Chapter 122 — The Altar
劍問蒼天 · Page 3 of 7
The soldiers charged with the grave duty of guarding the altar lay dead drunk in every direction, sprawled across the ground, while the air was thick with the pungent fragrance of strong liquor. In the distance the Miao populace stood watching in layer upon layer, and from time to time someone burst into hearty laughter. As for the two visitors from the Central Plains—the man was all right, standing where he was, though his face wore a rather ugly expression; the woman, however, appeared to be drunk as well, her face flushed a brilliant red, and she leaned against the man's body—yet she could still stand, which put her well above the Miao warriors sprawled drunk across the ground.
Even the strange three-eyed monkey they had brought along was sitting at their feet, taking a bite of fruit and a sip of strong liquor, in high spirits.
Tu Magu was no fool. A few more glances, a look at the wine sacks strewn over the ground and the expressions of the watching Miao, and he knew it was no trick of the two Central Plains folk—it was his own men who had failed him.
Seeing the chieftain come down, someone had already hurried forward, bent to his ear, and briefly recounted what had happened.
Looking at the field of drunkards, Tu Magu was so furious he was near to smoking from every orifice. He thought these good-for-nothings had cast to the winds even so grave a duty as guarding the altar. Worse still, a dozen or twenty grown men had been drunk under the table by a single frail woman. If word of this ever spread, the Miao would lose all face and be secretly mocked to death by the other four tribes of the southern border.
Resolving in his heart that he would certainly deal with these useless Miao afterward, Tu Magu forced a smile onto his face, pretended to take no notice of the shambles on the ground, and walked toward Ming Li.
Ming Li saw Tu Magu approaching as well, and his heart gave a lurch. Though this drinking contest had not been fought with naked blades, anyone could see that the Miao had lost a great deal of face. When Tu Magu had come down the mountain a short while before, Ming Li had marked his expression from afar and seen plainly that he was greatly angered.
Though the man now wore a forced smile as he came over, Ming Li knew well enough that he was displeased, and could not help inwardly blaming Xiaobai for stirring up such a great deal of trouble.
When Tu Magu drew near, Ming Li forced a smile and said awkwardly, "Elder, my—my friend here, she—she truly does not know the rules, and that is how this..."
Tu Magu shook his head and said to him, "Say no more. I know it all. It was my own men who proved useless."
Ming Li fell silent, then said cautiously, "Then will the great shaman agree to see us?"
Tu Magu glanced at him, then at Xiaobai leaning against Ming Li, her bright eyes half closed, her breathing soft and quick, and gave a bitter smile. "Go on up. The great shaman has agreed to see you."
Ming Li was overjoyed and said again and again, "Thank you, Elder."
Tu Magu said mildly, "I am the chieftain of the Miao here. You may call me Tu Magu."
Ming Li was taken aback. He had seen that the old man commanded great respect among the Miao, but had not expected him to be the chieftain of the whole Miao tribe. He nodded and said, "Then I thank you, Chieftain."
Tu Magu shook his head. "Go up quickly. The great shaman is still waiting for you."
Ming Li assented and was about to step toward the altar halfway up the mountain when Xiaobai caught at him. Her body, soft as if boneless, sagged limply against him; if he simply walked off, she would surely fall to the ground.
So he said softly to her, "Xiaobai, I am going to see the great shaman. Stand up on your own and wait for me here, all right?"