Chapter 78
Chapter 78
“That’s right. Few people in the world have seen them, and deep in these mountains, only the Red Fox Tribe, who roam the forests year-round, would know where the Fire Rats hide.”
Old Han did not know much about the Red Fox Tribe. Their people were nearly extinct, and the small branch before them was probably the only one left in the world. The entire tribe numbered only a few dozen.
Jin Bao ran in from outside. She had already begun playing with the tribal children.
They had never seen such a beautiful child, so several children of the Red Fox Tribe followed Jin Bao everywhere, admiringly touching her little hands and pinching her cheeks.
Jin Bao did not grow angry. She curiously tugged at the ornaments they wore.
Seeing that she liked them, the children took the ornaments off and gave them to her.
As Jin Bao ran inside, everything on her jingled like wind chimes.
“Second Brother, look! Baby has so many pretty, fun ornaments. Baby will give you one.”
Xiao Jingmo looked down and found the bone decorations beautifully polished.
Perhaps because they were made for children, they looked less frightening. Colorful paint made them bright and attractive.
“Keep them to play with if you like them, Little Sister.”
Xiao Jingmo wiped the sweat from Jin Bao’s forehead.
Then his gaze returned to the hides.
Jin Bao looked at them curiously, then turned back to Xiao Jingmo.
“Second Brother, are you looking at those furs?”
“That’s right.”
Xiao Jingmo patiently lifted Jin Bao onto his lap.
“Second Brother, if you like them, buy them. Second Brother has money. That big brother said they’re moving because there’s no food left here. If they don’t move, they’ll starve. Second Brother, they’re so pitiful. Can you help them?”
Xiao Jingmo was surprised. Could Jin Bao communicate with these children?
Could she understand the language of the Red Fox Tribe?
But his little sister had always been different from everyone else. On reflection, there was nothing particularly strange about it.
Xiao Jingmo fell silent. From the corner of his eye, he spotted the animal traps and fishing spears piled in the hut.
Their traps were the most primitive kind and extremely inefficient. Their fishing spears consisted of two pointed bone prongs lashed to bamboo poles.
The Red Fox Tribe followed waterways, so most of their food came from rivers.
Fishing appeared to be their primary means of survival.
That explained the many dried fish hanging from the roof of the birch-bark hut.
Xiao Jingmo patted Jin Bao’s head and smiled. “All right. Second Brother will help them. Go play with the others, Little Sister, but don’t wander far. Stay away from the river, understand?”
“Mm-hmm. Baby knows.”
Jin Bao slid from his lap and skipped outside with Xiao Jingyu.
“Grandpa Han, could you tell Chief Sude that I’m willing to improve their animal traps, teach them to make fishing nets, and even have Aunt Lu teach them common medicinal formulas? In exchange, will they give us these hides?”
What Xiao Jingmo offered would greatly improve the Red Fox Tribe’s chances of survival, while the hides seemed of little use to them.
The wooden chest Sude had brought out earlier showed that gold and jewels meant nothing to the tribe. Even if Xiao Jingmo offered money, they would not agree.
Old Han thought it was an excellent trade. The Red Fox Tribe lacked no hides. Whether an expensive Fire Rat Hide, deerskin, or wolf pelt, they used it only for clothing or bedding and saw no other value in it.
But what Xiao Jingmo offered was truly priceless to the Red Fox Tribe.
Sure enough, Sude leaped up in excitement the moment Old Han proposed it.
Not only Sude, but even the Witch Doctor, whose status surpassed his, rose respectfully.
“Honored guests, we are willing to exchange every hide we own for the improvements you described. If you see anything else in our tribe that you want, we will trade that too.”
Old Han relayed Sude’s meaning to Xiao Jingmo.
The two sides quickly reached an agreement.
Xiao Jingmo drew a rough design on the ground, recalling something he had seen in a county gazetteer.
Because the trap was more efficient than ordinary designs, the local magistrate had included it in the gazetteer along with diagrams of its construction.
Xiao Jingmo possessed a photographic memory, so he drew it with practiced ease.
He also gave them the design for a small ice sled.
It could transport supplies across a frozen river quickly and with little effort.
The group stayed with the Red Fox Tribe for several days and left only after Xiao Jingmo guided them through making all the traps.
Sude wanted to give Xiao Jingmo every hide the tribe had accumulated.
But Xiao Jingmo accepted only the Fire Rat Hides.
He intended to make Jin Bao an outfit from them.
Unlike ordinary pelts, these hides were extremely light and several times warmer. With nothing more than an undergarment beneath an outfit made from Fire Rat Hide, Jin Bao could withstand the Northern Frontier’s cold.
Jin Bao also loved running around. Clothing that was too thick would hinder her movements.
Old Han sighed inwardly. This family truly doted on Jin Bao.
An outfit made from Fire Rat Hide could probably buy an entire city.
Traveling northeast from the Red Fox Tribe would bring them to the Northern Frontier.
Meanwhile, turmoil had already begun in the imperial court.
The Emperor remained unconscious and had not held morning court for half a month.
Prince Cheng’s birthday delegation reached the Capital, and he entered the palace on the pretext of tending to the Emperor.
While there, Prince Cheng secretly placed several imperial princes under his control and severed communication between the outer court and the inner palace.
The voices of the officials who supported Prince Cheng grew ever louder.
Most demanded that he temporarily serve as regent, claiming the nation could not go one day without a ruler.
Since autumn began, torrential rain had fallen across the realm. The people could not harvest their grain in time, and the crops rotted and molded in the fields.
Several prefectures waited for the court to allocate disaster-relief funds.
Then the Chancellor’s old illness suddenly returned, and he resigned to go home.
Several senior cabinet officials resigned at the same time. This string of upheavals left an already unstable court on the verge of collapse.
A side hall in Chengqian Palace.
Prince Cheng sat at the head of the room, listening to a spy’s report.
“Your Highness, none of the people we sent returned alive.
“According to our information, the Star Maiden has left Kaiyuan. Her group also raided the Blackstone Tribe. Judging by the time, barring an accident, they should have reached the Northern Frontier by now.
“However, I heard a sudden White-Haired Blizzard struck near the Huntong River. Their whereabouts are unknown, and an autumn flood also swept through the route they had to take. Whether they survived remains uncertain.”
Prince Cheng considered for a moment, then ordered someone to summon the Astrologer.
“Master, determine where the Star Maiden is now. Is she alive or dead?”
The Astrologer was wrapped completely in a broad black cloak and wore a mask. No one knew what he looked like.
At the request, he took out a crystal ball.
He murmured several phrases, and a faint light appeared within it.
Only after a long while did the Astrologer speak. “Your Highness, the Star Maiden is alive. She has reached the Northern Frontier and will arrive in Heishui soon.”
Prince Cheng relaxed.
He had to obtain the Star Maiden. With her power, he could predict the future, become the supreme Commander of all lands, and fulfill his imperial ambitions. She could never fall into another’s hands.
Worse still, the Xiao Family commanded an army of one hundred thousand. With the Star Maiden’s ability, the Xiao Family would quickly rise and challenge him.
Prince Cheng would never allow that.
“Send orders to Lu Dachang. He is to capture the Star Maiden alive at any cost and eliminate the Xiao Family.”
“Also send men to watch the Xiao Family Army in the Southern Frontier. Report immediately if they make any move.”
Prince Cheng looked northeast and clenched his fists. The Star Maiden would be his.