Chapter Twenty-Two: Fondness for Bandits

After leaving the cloth shop, Xiao Ding and Zhao Laixi stuffed all their purchases into the donkey cart, which was now more than half full. The nine sets of bedding and the pile of cotton took up most of the space. In this era, both cotton fabric and raw cotton were expensive, scarcely cheaper than silk. Thus, Xiao Ding ended up spending over thirty taels of silver at the shop. The clerk, seeing the amount he bought, gave him a ten percent discount and rounded down the change. Including the money spent on the donkey cart, they had already used up forty taels. Zhao Laixi’s face twitched with pain at the cost.

“Brother, let’s buy less. These clothes don’t have to be so good,” he pleaded.

“Brother, we’re buying clothes—why buy fabric as well?”

“Big brother, one quilt is enough for me and Xiao Ya; you don’t need to buy us two.”

“Big brother, things in the county are too expensive. Why don’t we just go to the town tomorrow? It’d be the same…”

And so on; Zhao Laixi’s nagging was endless, but Xiao Ding didn’t pay him any mind. In truth, Zhao Laixi didn’t really want to speak to Xiao Ding, but seeing him spend so freely made his heart ache.

After buying clothing, Xiao Ding drove the donkey cart to the grain store and bought a hundred pounds each of polished rice and flour, then thirty pounds of premium meat from the butcher. Meat didn’t keep well, so despite the large family, he didn’t buy much. He also picked up pots, bowls, kettles, and a bath tub from the general store, along with oil, salt, sauces, and vinegar. Lastly, he didn’t forget to buy meat buns and sweet treats for Xiao Zhu.

Xiao Ding wanted to get some tables, chairs, stools, beds, and cabinets, but seeing the cart stuffed to the brim, he gave up for now.

Zhao Laixi continued to advise, “Brother, I’m apprenticing as a carpenter with our second uncle-in-law in town. When I finish, I can make furniture for our family!”

“Wait for you? Ha! I’d be waiting until the end of time,” Xiao Ding replied with disdain, thinking, all these years and you’ve never made any furniture for the family.

In fact, he was somewhat unfair to Zhao Laixi. Since marrying Tian Xiao Ya, Zhao Laixi had often helped the Tian family. During busy farming seasons, he’d come over to lend a hand. The few stools and the battered chest under the bed in the Tian house—though poorly made—were all his handiwork. And when Xiao Ding didn’t return home one night after gathering wild vegetables in the mountains, Tian Da Bao and Mrs. Li were terribly anxious and sent Xiao E and Xiao Fu to fetch Zhao Laixi. Upon hearing, he and Xiao Ya came right away to help.

Zhao Laixi lived in Luoyun Village, just three or four miles from Luoxia Village. Orphaned young, his parents left him a pair of dilapidated rooms, but the family fields were taken by relatives when he was still a child. He grew up on meals from many households, and as an adult, scraped together a few hundred coins from odd jobs in town.

Back then, Tian Xiao Ya was thin and frail, and when she reached marriageable age, no one came to propose. Rural folk of this era valued a woman’s physical strength in marriage; sturdy women were preferred, as they could help with work and bear children, carrying on the family line. Xiao Ya’s frailty meant she couldn’t do heavy labor, and after three years of marriage to Zhao Laixi, her belly showed no sign of pregnancy. In these times, a thin, weak woman like Xiao Ya was hard to marry off.

Zhao Laixi spent the few hundred coins he’d saved over the years to marry Tian Xiao Ya. Through Tian Da Bao’s introduction, he apprenticed with Li the carpenter, husband of Tian Er Hua.

Yet, both his aunt and uncle-in-law looked down on Zhao Laixi. Other apprentices paid to learn, but Zhao Laixi spent nothing, relying on family connections. Moreover, his own frail physique made carpentry hard work, so Li the carpenter scolded him daily, and he learned little real skill.

Xiao Ding was unaware of all this, hence his misunderstanding.

By the time they finished shopping, the sun was almost setting. Xiao Ding had seventeen taels of silver left in his purse. From seventy taels down to seventeen, he felt fairly satisfied. Zhao Laixi, however, looked as if he’d been skinned alive, his face bitter and silent.

The money was gone; there was no point in complaining.

“If only we’d bought a bigger cart, we could’ve carried more and spent the rest of the silver too…” Xiao Ding muttered.

Zhao Laixi rolled his eyes, nearly fainting in anger. He thought, I give up! Now I’m sure this brother-in-law of mine is truly foolish! In all my years, I’ve never seen anyone spend money like this—using up every coin without saving a bit!

Leaving through the east gate of Luoxia County, Xiao Ding had Zhao Laixi sit at the front to drive the donkey, while he walked behind the cart.

With the donkey cart, their pace quickened considerably. Heading north straight for Luoxia Village, Xiao Ding helped push the cart up the slopes.

When they were about halfway home, nearing the spot where they’d encountered bandits that morning, the two saw a group of people on the road.

“Could they be bandits again?” Zhao Laixi whispered anxiously.

“I hope so—I rather like bandits!” Xiao Ding replied cheerfully.

As they spoke, the donkey cart drew closer.

They saw two or three dozen men in tattered clothing, wielding wooden clubs and sticks, some with machetes and kitchen knives, a few brandishing broadswords and axes. Their attire matched that of the bandits encountered earlier that day. Xiao Ding even recognized several faces among them. Those familiar faces were bruised and battered; two or three wore nothing but grass skirts around their waists, looking utterly miserable.

At this moment, the bandits had surrounded a small red horse, upon which sat a charming young maiden dressed in a red pleated silk dress—the very same red-clad girl with a hint of Sichuan accent whom Xiao Ding had seen at Fragrant Pavilion and the cloth shop.

What a strange twist of fate—all familiar faces!

This time, the leader was a burly man with a thick beard. Though his clothes were old, they were much finer than the others—at least without patches. His jacket was open, revealing a chest covered in dark hair. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing blue tattoos on his arms. He gripped a heavy iron staff, which looked to weigh at least thirty pounds.

As Xiao Ding’s donkey cart approached, he heard the bearded man say to the maiden, “If you know what’s good for you, hand over all your gold and silver jewelry, and leave the pony as well. Otherwise, I’ll drag you off to become the chief’s bride!”

The bandit was rather forthright; by his words, they were only after money, not her virtue, provided she cooperated.

“Who are you, daring to rob me? Are you tired of living?” The red-clad maiden showed no fear, sitting astride her horse, speaking haughtily.

“Hahaha, I am Sun Dasheng, the Second Chief of Flying Cloud Mountain! Enough chatter, girl—hand over your money. You’re young and pretty, so today I’ll spare your life!” the bearded Sun Dasheng declared.

“What if I refuse? What can you do to me?” The maiden’s face turned cold, her voice sharp.

“Then we won’t be polite!” Sun Dasheng’s expression darkened.

The bandits had blocked the maiden’s way. Xiao Ding’s cart was behind her horse, unable to pass. The bandits certainly wouldn’t let him through.

So Xiao Ding and Zhao Laixi stopped to watch the unfolding drama.