“I’m afraid I can’t take these,” said Tarico in rejection.
“But you haven’t suffered any loss and Guri has also reflected on her mistake,” Mahal said anxiously.
“If I forgive you this time, you’ll do something worse next time. One who makes mistakes must be punished, or our tribe will be in disorder,” Tarico replied. Then, he turned around and left, giving Mahal no chance to beg anymore.
Mahal stamped his foot with anger, but he couldn’t stop Tarico. If the Seventh King really knew about this, he could only pass the buck to Guri alone. Or, before going back to the tribe, he might do one more evil thing – to kill Tarico, shutting him up forever!
…
Tarico had a subordinate called Mcginon whose parents had died early. This man was so poor that not a single woman was willing to marry him. One day, Mahal saw him herding goats. Among less than 15 goats, there was only one that belonged to Mcginon. The sight sparked inspiration in Mahal’s mind.
What about…
Mcginon’s greatest virtue was his honesty, but he was also troubled by his timidness. For example, when he herded the goats, he would watch them closely in fear of losing any of them.
Mahal walked over and patted him on his back. Seeing that it was the tribal leader, Mcginon immediately became nervous. Owing to his humble background, he always groveled every time he met Mahal.
“Mcginon, are you herding alone?” Mahal asked.
Mcginon nodded.
Seeing a tear in Mcginon’s coat, Mahal asked, “Why don’t you mend your clothes?”
Mcginon replied tensely, “Well… it doesn’t matter. It’s only one little tear. I-I’m used to it.”
“Oh no, if you wear torn clothes, others will think you’re poor and women also won’t like you. How are you going to marry this way?” Mahal said with affected concern.
Mcginon said, “I see… I’ll mend it after I go home.”
“That’s too troublesome for you. Take it off. I’ll ask my wife to help you mend it.”
“How could I trouble her? I can do it by myself.” Mcginon was flattered and panicking.
“Don’t stand on ceremony. We’re in the same tribe. It’s normal for us to help each other.” After saying that, Mahal tried to take off his coat.
But Mcginon became even more nervous, holding his coat firmly. Suddenly, the finger-length tear was ripped into an arm-length one.
While Mcginon stood there stunned, Mahal said, “Look, if you gave the coat to me, it wouldn’t be torn like this. Take off the coat now and let me take it back for my wife to mend.”
Mcginon could only obey.
But then, Mahal added, “What about coming with me? My wife sews very quickly. You can wait in the yurt and drink some milk tea.”
“Well…”
While Mcginon was hesitating, Mahal grabbed his arm impatiently. “There’s nothing to hesitate about. Hurry up.”
Then, Mcginon was dragged all the way to Mahal’s house.
…
Dati was confused about why her husband had brought Mcginon and also a coat back to their house.
Mahal threw the coat to her and said, “Pour a cup of milk tea for Mcginon and help him mend this coat.”
Puzzled as Dati was, she did so obediently.
Then, Mahal began chatting with Mcginon. “Mcginon, how old are you this year?”
“Well… 22.”
“Oh, you’re old enough to get married.”
“No woman is willing to marry me,” Mcginon said.
“Really? What about Guri? I can marry her to you.”
Mcginon had just drunk a mouthful of milk tea. Hearing these words, he not only spat the tea into Mahal’s face but almost dropped the cup. Hurriedly, he put down the cup and wiped the liquid off Mahal’s face.
Mahal gave him a wry smile. In Mahal’s eyes, Mcginon was just a useless, cowardly hick. But he was the only man Mahal could turn to.
“Mcginon, do you think it’s just a joke? I’m not joking. I really want to marry Guri to you,” Mahal said as he wiped his face.
Dati couldn’t help interrupting, “Are you crazy? Marry Guri to him? He has only one goat and no money!”
Mahal shouted to her, “Shut up!”
She could only stop talking. Guri was now herding goats. If she learned about this thing, she would undoubtedly fly into a rage.
Mahal looked at Mcginon with a smile. “Don’t you like Guri? Don’t you want to marry her?”
Mcginon certainly didn’t want to marry Guri, who was so fierce that few people dared to provoke her. If he married her, what would await him would be endless torture.
“I-I’m not eligible to be her husband,” he replied.
But Mahal said, “If you marry my daughter, our cattle and goats will then all be yours!”
Mcginon began sweating heavily. Slow as he was, he knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. Mahal must have some ulterior motive.
“Mcginon, don’t be nervous. It’s winter now, why are you sweating?” Mahal said like a genial elder. “I don’t wish to marry Guri to you because I want something from you. I really like you for you’re very honest and kind-hearted nature. Guri will live a good life with you. If it’s Tarico, he won’t be nice to her.”
Mcginon liked the sounds of this much more. No one had ever praised him like this before. In this tribe, everyone thought Tarico was the best.
Mahal went on, “After you marry Guri and inherit my property, you’ll be the richest in the tribe. Also, you can succeed me as tribal leader in the future.”
Mcginon waved his hands instantly. “I… I don’t have the ability.”
“Money is the only ability!” Mahal said.
But then, he heaved a deep sigh of affected sadness. “Actually, I’m also not sure of this. According to the previous rules, if you marry Guri and inherit my property, you can definitely be the next tribal leader. But now, Tarico and those outsiders are running the camel team and have won the kings’ trust. Even my position can not be guaranteed. Alas, if only those people and the camels would disappear in our tribe.”
Mcginon finally understood Mahal’s intention. He was expected to eliminate Tarico and the camel team. This was the premise for him marrying Guri. He sweated even more.
Mahal patted his shoulder. “Think about this. You can earn only one or two taels each month working for Tarico. But if you become my son-in-law, you can then gain one or two taels every day. Which do you think is a better deal?”
Facing the choice, Mcginon wiped the sweat from his forehead. But a wicked idea had been secretly germinating in his mind.
…
As they ate naans and drank alcohol around the fire that night, Tarico found that Mcginon appeared to be continually absent-minded. Born in a poor family, Mcginon had experienced childhood in hunger, so he was always the most active during mealtime. But today, he had been chewing a naan for a long time. He also had no interest in the other dishes. Tarico had cooked a steamed fish which almost everyone thought was delicious. However, Mcginon tasted merely a bit of it in a lazy manner.
Tarico didn’t figure out what was up with him but just observed quietly. After dinner, they continued drinking alcohol and chatting about women, cattle and goats. But Mcginon didn’t join the crowd. Instead, he smirked from time to time silently.
Someone played a joke on him. “Mcginon, you can finally pursue a woman boldly at the Festival of Sacrifice because you have a salary now.”
Mcginon often smiled in reply, but today, his tone sounded tough and angry. “Who will like me? I’m so poor!”
“With the salary, you’re not poor anymore. When it’s spring, our camel team can earn us money. By then, we can have great fun in Beihui city again.”
Mcginon gave the man an absent smile.
Since he was too boring, the others didn’t bother to joke about him anymore. Only Tarico noticed the stitching on his coat. Judging by its delicacy, it must have been sewn by a woman that day. Tarico couldn’t help smiling. It seemed Mcginon had taken fancy to a woman.
…
Soon, it was the Spring Festival again. Ye Xiaoxian was now living close to other refugees. They thought it important to maintain their traditional customs, celebrating a lively festival. Therefore, they bought some red paper from the town and used it to make lanterns and also window decorations, which greatly livened up the atmosphere.
On New Year’s Eve, they gathered in the Xiaos’ and the Lius’ public yurt. Ye Xiaoxian gave the children some copper coins strung together with red string, which made them very excited. It was their first time being given lucky money since they had come to the tribe. If any vendors passed there someday, the children could then use the money to buy delicious food.
When it was midnight, the crowd went out to play with firecrackers. Out with the old, in with the new, it was a year with new hope.
…
At the same time, Longmen Inn was very quiet. After all, no one would live in the inn on New Year’s Eve. Usually at this time, Jin Xiaoyu did nothing special except for letting her employees do whatever they like. Then, Idiot put up red lanterns and Fool pasted up pictures of door gods.
Jin Xiaoyu only wanted to get drunk and sleep until the first day of the new year, then continue to drink. But this year was different. With Xiao Baoshan’s accompaniment, she suddenly thought they should have a sense of ritual at this festival. So she asked her employees to decorate the inn festively and to cook a feast. But she didn’t allow Xiao Baoshan to do anything, saying that he was now her man, the future owner of this inn.