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Traveling had become a problem. Yu Chunmiao didn't want to take the Donkey Cart; she wanted to ride a horse. In this era, even the larger inns had stables, but where could they get horses?
After they got out of the bathtub, Yu Chunmiao lay on the bed, pondering this issue. Qi Chong held her close, already impatient and eager. They passed through the county and planned to borrow two horses from Lu Ziyou, who had four.
As he spoke, he leaned in to kiss her. "What's so great about riding a horse meant for pulling a cart?" Yu Chunmiao pushed him away playfully and said, "I want one that runs fast with slender legs. Think of something quickly!"
Qi Chong sighed in resignation and lay back, brainstorming with her. After a moment, he suggested, "How about we check out that place on Ancient Mulberry Alley by the South Bridge Street in Qingstone County? They have a well at the entrance."
Yu Chunmiao suddenly sat up, startling Qi Chong. Her face lit up with excitement. "Military Horse? Wow! I don't know if Wu Dalang is home, but let's just say it's settled! If he's not home, we can go to the Lu Family!"
"Dalang? You're getting too familiar with him," Qi Chong said, feeling jealous. "Even though we're related now, it doesn't mean you should be so close with him. You don't even call me that."
Seeing Qi Chong sulking over the nickname, Yu Chunmiao smiled mischievously. "Come here; let me tell you a story about Wu Dalang." She nestled back into his arms and began to narrate:
"Once upon a time, he was short and stocky, making a living selling pancakes. Unfortunately, after taking some medicine, he met his demise."
"What do you think, Dalang? Is this story interesting?"
Qi Chong wrinkled his nose in disdain. "Don't call me that; just stick to calling me your husband."
Yu Chunmiao had heard that the term 'husband' originated from eunuchs, but she didn't want to bring that up.
When they arrived at the county, Wu Dayong really wasn't there; he was busy packing his belongings.
As soon as Qi Chong saw him, he laughed and affectionately draped an arm over his shoulder. "Dalang, can I borrow two horses for half a month? I'll return them afterward."
Wu Dayong was taken aback; it was the first time Qi Chong had been so friendly with him and he had never seen him smile like that before. Hearing him call him 'Dalang' made Wu Dayong feel deeply moved.
However, lending out military horses came with risks; if they encountered an inspection, Wu Dayong could face legal trouble. But seeing Qi Chong smile at him and call him 'Dalang', he decided to lend them anyway.
"We have horses available," he said, "but you need to take my Military Token with you. If you run into any inspections, just say you're escorting troops back home to Linjiang Prefecture."
This is Wu Dayong's military position, which is quite high; he must be at least a Fifth-Rank General. The journey to Linjiang Prefecture and back would take at least two months. So where are our horses? Perhaps we should just forget it, Yu Chunmiao began to regret her impulsiveness.
She hadn't expected the Military Horse regulations to be so strict. However, it was not wartime now, and the Military Horse management wasn't as stringent; there were also civilians who traded horses, though not many. Wu Dayong waved his hand and said, "When you return, just return the horse to the county office, and I'll write a document for you. Anyway, I plan to resign from my official position; keeping these horses is useless, and they all need to be returned."
Thus, the two of them each mounted a horse, with Yu Chengwei leading the way as they set off towards Huizhou. Qi Chong couldn't ride a horse, so Yu Chunmiao taught him along the way, inadvertently becoming a riding instructor.
"Hold the reins with your palms facing each other, thumbs up, and press down with your heels," she instructed.
"Yu Chunmiao, how come you can ride now?" Yu Chengwei asked as he drove the donkey cart, unable to hide his curiosity.
Excitedly forgetting that he was there, Yu Chunmiao found an excuse: "Our family just made a connection with a military officer by marriage, so I took some time to learn from him. Qi Chong was busy and didn’t learn anything; now I'm teaching him on the spot."
"Oh, I see! You're quite clever," Yu Chengwei completely believed her because Yu Chunmiao had never spoken foolishly before; he never imagined she would lie.
In a deserted section of the official road, Yu Chunmiao said, "Let me show you how it's done."
With confidence, she squeezed her legs together, but the horse didn’t move.
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