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***
Five days later, on a warm morning at eight o'clock, the sunlight bathed the western outskirts of Liyue Harbor.
The rays were bright yet gentle, draping Tianheng Mountain in a faint golden glow.
At the foot of the mountain, flowers in a villager's courtyard swayed lightly in the breeze, carrying bursts of fragrance.
From time to time, crisp birdsong pierced the stillness, adding a hint of life to the tranquil scene.
The countryside air was fresh and invigorating, bringing peace of mind.
After attending the banquet at the Jade Chamber, Lumine and Paimon decided to escort Shenhe back to Mt. Aocang and keep her company for a few days.
Meanwhile, Shao Yun had received word from Yelan, instructing him to purchase some necessities on her behalf.
Fortunately, it was Yelan's money he was spending. If it had been his own, he would probably have ridden straight to Mondstadt and "plundered" Miss Blanche's Mondstadt General Goods all over again!
At that moment, Yelan was leaning against a tree, idly tossing a dice formed from Hydro energy to pass the time.
Her gaze drifted lazily across the surroundings until she spotted Shao Yun heading her way.
Yelan quickly put away the dice, waved, and called out, "Hey, Shao Yun, over here. Did you get a month's worth of rations ready?"
Shao Yun strode up, patting the Legend of the East satchel at his waist. "To be precise, it's one and a half months' worth. All set."
"But before that, let's talk about payment."
Hearing this, Yelan's expression turned exasperated. "Seriously? My commission hasn't even started, and you're already eager to haggle over pay?"
Shao Yun smirked faintly, his tone dry and deliberate. "I should at least know what kind of reward will satisfy me."
Yelan gestured toward the road leading west and smiled. "Fine, we'll talk while we walk. You think I'd trick you?"
Shao Yun didn't argue further. Instead, he whistled, and from a distance an Andalusian mare galloped over.
Her coat was a pale rose, her frame sleek and strong—well deserving of the title "King's Horse."
Yelan's eyes gleamed with genuine appreciation as she studied the mare.
She assumed they would ride together—after all, a frail horse could never carry two people at full speed.
Shao Yun, misreading her look as admiration for his horse, didn't realize she intended to sit behind him!
Mounting Carrot, he absently patted her neck.
Seeing him on horseback, Yelan moved to swing up and sit behind.
But Shao Yun had no intention of letting her do that.
Sensing her aim, he maneuvered the horse forward a few steps, leaving her reaching at empty air.
Turning back, he caught sight of Yelan's bewildered face, clearly shocked by his move.
Without offering her a chance to question, he said mockingly, "Hey! What are you trying to do? How can your skin be as thick as that nun in Mondstadt?"
Meanwhile, far away in Mondstadt, Rosaria—the nun notorious for skipping choir—suddenly sneezed.
Yelan's eyes widened in disbelief.
She glanced at the long road toward The Chasm, then at the horse, then pointed to herself in shock. "Don't tell me you're planning to ride and leave me running on my own two legs!"
Shao Yun nodded firmly. "Exactly."
The thought left Yelan utterly speechless.
She gave him a look over, grumbling, "You can't be this stingy. A week ago, Yuheng was allowed to ride behind you. Why not me? What do I lack?"
Shao Yun recalled the night he saved Keqing, a memory that left him uneasy and sour.
Being forced to save someone and saving them of his own free will—those were not the same.
"Why don't you chop your legs off, and I'll push you in a wheelchair instead?"
His tone was dripping with sarcasm. "How big do you think your butt is, that you still want to sit behind me? You're just plain lazy!"
Yelan flushed with fury, lips pressed tight, eyes flashing with shame and anger.
If I could beat him, I'd knock him flat right now just to remind him who's the employer!
After venting, Shao Yun finally explained why Keqing had been allowed to ride.
"She looked like she was about to die, couldn't even walk without gasping. If you were at death's door, I'd make an exception too."
Yelan was left speechless.
She tried bargaining. "How about this—let me ride behind you, and I'll share some intel on the Fatui along the way?"
But Shao Yun was unmoved. "No need. Run."
If a Mondstadt nun could run, why not Yelan? What was she missing—a passive skill that reduced stamina drain at night?
Realizing her argument had failed, Yelan quickly shifted tactics.
She teased, "Well, traveling takes time. With horses, we'd reach the destination faster and finish the task sooner. Don't you want to see your girlfriend Lumine earlier?"
The prospect of saving time instantly swayed him.
"Fine. You can ride my other horse."
He whistled again, summoning another steed for Yelan.
She was stunned at his sudden change of heart, and wondered what charm Lumine had that made him so easily swayed.
Within ten seconds, a Dutch Warmblood of ivory and golden hue came charging into view.
Its shimmering coat caught the sunlight, dazzling even Yelan, who had seen much in her life.
"This golden horse is gorgeous," she breathed. "It looks strong and healthy too."
If she didn't know better, she might have thought Shao Yun was courting her by lending such a fine horse.
But before she could mount, Shao Yun exclaimed in alarm, "What!"
Looking up, he realized it was Buell—Lumine's horse.
"That's a mistake—wrong whistle! That one belongs to Lumine. Only she rides it!"
The danger of whistles—they made summoning simple, but mistakes easy.
Before Yelan could mount, he hurriedly drove Buell away.
Then he whistled again, summoning a chestnut-red mare—Boadicea.
Pointing, he said, "Ride this lady. She's fine too."
Yelan eyed the horse, sturdy though less striking than the golden one.
She twitched her lips. "Honestly… you treat Lumine so well, I'm starting to feel jealous."
Shao Yun rolled his eyes. "Of course. If I'm not good to Lumine and Paimon, who else would I be good to? Just keep being jealous."
Then with a smirk, he added, "Oh, and don't expect me to teach you to ride."
As if Yelan's worth compared to Lumine's, that he'd instruct her personally!
The disdain irked her.
But she brushed it off. "Who needs you? Haven't eaten pork, but I've seen pigs run."
With a fluid motion, she mounted Boadicea smoothly, settling into the saddle with practiced ease.
But the mare immediately sensed the difference.
She turned her head, large eyes scrutinizing the stranger on her back.
Yelan locked eyes with the horse—and for the first time, she swore she saw the word shock in an animal's gaze.
Sure enough, realizing it wasn't her familiar rider but an unknown woman, Boadicea erupted in fury.
She reared violently, body shaking as if to throw the intruder off.
You're not my master! I won't allow this!
Yelan clung desperately to the mare's neck, shouting, "What's wrong with this horse? So wild!"
Clearly, she hadn't expected such resistance.
Shao Yun watched from the side, amused. "She's no ordinary horse—she's a warhorse. Careful."
Yelan refused to let go, but the mare bucked, kicked, and thrashed with boundless energy, trying to unseat her.
Who do you think you are, daring to ride me? Get off!
Finally, Shao Yun intervened—five minutes of chaos was enough.
Calling gently a few times, he calmed her down.
At his voice, Boadicea glanced at him, snorted deeply, and ceased her struggle.
She pawed the ground with her hooves, like an abandoned girl sulking.
Hands spread in helplessness, Shao Yun chuckled. "What can I do? My wife's best friend doesn't like me riding you…"
Patting Carrot's neck, he added, "And we can't neglect this lady either. Can't leave Carrot stuck in the stable forever."
Finally, he promised Boadicea, "Alright, I'll take turns—ride you and Carrot alternately."
The mare exhaled, flicked her tail, and accepted.
Rubbing her dizzy head, Yelan grumbled, "You could've calmed her sooner. We just wasted five minutes."
Shao Yun teased, "Don't insult the lady. And be grateful—she doesn't like you."
On cue, Boadicea neighed loudly.
Yelan glared at him, then muttered at the mare beneath her, "Tch, you're just as strange-tempered as he is."