When questioned by Li Yuemin, the old man propped himself up on the ground with both hands and sat up.
"Oh, it’s like this. A few of the younger ones and I came into the mountains looking for some game. Who would have thought we wouldn’t catch so much as a hair? On our way back, I suddenly spotted a herd of coal-black wild horses. They were running with flowing manes and powerful, sturdy limbs—they looked like they had leapt right out of Xu Beihong’s 'One Hundred Horses.' I was absolutely captivated. Back when I was a soldier, I served in a cavalry unit fighting the Japanese, so I’ve always had a special love for horses. I decided I wanted to tame one and lead it back to my compound to keep.
"I never expected the beast to be so wild. A group of five or six of us spent ages trying to surround it. We pulled out every trick in the book before we finally managed to corner it. Don't let my age fool you; I haven't lost my touch when it comes to taming horses. But the moment I climbed onto its back, the creature took off, galloping wildly up the hillside with me in the saddle. I wasn't afraid; I clamped my legs around its belly and hugged its neck tight. Who could have known the beast would jump across a mountain stream, and then, in mid-air, twist its body? That’s what threw me off. Luckily, I was caught by a tree on the cliff face. Talk about bad luck—the tree couldn't take my weight and dropped me again. That was the very tree where you two saved me. The rocks I brought down wi…
Chapter 48