Chapter 32: The Reward Arrives and the Yellow-Wind Colt

Bai Shi and Nurse Chang sat in the carriage returning to the Hou Fu.

The streets were bustling; the sounds of vendors hawking wares, touts soliciting customers, and people conversing drifted into the carriage as a cacophony of noise.

"Miss, after this incident, the Marquis should surely understand what sort of people the Qin family are."

"For the sake of this dowry, the Qin family actually went so far as to plot harm against their own nephew."

"Miss, you are still young, and the Master has protected you well."

"In Yang Zhou, I once heard of a family where the daughter and son-in-law passed away, leaving the granddaughter to return to her maternal grandmother's home with the family assets, expecting a bright future."

"Who could have known..."

Bai Shi's face showed surprise: "I have never heard of such a thing; what happened afterward?"

"The maternal grandmother's family renovated their courtyard and spent every coin of the orphan girl's assets; later, the orphan fell ill and died without cure."

"How can there be relatives who act so?"

"Miss, although Wu Da Da Niangzi passed away early, the Master acted as both father and mother, never depriving you of anything, which is why you were raised with orchid-like virtue and a heart free of malicious intent."

"Indeed, I have experienced few of life's storms and witnessed little of human evil."

"With such wealth as our Bai family possesses, had we not entered this Tokyo of Dongjing Bianliang, we would be a top-tier family anywhere."

"In the past, I too envied the nobility of Tokyo, but now I see that while not all are tigers and wolves, none are vegetarians either."

"Then how shall we interact with the Fu Chang Hou household in the future?"

"From what I can tell, the Marquis will not act immediately but will merely change Young Master Yu's medicinal soup; once he discovers exactly who possesses such a blackened heart, the Marquis will naturally settle this grievance."

The carriage of the Lady Ningyuan Hou Fu returned to the residence.

Time drifted lazily by, and two months passed in the blink of an eye.

On a certain street, a carriage bearing the plaque of the Zhongqin Earl's Manor headed toward Quyuanjie.

Behind this carriage trotted a small foal adorned with a red silk flower.

Upon arriving at Quyuanjie,

A middle-aged man from the Yuan family disembarked from the carriage,

The Yuan family young servant hurried forward a few steps, knocked on the door, and stated their purpose,

Soon, the Xu family's wide central gates slowly opened, and Sun Shi, accompanied by the household stewards and children, welcomed this guest at the entrance into the Hou Fu.

The visitor was Yuan Bing, the Earl of Zhongqin.

Yuan Bing served as the Vice Commissioner of the Bianjing Imperial Herds Office.

As an Earl paying a formal visit, the Xu family opened their central gates wide to welcome him.

This time, Yuan Bing had come to deliver the reward Xu Xu Zaijing had requested at the Emperor's birthday banquet.

Soon, the Xu family's central gates stood wide open, and Yuan Bing, in his capacity as Vice Commissioner of the Imperial Herds Office, led a small horse through the Xu family's main entrance.

"Earl Yuan, we trouble you," Sun Shi said, bowing in gratitude.

Earl Yuan Bing of Zhongqin hastily replied:

"Wu Da Da Niangzi is too polite; this was bestowed by Your Majesty, so please invite your family's Zhang Zhang Sanlang to take a look and see if it meets his satisfaction."

"Earl, with you bringing it personally, that boy will surely have no complaints."

"Wu Da Da Niangzi, do not be modest; this small horse was promised to Zhang Zhang Sanlang by Your Majesty's own golden mouth and jade words, so I dare not be careless."

"Then please wait a moment, Earl."

Soon, Xu Xu Zaijing was brought from his desk to the front courtyard, where his eyes immediately fell upon the small horse, entirely black in color.

This small horse was jet-black with long limbs; though still a foal, its back already reached below Yuan Bing's waist.

In that moment, no one else existed in Xu Xu Zaijing's eyes; his master, the horse groom, had previously taught him much about judging horses through both words and personal example.

Thus, in Xu Xu Zaijing's eyes, this horse was simply a peerless beauty among horses; not yet fully grown, it already bewitched those who understood horses into a state of utter fascination.

"Hehehehe, truly beautiful."

A flash of joy passed through Yuan Bing's eyes.

As the Vice Commissioner of the Imperial Herds Office, he naturally understood horses.

Originally, delivering this small horse to the Xu family would have concluded the matter.

However, he insisted on coming personally because this small horse was one he had personally delivered at birth.

The foal's mother was a horse of unparalleled elegance and spirit.

The little filly had pleased him immensely since the moment she was born.

Delivering her felt somewhat like arranging a marriage for the small horse.

Seeing Xu Xu Zaijing so captivated, he knew the boy understood horses and would certainly care for her dearly, allowing the stone in his heart to finally settle.

"Young Master, I entrust this small black foal to you."

Since ancient times, a pure black steed has been called 'Li'.

Xu Xu Zaijing woke from his enchantment with the horse's color.

"Thank you, Earl."

"Young Master, there is no need for politeness; seeing that you understand horses so well, I have no more worries; thus, I shall take my leave."

"Earl, why not stay for a meal before departing?"

"Affairs in the Office are numerous; thank you, Wu Da Da Niangzi."

"Jing-ge'er, come with me to see the Earl off."

"Yes, Mother."

Seeing Yuan Bo preparing to leave, the small black foal's clear eyes filled with panic,

and it neighed loudly, "Hui-hui-er, hui-hui-er!"

In Yuan Bo's eyes, there was unexpectedly full reluctance, and a trace of moisture appeared at the bottom of his gaze.

But he still turned his head ruthlessly and walked away,

he trusted Xu Xu Zaijing would take good care of this black filly.

The group exited through the main gate of Xu Fu.

Xu Xu Zaijing saw a man three or four years older than him standing beside the Yuan family's carriage.

Yuan Bing walked over to the carriage side, cupped his fists, and said,

"Da Da Niangzi, Young Master, let us stop here. Oh, this is my second son, Yuan Wen."

The man by the carriage bowed and said:

"Greetings, Da Da Niangzi, Young Master."

Sun Shi said: "For Yuan Erlang to be out gaining experience with the Earl at such a young age is remarkable!"

Xu Xu Zaijing said: "Greetings, Senior Brother."

As Xu Xu Zaijing performed the bow, his mind was thinking,

Isn't this Sheng Hualan's future husband? I heard his mother has always favored her eldest son, Yuan Wenchun.

"I wonder if Official Sheng Hong has visited their family yet."

"Please do not see us off, do not see us off, farewell."

Sun Shi looked at her own Zhang Sanlang and said: "Jing'er, why do you keep staring at that Yuan family's Yuan Erlang?"

"I see this Elder Brother Yuan Yuan Erlang has started handling household affairs at such a young age; I quite admire him."

"Jing'er, you are also excellent; you brought honor to the Xu family before Your Majesty. Let us go see the little black filly bestowed by His Majesty."

"Let's go, let's go, let's go."

That little black filly, separated from her familiar environment and with some intimate people gone, felt somewhat irritable.

She could only neigh loudly.

Naturally, it was Xu Xu Zaijing's groom master who received this black filly,

ever since his single eye spotted this black filly, his eyeball had not left her.

In his eyes looking at Xu Xu Zaijing's little horse, there was nothing but disdain.

When the Xu family finished seeing off their guests and arrived at the horse track, Xu Xu Zaijing saw that black filly shaking her head before his master, snorting air from her nose.

This was the horse's way of showing intimacy.

Xu Xu Zaijing's little horse, on the other hand, was somewhat uneasy, constantly pawing the ground in the horse track.

But because she was tied with a rope, there was nothing she could do.

Seeing the person who had always cared for her so much shifting his affection elsewhere, she felt somewhat angry.

Xu Xu Zaijing grabbed a handful of grass and walked over to the little horse.

"Truly a fool; that is your future wife, and I even found her for you; I feel you are not worthy of her."

After feeding the grass, Xu Xu Zaijing patted the little horse's head.

He then ingratiatingly walked over to his own master's side, stroking the black filly's smooth fur, his eyes full of affection.

The arrival of this little black filly instantly stole all the favor from the little horse.

Whether it was Sun Shi or the Xu siblings, everyone was gathered around the little black filly.

"Mother, younger brother's horse is so beautiful."

"Brother Jing, I feel your little horse is somewhat unworthy now."

"Brother, I think so too."

"You bunch of children, he earned such great face for the Xu family, and you are rejecting him just because of beauty?" Sun Shi said somewhat unhappily.

"Mother is right."

"Right about what? All of you scram off to practice calligraphy and needlework."

The five children left giggling, and Sun Shi walked over to the black filly,

saying: "Truly a fine horse, this fur."

The groom said hoarsely: "In three years, Hou Fu will also have fine horses comparable to the Hai family's Yellow Wind Steeds."

"We beg Mr. to devote much effort to this."

"Da Da Niangzi, you speak too heavily."

(End of Chapter)