The villagers were very curious, did Su Pangya get any guidance from an expert?

Is this the so-called enlightenment? I heard that she fell on her wedding day.

The aunties and grandmas in the village: Should they go back and throw their own children?

Su Xiaoxiao didn't know what her fellow villagers were thinking, so she accepted their gazes with an open mind.

The main reason is that she is used to it. The original owner has been fat since she was a child, and she has received too many strange looks. She doesn't care and won't make careful distinctions.

If she looked carefully today, she would find that the way people looked at her was different from before.

It's not just because there's less malice in her, but I'm also unconsciously attracted to her refreshed look.

She was still the same person, and still very fat, but for some reason, the villagers thought that Su Pangya looked much more pleasing to the eye.

It seemed... to have turned whiter. The light reflected from the snow and the dazzling sunlight above her head shone on her soft and tender face. Her skin was so tender that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it.

In addition, several sharp-eyed aunts discovered that her face was a little different. It used to be a big round pancake, but now there are some lines at the jawline, making it a cute little round face!

"Fatty... has become prettier."

Fang, who was hanging clothes in front of Old Su's house, said.

Su Jinniang spread out her clothes and whispered, "You're so fat, how can you look good?"

Su Yu Niang in the room took over the conversation leisurely: "Don't say that, she is fat, but her facial features are really good. When she loses weight, she is much prettier than you!"

Su Jinniang was so angry that she hung the clothes heavily on the clothesline! The snow had stopped falling a few days ago. Today the weather was fine and the wind was not strong. Sitting on the ox cart, the three little ones squinted their eyes in enjoyment, looking very proud!

Liu Ping looked at their happy little faces and knew that they were living very well in Xiao Su's home.

Although they are both stepmothers, Da Wu is cruel and vicious, and Su Pangya, who is always regarded as a bully, is better than their biological mother.

Thinking of this, Liu Ping couldn't help but reveal an envious look.

Su Xiaoxiao happened to turn her head and looked over, and inadvertently met Liu Ping's eyes.

Liu Ping's heart skipped a beat.

Su Xiaoxiao narrowed her eyes: Why do I feel like you want to be my son? ...

An hour later, the three adults and three children arrived at the horse market that Liu Ping mentioned.

It is called a horse market, but in fact it is just a few old sheds built by the dock, where some livestock are kept waiting to be sold.

It was only the tenth day, but there were already quite a few people coming and going in the horse market.

The fat country girl and the little dumpling triplets attracted 100% of the attention, and passers-by looked towards them one after another.

Su Xiaoxiao said to the three children on the ox cart, "Watch out for uncle. Don't let him get lost, okay?"

The three kids nodded seriously and grabbed Su Ergou's sleeves. They would definitely keep a close eye on their uncle! Liu Ping said to Su Xiaoxiao, "The biggest shed is the government's post horses. Except for the post horses, you can choose anything else."

The six people strolled around the horse market. To be honest, except for the government's post horses which were fat and strong, the rest of the horses were either old or sick, and the prices were ridiculously high.

"Fifty taels? This is an old horse!" Liu Ping looked at the horse dealer in disbelief. "Don't bully me because I don't know the market. I've worked here for two years. This kind of old horse usually only sells for twenty or thirty taels."

The dealer said slowly, "Rumor has it: there will be a war in the southwest, and horses are in short supply. This horse is a little old, but it can only pull goods. If you think it's too expensive, the military camp will take it away and you won't be able to buy it even if you want to! If you really want it, forty-five taels, no less!"

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and left with Liu Ping.

She didn't care whether the rumor was accurate or not, she didn't intend to spend all her savings to buy an old horse that would only be useful for a few years.

No, there are still two taels missing.

An old peddler across the street yelled at Su Xiaoxiao, "Girl! Are you pulling goods or traveling? If you're pulling goods, take a look at mules! I have only top-quality mules here. They eat little and are very strong. They range in age from four to ten!"

Liu Ping said, "Nonsense! Horse mules eat a lot! Donkey mules eat less!"

A mule is the offspring of a horse and a donkey. The one born from a mare is called a horse mule, which is closer to a horse, while the one born from a donkey is called a donkey mule, which is closer to a donkey.

The advantages of donkeys and mules are that they have a small appetite, great endurance, and a long lifespan, and can be used until about twenty years old.

The mule is strong, runs fast, and is relatively intelligent. Its disadvantages are that it has a bad temper, is difficult to tame, and has a shorter lifespan than the donkey mule, losing its ability to work at around the age of fifteen.

"Generally, people prefer to buy mules because they can work, are stronger than horses, and are not as difficult to raise as horses. Although they eat more than donkeys and mules, they eat less than horses."

Liu Ping continued, "Young and strong horse mules usually cost between five and ten taels, with the most expensive being no more than fifteen taels. Donkey mules cost between three and eight taels. Prices vary from place to place, but this is the price here. In some places, mules are worthless."

Su Xiaoxiao felt that it was a good decision to hire Liu Ping, as Liu Ping made up for her knowledge blind spots. Otherwise, if she were to choose on her own, she would definitely be blind.

"Liu Ping!"

A man in his early thirties, short but very strong, walked towards the two of them at the speed of a brisk pace.

Liu Ping took a closer look: "Brother Hai!"

He said to Su Xiaoxiao: "I used to work under him. He was considered a foreman here."

Su Xiaoxiao said "oh".

Brother Hai came up to the two of them, smiled and patted Liu Ping on the shoulder: "It's been two years, where have you been? This is--"

"My boss." Liu Ping introduced Su Xiaoxiao.

When Brother Hai heard that the young girl dressed as a village girl was actually Liu Ping's boss, he was obviously surprised.

"My last name is Su." Su Xiaoxiao said.

The three little ones couldn't sit still on the ox cart, so they pulled Su Ergou for a walk. The other four were not around at the moment.

The other person smiled and said, "So it's Miss Su. I'm sorry, my last name is Huang. Miss Su, you can just call me Haizi."

Su Xiaoxiao smiled slightly: "If you don't mind, I can also call you Brother Hai?"

Huang Hai smiled and said, "Okay, okay!"

He looked at Liu Ping again, "I just got a big job and was just trying to find out about you. I wanted to get you back to work, but I'm late."

Liu Ping works hard and is never complaining, so there is no foreman who doesn't like him.

Liu Ping smiled innocently.

Huang Hai did not embarrass him and said gently: "I just saw you guys seemed to be selecting animals? Are you using them for your own use? To transport goods or people?"

"It's mainly about transporting goods." Su Xiaoxiao said.

Huang Hai looked around and said, "The good stuff is inside, follow me!"

He turned and led the way.

Liu Ping came over and whispered, "Brother Hai is a very reliable person. How about we go and take a look?"

Su Xiaoxiao: "Okay."

The two followed Huang Hai to a shed at the edge, and the seller was the old merchant from before.

Huang Hai said: "Uncle Yang, we are one of them."

The old dealer glanced at the two and asked: "A horse mule or a donkey mule?"

"Mule." Su Xiaoxiao said.

The old merchant left for a while, and when he came back, he had a fat and strong mule in his hands.

This is a four-year-old mule, and it is impeccable in both age and physical fitness.

Huang Hai laughed and said, "Uncle Yang, twenty taels is too expensive! We are one family!"

The old dealer snorted, "If you don't bring this person here, I won't sell him for less than twenty-five taels!"

Huang Hai thought for a moment, then said to Su Xiaoxiao and Liu Ping, "There has been unrest in the southwest recently, with rumors of war everywhere, and the price of livestock has gone up a lot. In the past, a top-quality mule would only sell for 10 or 8 taels, and the most expensive would be 15 taels. Why don't you wait a few days? I don't think there will be a war in the southwest, and maybe the price of livestock will go down after the storm has passed."

Who can guarantee how long it will take for the limelight to pass? Su Xiaoxiao is waiting to be used. If she delays for one day, she will lose one day of business.

Su Xiaoxiao looked at the old vendor and said, "Five taels."

Huang Hai choked! Girl, you really dare to chop!

Others cut off a small amount, but you only had a small amount left! The old peddler was so angry that he almost grabbed a broom and drove Su Xiaoxiao out!

"Who are you bringing with you? Are you sincere in buying livestock?" The old dealer cursed Huang Hai.

What could Huang Hai do? He had lived for more than thirty years, and this was the first time he had seen such a strange thing.

The old vendor said angrily, "Twenty-three taels! One cent less... I won't sell it to you!"

Su Xiaoxiao stretched out a chubby little hand: "Five taels."

Old merchant: “……!!”

Where's my knife? Huang Hai looked at Liu Ping, who was standing beside him. What kind of boss are you looking for? Are you sure you don't regret it? It's not too late for you to join me.

Liu Ping's forehead was also covered with cold sweat.

As expected of the little bully from Xinghua Village, this price is very low——

He was afraid that if Su Pangya failed to bargain, she would just hit him with a brick.

The old merchant trembled all over: "Twenty, twenty taels!"

Su Xiaoxiao: "Five taels."

The old merchant pointed his arm and said, "Five taels can only buy a donkey!"

Su Xiaoxiao spread her hands and said, "Five taels of silver can buy a cow in our countryside. What kind of donkey is yours? A fairy donkey? And you're still selling it for five taels of silver!"

The old vendor covered his chest and said, "Mr. Huang, if you bring this kind of customer here again next time, I will break off all ties with you!"

Huang Hai cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly: "How about this, Uncle Yang, please give me some face and give me ten for this mule..."

Before he finished speaking, Su Xiaoxiao's chubby hand flipped over and said, "Ten taels!"

The old merchant was furious: "Fifteen taels!"

Huang Hai: I was planning to cut it down to 18 taels...

The old peddler regretted what he said. What did he just say? Ten or fifteen taels? Did he make the fat girl angry? Su Xiaoxiao smiled and prepared to pay.

But at this moment, something strange happened.

The three little ones ran over and grabbed her sleeves, "Mom."

Huang Hai and the old merchant were dumbfounded.

This little girl’s son is this big already?

The three little ones pulled her to another shed, which was a government stable.

The three pointed to a weak newborn foal inside.

It was a premature foal, born two days ago. The mare was seriously injured and died shortly after giving birth.

The foal had no food and had been hungry for two days. It couldn't even stand.

If it continues like this, it will starve to death in a few days.

A foal cannot survive without its mare, so the officers and soldiers at the post station didn't take much trouble to take care of it.

The three of them looked at the pony who had lost his mother, their eyes filled with deep sympathy.

"Want that pony?" Su Xiaoxiao asked.

The three of them nodded.

Su Xiaoxiao touched their little heads. They were only two and a half years old, still at that age and ignorant. Perhaps even they themselves did not understand why they felt such strong sympathy for a lonely little horse.

The three little ones looked at the unattended foal without blinking.

Liu Ping whispered, "No, there's no need to spoil the child like this. Just buy him some candies later to coax him."

"Do you really want to take it home?" Su Xiaoxiao confirmed with the three people again.

The three of them nodded seriously.

The official horses of the post station would not be sold, even if it was just a foal. However, the situation of this foal was special: the mare had died, and there were no other postpartum mares to feed it.

Huang Hai came forward to negotiate with the officers and soldiers: "If you keep it, it will die anyway. Can you just treat it as dead?"

The officer said, "No, it's against the rules."

Huang Hai said: "It's in accordance with the rules if it dies? Why are you government officials so stubborn when doing things?"

In the end, Huang Hai found the old postmaster who once owed him a favor and asked him to make some concessions so that the horse could be sold to Su Xiaoxiao at the price of a retired old horse.

He did help, but he covered his eyes and couldn't see anything.

Forty taels of silver were used to buy a newborn foal, which could not even be kept alive.

This is simply a waste of money! Su Xiaoxiao asked Su Ergou to go to the post station to get some hay to spread on the ox cart, and put the weak foal on it.

After buying the foal, she only had five taels of silver left.

She quietly came to the old dealer's stable and asked, "Hey, donkey, are you still selling it?"

Old merchant: “…”

"Five taels!"

Su Xiaoxiao emptied her purse: "I only have three taels."

A quarter of an hour later.

A group of six people left the horse market with a sick foal and a skinny donkey.

Liu Ping never dreamed that they would spend so much money on an animal.

A complete deviation from the original plan!

While driving the ox cart, Liu Ping consoled himself awkwardly: "Donkeys...donkeys are good, they eat little, have strong endurance, can pull millstones, can pull goods, and have a gentle temperament..."

Just as he finished speaking, he saw the docile donkey beside him suddenly kicked up its hind legs and kicked over the sign of the entrance to the horse market in great anger!

Liu Ping: “…”

(End of this chapter)