Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 279 Sick Horse
Zhao Zhen and the others left Zhangwafang Village, chatting and laughing all the way back to the county town. Zhao Zhen thought that Hu Sanniang didn't come to the main world often, so they were not in a hurry to go home, and instead accompanied Hu Sanniang to wander around.

Ji Minghan and Ji Mingdan acted as guides, visiting all the famous snacks and rouge and powder shops, and watching puppet shows, acrobatics, and wrestling shows on the streets. It was not until dusk that Zhao Zhen and his party returned to the South Market House.

At dinner time, Zhao Zhen wanted to ask Lu Zhuocheng to join him, but the shopkeeper said that Manager Lu had not returned yet, so Zhao Zhen had to go to the agreed place by himself.

On the afternoon of the second day, Zhao Zhen went to Bailiu Village and completed the rattan armor transaction with Zhang Jian who came with a convoy.

After they met, Zhang Jian said to Zhao Zhen, "Li Zheng Zhao, because each family collected blood vines, I collected more vine armor. This time I brought 400 sets of vine armor. Do you want them all, brother?"

Zhao Zhen said, "It's only about 270 strings of cash, which I can afford. I wonder how much Xueteng Zhang Lizheng brought?"

Zhang Jian smiled and said, "There are more blood vines in recent years than in previous years. The brothers also want more vines and vine armors. Each family has taken out the blood vines at the bottom of the box. There are 74 bundles in total, and two bundles of green blood vines."

"Green Blood Vine?"

"Yes, this Green Blood Vine is even rarer than Blood Vine. Each family only collects a bunch or half a bunch, and it is not easy to sell on normal days. Brother, you are a big customer, so I will take the initiative to collect it and go back to settle the bill with each family. This bundle will cost 100 strings of cash. Brother, take a look at the Green Blood Vine." As he said that, Zhang Jian signaled two men to take two bundles of Green Blood Vine from the cart.

world log
Green Blood Vine: First level, the blood vine is formed by the moonlight, the whole body is brown-red with green, the vine is tough and not easy to catch fire.

After Zhao Zhen looked at it, he said, "This Jade Blood Vine is a treasure of the entry level after all. 100 strings of cash per bundle is reasonable. I want this vine too."

He asked Tian Lei to count the rattans and rattan armor. There were 400 pieces of rattan armor, 74 more bundles of rattan, 2 bundles of blood rattan, and 2080 bundles of green blood rattan. The total amount was 400 strings of cash. After deducting the 1680 strings of cash as a deposit, Zhao Zhen took out another strings of cash in gold and silver to pay off the goods.

Seeing Zhao Zhen so happy, Zhang Jian smiled and said, "I wonder if Li Zheng Zhao will need the cane in the future?"

Zhao Zhen said, "Zhang Lizheng, these rattans are just ordinary things after all, not like blood rattan. These hundred carts of rattan are enough for me to use for a long time. If there are blood rattan, green blood rattan and the like, I will continue to buy them. Of course, I also know that Zhang Lizheng is in a difficult situation. So, for every bundle of blood rattan, I will buy five carts of green rattan, and for every bundle of green blood rattan, I will buy fifty carts of green rattan. How about that?"

Zhang Jian was delighted when he heard this and said, "Brother Zhao, you are so open-minded. I would like to thank you in advance. To show my sincerity, I will give you a gift." After that, he took out a burlap bundle from the carriage he was riding in. He walked up to Zhao Zhen, opened the bundle, and handed the rope-like rattan bundle to Zhao Zhen, saying, "Brother, this is the best rattan found in Wenting Mountain so far. Because of the silver threads on its surface, I call it Silver Wire Rattan. It is a second-level treasure. However, you may not be able to find a few of them in a year. This bundle of 30 is given to you as a gift. When you weave the blood vine armor, mix it into the chest and abdomen, and the defense will be greatly improved."

world log
Silver vine: Level 2, the vine has silver threads and is extremely flexible.

After reading it, Zhao Zhen said, "How can I be so shameless as to accept such a valuable treasure from Brother Zhang? It just so happens that I have a magical fish in my village, the four-whiskered carp, which is the best for improving physical fitness. I will give one to Brother Zhang today, and from now on our two villages can also exchange what we have."

Zhang Jian listened and said with a smile: "Thank you, brother Zhao. From now on, if I have any good rattan, I will collect it and send it to you."

After seeing Zhang Jian off, Zhao Zhen ordered Tian Lei to pile the vines in the drying yard, and to store the blood vine, green blood vine, silver silk vine and vine armor in the warehouse. Then Zhao Zhen rode back to the county.

Seeing that Lu Zhuocheng had not returned yet, Zhao Zhen went home and played mahjong with Ji Qingwan and the other three for half a day.

The next day, the couple played mahjong for another day, and Hu Sanniang, Ji Qingwan and the other four got along better. After dinner, Zhao Zhen and his wife sat in the hall drinking tea and chatting, and the doorman Su Dong came to report that Lu Zhuocheng wanted to see them.

Zhao Zhen heard this and sent Su Dong back first, then said, "This Lu Sanlang has been out since the morning of the day before yesterday, and it has been three days now. He wants to see me so late, I am afraid he has a good deal to introduce. I will go to the front to take a look."

Ji Qingwan said, "My husband, please go away. I and my sisters will play for a while and then we will rest."

Zhao Zhen heard this and went to the shop. As soon as he pushed the door open, Lu Zhuocheng said, "Zhao Erlang, I went to Boleji Township in the north of the city today to buy mules and horses for a county official. I saw a good horse. Are you interested?"

Zhao Zhen heard this and said, "Who would be willing to sell this BMW? I'm afraid the price would be quite high, right?"

Lu Zhuocheng said, "Brother, don't worry. Let me explain in detail. This horse is indeed a mare, six years old, with a date-colored body, long hair on the neck, and a tail as black as coal. This horse is also famous in Boleji Township. It's a pity that the horse has been sick recently. Its ears are drooping, its mouth is wide open, and it is listless. Its appetite has even been reduced by half, and now it is as thin as a stick. Many famous doctors have been consulted, but there is no improvement. The horse is now pregnant with a foal, so the owner is planning to sell it. Let's bet on whether the foal in the belly of the date horse can be born safely, and whether it will also be a BMW after birth?"

"The owner has asked for 1500 strings of cash, but no one has made an offer yet. In my opinion, this horse can be bought for 1300 strings of cash. I wonder if you, Zhao Erlang, dare to take a gamble?"

Zhao Zhen asked: "What rank is this horse?"

Lu Zhuocheng said, "Level 3000 of the second stage, just one step away from the third stage. I heard that the owner spent a lot of money to treat this horse, and even bought spiritual objects to strengthen its physique, but unfortunately it still hasn't been cured, so I'm thinking of selling it. If it's good, this horse will be sold for at least strings of cash. Now we give up treatment and just keep the horse alive. When the horse gives birth, we will cut open the horse's belly and take out the foal. If it's a BMW, we will naturally make some money. Of course, there is also a high possibility of losing money. After all, if the horse doesn't live to give birth, everything will be over. This is also the reason why no one bids. After all, the horse is sick now, and I'm afraid the foal in its belly will probably not grow well."

Zhao Zhen asked: "Then why did you come to see me?"

Lu Zhuocheng said, "Zhao Erlang, the four-bearded carp you have here can improve your physical fitness. This horse will give birth in a month. As long as you risk the four spirit fish, I think the chances of this horse giving birth to a foal are quite high. I have brought the news. As for whether you want to buy it, it is up to you to decide."

Zhao Zhen said, "Brother, I am interested. After all, good horses are hard to find. Let's not talk about whether this chestnut horse can be cured. If we can save the foal in its belly, there is at least a 30% chance that it will become a high-quality BMW. How about we go there?"

Lu Zhuocheng said, "Then let's go." The two agreed to go to Boleji Township early tomorrow morning and then went their separate ways.

Back in the hall, Ji Xuan asked, "Husband, why is Lu Sanlang so anxious?"

Zhao Zhen said, "I heard about a sick horse for sale, but I was afraid it would be bought by someone else before it was too late, so I came to tell you. Tomorrow morning, Lu Sanlang and I will go to Boleji Township to see if we can buy it."

Hu Sanniang heard this and said, "Since it's a great horse, we can't miss it. I will go with my husband tomorrow." Ji Minghan and Ji Mingdan also said, "We will go with our husbands as well."

Zhao Zhen said, "Alright, let's call Li Yao and the other two. Let's go to bed early today and leave after breakfast tomorrow."

At that moment, several people pushed the leaf cards and got up to go back to the house to rest. Zhao Zhen went to Hu Sanniang's room today...
The next morning, after breakfast, Zhao Zhen harnessed his horses and headed straight for Bole Ji with a group of eight people.

Lu Zhuocheng led Zhao Zhen straight to the house of Sun Guan, the horse seller, and explained his purpose. Sun Guan said, "Mr. Zhao, I want 1500 strings of cash for this horse. If you want a price lower than this, please go back. No need to say more."

Lu Zhuocheng said, "Mr. Sun, we haven't even seen the horse yet, how can we dare to respond?"

Sun Guan hesitated for a moment and said, "Since you have heard about this, you must know that my chestnut horse is ill and is not in good spirits. It dares not see anyone casually. Besides, there are so many of you. If you don't have money, I will definitely not let you see it, so as not to disturb it."

Zhao Zhen said, "Mr. Sun, Sanlang Lu and I will go with you to look at this horse. If it suits my taste, I will be willing to buy it."

Sun Guan looked at Zhao Zhen and the others and saw that they were all wearing fine satin and riding fine horses, especially Ji Minghan and Ji Mingdan, who were riding top-grade BMWs. He then said, "Look at your mounts, they are indeed extraordinary. Two of the three ladies have BMWs, so I guess this horse was bought for this lady. You two and this lady, come in and take a look."

After saying that, Sun Guan led Zhao Zhen and the other two to the stable.

This stable was well-maintained, with hay and beans neatly arranged. In such a large stable, only this chestnut horse was standing there listlessly. The grooms who were taking care of the horse were also standing quietly by the side, not daring to make any noise.

After Sun Guan came in, he waved to the groom and signaled them to go out first.

Then he turned around and whispered to Zhao Zhen, "Mr. Zhao, go into the stable slowly, don't scare it."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhen and others nodded and followed Sun Guan in slowly. Sun Guan walked up to the chestnut horse, stroked it gently, and then signaled Zhao Zhen and the other two to move forward.

Zhao Zhen looked around the red horse. The horse was about six feet five inches tall and nine feet long. The horse was thin and its coat was dull. Its eyes were lifeless and its spirit was weak. Its hooves were weak and its movements were slow. Its body was shaking from time to time and it looked very weak. Its tail was also hanging down weakly and the whole horse looked listless. Only its belly was bulging.

Looking at the skeleton and body shape, one could tell that this horse must have been an extraordinary horse before it fell ill. Zhao Zhen nodded to Sun Guan and gestured for him to go outside to talk.

After they left the stable, Zhao Zhen said directly: "Mr. Sun, your chestnut horse is indeed extraordinary, but it is a pity that the horse is seriously ill. Seeing how carefully you take care of it, I believe you have invited many famous doctors to treat it. The probability of it being cured is probably not high. Now we can only gamble on the foal in the horse's belly. 1500 strings of cash is indeed a bit expensive..."

Sun Guan interrupted, "If this horse can be cured, there is no place to buy it with 5000 strings of cash."

Sun Guan gritted his teeth and asked, "Mr. Zhao, how much are you willing to offer?"

"How about 1200 strings of cash? I've also heard that it will take another month for the horse to give birth. There are too many variables in this month. Besides, the foal born by a high-class BMW may not necessarily be a good one." Zhao Zhen said.

Sun Guan heard this and shouted, "1200 strings of cash, absolutely impossible."

Lu Zhuocheng said, "Zhao Erlang, 1200 strings of cash is indeed a little too little. You should add more. After all, Mr. Sun also spent a lot on treating the horse."

After that, without waiting for Zhao Zhen to speak, he turned to Sun Guan and said, "Sun Yuanwai, you lowered the price of this horse from 2000 strings of cash to 1500 strings of cash, but no one came to buy it. Now the horse is getting thinner and thinner. Why don't you lower the price as well?"

Seeing that the two were silent, Lu Zhuocheng continued, "How about 1350 strings of cash?"

Zhao Zhen pretended to be in deep thought, and Sun Guan opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. Hu Sanniang tugged at Zhao Zhen's sleeve, and Zhao Zhen sighed and said, "1350 strings of cash. If Mr. Sun agrees, we'll do the deal today."

Sun Guan sighed, but still said, "Forget it, 1350 strings of cash is 1350 strings of cash. After we sign the agreement, the horse will naturally belong to you from now on. If you don't take good care of it, don't come to ask for the money later."

As he said this, he led the three people to the hall, signed a document in triplicate, and stamped each with their own seals. Zhao Zhen picked out the banknote and passed it to Sun Guan through Lu Zhuocheng. After confirming that it was correct, Sun Guan asked Zhao Zhen to lead out the red chestnut horse. The horse moved slowly, and Zhao Zhen also had a headache, so he had to walk and stop, comforting it along the way.

Fortunately, I took a carp with four whiskers before I came. I was worried that the chestnut horse would not eat it on its own initiative, so I prepared to chop it up, mix it with beans, and force it down my throat. Unexpectedly, the chestnut horse saw it and actually opened its mouth to eat it on its own initiative. After walking and stopping for most of the day, Zhao Zhen sent the horse from Boleji to the closer Bailiu Village. He fed the chestnut horse another carp with four whiskers. Seeing that the chestnut horse was more energetic, Zhao Zhen and others returned to the county town overnight.

When they got home, Ji Qingwan and Ji Xuan were waiting in the hall. Seeing Zhao Zhen and the others coming back, Ji Qingwan asked, "Husband, is everything not going well? Why don't you see the horse you bought?"

Zhao Zhen said, "I have bought the horse and now it is in Bailiu Village. The horse is indeed as Lu Sanlang said. Judging from its size, it is a fine horse. But now its condition is not optimistic. I wanted to stay for half a month, but because of the horse, I only stayed for eleven days. I will go back to the fantasy world tomorrow. It just so happens that I have a new veterinarian who is good at treating livestock. If I can cure it, that would be great. If not, I will at least extend the life of the horse for another month."

Ji Xuan said, "In that case, we will pack up tomorrow and take the iron materials, seeds and other things away with us."

Zhao Zhen nodded and said, "Tomorrow the Ruan brothers will also go back with me. This time, Song Wan and Du Qian will stay behind. They are both tall and strong warriors. Let them meet the lady tomorrow."

Having said that, Zhao Zhen went to the front yard to talk to Liu Tang and others, and asked everyone to get ready.

The next morning, Ji Qingwan got up early and ordered everyone to pack their bags, and they all went to Bailiu Village together. After making some arrangements, Zhao Zhen secretly conferred titles on Du Qian, Song Wan, Zhu Fu, and Hu Sanniang, and then took the heroes, the red chestnut horse, rattan armor, rattan strips, and the treasures purchased by Ji Xuan, and returned to the fantasy world together.

(End of this chapter)