Great Tang Idyll

Book 2: Chapter 49

Volume 02 Chapter 49: Withdrawing Midway

The children ran all night without resting much. Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan's prediction was correct--- when the first rays of light came, all of them weren't able to run anymore. The sweat on their bodies drenched their clothes, and as the temperature gradually rose, they felt stuffy and hot and a little bit cold from the inside to the outside.

Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan didn't care about the others, and they went to the next water station. They took off their outer garment and washed them with water. Then they stabbed their retractable poles into the sand and hung their wet clothes on the poles to let them dry. Once again, they moistened their towels, and they used it to briefly wipe their arms and legs. After spreading out their blankets, they waited there for breakfast.

Originally, Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan wanted to get Shi'liu to send a hunter to deliver their breakfast this time, but in the end, other people joined in. Li Xun asked his people to travel by carriage to this place first, which saved a lot of trouble for Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan.

"How's it? Zhang Xiao'bao, do you think I arranged this well? I prohibited others from bringing in their own food and we only provided them with two meals everyday. Now that's what outdoor survival is supposed to be like."

Regardless of what Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan did, Li Xun would copy them. He also doused his clothing with water, but he didn't know how to wash them. Then he also wiped his arms and legs. Once he was done, he sat in front of them and began praising himself.

Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan shook their heads at the same time. They took the porridge that was passed to them and drank it.

Li Xun was waiting for the two people to flatter him, but he didn't expect the result to be like that. Looking at the porridge bowl in front of him, Li Xun asked with dissatisfaction, "Is something wrong?"

Zhang Xiao'bao asked several questions in succession, and Li Xun wasn't able to answer them.

Wang Juan also chimed in, "That's right, that's right. There are even tents here for people to rest in. People should be carrying their own tent on their backs so that they can rest whenever they want to. The person who makes it to the final destination first should be the one who wins. My family's---uh, someone said that the participants should be given an opportunity to make preparations and they should be allowed to bring whatever they want. The guards should only intervene if they notice that someone is feeling unwell."

Li Xun listened carefully, and felt that what she said made sense but it was impossible to do. However, he was able to make an important conclusion from Wang Juan's words: there was indeed a mastermind and these words on hers were actually the mastermind's words.Yes, he needed to take note of this. Children that were too young couldn't be used, so he needs to let children over the age of ten try.

At this time, Han Yong'yao also dragged his heavy feet to this area. He laid on the side and panted heavily, but even then, he did not forget to glare at Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan from time to time.

Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan didn't care about his glares at all since they could easily work together to beat him up. However, doing so would not resolve any of the issues. He would still harbour hatred towards them, and their abilities will be exposed. Not doing anything to him didn't mean that they disregarded him. When they get back, they will have to make some preparations. As for what methods they were going to use, it depended on their opponent's moves.

"What? You're not going to rest for a bit? You're continuing again? Li Xun finished eating at almost the same time as Wang Juan and Zhang Xiao'bao. When he saw them put down their chopsticks, he yawned and asked.

"Yeah, we're in a hurry to go home. We're not playing anymore. You can have this." Zhang Xiao'bao replied back, and then he took the saltpeter and the set of bowls out of his backpack.

He looked at the items Zhang Xiao'bao took out and he asked in confusion, "Is this saltpeter? Oh, I know, it's used to make ice to eat. How come I didn't think of that?"

"It's not used as a pastime---it's used to save lives at critical times. It's the most useful when travelling in groups. You can help prevent others around you from getting a heatstroke. Most importantly, it can be used to make ice to treat wounds. So you only need to bring a little. Instead of bringing more of it, it's better to bring more water. Even hot water can save people."

Zhang Xiao'bao explained to Li Xun.

"Huh? It's actually used for that? Zhang Xiao'bao, you two are going to leave, how about you give me your backpack, is that alright?"

Li Xun now understood that the saltpeter was not used to make ice for people to eat. He looked at Zhang Xiao'bao's backpack, and he finally voiced out the thought in his heart. He was certain that there were more good items inside it.

Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan glanced at each other and shook their heads. Zhang Xiao'bao responded, "Young Childe Li, these items are enough for you to use. Once you're done with these items, organize another event and we will show you more new items when we come."

Building interest was also a step-by-step process. Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan did not want to expose all of these items too early. There were indeed more items in their backpacks, such as several different needles, threads made from sheep intestines, a small cauter, some good-quality charcoal, and three-edged needles.

These were used to treat external wounds and for bloodletting. Although bloodletting with a triangular needle cannot cure the person, it can buy some time. Now was not a suitable time to take these items out. They originally planned to bring some pure gunpowder, but they later abandoned this idea.

"O--okay. I will organize another event later. Be careful along the way back." Li Xun didn't know what to say. He really wanted to snatch their backpacks, but he also knew that this was the same as killing the goose to get the golden eggs. If he snatched their bags this time, then he would have to abandon any hopes of them bringing him more things in the future. He had no choice but to reply to them with a simple benediction.

"Haha, are you scared now?" Not far away, Han Yong'yao, who heard that Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan were going to leave, suddenly yelled out loud. He was angry. He was planning to soon retaliate against the two, but he didn't expect that they planned to go home after eating.

"Shut up." Before Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan spoke, Li Xun turned his head and yelled angrily.

Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan didn't even pay attention to him. They rinsed their mouths with water, and then patted their full stomachs. They walked towards a flat area outside the desert, which had a dirt road with a carriage sent there by their family.

Han Yong'yao didn't dare to have any displeasure towards Li Xun. He even smiled back and apologized. After avoiding Li Xun's gaze, he fixed his eyes onto Zhang Xiao'bao's and Wang Juan's leaving backs.

"Xiao'bao, he must hate us to death." Wang Juan knew what the situation was like without even looking back.

"Yeah, let him hate us. When we get back, let's come up with a way to deal with his family. This child is worse than Li Xun. At least Li Xun won't display his attitudes so obviously. A kid like Han Yong'yao dares to display his hatred like this even when he doesn't have the power to back himself up--- this must mean that he was not well taught by his family. A good clan would educate their children from an early age. He's incompetent, which means that his family is incompetent too.

Zhang Xiao'bao began to analyze the situation of the new neighbor through this incident, and then he continued, "With a child like him in their family, he will be of great use to us. Let him hate us, the more he hates us, the better. Tell me, do you think I'm bullying other people's children?

"Children are meant to be bullied, otherwise how did he have the guts to treat us like this? It's because we're little. The autumn harvest is coming, do you know how to dehull grains?" After saying this, Wang Juan didn't want to talk about this topic anymore, so she changed the topic over to discussing techniques.

Zhang Xiao'bao nodded, "I know how to. I've seen people dehull grains before and I've even seen people grind grains into flour. After transporting the rice to a place specially designed for dehulling, they first place a funnel with a large hole onto a motorized machine, and then they poured the rice grains inside. When the majority of the hulls are removed, they'll use a funnel with a smaller hole..."

"Okay, I get it. When we get back, you can work on making that motor. I'll get someone to make the funnel. This would save a lot of work for the residents." Wang Juan stretched out her thumb to Zhang Xiao'bao.

"Uh! Well, there is actually another way, which is to put the grains in an open area, and then beat it with something after the grains are dried. After the beating process is complete, we can rely on the wind to blow the hulls away. I know how to make that tool." Zhang Xiao'bao made a serious expression while he spoke to Wang Juan.

"Nope. We shouldn't dehull all of the rice grains and wheat grains since that would shorten their shelf life. With the hulls unremoved, the grains can be stored for two to three years. If we dehull the grains, within a year, the grains will be eaten by tiny black bugs. We will store the grains with the hulls on and dehull them when we plan to eat them."

Zhang Xiao'bao was more well experienced in this area. Once the rice and flour were made, he had to find a way to sell it, otherwise its price would be affected if bugs were found inside.

Wang Juan really didn't have such experience, so she was taken aback for a moment, and she asked suspiciously, "You're speaking the truth?"

"I won't lie to you about these kinds of things. This is the Kai'yuan era1, which means that there will be a lot of grains after two years. In the meantime, we should buy some and use it to make cakes, rice crackers and et cetera to sell. We shouldn't touch our own grains yet. This year, we will store all of them with the hull on. Help me come up with foods from flour. We should take advantage of this winter to make more money. It will not be easy to use grain to make money in the future."

Zhang Xiao'bao told Wang Juan about his future plans, and he seemed confident. However, Wang Juan didn't believe him. She tilted her head slightly and asked, "Are those your actual plans? You want to sell cakes?"

"For real." Zhang Xiao'bao nodded firmly.

"For real?" Wang Juan's tone rose upwards.

"Yeah." Zhang Xiao'bao widened his eyes and nodded vigorously.

"Yeah?" Wang Juan continued to raise her tone.

"Actually, there can actually be other things too. Jeez, do you really have to ask this thoroughly? It's not good for the husband and wife to understand too much about each other. I'm trying my best to stay mysterious. Can't you tell?" Zhang Xiao'bao compromised at this moment.

"I can tell. I can tell that I don't want to live with you. Hurry up, otherwise I will marry An Lu'shan2 when I am older. What will you do then?" Wang Juan threatened.

Zhang Xiao'bao was stunned for a moment, and suddenly laughed, "You want to marry that fat man? Hmm, good, he will be in big trouble then. Without me even intervening, he will know what type of person shouldn't be married and he will die from regret. Hahahaha!"

"Zhang Xiao'bao, get off. I don't want to be in the same carriage as you."

Translator's Notes

1. Kai'yuan era

This is the name of the era during the early half of the reign of Emperor Xuan'zong of the Tang Dynasty.

2. An Lu'shan

An Lu'shan was a famous general of the Tang Dynasty. He was well favoured by the Emperor Xuan'zong, but he later organized a rebellion (the An Lu'shan Rebellion) and started a new dynasty of his own called the Yan Dynasty. After he seized Luo'yang, which was the Eastern Capital, he soon declared himself as Emperor. The rebellion came to an end soon after An Lu Shan was killed by his own son, who was later killed by a general of the Tang army. The rebellion lasted for eight years.

As mentioned by Zhang Xiao'bao, An Lu'shan was obese.