Her guards

Chapter 5 The young lady's identity is extraordinary

The bailiffs' gongs rang from the east to the west of the city, drawing countless people to the city gates.

The beggars, disregarding their own food needs, pushed their way forward in the crowd, trying to get a clearer view of the beheading.

Mo Zheng led Yang Luo through the crowd and saw the inspector sitting solemnly on the high platform erected in front of the city gate, with the county magistrate and a group of officials accompanying him, making a loud announcement.

"These are bandits from Rongshan—"

"Plundering White Horse Town—"

"Lord Ji personally led troops to pursue and capture them, wiping out these mountain bandits in one fell swoop—"

"Thirty bandits were killed on the spot, and ten were captured alive."

"Today's conviction and execution will bring solace to the deceased—"

Below the platform, a line of bandits stood with chains on their feet, their hands behind their backs, and each of them had their mouths gagged.

Amid the gasps of the crowd, the executioner swung his massive, razor-sharp blade, and heads fell to the ground one by one.

Mo Zheng's gaze fell on the blood-soaked ground, where she saw a headless corpse lying on the ground, with half of its rotten leg exposed.

He turned and squeezed his way out.

Yang Luo was watching the execution with fear in his eyes when he saw this and quickly followed.

"Did you notice? You noticed that these people don't look like..." she asked urgently in a low voice.

Mo Zheng hummed in agreement.

“I’ve been to the county jail,” he said.

He certainly wouldn't just wait to watch the execution.

On his second day in town, he kept an eye on the county jail and sure enough, he saw prisoners being quietly pulled out of the death row the night before, loaded onto a cart and driven away.

Among them was this prisoner with a rotten leg.

Yang Luo breathed a sigh of relief and then whispered in admiration, "Ah Sheng, you're really amazing. I didn't even notice you left."

She originally thought she wouldn't be able to sleep under the dry bridge, surrounded by beggars, but to her surprise, she slept soundly through the night for two nights.

Perhaps he was too tired, and still hungry. Even if he closed his eyes and drank the soup and rice that the beggars gave him, the watery soup could only ensure that he wouldn't starve to death, but it was impossible for him to be full.

Mo Zheng said, "I'm a hunter; the wild animals in the mountains can't detect my movements."

By this time, the two had already squeezed out of the crowd.

"What else did you divine?" he asked. "Where is the real culprit who plundered White Horse Town?"

Yang Luo hummed in agreement and lowered her gaze: "The real culprit is in the capital."

The capital? Mo Zheng was somewhat surprised, glanced at her, and suddenly asked, "What kind of family do you come from?"

"This young hunter is really clever," Yang Luo thought. This time, he didn't question whether what she said was true or false, but instead asked about her home.

What kind of family could attract such a formidable enemy? Someone traveled all the way from the capital to wipe them out.

Now that she had already told him her secret, Yang Luo had no intention of hiding it from him any longer.

“My family looks like a very ordinary family in Baima Town,” she said softly. “My father died early, and my mother was the only one who supported the family. She ran a silk shop in town.”

It looks ordinary, but that's why it's extraordinary. Mo Zheng didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.

“My mother’s surname is Yang,” Yang Luo said, then added, as if remembering something, “Ah Sheng, I’ve never told you my name.”

Mo Zheng said, "It's okay. I didn't tell you my name. You knew it yourself."

Yang Luo almost laughed, finding the young hunter's words quite amusing, even though the boy's expression was blank and he seemed emotionless.

“My name is Yang Luo, Luo as in falling.” She made a gesture.

Mo Zheng said, "Asheng." She added, "I'm an orphan. I was given this name by my hunter grandfather. I don't have a surname."

Was he introducing himself? Yang Luo pursed her lips, feeling that only now did they truly know each other. Yang Luo stopped smiling and continued, "My mother's surname is Yang. She had a falling out with her family when she married my father, and her father's family also disagreed, so they fell out as well. Later, my father fell ill and passed away, and my grandfather's family disowned us. My mother then made me take her surname and raised me alone, without relying on my maternal family or my husband's family."

Mo Zheng listened silently without saying a word.

"Do you know the Duke of Ding'an in the capital?" Yang Luo asked.

Mo Zheng looked at the street ahead, which was somewhat deserted because the city was full of people who had been beheaded.

“I’ve always been hunting in the mountains and don’t know anything about these important people,” he said. “Dukes and marquises must be very powerful families.”

Yang Luo nodded: "He was granted the title of duke or marquis because of his meritorious service in supporting the emperor."

He paused here again, asking, "Does the young hunter from the mountains know what it means to 'follow the dragon's lead'?"
"We are now in the Great Xia Dynasty, which was just conquered by the emperor. Duke Ding'an is a meritorious minister who fought alongside the emperor to conquer the country."

The previous dynasty was the Great Zhou Dynasty. Because the emperor was weak and the maternal relatives were powerful, bandits rose up everywhere and the country was in chaos. At that time, the emperor was just a junior officer in the army. After years of fighting, he ended the chaos, established the dynasty, and ascended the throne as emperor.

The Xin Dynasty has lasted for fifteen years.

This boy, sixteen or seventeen years old, was a lucky one, born in the end of a chaotic dynasty and raised in a peaceful era. He should know that we are now in a new dynasty, a new emperor, and a new golden age.

Perhaps sensing that Yang Luo was worried he wouldn't understand and offered a more detailed explanation, Mo Zheng smiled and said, "I understand. He's an important figure, a close advisor to the emperor."

As he spoke, he turned back to look at the city gate, and through the crowd, he could vaguely see the officials on the high platform.

"He is a figure even more important than that inspector."

Yang Luo said, "Actually, it's not like that. One is a nobleman, and the other is a capable minister..."

He paused here, realizing it was unnecessary to explain such things to a young hunter.

"My mother was the daughter of the late Duke Ding'an, and is now the younger sister of the Duke Ding'an."

After she finished speaking, she saw the hunter boy's narrow eyes slant upwards, clearly showing surprise.

"Oh." He looked at Yang Luo. "I actually saved the young lady of the Duke of Ding'an. They must give me a great reward."

It is only natural to expect something in return for saving lives.

Yang Luo didn't find the hunter boy's words offensive at all.

He risked his life to save her from vicious bandits.

“You saved my life. If my mother were still alive, she wouldn’t even blink if we gave you all the money in our family.” Yang Luo said softly, her nose tingling as she thought of her mother. “But I don’t know how my maternal grandfather’s family will treat me.”

She looked at Mo Zheng.

“As I said before, my mother had a falling out with my family and hasn’t had any contact with them since I was born. They may have long forgotten that they had this daughter.”

Mo Zheng remained silent, seemingly unsure how to comfort the pitiful girl who had fallen out with her relatives, as an orphan herself.

Before he could think of any words of comfort, the sound of horses' hooves and soldiers chasing him came from behind.

He hurriedly made way for Yang Luo and saw the inspector rushing towards them, surrounded by officials and guards.

"Sir, shall we stay in the county tonight?"

"No, let's go back to Baima Town. Only after the victims are buried can I rest easy."

As they sped past, the conversations of the officials could be heard.

Mo Zheng and Yang Luo watched the group leave.

“However, although I have fallen out with my family, the authorities can easily find out my mother’s identity,” Yang Luo said. “They will inform the Ding’an Duke’s Mansion soon.”

Mo Zheng said "Oh," and then added, "The people from the Duke of Ding'an's mansion will be coming, right? When that happens, you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yang Luo turned to look at him: "Asheng, take me to the Duke of Ding'an's mansion in the capital."

Mo Zheng looked surprised again: "Me?"

(End of this chapter)