Broker Liu was agitated by the words and actions of one, and the silver coins waved by the other, so he roared, "Nonsense, I said it’s fifty-five taels."
Upon hearing this, Yang Chuxia immediately patted her chest, "Oh, it really is fifty-five taels. I thought Uncle was going to say sixty-five taels. I was so scared."
Thump, Broker Liu felt his heart shattering as he helplessly waved his hand, "Fifty-five taels it is! Take the horse and leave quickly."
"Uncle Liu, there’s still a carriage missing."
"Look over there in the corner, choose the carriage you like and take it. Once you have it, get lost quickly. If you, young lady, stay any longer, you’ll take my horse without spending a dime." Broker Liu pointed weakly to the carriages on the side.
"Uncle Liu, that’s a bit much to say. Although I, Yang Chuxia, am not a good person, I don’t do things that take unfair advantage of others." Yang Chuxia ordered the nearby servant to help harness the horse and carriage as she seriously explained to Broker Liu.
After hearing this, Broker Liu felt even more powerless.
The servant who was helping to harness the horse spoke up with a suppressed grin, "Miss, this horse cost our broker fifty taels when it was acquired, and it has been staying in our yard for nearly a month. You do the math for the cost of the fodder and the carriage." The servant’s implied meaning was that what she was doing was indeed taking advantage.
"How do you know so much?"
Yang Chuxia squinted and sized up the servant, wondering how a servant would know so much.
"I’ve been following..."
"Alright, alright, don’t ask so many questions. Is the carriage ready? It’s getting late, Uncle Liu won’t keep you any longer. Go on your way." Broker Liu suddenly interrupted the servant’s unfinished words.
When Yang Chuxia and Ye Zi’an left the brokerage with the horse and carriage, Yang Chuxia turned to Ye Zi’an and asked, "Isn’t this supposed to be allocated from above? Why did the brokerage have to pay for it?"
"It’s said to be allocated from above, but in reality, they paid for it from the court."
"Oh." Yang Chuxia nodded, then suddenly asked, "So, did Uncle Liu really suffer a loss?"
"If you had taken it for forty-five taels, he would have. But not now. Just now, Uncle Liu deliberately wanted you to owe him a favor. If he really lost money, would he let you choose another carriage? As for that servant, he’s Uncle Liu’s right-hand man, so it’s not surprising that he knows the price."
"Now that you mention it, that’s true."
"Isn’t it? Now get in, I’ll drive the carriage." Ye Zi’an then helped Yang Chuxia into the carriage.
"Do you know how to drive a horse?"
"No!" Ye Zi’an shook his head honestly. He only knew how to drive an ox cart.
"You don’t?" Yang Chuxia raised her voice slightly, "If you don’t know how to drive, why do you want to do it? What if you can’t control it and hit someone? It’s better for us to just walk together."
As she said this, Yang Chuxia was about to jump off the carriage, but she was stopped by Ye Zi’an.
"Don’t worry, even if I fall, I won’t hurt you. Besides, it’s just driving a carriage, how hard can it be?" Ye Zi’an then sat in the front of the carriage, grabbing the whip to drive the horse.
He looked rather skilled, not like someone who didn’t know how to drive at all.
Yang Chuxia’s head was stretched out and she asked again, "Is this really your first time driving a horse carriage? Lying children are not good children."
"It’s really my first time." Ye Zi’an nodded with a smile.
"Brother An, I feel like you know everything and can do anything."
Ye Zi’an just smiled in response, and Yang Chuxia raised her head to ask, "Even the fact that the servant is Uncle Liu’s right-hand man, I’ve never noticed it when we visited the brokerage together."