Chapter 120: Learning How to Ride a Horse
Editor: Atlas Studios
In the end, Qi Haoran and Fan Zijin left with their bellies full. Mu Yangling and her siblings also ate until their mouths glistened with oil. Finally, they went to sleep in satisfaction.
The next morning, Mu Yangling woke up early and ran to look for her father. “Father, let’s drag that deer to the county and sell it?”
“Mingshui County has just suffered a calamity. Other than a few officials, who else can afford it?”
“Then sell it to them.”
Mu Shi smiled and said, “They don’t care for it. I heard that the Sun family is raising dozens of deer in their farm, waiting to kill them during the new year.”
Mu Yangling frowned. “Don’t tell me I have to go to the prefectural capital to sell a deer?” She was very unhappy, for she had originally thought that it would be easier to buy and sell things now that she was living beside the county. But it turned out, she still had to travel.
The open-minded Mu Shi said with a smile, “Just keep it at home for you guys to eat.”
Madam Ma-Liu couldn’t help but say, “It’s two deer. How can we possibly eat so much? Last night, after Ah Ling and the others ate a hind leg and you shared some with the Hu family, there’s still more than half of that deer left. In my opinion, you should sell that half too. Don’t we still have roe deer meat at home?”
“Don’t sell the other half. I like to eat venison. Great-aunt, we can keep it for some nourishment. Just sell that whole one. If I can’t sell it in the county, I’ll bring it to the prefectural capital. I’ll go look for Qi Haoran. He said that he’s going back to visit his brother today, so I can take his carriage.” With that, she turned around and ran without waiting for Mu Shi and Madam Ma-Liu’s agreement.
Mu Shi was a little stunned. In the past, although his daughter had ideas as well, she would definitely ask for his permission before doing it. Mu Shi shook his head and smiled. Forget it. Since his daughter was already grown up, he couldn’t control her much.
Mu Yangling ran all the way to the camp. Qi Haoran was about to leave when he saw Mu Yangling coming over and stopped in his tracks. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re going to the prefectural capital?”
Qi Haoran nodded. “You want to go with us?”
“Bring me along.” Mu Yangling said with a grin, “Otherwise, how long would it take me to carry a deer on my back?”
“Alright, I’ll wait for you. Go back and pack up.” Qi Haoran’s eyes lit up. “Don’t you not know how to ride a horse yet? I’ll teach you.”
Mu Yangling’s eyes lit up. “Deal. I’ll go back now.” As she spoke, she turned around and ran home.
“Great-aunt, I’m going to the prefectural capital. Is there anything you want to buy?”
Madam Ma-Liu shook her head. “If there’s anything I need, I can just go to the county. Why the need to go so far? Go and come back quickly. Be careful on the way.”
Mu Yangling nodded in agreement and ran to ask Shu Wanniang. The latter turned around and handed her an embroidered handkerchief. “I embroidered this. Send it to the embroidery store and ask how much it can fetch. If the price is suitable, sell it.”
Mu Yangling took the embroidered handkerchief and saw that one side was embroidered with verdant bamboo, while the other side was a budding flower. She couldn’t help but click her tongue. “Mother, your embroidery is gorgeous. This is double-sided embroidery, right? Why didn’t you teach me before?”
Shu Wanniang tapped her forehead and said angrily, “Didn’t I teach you? What else can you do besides cross-stitching clouds? You don’t even know how to match the thread yet.”
Mu Yangling touched her nose and chuckled. “I have you to rely on, don’t I? Don’t worry, with your skills, I’ll learn it even if it means I’m going to blister my hands doing so.”
Shu Wanniang frowned and reprimanded her. “Don’t talk nonsense.” After hesitating for a moment, she said, “Don’t tell your father about this first. Let me know the price first. If it’s suitable, I can embroider a screen next time. Perhaps our family will have more money then.”
Mu Yangling blinked and couldn’t help but smile. Nodding, she promised, “Mother, don’t worry. I definitely won’t tell Father.” Mu Yangling hid the handkerchief in her sleeves before running out to greet Mu Shi. She took three deer whips and picked up the deer before running off.
Mu Shi only had time to say, “Be careful.”
Mu Yangling threw the deer into Qi Haoran’s carriage and sat in front of him. As she grabbed the reins, she asked excitedly, “I’ll take off now, okay?”
The moment Qi Haoran nodded, Mu Yangling imitated Qi Haoran and tapped the horse with the tip of her foot. The horse leaped out. Qi Haoran leaned back and hugged Mu Yangling’s waist, startled.
While Mu Yangling laughed heartily against the wind, Qi Haoran’s face darkened as he shouted, “Slow down, slow down. Watch the road. Are you going into the forest?”
Mu Yangling hurriedly tugged at the rope, wanting the horse to move to the right. Unexpectedly, the horse leaned more and more to the left. Qi Haoran had no choice but to hold her hand and relax the reins. He said, “You can’t hold the reins tightly. This will make the horse uncomfortable. Relax a little. Use your left leg to touch the horse’s stomach slightly. When you pull the reins to the right, it will move to the right. You have to control your strength well and not be too anxious.”
Only then did Mu Yangling calm down and listen carefully to Qi Haoran’s teachings.
Initially, Fan Zijin was sitting on his horse and waiting to watch them make a fool of themselves. However, when he saw that Mu Yangling could control the horse by herself at the second attempt, he could not help but purse his lips. This was similar to Qi Haoran’s skills. It seemed like she was a quick learner.
Mu Yangling invited Fan Zijin. “Do you want to come with us? We’ll run over first and then run back.”
“As if I have nothing better to do.”
Mu Yangling was also straightforward. “Alright, stay behind and help us look after the things in the carriage. We’ll be back soon.” With that, she turned her horse around and slowly galloped forward.
Fan Zijin, who was left behind, could not suppress his anger. So in the end, he had to play guard to their goods huh.
By the time the convoy arrived at the city gate, Mu Yangling and Qi Haoran had already run back and forth three times. She didn’t dare to say that she already knew how to ride a horse, but at least in the future, when she needed to escape on a horse, she would be able to ride it and know how to control the direction and speed up.
When they arrived at the prefectural capital, Mu Yangling had to part ways from Qi Haoran. She jumped down from her horse and said, “Remember to look for me when you go back tonight. I still have to ride your horse back.”
“No problem, but where can I find you? You might as well come to the Qi Residence.”
“Alright, I’ll look for you at the Qi Residence after I’m done.”
Fan Zijin glanced at her deer and asked, “Who are you planning to sell the deer to?”
“To an eatery or restaurant.” The Mu family mostly sold their prey to them.
Fan Zijin frowned slightly and said, “How much money can you earn? You might as well sell it to the rich families in the prefectural capital.”
Not wanting to interact with them, Mu Yangling frowned. In the past, when she went to the eateries to sell prey, she had also met people who wanted to buy prey from her. However, those people looked down on people like Mu Shi. Not only that, but they even ordered Mu Shi and the others around as if they were their servants. Hence, the Mu father and daughter didn’t like to deal with those rich people.
Although they earned less selling to the eateries and restaurants, they were interacting as equals. There was no such thing as who was of higher status.
Mu Yangling thought for a moment and shook her head. “Forget it. I’ll just sell it to the eateries and restaurants. I don’t know those rich people.”
Fan Zijin said with a smile, “We can introduce you. Although we haven’t been in Xingzhou for long, we still know a lot of people.”