Volume One, Chapter Fifteen: When Buying a Car, Choose BBA

“Ha ha ha~~~ ha ha~~” Zhou Wu dragged Li Baiwei away from the old horse that had just been suffering from diarrhea, both of them laughing so hard they could hardly catch their breath.

“Is it really that funny?”

“It’s just too hilarious. That man lied without even a hint of shame or hesitation.”

The two of them approached the next horse seller. Unlike the previous enthusiastic man who eagerly recommended his horse, this middle-aged man was taciturn, offering only brief answers when asked.

Though the owner spoke little, the horse itself was impressive—tall, strong, with sturdy limbs.

“This horse is good—strong limbs, tall stature, clearly a fine steed,” Zhou Wu couldn’t help but admire. Compared to the earlier horse, this one was miles better.

“Sir, this is just an ordinary yellow dun horse, not some famous breed,” the middle-aged man said, either trying to embarrass Zhou Wu or simply being too honest.

“Haha, that doesn’t matter. How much are you asking for the horse?”

“Five guan, no bargaining.”

“What? An ordinary mare goes for four guan, why should this one cost five?” Zhou Wu recalled chatting with Elder Zhang on the way to the county town and had a rough idea of horse prices. Even top warhorses didn’t exceed ten guan. Asking five for this yellow dun was steep, and though he had money, he wasn’t about to be ripped off.

“Though it’s a yellow dun, just look at its build—it’s definitely the cream of the crop. Plus, I’ve tamed it from a young age; it understands simple commands. You won’t find another like it in this market,” the man calmly explained.

Zhou Wu, however, pulled Li Baiwei along to the last horse seller.

Compared to the previous exceptional yellow dun, this horse looked quite ordinary—a typical rustic mixed-breed.

“How much for the horse?”

“If you’re sincere, three guan will do.”

The owner was a plain-looking farmer, probably selling a horse raised at home. But after seeing the prior yellow dun, Zhou Wu’s standards had been raised; all the mixed-breed horses now seemed unappealing.

“Ah, forget it,” Zhou Wu sighed and returned to the yellow dun’s seller.

“Five guan it is, but you have to take the saddle as well.”

“Alright, with no horse, the saddle’s useless anyway.”

The middle-aged man was straightforward and included the saddle with the horse.

“Brother, this horse is yours now. It’s an intelligent steed; take good care of it.”

“Of course. Bought for five guan—I won’t mistreat it.”

If this were the modern day, this horse would be akin to a luxury brand car; Zhou Wu naturally intended to cherish it.

The strong man wasn’t wrong—the horse was indeed gentle and obedient. Zhou Wu led it to a horse cart seller right outside the exchange and chose one with a canopy to provide shelter from wind and sun.

Zhou Wu quickly learned to drive the cart and went shopping in the county for grain and daily necessities. Unlike last time, this time he bought a lot, thanks to the horse cart; they stocked up on everything except meat.

On the way back, Zhou Wu and Li Baiwei were in high spirits. Driving the cart into the village drew admiration from the locals—but also envy from those with ill intent, like Niubi.

Indeed, Niubi had previously sabotaged traps Zhou Wu had set on the mountain by catching the prey first and then destroying the traps, thinking he’d gotten away without a trace. But on the very first day, Zhou Wu caught him in the act. Though there was no direct evidence, Zhou Wu suspected Niubi was behind it.

Sure enough, in the following days, Niubi sneaked up the mountain before dawn again, hoping to intercept more prey. Unexpectedly, Zhou Wu hadn’t set any traps, frustrating Niubi to no end. After several fruitless days, Niubi, who missed out on meat, blamed everything on Zhou Wu, refusing to admit his own guilt.

Seeing Zhou Wu return to the village with a proper horse cart—unlike Elder Zhang’s mule cart—filled Niubi with rage.

“Why can you drive a horse cart, when I, Niubi, am so talented yet stuck living in this countryside, barely getting enough to eat, huh?”

Consumed by jealousy, Niubi distorted his face and pinned all his laziness on Zhou Wu.

——

That night, after a long day, both retired early. Deep into the night, a shadow appeared at the corner of Zhou Wu’s yard. The intruder seemed familiar with the place, climbing over the wall and confirming the lights inside were all out, knowing the owners were asleep. Then he stealthily slipped inside.

Not wanting to wake the owners, the shadow dared not light a fire and could only rely on moonlight to cautiously proceed. However, he was unaware that Zhou Wu’s yard housed many animals.

The wild rabbits and chickens they had recently fenced in were still untrained and highly alert. Even the slightest sound stirred them into panic.

“Cluck cluck cluck~~~~”

“Hisssss~~~~”

Suddenly, the entire yard erupted in a cacophony of clucking and hissing. Even the newly purchased yellow dun was awakened, expressing its discontent at being disturbed.

“Who’s there?”

Awakened by the noise, Zhou Wu lit a candle, grabbed his broadsword, and rushed outside, heading first to Li Baiwei’s room. Seeing the door firmly locked, he relaxed.

“Baiwei, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. What’s going on outside?”

“Lock the door inside and don’t come out unless I call you.”

“Okay.”

After a brief instruction, Zhou Wu ran toward the source of the noise and saw a shadow frantically trying to hide.

“Thief! How dare you try to steal from my home.”

The intruder was alone. Zhou Wu gripped his broadsword tighter for courage.

Expecting a fight, Zhou Wu was surprised when the thief, upon seeing the sword, immediately fled.

“Don’t run, you scoundrel!”

In the pitch-black yard, two figures darted—one chasing, one fleeing. Zhou Wu, knowing the terrain intimately, was soon gaining ground.

“Ah~~~”

Suddenly, the shadow twisted his ankle and fell, clutching his foot and screaming like a pig being slaughtered.

The cries alerted villagers nearby, who lit their lamps and grabbed whatever they could—poles, hoes—to come to Zhou Wu’s aid. This was the unity of border villagers: when one is in trouble, all rush to help.

Hearing the screams, Li Baiwei, unsure if it was Zhou Wu or the thief, opened her bedroom door. Seeing Zhou Wu standing firm with his sword at the intruder’s throat, she relaxed and hurried to open the door for the helping villagers.