Chapter 385: Coming for the People

The men brought by Banner Commander Xue found the horses hidden in the mountain forest.

Xiao’an Village had captured a total of forty-seven horses.

If they found the right buyer, the profit might be even higher than their reward silver.

The Northern Rong horses were not easy to capture. Their horses were exceptionally well-trained; every time they retreated, even if there was no rider, they had ways to take the horses with them.

A situation like Xiao’an Village, where an entire Northern Rong unit was wiped out without a single survivor, was truly rare.

Of course, no one knew this point except Yan Yu.

Banner Commander Xue’s eyes gleamed.

He inspected the horses one by one, checking their teeth and hindquarters…

“Dad, what is he doing?” Yan Yu whispered.

Yan Lao’er whispered back, “Checking their age, gender, and whether they can breed. Those bastards outside the pass are crafty; all the stallions have been gelded. But I see two mares in there that look like they might have something going on. I just don’t know if this Banner Commander Xue can tell.”

Yan Yu immediately flattered him, “Is my dad’s eyesight something an ordinary person can compare to?”

Yan Lao’er chuckled, feeling quite pleased with himself.

“Is he trying to take our horses?” Yan Yu watched the man without blinking.

Yan Lao’er said, “Let’s see what he says. If he’s not too greedy, we’ll give them to him. Think of it as greasing the wheels for your Uncle Hu and the others. A local official is more important than the emperor himself^[1]; when you’re a soldier under someone, they can find faults or give you a hard time with just a few words.”

Yan Yu felt the sting in her heart. “Horses are so expensive. Why not sell them for over a dozen taels?”

Yan Lao’er shook his head. “More than that. These are all middle-aged horses between three and fifteen years old, in their prime. At the very least, they can sell for twenty taels. A few exceptional ones could go even higher.”

“Then if he opens his mouth and asks for two, won’t we lose over forty taels of silver!” Yan Yu’s breathing quickened.

Yan Lao’er showed a rare moment of composure. “Like I said, consider it a way to help your Uncle Hu and the others get on their superior’s good side.”

Yan Yu immediately shut her mouth.

The father and daughter did not know that Banner Commander Xue was also feeling extremely conflicted.

Originally, he didn’t need to come personally for this trip. The reason he had hurried over was entirely because of the Heir to Prince Ying, his cousin-nephew.

The Heir to Prince Ying had sent word last night. Besides official business, the message was entirely about this Xiao’an Village.

The merit of killing several hundred Northern Rong was solid, without a hint of falsehood.

The men in the village looked sturdy, and the children were useful, each one like a little wolf cub, daring to show their claws when they saw the Northern Rong.

There were several particularly good prospects: a pair of brothers who were sharpshooters, a family of brothers with the strength of tigers…

Banner Commander Xue had come for these good “raw materials.”

He hadn’t expected that after a turn around the village, he would discover that they had intercepted Northern Rong horses.

Unable to help himself, he had signaled his subordinates.

But after seeing the horses, he regretted it a little.

If he didn’t take them, his heart would itch with longing. If he did take them, they were horses the villagers had intentionally hidden without reporting; their intentions were clear. Wouldn’t taking them be like snatching food from someone’s mouth? If he played the villain, how could he recruit them into the group—no, into the army?

He had just checked, and the stallions among these horses were indeed gelded. Those Northern Rong bastards were just that careful, leaving not a single loophole.

Yan Lao’er observed his expression, thought for a moment, and stepped forward with a smile. “Banner Commander Xue, is there anything here that catches your eye? If you see one that’s decent, why not help us test the horse?”

Banner Commander Xue looked over. This Yan Lao’er was no simpleton either; the news of him becoming a student of Magistrate Tian had already spread throughout the government offices.

“Then I… shall give it a try?” He wanted to see if this Yan Lao’er truly wanted to give a gift or was just being polite.

“Oh!” The smile on Yan Lao’er’s face brightened, as if this were some joyous occasion. “That’s exactly what I hoped for!”

“It’s a perfect chance to learn from you. We in the village have seen little of the world. This is our first time seeing these big fellows up close. Other than tying them up to let them graze, we don’t even know what’s best to feed them.”

Banner Commander Xue followed his lead and said a few words about how to mix horse fodder.

Yan Lao’er listened so intently he almost looked for a brush to take notes, asking repeatedly for fear of forgetting.

Banner Commander Xue picked a horse, flipped himself onto its back, and took a few laps nearby. There were many trees, so the horse couldn’t fully stretch its legs. He rode a bit further out, gradually picking up speed. When he returned, he looked quite high-spirited.

Yan Lao’er took the opportunity to step forward and said respectfully, “Banner Commander Xue truly has excellent horsemanship. This horse has a foul temper and won’t let anyone near, but you’re the only one who could tame it. Seeing how happily it runs, why don’t you take it back and raise it? It’ll save us the worry of how to care for it.”

Banner Commander Xue thought to himself that educated people were indeed different; even giving a horse away was done so comfortably.

He looked down from his horse at Yan Lao’er for a moment, his gaze also sweeping over the small child following him.

The father and son had identical expressions, their faces blooming with smiles.

He dismounted and personally tied the reins back.

Walking up to Yan Lao’er, he spoke from the heart. “Brother Yan, you’re too honest. If it were anyone else but me today, you’d see. These horses of yours would be like meat buns thrown at a dog^[2], gone and never coming back!”

“But I’m not that kind of person. Although those five brothers haven’t officially entered the registers yet, it’s only a matter of a day or two. Since they’re following me, Xue Wang, then they’re my own people. I certainly can’t take advantage of my own brothers. Let’s speak plainly behind closed doors: do you want to sell these horses or keep them?”

Yan Lao’er was a bit unsure. He asked hesitantly, “Sell? Or keep?”

“Haha! Brother Yan doesn’t know, but I have the utmost respect for your elder brother. He can draw a bow on a horse and hold a brush off it. Tsk tsk, crisp and efficient, not like those scholars who dither and dawdle… Haha, my heart just wants to be close to him. It’s unfortunate that Registrar Yan is busy today, but no matter, it’s the same if we brothers get close. Come, let’s go sit at your house for a while.”

Yan Lao’er had no choice but to lead him home.

Along the way, Banner Commander Xue shouted at his subordinates to be quick and efficient.

Once they entered the Yan family courtyard and sat in the main room, he took a sip of the tea the Yan family brought out.

Banner Commander Xue smacked his lips; it was far too weak.

“Brother Yan, I’m a man who speaks straight, I don’t like being vague. I’m not eyeing your horses. If you want to keep them, I’ll have my men who know horses teach you well.

If you want to sell them, I, old Xue, will help you build a bridge.

If you want a high price, send them toward Changping. If you want peace of mind, Longxing or Fengming will do. I’ll send a message over, and they’ll send people immediately to haul them away. Cash in one hand, horse in the other. I guarantee not a whisper of it will get out. Actually, selling to the Border Army has this one benefit: it’s very efficient.”

“In previous years, I certainly wouldn’t have let them off easy. Who in the Border Army thinks they have too many horses? But this year… sigh, you know the situation on my end. I’ve been hunting eagles all my life only to have my eyes pecked by a fledgling^[3]. I lost a lot of face, and many brothers from the first station died. Now the soldiers from the Prefectural City are filling the gaps…”

“Our Crouching Tiger army lacks people!”

“The superiors won’t let me remain a commander with no troops, but brother, the land of Crouching Tiger must be guarded by Crouching Tiger people. Outsiders will never be as dedicated as our own. Tell me, isn’t that the truth?!”

(End of Chapter)