The Blessed (Book 1)

113. Sign the Contract; Pay the Money (1)

“Yes, my greetings, master Xuan!”

Finally coming to his sense, Song Gengniu and his family all bowed to them, having cold sweat all over. Compared with his former master and young master, master Xuan was a lot nicer. Ling Jingxuan nodded at them, turned to throw Yan Shengrui a shallow smile, and then said to Guarantor Liu, “How about we go to look at the carriage and the cows?”

Now, nearly an hour had passed, Jingpeng was supposed to come back. Wondering how things going on with the land measuring.

“Huh? Oh, brother Ling, this way please.”

Obviously still not in the state, Guarantor Liu made a ‘please’ gesture, with his eyes peering at Yan Shengrui. When he said those words, Guarantor Liu thought he was only a friend of brother of Ling Jingxuan. And Ling Jingxuan said he was only a farmer, so he really took him as a farmer. But…what kind of farmer would look so domineering? His tuition told him his background wouldn’t be simple.

And thinking of this, Guarantor Liu was more determined to make friends with Ling Jingxuan. One had superb medical skills, a farmer who didn’t seem like one seen from any aspect, while the other looked so majestic and overwhelming, who looked ordinary but would never be an ordinary man. On the surface, they had totally different personalities, but in fact, they were of a kind, both were paradox uniting both ordinary side and extraordinary side.

“Brother Ling, what do you think of this horse? It’s a hybrid of the well-known ferghana horse of Xi Kingdom and a bloodstock of our Qing Kingdom. Look at its buttock, so strong, and look at its shape, wow! The whole body shape looks so beautiful, and look at is firm muscles, strong fours. It can run a thousand li a day, and running while carrying things is as easily as walking on firm earth to it.”

He directly brought them to a dark horse, the best one in his barn. Ling Jingxuan’s eyes were beaming as he saw it. He felt that dark horse to check its condition, high and strong, firm fours. The most important thing was it looked quite mild, very suitable for a carriage.

“What do you think?”

When it comes to horse, who could be better good at it than Yan Shengrui? Although he had lost his memories, Ling Jingxuan still subconsciously turned to ask for his opinion.

“Well, not bad. If used in the army, it’d be too mild, not suitable. But if it’s for my kids to use, perfectly suitable.”

Yan Shengrui made a circle around that dark horse and approved. Those words came out of his mouth reflectively, even he didn’t realize he said the word army so naturally, like it was part of his life. For this, Ling Jingxuan blinked and had a deep sigh in the heart. It seemed that he guessed it right, he must be Prince Sheng. If possible, he really didn’t want to have any connection with the imperial family. But seen from now, it was impossible.

“What are you thinking of?”

Seeing that he had not responded for a long time, Yan Shengrui walked over to him. Ignoring the presence of so many outsiders, he touched his face tenderly with his right hand, showing naked concern under his eyes.

“Nothing, just remembered something.”

Coming to his sense, Ling Jingxuan brushed off his hand, turned to Guarantor Liu and asked, “How much is this horse?”

“It cost me twenty taels of silver, so it’s also that price if you want. Take it as I bought it for you. By the way, the carriage needs to be extra paid. See what type you’d like. I got ordinary carts, carts with a coach, and carts with luxurious coach with soft cotton cushion and cotton-padded mattress. Ordinary wooden cart costs two taels of silver, one with a coach, five, and the luxurious cart, ten. If you make the decision, I’ll ask them to prepare for you now.”

Now that he was determined to make friends with him, it was impossible to offer any nominal price, but only a break-even price.

“The luxurious one.”

Ling Jingxuan chose the best one without even thinking. Price was not a problem, as long as it was comfortable. He needed to take the kids to go between the village and the town. How could it not be comfortable? For his little buns, it was worth it.

“OK.”

Guarantor Liu signaled a worker to come over with a hand. After he took the dark horse out of the stable, Guarantor Liu brought them to the cowshed. All farm cattle, only a cow stripped with black and white at a corner. Looks like it had just laid birth judging from its pair of plump udders.

“To tell you the truth, brother Ling, I only have this only one cow. If you want it, the lowest price it eight taels of silver.”

Cattle were very valuable in Qing Kingdom, especially farm cattle. The court even had special laws protecting them. Any citizen who killed one without a reason would be beheaded, unless the cattle was too old or caught some disease and was dying. Only getting the official permission of the yamen, one was allowed to kill it. Of course, those laws were only against those common citizens. In whichever dynasty, any law only existed in name only to those imperial family and officials. As the old saying goes, everyone is equal before law, even he is a prince, but in history, how many princes really got beheaded for breaking the law?

“Brother Zhao, sorry to trouble you.”

Although having no second choice, Ling Jingxuan did not lower his guard. It’d be bad if he bought an ill cow and got the whole family infected.

“Hmm.”

Zhao Dalong, silent as always, went over to repeatedly check the status of the cow before nodding at Ling Jingxuan, “It’s good.”