Chapter 77: Buying Horses

When she heard the name Huang San, Chi Nan Yi felt it was somewhat familiar.

This meant it was someone who had appeared in the original owner's memories.

Only upon seeing these sick horses did Chi Nan Yi confirm her conjecture.

In her memories, in the previous life, the Duke of Zhenguo's family was destroyed and wiped out, and the Princess of Yuqin Guo was not spared either. The ruler of Yuqin Guo, in profound grief, accused Qi Guo of failing to take proper care of his daughter, and thus a great army pressed upon the border. At that time, Mo Junyan's legs were already crippled, yet he still led the army into battle. That campaign was fought with extreme difficulty, the main reason being that Yuqin Guo's cavalry was fierce and their warhorses superb. Mo Junyan's cavalry was no inferior to Yuqin Guo's, but over eighty percent of those cavalrymen's warhorses were sick horses.

In a single clash, more than half were killed or wounded.

Although Yuqin Guo ultimately withdrew its troops, Qi Guo paid an exceedingly heavy price.

Prince Li, once regarded as a god by the people of Qi Guo, nearly lost his life.

And the one who sold these sick horses into the military camp was a man named Huang San.

And Chi Nan Yi had heard the name Huang San from Mo Junheng's own mouth. Most importantly, before Mo Junheng ascended the throne, he suddenly gained a thousand-man iron cavalry under his command. Those horses were exceptionally fine, and presumably were also purchased from this man named Huang San. Capable of

By rights, someone like Huang San should have had no possibility whatsoever of selling horses into the military camp. The court had designated officials responsible for procuring horses. That he could sell horses into the camp—and sick horses at that—meant someone had smoothed the way for him.

And that person…

Chi Nan Yi's eyes narrowed slightly.

Other than Mo Junheng, there could be no one else.

This grandson was truly treacherous! Mo Junheng was in cahoots with him, and this Huang San was no good either.

But wasn't Mo Junheng afraid that by doing this, Mo Junyan would be defeated and Yuqin Guo would drive straight in?

Many conjectures flashed through her mind, but before she could dwell on them further, she heard Huang San say, "This top-quality horse doesn't come cheap."

"Even if it's not cheap, there must be a figure. Let alone ordinary horses, even warhorses only cost a few dozen taels of silver—you can't be asking for a hundred taels!"

Hearing her say this, Huang San smiled and said, "It wouldn't go that far, but fifty taels is what I'd have to sell them for."

"Fifty taels?" Chi Nan Yi gave a cold laugh. "You're really selling your horses as warhorses? Asking for that much silver—why don't you just go rob someone? Brother San, let's go."

Chi Huai Qian, thinking she truly did not want to buy, turned around quite decisively and prepared to leave.

"Hey, hey, hey! Come back, come back. My horses are even better than the warhorses in the military camp right now."

"Oh? Is that so?" Hearing him say this, Chi Nan Yi revealed a look of slight interest. "Better than the court's warhorses? Don't tell me they're horses from Yuqin Guo?"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of wariness flashed through Huang San's eyes.

"How do you know about Yuqin Guo's horses?"

"Who doesn't know that Yuqin Guo's horses are excellent? It's just that Yuqin Guo's horses are simply impossible to buy in Qi Guo. Don't tell me you're still trying to pull one over on us!"

"What do you mean, pull one over? I, Huang San, swear to the heavens—these horses were bought from Yuqin Guo."

"Boasting."

"What do you mean, boasting?" Huang San patted his chest and guaranteed, "Come with me and take a look. If they don't meet your eye, then treat me, Huang San, like a fart!"

Hearing this, Chi Huai Qian silently turned his head away.

A liar—he was already a fart to begin with.

"Alright." Chi Nan Yi nodded. "I'll trust you this once. If they're truly good ones, I certainly won't shortchange you on the silver."

"You got it!" Huang San led the way in front, passing through several corridors, and the view suddenly opened up before them—a large expanse of stables appeared.

Every single horse was kept in a separate stall, showing that they were indeed far more precious than the ones outside.

Chi Nan Yi's gaze fell upon those horses, and her eyes couldn't help but light up.

Fine horses—truly fine horses!

These horses' coats gleamed with luster, their eyes were bright, and their builds were sturdy and powerful, standing quite a bit taller than ordinary horses. They were indeed horses from Yuqin Guo, without a doubt.

"What do you think?"

Chi Nan Yi smiled and said, "Shopkeeper Huang does indeed have some fine goods." She nodded. "How much silver per horse?"

Huang San rubbed his hands together, reached out, and gestured. "Fifty taels."

Fifty taels…

If they were Yuqin Guo warhorses, that wouldn't be expensive.

But what she wanted to buy now was not just one.

Chi Nan Yi looked at those stables and said coolly, "How many horses like this do you have?"

"What does the customer mean…"

"However many you have, I want them all."

Hearing her say this, Huang San was taken aback. However many she wanted, she'd take however many?

"Even several hundred?"

Chi Nan Yi nodded. "That's right. It's just that the price will have to be a bit cheaper."

"Customer, what do you need so many horses for?" A shrewd gleam flashed in Huang San's small eyes.

"I'm spending silver to get things done—why do you ask so many questions?" Chi Nan Yi lifted her chin slightly and said coolly, "Just tell me—how many horses do you have, and will you sell or not?"

"I have a hundred horses like this."

A hundred?

In the previous life, Mo Junheng had managed to obtain a thousand.

It seemed this Huang San was holding back!

"Just this little bit." Chi Nan Yi curled her lips and turned to Chi Huai Qian, saying, "Brother San, this isn't even enough for us to race horses for fun!"

"Ah, right, right…"

Race horses?

What was that?

Hearing Chi Nan Yi say this, Huang San swallowed. "Then how many does the customer need?"

"One thousand horses. Not one less."

A thousand horses? How did she know he just happened to have exactly a thousand on hand?

"If you have enough, two thousand would do as well."

"No, no, no, I don't, I really don't." Huang San thought for a moment. "For a thousand horses, how much silver can you offer, sir?"

"How much do you want?"

"Forty-nine thousand taels."

"An item worth tens of thousands of taels, and you're only knocking a thousand taels off for me?"

In her previous life, given Mo Junheng's stingy ways, he never would have forked out fifty thousand taels to buy warhorses—thirty thousand would have been the absolute limit.

"Thirty-five thousand taels."

"Thirty-five thousand taels? No, no, far too little. So many horses—I spent quite a bit of silver getting them out of Yuqin Guo."

"Then how much do you want? Don't tell me forty-five thousand taels. These horses need a fair amount of silver in fodder every day, and the weather outside is getting colder by the day. If they freeze or fall ill and a few die, your losses will be even greater."

Huang San's eyes darted, and he held up four fingers. "Forty thousand taels. Not a tael less."

Chi Nan Yi nodded. "Agreed." She accepted without hesitation. "But I can't take these horses away today. Tomorrow, then."

"And the silver…"

Chi Nan Yi pulled two banknotes from her robe. "This is a deposit. Tomorrow I'll bring the remaining silver and take the horses away at the same time."

"Good, it's a deal." Huang San cheerfully pocketed the banknotes, his eyes brimming with smiles. "Rest assured, miss—tomorrow, cash on delivery."

"Good."

Leaving the manor, Chi Nan Yi had barely stepped into the alleyway when she caught sight of Gao Feng's figure from the corner of her eye.

Chi Nan Yi frowned, alarm bells ringing in an instant.

This Huang San was no good—there was no telling what other ideas he might cook up.