The next day, Erniu drove the ox cart with Lin He, Ziqing, and Changgeng to town to purchase a carriage. Lin He didn't understand much about these matters, so she told Erniu and Changgeng to buy the horses first, and she would wait to procure the carriage later. She and Ziqing went to the Butterfly Pavilion to discuss the product names she had conceived and her design ideas for the display cabinets with Uncle Wen.

Uncle Wen reviewed her plans and said Lin He’s ideas were excellent, completely satisfactory in every aspect, and remarkably well-considered. Without suggesting any changes, he agreed to build the cabinets exactly as she had drawn them, adding that they should be ready in a few days. He asked her to come inspect them then, and if everything was satisfactory, the new products could be displayed on the new cabinets a month later.

Lin He's task was to prepare all the products within that month. Someone would be sent to collect them a few days prior to the launch. Lin He felt a month should be sufficient and told Uncle Wen she would return to check the cabinets once they were finished.

Meanwhile, Erniu and Changgeng went to buy the horses. Erniu had seen few horses and had no idea how to choose, but Changgeng, perhaps having experience feeding them before, seemed very familiar with them. He circled the horses constantly, tapping here, examining there, and even opening their mouths to check their teeth. Finally, he selected a brown horse with a notably lustrous coat.

Erniu asked why he chose that one. Changgeng replied that this horse had a gentler temperament, making it ideal for pulling a carriage. Erniu didn't understand horses anyway, so when Changgeng approved, he produced forty taels of silver and purchased the horse. Choosing the actual carriage would be left to Lin He when she returned.

Lin He and Ziqing returned to see the horse Changgeng had selected. It was tall, and its coat shone brightly. Changgeng assured them that having fed horses for years, his selection would be flawless. Lin He knew horses came in many varieties; at forty taels, this was likely a very standard horse for that era—any less, and she might not have secured one at all. However, since it was just for pulling their own family's cart, this price point was quite acceptable.

At the shop specializing in fitting carriages, Lin He spent another ten taels, acquiring a carriage of a modest standard. This would suffice for their family’s needs. The interior fittings were simple: no small tables, just ordinary benches along the sides. Still, Lin He thought it was quite good—infinitely better than the ox cart—and they could easily make any necessary cushions and padding themselves.

Once the carriage was ready, only Erniu returned with the ox cart; someone had to drive it back. Ziqing and Lin He sat inside their new carriage, with Changgeng driving. Riding in their own carriage filled Lin He with delight. She remembered the first time she rode in Uncle Wen’s carriage and immediately wished her family could own one someday. Now they had one. Though not luxurious, it was theirs, simple and comfortable.

Furthermore, Changgeng’s skill at driving was genuinely good. Lin He could barely feel any jolting while seated inside. Since she was still young, she could have easily napped in it. The carriage was remarkably fast, too. Lin He felt it hadn't been long before she heard Changgeng calling out from the front. The carriage had arrived at their courtyard gate. Xiaobao and Chen'er were already waiting there; they knew their elder sister was out buying a carriage today and had been waiting eagerly since early on.

As soon as the carriage stopped, Xiaobao watched Lin He step down, then ran over and hugged her, exclaiming, "Elder Sister, is this our family's carriage? It's not someone else's, is it?"

Lin He smiled at Xiaobao. The little fellow had a good memory; she had told him before that once their family had money, she would buy a carriage so he could ride whenever he wished. Smiling, she confirmed, "Yes, this is our family's carriage. From now on, if Xiaobao wants to go anywhere, just ask Uncle Changgeng to take you."

"Elder Sister, this horse is so tall. If we stand next to it, will it kick us? If we sit in the carriage, will we be thrown off?" Chen'er asked with concern.

"Miss Chen'er, don't be afraid. This horse isn't familiar with you yet. If you touch it suddenly, it might kick, but once you are accustomed to each other, even if you ride on its back, you won't fall off," Changgeng told Chen'er with deep respect.

Lin He observed Changgeng's deferential manner with a touch of resignation. She had told him several times to relax and not be so formal, but Changgeng was stubbornly set in his ways; it wouldn't be easy to change him quickly.

Hearing Changgeng speak, Xiaobao looked up and asked, "Uncle Changgeng, is it the same as with our Dahei and Erhei? If we play with them every day and feed them, they will let us ride them, right?"

Dahei and Erhei were the two large black dogs Uncle Wen had gifted Lin He. When they first arrived, they were small and unfamiliar with Xiaobao and the others, snarling and barking at them. But after the children brought them food daily for a few days, they became friendly and followed Xiaobao everywhere. Now, Dahei and Erhei obeyed them implicitly; the younger ones went everywhere with the dogs in tow.

Having been with them for several months, Dahei and Erhei had grown significantly. They were large dogs to begin with, and now fully grown, they were taller than Xiaobao, often startling passersby. Every day, watching Xiaobao take the two dogs out, Lin He felt like he looked like a little tycoon, parading around with his two massive hounds. However, Dahei and Xiaohei were well-behaved; they never caused trouble when Xiaobao took them out, and the other children adored them.

When Lin He heard Xiaobao's question, she laughed and said, "Xiaobao is still too little right now. Look how small you are; if I let you ride a horse now, you couldn't even pull it along. When Xiaobao is older, Uncle Changgeng can teach you to ride, but for now, sitting in the carriage is enough."

"Then can I go with Uncle Changgeng every day to feed it? I really like it," Xiaobao said, looking up.

Lin He nodded, saying that if Uncle Changgeng was home, Xiaobao could accompany him to feed the horse. Xiaobao jumped for joy upon hearing his elder sister agree, shouting that he wanted to ride in the carriage. Lin He couldn't refuse him, so she asked Ziyu to take Chen'er and Xiaobao up, instructing Ziyu to watch them carefully, then asked Changgeng to take a loop around the village.

Lin He returned home and sat for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn before Erniu finally returned alone with the ox cart. Huang Shi remarked, smiling, "Your ox cart is truly slow. He'er and the others have been back for quite a while; the horse carriage is so fast."

Erniu jumped down from the ox cart and said, "Of course it's fast. You don't know how many oxen one horse can buy. If they were equally fast, why would we spend dozens of taels of silver on a carriage?"

"Dozens of taels of silver? He'er, you truly spent lavishly! I heard a small pony only costs around ten or twenty taels. Why is your carriage so expensive?" Huang Shi asked, astonished.

"A small pony would certainly be cheaper, but you still have to raise it afterward, feeding it better food to grow into a full-sized horse. Besides, our family needs a carriage urgently right now; what use is a small pony?" Lin He explained.

Huang Shi disagreed with Lin He’s reasoning. While raising a horse required some fodder, she figured simply giving it some grass would make it grow. That money could buy two horses. However, Huang Shi couldn't argue Lin He down, and since the purchase was already made, there was nothing more to say.