Song Jinzhao took the commendation scroll and carefully examined the two horses.
Their necks were thick as axe handles, their hooves taut like bowstrings.
Even the saddles and carriage frame were included, things she had originally planned to have custom-made in the city.
The yamen runner craned his neck, lowering his gaze respectfully as he flattered, "These are warhorses recently retired from the Thunderclap Army. They're countless times better than the domestic horses sold at the market."
"Young General Qin knew Miss Song had two children at home, so he specifically had the carriage frame made and sent over together."
Song Jinzhao turned to ask him, "Were both men captured?"
The runner lowered his voice, "One was caught. Young General Qin has already led troops up the mountain for the other one. The Duke said he must see the man, alive or dead."
Song Jinzhao lowered her eyes. The one not caught was probably that Northern Reach scout chased by the wolf pack. Most likely, he was already dead.
"Thank you, sir, for taking the trouble to come all this way. Please come inside for a cup of tea before you leave."
The runner shook his head, continuing his praise, "Miss Song being able to discover the traces of the Northern Reach scoundrels is a great service to Xining City itself."
"Things are busy at the county office lately. I must hurry back to report, so I won't stay long."
The yamen runners and soldiers at the county office admired Song Jinzhao immensely.
First, she took down a tiger on the mountain. Now, she could even help with capturing Northern Reach spies, earning praise from the Duke of Qing and Young General Qin. It was truly admirable.
After seeing the runner off, villagers immediately crowded into Song Jinzhao's courtyard.
Song Mancang stared fixedly at the scroll in Song Jinzhao's hand. "Jinzhao, what on earth is this all about? You must explain it to me properly."
There were too many villagers in the yard, and their eyes shone when they looked at Song Jinzhao.
To receive praise and rewards from the County Magistrate was a tremendous honor.
Song Jinzhao tethered the horses to a post and picked up two handfuls of fresh tender grass to feed them.
"It's not such a big deal. A few days ago, I went to the mountains to gather herbs and happened to run into a few Northern Reach scoundrels, so I reported the information to the authorities."
Everyone gasped, their pupils dilating in alarm. "How could there be Northern Reach bandits in the mountains? Weren't they all killed by the Thunderclap Army?"
Song Jinzhao reassured them, "Probably a few escaped by luck. Fortunately, they've all been captured now."
After understanding what had happened, the villagers returned to their fields to work, chatting about it as they went.
Today's event would be gossip fodder for the villagers for at least two days.
Song Mancang looked at Song Jinzhao with a face full of pride. "To gain face before the County Magistrate is a glorious, ancestor-honoring achievement."
"You must preserve this scroll well, best to mount and display it right in the middle of the main hall, where anyone who visits can see it at a glance."
A pity she was a girl. Otherwise, the scroll could have been hung in the ancestral hall.
Just thinking about it made Song Mancang start to sigh.
If Song Jinzhao were a boy, she would undoubtedly be the most accomplished in Song Village, something he could boast about anywhere.
After the village chief left, the six members of the Song family excitedly gathered around, their faces flushed as if rouged.
Old Man Song's wrinkled, peeling hands carefully held the scroll, studying it character by character, even though he was illiterate.
After Second Song finished looking, he stared at the two horses in the yard and said, "One horse can sell for fifty taels of silver. Two is a hundred taels. We're rich now."
Oldest Song said, "Warhorses are more expensive. Definitely more than a hundred taels."
Second Aunt Song said with a smile, "With a carriage at home, we won't have to spend money on Chief's ox-cart anymore. Jinzhao can drive the carriage to take Qiming and the others to study in the city from now on."
Both First Aunt Song and Second Aunt Song were thinking about saving the sixty copper coins per month their families spent on cart fare.
Song Jinzhao put the scroll away safely and looked at the two men, asking, "Do Uncle and Second Uncle know how to drive a carriage?"
Oldest Song and Second Song shook their heads in unison. They'd never even touched a horse before, how could they possibly drive one?
Song Jinzhao said decisively, "I'll teach you. That way, if I'm busy in the future, Uncle and Second Uncle can take the three children to and from school."
No way was she going to be their free chauffeur.
Once the cold skin noodle and medicinal drink business got going, she'd be busy at home in the mornings and would drive the carriage to the dock to set up her stall closer to the midday break.
The school run could be their job.
Second Song, unaware of Song Jinzhao's thoughts, believed this was a fantastic opportunity. He raised his hand and promised cheerfully, "Don't worry, we'll study hard."
"Right," Oldest Song nodded vigorously beside him.
A thin mist enveloped the entire village. The late April mornings were still a bit chilly.
The three children sat inside the carriage. Oldest Song and Second Song perched precariously on the edge of the carriage frame, their ears being figuratively pulled by Song Jinzhao as she instructed them.
And so it went for seven consecutive days, until Oldest Song and Second Song finally learned how to handle the carriage.
Song Jinzhao happily handed off the morning and evening school runs to them, while Oldest Song and Second Song, thrilled to be driving on their own, looked forward to it eagerly.
Only Song Dazhuang sat on a stool, gazing in the direction of Song Jinzhao's house and sighing incessantly.
Six copper coins a day... easy money just gone like that.
He muttered under his breath, "Should've charged them for a whole year upfront. Then they couldn't have asked for it back."
Song Mancang slapped him on the head. "One mustn't be so shortsighted. Keep your eyes on the long term."
"Song Jinzhao has gained face with the County Magistrate. If we run into trouble later, we can use that connection for convenience."
"When it rains, Gao Li can ride back in Jinzhao's carriage and won't get soaked."
Song Dazhuang rubbed the top of his head, grimacing. "Dad, that hurt! I was just talking off the top of my head."
Song Mancang glared in warning. "The speaker may be careless, but the listener takes it to heart. Don't even casually say such offensive things in the future."
In the deep, ancient forests where the sky was blotted out by the canopy, Qin Yunqian led his men in a search that lasted seven full days.
He was covered head to toe in insect bites and itched so badly he felt like cutting the offending skin off with a knife.
"Young General, that man was probably devoured by wild beasts, bones and all."
Otherwise, how could they have searched for so many days without finding him?
Qin Yunqian scanned the surroundings unwillingly. "Keep looking. Even if it's just a single bone, we must take it back."
Not seeing a corpse always left a nagging unease in his heart.
Before setting up her stall, Song Jinzhao cut over a dozen dragon bamboo stalks to make bamboo bowls and chopsticks.
Once everything was prepared, she drove the carriage to the Xining City docks to set up her stall.
The bustling canal docks were noisy and crowded, with many vendors already there carrying their goods on shoulder poles.
Song Jinzhao parked the carriage to the side and moved the tables, stools, and ingredients from the cart to a busy spot.
The bamboo baskets were wrapped in thick quilts to keep the cold from escaping.
On the table were six cups of dark plum and rock sugar tea. The cold noodles and cold skin noodles were placed in bamboo baskets lined with white cloth, with ice underneath to keep them cool.
A porter wearing a sweat towel around his neck, seeing items on the table he'd never encountered before, came over and asked, "Miss, what kind of food are you selling here?"
Seeing a potential customer, Song Jinzhao pointed at the bamboo cups and baskets and introduced, "This is dark plum and rock sugar tea. It clears heat and relieves summer heat. Drinking a cup when it's hot will refresh you."
"This is sour and spicy cold skin noodles and cold noodles. They're chilled, the noodles are chewy, guaranteed to make you want a second bowl after finishing the first."
