CH 4

Xiao Hua is thin and bald, looking like an old horse with a very short life.

However, such a horse, with its own power, ate nearly half of the horse feed in the manger.

During that time, the other horses also tried to squeeze in to eat but were all blown away or bitten by it.

The person in charge of mixing the horse feed is Su Xingyin’s personal guard, his name is Jiu Jiu. He was in his early twenties and very good at taking care of horses. Seeing this scene, he couldn’t help but say: “This horse is not an ordinary horse, right? It’s so smart!”

“Maybe. It was a wild horse. After being caught by the Rong people, it kept trying to escape but it couldn’t, so it ended up like this…I see it was pitiful so I just buy it.” Said Yan Jingze. He didn’t take his eyes off the pot of porridge that was cooking for everyone to eat.

He’s really hungry…

As for Xiao Hua, Xiao Hua is no ordinary wild horse. It was the leader of the wild horse herd.

Not only did it have dozens of mares, it also boldly ran to the vicinity of the Rong people’s settlement to seduce the mares raised by the Rong.

It also successfully seduced it. In one breath, it took away seven or eight mares from that tribe.

After that Rong tribe found out, they immediately organized people to catch Xiao Hua.

They want to get the mares back, and they also want to catch Xiao Hua for breeding.

However, they resorted to many means and worked for a long time but they could only catch Xiao Hua’s group of ‘wives’, they couldn’t catch Xiao Hua.

It’s a pity, although Xiao Hua escaped, it loves its mares so it was always wandering outside the tribe, wanting to take its mares away.

Wandering and wandering, in the end, it fell into the Rong tribe trap. It was caught by the Rong with its mares as bait.

The Rong are bent on subduing wild horses like Xiao Hua. It’s a pity that they ran out of options. Xiao Hua just wouldn’t listen to them and literally starved itself to death.

They shut it with its mares, it won’t breed but went crazy and bit the mares instead.

The Rong who caught it really couldn’t do anything about it. They are not willing to let it go too so it became a stand still.

Yan Jingze passed by the tribe pretending to be a veterinarian. After learning about Xiao Hua, he spent some money to buy Xiao Hua and treated it with all his heart.

The original owner had a good horse that had gone through life and death with him. Unfortunately, it died from Zhou Zhenrong’s pursuit of the original owner.

Although Xiao Hua is a little ugly now, if it was taken good care of, it should also be majestic.

That said……after buying Xiao Hua and treating it, all his money was spent. He heads south but hasn’t encountered other Rong tribes that he cannot make money…

“It turned out to be a wild horse! The horse’s bones are very good. Take good care of it, it must be well cared for.” Jiu Jiu’s eyes shine, “I have a lot of mares over there, if you agree, it can be bred…”

Although Xiao Hua is ugly and very fierce…no one can deny that it’s a good horse!

Yan Jingze: “…” he hasn’t established a relationship with his lover yet and on Xiao Hua side, someone already wants to arrange a group of mares for it?

Isn’t this too unfair?

“Neigh!” The full-fed Xiao Hua leaned beside a mare, rubbing their dwelling.

That was the mare that was bitten by Xiao Hua before, it answered Xiao Hua with its hoof.

Yan Jingze’s mood finally improved.

His AXiu would never treat him like that!

“The porridge is ready!” Zhang Erque’s voice exploded in the room. Everyone quickly gathered around. Jiu Jiu didn’t even care about breeding, he was eagerly waiting to drink the porridge.

The bandits in this cottage are gone, but there were some pots and pans left behind. The person in charge of cooking the porridge took the bowl and divided the bark porridge in the pot evenly.

Although Su Moxiu is the second young master of the Su family, when he was with them, he never did anything special. He eats from the same pot as the others. When food is not enough, he would also have the same as the other.

So at this moment, every bowl of porridge is exactly the same.

It’s just that everyone is waiting for Su Moxiu to take it first.

Su Moxiu took a bowl of porridge but did not eat, instead, he handed it to Yan Jingze outside of the crowd: “Eat while it’s hot.”

“Thank you.” Yan Jingze took the porridge, not afraid of the heat, he gulped it down.

This porridge has some bark grass roots added so it has a bitter taste but after all, it was a nice and warm food, not to mention the porridge also has salt in it.

Yan Jingze took one sip after another. He first drink the porridge soup, then used two sticks to quickly push the bark and the rice grains at the bottom of the bowl into his mouth.

He was the first to finish it.

He is really hungry!

Unfortunately, although he finished such a bowl of porridge, feeling warm and comfortable, he was still hungry.

If only there were a few steamed meat buns……

At that moment, another bowl of porridge was brought to Yan Jingze: “Give it to you.”

Yan Jingze looked up at Su Moxiu who was holding the porridge.

It’s too cold so after they came in, they closed the door.

The lighting in the house now depends on the fire kindling. Under the flickering fire lights, Su Moxiu looked very gentle.

“You don’t drink?” Yan Jingze asked. There’s only one bowl of porridge per person, and it wasn’t much either. If Su Moxiu gave him his bowl, he would have no porridge to drink.

“I don’t like to drink it. You can drink it.” Su Moxiu said.

“Second young master, we have been drinking this kind of porridge for several days, you never say you didn’t like to drink it before!” Zhang Erque shouted.

Su Moxiu’s expression froze: “I had been drinking it for a few days, I’m tired of drinking it.”

“Then give it to me?” Zhang Erque stared at the porridge in Su Moxiu’s hand.

Yan Jingze didn’t wait for Zhang Erque to continue speaking, he quickly took a sip of the porridge and looked up at Su Moxiu with a smile: “Thank you.”

Su Moxiu stared at Yan Jingze, his adam apple move: “You’re welcome.”

“It’s great to meet you. Without you, I might starve to death.” Yan Jingze slowly drank the porridge, his eyes never leaving Su Moxiu, the emotion in his eyes was clear.

Su Moxiu’s breathing became rapid. He stopped looking at Yan Jingze, looking away uncomfortably, exposing his red earlobes.

Turning around, Su Moxiu saw Zhang Erque, he immediately said: “Erque, get ready, we’re going hunting!”

Su Moxiu and the others plan to stay in Mount Qiong for a few more days. Though their food is exhausted, there are still some fodder beans that were used to feed the horse.

These are also edible. With these, they can hold on for a few more days.

They had come to Mount Qiong for more than a month now. They spent a few days in Mount Qiong first, then went to the Rong grassland. It wasn’t until a few days ago that they returned to Mount Qiong.

Why did they do that, it was because Su Moxiu discovered through various signs that general Zhou may have fled to the Rong tribes.

Unfortunately, they came too late.

Along the way, they had found the bones of general Zhou’s personal guards that had been devoured by wolves and the helmet general Zhou dropped but general Zhou was not found.

It was still autumn when general Zhou disappeared. It wasn’t so cold or snowy then, but now snow has covered the mountains.

It’s been over two months with no news about General Zhou. He’s afraid that general Zhou…is long gone.

In fact, the reason Su Moxiu is still in Mount Qiong was not to find him but to find out how General Zhou died.

Before general Zhou disappeared, he was with Zhou Zhenrong.

According to Zhou Zhenrong, they met the Rong people in Mount Qiong. They couldn’t beat them so they ran away, then he disappeared…after that, general Zhou was nowhere to be found.

But Su Moxiu saw some traces on Mount Qiong a month ago that made him start to suspect Zhou Zhenrong.

Su Moxiu is good at studying. He had passed the county level exam when he was 14 or 15.

There are few scholars in the north. He is a genius, so in the eyes of many, he is already a culture person1. Adding his high status to it, when most people encounter a strife, they would find him to get justice.

With a lot more like this, Su Moxiu gradually fell in love with judging cases. He also began to learn and judge cases with the help of an old law teacher and so on.

He is thoughtful and very clever, he has learned very well so far.

Su Xingyin specially asked his younger son to come over, in fact, he actually wanted his younger son to secretly investigate what happened to Zhou Jingshan.

Su Moxiu already found out about this matter a month ago but Su Moxiu also found that Zhou Jingshan seemed to escape from Mount Qiong.

It is also possible that Zhou Jingshan is still alive!

He felt that finding the person was more important so they followed some traces left by Zhou Jingshan and went to the Rong’s territory.

Their clothes were obtained from a Rong tribe.

It’s a pity, they searched for a long time but couldn’t find him. They can only go back to Mount Qiong.

After a long time, it will be much harder for them to find the evidence that Zhou Zhenrong has something to do with Zhou Jingshan death so they decided to stay for a few more days.

“Okay!” Hearing that they were going to hunt, Zhang Erque responded and got up to take his weapon.

Su Moxiu also grabbed the bow and arrow from his back and checked the arrow sack.

Yan Jingze came to Su Moxiu’s side with a smile: “Xiao Langjun, can I call you second young master like them?”

Su Moxiu answered: “Okay.”

“Second young master, it’s freezing outside and the wind is also strong…I have a jar of sheep oil here, do you want to rub a little on your face?” Yan Jingze took out a small wooden jar for Su Moxiu.

“No need.” Su Moxiu said, then felt a little annoyed.

He refused, will this person be unhappy?

And his face…

When he was at home, he also used some sheep oil on his face, but more than a month with the wind as meals and sleeping outdoors…

He doesn’t know what his face looks like!

He hasn’t taken a bath for over a month!

Su Moxiu spent a moment resisting the urge to touch his face and sniff his armpits.

“This sheep oil works very well, you can try it.” Yan Jingze smiled again.

Facing this smile, Su Moxiu seems to forget to breathe with a blank mind, he subconsciously reaches out to pick it up.

Yan Jingze put the jar into Su Moxiu’s hand. When he let go, he also scratched Su Moxiu’s palm with his pinky, whispering: “Do you want me to put it on you?”

Su Moxiu: “!!!” Is he seducing him?

Now…What is he going to do?

Su Moxiu froze. At this moment, a large hand suddenly stretched out from the side and grabbed the jar: “Second young master, what did he give you?”

Saying that, Zhang Erque then unscrewed the jar: “Sheep oil? Little white face, didn’t you say you have nothing to eat? Why do you still have sheep oil?”

Saying that, he also dipped his finger to get some sheep oil and licked it.

Yan Jingze: “…”

Su Moxiu: “…”

Zhang Erque added: “This oil is really good. When making porridge before, we should put it in the porridge…Jiu Jiu, take this sheep oil to make tea!”

Jiu Jiu soon came over to get the sheep oil. Zhang Erque looked at Yan Jingze again: “Do you have anything else that could be eaten?”

Yan Jingze patted his clothes: “I have nothing on me.”

“Sigh……But you have a conscience, knowing to give the sheep fat for second young master to eat.” Said Zhang Erque.

Yan Jingze showed an embarrassed but polite smile.

Su Moxiu suddenly wanted to beat Zhang Erque.

Someone like a teacher, or other scholarly/artistic thing