That "I'm hungry" filled with deep grievance instantly transformed all of Lin Wanwan's helplessness into a doting and tearful feeling.
What else could she do? She chose this husband herself, and she spoiled him with his fastidiousness; she had to serve him even if she had to kneel down.
In the end, this "tableware crisis" ended when Lin Wanwan took out her spare clean silk handkerchief from her bundle and carefully wiped the rough chopsticks and the chipped bowl inside and out eight times.
Xiao Che, with a dark face and an expression of resignation, reluctantly ate the meal.
Although the food actually tasted pretty good, he ate it with extreme difficulty, as if he were swallowing sand instead of rice.
That night, Xiao Che slept very restlessly.
He felt the bed was too hard, the blankets too damp, the wind outside the window was too loud, and the snoring from the next room was deafening.
The next morning, before dawn, he woke Lin Wanwan up with huge dark circles under his eyes.
"Wanwan, get up." His voice was filled with an unprecedented resolve. "We're leaving today! We're not staying here anymore! We'll never stay in this godforsaken place again!"
Lin Wanwan looked at his tormented appearance with sleepy eyes and knew that this pampered emperor really couldn't stay a moment longer.
"If we don't stay at the inn, where will we stay?" she asked.
"Buy a carriage!" Xiao Che said decisively. "Buy the biggest and most comfortable carriage! We'll sleep in the carriage tonight! It's better than sleeping in this pigsty!"
Although this suggestion is somewhat unconventional, it seems to be the only solution at the moment, considering Xiao Che's severe mysophobia.
So the two ate some simple dry food, checked out of the hotel early, and headed straight for the horse market in town.
The horse market at the post station was always one of the liveliest places in town.
The mooing of cattle and sheep, the neighing of horses, the shouts of cart drivers, and the haggling of vendors mingled together, creating a vibrant atmosphere of everyday life.
As soon as Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan entered the horse market, they immediately attracted the attention of many people.
Although both of them had disguised themselves and dressed in ordinary clothes, Xiao Che's upright posture, even when wearing coarse cloth, and the innate nobility he exuded, made the horse traders, who had spent half their lives navigating the crowds, immediately recognize his "unusual" nature.
In particular, one of the horse traders, a lean man with a goatee and darting eyes, had his eyes light up the moment he saw Xiao Che.
Fat sheep!
It's a super fat sheep that doesn't seem to know much about the market!
He immediately abandoned his conversation with the guests and greeted them with a beaming smile: "Oh! Sir and lady, are you looking to buy a horse or a carriage? You've come to the right place! The horses here are the best in town!"
As he spoke, he enthusiastically led the two to his stall.
Xiao Che's gaze was quickly drawn to a magnificent, chestnut-red horse that looked extraordinary.
"This horse is quite good." He nodded, displaying the air of a connoisseur of horse connoisseurship.
Seeing an opportunity, the goat-bearded horse trader immediately began to boast wildly: "Sir, you have a good eye! This is my most prized possession! A genuine northern steed, look at its build, its coat! Guaranteed to travel a thousand miles a day and eight hundred miles at night, and it's gentle, perfect for long journeys!"
He patted the horse's back and spoke with great enthusiasm, spittle flying everywhere.
Xiao Che nodded repeatedly, clearly interested. He turned to look at Lin Wanwan, his eyes questioning the price.
Before Lin Wanwan could speak, the goatee-bearded horse trader seized the opportunity, held up five fingers, and said in an extremely cheerful tone:
"Not expensive at all! Considering you're a discerning customer, I'll give you a fair price, including the carriage and horses—fifty taels of silver!"
Fifty taels!
Upon hearing the price, Xiao Che's eyebrows twitched slightly, almost imperceptibly.
After yesterday's failed "currency lesson," although he still couldn't figure out the specific conversion between "wen" and "liang," he at least remembered one thing—don't flaunt your wealth, and bargain when buying things!
Moreover, he remembered Lin Wanwan saying that in the capital, a strong ox only cost around ten or twenty taels of silver. Even the best horse couldn't possibly cost fifty taels, could it?
This unscrupulous merchant is clearly taking advantage of their out-of-town background to rip them off!
good!
The opportunity has arrived!
A strong desire to show off rose within Xiao Che. He wanted to show Wanwan that he, the emperor, was not just a "foolish rich man," but also understood the "hardships of the common people" and knew how to "manage a household frugally"!
Before Lin Wanwan could even speak, His Majesty the Emperor stepped forward and stood in front of her.
He cleared his throat, trying hard to recall the shrewd merchants haggling in the storybooks. He put his hands behind his back, slightly raised his chin, and put on a dignified and unquestionable expression.
He looked at the goatee-bearded horse trader, and slowly spoke, his voice not loud, but filled with an "imperial aura":
"How dare you!"
The horse trader was taken aback by his sudden shout.
Xiao Che pointed a finger at the chestnut horse and said in a judgmental tone:
"Your horse, with its scraggly coat, vacant eyes, and soft hooves, dares to claim it can travel a thousand miles a day? This is utterly outrageous!"
After he finished speaking, he paused, gave the horse trader a look that said, "I've seen through all your tricks," and then quoted what he considered a "rock-bottom price"—a price that he thought had cut the nail on the head:
"Your horse... the carriage and the horse together, at most... at most, is worth—"
Forty-nine taels!
"..."
"..."
The entire horse market seemed to have been silenced once again.
The air was deathly silent.
The goat-bearded horse trader stood there, mouth agape, stunned. His expression shifted from astonishment to bewilderment, and finally to a look of utter disbelief, as if asking, "Did I hear that right?"
Standing behind Xiao Che, Lin Wanwan silently and helplessly raised her hand again to support her forehead.
She couldn't bear to look at it.
Is this...is this haggling?
This is clearly a tip!
Fifty taels! You're so decisive, you cut off a whole tael of silver in one stroke! You're truly a remarkable bargaining genius!
Xiao Che was clearly unaware of how shocking his actions were. He was still basking in the joy of successfully "bargaining," his hands behind his back, his chin slightly raised, waiting for the unscrupulous merchant to be intimidated by his domineering aura and then tearfully accept the price.
However, after being petrified for more than ten seconds, the goat-bearded horse trader finally came to his senses.
Looking at this ordinary-looking but imposing man who was even haggling over a tael of silver, he instantly understood—
This isn't a fat sheep! This is clearly a super fat sheep that's not quite right in the head!
Immediately, he put on a pained expression, as if his heart had been ripped out, slapped his thigh, and wailed, "Oh dear! Sir! You...you've really cut me to the bone! Forty-nine taels...this...this is a rock-bottom price! Alright, alright, seeing that you really want to buy, I'll consider this a friendship and sell it to you at a loss!"
As he spoke, he reached for the horse's reins, fearing that the God of Wealth might change his mind.
Just as a deal that was supposed to be a "betrayal" was about to be reached, Lin Wanwan finally couldn't stand it anymore.
She grabbed Xiao Che, who was still basking in the joy of "successfully negotiating the price," and pulled him behind her.
"Your Majesty, please rest for a while," she said helplessly in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Then, she walked up to the horse trader.
Just moments ago, "Lady Lin" had been gentle and unassuming, but now her eyes suddenly sharpened.
Without even glancing at the horse's condition or coat, she walked straight up, pried open the chestnut horse's mouth, and examined its teeth.
“Boss,” she began, her voice soft but clear and strong, “this horse’s molars are all worn down, it must be at least fifteen years old, right? It’s about to lose its teeth, and you’re telling me this is a young and strong steed?”
The horse trader's expression changed slightly.
Lin Wanwan bent down again, lifted the horse's front hoof, and carefully examined the wear on the horseshoe.
"The edges of the horseshoes are almost worn smooth, which means they are old horses that have been pulling heavy loads for many years. For such a horse, let alone traveling a thousand miles a day, it would be considered strong if it could even travel fifty miles a day without breaking down."
A bead of cold sweat had already seeped from the horse trader's forehead.
Lin Wan-wan stood up, dusted off her hands, took one last look at the seemingly brand-new carriage, and sneered:
"As for this vehicle, the axles are new, but the floor is made of rotten wood that has been soaked in water, with only a new coat of paint on the outside. This kind of vehicle will probably fall apart halfway through the journey, won't it?"
With each word she spoke, the horse trader's face paled a little more.
In the end, the goat-bearded horse trader was completely speechless, his face filled with shock and horror. He never imagined that this seemingly gentle and delicate young woman was actually a hidden expert!
Lin Wanwan looked at him and finally gave her price:
"I'll offer thirty taels for this old horse and this broken cart. If you're willing to sell, we'll pay you now. If not, we'll turn around and leave. You decide for yourself."
His words were spoken crisply and concisely, without any hesitation or ambiguity.
The horse trader stared, mouth agape, at the woman exuding an aura of power before him, then at his utterly dumbfounded husband behind her, before finally nodding resignedly.
Our Emperor was completely stunned at this moment.
He stared in disbelief at his empress, who, with just a few words, rendered a cunning horse trader speechless. Watching her effortlessly haggle the price down from fifty taels to thirty, her composure and domineering presence were even more impressive than his own debates with the scholars in court!
Above his head, a cartoon version of himself, with stars in his eyes and hands cupping his heart, floats beside him with the words: "My wife is so handsome! .gif"
The deal was struck, and Lin Wanwan paid the money.
As they led the old horse, which was "worth only thirty taels," away, Xiao Che, who was still in a state of shock, suddenly came to his senses.
He quickened his pace, caught up with Lin Wanwan, and grabbed her sleeve.
Lin Wanwan turned around and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Xiao Che's face showed a mixture of resentment, grievance, and...expectation. He pointed at the goat-bearded horse trader, who was equally dumbfounded and still standing there, and said to Lin Wanwan in a low but assertive voice:
"My wife!"
"He looked down on me! And he tried to lie to me!"
"Help me 'cut' him!"
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