Desert Rhapsody - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

That night was destined to be a farce. No one slept. Panicked or hurried footsteps rang out until dawn. Jiang Yuan, however, was not among them. Abdul had gone to sleep-or perhaps he had gone to deal with Wojidani, venting his rage and resentment on her. Jiang Yuan and Adnan sat facing each other in the room. For the sake of the old man’s happiness, they lit the candles from the East, and the room grew much brighter. Then Jiang Yuan slowly told him everything that had happened over the past two years.

She told him what she had done in Taif, the properties she had bought, the business she had conducted, and the people she had come to know. These were things that could never fit into a brief letter, as well as the subtle longing that could never be entrusted to ink and handwriting. Though she felt a little embarrassed, Jiang Yuan did admit that she had missed Adnan. She told him about her contract with Abal, Lady Fatini, and Baitullah. She and Abal had pursued the messenger together and resolved that trouble. Now Jiang Yuan had reason to believe that Lady Fatini would no longer be a problem for Taif.

“I have ended my contract with Abal,” she said. The only thing she did not tell him was what had happened during those few unplanned days. Under the glow of the oil lamp, the old man’s beard looked white and gray, and the wrinkles carved into his skin seemed all the more resolute. Adnan nodded. “You did the right thing. It may have been a little early, but once we were settled in Taif, we would have had to draw a clear line between ourselves and those vicious Blood Eagle bandits anyway.”

He still did not know that perhaps, a few days ago, there had ceased to be any trace of the Blood Eagle in this world. He looked at Jiang Yuan with relief. “My child, you make me so proud.”

Jiang Yuan smiled. Perhaps she had not noticed that there were still traces of wind and sand on her face. Although Alexandria was full of sea breezes, damp vapor, and streets paved with stone, it was still hard to avoid getting dirty when walking outside. They exchanged an embrace, and Jiang Yuan said by his ear, “I am so glad you came back, Adnan, my adoptive father.” Now she felt there was nothing embarrassing about calling him that.

Adnan also gave her a brief account of his voyage over the past two years. It had taken a long time, they had lost quite a few people, and they had not earned much, but fortunately, they had not truly suffered any great loss either. There was no pained look on Adnan’s face. After all, Jiang Yuan had seen the treasures laid out and gifted away beneath the night sky. Once a merchant lost his foundation, he was easily bullied by local powers. How many hardships must he have encountered over these two years? In any case, as long as the people were safe, that was enough.

At daybreak, they began packing their luggage and making arrangements for the journey home. This home could now be called Taif. Jiang Yuan felt that she truly was able to help a great deal with the caravan’s affairs, and she handled them smoothly and happily. Over the past two years, Adnan’s servants had gradually forgotten the strangeness and suddenness of this “adopted son.” Time had replaced their memories of her with the image of Taif’s master of the household, Adnan’s capable assistant and eldest son-even though she was actually a few years younger than Abdul. Though her gender remained questionable, they accepted her false beard quite naturally, obeyed her instructions, and called her “young master.”

Jiang Yuan thought that if Abdul heard them, it might take another great deal of effort to deal with him. But it seemed that after two years, he had not improved in the slightest. She said nothing and simply went about her own business. They cobbled together a merchant group to set out with, and also successfully negotiated to join the route of a grain transport convoy. Because of the gold and silver offered that night, the Governor of Alexandria granted Adnan certain conveniences. The merchants could pay a sufficient sum and follow behind the grain convoy heading for Baghdad, thereby avoiding attacks from bandits. That evening, they made their final preparations before departure. Adnan walked back with her along the road. He hesitated for a while, but in the end, he still told her, “My child, there is something I wish to discuss with you.”
Jiang Yuan looked at him and listened as he said, “If you’re willing, I’ll find you a husband in Taif.”

Jiang Yuan’s face showed nothing. She only listened in silence as Adnan went on, “On the road to Aden, I heard some news. The man who killed Hassan back then is now in exile near Suez.”

They continued down the road. He rode on a little mule. He was old now, no longer quite able to walk so far after a full day of hard travel. They had been apart for two years, and Adnan’s body had indeed grown frail. Amid the upheaval of the eighth century, the best arrangement a nearly fifty-year-old merchant could make, burdened by so many worries for the people he loved, was to find his cross-dressing adopted son a husband who was not his own son.

Jiang Yuan walked along the streets of Alexandria. The city was prosperous and beautiful. Palm fronds brushed against her hand, bells and women’s laughter rang out around her, lights shimmered everywhere, and the sea breeze blew without cease. The light of the Lighthouse of Alexandria would keep burning until the day it collapsed into the sea and was buried by time. People always parted, no matter when or where. Jiang Yuan answered, “Do what you want to do, Adnan. Don’t worry about me. I’ll help you.”

She heard Adnan sigh behind her. But she smiled.

And so the camel caravan set out, beginning the long journey home. Jiang Yuan had traveled this road before, after all, and had learned quite a few things from it. Now and then, she even felt like thanking Abal, wherever he might be. She could even trace the channels and informants he had used and follow them to find the murderer. He really had been a great help. But thoughts like that were quickly drowned out by endless chores. She took Adnan’s place as the head of the caravan, speaking with the other merchants, attending meetings to arrange campsites, and presenting treasure and women to the soldiers of the grain convoy. Every day, she had countless decisions to make. Sometimes Adnan would guide her and lend her a hand. She was busy from the moment she woke until the moment she fell asleep.

Abdul, one might say, drifted through the caravan like a perfectly qualified dependent. He chased women, ate and drank to excess, and squandered money. When he looked at Jiang Yuan, it was as if he were biding his time. Did he not hold an absolutely fatal weakness over her? She was a woman. In other words, as long as Abdul wished, he could use his identity as a man at any moment to take back the status and everything else that belonged to him. But Jiang Yuan no longer cared about him.

Jiang Yuan received Lady Fatini’s letter in Suez. It seemed to have been written to her when Lady Fatini left Taif.

[Dear Jia Nan, allow me to express my regret. I am about to leave Taif for somewhere new. He has been dealt with.

When you grow bored of staying in Taif, come find me. You know where we will be. Although my new husband and I appear to have no shared interests, I imagine we will both miss you and be more than happy to host you. Baitullah may have said she would hate you, but I think she was lying.]

Jiang Yuan looked at the two red lip prints at the end of the letter, one large and one small, and pressed a hand to her forehead with a sigh.

Yes, I have struggled my way back from the cruel real world once again.

I am back to wrap up the desert arc.

Please be kind to fragile little me.

I truly have failed everyone who has been waiting during this time. Deep bow, and thank you to the little angels who threw Overlord tickets or watered me with nutrient solution~

Thank you to the little angels who threw [landmines]: Meow Once and Li Listen, Little Meow Baby, 1 each;

Thank you to the little angels who watered me with [nutrient solution]:

Dimensional Storm Meatball, Memories, 5 bottles each; Wei Qi, Africa Salted Fish, 3 bottles each;

Thank you all so much for your support. I will keep working hard!