Desert Rhapsody - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Adnan and Abal settled the matter of his ransom without a hitch. In these parts, the Blood Eagle Bandit Group was, in some ways, even more attentive than other bandit operations. He could be escorted to a nearby town and send a messenger back to Baghdad to fetch the money. Before the gold coins arrived, he could change into comfortable new clothes, eat freshly slaughtered, tender lamb, drink this year’s newly brewed wine, and wait in peace under dedicated guard until he was redeemed. Of course, that meant the price would be a little higher than what his previous creditors had demanded-but who had told him to get sold on a second time?

Abal said, “If we catch you again next time, you can pay only seventy percent of the current price.”

Under the intimidation of scimitars and falcons, Adnan only haggled with Abal a little before setting his own value at five hundred dinars. This was also on account of the captured goods. The merchandise the Blood Eagle had seized-silks and porcelain from the East, spices from India, goldware and gems from Persia-was worth seven thousand dinars altogether, about five thousand of which had originally belonged to Adnan. This unexpected raid had brought the Blood Eagle a handsome haul, and Abal was in an excellent mood.

He told Adnan, “You may move about the camp as a guest. Before sunset, I’ll arrange for men to escort you to the oasis to the east. It’s the closest one to Damascus. From there, you can find a messenger headed for any city you like.”

His smile carried a condescending sense of triumph, and his beauty only made it seem crueler, bloodier. Adnan was old enough to be his grandfather and was a wealthy merchant of Baghdad, yet he still had to listen attentively in front of him. Adnan said, “Of course. Your arrangements are most thoughtful. As for my nephew…”

Abal said, “He is not your nephew.”

Jiang Yuan’s face could fool no one. Even in this region of mingled peoples, she was the rarest and most striking kind of conspicuous. Adnan said, “Jia Nan comes from the East. A distant younger sister of mine married east of India, and later, when war broke out there…” Abal looked at him and raised the corner of his lips, cutting him off.

“He is not your nephew.”

The young man rose and walked toward them. The falcon flew to the perch at one side, its presence chillingly oppressive. Jiang Yuan stood where she was, eyes lowered and expression restrained, letting him circle her and size her up from head to toe. The bandit leader abruptly leaned close. Jiang Yuan’s hand twitched, but in the end, she restrained her instincts and did not strike. Those vivid blue eyes drew close to her body, then pulled away. Abal said, “You are a woman.” He turned his head and invited Adnan to leave. “You may go now.”

Adnan said calmly, “Since you are aware of her sex, then as her elder, I cannot allow her to be alone in a room with you.” Abal was unconcerned. “Are you going to say she’s your niece now?” “She is indeed my niece. I had a younger sister who married to the East.”

“Then I imagine your father married your sister to a devil,” Abal said with a smile. “She is not your niece.”

There was no point arguing with a bandit chief like him, a man whose word was law and whose hands were drenched in blood. It would only put their lives in danger. Whether she was his niece or not would not stop the bandits from making money. If Abal was not discussing a ransom for Jiang Yuan with Adnan, then he must have some other use for her. Jiang Yuan told Adnan, “I’m fine. You go out first.”

Adnan had no choice but to give her a look. Jiang Yuan was not sure whether he was trying to tell her, “Just spread your legs.” She hoped Abal was not so desperate that he would go that far, though Jiang Yuan also felt she was too tense and letting her imagination run wild.

Abal tugged a leather pouch from his waist and tossed it to her.

Jiang Yuan knew what was inside. When she untied the cord, a brightly colored box slid out. After all that jolting and hardship, the box was merely dented in a few places, with a suspicious bloody fingerprint staining the lid. It had already been opened, and the blister packs slid out from within.

“Kuaidao told me this medicine is a priceless treasure and offered it in exchange for his life,” Abal said. “But someone told me these things were captured from you.”

Jiang Yuan said nothing, waiting for him to continue. Abal said, “I like your temperament. It will make for a good conversation between us. Now, read the words on this for me.” He had one arm crossed over his chest as he toyed with the ornament at his waist. It seemed to be a purse, coins clinking inside, and there was also a scimitar. It was sheathed, but it was still a scimitar-drawn, it could kill. Jiang Yuan held the cardboard box and studied the instructions for a while.
“…Thoughts on a Quiet Night.”

“Before my bed, the moonlight gleams; I wonder if it’s frost upon the ground.” It took her some effort to organize the words and translate the classical verse on the spot. “I raise my head to gaze at the bright moon; I lower it, and think of home.”

She could hardly read the ibuprofen, the drug ingredients, the expiration date, and the indicated symptoms aloud to a bandit chief from the age of cold weapons. “This is a poet’s personal reflection.” The bandit chief narrowed his eyes, but did not seem particularly inclined to dispute it. She pointed at the ibuprofen sustained-release capsules. “This is the title.” The people of Arabia valued poetry and song. They loved to express their feelings and convey emotions through verse.

“Isn’t this medicine?”

“It’s a prescription developed by a poet, so he named it after the poem he was most proud of. Below is the method.” Jiang Yuan turned the box over and pointed out the date and ingredient description after the dash. “Wash the pot clean, add a little water, and bank the firewood so the smoke smothers the flame. Let it cook on its own; do not hurry it. When the heat is right, it will become delicious by itself.” Abal reached out. The gemstone ring on his finger flashed past Jiang Yuan’s hand, and his long fingers picked up the medicine box. His blue eyes lowered to glance at it.

Then he tore the box open. A paper box was only paper, after all; with a faint rip, it split apart easily, separating into two halves in Abal’s hands. “I have never seen material like this. Paper like this. Dye like this. Writing like this.” His fingertips brushed across the surface of the paper, smooth and cool, but his tone did not sound as though he were describing a priceless treasure. “Where did you get it?” Abal asked with a smile.

Without blinking, Jiang Yuan said, “A family heirloom.”

“It seems you really aren’t Adnan’s niece.”

“I saved him, and he helped me.”

“Then your saddlecloth, your boots, and your clothes.” Abal looked at her. “And that strange piece of iron. Are those family heirlooms too?”

Jiang Yuan’s heart gave a jolt. She had not seen those things in the tent, but clearly, the bandit chief had already searched through all the possessions she used to carry on her. Expressionless, she said, “Yes.”

“Hmph.” Abal laughed, but did not press the matter, letting this bizarre affair-one that could very well get her burned to death as a devil-pass just like that. He reached out and took the medicine back, placing it into the leather pouch he carried with him right in front of Jiang Yuan. “Right now, my men are spreading rumors everywhere about what you’re capable of. They say you can bring the dead back to life and reattach a severed head to its body.”

Jiang Yuan: “…”

The bandit chief was not one to blindly believe rumors; his mentality was remarkably steady. “I know it is only a miraculous kind of martial skill. I have heard of the Tang Empire, and I know of the Heavenly Khagan.” Jiang Yuan froze slightly. The Heavenly Khagan seemed to be… Tang Taizong? Did that mean she was in the era of Emperor Taizong of Tang? What year AD was it? Her lips moved, but in the end, she held back and did not speak. Abal said, “I want you to teach it to my men.”

Jiang Yuan said nothing, her breathing even, waiting for him to continue. Abal toyed with the curved blade in his hand. “You don’t need to take part in our battles, but you will have the right to a share of the spoils. I don’t mind that you’re a woman. You may continue hiding your sex. If you want to find a lover, do as you please. All I want is for you to teach fifty people, including me. I guarantee your safety. After you have taught us, I will give you enough payment that you can return wherever you like.”

It sounded like an excellent offer, aside from the fact that she would have to stay with this band of robbers for the time being. No wonder Abal had sent Adnan away. No matter what, Adnan still counted as an old fox. But none of that made any difference unless she wanted to die here. Jiang Yuan said, “I will stay for one year at most.”

Abal grinned, his expression full of arrogance.

“One year for fifty people? No. You will stay five years.”

“Three years,” Jiang Yuan said. “Each year, I get two months of leave to go wherever I want, and you will pay my vacation expenses on top of that. You may send people to follow me.”

“Four years. I will give you one month of leave and five hundred dinars, as long as you’re not afraid of getting assassinated in bed by your pretty boy.”

“Deal,” Jiang Yuan said. Though even as she said it, she did not feel in the slightest as though she had sold herself. Abal, on the other hand, was used to buying and selling people and was far more accustomed to this sort of contract. Once again, he untied the small pouch of coins at his waist, which was filled with gold. It seemed Abal had planned this long ago. He tossed the pouch of gold coins to Jiang Yuan and told her that her share of the spoils would begin with this battle.