Chapter 7: The Moli Army
The winters in Chang’an often brought snow, but could never be like the ferocious snowfall of Hexi.
The snow fell tirelessly, sometimes as fine as coarse salt, sometimes as large as woven mats. Driven by the bone-piercing northern winds, it swirled and whirled, howling and hissing, before uncontrollably blanketing the earth. It covered roads, rivers, rooftops, and travelers alike, leaving the world submerged in a single, endless expanse of white, between the heavens and earth, with no other color in sight.
At Madam Li’s house, the slender-limbed jujube tree in the corner of the courtyard was buried under snow. A section of the mud wall supporting the woodshed had collapsed beneath the weight, and thick icicles hung from the eaves. The courtyard’s water well sent up gentle plumes of steam into the world of ice and snow.
With little to do on such a snowy day, Aunt Zhao busied herself by stoking the fire in the heated wall until it radiated a toasty heat, then tidied up the long kang bed in the side room. She spread warm cushions and woolen blankets, setting out tea, snacks, and dried fruits for the family to enjoy.
In Blind Alley, where generations of neighbors had lived side by side, the community’s closeness and harmoniousness ran deep. During festivals or celebrations, neighbors exchanged gifts and greetings—an Eastside sister-in-law borrowing tea or salt, an elderly Westside matriarch sending over sweet cakes for her eightieth birthday. It was inevitable that they would chat with each other. Snowbound days brought people indoors, as venturing outdoors was a challenge. Taking advantage of this lull, the Li household saw many dropping by to visit Madam Li, lending a hand with small and odd jobs.
Chun Tian had stayed at the Li household for over a month, and her injuries had gradually begun to heal. When Li Wei brought her back that day, the neighborhood wives and aunties had all caught sight of her. Over the weeks, they had come and gone, taking their measure of the girl, piecing together her story and origins. Now, seeing her standing frail and delicate in front of the house, they would warmly step forward, holding her hands and asking with concern, “How are the injuries?”
Chun Tian, ever well-mannered, spoke sparingly. Her innately gentle and bashful nature endeared her to all, and the neighbors couldn’t help but feel a shared tenderness for the young girl, bereft and alone.
Aunt Huang, had just married off her only daughter earlier that year, which meant that only the elderly couple remained at home. She was the most fond of young girls, she often visited the Li house, holding Chun Tian’s hands and exclaiming, “Such a lovely daughter, so delicate—just looking at her breaks my heart.”
The other aunties teased her with laughter, “If you like her so much, why not take her in as a goddaughter? That would surely put your heart at ease.”
“How could I be so fortunate?” Aunt Huang’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “This is clearly a well-bred young lady. Surely, she is destined for a blessed life.”
When the skies finally cleared after days of snow, the drifts along the walls had piled three chi high. The dark clouds had dispersed, revealing the blue sky that resembled an immense expanse of crystal stone. The air was bitingly cold, and Changliu had donned his sturdy boots, a thick padded coat, and a small sheepskin hat. Clutching a hand warmer close to his chest, he stood snugly bundled beneath the eaves.
“Ah Huang, stop running and come play with me!” Helian Jiayan was dragging the yellow dog’s hind legs in a playful tug-of-war. “Changliu, come down and help me hold Ah Huang!”
Jiayan, the same age as Changliu but already half a head taller, had hair the color of straw, almond-shaped eyes that tilted slightly upward, and irises of a pale brown hue, a look that immediately revealed his mixed Hu and Han heritage.
“Don’t grab Ah Huang, or he’ll bite you!” Changliu scrunched his nose.. “Ah Huang, run away, quick!”
With nowhere to escape, Ah Huang lay sprawled in the snow, looking pitiful and helpless. It whimpered toward its young master, paws digging furiously into the snowy ground, spraying a shower of snowflakes onto Jiayan’s head.
“Well, well, Ah Huang, so now you’re an expert at digging holes now!”
Nearby, Zhou Huaiyuan was clearing thick snow from around the well. Behind him stood Shu’er, dressed in a bright red padded coat and skirt, holding a wooden basin. Her rolled-up sleeves revealed a slender stretch of fair wrist as she called out in her clear, crisp voice, “Huaiyuan, why don’t you take a break already?”
Huaiyuan used an iron shovel to dig up the hard snow and turned to wipe the sweat from his brow. With a grin, he replied, “I’m not tired.”
“Not tired?”
“Not tired.”
“Well, are you cold?”
“Not cold.”
From behind came Jiayan’s playful snicker. “Shu’er jiejie, Huaiyuan -ge’s forehead is dripping with sweat, and you’re still asking if he’s cold?” His eyes crinkled into half-moons with laughter. “You’ve asked so many times that my ears are starting to sprout calluses!”
“What do you know kid?” Shu’er scolded. “If you bully Ah Huang again, I’ll march right inside and tell your mother.”
“I’m not scared of my mother!” Jiayan retorted, wriggling his eyebrows and mimicking her tone with exaggerated flair, “Huaiyuan, are you cold? Are you tired?”
“You cheeky boy,” Shu’er snapped, hands on her hips and gritting her teeth. “Bullying Ah Huang wasn’t enough? Now you’re mocking me too!” She lunged forward, determined to catch him. “Stand still, don’t you dare run!”
The courtyard was filled with laughter and playful shouts. A roaring fire crackled in the kitchen, sending plumes of spiraling pale green smoke curling through the snow-covered chimney. Inside a pot, a rich mutton stew simmered, its mouthwatering aroma wafting through the crisp air.
In the main room, Madam Li sat on the edge of the heated kang bed, stitching the sole of a pair of men’s shoes. Nearby, Xianxian wriggled on a stool, struggling to sit still. She had been learning embroidery since the start of the year but remained clumsy and inattentive, her stitches still a mess by year’s end. True to a child’s nature, the sounds of merriment from outside quickly distracted her. After a few half-hearted stitches, she set her frame aside and dashed out to join the fun.
Chun Tian withdrew her gaze from the lively scene outside and picked up Xianxian’s embroidery frame. She heard Madam Li chuckle softly nearby, “That child, after stitching for days, she’s only managed to create a tangle of threads.”
“She’s still just a child.”
“She may be a child, but after the New Year, she’ll turn nine. In just a few years, she’ll be of marriageable age. She needs to learn her needlework early.”
Lu Mingyue, leaning over the table and sketching an embroidery design, shook her head. “When I was learning embroidery, my mother would stand behind me, watching my every move. If my needle slipped so much as slipped, she’d smack my palm with her stick. By the end of the day, my hands would be so swollen I couldn’t hold a needle, yet she wouldn’t let up.”
Mingyue was known throughout Ganzhou as a master embroiderer. She often created designs for the local embroidery shops and took on private commissions from the daughters and ladies of wealthy households. “Back then, I hated my mother fiercely. She forced me to learn all this, and for what? Being an embroiderer—it’s a life of endless toil. You work until your eyes fail and your hair turns white, and in the end, you’ve never even made yourself a fine dress. What’s the point of it all?
Madam Li coughed softly and pressed her lips into a smile. “It’s thanks to you southern folk for being so skilled with your hands. My handiwork, compared to yours, is like heaven and earth, a world of difference.”
Lu Mingyue sighed. “Just the other day, I took on a commission from a merchant family’s womenfolk. The madam of the house does nothing but manage accounts; everything she wears, from her garments to her handkerchiefs, is commissioned from outside. And honestly, good for her. Who says women must stay home sewing and manage the household? When it comes to business and finances, women can be every bit as capable as men.”
Chun Tian, holding the embroidery frame, stitched two lines before suddenly pausing. “When I was little, my mother often sewed clothes for wealthy families to supplement our household income.”
The two women seldom heard Chun Tian mention her family and remarked, “Then your mother must have been exceptionally skilled in her needlework.”
Chun Tian nodded,“She was.”
From outside came the tinkling laughter of Xianxian, mingled with the commotion of Jiayan chasing Ah Huang around the yard. Everyone in the courtyard teased, “Ah Huang, Ah Huang run! Don’t let Jiayan catch you!” The panicked yellow dog bolted into the main hall, tail wagging furiously as it darted under the table for cover. Lu Mingyue’s facial expression changed and she frowned, her brows knitting as she scolded, “That rascal, always stirring up chaos wherever he goes.”
Jiayan burst into the room shortly after, a round little face peeking through the doorway. His cheeks were flushed red from the cold, a few stray snowflakes clinging to his brow. Grinning sheepishly, he said: “Mother, Madam Li, Chun Tian-jiejie!”
“Ah Huang hides far away the moment it sees you coming. Can’t you tell he doesn’t like playing with you?” Lu Mingyue frowned. “If you keep tormenting him, even Madam Li will tire of you. Next time, you’ll see if she doesn’t throw you out.”
Jiayan grinned cheekily, twisting his hands. He glanced first at his mother, then at Madam Li, clinging to Madam Li’s side as he pleaded, “Madam Li, don’t send me away.”
Madam Li, ever indulgent of Jiayan, reached for a handful of sweet pastries from the table and tucked them into his pocket. Smiling fondly, she said, “Madam Li cherishes Jiayan the most. Don’t listen to your mother’s nonsense, go on and play.” She touched Jiayan’s hand, “Cold from being outside? If you are, come sit on the kang bed and warm up.”
“Not cold,” Jiayan replied. “I was shoveling snow with Huaiyuan-gege, and I even worked up a sweat.” He nestled beside Madam Li, smelling the scent of her medicinal ointments. He asked, “Is Madam Li feeling better lately?”
“Much better. Seeing you, Jiayan, makes all of my illness vanish completely.”
Jiayan chuckled mischievously, glanced again at his stern-faced mother, and spilled a string of sweet words. Hearing Xianxian call him from outside with a smile, he dashed off to play.
Lu Mingyue called after him, “Behave yourself. No causing trouble, no bullying others. If you dare do anything bad, Mother will spank you.”
Jiayan stuck out his tongue playfully and laughed, “Got it!”
“That child, Jiayan, I really do like him,” Madam Li sighed. “That lively spirit of his just makes your heart ache with affection.”
“That little rascal. He drives me crazy every day to the point of getting a headache all day long, always making me worry he’ll get into trouble.” Lu Mingyue smiled, “ I much prefer Chang Liu, so well-behaved and sensible, never causing trouble. Even his teacher at the academy is full of praise for him.”
“What do you mean, ‘never causing trouble’?” Madam Li murmured softly. “That child has never let us rest easy.”
“When Chang Liu was born, he never nursed from me—not even once. He grew up on medicinal soups. I remember once when he cried nonstop for an entire day and night, his face turning blue from all the crying. At the time, I was sick myself, and it was snowing that evening. The Master carried him out into the night to see a doctor. I lay there thinking, if anything happened to this child, I wouldn’t want to live anymore. Thankfully, the next day, the Master came back holding him, saying everything was fine. Only then did I finally relax.”
“You see? You’re bringing up these old stories again for no reason,” Lu Mingyue frowned. “I think Changliu has been getting sick less often these past few years, and he’s looking better and better.”
“Elders say that children who get sick more when they’re young tend to grow up strong and healthy. It’s like the misfortune around them is taken away early on.”
“That’s exactly right,” Lu Mingyue agreed. “Changliu ah, will be just fine.”
Madam Li sighed deeply and smiled faintly. “You’re probably right.”
Lu Mingyue rose from her embroidery stool, glanced at the shoe sole Madam Li was stitching, and remarked with a smile, “Speaking of which, back then Li Wei was still so young, and yet you and the child were both sick, and he managed to keep his composure.”
“At that time, my father was still alive. The Master had just come back during his ten-day break from the military. He didn’t even get the chance to say a word, just scooped up the child and rushed out the door,” Madam Li’s eyes were full of emotion and affection. “He’s always been so good.”
“You two have such a deep love as husband and wife; it’s truly rare.”
“Did the Master serve in the military?” Chun Tian’s eyes lit up as she looked up and asked.
“At the time, the army in Guazhou was recruiting soldiers for the campaign. My father had Wei’er sign up to be conscripted. He went to garrison at Baizhang Mountain and Hehe Town, fought in battles, and stayed in the military for five or six years before coming home,” Madam Li said with a smile. “Back then, we had just gotten married. He was only seventeen or eighteen. And now, ten years have passed just like that.”
Chun Tian’s chest rose and fell as waves of pain radiated from her chest. She asked softly, “Back then, under which general did the Master serve under? Which army was it?”
Madam Li was startled, then thoughtfully replied, “It was in the army garrison at Guazhou. Most of the soldiers back then were Tuyuhun people who had returned to the west. As for which generals there were… there seemed to be a few, but I don’t quite recall.” She asked, “Do you have family in the army?”
Chun Tian shook her head. “Just hearing that the Master once served in the military and was curious.”
Madam Li’s casual words left Chun Tian dazed for an entire day. If it was the Guazhou garrison, and half of the troops were Tuyuhun people, then it must have been the Moli Army. The Moli Army—ten years ago, the Moli Army…
Next to her, Xianxian snuggled into the corner of the quilt, smacking her lips twice in her sleep, her little face peaceful and serene as she tossed and turned. The room was warmed by the burning brazier, and the bedding was cozy, but Chun Tian twisted and turned, unable to sleep. Her wounds had scabbed over, and the pain and itchiness at night were unbearable. She faintly heard a few soft coughs from Madam Li in the main room. Straining her ears, the sound was swallowed up by the wind and snow, faint and indistinct.
Children, they were always carefree. She thought to herself, had she ever known such carefree days? It felt like she never had.
Madam Li coughed through the night. Outside, Aunt Zhao, who had been dozing off while keeping watch, finally stirred. She sat up and asked drowsily, “Madam, do you need to take your medicine?”
Madam Li felt a metallic and fishy sweetness in her throat and wheezed weakly, “My mouth is a bit, fetch me a cup of water.”
Aunt Zhao lit the oil lamp, yawning as she fetched tea, muttering, “Tomorrow we should have the doctor come by again. These days, Madam’s cough seems to have worsened.”
Madam Li didn’t respond immediately. She clutched a handkerchief, glancing at it under the lamplight with an inscrutable expression. Quietly, she slipped it back into her sleeve. After a long moment, she lay back on her pillow and murmured listlessly, “This illness is what it is. I take the medicine every day; what use is there?”
“That’s not quite the way to look at it,” Aunt Zhao replied. “Remember that prescription from the Qiuci master a few years back? Though troublesome, it worked well enough. Why has it gotten worse again this year?”
Madam Li rinsed her mouth with the warm tea brought to her, then turned her back as she laid down and said softly, “Sleep.”
TN: Hope everyone is doing well! Slowly starting to understand some of these characters more!
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