Big Black's Wild Gallop

Shen Jingchuan then dressed Little Black and Treading Snow in vests, put them in the custom-made carriage, and got them all ready.

The chestnut horse, Little Red, which had long since recovered from its injuries, looked over with bright eyes as everyone bustled about preparing to leave.

Shen Jingchuan figured that since he had already made armor for it, there was no one to take care of it at home, so he might as well take it out for a ride. It wouldn't be too much trouble. So he took the ready-made armor, fastened it on, and tied it to the back of the carriage as a spare horse.

Then he helped Liu Hu put on his armor, and Liu Hu hung up his Tang sword, making him look quite presentable.

The Lin Household siblings led their horses out of the stable first, followed by Liu Hu, who pulled the carriage harnessed to Little Black and Treading Snow. Little Red Hong followed quietly behind the carriage.

Finally, Shen Jingchuan led Big Black out the door and closed the stable door behind him. The whole family of the mansion stood at the gate to see him off: Xiaoyue, Su Qingshu, Su Qinghua, as well as Liu Hu's father Liu Zhong, mother Madam Liu, and his sister.

Xiaoyue dawdled closer to Lin Qingyao, tugging at her sleeve and shaking it:

"Miss, please take me with you. I'll be able to serve you on the way. Look around, who can serve you? Ju'er isn't with you either."

Lin Qingyao waved her hand:

"Do I need you to serve me? My injuries have long since healed. It's inconvenient to take you with me when I'm out and about."

Xiaoyue pouted and turned to Shen Jingchuan for help. Shen Jingchuan said:

"We're about to leave, and you haven't prepared anything. How are we going to go? No, it's too much trouble. We can't wait for you."

Xiaoyue's eyes lit up, and she turned and ran behind the door to pull out a bundle:

"Young master, I'm all ready! I finished packing last night!"

Shen Jingchuan was both angry and amused. Then, thinking it might be good to have a maidservant accompany the women on the road, he said to Lin Qingyao:

"Let her come along; it'll keep you company."

Lin Qingyao was already happy to agree, and immediately winked at Xiaoyue:

"Alright, I'll take you with me then."

Overjoyed, Xiaoyue scrambled onto the carriage in a flash.

At this moment Su Qingshu and Su Qinghua also took out two small bundles from behind them and whispered:

"Young master, we are all ready."

Shen Jingchuan was at his wits' end. "That won't do. What kind of order is it if you both come along? This isn't a trip. You two, stop causing trouble and stay home and watch the house."

The two of them immediately pouted, their eyes reddening, looking aggrieved.

Shen Jingchuan had to coax them a couple more times, saying that the journey was long and dangerous this time, and that he would take them next time, before they finally set off.

The group left the mansion and headed straight for the south gate of Yuxi Prefecture.

Passersby on the street turned their heads to look. The armor worn by the group was covered with a layer of leather, which from a distance appeared to be just a novel and finely crafted leather armor, nothing out of the ordinary.

The most eye-catching were Shen Jingchuan's three tall and strong Whirlwind Horses, and that unique four-wheeled carriage—there have always been only two-wheeled carriages in the world. Onlookers found it novel to see this four-wheeled carriage moving steadily and effortlessly, and their eyes followed the procession for a long distance.

Once outside the south gate, the official road widened, and the procession gradually picked up speed. At this point, the advantages of the Whirlwind Horses paired with the four-wheeled carriages became even more apparent. They ran fast and steadily, much more nimble than ordinary two-wheeled carriages, yet the carriages experienced very little bumping.

Xiaoyue was the only one in the car. She looked around, peering out the window at the beautiful scenery.

At the very front were two escorts carrying escort flags and leading the way; closely behind were the brothers Lin Shan and Lin Yue riding their horses; then Shen Jingchuan and Lin Qingyao rode side by side; a four-wheeled carriage followed closely behind; behind the carriages were the cargo wagons, and then the supply wagons carrying fodder and grain; bringing up the rear were five bodyguards and eight escorts.

The group traveled in a grand procession along the official road, heading straight for Chang'an, the provincial capital.

After walking for more than two miles, the area gradually became desolate, with hardly any crops in sight. It was during a severe drought, and the fields were cracked and dry, withered and yellow as far as the eye could see.

Since Shen Jingchuan entered Yuxi Prefecture from outside the city a few days after he transmigrated, he has stayed in the city, only riding a horse slowly in the streets and alleys a few times, and has never seriously let the horse run in the wild.

Today, having reached an open area, and with such a magnificent horse as Big Black beneath me, I simply couldn't suppress the urge to run wild.

He bent down and patted the horse's neck, whispering:

"Big Black, let's run faster for a bit."

This Whirlwind Horse is intelligent and doesn't need a whip to urge it on. Its Big Black ears suddenly stood up, and it first took two small, wobbly steps before gradually picking up speed.

At first it was a light trot, but in an instant its four hooves stretched out faster and faster, truly like a black whirlwind rushing forward along the official road, the wind whistling past its ears.

Shen Jingchuan initially gripped the front bridge and reins tightly, his heart pounding, afraid that the horse would be too fast and he would lose his balance.

But once you start running, you realize that Big Black's stride is extremely steady, and its rise and fall are perfectly controlled.

In addition, he was equipped with a modern custom-made high-bridge saddle with thick padding for shock absorption, breathability and a snug fit, so he sat very steadily without the bumps and swaying of ordinary horseback riding.

The wind, carrying the dry scent of earth, brushed against my face, and the horse's hooves pounded the ground with a steady, powerful thud. This feeling of speeding along was truly exhilarating.

They galloped three or four miles in one go, quickly overtaking the pack carriers leading the way with their flags. Shen Jingchuan felt exhilarated and satisfied, but worried that Big Black might tire itself out from running too fast, so he leaned over and gently patted the horse's neck.

Big Black seemed to understand his intentions perfectly. Its four hooves gradually slowed down, first changing from a gallop to a light trot, and then slowly strolling along the official road.

By the tenth day of the eighth lunar month, autumn had already arrived. Although there was still some lingering heat of late summer, and it was still hot under the sun, a breeze already brought a chill.

Shen Jingchuan rode his horse leisurely, only breaking out in a thin layer of sweat.

He reached out and touched the horse's body. Its Big Black coat was only slightly damp, unlike the usual sweaty appearance of a horse after a long run. It looked remarkably relaxed.

Big Black shook its head, looking like it wanted more.

A dead tree stands by the roadside ahead, next to a gentle hillside with a wide view.

Shen Jingchuan reined in his horse, slowly strolled to the hilltop, and dismounted.

He casually took the tiger-head gilded spear hanging from the saddle, practiced a couple of moves on the spot, and then stretched his shoulders and arms to get used to the opening and closing range of his armor before standing there waiting for the rest of the group.