Song Chuyi carried the goat milk and dried meat that Longgu Buwang had brought, and got off the carriage.
The body of the mother wolf was still in its original place, and the falling snow had almost buried it. Song Chuyi crouched down, brushed the snow off the mother wolf’s belly with her hand, took out the water skin filled with goat milk from the cloth bag, poured some onto her fingers, then reached in and felt around until she touched that soft, furry little thing.
After waiting quietly for a while, Song Chuyi suddenly felt that the little thing seemed to be licking her fingers, and the corners of her lips could not help but curl up slightly.
After it licked clean, Song Chuyi dipped her fingers again and moved her hand out a little.
After doing this several times, the little thing could not resist the temptation and poked its head out. Song Chuyi placed the mouth of the water skin filled with goat milk in front of its mouth, and it was not picky at all, quickly licking it up until its belly was round and full before it stopped.
Song Chuyi picked it up and wrapped it in rabbit fur. “Bury that mother wolf. Pass down the order: if anyone dares to privately touch the mother wolf’s corpse, they will be buried along with it.”
“Hi!” Ji Yu and Ji Huan cupped their hands and answered in unison.
They had previously observed this mother wolf’s corpse carefully. The mother wolf seemed to have been ill for a long time, and the fur on its body had already lost its healthy luster, with hair still falling off in patches. Even if it were skinned and sold, its value would not be high. Therefore, everyone had no objections at all to Song Chuyi’s order.
After resting at the foot of the hillside until the latter half of the night, the wind gradually died down, and Ji Yu ordered the caravan to set off.
Song Chuyi had slept a lot earlier and for a while had no desire to sleep, so she opened the window a tiny crack and looked out at the snowy night scene.
After the carriage had traveled several meters, Song Chuyi saw that group of hunters still huddled at the foot of the hillside. The three who were uninjured had taken off some of their clothes and wrapped them around the two seriously wounded. They did not dare to sleep, afraid that if they fell asleep they would freeze stiff and never wake again.
Seeing the gazes of those three following the caravan, and in the darkness faintly making out the longing revealed in their clearly black-and-white eyes, Song Chuyi was slightly moved and called out loudly, “Stop the carriage.”
Ji Yu, wearing a straw rain cape, rode closer on horseback, bowed, and leaning toward the window asked, “Sir, what is the matter?”
Song Chuyi had originally intended to send Ji Yu to relay a message, but on second thought, she put on her great cloak and got off the carriage herself, ordered Ji Yu to fetch two wine skins, and trudged unevenly through the snow toward the hunters.
Before she had drawn near, Song Chuyi tossed the wine skins in her hands over and said in a clear voice, “I admire you all for valuing loyalty and righteousness. The snowy weather is bitterly cold; two skins of strong wine are gifted to you brave men.”
Chi Ju carefully sized up the youth before him. An ordinary appearance – at first glance somewhat inferior to the youth in splendid clothes and brocade robe from earlier – but at this moment the person before them possessed a kind of heroic spirit and unconstrained ease that made one unable to help but feel admiration.
The three men hurriedly stood up and cupped their hands in salute, saying, “Thank you, sir.”
“Strong wine is given to brave men; it is a fine deed, and there is no need for you all to thank me.” Song Chuyi smiled slightly, cupped her hands in return, turned, and went back to the carriage, silently counting in her heart: one, two, three, four, five…
When she reached five, she heard Chi Ju say, “Sir, please wait.”
Song Chuyi raised an eyebrow slightly and turned back around unhurriedly. These men were clearly led by Chi Ju, so Song Chuyi cast an inquiring look at him and patiently waited for him to speak.
“Sir, we have wandered all over the world. Today we met with danger here, and two brothers are seriously wounded. Although we received medical help from your honorable caravan, in this icy and snowy land I fear they ultimately will not escape death. If you, sir, can make the decision to take us with you, I am willing to serve you with my life,” said Chi Ju.
These men had been brought out from his hometown by Chi Ju. When they first left that mountain valley, he had said he would lead them to a good life, but the current situation made him feel guilt and heartache. Since the opportunity was right before his eyes, he would rather trade himself for a chance for them to live.
The other two also cupped their hands and said, “We are willing to follow our elder brother and serve you with our lives, sir.”
Song Chuyi glanced at the two on the ground and sighed. “It is I who thought too shallowly. Taking you all along is merely a matter of lifting a hand. I am only a merchant, not comparable to nobles and ministers, and I fear I would disgrace you brave men. As for the matter of serving me, you may all consider it carefully again. Do not let a moment’s impulse ruin your future prospects.”
Without waiting for Chi Ju and the others to answer, Song Chuyi continued, “These two brothers are too severely injured. I will empty out my own carriage and let the two of them use it temporarily. As for the three of you…” She smiled. “Strong and healthy as you are, there should be no problem riding horses, right?”
The three were moved to tears with gratitude and repeatedly declined, but could not overcome Song Chuyi’s insistence, and because they were worried about their two brothers, they ultimately complied with Song Chuyi’s words and carried the two wounded men into Song Chuyi’s carriage.
Song Chuyi, holding the little snow wolf, then moved herself and her belongings onto Longgu Buwang’s carriage.
Once everything was settled, the group set off once again.
Ji Huan, who was riding ahead, turned his head and glanced at the three men following behind the group. He lowered his voice and asked Ji Yu, “How come I never noticed before that the master is such a warmhearted and righteous person?”
Ji Yu curled the corner of his mouth. “No favor without a reason.”
Ji Huan looked completely bewildered. With just a few words, how could he grasp the true meaning? Ji Yu was far less familiar with Song Chuyi than Ji Huan was, but he was much more keen-eyed than Ji Huan. Song Chuyi had different faces – no, different attitudes – toward different people. But for some reason, he felt that the Song Chuyi in the wild forest of the State of Song was the most real Song Chuyi: unrestrained yet sharp-tongued, with five out of every ten sentences mocking someone.
As for why she was so enthusiastic toward these few hunters, Ji Yu privately thought it was because she wanted to take them in for her own use. Toward such righteous men, treating them well while also displaying an unrestrained and bold air was undoubtedly an excellent trump card, and moreover made it easier to win their respect and loyalty.
Playing hard to get was far wiser than agreeing outright.
Chi Ju rode behind on horseback, gazing at the carriage where Song Chuyi was, his heart in turmoil. Earlier, when he had stood in front of the carriage, he had heard that richly dressed youth call out “sir,” and had assumed there was still an elder inside the carriage, and that the youth had merely been sent to ask questions. Later, he had busied himself watching the physician treat his brothers’ wounds and had not paid attention to Song Chuyi. But just now, when he had carried his two brothers onto the carriage, he had realized that the so-called “sir” actually referred to Song Chuyi. After a long while, Chi Ju’s emotions finally settled. He turned his head and quietly said to the two beside him, “I observe that although this master is young, his bearing is extraordinary. I wish to truly serve him with my life. What do you two think?”
“I also think he is good, only just now we were truly too rude – we did not even ask the benefactor’s name,” one of them said.
The other also nodded in agreement.
…
Inside the carriage, although Longgu Buwang had not slept much during the day, as a young man he was full of energy, and coupled with the excitement of going out for the first time, he felt not the slightest drowsiness. The little snow wolf, by contrast, was sleeping most soundly.
“Sir, why raise a snow wolf?” Longgu Buwang asked.
In this world, although no one could control what you raised, leading a wolf through the streets was still far too frightening.
Song Chuyi gathered her sleeves and pondered for a moment, then said, “Don’t you think it’s very impressive?”
Longgu Buwang was surprised. He occasionally went hunting too, and though he did not know many species of animals, he still knew a little about the general habits of fierce beasts. “Impressive it certainly is, but a snow wolf is still a wild creature. If it is raised to adulthood, I fear it may turn and injure you instead.”
Song Chuyi picked up the little fluffy ball that was sleeping soundly, held its little wolf face up and looked at it carefully, and only after it let out aggrieved whimpers did she hold it in her arms and smooth its fur. “I observe that this wolf’s countenance is still acceptable. Its black eyeballs are many and the whites few, and the outer corners of its eyes droop slightly. It is not a white-eyed wolf with upward-slanting eyes. Raise it for a while and it will grow tame. If not, at worst I still gain a wolf pelt.”
“You also understand the School of Yin-Yang?” Longgu Buwang was delighted and asked with great interest, “May I ask, sir, how does one judge character from appearance?”
Song Chuyi thought seriously for a long while, and only when Longgu Buwang’s patience was almost exhausted did she solemnly spit out one word: “Intuition.”
Longgu Buwang nearly spat blood, but immediately after, he heard Song Chuyi laugh and say, “Guiguzi could ride a white tiger, so it is hardly strange for me to raise a snow wolf.”
“Guiguzi’s mount was a white tiger?” Longgu Buwang immediately shifted his attention.
