Once known as a poor village around Wild Boar Ravine, its old houses had been replaced with new ones. With the help of that powerful figure, the lives of the villagers in Fan Family Village improved day by day. Junjun’s buyer was a hired hand working for the household of that influential man.
At the beginning of the chen hour, the hired hand arrived at the Qin family’s gate as promised. After examining Junjun’s teeth and checking his health, the worker grasped the reins and cupped his hands to Qin Yi.
“The payment and goods are settled, Hunter Qin. If there’s nothing else, I will head back.”
The moment the worker took hold of the reins, Qin Lang’s eyes turned red. He turned away and rubbed his eyes with his small hand, trying to stop the tears that were about to fall. His elder brother had once said that a person must keep his word. No matter how reluctant he might feel, once something had been promised, it had to be done.
Perhaps sensing a stranger holding his reins, Junjun grew uneasy, tossing his head and stamping his hooves. His bright black eyes remained fixed on Qin Yi. Qin Yi seemed not to have slept all night, and dark circles had formed beneath his eyes. His slender hand stroked Junjun’s mane again and again. Thinking that after today he would never run alongside Junjun again, his voice grew hoarse, as though smoked for a long time.
“Please wait a moment.”
He gently patted Junjun’s neck before turning toward the corridor. Under the eaves were two bundles of fresh thatch grass. The broken stems were still moist with juice, giving off a sweet scent. Qin Yi lifted one bundle in each hand and quickly returned to Junjun’s side.
“These are pasture seeds I brought back from the frontier. Junjun likes to eat this grass. Take these two bundles with you first so he will not feel too uncomfortable when he arrives.”
Large households had stable hands specially responsible for feeding horses, and the fodder they used varied from family to family. Qin Yi did not know what kind of feed the Fan family used, and he feared Junjun might refuse to eat it. That morning he had cut two large bundles of grass.
He had thought he could calmly watch Junjun leave, yet when he personally tied the bundles of grass onto the horse’s back, he suddenly could not hold himself together. Qin Yi lowered his head and closed his eyes, trying to steady his disordered breathing. After checking the rope securing the grass, he waved to the worker.
“I will not see you off.”
The tall horse carried two towering bundles of grass on his back. Even though someone was leading him, Junjun took a few steps and kept turning his head back. His large eyes were filled with confusion. Why was his master not walking in front of him?
Seeing his companion leaving, General hurried after him, but noticing his master still standing beneath the eaves, he abruptly stopped. Restlessly he stood at the courtyard gate, as if sensing something. His curled, upright tail slowly drooped down.
“Waa— I want Junjun! I want Junjun!”
When the swaying bundles of grass on the horse’s back finally disappeared from view, Qin Lang could no longer deceive himself. He rushed down the corridor and ran desperately along the road Junjun had taken. He ran so fast that he did not even notice when one of his shoes fell off.
Qin Lang’s face was streaked with tears. He cried loudly and uncontrollably. The child who usually spoke in soft, gentle tones burst forth with the strongest emotion he had ever shown.
“Qin Lang, Qin Lang, stop chasing!”
Suddenly Qin Lang’s body lifted off the ground. Qin Yi grabbed his younger brother and held him tightly in his arms. Suspended in the air, Qin Lang struggled like an angry little beast, pushing and kicking Qin Yi while hoarsely demanding an answer.
“Why? Why did you sell Junjun? Give Junjun back to me, give him back—”
With Qin Yi’s strength, restraining Qin Lang’s thin arms and legs would have been effortless. Yet he did nothing. He simply held Qin Lang tightly while staring in the direction Junjun had disappeared.
No matter how Qin Lang kicked and struggled, Qin Yi remained still and silent. Only when Qin Lang grew too exhausted to move did he finally look away and carry his younger brother back toward home.
Qin Lang clung to Qin Yi’s neck. After venting his emotions, his entire body felt weak. He could only stare ahead with vacant eyes while silent tears streamed down his face. Thinking that he would never see Junjun again, imagining the horse laboring in someone else’s home, hungry, cold, and overworked, Qin Lang’s tears fell even faster.
Jian Jia stood at the fork in the road leading to Fan Family Village, stretching her neck toward the direction of the Qin house. The hired hand from the Fan family had been gone for so long. Why had he not appeared yet? Could there be another path leading to Fan Family Village?
The possibility made Jian Jia’s expression change at once. She pursed her lips and looked down the mountain road heading south, deciding to wait a little longer. If the worker had truly taken another route, she would head to Fan Family Village herself.
The shadows of trees overlapped under the forest canopy. Jian Jia shifted restlessly beneath them. Her hand reached toward the small kitchen knife tucked at the back of her waist, and her gaze drifted toward the mule cart parked near the crossroads.
A mule cart looked much like a carriage, except that it was pulled by a mule instead of a horse.
Encountering a mule cart on the road was nothing unusual. Yet a silent mule cart parked at a crossroads without a driver in sight looked extremely strange. The gray-black cart had dark blue curtains hanging over its compartment. Someone must be sitting behind the curtain.
A deep mountain forest, a mule cart parked at a fork in the road, a lone woman… Jian Jia’s nerves tightened unconsciously. Her hand pressed firmly against the knife handle.
Just then, the sound of approaching hoofbeats came from the direction of the Qin house. Looking up, she saw the hired hand from the Fan family leading Junjun, with bundles of grass strapped to his back, appearing along the mountain path.
Jian Jia finally let out a breath of relief. At last she had caught up with them.
Before the worker reached the crossroads, Jian Jia hurried forward.
“Sir, Master Fan, please wait!”
The hired hand looked at Jian Jia in confusion. He stopped and politely asked, “May I ask what business this young lady has?”
Jian Jia had rehearsed her words long ago, yet when she actually spoke them, she still felt slightly awkward.
“Sir, I am… I am Hunter Qin’s wife. A few days ago my husband sold the horse to your master. I would like to redeem the horse. I wonder if you could do me the favor.”
She had thought claiming to be Qin Yi’s wife would make her embarrassed, but to her surprise she did not feel nearly as shy as she had expected.
To show her sincerity, Jian Jia presented a money pouch with both hands.
“My husband said the horse was sold for five taels of silver. There are a little more than five taels here. Could you please make an exception?”
The worker’s gaze moved from Jian Jia’s face to the money pouch. He frowned.
“Madam Qin, you are making things difficult for me. I am only a hired hand. How could I possibly make such a decision?”
Jian Jia understood that well, but she still wanted to try again. She opened the pouch, revealing the copper coins and small pieces of silver inside.
“Sir, I know I am putting you in a difficult position. But the horse means a great deal to my husband. If I stand here and watch him being taken away today, I will feel terribly guilty. I will not let you help me for nothing. All the money here can be yours. What do you think?”
The worker quickly glanced toward the mule cart before looking back at the pouch with regret.
“Madam Qin, it is not that I lack sympathy. I truly cannot help you. If I fail to bring the horse back today, I may lose this job. Please do not make things difficult for me.”
Jian Jia took a deep breath and made up her mind.
“In that case, could I accompany you to Fan Family Village? I would like to personally discuss redeeming the horse with your master.”
Before the worker could reply, a slow and mild voice came from behind her.
“Who is making such a disturbance outside?”
The hired hand raised his voice.
“Master, the young wife from the Qin family stopped me. She wishes to redeem the horse. I refused, and now she wants to follow me back to the estate to speak with you in person.”
Jian Jia froze for a moment before joy flashed in her eyes. Her luck was truly good. The man sitting inside the mule cart was actually Master Fan, the buyer of Junjun. Judging from his voice, he seemed somewhat elderly. Hopefully he would give her a chance to redeem the horse.
“Oh?”
Master Fan calmly lifted the curtain, revealing a round, fair face. Jian Jia quickly glanced at him. He was plump with graying temples, holding a scroll in his hand. His expression appeared relaxed and composed, giving the impression of a reasonable man.
Jian Jia stepped forward and respectfully greeted him.
“Greetings, Master Fan. I am a member of Hunter Qin’s household. I heard that my husband sold the horse to you, and I would like to redeem him. I wonder if you might agree.”
Master Fan looked Jian Jia up and down, his gaze lingering on the plain hairpin at her temple. Slowly he closed the scroll and rested one arm against the cart window.
“When Hunter Qin sold the horse, I paid the five taels of silver several days ago. I even agreed to delay taking the horse for a few days. By all reason, I have already been very generous. Unless you can give me a convincing reason, you will not be able to redeem this horse today.”
Jian Jia sighed softly. When she raised her head again, tears already shimmered in her eyes.
“To be honest, Master Fan, Hunter Qin sold the horse because of me. I am originally from Jianjia Village and the only daughter in my family. Before my parents passed away, they feared I would be alone and helpless, so they arranged for an adopted elder brother within the clan. They hoped he would look after me, but unexpectedly he became obsessed with gambling and lost a great deal of silver in the town’s gambling house.”
Step by step, Jian Jia told Master Fan about how she had been sold by her adopted brother and sister-in-law, and how Qin Yi had sold his property to gather the betrothal money.
At the end she sighed again.
“I know it is difficult to redeem something once it has been sold, but if I cannot bring the horse back, my conscience will never rest.”
Looking directly into Master Fan’s eyes, she once again offered the money pouch.
“This is all the money I have with me. I hope you can give me a chance to take the horse back.”
A loud sniffing sound suddenly came from nearby. Turning her head, Jian Jia saw the hired hand from the Fan family with red eyes full of tears.
“Waa, Master… it is so touching. Hunter Qin truly has not had an easy life.”
Master Fan’s lips twitched slightly. He shot the worker a helpless look and said with disgust, “Crying like that is hardly proper. Wipe your face.”
The worker turned away and blew his nose even louder. Hearing the long, exaggerated sound, Jian Jia nearly lost control of her expression.
Master Fan’s gaze passed over Junjun before pausing briefly on the bundles of grass tied to his back. He sighed slowly.
“No wonder Hunter Qin was willing to sell such a fine horse so cheaply. So this is the reason. To keep the daughter of his benefactor from falling into misfortune, he sold the horse that had traveled with him through many lands. What great righteousness. What loyalty.”
His gaze shifted to Jian Jia again.
“You are admirable as well. To prevent the benefactor who saved you from losing his beloved horse, you came here alone. Such kindness and sincerity.”
“If I refuse to let you redeem the horse today, would that not make me the sort of person who steals what others cherish, an unkind and unrighteous man? Very well. Let us consider it a good deed. Add a few more coins, and you may redeem the horse.”
Jian Jia’s eyes instantly lit up. Overjoyed, she bowed deeply to Master Fan.
“Thank you, Master Fan!”
She immediately presented the money pouch to him.
“All the silver is here. Please take a look.”
Master Fan glanced at the pouch and picked out the small pieces of silver inside. He seemed uninterested in the copper coins, returning the eight hundred copper coins to Jian Jia. After a pause, he slowly added,
“I rather like the plain hairpin on your head.”
Jian Jia immediately pulled the hairpin from her hair and handed it to him.
“It is its honor to receive your praise, Master Fan.”
The red horse turned around and began walking back toward the Qin family courtyard. Jian Jia’s figure had long since disappeared behind the horse.
Holding the hairpin in his hand, Master Fan watched the horse depart, a nostalgic look in his eyes.
“So similar…”
The Fan family worker quickly took hold of the mule’s reins.
“Ah, Master, I am starting to regret it. I still prefer big horses after all. That horse from the Qin family is truly handsome.”
Master Fan could not help laughing.
“And who was the one crying a moment ago? Enough nonsense. Let us go back.”
He tucked the hairpin into his sleeve. As the mule cart swayed along the road, Master Fan leisurely lifted his book again.
“A gentleman delights in helping others fulfill their wishes. Ah, how wonderful.”