Whirlwind Horses

Shen Jingchuan walked to the newly purchased residence with Su Qingshu, Su Qinghua, and Yue'er. The Lin Household had offered to send them by carriage, but he had politely declined—the two places were only a few hundred meters apart, a short walk that hardly warranted the trouble.

At the black-lacquered front gate, he raised a hand and knocked with the bronze door ring. Before long, the gate opened from within, and the one who answered was Liu Zhong's son, Liu Hu. On seeing Shen Jingchuan, Liu Hu hurriedly bowed and stepped aside.

"Master, you're back. Please come in!"

"What master? Call me young master or young lord from now on," Shen Jingchuan said, feigning anger.

"Yes, young master," Liu Hu quickly corrected himself.

Liu Zhong was sweeping the courtyard with his wife and daughter when he heard them and looked back. Seeing that their new master had arrived, he immediately put down his broom and hurried over with his wife and daughter. All three bowed to Shen Jingchuan.

"No need for ceremony."

Shen Jingchuan stepped aside, bringing the three girls behind him forward. "These three are my younger sisters: Yue'er, Qingshu, and Qinghua. From now on, we're all one family," he said gently.

To Yue'er, those words were like a warm pebble dropped into the lake of her heart. She had been a servant of the Lin Household, and even though Shen Jingchuan had borrowed her, she was still a servant at heart.

She had never dared imagine being called a "younger sister." Looking at the young man's upright back, she suddenly felt her eyes grow hot, and tears nearly spilled down.

Su Qingshu, beside her, noticed something was amiss and gently patted her shoulder. Yue'er abruptly came to her senses and hastily wiped the corners of her eyes, muttering under her breath:

"Young lord, you're so kind..."

Next came the living arrangements. Liu Zhong's family of four would live in the front courtyard, making it convenient for them to watch the gate and handle various chores; Yue'er would stay in the eastern wing of the second courtyard; Su Qingshu and Su Qinghua would stay in its western wing; and he would live in the innermost, third courtyard.

Once everyone was settled, he led them all on a tour inside and out so they could familiarize themselves with the layout of the residence.

They walked all the way to the small garden in the western side courtyard, where a side gate was tucked away on the south side. They pushed it open to find a neatly arranged stable inside. It wasn't very large, but it had been built with great care, and the entire floor was paved with blue bricks. There was more than enough room for two carriages and seven or eight horses.

There was another gate on the other side of the stable, leading straight out to the street. Horses and carriages could come and go without passing through the main gate, which was very convenient.

Shen Jingchuan nodded to himself. The residence had been a real bargain.

Liu Zhong, following behind, spoke up. "Young lord, it's inconvenient for you to go out as things stand. Shouldn't you buy a carriage and pick out a few horses?"

Shen Jingchuan thought it over briefly. That was true. He turned to Liu Zhong. "Do you know horses?"

"I know a little," Liu Zhong replied hurriedly. "My son Liu Hu used to be in charge of feeding the horses and driving the carriage at our former master's residence. He knows much more than I do."

Shen Jingchuan looked at Liu Hu beside him. The young man was sturdily built and looked capable. He gave an order at once:

"All right, come with me to the horse market this afternoon."

Then he turned to Liu Zhong.

"It's already past noon. Have lunch prepared as soon as you can. We'll set out after we eat."

Liu Zhong readily agreed. His wife, Madam Liu, took their daughter to the kitchen to prepare the meal, and Yue'er hurried after them to lend a hand. The sisters Su Qingshu and Su Qinghua didn't sit idle either, helping to arrange and carry the dishes.

By rights, Liu Zhong and his family were servants and should have eaten separately in the front courtyard; Yue'er and the Su sisters should likewise have stood to one side and served Shen Jingchuan his meal. But as soon as Shen Jingchuan sat down, he reached out and pulled all three girls to the table.

"Sit, all of you. Since you're my younger sisters, how could I have you stand and serve your older brother while he eats?"

Unable to refuse, the three carefully sat down at the table. Even so, they didn't simply eat by themselves, but served Shen Jingchuan dishes and filled his bowl with rice from time to time. The meal was lively and cheerful, and they really did look rather like a family.

After the meal, Shen Jingchuan strolled into the front courtyard and saw that Liu Zhong and his family were still tidying it. He waved a hand.

"Carry on with your work. Liu Hu, come with me to buy a carriage."

Shen Jingchuan had just stepped out of the gate when he suddenly stopped.

Only then did he remember the matter of money. Between buying the residence and signing Liu Zhong's family into service, he had spent quite a bit. The silver he now carried totaled just over a hundred taels. If he wanted two good horses and a decent carriage to go with them, that might not be enough.

His space still held the twenty-odd glass mirrors left over from what he had brought from the other world. They were larger and more numerous than the batch he had sold last time. He could stop by the Treasure Pavilion from last time and sell them all to Shopkeeper Wang for silver.

Shen Jingchuan said casually, "We won't go to the horse market just yet. Let's take care of something on the way." Liu Hu acknowledged him and led the way, and after turning through two streets, they arrived at the general store.

When Shopkeeper Wang saw it was Shen Jingchuan again, his face immediately broke into a broad smile.

The two went to the rear courtyard. Once Shopkeeper Wang saw the twenty-odd mirrors of various sizes taken out of the backpack, his eyes grew hot, but he pretended to be troubled. Stroking his beard, he repeatedly said, "Things are valuable when they're scarce." With so many of them, he said, they wouldn't be worth as much, and no matter what was said, he refused to raise his price. After a little haggling, Shen Jingchuan couldn't be bothered to drag it out. In the end, they settled on twelve hundred taels of silver. He took the silver notes, tucked them into his robes, and left the shop.

With silver in hand, he felt much more assured. The two changed direction and headed straight for the horse market in the east of the city.

They walked at an unhurried pace, chatting as they went. Shen Jingchuan asked about Liu Hu's past and learned that the young man had grown up with Liu Zhong at their former master's residence. Not only had he learned to read from his father and could handle simple everyday accounts, but he had also trained in hand-to-hand fighting with the residence's guards for three to five years. Two or three ordinary men couldn't get near him.

The young man spoke briskly, had bright, clear eyes, and knew how to conduct himself. One look was enough to tell he was quick-witted. Shen Jingchuan took it all in and nodded to himself, feeling that buying this family had truly been worth it.

After walking for about half an hour, they found the street ahead suddenly growing noisy. Shouts and neighs could be heard from over a hundred meters away, and the air carried a mixture of fodder, horse dung, and dust. This was the horse market in Yuxi Prefecture's city.

The market occupied both sides of a wide street within the city. Rows of wooden-railed sheds lined the road, with hundreds of horses of all kinds tethered inside. Their coats were of various colors, and every one of them was sleek and sturdy.

In front of several carriage dealers along the street, numerous ready-made carriages stood in open spaces, ranging from simple one-horse covered wagons to grand two-horse enclosed carriages. Several official brokers in uniform moved through the crowd, raising their voices to call out to passing customers.

Shen Jingchuan swept his gaze over the horses, secretly astonished.

He had noticed when he followed Lin Jia into the city last time that horses in this world were all quite large, but seeing them close up today was even more striking. The horses before him generally stood around 1.5 to 1.6 meters at the shoulder, with broad frames, solid muscles, and thick necks. They looked more than a size sturdier than the ordinary horses he had seen in his previous life, rather like specially bred heavy draft horses. They had to be excellent at pulling carriages and carrying loads.

"Young master, look," Liu Hu said, pointing across the horses and lowering his voice to introduce them one by one. "The group on the far left are Azure Shaft Horses. They're best at pulling carriages, with plenty of stamina and great strength for hauling loads. They can pull eight hundred or a thousand jin all day without even panting."

"The group in the middle are Snow-Hoof Steeds. They're fast and even-tempered, bred specifically for riding."

"The Iron-Hoof Horses farther ahead are dual-purpose. They're good for pulling carriages or riding, and their price is moderate. An ordinary household can buy one for hauling goods or visiting relatives. They're the best value."

"The dozen or so tethered at the very back are called Whirlwind Horses. Those horses are something else. They're all used as warhorses: tall and strong, with explosive power, and they run as fast as a whirlwind. They're just a bit more spirited, and money alone won't get you one."

He explained everything in an orderly fashion and clearly knew his trade. Shen Jingchuan listened attentively and was just about to walk farther in for a look at the Whirlwind Horses when a smiling middle-aged man suddenly came up beside them. He was an official broker at the horse market.

"Young lord! Are you looking for a horse or a carriage? Everything here is top quality. You're sure to be satisfied!"

The man had a sharp eye. One glance at Shen Jingchuan's fine appearance and clothing, followed by the sight of the servant accompanying him, convinced him that this was a wealthy customer. He bent even lower at the waist.

"Whether you want a horse for pulling a carriage, one for riding, or a carriage itself, I'll introduce them all to you. The prices are guaranteed to be fair!"

Shen Jingchuan didn't rush to answer. Instead, he first glanced over the row of ready-made carriages parked by the street.

After only a few looks, he shook his head inwardly. The carriages came in a full range of styles, but their undercarriages were all rigid wooden frames, and their wheels were wood wrapped in iron.

None had any decent cushioning or shock absorption. They were just like the Lin Household's passenger carriage he had ridden in last time: on a rough road, they would jolt a person until everything spun. Not one satisfied him.

He considered it. If he really wanted comfort, he would have to have a carriage with shock absorbers custom-made in the modern world and bring it over in his space.

But his space couldn't carry living things, so he couldn't bring horses over. Besides, these local horses had sturdy frames and abundant strength, more than a little better than the ordinary horses he had seen in his previous life. He really needed to use horses from here to make it worthwhile.

As he thought it over, his gaze fixed on the dozen or so Whirlwind Horses at the deepest end of the market.

He walked closer and examined them carefully. The horses were ink-black all over, with glossy manes, broad shoulders and backs, and taut, well-defined muscles. Standing in their pen, they looked like black iron towers.

Shen Jingchuan himself was over 1.8 meters tall. Standing outside the rail, he estimated that the withers of those tall horses were above eye level. When they raised their heads, they towered well above him. They were so magnificent and imposing that his heart grew hot at the sight.

He took a few steps closer, though he didn't dare get too near, then turned his head and asked Liu Hu in a low voice:

"These horses really look impressive. You said just now that their tempers are too fierce? They're hard to tame, right? Would gelding them fix that?"

Liu Hu lowered his voice as well, his expression serious.

"Young master, there's no need to geld a Whirlwind Horse at all. They're exceptionally perceptive and choose their own masters. If one accepts you, it'll be very obedient and protect you too. If it's gelded, though, its temperament is so fierce that it won't live long before it dies."

"But if it doesn't take a liking to you, forget riding it. Even if you go over to touch it, at best it'll toss its neck aside to dodge you; at worst, it'll raise a hoof and kick you. They're very fierce."

"That uncanny?" Shen Jingchuan raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you tell if it's accepted you as its master?"

"It's not exactly hard, but it's not easy either."

Liu Hu said, "These horses choose based on first impressions. Walk over and stroke its neck. If it doesn't dodge or bristle and stays quiet and calm, that means it's accepted you."

"If it pins its ears back and retreats, it hasn't taken a liking to you. Don't force yourself closer, or something could easily happen. The Whirlwind Horses at this market sometimes stay on display for more than half a month without meeting a single person they take to. Money alone really can't buy one."

Hearing that, Shen Jingchuan stared at the sturdiest black horses in the pen for a few seconds. Instead, he felt an urge to give it a try.