Mules, perhaps because part of their genetic makeup is donkey, aren't as diligent as horses when it comes to work.
As for riding, mules aren't as fast as horses either.
When I say "fast" here, I mean it literally. That is to say, when riding, if the person doesn't urge them on, mules prefer to walk normally, and the frequency of their four legs churning isn't fast.
Horses are different; most horses have an impatient temperament. Even if they aren't running, the frequency of their legs churning is faster than a mule's, so their speed is slightly higher.
But then again, it's not that mules have no advantages over horses. A mule's endurance is considerably stronger than a horse's.
Furthermore, in terms of adapting to the environment, mules are also superior to horses. Even the Oroqen horses, renowned for their toughness, cannot compare to mules in terms of sheer hardiness.
Unfortunately, for such a practical species, over 99.99% of the population is sterile.
Therefore, in terms of cost-effectiveness, they aren't as good as horses.
The reason there are still quite a few of them is that while they are much more expensive than donkeys, they are indeed significantly cheaper than horses, and they aren't as delicate, making them easier to keep alive.
The distance from Wang An's home to Feng Chengmin's home wasn't far; there wasn't much difference in time between riding a horse and riding a mule. Thus, Wang An soon arrived at Feng Chengmin's house.
At this moment, Feng Chengmin was in the yard tinkering with various farm tools needed for the spring plowing. Seeing Wang An enter the yard, Feng Chengmin immediately stood up and greeted him with a smile
"Aiya, if it isn't my grand-nephew! Why are you riding a mule instead of a horse?"
Hearing this, Wang An joked with a smile
"I was just so anxious to see my Great-Uncle that I figured I'd get here as fast as possible, so I rode whatever was available, hahaha!"
Hearing this, Feng Chengmin laughed even louder, patted Wang An on the shoulder, and said with a smile
"Hahaha, you certainly have a way with words! Why else would I say that among all my nephews and nephews-in-law, you're the one I'm most proud of, hahaha!"
Wang An took the opportunity to play along, saying
"See, I just have a face that people naturally find endearing."
Feng Chengmin didn't follow that thread, but instead gave a sly, threatening remark
"Are you trying to force me to bring up the matter of those matchmakers?"
The smile on Wang An's face vanished instantly, and he immediately changed the subject
"Anyway, Great-Uncle, I've come to see you for some serious business. Is my Great-Aunt at home? She needs to be present for this."
Seeing that Wang An didn't seem to be lying, Feng Chengmin lost his desire to joke and said instinctively
"Your Great-Aunt seems to have gone to the backyard to visit neighbors. Shall I go find her and bring her back?"
Wang An thought about it. He felt that for something like gold panning, it would be better to have his Great-Aunt present, so he nodded
"Yeah, Great-Uncle, sorry to trouble you to make the trip."
Although Feng Chengmin's face was full of question marks, he didn't press for answers immediately. Instead, he directed Wang An
"Alright then. There's water in the thermos in the room and tea on the cabinet. Go inside and help yourself to some water; your Great-Aunt and I will be back in a moment."
Wang An smiled. "It's fine, I'm a grown man, don't worry about me."
Feng Chengmin nodded and walked out of the yard.
After entering the room, Wang An found an empty enamel mug, rinsed it with hot water, and brewed a cup of tea.
Wang An didn't have many formalities when it came to drinking tea; he just pinched some tea leaves into the cup, poured in boiling water, and he was done. As for "washing" the tea, that didn't exist for him.
Although Wang An understood things like the "Way of Tea," he felt that such things were completely mismatched for a rough fellow like himself.
Besides, using a tea bowl the size of a liquor cup to drink tea really wasn't satisfying.
It is said that one can only experience the so-called "artistic conception" by "savoring" tea, but in Wang An's view, the only way to enjoy it was to drink it in large gulps.
As for those people who sat together savoring tea with tiny cups, they were either talking nonsense just to hear themselves speak, or they were absolutely plotting how to scam someone.
It had to be said that since many things no longer required coupons, life had become much more convenient. Families with similar conditions would all buy half a jin of tea to keep on hand.
Of course, the family rarely drank it themselves; it was mostly used to entertain guests.
Just as Wang An was refilling his second cup of water, Feng Chengmin and Wang Yulian returned.
After exchanging pleasantries with his Great-Aunt Wang Yulian, Wang An didn't waste any more words and told the couple about the gold panning.
He also mentioned the time required for the trip, though he still didn't mention the location.
After Wang An finished speaking, although Feng Chengmin and his wife's eyes were gleaming, they looked at each other and fell silent.
Wang An ignored their expressions and went back to drinking his tea as if nothing were happening. Mainly, this was the kind of thing you couldn't push; anything he said would seem redundant.
Feng Chengmin started to speak several times but stopped, clearly waiting for Wang Yulian to speak first.
It was obvious that Feng Chengmin wanted to go; after all, an opportunity to make a fortune like this was extremely rare in a lifetime.
After a while, Wang Yulian smiled and said to Feng Chengmin
"If you want to go, then go. You don't need to look at me. Isn't this much better than hunting in the mountains?"
Hearing this, Wang An interjected
"The place for gold panning probably isn't known by anyone, but there are no guarantees with these things. Basically, it's a matter of seeking wealth amidst risk."
Wang Yulian smiled and said
"Mm-hmm, I know what you mean. Besides, I've heard about the gold mine in JY County. It's fine; regardless, your Great-Aunt has no objections."
Hearing this, Wang An drank the last sip of tea in his cup and said
"Alright then, Great-Aunt, Great-Uncle, please don't mention this to anyone. I'll head out now. I estimate we'll set off in three to five days, and we'll be back before the planting season begins."
Having said that, Wang An stepped down from the kang.
Feng Chengmin hurriedly called out
"Xiao An, what's the rush? I'll have your Great-Aunt make a couple of dishes, and we two men can have a few drinks tonight. Why don't you head back tomorrow?"
Wang An smiled and declined
"I can't, I've still got plenty of things to do. I have to make a trip to the county tomorrow. You two stay inside, no need to see me out."
As he spoke, Wang An turned and walked outside.
Feng Chengmin and his wife naturally followed him out. Only after Wang An had mounted his mule and ridden far away did they walk back into the house.
Feng Chengmin sighed emotionally to Wang Yulian
"Look at how good Xiao An is. He didn't forget us even with such a great opportunity."
Wang Yulian smiled. "Mm-hmm, he is quite good. He's my own nephew, how could I not know?"
Just as Feng Chengmin was about to respond, Wang Yulian continued
"And don't mention the matchmaker thing to me again. How many times have I told you? Isn't that just irritating?"
Feng Chengmin scratched his head awkwardly, thought for a moment, and said
"This round trip will take over a month. Can you handle being home alone?"
Wang Yulian gave Feng Chengmin a sidelong glance and said
"I'll handle it whether I can or not. If you don't seize this opportunity, I think you'll cry yourself to death."
(End of Chapter)