MHBOWSBTMT Chapter 8

The sun slanted westward, painting the clouds gold against the blue sky. The evening breeze carried a lingering chill.

 

The porridge from noon hadn’t been finished, and with everyone taking smaller portions, it was enough for another meal in the evening. For farmers, the midday meal is the most important, and in the evening, a few steamed buns heated up alongside it would suffice.

 

The porridge and buns warmed up quickly. A small half-bowl of porridge and a coarse flour bun weren’t enough to fill anyone up, but at least they wouldn’t go to bed hungry. In harder times, they would simply boil wild greens and eat them as a meal.

 

After a long day of labor and by the time dinner was finished, the sky had darkened like ink, making the moonlight shimmer like water. The Qiao family couldn’t afford candles, so once the night fell, they washed up by the dim moonlight and went to bed.

 

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Early the next morning.

 

Qiao Suiman carried a basket on his back while Heijin ran ahead.

 

The cogongrass tips and roots he planned to gather today didn’t take up much space, and since he wasn’t venturing deep into the woods, a single basket would be enough. There’s no need for the larger bamboo crate.

 

Cogongrass grass grew abundantly in the mountains. Its stiff leaves are often being used by villagers to thatch roofs. They were very difficult to get rid of whenever they grew in the fields, so they needed to be weeded constantly to avoid choking the crops. Additionally, they are a nuisance because their leaves are extremely sharp that it could easily cut hands.

 

Because cogongrass was so common, Qiao Suiman only needed to dig at the foot of the mountain for a short while before filling half his basket which was more than enough.

 

Not far up the mountain was a bamboo grove. Villagers often went there to cut bamboo for fences or winnowing baskets, and some dug for bamboo shoots. Fresh bamboo shoots were tender now and perfect for eating at home or selling in town. He cut three big ones yesterday which were worth several coppers a pound.

 

It was still early and not yet time for lunch. Qiao Suiman thought for a moment. Since the bamboo grove was nearby, why not dig up a few shoots to take home? That way, they could save some rice. They were used to being frugal, so they never spent extra money to avoid drawing the attention of malicious villagers who would report to Qiao Chengfu. This led others to assume that all of their funds had been wasted on Qiao Chengfu’s drinking.

 

Because so many people have been digging for shoots lately, the area along the foot of the mountain has been mostly picked over, leaving just little ones which, after peeling, contain only little edible portion. Qiao Suiman led Heijin further in.

 

Sure enough, there were more shoots deeper in. Qiao Suiman cut three knee-high ones, and the weight in his basket brought him a sense of comfort.

 

He was thirsty on the way back yesterday because he did not bring any water. But today, he remembered. He took a few gulps from his bamboo container and scanned the area, wondering if there was anything else worth taking home.

 

Then it hit him—bamboo fungus!

 

Qiao Suiman suddenly remembered a small slope not far from here where he had once found bamboo fungus!

 

The slope was near another mountain, and it had rough terrain that made it easy to trip and get hurt, so most people avoided it. Qiao Suiman had stumbled upon it by chance before. He discovered a mound covered in bamboo fungus—black-capped with white stems, with their net-like skirts fluttering delicately, emitting a faint fragrance.

 

That was his first time selling bamboo fungus. Because he was unfamiliar with the market, a shady merchant in town lowballed him and even attempted to take it by force when he refused. Luckily, they usually set up their stall near where Qiao Ruifeng worked, and the merchant fled when he saw a man approaching.

 

In the end, he sold it to an herb shop for ninety coppers which is not a great price. Normally, the shop wouldn’t bother with such a small quantity, but the fungus was of good quality and size, so they took it.

 

Since then, he had made two trips back to the slope but found nothing. Today was a gamble. If there was none, it’d just mean extra walking. With that in mind, Qiao Suiman patted Heijin’s head and pointed left. “Go.”

 

With alert ears, Heijin ran off, sniffing the ground every now and then for traces of small animals.

 

Qiao Suiman followed and soon reached the slope. He snapped off a sturdy branch to use as a walking stick as the grass there was dense and tall, and he had to be careful not to trip over the uneven ground.

 

A few steps further, Qiao Suiman’s eyes lit up with excitement.

 

The slope was dotted with clusters of bamboo fungus! They looked freshly sprouted, as their black caps were topped with delicate net-like skirts, and their stems were plump and snow-white. It’s truly prime quality.

 

This is a great fortune!

 

Qiao Suiman’s heart was pounding as he hurried over. Thank goodness he came! It would be a shame to miss so much bamboo fungus. The skirts had already opened; if left for another hour, they’ll spoil.

 

But then, Heijin barked and charged forward like an arrow as a rustling sound emerged from the opposite side of the slope.

 

Qiao Suiman was startled and jumped to his feet to look over. There was a familiar face on the other side. It was the man he met on the mountain yesterday. Qiao Suiman recalled that he was Lu Dongqing, a very unusual name.

 

On the opposite side of the slope, Lu Dongqing was just as surprised. He had collected bamboo fungus here on multiple occasions without coming across anyone, assuming that the villagers of Xiahe had not discovered this spot yet. But clearly, he was wrong.

 

Lu Dongqing stood up, towering over Qiao Suiman, who only reached his shoulder. An awkward silence fell between them as neither expected to run into the other. Heijin, however, kept barking and pawing at Lu Dongqing’s pants.

 

After years of raising Heijin, Qiao Suiman knew this was the dog’s way of being friendly. It’s strange because Heijin wasn’t usually so affectionate with strangers. Worried that the dog might annoy Lu Dongqing, he called out, “Heijin, come back.”

 

But Lu Dongqing showed no irritation. He remembered this dog because yesterday, he’d seen the pair on the mountain. Most village dogs were yellow, but a black-and-tan like Heijin was rare.

 

When he went to the river to fish at noon, the dog was splashing around playfully. It was clever, mimicking his movements while fishing, though clumsily. In the end, Lu Dongqing had helped by herding a fish toward it, and Heijin had managed to catch one.

 

Unaware of this, Qiao Suiman watched Heijin’s shamelessly affectionate behavior with exasperation. He looked up and explained, “He’s just being clingy and doesn’t mean any harm. He doesn’t bite.”

 

He felt a little embarrassed. Heijin was usually so well-behaved, so why was he acting like this now? Thankfully, Lu Dongqing didn’t seem like the type to hit a dog, despite his tough exterior.

 

After a while, Heijin finally quieted down, nuzzling Lu Dongqing’s leg like a plea for attention.

 

The bamboo grove fell silent except for the wind. Qiao Suiman inwardly groaned. He thought no one else was here! He barely had time to celebrate before this man showed up. With his burly build, if he wanted to take all the bamboo fungus, Qiao Suiman wouldn’t stand a chance.

 

Stalling wouldn’t help either, as the bamboo fungus wouldn’t last. But Lu Dongqing was tall and strong. If he insisted on taking it all, Qiao Suiman could do nothing. Even if they split it, selling smaller quantities in town might lead to lower prices.

 

Then it struck him that this man usually gathered herbs to sell to town clinics, so he must know the trade. Unwilling to give up the bamboo fungus, Qiao Suiman thought for a moment and proposed, “We both saw these. If we sell separately, the town merchants will lowball us. How about this, I’ll pick and clean them, sun-dry them, and you take them to sell. We’ll split the earnings sixty-forty. Sound fair?”

 

Bamboo fungus had to be cleaned. The black caps need to be removed, leaving the skirts and stems, and then scrubbed to remove the dirt. This reduced the weight but made them more presentable. Town folks were picky. The vegetables and mushrooms he sold through Chen Ping were always cleaned, and Uncle Ping said the vendors preferred buying from him because of it.

 

Lu Dongqing’s eyes flickered with surprise. The last time they met in the deep woods, he warned him about a snake. His family had only recently moved to Xiahe Village, and while he wanted to build good relations with the villagers, he also couldn’t stand by if someone is in danger. Otherwise, given the delicate reputation of a ge’r, he would’ve avoided being alone with one. But this ge’r seemed different. After gathering herbs yesterday, Lu Dongqing went with Li Da to help the village head and ran into Qiao Suiman and another ge’r. Li Da pulled him aside with a strange look and told him about the Qiao family’s troubles.

 

Lu Dongqing didn’t respond, but inwardly, he disagreed. How could a ge’r be blamed for matters of life and death? The idea of good or bad luck was nonsense. Life was what you made of it, not what others said.

 

He was hesitating whether to leave, but he really needed money for tools. But when he heard Qiao Suiman’s proposal, he felt a pang of irritation. Did the other think he’ll just take all the bamboo fungus?

 

Qiao Suiman couldn’t be blamed. As a child, whenever he found something valuable, bullies would snatch it if his brother wasn’t around, threatening him not to tell Qiao Ruifeng or else.

 

Qiao Suiman wasn’t one to be pushed around, as he’d always told his brother, who’d dealt with them. As he grew older, he learned to avoid those people or forage in less crowded areas to avoid trouble.

 

Lu Dongqing’s stern face looked intimidating when he frowned, and Qiao Suiman felt uneasy. Why did the man seem even more displeased after the sixty-forty proposal? Was that not enough? Does he want it all?

 

“If we sell separately, the quantities will be small, and buyers might say it’s leftover stock and lower the price,” Qiao Suiman added hesitantly. He prided himself on reading people well, and Lu Dongqing didn’t seem unreasonable. If he hadn’t seen the bamboo fungus, then it’s fine. But now that he had, letting someone else take it all would feel like losing a cooked duck[mfn]煮熟的鸭子飞了 – an idiom meaning to lose something that was already within one’s grasp[/mfn]. He’ll lose sleep over it for days.

 

Lu Dongqing felt a bit annoyed when he noticed the glint of distrust in Qiao Suiman’s eyes, as though expecting him to steal the goods. His mother had once said his frown made him look like a wrathful deity. Does he really seem like such a bad person?

 

Pursing his lips, Lu Dongqing tried to keep his tone even, though it still came out a bit gruff. “I’m not fighting you for it. We’ll split it evenly.” Then he asked, “Where did you sell before? Who said small quantities mean lower prices?”

 

Thanks to past experiences, Qiao Suiman was good at reading people. Lu Dongqing’s expression told him he had misjudged the man, and he felt a little guilty. Answering honestly, he said, “Laichun Herb Shop[mfn]來春藥鋪 – Coming Spring Herb Shop[/mfn] in town. Their clerk said I didn’t have enough and offered a low price.”

 

“Laichun Herb Shop—that’s near the east market. They’re known for cheating herb gatherers and paying less than other shops. The clerk lied to you. Bamboo fungus is valuable. No matter the quantity, it sells well.” Lu Dongqing occasionally dried herbs to sell in town and knew a bit about the shops there.

 

Qiao Suiman blinked, then realized. At the time, he felt something was off, but it was late, and he was in a hurry to get home. Indignantly, he said, “No wonder! The clerk called me over as soon as he saw the bamboo fungus. Hmph! And then acted like he was doing me a favor. What a performance!”Listening to Lu Dongqing now, he realized he was cheated. And by a place that was supposed to heal people!

 

Lu Dongqing had only meant to warn him. After visiting several herb shops in town, he learned which ones were truly for healing and which were just for profit.

 

However, Qiao Suiman’s irate display, complete with big, expressive eyes, was oddly endearing—like an inflated pufferfish. Lu Dongqing’s lips twitched slightly.

 

Though Lu Dongqing’s expression didn’t change, Qiao Suiman sensed the man was in a better mood. How strange. Was he laughing at him for being cheated?

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Translator [LUNE]:  Here’s a photo of some bamboo fungus:

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