The look in Number 76's eyes changed as he watched Li Long toss more things onto the cart.
"Heh, this is good stuff. I'll give you some extra feed once we're in the mountains!" Li Long said with a smile, waving his whip at him.
Whether the horse understood or not, Li Long at least had the right attitude.
Number 76 pulled uphill with renewed effort. Li Long put away the whip and pushed from behind. He knew this stretch uphill was actually the hardest part. Once they reached Mountain Pass and headed farther in, the slopes would not be so steep.
Nearly an hour later, Number 76 finally pulled the cart up to Mountain Pass. It was not the highest point, but it was the end of the longest climb.
Li Long let out a long breath too. He regretted not bringing a couple of steamed buns.
He had eaten breakfast early, then worn himself out helping push the cart. Now the sun was due south, and it was lunchtime. His stomach was not quite empty and growling, but he was already feeling the force of his hunger.
He would just have to get a bowl of milk tea at Harimu's.
During their rest, Li Long wiped the sweat off Number 76. The dazzling sunlight reflected off the snow was hard on the eyes. Li Long tied a piece of translucent cloth over his eyes and drove Number 76 onward.
A faint aroma drifted along the mountain road. For a moment, Li Long wondered if Harimu was cooking mutton. Yet there was also a gamey smell. Was a wolf pack hunting nearby?
Some wild wolves in the mountains roamed alone, while others lived in packs. Supposedly, several packs would even join forces at certain times to hunt herders' sheep.