi family and the hope of the Maiqi family are not important to the people living in the territory of the Maiqi family.He said that to me in front of a lot of people, I think because he didn't know me well enough.So, I lowered my voice and said to him, "Shut up, we live in the same official village, but you don't know what I'm thinking about."

After saying this, I said to those kneeling in front of me: "Don't pay too much attention to me, I am the melon son of the chieftain family that everyone knows."

They reacted to this statement with a graceful silence.

After these things were over, I told Solan Zelang to sit down and eat what we could not finish: a whole leg of lamb, a whole jug of wine, a lot of enemas.What is more unusual is the candy from Handi, wrapped in colorful paper, but I have asked Xiao Eryi to save some for him in advance.Solan Zelang ate these things, hiccupped contentedly, and stood guard for me with a gun in his hand.He refused to ask him to rest.I had no choice but to say to him: "Then go out and shoot a few shots, ask Eryi to go with you, and shoot him once or twice."

Solan Zelang made himself very tired even if he fired the gun.He does not shoot dead targets, but moving targets.Xiao Eryi came back soon, and he said, "Solang Zelang went hunting in the mountains."

I asked him why he didn't follow.

He smiled: "It's too tiring."

I joked: "You are only interested in the bundled targets."

Xiao Eryi still smiled.

There was a gunshot on the hill, the crisp sound of my carbine.In the evening, the headman sent a beautiful girl to attend the bed.During this time, every day, I had a new woman, which made the people below seem restless.Butlers get the same treatment in some places.His method is to make people fully feel that Master Tusi is a fool, so that people will regard him as the representative of Tusi, as a powerful and important person.Such an approach is effective.He got women, and other gifts too.He took me for a fool so much.One day, I suddenly said to the housekeeper, "Are you afraid of Eryi?"

The housekeeper said, "His father is afraid of me."

I said, "Maybe one day you'll be afraid of him."

When he wanted to ask something out of me again, the young master foolishly talked about it again and again.This kind of cruise is not only enjoyable, but also can make people grow rapidly.

I know when I should show myself to be the smartest man in the world, and to astound anyone who despises me.But when they got scared and tried to treat me like a smart person, I immediately acted like a fool.For example, the women that the chiefs brought to bed, I flirted with and made love to them in the tent.People say, don't the chieftains know how to shy away from doing that kind of thing?Someone in my entourage explained that the young chieftain is a fool, the fool born by the Han wife.Suo Lang Zelang was not moved by the noise in the tent, and stood at the door with a gun on his back.This is what my loyalty dictates.Xiao Eryi is also loyal to me.He walked around with that look, that manner, but people didn't seem to see him.So he knows what people are saying down there.I never ask him.When we turned from one chieftain's territory to another, in the long valleys and high mountain passes, on the river banks, the sun was shining, the throats of the singers became hoarse, and the horses drew a long line, Xiao Eryi immediately called and cleared his throat, that was what he was going to tell me that he had heard.Xiao Eryi started by clearing her throat, saying what this person said and what that person said, they were all objective and calm narrations, without any emotional color.I used to say to the two boys, you gotta be best friends.One night, I didn't like the girl sent by the headman here.Because she made a wronged look.I asked her why she was upset, she didn't answer.I asked if someone had told her I was an idiot.She pouted and said, "Even if it's only for one night, I want my person to love me sincerely, but the young master won't."

I asked her how she knew I wouldn't love her.

She twisted her body: "They say you are a fool!"

That night I stood outside my tent and told my servant to sleep with her.I heard Solan Zelang panting and growling like a bear cub caught in a trap.When he came out, the moon was up.I called Xiao Eryi to go in again.Xiao Eryi's thumping sound was like a big fish out of water.

In the morning, I said to the girl, "They both will miss you."

The girl knelt down and touched my boot with her head.I said: "Go down, just say that you slept with the young master."

I thought that this matter would make the head of the place unhappy, so I raised my vigilance against him. When the wine and food were served, I called the poison tester to come up and test the food with silver chopsticks and the wine with jade. Jade will change color.This action made the headman feel very wronged. His well-groomed beard kept trembling, and finally he couldn't help but rushed to me and stuffed every dish into his mouth. He almost choked after swallowing so many things. I've lost my temper.He took a breath and said: "The sun and the moon can learn from each other. No magi toast has ever doubted my loyalty. If the young master is like this, he might as well kill me."

I thought I made a mistake that I shouldn't have made, but I was instantly relieved to think that I was a fool.

The lame butler also said to me: "I don't care what the young master does to other people, but you can't do this to the Songba headman."

"Then why do you ask me to bring a drug tester?"

The cripple butler said to the headman, "Headman, blame me, I didn't explain clearly to the young master."

The Songba headman didn't eat anything for this meal.He didn't believe that what I just did was the act of a fool.The lame butler sat beside him at after-dinner tea.Their eyes kept looking at me.I know what they all said.

The housekeeper said: "The young master is a fool. The master and the wife of the Han people were born with wine."

The leader said: "But who can guarantee that there are no smart people behind him?"

The butler smiled and said, "What did you say?
You said there will be smart people behind him?Killing me.Look at the two behind him, the one with the carbine, and the one with the face of a dead man, they are his cronies, are they smart people? "

I think, since this Songba headman is very loyal to the Maiqi family, then I have no reason not to like him.I want him to be happy.Then we announced loudly that we will not leave tomorrow, and we will stay at Songbatou's house for one more day.Make up for the harm that was inadvertently done to him.The Songba headman's old face immediately glowed.I'm glad I made the decision to make the owner happy.

And I immediately surprised them again.

I announced: "Tomorrow we will hunt here."

There was a buzz in the tent, the sudden sound of human beings startled like a swarm of wasps.

Xiao Eryi whispered in my ear: "Young master, hunting is not fun in spring."

Gosh, I remembered that too.In this season, all the beasts are pregnant and breastfeeding, and one life lost at this time means two or more lives lost.Therefore, hunting is strictly prohibited at this time.And I actually forgot this important rule.Usually, people think that I am a fool, and I still have a kind of pride in fooling people, but this time, I know that I am really a fool.And I have to insist, otherwise, I won't even be a fool.

As soon as the hunt started, I knew they were playing tricks on me.So many people, so many dogs, but only surrounded a short and narrow valley.In this way, a lot of prey still ran out.The gunfire was intense, but none of the prey fell.I had to shoot myself, and after killing the two deer, I turned around and shot at the bushes.

The hunt was over, and I ordered the kills to be fed to the dogs.

On the way down the mountain, I felt a little sad.

The Songba headman walked with me.Now, he believes that there is something wrong with my brain.Zomba head people are good people.He asked me to forgive him.He said: "Why do I, an old man, treat you like that? Don't take it to heart, young master. "

I want to say that I am a fool.But seeing his sincerity, he swallowed that sentence back and said, "Sometimes, I don't do that either."

Seeing my frankness, the headman even said: "I know, I know." He wanted to offer me a medicine and asked me to accept it.I agreed.

What the headman offered was a pill of five foreheads and six colors.It is said that it was dedicated to him by a wandering monk, and it was made with the wind on the lake and the light on the mountain.What a strange recipe.

The day when we left the land under the jurisdiction of the Zomba headmen was a very long road.The scorching sun made my brain buzz like a beehive.I was lonely and bored, so I couldn't help being curious, so I took out a medicine and threw it into my mouth.I thought the light inside would pierce me like a sword, and the wind would suddenly rise from my stomach and blow me into the sky.But what I tasted was fishy in my mouth.Then, like a fish swimming in the stomach.So, I started vomiting.Spit again and again.After vomiting, he tasted his own gall.The cripple butler stroked my back and said, "Could it be that the young master was right to guard against him, this old guy really killed the young master?"

"What good does it do him to poison a cripple and a fool?"

I say so.But he quietly threw the medicine into the grass by the side of the road.

It was only later that I realized that the pill was really precious.If I eat them all, my problem will be cured.But it was my fate.I lost the elixir offered by the Songba headman.

16. Blooming ears

It took a whole spring, and we only toured half of the Maggie's territory.

As summer begins, we reach the southern border.Next, head back north.The steward told me that the parade does not end until the fall when the sickles are harvested everywhere.

Right now, the southern border where we are is exactly two places, Maiqi and Wangbo.Here, I met the messenger sent by my family.Toast asked me to stay longer on the border.Toast's intention is very clear.He wanted Chief Wangbo to attack us—a small party led by a foolish young master and a crippled steward.The other party is not stupid, they don't want to provoke the unprecedentedly powerful chieftain Maiqi, and they don't want to give excuses.We even deliberately crossed the border, and the other party's men and horses only followed in the dark and never showed up.

It was raining this morning, and the lame butler said that he would not go today because it was raining anyway.Everyone just has a day off. Tomorrow, we will be on our way to the north.

The rain was gradually falling, and the groom was tinkling and changing the horses' shoes.The guards wiped their guns, and the two singers sang in unison.The housekeeper Maiqi Tusi wrote a long letter to report the situation on the border.I lay in bed and listened to the rain patter against the tent.

At noon, the rain suddenly stopped.Being idle and bored, I ordered the horse to be mounted.As we crossed the border from the old place, the sun came out through a gap in the clouds and shone hotly on our backs.Heavy dew wet our feet.On a patch of shallow grass, we sat and basked in the sun.

Chief Wangbo's musketeers hid in the woods, pointing their guns at our backs.The feeling of being aimed at by a gun is like being bitten by a bug, itchy, with a slight pain like a needle prick.They dare not shoot.We know where the gunmen are hiding.

Our machine guns were loaded with bullets, and the slightest movement would rain down on them.Therefore, I have enough leisurely mood to enjoy the surrounding scenery.Only then is everything in its most vivid colors and most attractive luminosity.Usually, when Dama passed by here, every time I saw a few clusters of beautiful bright red flowers under the cedar trees by the roadside, today they looked extraordinarily beautiful.

The butler looked at it and said, "That's our poppy."

That's what he said at the time - "our poppies".

(End of this chapter)