Chapter 22: Continuous Development of the Ox's Functions

“Xiao Yu is right,” Li Xuemei said solemnly. “Now that our whole extended family is living together, Uncle knows exactly how much money we have or don't have. If we suddenly pull it out, he’ll only think we’re wasting money again. You have to remember, Yan the Second just squandered twenty taels.”

Yan the Second replied, “I understand what you mean; safety comes first. But if we all set off together, we might not even get a chance to carry each other. Are these things just going to rot there because we're afraid people will find out?”

He sighed, his face filled with tragic resolve. “Have you all forgotten who I am? I am Yan the Second! Famous for being lazy, good-for-nothing, a scoundrel who swindles money to spend and lives off his elder brother...

Don't you think that with a reputation like mine, I should keep some good things hidden? That I should have some private savings, and perhaps some shady connections to know some capable people?”

Yan Yu was stunned by his brilliance.

“Dad! You are amazing! How did you think of that? You're right! Yan the Second definitely knows a lot of fair-weather friends. People know he's a spendthrift with not a single copper in his pocket, but others don't—even Uncle might not be certain.

This persona is perfect! Sucking Uncle dry, bleeding him, draining his very marrow...”

“Hey, hey! Stop, stop right there!” Yan the Second hurriedly cut off his daughter’s excited mouth. “Just keeping some private savings is enough, and having a few connections to get some good things to cover our tracks. How much more do you want your father to ruin your Uncle?”

“Hehe!” Yan Yu grinned foolishly, as if all her problems had been solved instantly. She didn't want to be selfish; she was truly afraid of people discovering their abnormalities.

“Alright, hurry up and pack. Get some sleep quickly; aren't we supposed to head out early?” Li Xuemei looked at their empty room and said, “We'll leave early together. If I stay home, I'll have to watch out for Da Ya. If we aren't here to lock the door, given the upbringing of Uncle's family, they won't break in, and thus won't discover the secrets in this house.”

“I haven't even read what's written on these bamboo slips yet,” Yan Yu protested. Having found a solution to her worries, she immediately pushed them to the back of her mind. Looking at the items they had traded for, she was too excited to sleep.

“The oil lamps are all sold. If you try to read by this moonlight, you'll go blind. Go to sleep!”

Once Li Xuemei exerted her authority, Yan Yu obediently rolled into her prepared bedding.

Yan the Second was also quite excited and couldn't close his eyes for a while. He said, “Do you know why I got this soil so quickly? It was our new ox that helped me dig it up!”

Yan Yu rolled over to her father's side and whispered, “What happened? Tell me, tell me!”

“I originally thought about digging near the ox so it could help shield me from view, but I didn't expect that ox to be so intelligent. When it saw me working, it helped by scratching with its hooves. Before long, I had half a bag. It was so fast!”

“That ox is quite perceptive!” Yan Yu praised.

Then, her eyes lit up. She nudged her father and said, “Dad, do you think it'll let me ride it? I've never ridden an ox before, hahaha! It should be fine; I'll definitely try it tomorrow.”

Yan the Second joined in the excitement: “I'll go first. If it's okay, then you can play. Haha, when I was a kid, I saw people with big dogs and always wanted to ride them. You inherited that trait from me—even as a little kid, you'd grab a dog's fur at your cousin's house and try to climb up...”

“Both of you, shut up! Sleep!” Li Xuemei couldn't listen to it anymore. One talking about riding an ox, the other about riding a dog—neither of them was being serious.

...

Before dawn, as usual, someone's chicken in the village always competed to be the first to crow. Yan the Second sat up with a start. After waking up for a moment, seeing that the mother and daughter were still sleeping soundly, he quietly took the luncheon meat into the kitchen.

He planned to mince the luncheon meat finely to make porridge.

He had taken the words of Physician Cui to heart; Old Yan needed to drink meat porridge to nourish himself.

Not just Old Yan, but the whole family needed it.

He lit the fire, washed the rice, and minced the luncheon meat...

Standing at the kitchen doorway, he looked at the ox in the courtyard, and the ox looked back at him.

He beckoned to the ox, and it approached with steady steps.

“Help me watch the fire. Call out when the water boils. Can you do that?”

The ox nodded.

Yan the Second was overjoyed. He had only been testing it, but it actually worked!

He went back to the room to wake the mother and daughter, then began transporting their belongings out.

Hearing a "moo," Yan the Second rushed to the kitchen, grabbed two pieces of firewood, and turned the high flame down to a low one.

Coming out, he patted the ox's head and praised, “You really are useful.”

After attaching the cart frame to the ox, Yan the Second spread a thick layer of straw on top and secretly hid the items inside.

Then, he carried a basin with a little water to his wife and daughter.

He rinsed his mouth haphazardly, wiped his face, and used a bit of water to smooth his long, unwashed hair, feeling a sense of irritation.

Why did the ancients keep long hair? Short hair would be so much more efficient!

In this sweltering heat, and with no way to wash properly, he felt like shaving his head bald.

The family had a bowl of warm porridge in the kitchen. Li Xuemei thought it was best to tell Da Ya to prevent the family from worrying.

Yan the Second also woke his nephew, explaining that their family was going to town and that there was porridge in the kitchen pot.

Then, taking advantage of the fact that the nephew and niece were still groggy, they hurriedly left the house.

...

“I never thought I'd have the chance to experience the joy of self-driving in this lifetime!” Yan the Second remarked with emotion.

One by one, the family members lay on their backs on the ox cart.

It was early morning, and the sky wasn't too hot yet. The ox trotted at a steady pace, a light breeze blowing, and with the thick straw beneath them, there was only a slight sense of bumping.

Yan the Second hummed an off-key song

“Speed is twenty miles an hour, my mood is free and bright...”

After singing incorrectly and out of tune for a while, Yan the Second stopped and said, “We've gone quite far. If we keep going, we'll be at the town soon.”

Yan Yu sat up, her hair covered in straw, and looked around.

“Let's go that way.”

The ox began to turn following her command.

Finding a secluded spot, Yan the Second began to light a stove.

They planned to try salting the meat to smoke it into jerky.

They couldn't just think about immediate eating and drinking; they had to prepare for the journey ahead.

While Li Xuemei applied the salt, Yan the Second gathered branches and dry grass nearby.

Yan Yu's eyes darted around as she climbed from the cart onto the ox.

As she climbed, she muttered softly, “Ox, you know who I am, right? I'm the Red Boy! Don't move. Once I get up there, carry me around for a few laps, okay?”

The ox stood motionless. When she finally climbed onto its back and grabbed the two reins, her voice became uncontrollably high-pitched: “Turn left, walk slowly.”

“Hahaha! Turn around, turn around! Walk back and then come back again.”

“A little trot, don't go too fast.”

“A little bit faster.”

“Ah! I'm so happy! Run! Giddy up!”

Li Xuemei eventually grew tired of dealing with her. Even though it was an "intelligent ox," her daughter was acting like a madwoman, running back and forth and kicking up clouds of dust that covered her face. She couldn't help but roar, “Yan Yu, get back here!”