Master Zhao took the opportunity to lift Meng Anci onto the pony and put the reins in his hands.
"Pull them taut."
Meng Anci mustered his courage and did as he was told.
Master Zhao slipped his little feet into the stirrups. "Keep your back straight when you ride. Don't pull the reins too tight, and tap the pony's belly gently with the stirrups. Don't use too much force."
Meng Anci wore a solemn expression as he committed Master Zhao's instructions to memory and gave the pony's belly a light kick with his short legs.
The pony's four legs were as limp as noodles, and every attempt to stand ended in failure.
"Master, is it sick?" Meng Anci asked worriedly.
Sick, my ass... It was jumping around when I led it out, but the moment it saw Meng Anci, it turned into this sorry sight. Was he some kind of flood or savage beast?
Master Zhao was furious, but he could only stand beside Meng Anci to keep the pony from suddenly going wild and throwing him off.
Meng Anci gently stroked the pony's neck. "Be good. Stand up."
No sooner had he spoken than laughter erupted around them. "Look, that country bumpkin is actually talking to a horse. Is he stupid?"
"Haha... I see it, I see it! This is the first time I've seen someone talk to a horse."
"Holy shit, look... Little Black actually stood up."
Everyone looked stunned. Shiyan pointed at Meng Anci. "He, he, he..." He stammered for ages without managing a complete sentence.
Master Zhao hurriedly took hold of the reins by the pony's head to keep it from getting spooked and running wild, hurting someone.
The pony's movement brought Meng Anci back to his senses. A smile touched his lips. The animals at home could all understand human speech, but he hadn't expected the horses at the academy to understand it too.
Elsewhere, Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi spotted Zhang Banxian from a distance, huddled in a corner with disheveled hair and dark circles around his eyes.
His eyes lit up the moment he saw them approaching.
He braced himself against the wall and struggled to his feet, then walked up to Jin Shanyao with his hands tucked into his sleeves. He was about to call her niece, but forced himself to change his words. What the hell was he now, to dare call the master his niece?
Remembering the fierce battle the night before, he moved his tongue about twice, then took the ox's rope from Jin Shanyao with a beaming smile and led the old ox aside to graze.
When he turned and saw Jin Shanyao taking a stool off the ox cart, he cried out and hurried over.
"I'll do it, I'll do it. This stool is terribly heavy. How could I let a young girl like you do this work?"
Jin Shanyao looked at him suspiciously. Zhang Banxian was a little too eager today. Then her gaze paused, and she saw a cloud of black mist hidden between his brows.
It was darker than the one on Madam Wang yesterday. It seemed Zhang Banxian had already fought the fierce ghost.
The books said that someone who offered favors for no reason was either a cheat or a thief. Jin Shanyao pretended not to know and sat cross-legged on the ox cart, watching the passersby.
Seeing that Jin Shanyao wasn't responding, Zhang Banxian sidled up with a smile. Years of traveling outdoors had left his skin rough, and when he smiled, his face looked like a chrysanthemum.
"Master, may I ask you a question?"
Jin Shanyao didn't like him. She thought he was a slippery character who never gave a straight answer.
Zhang Banxian was used to Jin Shanyao ignoring nine out of ten questions. He pressed his large hand against the cart bed and sat down beside her. "I ran into a tough opponent last night. Even my peachwood sword was split apart."
As he spoke, he stole a glance at Jin Shanyao. Seeing that she remained unmoved, he continued, "I'm not as capable as you, but I do have some skills. It's just..."
His voice trailed off. He was too embarrassed to ask and bring shame on his founding master.
Zhang Banxian picked up the cloth banner beside him and fiddled with it, his gaze wandering. "Well... I'm afraid Young Master Wang won't make it if no one saves him. Madam Wang is willing to pay fifty taels."
Jin Shanyao glanced at him. Thinking she found the amount too small, Zhang Banxian hurriedly explained, "This is a small county town. You can count on your fingers the people who can produce fifty taels of silver at once.
"I can give it all to you and take nothing. I only ask that you save Young Master Wang's life."
Jin Shanyao said without feeling, "I can't help you."
Zhang Banxian grew anxious. "How can you not help? I've read your face. You have the bearing of someone destined to become a god..."
Before he could finish, Jin Shanyao's expression changed. "You investigated me?" she demanded coldly.
Startled, Zhang Banxian hastily waved his hands. "No, no! How would someone with my meager abilities dare pry into your affairs?"
Jin Shanyao looked away and continued watching the passersby. Since she had dared to descend to the mortal world behind the Heavenly Court's back to repay a debt of gratitude, she wasn't afraid of the matter blowing up.
Even if Zhang Banxian was capable enough to see her true form, so what?
Zhang Banxian said cautiously, "Master, saving one life is worth more than building a seven-story pagoda. Please help."
Jin Shanyao sneered inwardly. Her benefactor had saved her life and hadn't received anything in return, either. All she wanted now was to raise the children quickly; she didn't want to concern herself with anything else.
Zhang Banxian talked for a long time, but Jin Shanyao never responded. He knew then that it was a lost cause.
He had taken three hundred taels of silver from the Wang Household, and he couldn't return it no matter what. With that money, he could continue searching for his enemy's whereabouts.
Zhang Banxian seethed inwardly. Jin Shanyao could settle the matter with ease, yet she refused to help him.
Fine... You won't help? I'll make it so you have no choice.
He rolled up his cloth banner and planted it on the ground as he climbed down from the donkey cart. He gave Jin Shanyao a respectful bow. "Sorry for troubling you, Master." With that, he left looking dejected.
They had known Zhang Banxian for at least several months, and Meng Anzhi couldn't bear it. "Auntie, are we really not going to help him?"
Jin Shanyao said, "Can you catch ghosts?"
Meng Anzhi's eyes widened. "Huh? Ghosts? Weren't we talking about treating Young Master Wang? Didn't Zhang Banxian say Young Master Wang was close to death? How did ghosts get mixed up in this?
"We don't know how to catch ghosts." Her words came out in a jumble, her eyes round with shock.
Zhang Banxian often gave people prescriptions for talisman water. She had thought, thought... Meng Anzhi slumped down on the ox cart. She had better keep her mouth shut.
After one divination and three consultations, Jin Shanyao took Meng Anzhi up the mountain to pick mushrooms.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the leaves on the mountain had begun to change color. The various colors mingled together beautifully. Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi picked plenty of mushrooms and wild greens.
They planned to dry them and save them for winter. The napa cabbages she had planted in the courtyard had matured, and she would have to cut and store them another day.
Before they knew it, it was time for Meng Anci to finish school. The two left their carrying baskets at home and drove the ox cart to pick him up.
From a distance, they saw Meng Anci walk out with his little shoulder bag, a solemn expression on his face. Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi exchanged a glance, both sensing that something was wrong with his mood.
When Meng Anci came closer, Jin Shanyao took him under the arms and lifted him onto the ox cart like a scallion pulled from dry ground. She patted the ox on the rump and paid him no further attention.
Jin Shanyao sat down opposite Meng Anci. "Did someone bully you?"
Meng Anci shook his head. "No."
"Then why are you unhappy?"
Meng Anci curled his little body into Jin Shanyao's arms. Today, Shiyan had called him a wild child with no father or mother, who had only gotten into the academy because his aunt earned money.
If the good life he had now had come at the cost of his parents, he would rather not have it.
Seeing that he was unwilling to talk, Jin Shanyao asked no more. She sent Spiritual Power directly into the necklace around his neck and saw everything that had happened that day clearly.
The six arts of a gentleman???? What were those???
Jin Shanyao frowned. Only when it was time to put knowledge to use did one regret having too little. She needed to buy more books.
They returned to Little River Village at sunset. While they were still some distance from home, she stopped abruptly.
An evil, sinister presence hung over the Meng Household, and it was coming from the carriage at their gate.