The road north was a ribbon of frozen mud, winding through the barren foothills of the Anping Prefecture.
Chen Yuan walked ahead, a heavy staff in his hand to test the icy puddles. Behind him plodded "Hope," the Yellow Cow, her breath misting in the frigid air. She was wrapped in a makeshift blanket—a stitched-together patch of old cloaks—to keep her warm. Bringing up the rear was Xu Tie, leading the pack mule they had rented from the village, loaded with hay, grain, and their camping gear.
Three days. Thirty *li*.
To a modern person, thirty kilometers was a short drive. But moving a cow on foot in winter was an exercise in patience.
"Halt," Chen Yuan called out softly.
He stopped, kneeling by the cow's front left hoof. She had been favoring it slightly for the last mile.
"Easy, girl." He lifted the hoof, scraping away a ball of frozen mud and stones wedged between the cleats.
**[System Alert: Minor stone bruise. Hoof integrity: 95%. Recommendation: Rest and clean.]**
"It's just a stone," Chen Yuan muttered, tossing the pebble into the weeds. He rubbed the hoof gently. "Good as new."
He stood up and patted her neck. She lowed softly, nudging his shoulder.
"She likes you," Xu Tie observed, walking up. "A month ago, she was ready for the butcher's cleaver. Now she walks like a lady on a pilgrimage."
"She knows this is important," Chen Yuan smiled. "How are we doing on time?"
"We'll reach the relay station by sundown," Xu Tie looked at the position of the pale winter sun. "We can sleep in the stable. It'll be warmer than the temple we slept in last night."
"Good. We need her rested. Tomorrow we arrive at the Stud Farm."
---
The Government Stud Farm was located in a valley sheltered from the wind. It was a massive complex, surrounded by high stone walls and patrolled by soldiers in iron armor.
This wasn't just a farm; it was a strategic military resource. The Great Qian Dynasty relied on horses for its cavalry and oxen for its logistics. This facility bred both.
Chen Yuan stood before the heavy iron-bound gates, feeling distinctly out of place. His clothes were travel-worn, stained with mud and road dust. Beside him, Hope looked small and scrawny compared to the sleek, well-fed beasts he could hear bellowing inside.
"State your business," a guard barked, leveling a spear.
"I am Chen Yuan, a farmer from Willow Creek," Chen Yuan said, bowing respectfully. He produced a travel pass stamped by the Village Chief. "I have come to lease the bull. For breeding."
The guard glanced at the pass, then at the cow. He sneered.
"That nag? You brought *that* to the Imperial Stud?" He laughed, turning to his companion. "Look at her. She looks like a bundle of kindling. The bull will crush her."
"The bull does the work," Chen Yuan said calmly, keeping his temper in check. "I have the fee."
He jingled the pouch at his waist. Five hundred copper coins. It was a heavy weight.
The guard's eyes narrowed at the sound. Money spoke even louder than rank in the borderlands.
"Five hundred coins. Non-refundable," the guard said. "And you sign a waiver. If your animal dies during the process, it's not our problem."
"Agreed."
"Go in. Ask for Steward Wang at the breeding pens."
---
The inside of the Stud Farm was a world away from the Wasteland.
The stables were brick-paved and immaculate. The smell was a potent mix of manure, hay, and the musk of entire male animals. The air was thick with steam rising from the heated stables.
Chen Yuan led Hope through the labyrinth of corridors. She was nervous, her eyes rolling at the sounds and smells of powerful beasts.
"Easy," he whispered, keeping a hand on her withers. *System, calm her down.*
**[Administering Pheromone Simulation... (Host contact required).]**
He stroked her neck in a specific rhythm the System highlighted. Her breathing slowed.
They reached the breeding pen. It was a large, sandy arena.
And there he was.
The Bull.
He was a monster. A massive, slate-grey beast of the local "Mountain Strain," standing nearly five feet at the shoulder. His neck was a thick ridge of muscle, his horns curved outward like twin scimitars. He snorted, pawing the ground, sending sprays of sand flying.
A man in a blue apron, stained with sweat and other fluids, was brushing the bull's flank. This was Steward Wang.
"New customer?" Wang asked, not looking up. "Put the cow in the holding chute."
"Wait," Chen Yuan said.
Wang stopped brushing. "What?"
"I want to inspect the bull first."
Wang turned, staring at Chen Yuan as if he were a lunatic. "Inspect? You think you're a vet, kid? This is 'Iron Mountain'. He's sired three hundred calves. He's the best stud in the province. You don't inspect him; you pay, and you thank the heavens he's available."
"I paid," Chen Yuan said, stepping forward. "And I'm not saying he's bad. I'm saying I need to make sure my cow is ready. If she's too scared, she won't conceive."
He walked up to the fence of the bull's pen.
Iron Mountain turned his massive head. He fixed a beady, dark eye on Chen Yuan. He let out a low, rumbling bellow that vibrated in Chen Yuan's chest.
**[System Analysis: Subject 'Iron Mountain'.]**
**[Breed: Improved Mountain Strain.]**
**[Traits: High muscle density, aggression, good bone structure.]**
**[Genetic Compatibility with Subject 'Hope': 88%.]**
**[Warning: Subject exhibits high aggression. Handler caution advised.]**
*Good genes,* Chen Yuan thought. *But a bad temper.*
"I need him calmed down before we bring her in," Chen Yuan said. "He's too agitated. He'll stress her."
"He's a bull," Wang scoffed. "He's always agitated. It's winter. He hasn't seen a cow in weeks. You want him calm? You're dreaming."
Chen Yuan looked at the bull. He saw the muscles twitching under the grey hide. He saw the white foam around the mouth.
*System, do I have a skill for this?*
**[Skill: Animal Empathy (Passive) - Level 1.]**
**[Effect: Host can project calm intent. Efficacy increased by eye contact and posture.]**
Chen Yuan didn't back away. He stood at the fence, upright but relaxed. He locked eyes with the beast.
*You are strong,* he projected silently. *But you are a tool. And I am the master.*
He didn't move. He didn't blink. He breathed slowly, deeply.
The bull snorted again, shaking his head.
Chen Yuan remained still.
Slowly, the bull's twitching stopped. He blinked. He let out a long, shuddering breath and looked away, lowering his head to sniff at the ground.
Steward Wang stared, his brush hanging limp in his hand. "How... how did you do that? Even the handlers have to use poles to keep him back."
"Pressure and release," Chen Yuan improvised, using a horse-training term. "He sensed I wasn't afraid. Now... can we bring the cow in?"
Wang nodded, shaking his head in disbelief. "Yeah. Put her in the chute."
---
The breeding chute was a wooden stock designed to hold the female cow still, protecting her from the massive weight of the male.
Chen Yuan led Hope into the stocks. She was trembling again. The scent of the bull was overwhelming.
"Talk to her," Xu Tie said from the sideline. He was watching the bull with a warrior's eye. "Keep her focused on you."
Chen Yuan stood at her head, blocking her view of the approaching bull. He cupped her ears, murmuring softly.
"Look at me, Hope. Just look at me. It will be over in a minute. Then you'll have the strongest calf in the county."
Behind him, he heard the heavy clatter of hooves on stone. Iron Mountain was being led into the arena.
The bull bellowed—a sound of raw power. The ground seemed to shake.
Hope tried to pull back, but the stocks held her.
"Easy!" Chen Yuan pressed his forehead against hers. "Breathe. Breathe."
**[Mating Process Initiating...]**
There was a heavy thud as the bull mounted the chute. The wooden structure creaked and groaned under the immense weight.
Hope let out a low, strained moo.
"Hold on, girl," Chen Yuan whispered, his heart racing. "Hold on."
**[Process: Successful intromission.]**
**[Time: 45 seconds.]**
It was a primal, messy, and quick act. Nature at its most basic.
With a grunt, the bull dismounted. The wood snapped back into place.
Iron Mountain was led away, already losing interest.
Chen Yuan immediately began rubbing Hope's flanks, helping her relax. She was panting heavily, but she seemed unharmed.
**[System Alert: Fertilization Probability: High.]**
**[Recommendation: Keep subject calm for 30 minutes. Provide warm water.]**
"Did it take?" Wang asked, walking over with a bucket of water. He looked at the cow with a newfound respect. "She held up well. Most first-timers panic and hurt themselves."
"She's tough," Chen Yuan said, proud of the animal.
"She'll need it," Wang said, writing a receipt. "Come back in nine months. If it's a heifer, good for you. If it's a bull calf... you'll have some meat on your hands."
Chen Yuan smiled. *Or a breeding bull.*
"Thank you, Steward Wang."
---
The journey back was faster. The anxiety was gone, replaced by a weary satisfaction.
They stopped for the night at a dilapidated roadside shrine, seeking shelter from a sudden sleet storm.
Chen Yuan huddled by a small fire with Xu Tie. The cow stood nearby, chewing her cud contentedly.
"It's done," Xu Tie said, roasting a hard biscuit on a stick. "Nine months. That's a long time to wait for a return on investment."
"Ranching is long-term," Chen Yuan said. "But the wait is where the profit is. A calf costs almost nothing to raise if we have the grass. But sells for a fortune."
He looked into the fire.
"And meanwhile, we have the goats. The milk. The cloaks." He yawned. "We're building layers, Cousin. Layer by layer."
"The family is asking about spring," Xu Tie said. "The planting season. Father asked if you plan to clear more land."
"How much more?"
"All of it. The whole Wasteland."
Chen Yuan looked out at the dark storm raging outside the shrine. The whole Wasteland. That was 50 acres of thorns and swamp.
"To clear 50 acres, we need machines," Chen Yuan said. "Or oxen. We can't do it with hoes."
"Then we buy oxen."
"After the calf is born," Chen Yuan said. "Or... we rent them. Share-cropping."
He thought for a moment. "There are families in the village with labor but no land. We clear the land, they work it, we split the grass harvest. It's a risk."
"Trust," Xu Tie said. "That's a rare currency."
"It is." Chen Yuan threw another branch on the fire. "But we have a reputation now. The wolf pelt. The cloaks. We are the Chen family. We don't break deals."
He leaned back against the cold stone wall of the shrine.
"Tomorrow, we go home. And then... we prepare for the thaw."
---
When they finally walked through the gates of Willow Creek three days later, the village was buzzing.
Not with bad news, for once. But with the arrival of a traveling theater troupe.
The open space near the banyan tree was crowded with carts, acrobats, and merchants. It was a rare burst of color in the grey winter.
But Chen Yuan didn't stop to watch. He led Hope straight to the Wasteland.
He opened the gate. The lean-to was still standing. The fence was intact.
He unhooked the cow's lead and let her walk into the paddock. The two kid goats, now significantly larger, bounded over to sniff the newcomer. Nanny 01 watched from the shelter, chewing calmly.
The herd had grown. Not in numbers today, but in potential.
"We're back," Chen Yuan said to the wind.
He walked to the center of the clearing, where the ashes of the barbecue fire were still visible under the snow.
He looked at the land. The snow was melting at the edges, revealing the dark, damp earth. Spring was close.
"Chen Yuan!"
A shout came from the village.
It was Wang Shi. She was running—actually running—down the path. Her apron was flapping, her hair was flying.
Chen Yuan's stomach clenched. "What? What happened?"
Wang Shi reached the gate, gasping for breath. She grabbed his arm.
"Brother... Little Ming..."
"Is he hurt?"
"No!" She laughed, a wild, hysterical sound. "No! The notice! The notice from the Prefecture!"
She shoved a crumpled piece of paper into his hands.
"It arrived this morning! The District Magistrate... he's hosting a 'Winter Poetry Gathering' for the scholars of the county! And... and Teacher Liu recommended Little Ming!"
Chen Yuan stared at the paper. It was an official invitation.
*The Magistrate's Winter Gathering.*
This was it. This was the first step on the ladder. Not the Imperial Exam, but a gathering of the local gentry. If Little Ming performed well, he could catch the eye of a patron. A sponsor.
"When?" Chen Yuan asked.
"Three days!" Wang Shi said. "Three days from now! In the town hall!"
Chen Yuan looked at the paper, then at his cow, then at the sky.
Three days.
He had just walked three days for a cow. Now he had to prepare his brother for a battle of words.
He looked at Wang Shi. Her face was flushed with excitement and fear.
"We need to get him ready," Chen Yuan said. "New clothes. A clean robe. And we need to practice his recitation."
"He's scared," Wang Shi said. "He says the other boys are from rich families. They wear silk. We only have hemp."
Chen Yuan smiled. It was a sharp, confident smile.
"Hemp is strong," he said. "And it wears well. We'll wash it, starch it with rice water. He'll look like a scholar."
He rolled up the invitation.
"Come on, Sister-in-law. Let's go home. We have a poet to polish."
As they walked back, Chen Yuan looked at the Wasteland one last time.
*One thing at a time,* he thought. *First the calf. Then the scholar.*
The Chen family was climbing.