She was really numb now, and not pretending.
She went back to her bed at a loss and laid down. Then, she closed herself off in her own world.
…
Ye Xiaoxian lay on the bed for two days. No one could persuade her to eat or drink anything.
Tears had dried in Li Hongmei’s eyes. She wept out her grief to anyone she met: she had lost two sons. One was weak and died of a disease. The other was healthy and strong and was even a great general. But she hadn’t enjoyed the happiness of being a grandmother before they left her.
She held Xiao Baofeng tightly, afraid that he would also leave her.
At the same time, she felt sympathetic towards Ye Xiaoxian.
Ye Xiaoxian appeared to be a strong woman, but Li Hongmei knew she was weak inside. If Xiao Baoshan was just missing like before, there was still hope of seeing him again. But if he had died, it was an eternal separation.
There were many beasts in the wilderness near Da’an county. Now that the soldiers couldn’t find him, he might have been eaten by the beasts.
Thinking about that, Ye Xiaoxian felt as if a knife were piercing her heart.
Fortunately, Xiao Baozhu and Xiao Baofeng remained calm. Everyday, they tried to take care of Ye Xiaoxian and also coax Li Hongmei to eat more.
But Ye Xiaoxian was still lost in distress.
Only then did they know how much she loved Xiao Baoshan. What a loyal and steadfast woman!
When everyone was afraid that she would starve to death, she came to reason by herself.
She got up and asked for some food in the kitchen. Then, she went back to her room and gulped it down immediately.
She had straightened out her own thinking: whether Xiao Baoshan was alive or dead, she would live for herself.
She couldn’t drown herself in sadness all the time. Besides, she was an abandoned woman who had no reason to feel sorrowful for her ex-husband, even though he was such a good man.
Few men were as good as him in this world. But she met him and fell in love with him. She should be grateful for her happy time with him and let that be enough.
…
Two days later, Qiao Hu went to the post house to arrange a tribe for Ye Xiaoxian and her companions.
Thanks to Xiao Baoshan and Li Chengru, they lived comfortably here with satisfying food for days. But Baoning city wasn’t a place for idle men. It was time for them to work in a tribe.
Qiao Hu provided them with several options because the city was as large as Xinjiang province in modern times. One could feel the climates of four seasons if he or she toured here for a day.
Ye Xiaoxian remembered a documentary about the local conditions and customs at the foot of Tianshan Mountains. If Baoning city was Xinjiang province, she was ready to begin a new life at the foot of Tianshan Mountains.
She remembered there were lofty ridges, towering mountains and lush green grass. When the snow melted into water, they would flow down the mountains and formed a river. People could herd goats and cows or raise bees at the mountain foot. They could also plant grapes, apples, garlic, potatoes, rape flowers and so on.
The place was such a fairyland that she had been longing to live there.
So she asked whether there was such a place in Baoning city. Qiao Hu replied, “I see, you mean the tribe of Tianshan Mountains. But how do you know the place?”
She replied, “I learned from the locals.”
Qiao Hu said, “It is indeed a good place, but it is a little far. Besides, people there are tough and doughty. I don’t know whether they can accept new friends or not.”
Ye Xiaoxian said with a smile, “I hope we can get along well with them.”
“Don’t worry. If you have any difficulty, you can send someone to ask us for help. We can arrange a new tribe for you. You’re General Xiao’s relatives, so we will take good care of you. But unlike the capital or some southern areas, Baoning city is too poor. Even the sixth prince’s wife and General Qian’s relatives have to work in nearby tribes. Yesterday, the sixth prince said to General Qian that you are very understanding and reasonable.”
Ye Xiaoxian smiled brightly. “After all, we have a general in our family. We can’t be a drag on him.”
After full discussion, Qiao Hu asked them to pack and leave.
Squire Liu and Liu Qianqian decided to go with Ye Xiaoxian. They knew they could live a better life with her. Besides, it was always wise to follow a famous general’s relatives.
The Tianshan Mountains were indeed very far.
Although Qiao Hu let everybody sit on carriages, it still took them a whole day to arrive there.
They passed plains and then went through a col.
Unlike Qinghe county of hills and rivers, the plains here stretched as far as the eye could see. After that, they saw many towering mountains, among which, the Tianshan Mountains were the most impressive. The snow that had existed for countless years on their peaks flattered their magnificence.
The weather was not that cold, so the grass was still green with yellow. Some cows and goats were eating grass in the distance. Sometimes, they could hear the herdsmen singing.
As the horizons were broadened, their minds were also widened.
Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu kept exclaiming that here was even more picturesque than Qinghe county. They were willing to stay here for their whole lives if they could earn a living.
Wong Mudan and Chen Ju also felt glad to change the environment. One could have a better mood if he or she went and saw more.
Only Old Mr. Xiao cursed, “We’ve gone too far from our hometown! If I die one day, who can get my corpse back?”
No one answered him.
…
After going a long way, they finally saw a tribe. A man was riding a big horse toward them from the distance.
Qiao Hu introduced that he was the tribe leader called Mahal. Since he usually went downtown to do business, he knew Daqi’s language well.
Qiao Hu let Mahal take good care of the Xiaos and then left.
In his forties, the dark-skinned man wore a cap and a colorful robe like a local in Xinjiang province.
However, he appeared to be a crafty man. He had been respectful to everyone before Qiao Hu left. But after that, the smile faded from his face.
