The stable master paused, studying the bald servant for a few seconds before saying in a calm tone, "Earth-Horses?"
"Hmm! Earth-Horses," the servant nodded, meeting the stable master's gaze directly.
A brief silence lingered between them before the stable master resumed his work, muttering with sarcasm, "Do you even realize what you're asking for? Taking more than one—do you think they're blood pills or something?"
The servant's expression turned anxious at the remark. He stepped closer, closely following the stable master as he worked. "Brother Han, you must understand. I need to take the horses and get to the Lee family as soon as possible," the servant said earnestly.
This time, the stablemaster stopped again, turning with a deep frown etched across his face. "Do you even understand how valuable these horses are to the family? What kind of reckless idea is it to take them to another family's house?"
"Brother Han, it's not my decision. It's the young master's order," the bald servant responded with an embarrassed expression.
"That's an even bigger issue. Does the young master even realize what he's asking for?" the stable master said boldly.
The servant looked around nervously, lowering his voice. "Brother Han, please calm down! What if the young master hears you?"
"Hmph! Let him hear," the stable master reproached. Tossing his tool to the ground, he turned fully to the servant, pointing a finger at his face. "Do you even know how critical these Earth-Horses are in emergencies?"
Rubbing the back of his head in frustration, the servant sighed, "Of course I know, Brother Han! That's precisely why the young master insists on having them."
The stable master paused, clearly surprised by the response. He glanced around cautiously. In a lower tone, he asked, "Really? Is that why?"
"Yes, of course! Haven't you heard about what happened today? Brother Han, I have a bad feeling about tonight—it feels like something crazy is going to happen. Don't say I didn't warn you," the servant said, nodding.
In martial society, horses were essential for transportation and combat.
From ancient times, horses were classified by martial practitioners into two categories, ordinary and Earthly. While even the best ordinary horse could be bought for 20 to 30 silvers and was relatively easy to obtain, Earth-Horses were worth dozens of gold coins and were extremely rare.
Earth-Horses, essentially domesticated monster mounts, were ordinary horses that had undergone a transformation due to prolonged exposure to Earthly energy.
While ordinary horses could travel 30 to 40 kilometers a day, Earth-Horses were prized for their incredible strength and stamina. These extraordinary mounts could cover nearly three times the distance in the same amount of time, requiring almost no rest.
This made them the perfect escape tool in emergencies, justifying the stable master's frustration.
The stablemaster remained silent for a moment, recalling the evening's chaotic events. 'Something crazy, huh? Hmph! What more could possibly happen tonight?' He shook his head, letting out a derisive chuckle.
After a deep sigh, he turned back to the servant. "As much as I oppose taking the horses to the Lee family, I suppose I can't refuse you since you came with the young master's badge."
Hearing the stable master's reluctant agreement, the servant's face lit up with a wide grin. "Haha! Brother Han, don't dwell on that—just tell me how many horses you can spare."
"You can take all but the master's horse. There are five," the stable master replied.
The servant's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Five? Excellent, excellent! Brother Han, can you hurry, though? I've already wasted too much time—I need to get them to the Lee family immediately," he said, bowing slightly in respect.
The stablemaster sighed, shaking his head in frustration. "The horses will be ready in ten minutes. Wait here," he said before turning and walking away.
After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back, pointing to the tool lying on the ground. "Do me a favor and put that tool back where its place is," he said, then headed off toward another part of the yard.
"On it!" the servant replied cheerfully. He bent down to pick up the tool, whistling a tune as he carried it over to the tools' side and set it down.
While the bald servant dealt with the stable master and the Earth-Horses at the Han family's stable, the second young master of the Lee family had just returned to his room after meeting with his elder brother, Lee Zhong, at the nearby Lee family house.
"We'll head to the designated location shortly. If you succeed, send someone to inform us. If no one arrives by dawn, we will ride to the city," the younger brother had said, before departing to prepare.
Meanwhile, at the Han family's stables, the bald servant waited for the stable master to return. After a few minutes, the stable master finally appeared, accompanied by several servants, each leading a horse.
These horses, which appeared one and a half times larger than an ordinary horse, with light armor on their heads and muscles on their legs so well-defined that they could be counted one by one, were either completely black or completely brown. Each of them had a long, beautiful mane.
Seeing the impressive appearance of the horses, the servant exclaimed, "Wow, they look so powerful and majestic," unable to hide his admiration.
The stable master approached with one of the horses, stopping in front of the bald servant. "So, how do you plan to take them all? You can't ride them all yourself, can you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
The servant smacked his forehead in frustration. "Ahhh! I didn't think about that!"
The stable master, who was already in a bad mood, said with a bored expression, "Are you serious?"
The servant, with a sheepish expression, looked at the stable master and said, "Brother Han, when I received the young master's orders, I had to leave in a hurry. I didn't even think to bring anyone with me."
After a moment of grimacing in thought, the servant asked with an embarrassed expression, "Can you lend me a few of your men?"
"No, I can't," the stable master replied curtly. "My men are especially busy tonight." Turning to his men, he shouted, "Tie the horses and get back to work!"
The bald servant watched miserably as the other servants departed after securing the horses. He muttered to himself, "How am I supposed to find someone who can handle these horses at a time like this?"
Although these horses were magnificent mounts, they were not as tame as ordinary horses. In general, Earth-Horses, known for their aggressive nature, were nearly impossible to control for someone who had never ridden them or was unfamiliar with them.
"That's your problem," the stable master said. "Just make sure you keep the young master's badge and your own on you when taking them." He flashed a sly grin before turning and walking away.