The Horse Market sat in one corner of the East Market.
A few days earlier, a traveling merchant had carefully selected several Mongolian horses in Mongolia and brought them all the way to the capital, dusty and weary from the road, hoping to sell them at a premium to the city’s nobles and officials.
Ling Qing had spotted them the moment she arrived.
Liu Yuanxun had said they would come buy one the next morning, but Ling Qing feared someone else might snatch the horse she liked first. So she rushed to the Horse Market at the crack of dawn and paid the deposit the instant she arrived.
Otherwise, given how the capital’s elites obsessed over fine horses, the little colt she had her eye on might not have lasted.
Eunuch Hong had not been gone long when Liu Yuanxun arrived at the East Market with Ling Ting.
The capital had two markets: East and West. The East Market catered to the upper crust, overflowing with rare treasures from every corner of the realm, while the West Market served ordinary folk, dealing mostly in everyday goods.
Merchants who roamed far and wide always brought their curios to the East Market for sale, and these Mongolian horses were no exception.
By the time Liu Yuanxun reached the merchant’s stall at the Horse Market, only four of the original eight steeds remained. Apart from the one Ling Qing wanted, the other three were lackluster specimens.
The object of Ling Qing’s affection was a young colt, perhaps a year old. Its coat gleamed black as satin, its legs long and powerful. It huddled close to a larger horse, its damp eyes brimming with curiosity and spirit as they darted about, taking in everything. Even at a glance, its conformation was utterly charming.
The moment Liu Yuanxun appeared, Ling Qing hollered at the top of her lungs, “Seller! Seller! Hurry up—my master’s here! I’m taking the horse!”
The horse trader, deep in lively chatter with a bystander, knocked the ash from his pipe on his shoe sole and bellowed back, “Coming, coming!”
By rights, once money changed hands and the reins were passed, the deal was done. But when Ling Qing, brimming with delight, tried to lead her prize away, the colt—which had been docile enough in the trader’s hands—suddenly planted its hooves like it was nailed to the spot. It refused to budge an inch, neighing all the while.
The mare beside it seemed to sense the impending separation. Unlike the frantic colt, though, she merely lowered her head and gently nudged her offspring forward with her nose, one bump at a time.
Seeing this, the trader’s face twisted in helpless frustration. He grabbed the mare’s reins and pulled her backward. She complied meekly, head bowed, but the colt panicked and scrambled after her, kicking up its hooves. Ling Qing had to struggle mightily just to hold on to the lead.
The trader had been at the Horse Market for three or four days now and had gotten chummy with the other merchants. As he stepped away, his fellows chimed in with a casual explanation.
“This mare and her foal came in as a pair. The dam’s a fine specimen, but she’s gone and fallen ill. Can’t sell the mother, so the colt won’t leave. It’s cost Old Hu two customers already, and he’s fuming.”
Ling Qing hadn’t expected buying a horse to turn into such a heart-wrenching affair. She stared at the reins in her hand, torn between dragging the colt away by force or leaving it behind like the previous buyers.
In her hesitation, her grip slackened. The colt seized the chance, yanked free, and bolted back toward the mare on flying hooves.
A moment later came the trader’s muttered curses, followed by the sharp crack of a whip and the mare’s low whinny.
“Hey! What are you doing?” Ling Qing bolted at the sound of the whip cutting the air. Circling past the merchants’ resting tents, she saw the lash hadn’t actually struck the mare—it was just the trader waving it through the empty air to frighten her.
Even so, the colt wouldn’t leave her side. The mare licked its face, and the pair’s deep bond was enough to move anyone to pity.
Liu Yuanxun strolled up behind Ling Qing and took in the scene.
Horses were sensitive creatures, and a mother-child parting naturally stirred reluctance. But they were animals, after all, not to be judged by human standards.
Horse trading was commonplace besides, so Liu Yuanxun had no intention of meddling out of sentiment. He had followed purely out of curiosity.
Usually, a reluctant foal feared the unknown, while a dam’s distress stemmed from instinct. Here, though, the mare shrank back tamely while the colt clung desperately. It didn’t seem timid by nature, yet now it acted utterly out of character, refusing to go.
With everyone gathered, Old Hu had no choice but to explain with a sigh. “The mare’s too sick to fend for herself, so I’ve been trying to shoo the colt away. But the little one’s wise to it—she’s not long for this world—and it won’t budge. I finally made it to the capital to sell these horses, but now I’m stuck with the pair of them.”
A sick horse was unsellable, yet slaughtering her felt wrong. Old Hu’s face creased with worry, his eyes downcast, though a faint idea began to form in his mind.
The previous buyers had all given up when the colt balked, but this one hadn’t left—instead, she had come to investigate. And from her clothes, she clearly served someone of wealth and status.
Old Hu sidled up to Liu Yuanxun cautiously. “How about this, milord? Lend me the cost of the colt, and I’ll throw in the mare for free? I’ve covered all the feed and travel expenses myself—what do you say?”
“You’re quite the schemer,” Ling Ting scowled. “You know full well the mare’s on her last legs. Can’t bear to eat the loss, so you want to squeeze capital out of my master? This isn’t some back alley—how dare you try to strong-arm us here?”
Old Hu flinched and waved his hands frantically. “No, no, sir—you’ve got it wrong! I’d never cheat anyone! In my hands, she’s doomed, but with a gentleman like you? She might have a fighting chance!”
Liu Yuanxun didn’t reply at once. Instead, he circled the mare once.
She didn’t look so bad from afar, but up close, her frailty was plain: gaunt frame, dull eyes, coat matted and lusterless.
Still, her bone structure marked her as a natural beauty. Without the illness, she might have fetched more than the colt.
“What ails her?” Liu Yuanxun asked.
Cowed by Ling Ting, Old Hu held nothing back and spilled the whole story. “Must’ve eaten something bad on the road. Started with the runs, then blood in the stool, fever for days—she nearly died en route. Made it to the capital somehow, but now she won’t eat or rest. I haven’t a clue what’s wrong.”
Liu Yuanxun frowned. “Doesn’t sound acute. Even if not, a bit of care might set her right. Why say she’s done for?”
Old Hu had his reasons. He gave a wry smile. “You don’t know the half of it, milord. Expenses in the capital are brutal. I planned to head home after the sale. But if I can’t shift her like this, she’ll have to come with me—and my village is hundreds of miles off. The journey would finish her for sure.”
If he spoke true, it wasn’t a bad deal.
It was Ling Qing’s gift, after all, and Liu Yuanxun saw a chance for some good karma. Better to take both back to the estate, nurse her carefully. If the mare pulled through, a bargain; if not, at least they’d done right by her.
“What’s the price for the mare?” Liu Yuanxun asked.
Old Hu hadn’t expected real interest. Ecstatic, he blurted, “Milord, I’d never fool you. I paid forty taels for her from the Mongols—prime trained stock, great stamina, perfect breeder. Meant to ask a hundred. But with this mess? I won’t gouge you or break even. Could you spare twenty taels out of pity? Enough to keep my family fed.”
Liu Yuanxun waved him off. “Forty it is. Hope she’s worth it.”
Old Hu stared in disbelief, then remembered to kowtow his thanks. “Thank you, milord! Thank you! Good deeds like yours bring great fortune!”
“No need to thank me—thank yourself.” Liu Yuanxun nodded to Ling Ting to take the mare’s reins, then added casually to the trader, “Plenty peddle horses, but few truly love them. Most want them glossy and presentable, but you’ve kept even the hidden stalls spotless—for their comfort, no doubt. Mother and foal hate parting, yet both mind you perfectly. You couldn’t bear to whip them, so they must sense your kindness daily.”
Beyond that, the trader could have dosed them with stimulants and hawked her at the West Market to gullible commoners. Instead, he’d been upfront with his fellows—no deceit in him.
His way with horses and honesty marked him a compassionate, upright soul. For that character alone, Liu Yuanxun wouldn’t let him lose twenty taels.
Twenty taels were a drop in the bucket to Liu Yuanxun, but perhaps months of living for this man and his family. When one swam in wealth, yielding a little profit to the kind-hearted—to ease their losses and boost their gains—was a worthy act.
If the silver had earned gratitude before, these words earned the trader’s deep respect.
For a man of high station not only to treat him as an equal, but to notice and remember his small daily kindnesses—it left Old Hu stunned, as if heaven itself watched over the humble.
Luck had not favored him: eight horses hauled in toil, banking on this mare for profit, only for her to sicken.
Yet this noble seemed heaven’s very eye, seeing his plight and mending fate’s injustice with benevolence.
Gratitude swelled in him, too vast for words or gifts. All he could do was watch as Liu Yuanxun and his servants led the horses away, fading into the distance.
Liu Yuanxun paid the trader’s gaze no mind. In fine spirits that day, and already at the East Market, he felt a whim to browse.
Because of the sick horse, Liu Yuanxun had Ling Qing take it back to the residence first, while he and Ling Ting strolled leisurely along the street.
Ever since the marriage alliance between Tianyong and Mongolia several years ago, the decades-long border wars had finally come to a halt. Goods from Mongolia now frequently appeared in Tianyong’s markets.
The people of Tianyong favored refined and elegant styles, with everyday ornaments mostly made of jade and precious metals. In contrast, Mongolia preferred vibrant and dazzling colors, with clothing and accessories crafted in bold, natural designs. These starkly different wares lined the same streets, creating a touch of discord that was oddly intriguing.
As they wandered, Liu Yuanxun’s gaze was suddenly drawn to a dagger. It was sheathed in a sheepskin scabbard embedded with three natural rubies that caught the eye like nothing else.
The gems were pure and flawless, their color vivid and striking. Just then, a ray of sunlight hit them, refracting a brilliant, dazzling light. Liu Yuanxun stopped in his tracks at the sight.
The vendor had a keen eye and spotted him as a potential big spender. He promptly took the dagger from its rack and offered it to Liu Yuanxun with an eager smile. “Sir, are you eyeing this dagger? You’ve got a great eye—not to brag, but this was the Mongol Prince’s prized possession. It changed hands a few times before landing with me. Here, take a closer look!”
