Chapter 128: Showing Off

Shen Shi casually pulled Cao Jinhua over and introduced her to the old man: "She is from Dongjing. It’s her first time seeing such fine horses, so she’s quite excited."

The old man huffed and glared at Shen Shi, though his grumbling was tinged with an undeniable sense of pride—his grandfather had been a horse groom praised by the Emperor, and he was no slouch himself; he had raised these excellent horses. Even if he hadn't received royal praise, he felt he was no longer inferior to his grandfather.

He then rolled his eyes at Cao Jinhua, finding her more effeminate and off-putting the longer he looked. However, since she was brought by the young master, he had to show some respect.

With his corners of his mouth drooping as if everyone owed him money, he reluctantly offered a chance, purely for the young master's sake. He gestured toward a warhorse nearby that had become agitated by their voices: "Go on, assess it. You’d better say something worthwhile, or you’re not riding this horse."

The old man had quite a temper, and as he spoke, a fierce light returned to his eyes. He truly wished that everyone in the world could instantly become a horse expert.

Cao Jinhua silently cursed her luck, thinking she’d run into a stubborn old man and that her future days would be far from peaceful. But as she thought of the days to come, she couldn't help but steal a glance at Shen Shi, and her mood immediately improved.

Coming from a prominent family, she knew a thing or two. She was no stranger to horses; while commoners rarely saw them, she, the eldest lady of the Cao household, had many raised in her family estate.

The old man saw her looking at Shen Shi, grunted twice, and stayed silent when he saw Shen Shi didn't intervene.

To show off her expertise, Cao Jinhua began: "When approaching a horse, don't come from the side or behind. Come from the front, and it's best to make a little noise so it knows you're there."

"Horses don't have the best eyesight and can't see people clearly, but their ears are sharp. The moment you speak, they know someone is approaching. See? It's looking at us, but it can't see us clearly; it’s just listening to our voices."

"Don't be afraid at this point. A wild-tempered horse would have run off by now. Since it hasn't moved or snorted, it means it's been tamed. We are strangers, so feed it something first. As the old saying goes, 'to take, one must first give.' That’s the logic."

As she spoke, she reached into the sachet at her waist, pulled out a sesame grass cake, and held it toward the horse's mouth.

This only earned her the old man's disdain: *What kind of man carries a sachet?*

She ignored him, clearly showing off rather than taking the "assessment" seriously.

However, the horses Shen Shi had brought were special; they were intelligent. They weren't wise enough to speak, but they possessed the intellect of a two or three-year-old child. One of their traits was refusing food from strangers.

If not for Shen Shi standing nearby, subtly signaling that it was safe to eat, the horse would never have accepted Cao Jinhua’s grass cake.

"See? It ate my treat, so it can't be too stubborn now. Now we can pet it." Seeing the horse eat the cake, Cao Jinhua boasted boldly.

The old man’s eyes widened. Living and growing up with these horses, he couldn't fathom why one would eat a stranger's treat. He knew many things were beyond his understanding. The horses were fine because of his meticulous care, but they were usually very clever and never got close to strangers. What was happening today?

Wait, this wasn't the first time. He had heard that a Prince had taken some horses away, but he had been ill at the time and assumed the horses were just being cowardly. He hadn't believed it then, thinking they were stolen by force. But this time…

His expression showed he was dying to ask: what on earth was happening to the world?

Cao Jinhua continued: "Horses are smart and have a keen sense of smell, so start by touching their nose to let them smell you. Their ears are sharp, too, so whisper to them to make them remember your voice."

She leaned toward the horse's ear, stroking its neck while whispering softly.

"See? It’s much more docile now and willing to be close to you. At this rate, it’s ready for a ride… Come, let’s check its teeth."

She grew more excited as she went, so much so that she pried open the horse's mouth. Upon doing so, she frowned slightly—she wasn't a professional groom, and having her hands covered in saliva was quite gross. She hurried through the rest: "A good groom can tell a horse's age just by looking at its teeth. That takes years of experience, so don't rush to learn it. My skills aren't quite there yet, but I’d say this horse is about three years old."

"It’s a mare. Look at its build and the length of its body—it’s perfect for riding and probably runs very fast. It’s quite tall, and looking at its coat color, it’s definitely a Northern horse, but it’s larger than typical Northern horses. What kind of horse is this?"

She had wanted to speed up, but she hit a wall. As she faltered, Old Man Shen immediately interjected: "This horse is too thin and poorly kept. Look at the corners of its mouth; they’re worn bare. There are heavy harness marks, too. Whoever rode it before wasn't a good rider. Look at the hooves, they’re starting to split. And it’s too sensitive to sound; if it were in battle, the rider would be courting death."

"Young Master, this horse needs more care, and these shoes need to be changed."

Old Man Shen spoke up quickly, as if afraid Cao Jinhua would steal his job.

As for this horse, it wasn't just a Northern horse. Or rather, it was, but more accurately, it was one of the horses from Guobei County that had been seized by Zhao Zongyong.

This trip to the capital, aside from legal matters, was also about Shen Shi finding new owners for these horses.

The horse farm needed income to truly thrive; relying on imperial funding would only lead to the horses becoming thin and sickly. The horses from Guobei County were proof of that.

It wasn't that they didn't want to raise good horses, but they didn't know how. They thought grass was enough—they didn't understand the need for eggs, meat, or even bone meal for growth. They were truly ignorant. A horse isn't a pampered young master, and even if it were, no one could afford to feed them that way.

This was exactly why the horses Shen Shi raised could lure these horses away—it was all about the food.

A herd leader has a duty to lead its group to the best grass and sweetest water.

Furthermore, these horses could not withstand scrutiny. The Jinhua horse farm had strict records of its inventory. A few extra horses could be explained away in the short term, but eventually, someone would notice. The Shen family did not currently have the power of a Prince, at least not in the eyes of outsiders.

Shen Shi didn't want to bring trouble upon the Shen family, nor did he want anyone stepping on him to climb higher. Of course, they wouldn't actually succeed, but it would still be an annoyance.

Annoyances affect one's mood, don't they? Regardless, the horse farm needed money. With some spiritual energy to nourish them, these "black" horses could find good homes.