Yunzhou County.
The time has come to the beginning of November of the twenty-fourth year of Tiansheng.
Yunzhou County is located in the northeast, and winter comes much earlier than in Guannai.
As early as mid-October, the snowflakes began to fall.
By now, the entire Yunzhou County seemed to have turned into a snow country, with thick snow everywhere covering the ground completely.
The green grassland in the past has long been covered with snow, and everywhere you look is a vast expanse of white. It is extremely easy for people with a poor sense of direction to get lost in such an environment.
More than a month has passed since the war in September, and great changes have taken place in the southern grasslands.
Today, the southern grassland belongs to Yunzhou County, at least in name, and all the tribes on the southern grassland are already herdsmen of King Yun.
As for the Tatar tribe in the southern grassland of Yunzhou County, they had an extremely comfortable winter.
Coal stoves, a specialty of Yunzhou County, appeared in the felt tents of every household.
Thick cotton jackets were wrapped around them.
Although the export of ironware was prohibited and they could not get iron pots, Yunzhou County's specialty clay pots were enthusiastically supported by everyone.
On a cold winter night, the family gathered around the stove to make a fire. On the stove, a clay pot was simmering steaming mutton soup.
There is also the magical seasoning chili noodles that also comes from Yunzhou County. After the soup is cooked, sprinkle it evenly with salt and stir it with a spoon!
In an instant, the rich smell of mutton soup filled the entire felt tent.
In the eager eyes of the family, the eldest sister first served a bowl to Abu (father) and Eji (mother), the heads of the family, then to Aha (brother) and Du (younger brother), and finally to herself.
The aroma of a big bowl of mutton soup is so fragrant that one almost becomes intoxicated by it.
The whole family had a smile on their face, and finally everyone started eating happily when Abu started.
In this cold weather, drinking a steaming bowl of mutton soup is a pleasure, but if the mutton soup is also sprinkled with chili powder, one sip will make your whole body warm!
In an instant, people couldn't help but let out a comfortable moan.
After the meal, the family each held a bowl of thick tea and took a sip from time to time during the conversation, which was both relaxing and comfortable.
This kind of life makes everyone deeply intoxicated. This is the day that all herdsmen have most longed for.
Today, they did it.
And all this is just because they are the herdsmen of King Yun, instead of the humble existence that the nobles said they were herdsmen but were actually slaves.
During the family conversation, Abu suddenly said:
"Tomorrow is the day when the mutual market opens. I will set off before dawn in the morning. Which of you will go with me?
If there is anything that Abu needs to bring, tell him now, and Abu will buy it all tomorrow. "
As soon as Abu said these words, the eyes of the three children in the family lit up instantly.
As the eldest son, Aha raised his hands and said, "Abu! I'll go with you, and I'll help you herd the sheep!"
Not to be outdone, the younger brother hurriedly said: "Abu, I'm going too! I can also drive sheep! And I can do it better than Aha!"
As the eldest sister, Hailan opened her mouth, but looked at the excited two younger brothers but did not say anything.
Eji on the side saw this scene, and immediately took his daughter's hand and said with a smile: "Hailan wants to go to the stock market with Abu?
You, Aha and Du have all been there, but you are the only one at home who hasn’t been there yet. Don’t you want to go? "
Hailan's rosy little face shook and said, "Let Aha and Du go. I'll stay at home and help Eji take care of the lamb. This is more important."
His wife's words made Abu suddenly remember that it was true that his eldest daughter had not been to the stock market yet, and he could not forget her.
But he hesitated after hearing what his eldest daughter said. There were too many lambs born this winter at home, and his wife alone couldn't take care of them. If the eldest daughter died, there would be no one to help his wife take care of the lambs. , this is indeed a problem.
But at this time, my wife, who had always been mild-tempered, said directly and forcefully: "Okay, you don't have to worry about these. Aha and Du are here. Let them stay here tomorrow to take care of the baby with Eji and me." Lamb, just go to the stock market with your Abu.
Let Abu buy what you want. If he doesn't buy it, come back and tell me. I'll drive him out of the felt tent to sleep and freeze him to death! "
After saying that, she looked at him with a threatening look, and even a fool could see the warning.
Artest smiled awkwardly, not daring to meet his wife's eyes. The last time he saw his wife like this was before they got married.
Before that, his wife had always been a famous hot-tempered girl in the tribe. After marrying him, she calmed down her temper and concentrated on being a good wife. How could he refuse when she suddenly returned to such a look?
After touching his nose, Artai pushed his eldest son and his younger son away, hugging his thigh and begging to go, and said to his eldest daughter with a smile: "Yes, you are right what Eji said, it's your turn." Go, you Aha and Du can also help your mother take care of the lambs, so you don’t need to worry here.
Hailan was still a little hesitant: "But..."
Artai made a decision directly: "Okay, no buts, we will set off at dawn tomorrow. You have to prepare everything tonight, especially food and water. It will take a lot of time to get to the market from us." Time may not come back until tomorrow.
You have to be more prepared! "
Seeing his father's firm words, he turned to look at his mother. Seeing her mother's affirmative and encouraging eyes, Hailan finally nodded.
As for the two sons who were making trouble on the side, Artest directly lifted them up one by one and slapped them on the buttocks with two big slaps.
Boys are tough and will not obey without being beaten.
Where to go? We've been there several times, not least this time or twice. If she didn't take Hailan back this time, Eji would definitely kick herself out of the felt tent when she came back.
Artest shuddered when he thought of that kind of outcome, and the slaps that fell on his two sons' buttocks suddenly became a little harder, causing two screams.
The night was getting darker, and the wind and snow were whistling in the tent, making a rustling sound on the felt tent.
But the felt tent was extremely warm, and the family fell asleep quietly in it.
The next day, it was dawn, and the snow that had been falling all night finally stopped briefly.
Artai got up early, only to find that his daughter Hailan had gotten up earlier than him and had already prepared everything that should be prepared.
Artai smiled knowingly, this girl really wants to go.
He smiled and shook his head, went to another felt tent specially prepared for the sheep, drove out more than twenty sheep, and the father and daughter set off on horseback after breakfast.
Their tribe is more than thirty miles away from the mutual market, and they have to drive the sheep even more slowly, and it will probably take almost a day to get there.
Coupled with the changing weather, it could snow at any time and slow down the two of them, so they had to set off as soon as possible.
Coincidentally, there were quite a few tribesmen who wanted to go to the mutual market together today, so they all gathered together, chatted and laughed, and then drove their horses and oxen on the road to the mutual market.
On the vast white grassland, a large group of Tatars wrapped in thick cotton jackets, riding horses and driving sheep, headed towards the south where the mutual market was.
Keep moving forward...
(End of chapter)
