Chapter 782 – Horses
Li Chiqi and Hong Huangnan exchanged looks, not daring to speak. They had both experienced Nik's manic episodes before. Once his tantrum passed, he led them toward the ranch office.
Mopan Ridge Ranch looked natural, but it had undergone earth-shaking transformation. Most of the hill pastures had been renovated through water-conservation projects; stone-lined drainage channels ran down the slopes, emptying into a man-made river below. This ensured the topsoil wasn't eroded while retaining both water and fertilizer. The drained water accumulated in a reservoir at the base of the hills for the horses to drink—horses needed enormous quantities of water.
The pasture soil had been amended; the lush-green grass that looked wild was mostly high-quality forage planted by hand. Reservoirs and artificial channels at the base stored rainwater and regulated the ecology. The Mopan Ridge Ranch project was a major investment—the Agricultural Committee's third-largest infrastructure undertaking after the Meitaiyang Reclamation and the School-Land Renovation. The enormous cost of raising horses had sparked debate within the Executive Committee, since in the long run Lingao wasn't an ideal location for large-scale horse-breeding.
But the army's and agriculture's urgent need for horses finally secured approval for the Mopan Ridge project. Without a large enough ranch, expanding the horse population was nearly impossible. The original pasture along the Wenlan River was limited in area, with little room for expansion in the rapidly developing plains. By contrast, the hills were cooler, and land and water conditions proved suitable for livestock.
The ranch office occupied a wooden building not far from the stables. Windows stood open; a scent of pasture grass mixed with the stink of horse manure pervaded the space. On closer sniff, one could detect the smell of disinfectant as well. The décor was rustic: bare-wood plank walls, stone-paved floor, an old-style unpainted-wood desk, many filing cabinets. Labels read: Stallion Scoring Charts, Pedigrees, Breeding Records…
In modern equiculture, breed development and maintenance was the focus—especially given the poor quality of local horses, which urgently needed improvement. Nik himself didn't really know all this: he was well-versed in pedigree lore—he could hold forth at length—but that was armchair expertise from riding clubs, not hands-on practice. Yang Baogui now handled most of this work; Nik was studying hard.
"Sit." Nik stripped off his work clothes and tossed them into a laundry basket. He invited them to sit; Yang Baogui, familiar with the routine, plopped down at once. Nik poured two tall glasses of cold boiled water from a glass pitcher. Li Chiqi thought: This hospitality must rank among the stingiest in the House of Elders. Even the most frugal departments served tea. Industrial and commercial offices and workshops kept various beverages on hand, freely available.
"What brings you here today—requisitioning a horse?" Nik came straight to the point.
"Yes. You know Xun Suji? From the food factory…"
Nik nodded rapidly. "Oh, I know him. I get scraps from the food factory for feed."
"He's getting married," Li Chiqi said. "His wife is a native—the first marriage between an elder and a native. The Executive Committee wants to make it grand, so they approved the Hongqi carriage for the bridal procession. The carriage fleet is under my management now; I need to borrow two horses tomorrow to pull the wedding carriage."
Most people wouldn't refuse such a festive favor, but Li Chiqi knew Nik might.
"What does Xun Suji's wedding have to do with me?" Nik said, predictably indifferent. "Let the bride take a sedan chair—that's what they do in this time-space."
"We're all elders. Can't you give a little face for a wedding carriage?"
"If it's military, agricultural, or diplomatic, of course horses are fine—that's the big picture. What's a wedding? Can't get married without a carriage?"
"Well—" Li Chiqi was at a loss. The logic held, but the wedding-carriage decision was already made; he couldn't change it just because Nik disagreed.
"Don't worry—just two horses pulling a carriage on one loop. It's not heavy hauling." Li Chiqi cajoled and promised until he finally secured the horses.
Hong Huangnan mentally noted: given Comrade Nik's attitude, his carriage-sales plan would need an alternative horse source. He'd have to discuss this with Guo Yi, Si Kaide, and the others.
Yang Baogui was used to all this. Smiling, he said, "Once this batch of military horses arrives, the shortage won't be so acute."
"Natives run horses into the ground. New horses can't be used until they've been rehabilitated for three or four months," Nik said. "How many horses are coming this time?"
"The numbers are in," Hong Huangnan said—he knew them by heart. "107 horses, 71 mules, 51 donkeys."
"That's all?" Nik was disappointed. "We got over a hundred horses after the Great Victory at Chengmai! Now we take their main base and still only a hundred?"
"They apparently ate quite a few. They weren't actually starving to the point of slaughtering horses—I think it was purely for the meat."
Nik was distraught. After a long pause, he asked, "Should I send some ranch hands to help drive them? Is the water and fodder supply along the way guaranteed?"
"I've asked the artillery team to help drive the horses. They've all trained here—you can relax, right?" Hong Huangnan laughed. "As for water and fodder, don't worry—I'm the Logistics Chief of Staff. Can't I handle the basics?"
Yang Baogui asked, "Many sick or injured horses?"
"Not many. The sick and injured got eaten by the troops." Hong Huangnan didn't mention that some had been sent to the meatpacking plant. "How many horses do we have now?"
"196 horses total, including this year's foals," Nik said. "24 donkeys, 10 mules. The mules are a mix of captures and newborns. Once rehabilitated, they'll be sent to the farms for rearing and work."
All horses, donkeys, and mules under the Transmigrator Group's control were now kept at Mopan Ridge. According to regulations drafted by the Agricultural People's Committee and approved by the House of Elders, no department or individual could retain equines acquired through any channel; all had to be transferred to Mopan Ridge Ranch first. Only after treatment, restorative feeding, and evaluation for breeding value could they be allocated for use.
When Nik heard Hong Huangnan was planning to promote carriages in Guangzhou, he raised the question of horse supply. He was curious how Guangzhou—a place that didn't produce horses—would supply them for carriages. Hong Huangnan explained Si Kaide's idea: buy Guangxi and Yunnan horses locally.
"Both are basically Yunnan breeds—small as donkeys, with less carrying capacity than a good donkey," Nik said dismissively. "Aside from potential use by mountain troops, I don't see any value in them."
Hong Huangnan clung to his carriage-sales plan and had prepared a rebuttal: "Mongolian horses aren't easy to get. Besides, would you be willing to sell hard-won Mongolian horses to landowners to pull carriages?"
"True." Nik nodded. "Once you buy Yunnan horses in Guangzhou, I'll station a professional horse-keeper with you."
"Much appreciated—but hurry and get me the horses first, or else Xun Suji the groom will get impatient." Everyone laughed.
Many years later, when "New-Method Weddings" had become the most common form of ceremony among common folk, old-timers who had witnessed the first "Australian wedding" in Lingao would still regale their impatient children with stories of that day. For such a backwater, the brand-new wedding style had been a revelation.
That afternoon, Mo Xiao'an wore an all-white U.S. Navy summer dress uniform borrowed from Lin Le—insignia and rank removed. He chose the American uniform because it was the most ornate, glittering with gold decorations, which would prevent natives from mistaking it for mourning wear. Elders wearing white undershirts and dress shirts in summer had already caused similar misunderstandings. By now, naturalized citizens and natives who frequently interacted with elders knew Australians didn't taboo white clothing.
Xun Suji wore a boutonniere and held a bouquet. Accompanied by Mo Xiao'an, he rode the Hongqi carriage to Liu Family Stockade to fetch the bride. Crowds lined the route; natives and naturalized citizens alike wanted to see what a "New-Method Wedding" looked like. The two-horse, ribbon-bedecked Hongqi carriage trotted proudly along the road. Garrison Battalion soldiers in new uniforms formed an escort—looking both imposing and spirited.
The Propaganda Department's dragon and lion dance troupe, personally led by Ji Denggao, put on a clamorous show at Liu Family Stockade. Amid the gongs and drums came Zhang Yu's halting live broadcast: "The procession has entered the plaza before Liu Family Stockade… Garrison Battalion soldiers line up… Chief Xun, all smiles, descends from the carriage and waves to relatives, friends, and the crowd in the plaza…"
The bride wore no traditional phoenix crown or red wedding cloak. Instead, she donned "Hanfu" designed by the Huaxia Society—once again hand-cut by Zheng Shangjie—a bright-red satin Hanfu bridal gown, with a 21st-century-style "Hanfu" phoenix crown. It looked unlike anything seen before. Liu clansmen and scholar-guests murmured: Is this really what Great Song attire looked like?
Doubt notwithstanding, no one in Lingao dared question the elders. Seeing the grand carriage arrive, the spectacle was extraordinary; everyone envied. Every great-house landlord with an adult daughter began scheming.
Amid the joyous clamor, the first batch of trade and intelligence personnel bound for the mainland had already quietly reported to the Foreign Intelligence Bureau, receiving mission orders for their respective destinations. Per the plan, they would proceed to multiple points on the mainland, formally launching the Continental Strategy.
(End of Chapter)