White Horse, Silver Spear, Grand Commandant Gao

Chapter 62 Private Visit to the Good Dog of the Border Market

In the following days, Yang Chonggui gave Gao Huaide a hard time, but Gao Huaide persisted despite Yang's stubbornness. Once his anger subsided, Yang Chonggui stopped bothering him.

Gao Huaide was overjoyed. He had finally managed to repair the relationship and thought he should give him something as compensation. After thinking it over, he came up with an idea.

Yang Chonggui mentioned that when he was in Linzhou, he enjoyed hunting with his father, but after coming to the Gao family, he naturally lost that opportunity. (Note 1)

Gao Huaide didn't actually have much hunting experience, but he acted like a veteran at this moment.

"Hmm...we need to get a dog, and preferably an eagle, trained well so we can go hunting in the fall."

Gao Huaide summoned two of his close associates for advice: "Lu Qian, Fu An, do you have any ideas?"

"Reporting to the young master, in the past, when various regional military governors presented hawks and hounds as tribute each year, they would casually buy one or two extra when selecting the tribute, which was no big deal at all."

Lu Qian was familiar with the imperial system: "Three years ago, the late emperor issued an edict that all hawks and falcons currently in the Five Wards could be released from the mountains and forests, and that they would no longer be allowed to be presented as tribute. This path is now blocked." (Note 2)

"Is there any other way?"

Fu An interjected, "As long as you're willing to spend some money, there are ways to get them."

Hearing that it was available for purchase, Gao Huaide began to make plans.

The governor's residence has a hawk house and kennels, which are quite expensive to maintain. There are only two or three hawks in the residence, so the sudden appearance of an extra one would surely not be hidden from my father. As for hunting dogs, there are plenty. Who would notice if one or two mixed in with a dozen or twenty dogs?

That's settled.

When Gao Huaide asked about the price, Fu An replied, "A top-quality hunting dog costs a hundred gold coins, while a cheaper one can be bought for five hundred coins, depending on your purse." (Note 3)

Gao Huaide felt much more at ease. There was no need for a hundred gold coins; the monthly allowance his mother gave him was enough to buy a decent one. So he asked when he could get one.

"Occasionally, Tanguts will come to the city to trade with their cattle, horses, sheep, and camels, accompanied by hawks and hunting dogs, but you'll have to wait. Bao'an Town, which I visited last time, has a trading market, and there are transactions every day. Don't worry, Your Excellency, I'll have news within three to five days, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Gao Huaide's eyes lit up: "Since it's so convenient, let's go to Bao'an Town."

Fu An was taken aback: "Us? Weren't we supposed to send people to choose?"

Lu Qian inwardly groaned; this was exactly what he feared when he politely refused. But Fu An's loose tongue piqued the young master's interest, making it virtually impossible to stop him now.

"certainly."

Gao Huaide said solemnly, "Hunting dogs are hunting partners, and must be chosen by oneself."

"Young master, are you really going?"

Fu An looked troubled. Although Bao'an Town was under the jurisdiction of Zhangwu Army, it was, after all, a place bordering Xia Prefecture, a melting pot of Han and non-Han peoples. The young master was of high status; what if something happened to him…

"If something goes wrong, don't worry about it. If you don't let me go, something bad will happen instead."

The two were helpless; with the commander absent, no one could control this young master. Just as he had said, if they continued to try to stop him, who knew what kind of trouble would ensue?

"Alright, let me draft the official document, have the young master sign it, then issue the fish tally, and dispatch a group of guards to escort him there."

According to the Tang Code, anyone who arbitrarily mobilizes ten or more soldiers shall be sentenced to one year of penal servitude; one hundred soldiers shall be sentenced to one and a half years of penal servitude; for every hundred soldiers, the penalty shall be increased by one degree; and for every thousand soldiers, the penalty shall be strangulation.

In chaotic times, regional military governors were arrogant and domineering. The fact that the military governors were less restrained did not mean that their actions were without rules.

When Gao Xingzhou governed the town, he dispatched more than ten soldiers, and required them to be inspected with bronze ingots and documents, thus exercising extremely strict control over military power.

The bronze fish tally is actually a tiger tally. To avoid using the name of his ancestor, Li Hu, one of the Eight Pillar Generals, Emperor Gaozu of Tang changed it to a fish tally. There are six military tallies for a prefecture, five on the left and one on the right. The one on the right is in the possession of the military commander Gao Huaiyuan; one of the five on the left is with Gao Huaide, the military commander in the yamen.

When Gao Huaide was first awarded the military tally, he was extremely excited and cherished the half-tally. However, he never had the opportunity to actually mobilize troops, and his initial enthusiasm had long since faded. At least he remembered his father's instructions and carefully kept it in the corner of the box.

"It's just buying a dog, is it really worth it?"

Gao Huaide found the procedures troublesome, and besides, leaving a record would mean that if his father came back and asked about it, he would definitely get a scolding for mobilizing troops to buy dogs.

"Stop arguing, just hurry back. Pack your things, we're leaving right away."

Lu Qian had a headache, but he couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he could only pray that the trip would go smoothly.

Yang Chonggui initially didn't want to cause trouble, but after being egged on by Gao Huaide, his competitive spirit was stirred: "Who says I don't dare? Let's go!"

The old servant of the Yang family wanted to go along, but Gao Huaide scoffed, "Old man, we're going on a forced march. Do you understand what a forced march is? Can your body handle it?"

The old servant was so old that his age was hard to guess. He had lost all his hair, had two sparse goatees, and wore an old, tattered, and stained sheepskin coat. He had both arms.

Gao Huaide initially thought he was a hidden master, but the more he looked at him, the less he seemed like it.

"Dober has been in my family since my grandfather's time, for fifty years."

Yang Chonggui had a deep affection for this loyal servant who had watched him grow up: "Uncle Duo, you've been traveling back and forth so much, why don't you rest for a couple of days and stop following me?"

Dober opened his mouth, revealing that he had lost most of his teeth. Gao Huaide thought that people would believe he was a hundred years old.

"Your old servant has a high nose and deep-set eyes; he doesn't look like a Han Chinese."

"That's right, Duobo is a Tuyuhun person."

In Gao Huaide's eyes, the Khitan, Dangxiang, Shatuo, and Tuyuhun all looked pretty much the same. He urged, "Let's hurry up. By the time Mother and Sister realize what's happening, we'll already be back."

……

To make a long story short, the four of them traveled light, which was much easier than marching, and they arrived at Bao'an Town in a day.

After Bai Wenshen was eliminated, the business in the border market not only was not affected, but became even more prosperous.

Gao Huaide couldn't wait to drag Yang Chonggui to see the dog.

"Does the young master want a meat dog? A barking dog? A hunting dog? Or a fighting dog?"

"Are there really that many rules?"

"Meat dogs, as the name suggests, were originally field dogs used for hunting, barking dogs for guarding homes, and now there's a new type: fighting dogs, specifically for gambling and competitions."

Gao Huaide observed carefully along the way and found that dogs used for different purposes had different temperaments and characteristics.

The meat dog was covered in fat and bloated, lying down with lifeless eyes. It only perked up when it was being fed, as if that was the only joy in its life, making it no different from a fat pig.

Barking dogs are not particularly strong, with perked-up ears and alert eyes, barking incessantly at the slightest provocation; fighting dogs are the opposite, with short, thick necks and strong shoulders, they don't bark much, but just look at people with gloomy eyes.

"A dog that bites doesn't bark; the ancients were right."

Gao Huaide was amazed. He came to a place where forty or fifty dogs were kept on sandy land, loosely led around with leather ropes around their necks.

"Young sir, you want a hunting dog. Do you want a jack-of-all-trades? Please help me quickly, or is this a more important matter?"

Several unfamiliar words appeared, but fortunately, Gao Huaide and Yang Chonggui, though young, were not unfamiliar with the ways of hunting.

Hunting is like military campaigning, with scouts, light cavalry, and heavy cavalry.

The alpha dog, also known as the sniffing dog, is not considered lewd. It is known for its ability to detect prey and bark when it smells it.

The Greyhound, also known as the slender hound, is adept at running and is used to chase, drive, and surround targets, exhausting the stamina of large prey.

The Chong Tuo is large, strong, and has a fierce bite. It pounces on and subdues its prey, delivering the decisive blow at the crucial moment.

A hunt is no less about strategizing and deploying troops; it's not a matter of haphazardly rushing in. Knowing when to send out which type of dog is a matter of great importance.

The two decided according to their own preferences: Gao Huaide wanted a fast gang, while Yang Chonggui wanted a heavy entourage.

Kuaibang has a small, pointed mouth and appears to be so thin that his ribs are showing at first glance. In reality, he has full chest and shoulder muscles, thin and long legs, and runs very fast.

Fu An grinned lewdly, commenting on the greyhounds as if he were appraising a woman's beauty.

"Young master, to judge whether a dog is good, first look at its posture. It shouldn't slouch or hunch its shoulders. Its front legs should be straight, like wedges planted in the ground; its hind legs should be slightly bent, with its rear end sticking out, poised to pounce. That's a good dog. Those dogs can't even stand steadily, crooked from their necks to the base of their tails, they're definitely not good enough."

"Next, look at the bone structure. Light bones indicate weak strength, and running for a long time will cause them to fall apart; thick bones indicate a lack of agility. A well-proportioned physique is best. Then look at the facial features and coat color, and choose one that you like."

"Oh my, this gentleman is quite knowledgeable."

The broker quickly flattered him, "Whose son are you, sir?"

To conceal his identity, Gao Huaide had Lu and Fu change their forms of address, leading the broker to believe that they were wealthy young men from some estate.

As Lu Qian had instructed him beforehand, Gao Huaide ignored the broker and, comparing the dogs with what Fu An had said, found that only three or five out of the dozens of dogs matched the description.

Fu An commented on the heavy task: "As the saying goes, deep-set eyes and clear vision are the best at recognizing beasts and their masters; if you want to avoid spitting when you are in the wilderness, you should have a coarse nose and soft lips; a wide and deep mouth is good for biting down and preventing escape; rough hair like a raincoat is good for capturing beasts in the wilderness."

"The Chongtuo may appear ugly and ferocious, but it is actually the most loyal of creatures. Even if it encounters a wild boar or black bear that weighs several times its own weight, it will still dare to pounce and bite."

"Interesting, what else?"

"My young master, we also need to consider his temperament."

"A temper? What do you think?"

Fu An pulled a dark, dried piece of meat from his pocket. Gao Huaide and Yang Chonggui couldn't smell it, but the dogs in the arena stirred, growling and drooling.

"This is rabbit meat that has been urinated on by a female dog."

Fu'an waved the piece of meat at the dogs, and most of them excitedly rushed forward, tugging at the leather straps and barking incessantly.

This time, Gao Huaide could figure it out without his explanation.

Only the two dogs, one spotted and one red, though their nostrils flared rapidly and their throats whimpered, managed to restrain themselves from barking wildly and charging around, their front paws gripping the ground tightly.

"Excitement is instinct; a good hunting dog is one that can control itself and obey commands."

Fu An put away the pieces of meat, stepped back behind Gao Huaide, and bowed, saying, "Young master, these two are alright."

"Bring it over here."

Those with spots are like greyhounds, those with red spots are like treacherous dogs.

Yang Chonggui hesitated for a moment, and Gao Huaide added, "Even if you don't accept the apology you offered yesterday, it means you're still holding a grudge."

Upon hearing this, Yang Chonggui no longer stood on ceremony and said in a deep voice, "Then thank you very much."

The dentist brought the two dogs to him, and Fu'an squatted down, pried open their mouths, checked that their teeth were intact and their gums were healthy, and nodded.

Gao Huaide thought he had found the right dog, but then he saw Fu An blow on the faces of the two dogs.

The spotted dog frowned, bared its teeth, and growled, while the red dog pricked up its ears and stood alert.

"That's right, neither of them are cowards."

Fu An explained, "It's a method passed down from our ancestors; you can tell a dog's true nature just by blowing on it. However, the greyhound is fierce, but its steadiness is unexpected."

Lu Qian asked about the value, but without haggling, he withdrew the money and paid.

The broker took the string of coins and saw that it was a clear yellow color. He picked it up and weighed it in his hand. It was clear that it was not mixed with tin or lead and was a high-quality coin.

Looking at the inscription—"Tiancheng Yuanbao," the character "Yuan" has a raised stroke, and one string of coins weighs over six catties and four taels, indicating it was a fine coin minted after the late emperor ascended the throne. (Note 4)

At that time, a bushel of millet cost ten coins. This was partly due to the abundant harvest of grains, but also partly due to the fact that coins were cast to the correct weight.

In the border markets, bartering was the norm, and such fine coins were rarely seen. The broker watched the four men and two dogs disappear into the distance, then took one coin, licked it, and revealed a greedy expression.

"Go, contact your chief."

He summoned a Tangut man and said, "Tell him I'll send him four fat sheep—two large and two small. As usual, we'll split the spoils 60/40!"