Wanting more

Once upon a time, there was a fiery young woman named Xia. She grew up in a family of farmers in the Empire of Linghua. Xia lived an energetic childhood as she helped her parents tend the fields and sow vegetables. Life was harsh for her and her family. Each day, long after the sun had set, they would continue to turn over the soil or remove weeds. The Empire of Linghua encouraged its citizens to work ten hours per day. By following the Empire’s instructions, Xia and her family remained healthy and brought pride to the nation.

In this humble life, Xia had only one simple dream: to buy animals for the farm. This dream had begun while she watched the neighbor’s donkey. She was as fascinated by its strength in turning the soil as she was by its soft fur and funny face. Sometimes, late at night, Xia would come to the edge of its enclosure and call him, offering some fresh vegetables. He would come over and allow Xia to pet him as much as she liked. Those were her favorite moments. She asked her parents many times if they could buy their own donkey or other livestock. They always berated Xia and thought she was being childish. But even when she grew tired of asking, she kept her dream to herself and hoped that one day, she would fulfill it.

Only recently, when she turned sixteen, did she truly understand how hard it would be for her to possess animals. Their neighbor had some because they were the wealthiest family in the village. On the other hand, Xia’s parents would never be rich enough to own any livestock. They grew nothing but vegetables, and it was just enough for a decent living. This realization deeply affected Xia.

After that, she spent more time meditating. Meditation and rites were common in Linghua. Every inhabitant of the Empire felt a strong connection with the spirits of their land. Each unique place in nature, be it an ancient tree, a mountain, or a lake, was believed to embody a different spirit. These spirits brimmed with energy and shared it among all living things. Aware of this connection, people often meditated to show gratitude or to seek the spirits’ guidance.

And so, filled with sadness, Xia sought help during her meditations. Some part of her still hoped that a new path would appear before her. If only she could find a way to buy animals. For many weeks, she confided to Baoshu, the ancient tree spirit of the village, how sincere and profound her wish to work with animals was. Still, except for the calmness and reassurance she felt from her meditations, nothing changed in her life. As time passed, she started to accept what she could not and would never have.

One day, before finally letting go of her long-held dream, Xia spoke to the spirit Baoshu.

“I asked many times for your help and understanding, Baoshu. You have soothed my feelings, but my life is the same. Perhaps my existence is not meant to be with animals. Yet, let me be foolish and ask one last time: if tomorrow nothing happens to show me a path with animals in my life, I will accept my fate and remain at the farm, growing vegetables with my family.”

The next day, Xia felt a final pang of disappointment. Nothing about her usual routine was different. That night, she fell asleep, determined to move on from her dream. The following morning, while she meditated, she heard some noise on the other side of the tree. It was her parents. They were speaking about a cousin her age and had received news about him. This cousin had left their isolated village to work in Shuijin, the nearest big city. Both her parents were shocked to learn that this cousin had put ambition and money above his family’s prosperity.

On the contrary, Xia was amazed. The idea elated her. How had she never thought of this before? At last, she had received her long-awaited answer from the ancient tree. Quickly, she thanked the spirit Baoshu from the bottom of her heart and returned to her house to devise a plan. This plan could be summarized in three parts: find a well-paid job, save her earnings, and come back home with some livestock.

The following day, her mind made up, Xia wanted to share the news with her parents and confronted them.

“Da, Ma, I’ve decided to leave our village for a while. If I want to breed animals one day, I must work somewhere else.”

Neither of them welcomed the news. As the eldest child, she was the one who had the responsibility to inherit the farm, not her younger sister or brother. Her parents were adamant in their response: they needed Xia to stay at the farm. Unsurprisingly, they argued for some time until Xia left the house. She would not listen to them and was determined to change her life.

Before her departure, she gathered supplies, a few clothes, and a straw mat. Her parents ignored her, too angry to say anything. Her little brother cried while her little sister tried to reassure him. Sharing their sorrow, she hugged them one last time and closed the door behind her, starting her journey for good. It took Xia a week of long walks and poor sleep to reach Shuijin. Along the way, a kind merchant helped her find the right direction. He knew the city well and promised her they would meet again in a few days. When Xia glimpsed the city from afar, she smiled as she thought about the wandering merchant. He was her first friend outside of her parents’ village.

Now, she stood in front of Shuijin’s gates. Entry and exit to the city were strictly regulated because Shuijin was one of the few cities in Linghua that allowed visits from foreigners. Of course, it was easier to enter the city from the land than to leave it. Xia spoke with the guards. They easily believed her story. One even remembered seeing her cousin one month ago. She smiled, already feeling encouraged by the city.

As she entered the city, one major problem remained: she did not know her cousin’s location or workplace. She introduced herself to local shop owners and asked for their help. They advised her to start with the most likely area: the harbor. The city of Shuijin was famous for its sea traffic and sprawling warehouses. Work here was as grueling as it was plentiful. Unfortunately, cargoes from incoming boats were extremely heavy, and dockworkers often did not live long. On the other hand, finding a job at the harbor was easy for youngsters.

Knowing her cousin was about her age, Xia managed to find him carrying merchandise from a long, heavy boat that had just arrived from another city in Linghua. Determined as she was, by the end of the day, Xia had persuaded the storekeeper to hire her. Like her cousin, her youth worked in her favor. Among the workers, she and her cousin were the youngest, just two years above the minimum age required to sign a contract in their own names.

Her first day as a dockworker seemed endless and exhausting. Moving large, heavy boxes with unknown wares was far more challenging than she had expected. The worst part was not the weight of the boxes, but their bulky size. It made even the lightest items annoying and much harder to carry. She was also surprised to discover cramps in muscles she had never felt before. Thankfully, despite all those difficulties, her youth and determination helped her survive.

The next six months were made of back and forth between the warehouses and the inns. Week after week, Xia gained muscle and became more accustomed to her tasks. This daily repetition turned into a monotonous and steady rhythm.

However, one afternoon, something unusual happened. While she was resting during her five-minute break, Xia noticed someone out of the corner of her eye, carrying an unboxed piece of furniture. The item was a small, elegant bedside table with finely curved legs, each adorned with precise gold leaf motifs.

At first, Xia assumed it was part of a delivery, but then doubt crept into her mind. Surely, this person was not a worker at all. Why would he carry an item outside its box? It made no sense, unless he was a thief.

Without hesitation, she followed the unknown person toward the docks. Discretion was key, so she kept her distance and tried to remain concealed behind the houses. Xia had no plan except to wait for the right moment. Worse, she did not know what she would do to get the furniture back. Still, she had to try something.

They both walked for several minutes. Xia started to lose patience, she was getting too far from her workplace. Luckily for her, the man stopped to catch his breath. This was her chance. Hidden behind the wooden houses, she rushed forward and, in the impulsion, kicked him hard in the back. The man screamed in surprise and fell into the water.

Promptly, Xia snatched the piece of furniture and rushed back to the warehouses. Once there, she alerted the storekeeper, her breath still quick from the effort. The keeper was startled by her tale, but he believed Xia. Calling the guards, he made sure the thief was arrested. That evening, once back in her inn, Xia smiled to herself in her bed. As small as it was, she had protected a piece of furniture and was proud of it.

The next day, a tall lady she had never seen before came to her workplace. She was a middle-aged woman, broad shoulders, strong arms, and medium-length black hair. A fine apron with delicate leaf embroidery covered her body. At her side, an old, thin guard followed her every move.

When they entered the warehouse, they joined the storekeeper and exchanged some words with him. Suddenly, he pointed in Xia’s direction. In no time, the strange woman and her guard were right before Xia. The woman presented herself, her name was Muya. Many people knew her in Shuijin, for she was the most renowned master joiner of the city. Apparently, she had been impressed when she heard how Xia saved her piece of furniture.

“I wanted to thank you personally, young woman. I recognized some remarkable talent in your story. You’ve earned quite a reputation in a single day. Not only that, but luck seems to be on your side. You see, I’m looking for a new guard. My friend here is getting old, and he won’t be able to work much longer without risking his health. We both agree that a quick-thinking woman like you would be the perfect fit. He would train you personally. Moreover, you’d earn twice your current salary. So, what do you think?”

The last part caught Xia’s attention. Doubling her salary would be outstanding. She would have to wait much less before acquiring her own animals. This offer could not be refused. And like this, she started an apprenticeship to be turned into Muya’s new personal guard.

During the days, the old guard trained her. At first, they used wooden weapons. Four weeks later, they progressed to real ones. Xia liked to fight; a part of her had always wished to be strong enough so nobody could oppose her. Day after day, her wish became more real. In a few weeks, she would be able to fight, to defend, and if needed, to kill. As her body grew stronger during the day, her mind found new strength after sunset.

In the evenings, Muya, the master joiner, taught Xia how to read. This knowledge was usually not given to farmers or modest workers, but Muya had taken a liking to Xia. She wanted her to assist with the paperwork. Xia, however, was not sure if Muya really needed this help. She suspected Muya was only pretending this so she could teach her how to read and write. Perhaps Muya simply wanted to make Xia’s life easier in the future. At the end, it took Xia six months to complete her training. Now, her life as Muya’s personal guard could begin.

Her days were simple; all she had to do was follow Muya everywhere. She watched her sculpt extravagant woods, helped her transport the furniture, or listened to her negotiations with foreign merchants. Those negotiations were rare for Muya. She had been working in Shuijin for fifteen years, and most of her collaborators were now friends with whom she had long-standing partnerships.

Only one material remained difficult to find at a reasonable price: gold. This material was expensive and difficult to get. In all her years, Muya had yet to find a long-term merchant to sell her gold. She had no choice and agreed to buy it at an unreasonable price. After all, it was impossible to be a famous joiner in Linghua without using bits of gold in your creations.

Unexpectedly, one morning, two merchants knocked at Muya’s workshop to offer her gold material at a price she had never heard of. They came from the far kingdom of Zimori and were looking for new partnerships. Merchants from this land were very uncommon. The trip could only be made by sea and required one month of travel.

Xia observed those merchants. The older man was bargaining while his young assistant avoided any eye contact with either her or Muya. Was this a cultural difference she did not know about? She could not tell. And so, the assistant kept his gaze on the ground until the end of the negotiations.

Seeing the prices they offered her, Muya could still hardly believe the deal she had made with those foreign merchants. She accepted on the condition that she would pay them on their next trip, once they had the gold. It had not been a problem for the older merchant. As for the assistant, only when the deal was signed and the older man left the room did he look behind his back at Xia’s face. Amused and curious to see his reaction, Xia winked at him. In response, he smiled shyly and left the workshop. Something untold had passed in their glance; both the assistant and Xia had been impressed to discover how attractive they found the other. Who knew what would happen the next time they met?