Chapter 10: The Hunter Youth’s Fate
Yang Luo’s life got a chance to start over.
She didn’t know how to tell her mother that she had a nightmare, that she did divination, and wanted to drag her mother to flee, but it was probably too unbelievable, her mother refused to go with her no matter what, and even forced her to drink a bowl of calming soup to make her sleep.
Death came just like the previous time.
She still failed to save her mother.
However, upon closer thought, it was different from the previous time.
In the previous life, the whole family was killed before the maidservant took her through the secret passage to escape, but this time she was escorted by more servants and left home one step ahead.
The big fire at home also started earlier than before.
Yang Luo clenched her hand, so this time it was her mother who made the arrangement, giving her more chance of survival…
But her mother didn’t expect it, nor did she know, that the entire White Horse Town was surrounded by those people, making escape impossible.
Luckily, just like in the previous life, she encountered the hunter youth again and was saved by him.
But this time, she made a different choice from the previous time.
Yang Luo lifted her head and looked at the hunter youth opposite her.
Last time, the hunter youth escorted her back to White Horse Town, the government only allowed people from White Horse Town to enter, she naturally rushed in without hesitation, not only announcing her own name, but also that she was kin to Duke Ding’an’s family, then she was taken care of by the government and parted ways with the hunter youth.
She remembered that she paid respects and thanked the hunter youth at that time.
“What’s your name?”
“I’ll give you money to thank you.”
The hunter youth said “My name is A Sheng” and didn’t want money, he gave her a shallow smile, then turned and left.
Later, her great uncle came to pick her up personally, she was distraught from losing her mother in the disaster, and forgot to look for this lifesaver again.
After going to the capital and entering the duke’s family as an orphan, timid and busy learning to adapt to starting a new life, the nightmare of White Horse Town including that hunter youth was deliberately forgotten by her.
Until she was betrothed, and went to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings, she saw this hunter youth again on the street.
……
…….
Mo Zheng looked at this girl who first burst into tears, then seemed dazed, suddenly looking at him with an even stranger gaze, seemingly pitying…
Logically, this young lady’s ordeal was the most pitiable, so why did she always look at him with pity?
At first he guessed it was because he said he was an orphan, but ever since this girl revealed that he would die in the future…
It seemed he died miserably in her prophecy.
Mo Zheng coughed lightly: “Since your mother created the illusion of your fake death, you’re safe now. Do you want to wait for people from Duke Ding’an’s Mansion to come, then quietly tell them your identity, and follow them to the capital hiding your identity?”
Yang Luo sneered: “No, I don’t trust them.”
Mo Zheng thought, it seems this young lady has some unflattering views of her maternal grandfather’s family, also from the prophecy?
Seeing the hunter youth raise his brow in thought, Yang Luo took a deep breath.
The matter of reliving her life could be told to her mother, but not to others; no one would believe such an unbelievable thing.
Even if they believed, it might not be a good thing; she would be in even more danger.
Her mother thought of protecting her until death; this time, she must protect herself well and never easily lose her life again.
“Anyway, A Sheng, I only trust you,” Yang Luo said. “I still ask you to escort me to the capital.”
At this point, tears glistened in her eyes again.
“I can’t fail my mother’s intention, who was covering for me even in death.”
Mo Zheng, as before, didn’t ask more, and said “Okay, sure” with a raised brow. “Then I’ll also be your benefactor, your maternal grandfather’s family will repay me, maybe give me an official position.”
Become an official? Yang Luo’s expression grew complicated again, and she hurriedly said: “A Sheng, don’t think about becoming an official, being an official is no good at all. When the time comes, I’ll give you lots of money, you take the money to open a shop and do something, live steadily carefree and without worries.”
Actually he was just changing the subject, but he didn’t expect this girl to be so nervous about what he would do in the future. Hmm, it seems his death must be related to the imperial court, Mo Zheng thought, chuckling inwardly; then this outcome wasn’t strange, it was only natural.
“Take the money, open a shop, live steadily carefree and without worries.” He said softly, “I want that too.”
His voice was low and murmuring, Yang Luo didn’t hear clearly and asked: “What did you say? What else do you want? Just tell me.”
Mo Zheng smiled, finished the food in his bowl in one bite, stood up: “Young lady, don’t say anything now, wait until we arrive safely, then talk.”
With that, he walked outside.
“I’ll go purchase carriage and horses.”
Yang Luo watched the youth leave briskly in a few steps, slightly lost in thought.
They would surely arrive safely in the capital; she believed in the hunter youth A Sheng, and even more in the Yun Ling bandit leader A Sheng.
In the previous life, she thought she had forgotten the hunter youth who saved her life back then, but unexpectedly recognized him immediately upon seeing him again.
Although it was just a head.
Five years later upon seeing him again, the hunter youth had become the bandit leader, and the lively youth was left with only a head, hung on a flagpole outside the capital city’s gate.
Yun Ling bandits, even Yang Luo living deep in Duke Ding’an’s Mansion in the capital heard their fierce reputation: nearly ten thousand followers, dominating a region, daring to attack cities and seize government offices, unstoppable.
Nearby provinces and commanderies could do nothing, the imperial court sent Duke Yongwu to lead troops, but still failed to exterminate them. Finally, Longxi Great General Wei Cui took action, attacking from front and rear, forcing the Yun Ling bandits into a gorge, and with heavy snow falling, most froze and starved to death, before they were completely wiped out.
That day she went with her aunt, cousins and others to the temple to pray for blessings, passing the city gate, and saw the imperial court publicly displaying the heads of the Yun Ling bandit leaders.
Out of curiosity she went to look; those heads had disheveled hair and ferocious faces, but one head had neat hair, though the face was bluish, no bloodstains, eyes tightly closed, expression calm, with a hint of smile at the corners of the mouth, surprisingly handsome. She couldn’t help looking a few more times, then it merged with the memory of her lifesaving hunter youth.
She couldn’t believe it, and couldn’t help asking her cousin about the youngest bandit’s name and origin.
“These bandit leaders all abandoned their past lives to become outlaws, their names might be fake, who knows where they’re from,” her cousin said, but upon hearing it was the youngest bandit leader, he became animated and said, “This kid is called A Sheng, impressive, he’s the chief of the bandit chiefs.”
A Sheng, indeed A Sheng; at that time she was shocked, afraid, and heartbroken.
Five years later, the hunter youth who saved her life had actually died.
Even more unexpectedly, not long after, she also died.
Thinking of this, Yang Luo gave a self-mocking smile.
She didn’t know what happened to this hunter youth after they parted in White Horse Town, how he became a bandit, but one thing was certain: the hunter youth was very capable, able to save her life, and able to become the bandit chief.
Such a capable person, escorting her to the capital would surely be no problem.
Moreover…
Yang Luo clenched the chopsticks in her hand.
She could also use A Sheng to kill those who harmed her.
Bandit leader A Sheng killed without mercy; killing a few more wouldn’t matter.
