Chapter Nineteen: Baa Baa Baa

With Sister Gan's interruption, Banxia awoke from her afternoon nap and got ready to fetch her hatchet for chopping firewood. As she turned, she saw Second Sister Gan peering over the wall, their gazes meeting. Second Sister Gan turned her head with feigned nonchalance. "Oh dear, my neck is a bit stiff."

Banxia rolled her eyes. This Second Sister Gan was good in every way, except she was far too nosy.

"Are you going out?"

"I'm planning to chop some firewood."

"Don’t bother with that, the firewood after rain is heavy and damp, and with your slight frame, it’ll be exhausting. Didn’t you say a couple of days ago you wanted to buy some chicks and ducklings? Madam Wang at the east end has just hatched two more batches. Why not go and pick some?"

In the flurry of the past days, Banxia had forgotten all about it. Now, hearing it mentioned, her interest was instantly piqued. "Wait for me, I’ll fetch some money." She went inside, opening her little box and running her fingers over the thirty-some taels of silver, feeling the heft of her fortune again and again. Thinking the cabinet wasn’t secure, she climbed the ladder and returned the money to its original hiding place in the beam, where she found a few more copper coins. Finding lost money was always a delight.

Once everything was settled, she locked the door and set out with Second Sister Gan to buy chicks and ducklings.

As they neared their destination, they passed Gan's family fields and saw the father and son already sowing beans. Banxia walked over to exchange a few words, then rejoined her companion.

She caught Second Sister Gan giving her a gossipy look. "So, what did you and Scholar Gan help the Tian family with? That Huiniang treats you like her own mother."

"Her own mother? I’m not old enough to have such a grown daughter."

"…Is that the point? The point is what you did to make Huiniang support you like that." Second Sister Gan grumbled inwardly but was too polite to press further and changed the subject instead.

"They say Huiniang is ill-starred, brings misfortune—anyone close to her comes to a bad end."

"Hmm? What?"

"Just look. As soon as she was born, her mother fell ill and could never have more children. Many in the village say her family will die out. When she was eight, her grandmother tried to sell her as a maid to a wealthy family in town, but that very night the old woman fell into the river and drowned. And now, just a month into her marriage, both her mother-in-law and husband have fallen ill. If that’s not ill luck, what is?"

"These are all coincidences, surely."

"No, you shouldn't dismiss it. Everyone in the village knows these stories. Why else would she have married into Tian Village? That place is poorer than ours. They say she didn’t even receive a bride price…"

"Alright, enough, let’s not talk about that. Tell me about Madam Wang instead," Banxia interrupted, unwilling to listen to any more of such rumors.

"She? She’s the village chief’s mother." Second Sister Gan snorted softly, glancing around. "She became a widow young and raised the chief and his sister by herself. People say a widow’s door is always beset by trouble, but she never cared. She isn’t afraid to show her face, does business with the town’s restaurants, often sending them chickens, ducks, and fish. That’s why her household has so much livestock—they’re all for the town."

"That really must have been difficult." Banxia thought Madam Wang quite an extraordinary woman.

"Difficult? She’s hardly obedient or proper. Even the village chief doesn’t want to live with her anymore—must have broken his heart. I’m going to pay them a visit; you go buy your birds yourself." Second Sister Gan, spying the chief’s wife chatting in the yard, hurried over to join her.

Banxia, left alone, walked up to Madam Wang’s house and knocked on the door. "Madam Wang, are you in? I’d like to buy a few animals to raise."

Soon, footsteps sounded and the door swung open, revealing an elderly woman. Madam Wang looked to be about sixty, a venerable age in these times. She wore a blue robe, her build thin but her arms still showing muscle—a testament to her strength. Most striking were her eyes, clear and penetrating, with the purity of one who has seen through life’s vicissitudes. Banxia felt an instant affinity toward her.

"Young lady, you’ve come to buy livestock?"

"Yes, I’d like to buy some chicks and ducklings."

"I’ll take you inside to choose." Banxia followed Madam Wang into the house, where some twenty or thirty chicks peeped loudly, the sound filling her ears.

"A bit noisy, isn’t it? Newly hatched chicks are always like this, forever chirping. These with the small tails are about seven days old, so they’re hardier. Pick whatever you like."

"I’m not skilled at choosing, and my hands are clumsy—I'd hate to hurt them. Could you pick out five or six for me?"

Madam Wang found a small basket and selected five or six chicks for Banxia—three speckled, one yellow, and two brown. Banxia looked at the basket, thinking how adorable they were.

"The ducklings are in the other room. Let’s go and have a look." Carefully carrying her chicks, Banxia followed Madam Wang when suddenly she heard a bleating from outside the window.

"You have sheep too, Madam?"

"Last month, my grandson was born and my daughter-in-law couldn’t produce milk. The doctor said to give the baby some sheep’s milk, so I bought a ewe. But after a few days, her milk came in. No one in the family likes sheep’s milk, it’s too strong. I’m waiting until the sheep grows a bit, then I’ll butcher it and sell it to a restaurant to get my money back."

Banxia noticed nothing in her speech suggested estrangement from her son, but since they weren’t well acquainted, she didn’t pry.

"Would you sell it to me? My husband is frail, and the doctor advised him to supplement his diet."

"But sheep’s milk is quite strong."

"That’s alright, it’s better than drinking medicine all the time."

Seeing her genuine interest, Madam Wang relented. "I bought the ewe last month for half a tael of silver. I won’t overcharge you—just add twenty copper coins for this month’s feed and it’s yours."

"Thank you! But I don’t have enough money on me right now. May I bring it to you later? I live just across the village—I’m Scholar Gan’s wife," Banxia explained, worried Madam Wang might refuse.

But Madam Wang was forthright. "That’s fine. Let’s pick out the ducklings first."

Banxia chose four ducklings, and Madam Wang added one more as a gift.

"Don’t let the chicks and ducklings out yet. Give them a few days to adapt. At night, keep them in a basket so the wild cats won’t snatch them. I’ve just fed them—give them a little water when you get home. At night, you can feed some millet or shredded vegetable leaves, but chop the leaves finely. If it rains at night, don’t let them get wet. Since it’s your first time buying, if any die within three days, you can come and exchange them."

Banxia memorized all the instructions, then left with her basket to fetch the sheep. Second Sister Gan was still chatting with the chief’s wife next door, praising her fabric one moment and her bracelets the next. Banxia couldn’t help but laugh quietly, ignored her, and after bidding farewell to Madam Wang, headed home with her purchases.

When she arrived, she found Gan Sui had returned and was talking to the two hired hands.

"You’re back," Banxia greeted him with a smile. Gan Sui hurried to take her things from her. "See what I bought—chicks, ducklings, and a lamb!"

"Old He and the others are done and about to leave. Just letting you know."

"Thank you so much," Banxia said, deeply grateful for all the farmwork completed.

"It’s no trouble at all. If you ever need more help, just send word, and we’ll give it our all. For now, we’ll head to South Village to work on the Tian family’s fields."

"Alright, see you next time," Banxia replied as they left with their tools.

"Did you check on the fields? How did it go?" she asked Gan Sui.

"Not bad. Those two are clearly seasoned hands—the fields are well tended. Where did you get the lamb?"

"From Madam Wang’s place at the east end—the village chief’s mother. She has so many chicks and ducklings. Look, these are the ones she helped me pick out—aren’t they adorable?"

Gan Sui had little interest in such fluffy creatures, but not wanting to dampen Banxia’s spirits, he managed, "They look nice."

Banxia didn’t expect him to like them, and busied herself arranging them in a basket and giving them water.

"I still owe Madam Wang for the lamb. I’ll take her the money. Can you find a good spot to keep the lamb?" she asked.

Gan Sui agreed, and Banxia climbed up to fetch the silver from the beam and hurried off to pay Madam Wang.

Having paid, she was just leaving Madam Wang’s house when she ran into Second Sister Gan. Not wanting to hear more gossip, she tried to pretend not to see her, but Second Sister Gan cheerily linked arms with her.

"I thought I saw you heading home—why are you back again?"

Banxia smoothly disentangled herself and, adjusting her hair, replied, "I bought a lamb from Madam Wang, but didn’t have enough money, so I went home for more."

"You bought a lamb? How much silver?"

"Half a tael."

"Are you mad? Spending half a tael on something that only eats and brings in no income!"

"My husband’s health is poor. The doctor recommended nourishment. I read in a book that sheep’s milk is good for the body, so I thought I’d buy one for him—he can build up his strength."

"Oh, sheep’s milk! I’ve never even tasted such a rare treat." She even licked her lips as she spoke.

"Auntie, if you don’t mind, I’ll bring you some when we milk it."

"Oh, I couldn’t possibly—but if you’re truly offering, I’ll accept." Then she launched into stories she’d heard at the chief’s wife’s house, but Banxia ignored her. Still, Second Sister Gan chattered on with great relish.

At last, they reached home. Banxia breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bade her goodbye before slipping inside.

"What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost," Gan Sui said, looking up from his copying as Banxia entered, clearly flustered.

"Worse than a ghost—Second Sister Gan cornered me with endless gossip. My head aches from all the chatter." Banxia downed a large cup of water and exhaled deeply.

"Then avoid her next time," Gan Sui advised.

"But living so close, we’re bound to run into each other. Still, I’ll do my best."

"Have you ever thought about living in town?"

"In town? But we don’t have the money. Renting a house costs money, food costs money—everything costs money. I don’t think we could afford it."

Her words cast a shadow over the conversation, and Gan Sui fell silent.

Sensing she might have spoken too harshly, Banxia asked, "Is that what you want? To move to town?"

"Today, the county magistrate said he could recommend me to the academy to study with a great scholar for a year, so I’ll be better prepared for next year’s examinations."