18 Mo Xian is Rich

"So, Miss Wang, why are you headed to the Capital?" Mo Xian asked as they walked toward the next town.

"I'm going to the Hero Assembly," Wang Jingyuan answered. "Have you heard of it, Childe Mo?"

"I have," Mo Xian responded. "The Hero Assembly is held once every three years, correct? Many sects from all over the martial arts sector attend and have a showdown of skill. I've never attended in person, but I heard it is very exciting to watch. Miss Wang, will you be competing?"

"Oh, no." Wang Jingyuan shook her head. "I'm going to find my senior brother. He's going to be at the Hero Assembly."

"I see." Mo Xian nodded to himself. "If you're already so skilled, your senior brother must be a very outstanding martial artist as well."

"Well, he should be," Wang Jingyuan said. Mo Xian looked at her quizzically. She added, "I've actually never met my senior brother."

"You haven't?" Mo Xian was surprised. "Then how will you find him?"

"I know his name," Wang Jingyuan said.

"But there could be people with the exact same name."

"I was planning on identifying him by his sword skills," Wang Jingyuan confessed. "Since he and I had the same mentor, we will have identical sword skills."

"Ohh, that's a good idea." Mo Xian agreed. Then he realized something. "You said you and your senior brother 'had' the same mentor, past tense. Your mentor—"

Wang Jingyuan sighed sadly. "To tell you the truth, Childe Mo, my mentor is no longer with us. That's why I'm going to find my senior brother."

"Ah. My condolences, Miss Wang." Seeing the sad look on Wang Jingyuan's face, Mo Xian scolded himself for prying and bringing up the sad topic.

The pair walked in silence for a while before Mo Xian thought of another topic to talk about. "How's life as a martial artist? Is the training hard?"

"It's alright, I guess. It's hard in the beginning, when you're just getting used to it, but after that it's just practicing the sword forms," Wang Jingyuan answered. "Childe Mo, you know swordsmanship, but you're not a martial artist."

"Yes, that's correct. I learned mostly for self-defense," Mo Xian explained. "It's also good for strengthening the body. I was a sickly child, and my mother thought learning a form of martial arts would be helpful in making me grow healthier."

"Well, I think it worked. You don't look sickly at all," Wang Jingyuan told him. Mo Xian smiled fondly at her.

"I sure hope I don't, Miss Wang. I've had enough of bitter Chinese medicine for my entire lifetime."

They reached town around noon. After a quick lunch, Mo Xian and Wang Jingyuan walked on the streets to look for a horse seller. They found one, and Mo Xian inquired about the price.

"Thirty silver coins, Childe," the seller replied. Wang Jingyuan's jaws dropped at the price. Thirty silver coins! She only had about ten to begin with, and after a month of being on the road, her supply had dwindled to two silver coins and a handful of copper coins. She was right to have not bought a horse in the beginning.

"We can just walk," Wang Jingyuan said quietly as she tugged on Mo Xian's sleeve. "Thirty silver coins is a lot of money."

"No worries, Miss Wang. I have enough money." Mo Xian reached into his hanfu and pulled out a gold-embroidered money pouch. "Here are three gold coins, mister. Please get me two of your best steeds."

"Childe Mo!" Wang Jingyuan watched with wide eyes as Mo Xian dropped the shiny golden coins into the seller's hand. From her days on the road, she had learned that twenty silver coins made up a gold coin. Normal citizens usually carried copper coins. Wealthier people carried silver coins. But imagine carrying gold coins! Wang Jingyuan had suspected that Mo Xian was rich, but not this rich.

"Here you go, childe. Thank you for the business!" The seller led over two horses. Both had chestnut colored coats that had been brushed until it shone. One of them had a white diamond-shaped mark on its forehead. It snorted and nudged its head to Wang Jingyuan, who was still reeling from the realization of Mo Xian's economical background.

Mo Xian took the reins. "This one seems to like you, Miss Wang. You can ride him, then."

"Childe Mo, how am I ever going to pay you back?" Wang Jingyuan wondered out loud. Mo Xian laughed as he handed her the reins.

"No, please, consider this a part of my larger plan to repay you for saving my life."

"Larger plan?" Wang Jingyuan looked at him incredulously.

"You didn't think I would show my gratitude by only buying you a horse, did you?" Mo Xian tilted his head and looked at the girl staring at him. "Even if I was to gift you a horse, I would buy you the fastest, most beautiful steed in the world, not one from a small-town seller. This is just a tool for transportation, Miss Wang."

"But—"

"No buts, Miss Wang." Mo Xian cut her off. "You know how to ride a horse, right?"

Wang Jingyuan looked at the horse, and the saddle at her chin height. She was already a tall girl, at five feet eight inches, and this horse was also tall. She had seen people do horseback riding, but had never done it herself. Nevertheless, she didn't want to admit that to Mo Xian. It made her feel useless. "Um…"

Mo Xian looked at her expression and understood immediately. "Ah, I should have asked you before I bought the horses. That's on me. If you don't mind, you can ride with me."

"I can try to ride by myself," Wang Jingyuan offered weakly.

"No, you might fall off and really hurt yourself. I'll return the other horse." Mo Xian walked back to the seller and spoke to him. Wang Jingyuan stayed with the horse with the diamond patch. She watched as the seller took back the horse and returned only one gold coin to Mo Xian.

"Why did he only give you one gold coin back? Where are the other ten silver coins? I thought each horse cost thirty silver coins?" Wang Jingyuan questioned.

"People get upset about refunds. He said he would only give one gold coin back and take the ten silver coins as a 'transaction fee'." Mo Xian shrugged. Wang Jingyuan felt bad immediately.

"Sorry, Childe Mo, it's all my fault…"

"Oh, no, Miss Wang, it is not your fault." Mo Xian hurriedly reassured her. "Ten silver coins is nothing. Your safety is my top concern."

"Ten silver coins is still a lot of money," Wang Jingyuan fretted. She opened her own money pouch and pulled out her last two silver coins. "Here, Childe Mo. I will pay you back the rest when I have money."

"Miss Wang, no, it's alright." Mo Xian wanted to laugh, but kept himself in check at Wang Jingyuan's serious expression. "Really, it's not that much money." To him, even gold coins were like copper coins. He had so much money, Wang Jingyuan couldn't even imagine.

Wang Jingyuan stubbornly refused to take them back. "I won't ride with you unless you accept, Childe Mo."

Mo Xian relented. "Okay, okay. I will keep the money for you, Miss Wang." He took the two silver coins and dropped them into his coin pouch. "Seriously, don't worry about money, Miss Wang. You saved my life. I should be giving you my entire inheritance to show my gratitude."

"No, no, Childe Mo, I said you didn't have to repay me." Wang Jingyuan waved both of her hands at Mo Xian, who shook his head with a smile.

"What will I do with you, Miss Wang," he chuckled softly. "Let's get out of the busy streets and onto the open road before we ride. That way, we will have a lot of space."

"Okay. After you, Childe Mo." Wang Jingyuan petted the horse with the diamond patch. Mo Xian took the reins, and they headed for the road once more.