Upon hearing her daughter's explanation, Lady Du found it hard to reprimand her any further, so she opted to half-believingly prepare for their journey to the town...
Mu Zhongli moved swiftly; within the time it took an incense stick to burn halfway, he drove the horse carriage to the entrance of Cai Wei's home.
"Ah——"
After parking the carriage, Mu Zhongli hopped off joyfully, his rosy-cheeked father, Elder Mu Liankui, followed, along with his chubby son Mu Chongfu.
The three generations worked as one, lifting the wild boar onto the carriage with all their might. Cai Wei and Lady Du also boarded the carriage. This time, Old Man Mu didn't coldly chastise Lady Du. He even unexpectedly smiled at Cai Wei and asked, "Girl Wei, are you cold?"
This sight might lead an outsider to think they were one harmonious family bound by the respect and affection between generations, but Cai Wei understood the old man's ulterior motive behind his unusual attentiveness.
Sure enough, as their carriage approached the town, Elder Mu subtly proposed to safeguard the money they would earn from selling the wild boar. His reason was that their household, consisting only of women and children and living at the head of the village, would be unsafe with such a large sum of money.
After finishing, he added, "If you need money for something, just ask me for it."
Can a dog spit out a bone once it's in its mouth?
Cai Wei inwardly cursed, while outwardly she sweetly said, "Grandpa is so considerate. Mother, let's listen to Grandpa!" After speaking, she secretly pinched Lady Du's hand.
Although Lady Du was unsure about her daughter's scheme, she was powerless to refuse. Therefore, she went along with it reluctantly.
With his wish fulfilled, Mu Liankui's mood improved considerably. He began to chat more, regaling with peculiar and amusing stories from the village. He even cheerfully promised to buy a flower for Cai Wei once they reached the town!
The horse carriage was indeed fast. Just past noon, the Mu family's carriage arrived at the town's most famous restaurant — "Zuixian Residence."
After parking the carriage, the three generations of the Mu family worked in harmony once again, lifting the massive boar off the carriage and directly into the restaurant.
As the last to alight from the carriage, Cai Wei watched as her grandfather, uncle, and cousin cheerfully carried the boar into the restaurant. A smile appeared on her face. With a flip of her sleeve, a stone the size of a pigeon's egg appeared in her palm. After making sure no one was looking at her, she flicked the stone, which, like lightning, traced a graceful arc in the air and accurately hit the horse's eye.
"Hiss——"
Startled, the horse neighed, raised its hooves high, and dashed off like an arrow.
"Grandpa, grandpa, not good, not good, our horse has run away——"
Cai Wei shouted, like a genuine frightened thirteen-year-old girl, hurrying into the restaurant.
Mu Zhongli, Mu Liankui, and Mu Chongfu were engaged in conversation with the shopkeeper, with Lady Du standing meekly behind them. Hearing the news of the runaway horse, all three jumped up in alarm and dashed out without another thought...
The horse, bought with fifty patterned silver pieces, was essential to their livelihood. It helped plow the fields during busy farming periods and transport cargo when the market was open. Essentially, all throughout the year, it helped them earn silver. Without this horse, their entire family would go hungry!
"Oh, my horse——"
"General Black, don't run!"
"Fellow villagers, please help, stop that horse up there!"
The three generations ran clumsily, shouting as they went.
Running like a frantic creature, the horse barged around recklessly. The townsfolk barely managed to dodge its path, let alone try to stop it.