Chapter Seven: The Ancient Tea Horse Road

The two of them descended the mountain, and the rented car had been waiting in the parking lot for quite some time. The scenic spot was rather far from the city, and if Liu Zichen hadn’t studied the travel guides in advance, their transfer would have been a real headache.

Liu Zichen planned to spend the afternoon exploring Lashihai, a place Chen Tianyu also longed to visit, having heard that here, at last, one could ride real horses along the famous Ancient Tea Horse Road.

The so-called Ancient Tea Horse Road was, in fact, a folk international trade route unique to the southwest of China, where horses served as the primary means of transport. It originated from ancient market exchanges of tea and horses on the southwest and northwest frontiers. Within YN, the route belonged to the Dian-Tibet tea-horse trade.

They’d rented a seven-seater minivan, and after nearly three hours of jostling, both were drowsy with fatigue. When the driver woke them, they were genuinely stunned. Liu Zichen instinctively asked, "Driver, where are we?"

"This is Lashihai," replied the driver, who, having worked through the noon rush, sounded weary as well.

Liu Zichen rolled down the window, poking her head out to survey the desolate, pitted spot. She found it hard to believe this was the famous Lashihai, known for horse riding and boating.

"Driver, are you sure this is the right place? Where’s the entrance to the scenic area?" Suspicion gnawed at Liu Zichen—had they been picked up by a rogue driver? Had they run into bandits today?

But the driver remained steady, squinting with a faint smile. "Miss, you need to look out the left window. The entrance is over there."

Chen Tianyu, seated on the left, frowned and looked out. There was no grand entrance—just a makeshift shack on barren land, a few parasols, a garish backdrop, some plastic chairs, and two or three people.

"This is a horse caravan," the driver explained. "If you want to ride, only the caravans provide horses."

"Horse caravan?" Both got out, puzzled. The place looked nothing like a tourist spot. Chen Tianyu warned the driver, "Wait here. Zichen, go ask over there." He was wary the driver might leave them stranded, especially since the fare had been paid upfront. In an unfamiliar place, if abandoned, they’d have nowhere to turn.

The driver smiled wryly. "I’m not deceiving you. If you want to ride, this is where you come. Didn’t you do your research before coming?"

Chen Tianyu ignored him, watching as Liu Zichen walked toward the shack.

Soon, Liu Zichen was speaking with the "managers" of the "scenic area." One bald man, unfriendly and surly, glared at her, barely answering. He told her that riding the ancient road cost at least 350 yuan, with no upper limit, depending on the route.

"We want to visit Lashihai," Liu Zichen replied calmly. "Where do we buy tickets?"

The bald man’s eyes bulged with impatience. "Girl! How many times must I tell you? Lashihai doesn’t sell tickets! Every tourist rides with us along the ancient road." A burly, dark-faced man sauntered over, giving her a predatory stare.

Such intimidation would have made most tourists pay up without protest, but who was Liu Zichen? She was the queen of Beiting! Her anger flared. "Excuse me, Lashihai is a national scenic area! We demand to buy legitimate tickets at the official ticket office! Do you understand?"

"Suit yourself! We don’t sell tickets," the bald man replied, sprawling back in his chair and propping a foot up indifferently.

"Do you believe I’ll call the police right now?" Liu Zichen snapped, pulling out her phone.

"Go ahead," the bald man said, unmoved.

Furious, Liu Zichen dialed emergency services, only to find her supposedly reliable phone silent. There was no signal here! She shot the bald man a glare and stomped back to the van, stumbling over the uneven ground. Fortunately, she wore sneakers; though disheveled, she didn’t fall.

Chen Tianyu frowned. "Well? Is this the right place?"

"We’ve been duped!" Liu Zichen fumed, turning on the driver. "Hey, did you bring us here to fleece us? You’ve picked the wrong people! If you know what’s good for you, get us out of here—now!"

The driver looked aggrieved. "This really is the horse caravan at Lashihai! I’ve been driving here for years; all the tourists come here."

The two men from before now approached. Chen Tianyu ushered Liu Zichen into the van for safety and then stepped out himself.

The bald man chatted with the driver, clearly familiar, while the burly man glared silently at them.

Chen Tianyu spoke slowly. "Gentlemen, do you know the consequences of gouging tourists?"

The bald man lounged against the driver’s window, careless. "Save your breath! Ride if you want, leave if you don’t. Don’t get tough with us—I’ve seen plenty like you." He wore the look of someone in control, the classic crook crying foul.

Sensing the tension, the driver tried to mediate. "Folks, it’s a long way out here. Why not just make do... Look, there’s another van arriving—see? Everyone comes here; you can’t be wrong."

Indeed, a minivan lurched to a stop nearby. The bald man waved, and two more thuggish men emerged, heading briskly toward the new arrivals. The group of handsome young men and women in that van, seeing the scene, hesitated to step out.

"This is outrageous!" Liu Zichen fumed.

Chen Tianyu straightened, his gaze shifting from calm to icy sharpness as it swept over the men. The bald man felt a chill and shuddered involuntarily.

The driver, sensing things were amiss, anxiously offered, "Boss, how about I take you to another horse ranch? I won’t charge extra. The caravans are much the same—you’ll get used to it." He wasn’t really worried for the caravan men, perhaps just had a pang of conscience, afraid something might happen to Chen Tianyu and Liu Zichen.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" the bald man barked at the driver. "We run an honest business—what, you think you can ruin our reputation by getting tough?"

"Pah!" Chen Tianyu spat on the ground. "Since you don’t want to do legitimate business, so be it. From now on, there’ll be no more dirty profits for you at Lashihai!"

---

The driver’s hands shook on the steering wheel.

He hadn’t expected to pick up such troublemakers today—not only had they overturned the caravan’s operation, but also tied up the thugs with rope and waited for the police to arrive. His business was ruined, and he feared for his fate. The more he thought, the more fearful he became.

From behind, Liu Zichen’s voice came: "Where do you plan to take us now?"

"Shall I take you back to the city?" The driver didn’t even dare look back, his voice trembling.

"No way!" Liu Zichen refused flatly. "We must see the Lashihai scenic area today!"

The driver hesitated for a long time before cautiously suggesting, "Boss, if you really want to go, I know a more reliable caravan. It’s just farther..."

"How far?" Liu Zichen asked.

"At least another hour," the driver stammered. "It’s even more remote, but they’re fairer. Still, it’s getting late."

Liu Zichen checked the time—it was already past three. She snapped, "You knew those people were unfair and still brought us there! Is black money so easy to earn?"

The driver fell silent, driving on without further suggestions.

"Whatever it takes, let’s go," Liu Zichen decided. In the rearview mirror, she saw that the van which had arrived with them earlier was now following behind. It seemed the other group, seeing the den shut down, had decided to follow them to a proper scenic spot.

"All right," the driver relented. "I won’t charge extra for this section."

Chen Tianyu chuckled. "So we’re getting the better end of this deal?"

The driver grumbled, "Fuel prices are sky-high now—always rising, never falling..." and began muttering about the oil companies.

Liu Zichen was speechless for a moment, then finally asked, "Where exactly are you taking us?"

"Enzong Fourth Commune," the driver replied.

---

Enzong Fourth Commune, though also a horse ranch, appeared much more legitimate. The staff were friendly, all wearing pleasant expressions.

The two browsed the information board, discovering three horseback routes to choose from: priced at 150, 280, and 350 yuan. Each varied in length, but all included complimentary tea tasting and boating. Since they only wanted the experience, they naturally chose the cheapest route.

The staff did not pressure them to spend more and remained courteous. One waved to an elderly man nearby, who slowly approached.

"This is Brother He. You’ll ride his horses," the staff suggested.

Brother He said nothing, waiting patiently for their decision. Neither was particular, and seeing his honest face, they raised no objections.

Once tickets and complimentary tea and boating vouchers were in hand, Brother He finally spoke, his local accent evident: "You’ve made the right choice. My ‘Dragon Horse’ has rested for a long time—this is its first trip up the mountain."

Liu Zichen asked curiously, "Dragon Horse? Is there something special about it?" She wasn’t well-versed in horses.

Brother He grinned. "You’ll see when I bring it out." He said no more, disappearing into the corral and shortly returning with two horses—one large, one small—tethered together.

"This is Brother Ma," he said, pointing to the smaller lead horse. "After more than twenty years on the trail, he knows the way best."

He then indicated the larger, younger horse, stroking its head. "This is the Dragon Horse I mentioned. Once, a film crew wanted to rent it for a thousand yuan a day, but I couldn’t bear to part with it."

Liu Zichen stroked its face, intrigued. The Dragon Horse stood perfectly still, calm and dignified.

"What’s special about this horse?" she pressed.

Patiently, Brother He parted the Dragon Horse’s mane. "Look at its smooth, lustrous coat, and this row of white mane here—other horses don’t have that."

Chen Tianyu watched his spiel in silence, finally unable to resist commenting, "I admit the Dragon Horse looks cleaner, but just look at Brother Ma—his eye gunk is nearly sealing his eyes shut. Can he even see the road?"

Liu Zichen burst out laughing; Chen Tianyu had hit the nail on the head.

Brother He remained unruffled. "Don’t doubt it—you’ll find out once you ride. And here’s a secret," he added with a mischievous smile, "they say everyone who rides the Dragon Horse ends up with a fat, healthy son. It’s lucky..."

Liu Zichen blushed, while Chen Tianyu laughed heartily.

"Boss, I can tell you two are destined for good fortune—otherwise how could you have picked the Dragon Horse? It chooses its riders. Why don’t you try?"

Chen Tianyu looked at Liu Zichen, who rolled her eyes at him but mounted without hesitation. The Dragon Horse was indeed steady, not budging an inch. Liu Zichen’s initial anxiety faded; gripping the saddle horn, she cried, "Giddy up! Giddy up!"

The Dragon Horse merely shook its head and snorted loudly, startling her into embarrassment.

Chen Tianyu asked, "It won’t throw her, will it?"

Brother He shook his head, pleased. "My Dragon Horse quite likes this girl—don’t worry."

Chen Tianyu was skeptical. "Why won’t it move?"

Brother He replied, "If the lead horse doesn’t go, the Dragon Horse won’t either."

So that was it. Chen Tianyu mounted Brother Ma, and sure enough, as Brother He led the way with the reins, the two horses started forward, one after the other. Both riders laughed at the discovery—it all depended on the owner leading them; nothing mystical about the Dragon Horse after all.

---

They rode at a tortoise’s pace—hardly dangerous. However fast Brother He walked, the horses matched him. Sitting upright in their saddles, both felt a newfound confidence. Horseback riding up the mountain turned out to be nothing like they’d imagined—in fact, it felt more like leading donkeys around a mill.

"Will it always be this slow?" Liu Zichen called from behind. She noticed two tourists nearby snapping photos of them, which she found odd. She’d never seen tourists so eager to photograph others, so she waved back amiably.

Brother He replied unhurriedly, "It’s your first time riding—I wouldn’t dare let the horses run wild. If my Dragon Horse really took off, you wouldn’t be able to control it. Try it on the way down if you have the nerve... Dare you?"

"Why not?" Liu Zichen responded, full of confidence.

Laughing and chatting, they soon reached a rocky dirt road, quite steep. Brother Ma, with effort, pressed onward; Chen Tianyu worried the aging, thin horse might collapse, especially with a nearly 200-pound rider. The Dragon Horse, with its lighter load, had an easier time and didn’t even need to watch the path.

Brother Ma’s eyes watered from the effort, making Chen Tianyu feel sorry for him. He considered dismounting, but despite the horse’s labored steps, the ride was smooth enough. Brother He, eyes straight ahead, showed no concern—he’d traversed this path for years, once carrying goods weighing three to five hundred pounds, so a person was nothing.

The route, though desolate, teemed with birdsong and floral scents. Occasionally, branches brushed their faces, but with the slow pace, dodging was easy. The Dragon Horse proved mischievous, pausing now and then to nibble leaves by the trail, making Liu Zichen laugh.

After about twenty minutes, they reached a plateau near the summit. Brother He signaled them to dismount and rest, urging them to enjoy the view.

The sun still hung a hand’s breadth above the horizon. The vista from the plateau was indeed captivating.

A middle-aged woman appeared with two trays of peas, claiming they were for the horses. Liu Zichen asked the price—ten yuan a tray seemed fair—so she generously bought both and set them before the horses.

Watching their tails swish in the sunlight, Liu Zichen, amused, reached out to touch one. Suddenly, the Dragon Horse kicked, almost knocking her down the slope. Startled, she quickly dodged.

Brother He laughed. "Miss, don’t stand behind the horse! If the Dragon Horse didn’t like you, you’d have been rolling down the hill."

"You sure have a way with words," Liu Zichen said, still patting her chest in fright, but she laughed—every horse, no matter how gentle, has its temper.

They took turns posing with the horses, asking Brother He to take a few photos, which turned out beautifully. As the sun set, they reluctantly began the descent. They had thought the way down would be easier, but it was even more jolting, the horses seeming always on the verge of slipping—a harrowing ride.

Midway, a passing car startled the horses, and the Dragon Horse reared, nearly throwing Liu Zichen. Luckily, she had the presence of mind to grip the saddle’s handles and held on tightly, avoiding disaster.

After that, neither dared mention letting the horses gallop—they truly were beyond their control.