Bolati was the first to discover that the cabin doors had been pried off. He saw that the doors of both cabins had been forced open, some bedding was missing from the larger one, the thermos had been smashed, and quite a few things were missing from the smaller one too. He knew something was wrong.
With Li Long away, Bolati immediately rode his horse toward Small White Gully.
He knew the people weaving Taibazi in Small White Poplar Gully worked for Li Long. Finding them would put him in touch with Li Long.
When he reached Small White Poplar Gully, Bolati looked around. Lao Huang seemed to be the only older man with nothing to do, so he rode over to him. Before he could speak, Xie Yundong, who had already noticed him, came over and asked:
"Hello, are you looking for Li Long?"
"Yes, yes, I'm looking for Li Long." Bolati dismounted and said quickly:
"Li Long's wooden cabin has been burgled. Hurry and tell him. I don't know how much is missing..."
Nearby, Li Jianguo became anxious the moment he heard that Li Long's cabin had been burgled. He dropped the Taibazi he was weaving, sprang out of the pit, and ran over to Bolati to ask:
"I'm Li Long's eldest brother. Was the cabin broken into? Was anything else damaged? You didn't see anyone?"
"Yes, the locks were pried off. I didn't see anyone, but it must have been those herb diggers, those rotten bastards! If I see them, I'll tie them behind my horse and drag them to death..."
Bolati considered Li Long a friend, and he was angry that Li Long had suffered a loss.
"Elder Brother Li, don't panic." Xie Yundong caught Li Jianguo, who was about to run over there. "Going now