The journey to the suburban villa of the Blue Clouds Academy was a study in contrasts. Lin Yan rode the Silver Ghost, whose hooves struck the manicured stone roads of the county elite with a rhythmic, metallic authority. Behind him rode Qin Zhan on a sturdy draft-cross, and a small wagon carrying the "Renegotiation Tribute"—three bolts of the finest silk-wool and a cask of mountain-aged goat cheese.
As they approached the villa, the rugged, earthy scent of the Lin Ranch was replaced by the cloying aroma of blossoming plum trees and expensive incense. The villa was a sprawling complex of white-washed walls and glazed blue tiles, a physical manifestation of the Academy's "paper power."
"Keep your eyes on the horses, not the silk," Lin Yan whispered to Qin Zhan as they passed through the ornate gate.
"I'm looking at the guards," Qin Zhan replied, his voice a low rasp. "Their armor is polished, but their feet are soft. They've forgotten what real mud feels like."
The Arena of the Elite
They were led not to a study, but to an open-air equestrian arena at the back of the villa. There, a group of wealthy scholars and young nobles sat under a silk canopy, sipping tea and watching a line of horses being put through their paces.
At the center of the arena stood a man in his fifties, dressed in robes of shimmering gold and crimson. This was Master Lu, the Head Examiner, but beside him stood a man Lin Yan didn't recognize—a younger man with a sharp, predatory face and a chest full of military medals.
"Ah, the 'Beast-Tamer' has arrived," Master Lu announced, his voice carrying a forced joviality. "Lin Yan, let me introduce General Wei's youngest son, Wei Jun. He is the Master of the Imperial Thoroughbred Stables."
Wei Jun didn't bow. He looked at the Silver Ghost with a mixture of professional appraisal and deep, hidden envy. "So this is the 'Ghost' that has the Bureau in such a stir? He has the height of a Ferghana, but the chest is too broad. He looks like a plow-horse that fell into a bucket of silver paint."
The young nobles under the canopy laughed. Lin Yan remained silent, feeling the Silver Ghost shift restlessly beneath him. The stallion could sense the hostility in the air.
"A horse is judged by the miles it covers, not the paint on its coat," Lin Yan said evenly. "We are here to discuss the Scholar's Bond, Master Lu. My brother's education should not be a bargaining chip for my livestock."
The Rival's Challenge
Master Lu sighed, looking caught between the Bureau's pressure and his own academic pride. "The Governor is demanding a central source for the northern cavalry, Lin Yan. Wei Jun here claims his Thoroughbreds can outrun, outlast, and outfight anything born in a 'mud fortress'."
Wei Jun stepped forward, his hand resting on a whip made of braided rhinoceros hide. "The Academy needs a winner, not a curiosity. If your 'Iron-Wind' breed is as superior as you claim, prove it. My champion stallion, Crimson Cloud, against your silver beast. A race from here to the Tiger's Leap Ridge and back."
"And the stakes?" Lin Yan asked.
"If I win," Wei Jun sneered, "the Lin Ranch becomes a subsidiary of the Imperial Stables. You will hand over your breeding logs and the Silver Ghost, and your brother stays at the Academy as my personal clerk. A servant's position."
The air turned cold. This wasn't a race; it was a trap designed to strip the Lins of everything they had built.
"And if I win?" Lin Yan countered.
"If you win," Wei Jun laughed, "the Academy waives the 'Ten Percent' bond forever. Your brother becomes a Senior Scholar with a full stipend. And I will give you the deed to the 'Imperial Grasslands'—the fertile valley that borders your North Slope."
"Yan'er, don't," Qin Zhan whispered. "Tiger's Leap is full of loose shale and hidden gullies. It's a death trap for a horse at full speed."
Lin Yan looked at the Silver Ghost. He felt the stallion's heart beating against his legs—a steady, powerful drum. He thought of his brother's letters and the "Vultures" circling their home.
"Accepted," Lin Yan said. "But the race is not just for speed. It is for the 'Ranch Spirit.' We ride now."
The Race of Life and Death
The two horses lined up at the villa's gate. Crimson Cloud was a beautiful animal—lean, long-legged, and bred for the flat, grassy plains of the south. He danced nervously, his coat glistening with expensive oils. The Silver Ghost, by contrast, stood like a statue, his eyes fixed on the distant, jagged silhouette of Tiger's Leap Ridge.
"Go!" Master Lu shouted.
Crimson Cloud exploded forward, his speed undeniable. Within seconds, he had a three-length lead on the stone road. Wei Jun looked back, a triumphant smirk on his face.
But as the road ended and the ascent began, the terrain shifted. The smooth stone turned into jagged limestone and thick, clutching mud—the aftermath of the recent rains.
Crimson Cloud began to falter. His long, thin legs were not built for the uneven pressure of the mountain slope. He slipped, his rider's whip lashing out in a desperate attempt to maintain momentum.
Lin Yan leaned forward, his weight shifted over the Silver Ghost's center of gravity. "Now, Ghost. Show them the mountain."
The Silver Ghost didn't just run; he climbed. His "Iron-Hoof" heritage allowed him to find grip where the Thoroughbred found only air. He ate the distance with powerful, leaping strides. By the time they reached the midpoint—the narrow, shale-covered ledge of Tiger's Leap—the Silver Ghost was neck-and-neck with the Crimson Cloud.
"Get back!" Wei Jun screamed, trying to crowd Lin Yan toward the cliff's edge.
Lin Yan didn't move. He utilized the 'Western-style' Reining he had practiced. With a slight shift of his knees, he guided the Ghost through a series of tight, efficient pivots, bypassing the Thoroughbred on the narrowest part of the trail.
At the summit, the Silver Ghost let out a piercing whinny that echoed across the valley. The descent was even more treacherous, but Lin Yan's 'Balanced Seat' kept the stallion steady. They reached the villa gates a full minute before Wei Jun, whose horse was heaving, its legs trembling and its breath coming in ragged, bloody gasps.
The Silence of the Silk
The nobles under the canopy were silent. The "plow-horse" had decimated the Imperial champion on the terrain that mattered most.
Lin Yan dismounted, his legs steady. He walked to the Silver Ghost and wiped the white foam from the stallion's neck with his sleeve. He then turned to Master Lu and the pale, trembling Wei Jun.
"The mountain does not care about medals, General," Lin Yan said, his voice echoing in the courtyard. "My horse is home. Yours is broken. I believe we have a deed to sign."
Wei Jun looked as if he wanted to draw his sword, but the presence of Qin Zhan—who had moved to Lin Yan's side with his hand on his hilt—stopped him.
Master Lu stepped forward, his expression complex. He realized then that he had underestimated the Lin family. They weren't just "lucky peasants"; they were the architects of a new power.
"The bond is waived," Master Lu said, his voice barely a whisper. "The Lin Ranch is... independent."
The Shadow of the Deal
As they rode away from the villa, the deed to the Imperial Grasslands tucked into Lin Yan's belt, Qin Zhan finally spoke.
"You made an enemy today, Yan'er. A powerful one. Wei Jun won't forget this humiliation."
"I know," Lin Yan said, looking at the silver token the traveler Cui had given him. "But we have the valley now. We have the space to grow the herd to a thousand head. Let them come with their silk and their whips. We have the mountain, and we have the Ghost."
In the distance, the first lights of the Lin Ranch appeared on the horizon—the Watchtower Forge glowing like a red eye in the dark. The "Slow Burn" was over. The Ranch was no longer a secret. It was a target—and a throne.
[System Notification: Quest 'The Tribute Trial' COMPLETED.]
[Reward: 1x 'Imperial Grassland' Deed. Reputation: 'The Ghost Rider of the North'.]
[Warning: Rivalry with Wei Family Initiated. Political Hostility: High.]