The horses that Fan Hui Zhong told her to saddle were actually trained spirit beasts that resembled horses only much more bigger and with two antler-like horns on top of their heads, just beside their ears with bodies that had fur that felt like high quality velvet.Just by looking at them, one would feel in awe of the elegant and majestic creatures but to Fan Zhu Xia, it left her confused as she stared at them with wide eyes.
The two spirit beasts, one black and one white continued on munching on some gra.s.s near the make-s.h.i.+ft stable that actually used to be an old shed that Fan Hui Zhong had.
Spying two saddles that was placed on one side, she picked them up and saw that one was an ordinary saddle and another was the common side-saddle that females usually use for riding.
She was just about to attempt to saddle up the white one and figure out how to actually do it when she heard someone approaching. Turning around, she saw Fan Hui Zhong quickly making his way towards her and she couldn"t help but give him a relieved smile which made him laugh.
"Ha, enough dawdling, give that here girl." Fan Hui Zhong said with an amused grin before quickly saddling up both spirit beasts and leading them out while Fan Zhu Xia trailed behind them.
"Father, where did you get them? I expected to see horses not spirit beasts!"
Fan Hui Zhong just grinned at her before he started to explain, "I bought them yesterday from a travelling merchant from the Thousand Beasts Rage Country. At first I was in search of fast horses but then they caught my eye."
"Ohh, I see. Did the merchant tell you what kind of beast they are?" Fan Zhu Xia asked curiously as she went closer and closer and slowly started petting the white spirit beast who just ignored her and let her be.
"He said that they were called Wind Runners. They are high-level mounts that are easy to tame but hard to find and are extremely rare. I had to pay quite a big amount of gold just to acquire them!"
"That expensive?!" she exclaimed, completely shocked at Fan Hui Zhong"s actions. He was usually more thrifty and it was always her who like to go ahead and buy frivolously.
"Haha.. I know you"re surprised but they are truly worth it! Besides, this would be perfect for you and your cousin." he replied with a laugh before quickly getting on the back of the black Wind Runner before gesturing for her to climb up on the other one as well.
With a look of bewilderment, Fan Zhu Xia just stared at Fan Hui Zhong as she stood there in a daze before asking in a small voice, "Cousin?"
With an amused laugh, Fan Hui Zhong grinned widely and replied, "Yes, you have a cousin as well as an uncle. Now get on before I continue on telling you about them."
Snapping out of her daze, Fan Zhu Xia nimbly hoisted herself up and settled herself comfortably in the saddle before turning towards him.
With a small smile, Fan Hui Zhong urged the black spirit beast to move while Fan Zhu Xia did the same and started to follow him while giving him an inquiring look.
"Hmm, tell me, what do you want to know about first?"
With a brief pause, Fan Zhu Xia asked, "Do these two spirit beasts have names already?"
Her question threw Fan Hui Zhong for a loop before he shook his head good-naturedly and answering, "Well, the one I am riding is called Heise while the one you are riding is called Baise. It literally means black and white."
"Huh, I like their names, it is simple and yet it really does fit them!" she laughed before smoothing down Baise"s long l.u.s.trous mane of silvery white hair.
"Hmm, next then?" Fan Hui Zhong asked, promptly reminding her that now is the time to ask him if she has any questions about the capital, its people or about his relatives.
"You never told me that you had a nephew and brother..." Zhu Xia started to say before trailing off.
Fan Hui Zhong smiled wryly before he answered, "En. I didn"t really see the point of mentioning them before... After all, I have not seen them both for quite some time."
"Will you tell me about them?" Zhu Xia inquired softly, as if sensing that there was something off.
Her cautiousness and sensitivity to his thoughts and emotions made him feel warm inside.
He truly thought that this is how it would feel to feel a daughter"s love and concern.
It was refres.h.i.+ng and it soothed the old painful wounds of his shattered hopes and dreams of the future that he lost when his beloved wife, Yue Wan in childbirth.
Briefly closing his eyes, he composed himself and reminisced on all those happy memories he had of his wife and his family. There was a lot since they were all very close and then he started talking about them to Fan Zhu Xia.
"I have a younger brother named Fan Hui Liang, he is a good and upright man who has been with me through thick and thin. He was always against me hiding myself away here all alone after my wife died but I was stubborn so he couldn"t really do anything about it."
"Next would be my nephew, Fan Xian Liang. He"s a nice kid. I can"t really tell you much about him since the last time I saw him was still only eleven years old!" Fan Hui Zhong suddenly blurt out as if realizing something just as he spoke before murmuring to himself under his breath, "I can"t believe it"s been more than a decade since I last saw them."
Catching the lowly spoken words, Fan Zhu Xia"s eyes widened slighly before she nodded and stayed quiet. The two of them settling on minding their own thoughts as silence slowly enveloped them while Fan Hui Zhong"s gaze focused on the distance and Fan Zhu Xia ruminated about the things she just found out.
One could only speculate on what will greet them once they arrive at the capital.