Vaulting into the Saddle

He took his position on Big Black's left and set himself. Big Black was so tall that he could barely get any leverage with either hand. But he had always felt stronger than before, so surely his jumping ability had improved too?

Never mind, let's give it a try. He gripped the handhold on the front saddle arch with his left hand, catching the reins as well, and planted his right hand firmly on the rear arch. He braced his arms to take his weight, then thrust upward with his waist and abdomen.

His whole body sprang into the air, his hips rising above the saddle in an instant.

At the peak of his leap, his right hand flashed away from the rear arch. He pushed with his left hand, turned his body with the motion, and swung his right leg over the horse's back.

His left hand never loosened its grip on the front arch throughout, bearing most of his weight while using the leverage to adjust where he would land.

As he came down, his hips settled firmly into the depths of the saddle. His right hand swung forward and came to rest on the front arch's handhold.

The whole movement had been fairly smooth and sharp. Big Black really was strong; his body had not even swayed.

Liu Hu stared wide-eyed from the side. It took him a long moment to squeeze out a sentence:

"Young master, that was some fine skill! A horse this tall, and you didn't even need a mounting block. You just pushed off the saddle and sprang right up!"

Big Black lifted his head and gave a loud snort, as if praising him too.

The courtyard was not especially spacious, but there was enough room to walk and turn.

Shen Jingchuan loosened the reins. "Slowly, two laps." Big Black set off at an easy pace, his hooves clopping against the bluestone paving.

"Big Black, can you go a little faster?" The horse responded to voice commands. Big Black shifted into a short-stepping trot, and Shen Jingchuan felt that the saddle was as steady as if nailed to the horse's back, without the slightest jolt.

At the turns, despite his huge size, Big Black shortened his stride with great agility, taking each angle just right.

After a few laps, Shen Jingchuan gently drew in the reins. "All right, stop." Big Black stopped at once, all four hooves planted firmly.

He leaned forward, wrapped his arms around Big Black's sturdy neck, and pressed his cheek against the horse's warm mane.

Big Black turned his head to look back at him, his wet nose almost touching his wrist. Shen Jingchuan ran his fingertips down the mane, his heart melting completely, and felt an indescribable closeness.

Little Black and Treading Snow came over too, crowding up beside Big Black. Shen Jingchuan smiled and reached out, rubbing their big heads, one on either side of him.

While he was petting the horses, several knocks suddenly sounded at the courtyard gate, followed by someone calling out loudly.

Liu Hu hurried out and opened the gate. After a look, he came back to report:

"Young master, someone from the escort agency is here. He says he's brought your carriage."

At that, Shen Jingchuan swung down from the saddle and replied casually, "Let them in."

The courtyard gate opened wide, and an exquisitely crafted black-lacquered carriage was slowly driven inside. The driver was a familiar-looking escort. When he saw Shen Jingchuan, he quickly jumped down and cupped his hands. "Young Master Shen, our chief escort told me to bring this carriage to you."

"Thank you for your trouble." Shen Jingchuan nodded, then turned and gestured to Liu Hu. "Unhitch the horse from the carriage and let him take it back."

"Oh, no need, no need!"

The escort hurriedly waved his hands.

"The chief escort specifically told me to leave the horse with you too. If there's an urgent errand at your residence, the servants can use it when they go out. Your Whirlwind Horses can't pull a carriage, and no one else can use them either."

As he spoke, his eyes kept darting toward Big Black and the other two, his face full of wonder.

"I heard the chief escort say you had three first-rate Whirlwind Horses, but I only half believed him. Seeing them today has really opened my eyes. With looks like those, I bet they run like the wind!"

Shen Jingchuan smiled. "Then thank Uncle Lin for me."

The escort stole a few more reluctant glances at the three fine horses before cupping his hands in farewell and leaving through the courtyard gate, looking back three times with every step.

Liu Hu had just closed and barred the courtyard gate when the side door creaked open. Yue'er walked briskly in, holding up her skirt, and smiled with curved eyes when she saw Shen Jingchuan.

"Young master, it's noon. It's time to go back to the middle courtyard for lunch. The dishes are all laid out, and we're just waiting for you."

Shen Jingchuan raised a hand and rubbed Big Black's forehead again, then patted Little Black and Treading Snow on their necks as well. In a low voice, he said:

"Go back to the stable and stay there for now. I'll come over after I've eaten."

The three horses tossed their heads. Big Black even came closer and gently nudged his arm with his nose before finally leaving it at that.

He followed Yue'er back to the main hall of the second courtyard, where Qingshu and Qinghua had already laid out the bowls and chopsticks.

They gathered around the table to eat. Shen Jingchuan had just put down his chopsticks when a piercing neigh came from the direction of the stables in the rear courtyard. A dull thud followed, as if heavy objects had crashed violently together.

Shen Jingchuan frowned, rose, and headed outside.

The three young maids followed him, but he stopped them. If a horse had been spooked, they might get hurt.

As soon as he rushed into the stable yard, he saw a mess on the ground. The newly delivered chestnut horse lay on its side, kicking its hooves wildly as it tried to get up, blood running down from its neck.

The black-lacquered carriage beside it had overturned completely, and one of its shafts was bent halfway along.

Big Black stood right in front of the chestnut horse, his mane bristling and one hoof raised as though about to kick down.

"Big Black!"

Shen Jingchuan called out sternly.

Big Black immediately drew back his hoof, flattened his ears slightly, and gave a snort. The ferocity he had shown moments ago vanished without a trace.

He hung his head and shuffled slowly over to Shen Jingchuan in little steps, pressing his big head against his arm, just like a child caught red-handed after causing trouble.

"What's gotten into you?" Shen Jingchuan raised a hand and tapped his forehead. "Fighting as soon as you meet? Bullying the newcomer?"

Big Black shook his head and whined through his nose. Whether he was defending himself or admitting fault was anyone's guess. Either way, he refused to raise his head.

Only then did Liu Hu hobble over from the side, his face miserable.

"Young master, I really did try to stop them! I just couldn't! Everything was fine when the chestnut horse was first unhitched and tied at the trough. They were each eating their own feed.

"Big Black eats fast. Before I could give him more, he went to steal the chestnut horse's feed. The chestnut wouldn't stand for it, and the two started fighting. I went in to pull them apart, and his hoof grazed my leg." As he spoke, he pointed to the muddy mark on his trouser leg. His calf was visibly swollen around it. "Luckily, it only grazed me. If that kick had landed square, I reckon my leg would've broken. Big Black is just too strong."

As he spoke, he glanced at Big Black, a trace of lingering fear in his voice. Big Black did not so much as lift an eyelid, too lazy to pay him any attention.

Shen Jingchuan walked over. The chestnut horse was already on its feet. It was no small horse either, standing an estimated 1.6 meters or more at the shoulder, with a well-proportioned frame and a glossy coat. Among ordinary horses, it would definitely have stood out as a fine steed. Now, though, it hung its head, beaten and listless, barely able to stand.

"Is this horse a good breed?" he asked casually.

Liu Hu nodded at once.

"You have a good eye, young master! This is a Hequ Horse, a renowned breed from the grasslands. They have great endurance and can carry heavy loads. They're excellent for pulling carriages and traveling.

"This horse is very strong. Look, it even broke free of its reins.

"With looks like these, it would fetch at least seventy or eighty taels of silver at the horse market! An ordinary nag only costs ten taels. This one would already count as a top-quality warhorse."

As he spoke, he looked again at Big Black standing straight and tall beside them and clicked his tongue twice.

"But no matter how strong it is, it's no use. Against our Big Black, it still couldn't hold out."

Shen Jingchuan soothed the chestnut horse, then handed it over to Liu Hu and told him to lead it to a separate stall farther inside.

His gaze shifted to the black-lacquered carriage lying overturned nearby. Shen Jingchuan walked over and examined it carefully.

The body of the carriage lay crooked on the ground. A large patch of lacquer had been scraped off the left side of the compartment, exposing pale wood beneath, and one shaft had been knocked upward and bent out of shape.

The thick wooden bench at the very front, where the driver sat, had originally been firmly fitted into the front frame. Now its mortise-and-tenon joints had come completely apart, and half the surrounding wooden frame had been knocked loose along with it.

The seat lay face down on the bluestone paving, its base split by a crack two fingers wide from the impact.

The underside faced upward, with a palm-sized black-lacquered wooden box half wedged inside.