Top-notch Little Horseman

"My lord, I was only doing my duty."

Ye Chen met Liang Kun's gaze calmly.

"It's my duty?"

Liang Kun sneered and walked step by step toward Ye Chen.

"You flaunted your skills in front of General Chen, humiliating me to the point of disgrace. Is this what you call your duty?"

His voice grew louder and louder, and his spittle almost sprayed onto Ye Chen's face.

The surrounding horsemen were silent as cicadas in fear, not daring to utter a sound.

Ye Chen and Liang Kun looked at each other, simply watching him quietly.

That gaze was as calm as a stagnant pool, yet it sent a chill down Liang Kun's spine, making him fear that Ye Chen might suddenly hold a knife to his neck.

Fortunately, Ye Chen did not make a move!

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Liang Kun said "good" three times in a row, each word sounding as if it were squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Ye Chen, you have skill and courage. I will remember this."

He flicked his sleeves, strode away, and walked into the inner hall of the horse camp.

With a "bang!" the door slammed shut.

The moment the door closed, the anger on his face instantly turned sinister.

He paced back and forth in the room, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, growing angrier and more resentful with each passing thought.

"Someone come here!"

He gave a low shout, and two trusted henchmen emerged from the side room. One was named Zhang Dahu, and the other was Zhao Shaojun. Both were his lackeys brought from his hometown.

The two of them were the ones who went with Liang Kun to Ye Chen's thatched hut to demand the return of his people.

"Sir, please calm down!"

Zhang Dahu smiled ingratiatingly and handed over a cup of tea, saying, "That kid just got lucky. You don't need to bother with him."

"fart!"

Liang Kun slapped the teacup to the ground, gritting his teeth as he said, "He's caught General Chen's eye now, and I can't openly touch him, but I can't swallow this insult!"

Zhao Shaojun's eyes darted around, and he leaned forward and whispered, "Sir, have you forgotten? Didn't General Chen just say that the northern cavalry are frequently circling the border, and a large number of refugees have gathered in Anyuan County?"

"I know about this!" Liang Kun said irritably.

"Sir, about fifty li northwest of our camp, there is a small squad from our camp, which is at Huangchen Pass," Zhao Shaojun nodded and said.

"Desolate Dust Pass?" Liang Kun was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and frowned. "Wasn't that team breached? Wasn't Desolate Dust Pass rendered useless?"

At the northernmost edge of the border lies a pass called Huangchen Pass. This pass is the closest to the Northern Barbarians, and it is breached almost every time an attack occurs.

The border troops had almost given up on that pass; they knew it was undefendable anyway, and sending troops there would only be suicide.

Over time, the Northern Barbarians stopped going to that area, so there were often refugees wandering around there.

"Yes, it's been wasted, but that's precisely why it's been wasted!" Zhao Shaojun chuckled and said in a low voice.

"Huangchen Pass is located in a remote area, close to Anyuan County. Now, with the Northern Barbarian cavalry and refugees roaming around, it is very dangerous."

"My lord, you want to eat? With the enemy on all sides, we have an obligation to establish a warhorse squad in the Desolate Dust Pass."

Upon hearing this, Liang Kun suddenly realized what was going on and immediately came up with a plan.

"Brilliant! Let Ye Chen go to Desolate Dust Pass and have him raise a small warhorse squad."

"That's right, if we can establish a cavalry force, that would be a great achievement!"

"That place was a desolate wilderness, far from any village or shop, where you would bump into..."

If it were the Northern Barbarian cavalry, or those refugees, no one would even know he was dead!

"Whether he can raise the Warhorse Squad or not, we will win in the end."

The horse camp has five hundred warhorses. During wartime, the horse camp needs to distribute the warhorses and is obligated to establish a warhorse squad at each pass.

Huangchen Pass is under the jurisdiction of the Third Horse Camp, and Liang Kun, as the herdsman, has the authority to transfer Ye Chen there.

"Exactly!" Zhao Dahu chimed in with a sinister grin. "If that kid is unlucky enough to die there, then wouldn't his young mistress naturally become the mistress of the house?"

"If you kindly take her in then, sir, who can say anything?"

Upon hearing this, Liang Kun's cold eyes gradually brightened.

He stroked his chin, his sinister expression gradually turning into a smug look, which finally transformed into a ruthless grin.

"Well said!" Liang Kun's voice carried an indescribable sinister undertone.

"Then arrange it immediately! Send Ye Chen to Desolate Dust Pass to build a small warhorse squad!"

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes, his cold smile deepening: "Ye Chen, you think that just because you've subdued the horse and exchanged a few words with Commander Chen today, you can make me restrain myself and prevent me from doing anything to you?"

"Hmph! As long as you're just a lowly stable boy, you're my subordinate, and I have a hundred ways to kill you!"

Having made his decision, he turned to Zhao Shaojun and Zhang Dahu and gave them instructions:

"Tomorrow morning, I will officially announce the transfer of Ye Chen to Desolate Dust Pass to rebuild our warhorse squad!"

As Liang Kun spoke, he suddenly remembered Hong Chengye, and snorted coldly, "Yes, and that Hong Chengye too. How dare he oppose me! He must not be let off!"

"That damn bastard, he's trying to oust me so he can become the sheriff!"

As he spoke, his gaze turned cold as he looked at the two lackeys and said, "You two, keep a close eye on Hong Chengye's every move."

"Hmph! Let's see what tricks he can pull!"

"Yes, sir!" the two lackeys replied in unison.

......

Ye Chen came out of the stable and saw Uncle Lao Gen walking over.

"Uncle Lao Gen, how are the warhorses? Any problems?"

Uncle Lao Gen was very excited and said to Ye Chen, "Amazing, truly amazing! Ye Chen, I never expected you to be so capable; all those warhorses have recovered."

"It's good that you've recovered." Ye Chen nodded slightly and said, "I'll leave this place to you; I should head back now."

"I'm worried about leaving Yao Yao home alone!"

"Alright, you can go back now. I'll keep an eye on the horses." Uncle Lao Gen nodded and said, "If anything happens, I'll come and get you right away."

"Okay!" Ye Chen nodded gently and instructed, "Remember to give the horse ginger and vinegar water every hour, and make sure the mugwort in the stable is always available."

"Also, make sure the windows are open so the wind can blow in."

"Okay, I got it!" Uncle Lao Gen nodded.

Ye Chen nodded slightly, glanced at the sky tinged with the colors of sunset, and turned to leave.

When he returned home, he saw Qin Mengyao sitting on the doorstep with a patched-up coarse cloth garment on her lap and a needle and thread in her hand, but she didn't move for a long time.

Her gaze was fixed on the courtyard gate, like that of the waiting-for-husband stone.

Hearing the noise, she suddenly looked up and saw Ye Chen's figure; her eyes instantly lit up.

"Brother Chen!"

Qin Mengyao put down her clothes, jogged over to meet him, looked him up and down, her eyes slightly red.

"Are you alright? Did Liang Kun give you any trouble? I... I was so worried about you."

Seeing her anxious expression, Ye Chen felt a warmth in his heart and gently reached out to lift her hair.