The carriage swayed gently as Hua Zhi rested her head in her hand, idly pondering the affairs of Yuzhou. The situation was entirely different from what she had anticipated.
Here, there was no widespread panic due to the arrest of Chief Administrator Yuan Shifang. Instead, it appeared more stable and prosperous than the capital itself. This was evident from the young master Zeng, whose strong sense of belonging to Jin Yang was unmistakable. Such sentiments weren’t built overnight. If a place like this became too deeply entangled with the Chao Li Tribe, it would spell trouble for Daqing.
It was unsettling when someone who had always relied on brute force suddenly began to use their wits—especially if they actually possessed them.
Upon returning to the inn, Hua Zhi asked Jia Yang, "Can you get hold of Jin Yang’s local records?"
"I’ll have colleagues from the Seven Constellation Bureau fetch them." Jia Yang glanced at the young lady and asked, "Should I summon Magistrate Lü for questioning?"
"I have no authority for that. Let’s not disturb anyone."
Jia Yang paused briefly before acknowledging and leaving.
Hua Zhi chuckled softly. Who did she think she was? To expect a prefectural official to come see her? In truth, she had come here only to see if she could assist Yan Xi. The Chao Li Tribe was a sword hanging over both their heads—Yan Xi acted out of righteousness, while her motives were purely personal.
If not for her surname Hua, and if not for Yan Xi’s support, she would be nothing more than a lowly merchant. She was well aware of this. Why invite humiliation? Not everyone would treat her with the respect Yan Xi did.
It was nearly dusk when Little Six returned. He downed half a cup of tea in one go, picked up one of the local records, and flipped through it casually. "That horse racing track is truly massive—bigger than the one in the capital."
"So Young Master Zeng won. He must be thrilled." Hua Zhi inserted a handmade bookmark and closed the book. Though she had grown accustomed to traditional script over the years, reading texts she had no interest in still felt tedious.
"He was so overjoyed he nearly fell off his horse and broke his neck." Little Six snorted. Though he had put on a show of indifference, no one wanted to see their hometown lose. But the track was undeniably large, and the horses there were exceptional—a fact he reluctantly admitted.
"Tell me about the track."
"Alright." Knowing he’d have to report to Sister Hua, Little Six had observed carefully. "The track is huge. From the outside, it looks like any other, but inside, it’s clear it’s not just for breeding horses. They’ve made other plans, like horse racing."
He organized his thoughts and continued, "I inquired a bit. In recent years, Jin Yang has become quite enthusiastic about horse breeding and racing. Zeng Xiangyan mentioned they hold races every ten days—three times a month. Business disputes that can’t be resolved are often settled through a race. The current champion is the Zeng family’s Stepping Cloud. He took me to see it—the horse is glossy, spirited, and impeccably cared for. The setup is extravagant: over ten attendants serve that horse alone. It only eats freshly cut grass and drinks mountain spring water—a luxury most people don’t even enjoy."
How intriguing, Hua Zhi mused with a smile. Jin Yang had found its niche and was thriving. The feeling was familiar, though she couldn’t quite place why.
"Do all the prominent families in Jin Yang breed horses?"
"From what Zeng Xiangyan implied, yes. It was already late when I arrived, but several family members, young and old, were still strolling around."Hua Zhi pondered for a moment, "Did Zeng Xiangyan mention when this trend started in Jin Yang?"
Little Six thought back and shook his head, "He just said it's been in recent years."
Jia Yang immediately chimed in, "I'll have someone investigate right away."
"Not so fast." Hua Zhi stopped him and asked further, "What else did Zeng Xiangyan say?"
"He spent at least half an hour just praising his family's Treading Cloud." Little Six laughed. He didn't dislike Zeng Xiangyan—though arrogant, he knew his limits. "He only talked about matters at the horse racing track, especially belittling the Zhu Family whose horse competes with his Treading Cloud for first place. When I asked about the horses' origins, he just said each has their own channels and wasn't specific. I didn't press further to avoid raising suspicion."
"Did you notice what breeds the horses were?"
Little Six hesitated, lowering his voice, "I only know they're not from Daqing. Daqing's cavalry has always been weak, partly due to horse issues—Daqing horses are shorter, lack endurance, and have shorter legs. The ones I saw at the track today were all tall and sturdy, looking like they came from beyond the frontier."
Hua Zhi nodded slightly. Horses from beyond the frontier weren't necessarily problematic—money talks, and people beyond the frontier need to eat and drink too. If the price is right, they'd surely be willing to sell.
"By the way, Zeng Xiangyan said the biweekly horse race is the day after tomorrow. If I'm not in a hurry to leave, he can take me to watch. I told him I'd need to ask you first and gave him my inn's address."
"Is the horse racing track off-limits to ordinary people?"
"Yes, you need to be brought in by someone from their circle."
"If he contacts you, tell him I'd also like to broaden my horizons and hope to join."
Little Six agreed readily, "Sister Hua, do you suspect something's wrong with this horse racing track?"
"Can't say for sure. I feel something's off, but can't pinpoint what." Hua Zhi looked up, "Jia Yang, has the Seven Constellation Bureau investigated the horse racing track?"
"Yes, we have."
"Bring me the investigation records, and have them look into when horse breeding became popular in Jin Yang, what sparked it, and who's involved."
"Understood."
That evening, Jia Yang delivered the files on the Zeng Family and the horse racing track.
The Zeng Family was a prominent local clan. Zeng Xiangyan was the youngest son, doted on by his father who had him late in life. Since the family tradition dictated the eldest son inherits the business, no matter how spoiled he was, he couldn't compete in that regard. His older brothers treated him very well. He wasn't fond of women or reckless fun, but had a weakness for alcohol—which everyone indulged. Thus, he was often seen wandering the city drunk; the state he was in today was relatively sober.
Such a person wasn't dislikeable. Someone who doesn't cause trouble even when drunk shows good character. It seemed that while the Zeng Family spoiled him, they still taught him properly.
Hua Zhi turned to the other file, "The horse racing track was initiated by Jin Yang's four major families, with several others participating in its establishment?"
"Yes. The Seven Constellation Bureau previously conducted a detailed investigation. Specifically, it was built three years ago, involving twelve families total. We investigated all twelve—two are suspicious, but no evidence has been found. We're still following up."
"Was there any specific reason for building the horse racing track?""The Seven Constellation Bureau is still investigating, but nothing has been found yet. They only discovered that Jin Yang began promoting horse racing approximately four years ago." Jia Yang glanced up at the young lady and continued, "The source of the horses is also under investigation by the Seven Constellation Bureau. Previously, they hadn't looked into this direction, so please be patient."
Hua Zhi nodded. After such a long time, even if there were issues, they would have been thoroughly covered up. It was normal that nothing could be found.
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