Chapter 216: Picking a Horse
Seeing that the Queen Mother seemed to be interested in the black horse, the herder immediately introduced it, "Your Majesty, this horse has a square head, large and bright eyes, strong and powerful limbs, thick and large hooves, and a shiny coat. It can travel a thousand miles a day without getting tired."
"Can you really travel a thousand miles a day without getting tired?" Zhao Yuanxi said with a mischievous smile.
Although she didn't know much about horses, she still knew basic common sense. If she traveled 800 miles in a hurry and kept changing horses along the way, she might still be able to travel a thousand miles a day, but that was absolutely impossible for a single horse.
"This-this, if it takes two or three hours, there will be no problem." The man looked embarrassed and his voice became panicked. He wanted to slap himself a few times at this moment. He was used to shouting when selling horses on weekdays, but he didn't even say a definite word at this time.
Zhao Yuanxi didn't pay much attention to his bragging just now. She touched the horse's mane. The horse lowered its head affectionately, rubbed its head against her arm, and made a slight, short snorting sound.
"So good!" Zhao Yuanxi exclaimed with a smile. What a good and beautiful horse!
She grabbed a handful of fresh grass from the basket and put it near its mouth.
The black horse rolled its tongue and brought the grass into its mouth, making a crunching sound when chewing.
Zhao Yuanxi rubbed its head and said, "This is it. Send it and the two foals to Xianyang and give it to the king. Let Fusu and Ziying choose the two smaller ones. Prepare some extra cheese and send them back for them to try."
Dairy products were rarely consumed in ancient farming areas. It was only after Zhao Yuanxi came here that he tasted various foods made from cow's milk and goat's milk. Some of them tasted very good, while others could only be described as strange. But eating these things was just for the sake of novelty. Zhao Yuanxi felt that they were enough to coax children.
There was the sound of horse hooves, and a young man, wearing soft armor and carrying a spear, came galloping up to the crowd. He dismounted, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager."
Zhao Yuanxi asked, "Is today's inspection over?"
Qu Ji nodded, holding the reins in his right hand, grinning, "I finished my inspection this morning. I also went outside the Great Wall today. Those Xiongnu people ran away when they saw us."
They were grazing their livestock nearby when a group of Qin soldiers came on horseback. How could they not run? Zhao Yuanxi smiled helplessly.
Although Qu Ji is now the master of five hundred, he is not equipped with war horses. If he wants to use a horse, he must apply for it.
Zhao Yuanxi took into consideration that the area they patrolled daily was too large, so he simply equipped them with a group of horses, which they only needed to return on time. Qu Ji and others were now returning to return the horses.
"I'm here to pick out horses. Take a look and see if there's one you like. I'll give one to you."
If Qu Ji felt that he was still lacking something, it was a warhorse that belonged to him. However, since he had done nothing for the warhorse, it was not in accordance with the rules. He only hoped that he would make great contributions and be promoted to the rank of 250 masters, so that he could have his own warhorse.
Now the Queen Mother's gift really made him ecstatic, "Thank you, Queen Mother!"
Zhao Yuanxi saw how happy he was and said with a smile, "Go pick one!"
"The Queen Mother dotes on him too much."
"Is Jang Geum jealous?" Zhao Yuanxi turned his head and looked at Jang Geum beside him. "If Jang Geum likes one, I can give you one. You look better riding a horse than Quji."
"The Queen Mother is teasing this servant again."
"How can this be called a joke? I'm just stating the truth." Zhao Yuanxi looked innocent.
The way Jang Geum rode a horse really matched her imagination of a female general. Her horsemanship was taught by Jang Geum herself, and her heroic posture made her look very handsome.
Hearing this, Jang Geum looked helpless, but her ears turned slightly red.
Zhao Yuanxi continued, "General Meng and General Li are forming a women's Cuju team. Doesn't Jang Geum want to join?"
"I am not good at Cuju, and I have practiced martial arts for many years, so I am not suitable to compete with them."
Many of the moves she learned were lethal, and it would be easy for her to hurt someone during the competition. Moreover, her duty was to protect the Queen Mother, not to play Cuju here.
"This is probably the invincible loneliness." Zhao Yuanxi sighed.
"Empress Dowager, I have chosen one!" Qu Ji walked over leading a chestnut horse. The horse's voice was clear and strong, and it was obvious that it was a good horse!
The shepherd began to praise the horse again, but he did not describe it as exaggeratedly as before. He just listed the horse's advantages in detail.
Qu Ji stroked his horse and said, "What a fine horse it is! If I ever have the chance, I will definitely take it with me to defeat the Xiongnu."
Zhao Yuanxi raised his eyebrows and said, "You actually have such ambitions. I thought you didn't like fighting and killing."
"I do not like fighting and killing, but those Xiongnu people often plunder us. If we do not destroy them, our Qin State will never be at peace."
Zhao Yuanxi said, "The Xiongnu problem cannot be solved simply by destroying them physically."
Qu Ji looked at the Queen Mother in confusion and asked, "Even if we kill them all, it won't work?"
"The Xiongnu issue is the problem between agricultural civilization and nomadic civilization. As long as this grassland exists, the Xiongnu will not disappear."
The Huns' economic model destined them to be unable to produce stably. Once the grassland could no longer support them, they would go south to plunder. This was their way of survival. Even if they were eliminated, as long as the grassland could continue to support humans, the Huns would appear again.
They may come from nomadic tribes deep in the grassland, or they may be people who migrated from the interior. As long as they set foot on the grassland, they will become the new Huns.
"Is there no solution?" Jang Geum couldn't help but ask.
Qu Ji also pricked up his ears.
Zhao Yuanxi looked at their faces full of curiosity and said, "Of course there is, but the Qin State cannot do it now."
The problem of the nomadic peoples in the north was not completely solved until modern times. In ancient times, due to inconvenient transportation and insufficient central control, it was impossible to rule these places.
Historically, the Qin State was unable to control the grassroots level from the central government, and it is still difficult to achieve now, not to mention controlling the nomadic peoples in the north.
Qu Ji frowned: "Why? Is Qin not strong enough?"
"You could say so, but not entirely. Qin is indeed powerful, but for example, right now, if I want to send a message to the king, it will take at least ten days to receive a reply, and these ten days are enough to change the course of the war."
Everyone couldn't help feeling a little depressed.
"Why are you so listless all of a sudden? You have to eat one bite at a time. Just because we can't do it doesn't mean others can't. If we take a few more steps forward, those behind us will have to take fewer steps. We just need to do what we should do!"
Zhao Yuanxi didn't feel sad at all. The historical process of thousands of years could not be driven by a little butterfly like her.
Maybe a hundred years later, maybe two hundred years, or even longer, someone will be able to do it.
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