Chapter 9: He’s a smiling tiger.

Ye Tianhui concealed her thoughts; of course, she wouldn’t bring up Chi Yan with this man.  

Buying a horse would undoubtedly cost a fortune, and she hoped to acquire one at a lower price. To buy what she wanted, she had to keep her intentions hidden.  

The man before her had an unclear identity, and she remained cautious. But more importantly, he resembled the Sage too much.  

Chi Yan was a fine horse gifted to her by the Sage. She didn’t want to expose Chi Yan in front of Gu Shizhang—it would feel like exposing herself.  

She diverted the conversation and looked at the horse. “Long Guang is indeed impressive. How much is this horse?”  

Gu Shizhang replied, “This horse is more expensive than most. Before its leg injury, its value was 40 million USD.”  

Ye Tianhui was taken aback. “40 million?”  

She, of course, knew the difference between USD and HKD—USD was more valuable.  

But 40 million USD?  

Gu Shizhang nodded affirmatively. “Even after its leg injury, it still has a valuation of 16 million USD.”  

Ye Tianhui: “…”  

Her gaze swept over the stable again—the luxurious, well-equipped stable, complete with double-glass ceilings.  

No wonder the horses here enjoyed such excellent living conditions.  

People like her, if weighed and sold, wouldn’t fetch even a fraction of 16 million USD, not even a hundred of her could.  

Thinking this, she suddenly understood why the horses in the stables weren’t casually displayed—it was a trade secret, a key to success at the racecourse.  

Gu Shizhang raised his hand, gently stroking the horse’s neck. The horse was docile, nuzzling its head against his arm.  

He smiled and said, “Long Guang is a British Thoroughbred. Considering its illustrious track record, its price is naturally high.”  

Ye Tianhui listened, glancing at Long Guang again.  

She didn’t know much about the British this or that. The 《Ma Jing》 she’d read had mentioned British Thoroughbreds, but she’d never seen one and didn’t know why they were prized. Now that she saw one, she realized it truly was exceptional.  

Gu Shizhang explained, “The lineage of British Thoroughbreds can be traced back to Arabian horses and Barb horses from 1,600 years ago. These horses are bred for long strides, quick steps, and incredible speed and stamina. They have explosive power and are essentially born for racing—the fastest horses in the world.”  

Ye Tianhui was curious. “How fast are they?”  

Gu Shizhang said, “The record for a Thoroughbred is 1,000 meters in 53.7 seconds. Even compared to a car, it holds its own.”  

Ye Tianhui silently calculated. “That really is a horse that can travel a thousand miles in a day.”  

Her Chi Yan, of course, was no ordinary horse. It was a prized horse from the Western Regions, presented to the Dazhao Kingdom as a national treasure. After being reincarnated as a human, she had scoured historical records to find traces of her Dazhao Kingdom’s existence, occasionally delving into the history of neighboring East Asian countries.  

Through her research, she deduced that her horse was likely an Akhal-Teke from Turkmenistan.  

The fine horses bestowed upon Dazhao were not limited to just one. For Chi Yan to have been gifted to her—a great general—by the emperor, it must have been one of the finest among the prized horses of Dazhao, capable of traveling a thousand miles in a day.  

If Thoroughbreds could achieve such speeds, it meant their breed had surpassed the fine horses Dazhao once prided itself on. 

Gu Shizhang gently scratched the horse’s neck, and the horse evidently enjoyed it, even closing its eyes in pleasure.  

He smiled and said, “Indeed. It’s said that the medical field has conducted anatomical studies on British Thoroughbreds. They discovered that these horses have a highly sensitive nervous system and coarse, dry skin pores—”  

As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Tianhui. “Their average weight is around 450 kilograms, yet their heart can weigh as much as 8 kilograms.”  

Ye Tianhui nodded. “This horse has large eyes, which indicates a large heart.”  

It’s worth noting that the art of assessing horses includes the “five internal organs method”: observing the ears for the liver, the nose for the lungs, the eyes for the heart, the abdomen for the kidneys, and the mouth for the spleen—a way of understanding the internal through the external.  

In the past, the 《Xiang Ma Jing^[1]The earliest book on science of animal husbandry in China elaborating the way to tell good horses from the inferior ones is Xiang Ma Jing (Classics of Identifying the Thoroughbred) 》 stated that a large heart is ideal, and large eyes indicate a large heart. A large heart ensures bravery and stability, while full eyes ensure vitality from dawn to dusk. Judging by its features, this horse was undoubtedly exceptional.  

After some thought, she added, “But these Thoroughbreds emphasize explosive power. While their bursts of speed are remarkable, they might lack endurance for long distances. For sustained riding, stamina and endurance are key.”  

From this perspective, her Chi Yan, a prized Dayuan horse, was naturally superior to the British Thoroughbred.  

Gu Shizhang listened with admiration and looked at Ye Tianhui appreciatively. “It seems Miss Ye has quite a keen understanding of horse evaluation.”  

Ye Tianhui didn’t deny it. “Just a little knowledge. To be honest, I came to work at this stable because I’m very interested in horses and want to learn more.”  

Gu Shizhang raised an eyebrow slightly. “Are you planning to pick some top contenders to place bets on?”  

Exposed so bluntly, Ye Tianhui didn’t feel ashamed. She admitted frankly, “I’m short on funds and don’t have a reliable source of income, so of course, I’m considering taking a gamble. Everyone bets anyway; one more won’t hurt.”  

Gu Shizhang smiled as he looked at her. “So, you climbed over the wall and sneaked in. You’re not actually staff here, are you?”  

Hearing this, Ye Tianhui met his gaze. His dark eyes, hidden in the shadow of the stable, were unclear and unreadable.  

She smiled. “Yes, I climbed in. What, are you going to report me?”  

As she said this, she was already thinking: if he dared to say yes, she’d punch him unconscious before he could act.  

Although he really did look like the Sage, hitting him would feel like committing an offense against a superior.  

But… so what? It’s not like he actually was the Sage.  

Gu Shizhang looked at her carefree attitude and, after a moment of silence, suddenly laughed. “You’re something else. Don’t act like that. You’re making me feel like you’re ready to silence me permanently.”  

Ye Tianhui reassured him, “Don’t worry. I won’t kill anyone. I wouldn’t stoop to such a thing so easily. At most, I’d knock you out to keep you from getting me caught.”  

“If you’re going to call for someone, I guarantee you’ll be down before your friends arrive. Want to take that gamble?”  

Gu Shizhang: “No, I don’t gamble. I believe you. And I have no intention of reporting you.”  

He chuckled and sighed. “I’m just a jockey. If you sneaked in to look, then look. As long as you don’t cause trouble, it has nothing to do with me, right?”  

Ye Tianhui: “Really?”  

Gu Shizhang then took a name badge from his pocket and handed it to her. “Can I give you this? Look, it has my name and position.”  

Ye Tianhui took it and examined it. The badge bore a photo of Gu Shizhang. She raised her eyes to compare it with him, confirming it was indeed him. 

Below, his name and position were marked in both English and Traditional Chinese. His Chinese name was Gu Shizhang, and his English name was Modesta, with “Jockey” written below.  

As Ye Tianhui was examining it, Gu Shizhang added, “If you still don’t believe me, I’ll leave my watch with you as collateral.”  

Saying this, he removed the watch from his wrist and handed it to her. “This watch is very expensive; I bought it in Switzerland, and it cost me a month’s salary. You can hold onto it as leverage against me.”  

Ye Tianhui glanced at the watch. Watches imported to the mainland were notoriously pricey, and she could tell this one was more valuable than any she had encountered before.  

She handed the name badge back to Gu Shizhang. “If you promise not to report me, I won’t make things difficult for you. But giving me your watch—are you trying to set me up as a thief? Now that I know your name, just try saying a word about this, and trust me, I won’t let it slide.”  

With a smile in his eyes, Gu Shizhang looked innocently at her and said, “Don’t be so harsh. I swear I won’t report you, alright?”  

Ye Tianhui huffed inwardly. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was peculiar—like a smiling tiger^[2]Hiding his true nature behind a friendly façade.  

But since he said this much, she let it slide. After all, if he did sound the alarm, she could always make a quick escape.  

Gu Shizhang continued, “I understand you sneaked in just to observe the racehorses and make some money. I get it. If you need help, I could recommend you for a job. You clearly know a lot about horses. Wouldn’t it be better to use your expertise than to sneak into the stables and risk getting caught?”  

Ye Tianhui didn’t fully trust Gu Shizhang. She believed he wasn’t an easy person to deal with and probably had some hidden agenda.  

Still, she decided to test the waters and asked, “Oh? What kind of job do you think I’m suited for?”  

Gu Shizhang: “I’m not sure, but maybe something at the stable?”  

Ye Tianhui:“Oh, you’re a jockey. What exactly does a jockey do?”  

Gu Shizhang smiled and explained, “It’s someone who rides horses.”  

He elaborated, “Don’t worry about me reporting you. I’m not part of the stables’ management. That means the stable’s operations have nothing to do with me. I’m a freelance jockey and came back from England with Long Guang.”  

Ye Tianhui asked in confusion, “Came back with Long Guang?”  

Gu Shizhang: “Yes, I’m specifically responsible for Long Guang’s daily training and conditioning. My routine involves taking Long Guang out for morning rides based on the trainer’s requirements and then conducting formal training sessions on the track. Does that make sense? Once Long Guang is back to normal, I’ll be leaving. The stable’s management has nothing to do with me.”  

Ye Tianhui started to understand. A trainer was responsible for training horses, while a jockey specialized in riding them. Gu Shizhang, as a jockey, was an external contractor who worked exclusively with Long Guang.  

Gu Shizhang smiled at her, his gaze warm and friendly. “If you’re interested, you can find me in the future. Also, if you want to see the horses, just let me know. I can bring you in anytime. While climbing over the wall might help you stay fit, it’s not exactly the best look if someone catches you, right?”  

Ye Tianhui: “That makes sense.”  

Gu Shizhang: “For now, how about I take you to see some of the other horses? Interested?”  

Ye Tianhui thought his offer seemed overly kind.  

Her instincts told her that people who were unusually kind often had ulterior motives.  

But she didn’t say anything. She decided to wait and see what tricks he might have up his sleeve. At worst, she could always knock him out with a punch.  

So, she nodded. “Sure!”  

The author has something to say:

Gu Shizhang: Wife is so difficult to coax.