si-mexico Chapter 619 8th Col
Chapter 619 8th Col
"This mountain is called Shibaao. There are very few mountain people living there. In order to familiarize ourselves with the environment here, we hired in a few families. Some of them moved out after paying some money." Uncle Sijiu said as he walked, and the two soldiers in front waved their swords to clear away the thorns blocking the way.
Uncle Sijiu's voice, deep and rich, echoed through the valley, startling a few tits perched in the treetops. He wore a washed-out, indigo-colored, short jacket, a burnished hatchet tucked at his waist, and his trouser legs rolled up high, revealing his dark, sturdy calves, covered in fine scars from thorns. He truly looked a bit like a local mountain dweller.
As they walked, he continued, "Over the past few months, most of the soldiers have learned some of the local dialect, so they can basically get by."
The early morning scenery at Shibaao is breathtaking. A thin mist veils the rolling hills like a veil. The rising sun peeks through the clouds, casting golden specks of light on the dewdrops, which resemble scattered diamonds. The air is filled with the fragrance of pine resin, the scent of wildflowers, and the scent of moist earth, making every breath refreshing.
The forests on either side of the mountain road were lush and verdant. Tall pines, camphor trees, and unknown broadleaf trees intertwined to form a green dome, with sunlight filtering through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting only dappled shadows. If it weren't for the cut shrubs and obvious signs of human footsteps every dozen steps ahead, this winding mountain road would be completely unrecognizable.
Following Jing Changjiang's instructions, Jing Chunxi didn't bring so many people with him, only Chuyi and Zhengyue. Xiaoman secretly felt lucky that she had volunteered to be the prince's attendant, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to come up. He had deliberately changed into a light, short-sleeved outfit today, with a hemp rope he'd found somewhere tied around his waist. He looked like a mountain dweller preparing to go up the mountain to collect firewood, standing out against the lush green forest.
Kuaijiao naturally didn't want to stay in the village, so he followed the general today.
Uncle Sijiu brought two soldiers with him. Their clothes were faded. They were holding axes and clearing the way. They were silent but had sharp eyes.
After riding for twenty or thirty miles along the winding, difficult mountain road, Jing Chunxi's butt ached and she frowned. She rode the same docile chestnut horse today, but the road was bumpy and the jolt of the horse's back forced her to hold on to the saddle tightly, until her slender fingers turned white.
The others seemed fine, especially Quick Foot, who was still riding his horse with ease, whistling from time to time to amuse the birds in the trees, and observing the terrain from time to time.
We climbed up a steeper hill, sometimes riding and sometimes walking with the horses, and climbed two or three more hills. Some sections of the road were difficult to walk on, and even the horses were panting and their hooves slipped, so we had to dismount and walk.
Jing Chunxi's horse was often led by her husband and wife on the first and second days of the lunar year, but her legs still shook. Xu Zize saw this and silently handed her a wooden stick he had picked up from somewhere to use as a crutch.
Every so often along the way, the soldiers following would blow a whistle or imitate the calls of different birds. The whistles were sometimes short and sharp like the chirping of an oriole, sometimes long and drawn out like the cry of an eagle, and were particularly clear in the silent forest.
The forest often echoes the same response, sometimes the same whistle, sometimes the cuckoo's "cooing" sound, which should be some kind of secret code. These sounds echoed in the valley, as if the whole mountain was talking to them.
"I'm sorry, miss. We have to walk to move forward. Everyone, tie up the horses." Uncle Sijiu stopped in front of a relatively flat rock, wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes still as sharp as an eagle.
When everyone dismounted, two soldiers led their horses to a wooded area to the side. There was a large open space there, surrounded by several tall pine trees. The weeds on the ground had been trampled dry and yellow, revealing the brown soil.
There was a small wooden hut in the middle of the clearing, its roof covered in thick thatch and its walls made of rough logs, the gaps filled with moss and mud. Hanging at the door were several woven bamboo baskets, filled with various herbs drying in the sun, emitting a faint bitter aroma.
"When I heard the whistle, I knew you were almost here. The tea is ready and it's not hot. Come and drink it." A soldier dressed as a hunter called out to them loudly and ran out quickly to take Uncle Sijiu's horse.
The man was short and stocky, with a full beard and a hunting knife at his waist, the scabbard of which was wrapped in a red cloth. He smiled, revealing a few yellow teeth as he spoke.
Uncle Sijiu explained, "After walking such a long way, we have to stop here to rest and drink some tea so that we can have the strength to continue climbing the mountain." He led everyone into the wooden house. The house was more spacious than expected. There was a rough wooden table in the middle, surrounded by several bamboo chairs.
In the corner lay a pile of hay and a few sacks, presumably horse feed. On the table stood a large earthenware pot and several coarse porcelain bowls, steam still rising from its spout.
"What kind of tea is this? It's quite delicious." Jing Chunxi tested the rim of the bowl with her lips. The tea was warm, neither too hot nor too cold, just the right temperature. She downed half a bowl in one gulp and felt a refreshing, sweet sensation flow from her throat all the way to her heart and lungs, like a spring of water washing through her internal organs. Even her fatigue was alleviated, and she couldn't help but praise it. The tea was amber in color, crystal clear, and a few leaves of an unknown herb lay at the bottom of the bowl.
"It's made with herbs picked from the mountains. It's similar to the Lingnan herbal tea sold on the street, but we use fresh herbs, so it might have a slightly herbal flavor that some people find unaccustomed to." The hunter soldier smiled innocently and poured another bowl for each person. His rough fingers were covered in calluses, but he poured the tea with remarkable stability, not spilling a single drop.
"No wonder it tastes like grass. It's quite nice." Jing Chunxi savored the tea carefully, noting that it was slightly bitter at first, but quickly became sweet, with a hint of minty coolness in the aftertaste. The medicinal flavor wasn't overpowering, and there was a slight sweet aftertaste. Everyone drank two or three bowls.
Chuyi drank the fastest, his Adam's apple rolling up and down, and he let out a satisfied sigh; Xiaoman did not forget to wipe the corners of her mouth with her sleeve after drinking.
After a short break, everyone took turns to relieve themselves in the makeshift toilet behind the cabin. Made of a few wooden planks and covered with thatch, it was simple but clean, with a few clumps of wormwood planted around it to repel insects.
After we set out again with our luggage light, we were actually climbing uphill. After we climbed one slope, there was another one ahead, like a never-ending green wave.
The mountains in Lingnan aren't high, mostly only a hundred feet or so, and few are steep, with the slopes being as gentle as camel humps. Fortunately, they weren't rocky, and the soil was soft and fertile. The path had already been trodden down, making it relatively easy to walk on. The weeds along the roadside had been trampled flat, leaving a distinct trail.
Despite being midsummer, the mountain was densely forested, so the heat wasn't too intense at first. The dense canopy blocked most of the sunlight, casting only dappled shadows through the trees. But as the sun climbed higher, and after climbing four or five hills in a row, everyone's clothes were soaked with sweat.
There were a few strands of wet hair sticking to Jing Chunxi's temples, and crystal beads of sweat on his forehead slid down his cheeks; the back of Xu Zize's brocade robe was wet in a large area, and the color was much darker; even the first month and the first day after the pressure began to pant, and kept wiping the sweat with their sleeves.
"Xi'er's face is flushed. Are you tired? If you are, drink some water." Xu Zize has been walking behind Jing Chunxi, always paying attention to her condition. He suddenly saw her turn around, and the sunlight shone on her face through the gaps in the leaves, making her face white and rosy, like a ripe peach, looking extremely pretty. But he still couldn't help but remind her, his voice full of concern.
"Yes, drink more water. Otherwise you will easily get heatstroke." Uncle Sijiu stopped, took off a leather water bag from his waist, and started drinking it himself.
As he reminded me, he drank some water and pulled out a few ugly little sachets from his pocket. They were made by simply wrapping herbs in a piece of coarse cloth and tying them with hemp rope. The sachets looked wrinkled, even the stitching was omitted, and it was obvious that they were made by the rough men in the barracks.
"It may be ugly, but it's useful. Everyone should wear it. Otherwise, it won't just be mosquitoes and poisonous insects, but also leeches and snakes." He forgot about this thing and should have given it to everyone before going out.
His words successfully raised everyone's alert. Sure enough, if you looked closely, you could see dark shadows occasionally darting through the grass by the roadside, and unknown insects crawling on the undersides of leaves. Xu Zize even asked for an extra belt for Jing Chunxi, tying one around her waist and one above her knees. His fingers accidentally brushed against her belt, and both of them blushed slightly.
The sachet exudes a strong herbal scent, a mixture of mugwort, realgar and unknown spices. Although it is pungent, it is very effective, and the surrounding mosquitoes immediately move away.
"Further ahead, we'll be heading towards the foot of the mountain. Below, we'll be near the water source," Uncle Sijiu said, pointing ahead. Sure enough, as we walked further, the terrain began to descend, and we descended into a series of hillsides. Going downhill was much easier than going up, but we still had to be careful of the slippery moss and loose rocks. He walked quickly ahead, exploring the way, and occasionally looked back to remind everyone to be careful of particularly slippery spots.
Uncle Kuaijiao shook his head as he walked, "With so many mountains, no wonder it's called Shibaao. I think there are more than eighteen." He wiped the sweat from his face and looked up at the seemingly endless mountains.
The atmosphere became lively and walking down the mountain felt much easier.
The laughter echoed through the valley, startling a group of tits nesting in the bushes, and they flapped their wings and flew into the distant blue sky.