The wintersweet in Cyan Ox Village had just started budding when the yaks of the Tibet caravan trotted into the village over the thin layer of snow, letting out low "moos." The leading Khampa man had a yak-skin pouch slung over his shoulder and a Cyan Ox-patterned waist token hanging at his hip—the very anti-counterfeit mark of the "Huwa Divine Ox" that Western Regions foreign merchants talked about in whispers.
"Welcome, honored guests!" Zhang Yifan swung his abacus and stepped forward to greet them, but then he caught sight of the Granary-Guard Beetle Shell embroidered on the corner of a highland barley bag upon the yak's back. "Could it be that old fellow from Wusun tipped you off?" The Khampa man grinned, revealing two rows of pearly white teeth. "We heard your divine ox can cure highland barley bugs, and our Chieftain is willing to trade ten carts of yak butter for your insect-prevention secret."
Huwa darted out from behind a Wooden Ox, clutching a newly carved yak-face wooden plaque. "Brother Fan, let me go! I'll paint ghost faces on their yaks, and I guarantee the bugs will kowtow the moment they see them!" Zhang Yifan knocked him on the head. "Yaks are for carrying cargo, not for you to practice your carving on—though..." He suddenly fished out the *Classic of Hundred Insects* and flipped to the page illustrating the plateau beetle. "The 'Snow Armor Beetle' of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau loves the cold and fears spice. Huwa's stash of chili powder will do the trick."
Chapter 23