Chapter 303: Second Uncle! Beat Him!

Kong An's shop wasn't big, but it was kept spotless.

The Wooden door was wide open; Kong An set up a small table and a few bamboo chairs at the entrance, scratched his head and said, "My place is modest; please make do and have a seat."

Soon he brought out several steaming bowls of soy milk and sliced a plate of pine‑nut cake, saying, "Everyone, try my cooking first; I'll be right back after I finish up."

The few people sat down and looked into the shop.

Inside, the shop was very orderly; against the wall stood several shelves stocked with oil, salt, sauces, vinegar, coarse porcelain bowls and dishes, Hemp rope and straw paper, all arranged without a speck of disorder.

Kong An efficiently erected a simple wooden rack in the shop and placed assorted needle, thread and other sundries on it.

It was clear he sincerely wanted to get this small business off the ground.

Tuan Tuan sat on a small chair, looking around curiously, "Kong An, your place is great!"

Kong An beamed, "You like it, miss? Wonderful—come often to my place from now on!"

"Hmm!" Tuan Tuan lowered her head, took a sip of soy milk, "So fragrant!"

Xiao Ningxun gave Lu Qi a subtle glance.

Lu Qi understood immediately, patted Zhou Ping's and Zhou An's shoulders, and whispered, "Let's go take a look around."

Zhou Ping and Zhou An nodded, and followed Lu Qi toward the back of the granary.

Scouting terrain and figuring out routes was precisely the kind of work the brothers excelled at.

Kong An was just about to greet them when two women entered from outside the door, wanting to buy some needles, thread and coarse salt.

He could only smile apologetically at everyone, turn around, and attend to the customers.

Xiao Ran took a sip of soy milk, eyes fixed on the granary, "The walls are built pretty high."

Xiao Ningxun said lightly, "A major grain storage should be like this."

His gaze, however, stayed on the granary's tightly shut main door; there was not even a guard at the entrance, making it look nothing like a place for making poison.

The granary's main door suddenly creaked open from the inside.

A blue‑canopy carriage lumbered out slowly.

Pulling it was a large brown‑haired old horse, its head lowered, breathing heavily.

On the carriage were stacked high sacks, covered with canvas and tightly bound with Hemp rope.

After the carriage had taken a few steps, the old horse's front hoof suddenly gave way, its body dropping sharply; the carriage jolted hard, nearly toppling the sacks.

"Beast! Looking for death!"

The driver, a man in his thirties with a furious expression, didn't stop; instead he raised his whip and gave the horse's hindquarters a hard lash.

"Snap!" a crisp sound rang.

The old horse shivered in pain, emitting a short whimper, struggling to move forward, but its hooves felt as if on cotton, stumbling again.

"Dare to slack off!" the driver roared, his whip striking the old horse repeatedly.

"Stop!" Tuan Tuan sprang up, her small face clenched, pointing at the driver, "You mustn't hit it! It can't pull any more!"

The driver froze, looked down and saw a little girl not yet as tall as his own legs, and laughed angrily, "What kid is this meddling? Get out of the way!"

He raised the whip in his hand high again.

"You still hit?" Tuan Tuan rushed forward, and Xiao Er hurried after her.

Xiao Ran was just about to stand when Xiao Ningxun patted his shoulder and shook his head.

Kong An, seeing this, withdrew the steps he was about to take.

The driver glanced at Xiao Er, "My horse—what's wrong with me hitting it? Do you need to meddle?"

He said this while raising the whip again, delivering another hard lash to the horse's rear.

The old horse let out a whinny, and Tuan Tuan, flushed with anger, shouted, "Second Uncle! Beat him!"

The driver's whip rose again, but his wrist tightened as if clamped by iron tongs.

Xiao Er clenched his large hand, and the driver instantly felt his wrist bone about to break, crying out "Ow!" in pain as the whip slipped from his hand and fell.

"Did you not hear my lady's words?" Xiao Er asked calmly.

Before the words finished, he landed a solid punch squarely on the driver's face!

"Bang!"

The driver didn't even manage a hum; he crashed heavily onto the bluestone road, a gush of nosebleed spurted out, and stars flashed before his eyes.

Hearing the commotion, two people burst out of the granary, followed by a middle‑aged man in a dark‑blue silk shirt, looking like a steward.

He walked over, glanced at the driver lying on the ground, then at Xiao Er and Tuan Tuan.

"What happened here?"

We can't cause trouble! If something untoward happened now, Boss Shen's temper would—

His eyes rolled; he first kicked the moaning driver still on the ground, shouting, "Useless thing!"

The driver clutched his face and cried out in grievance, "Steward, don't blame me! This old horse slacked and wouldn't go; I just beat it a few times—what of it? They're the ones meddling!"

The steward, hearing this, looked at Xiao Er, his face plastered with a smile, "The servant was coarse and bumped into you two; my apologies."

"It's just this horse," he said, glancing at the still panting old horse, "Probably sick, that's why it can't pull. Someone, bring a good one! Delaying the grain transport—can your heads afford the penalty?"

"As for this beast, just take it back and deal with it."

"Yes!" The two who had just rushed out hurried back to fetch a horse.

"Deal with it?" Tuan Tuan asked, looking at the dejected old horse, "What do you intend to do with it?"

The steward gave a dry laugh, "This horse is for pulling carts; since it can't pull, it can't stay."

"It can't pull, so you discard it? I want it! I'll treat its illness!" Tuan Tuan, looking at the old horse with aching compassion, shouted, "How much silver? I'll buy it!"

The steward, eager to wrap up the incident, casually quoted a price.

Xiao Er promptly handed him the silver; the steward immediately summoned the two who had returned with another horse and untied the old horse from the carriage.

Freed from the heavy load, the old horse caught its breath a bit, but remained droopy‑headed and listless.

Tuan Tuan walked up to the old horse, stretched out her little hand, and gently stroked its wet nose bridge. The old horse obediently lowered its head, rubbing against her palm.

Tuan Tuan felt itchy, giggling nonstop: 'So obedient!'

Xiao Er smiled at his young lady: 'Our young lady is just kind-hearted!'

Tuan Tuan stretched out her little hand: 'Uncle Er, hold me! Come closer!'

Xiao Er scooped her up in one go and brought her near the old horse.

Tuan Tuan gently stroked its big head, leaned close to its ear, and muttered: 'Step on that bastard who hit you!'

'Uncle Er, let's go!' Xiao Er took hold of the old horse.

The old horse shook its head, let out a loud snort, slowly turned, and walked toward the shop.

The coachman had just recovered from Xiao Er's punch, cursing as he pushed himself up from the ground.

As the old horse passed by him, its hind hoof landed squarely on the back of the hand that had just whipped him!

Ah—!

A pig‑like scream suddenly rang out.

The coachman curled up in pain, tears and snot streaming.

The old horse, as if it had done nothing, lifted its hoof nonchalantly and slowly walked away.

Tuan Tuan burst out laughing with a 'puchi', revealing shallow dimples.

Xiao Ningxun's lips curled; Xiao Ran muttered under his breath, 'Serves him right.'

The steward's face twitched a few times; he ultimately said nothing, glaring fiercely at the unlucky coachman: 'Hurry up and deliver the grain!'

The coachman clambered onto the grain cart, grumbling, unable to lift the whip, and drove off.

Shortly after, Lu Qi, Zhou Ping, and Zhou An returned, nodding slightly to Xiao Ningxun.

Xiao Ningxun understood: 'Let's go! We'll talk back.'

The group bade farewell to Kong An, leading the old horse toward the inn.