Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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Suddenly, an eight- or nine-year-old boy shouted, “I remember now! Zhuang Haisheng said that his sister brought back more than just a ginseng, but also a lingzhi mushroom and a magical herb. Their family secretly sold the lingzhi and the magical herb, saved up several hundred taels of silver, and will move to the city to live and never come back! What Uncle Dong said is true!”
Children don’t lie, so the villagers became even more convinced that Zhuang Tian’er was an evil spirit.
“Give me back my medicinal herbs!” Old Dong was furious and stepped forward to kick the Zhuang family’s tightly locked courtyard gate.
“Give back all the prey I’ve hunted over the years! Boss Zhuang, those animal hides you took to town to sell are all mine!” Old Liu drew his wood-chopping knife from his waist and slashed fiercely at the Zhuang family’s gate.
“Zhuang Tian’er, give me back my fish!”
“And my chestnuts!”
“You must have taken my wild vegetables too! You monster!”
Burn Zhuang Tian’er! Burn this evil spirit to death!
More and more people rushed up and shook the farmhouse gate, and it looked like the courtyard wall was about to be torn down.
Zhuang Lao Da was so frightened that he ran back to the house as fast as he could.
Zhuang Tian’er trembled and collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale as she cried out, “I’m not an evil spirit! Listen to me, I’m not an evil spirit!”
Old Mrs. Zhuang rushed out of the house, grabbed Zhuang Tian’er by the collar, and questioned her in a shrill voice: “Besides the ginseng, you also sold a Ganoderma lucidum and an immortal herb? Where is the money? Where did you hide it? I’ve been so good to you, and this is how you treat me? Did your parents help you hide it from me? How come I didn’t know you were planning to move to the city? Were you planning to abandon me and this old man and sneak away? Well, well, I’ve raised a bunch of ungrateful wretches!”
Grandma Zhuang was so angry that she lost her mind and grabbed Zhuang Tian’er by the neck, refusing to let go.
If it weren’t for this evil spirit, her perfectly good family would never have ended up like this! She could still be enjoying wealth and luxury in the Western Hills with her second son!
Old Man Zhuang watched all this indifferently from inside the house, completely unconcerned about Zhuang Tian’er’s life or death.
Zhuang Tian’er’s mother and younger brother rushed out of the room, begging Old Mrs. Zhuang to let go.
The scene was in complete chaos, and everyone inside and outside wanted to tear Zhuang Tian’er apart.
In just a few days, Zhuang Tian’er went from being a lucky star admired by everyone to an evil spirit that everyone wanted to get rid of. The change was too great.
Just as Zhuang Tian’er’s neck was about to be snapped, a sharp arrow struck Old Madam Zhuang’s hair bun. It didn’t injure her, but it gave Old Madam Zhuang a great fright. She unconsciously loosened her grip and collapsed to the ground.
A group of guards rushed over, brandishing swords, and shouted, “What are you doing? What are you doing? Why are you attacking a weak woman? Is there no law here?”
The villagers claimed that Zhuang Tian’er was an evil spirit.
The handsome young man riding a tall horse and shooting arrows sneered, “I have never believed in ghosts. The real ghosts only exist in people’s hearts. Compared to this woman, your ugly faces are more like evil spirits! I heard what you said just now, but it was just speculation without any evidence. What right do you have to kill people? Get out of here, or I will arrest you all!”
When the villagers saw that he was dressed in fine clothes, had an imposing presence, and kept referring to himself as “this young master,” they all guessed his identity. They could only kneel down to pay their respects and then flee in panic.
The plan to burn Zhuang Tian’er alive was thus thwarted.
Having narrowly escaped death, Zhuang Tian’er quickly got up and thanked the handsome man with tears of gratitude. However, when her gaze fell on a guard behind the man, her face turned even paler.
But she was already greatly frightened, so no one noticed this abnormality.
The man said gently, “I saved you because I saw injustice and did it on a whim. You don’t need to talk about serving me like a slave. The people here are very ignorant and already see you as a monster. I advise you to move away as soon as possible.” After saying that, he turned his horse around and galloped towards the western mountains.
His guards followed closely behind in a large entourage.
Zhuang Tian’er had never seen such a handsome, noble, and dignified man before, and her heart fell for him instantly.
She watched the man’s figure gradually disappear, her eyes gleaming with a determined light.
The previous frustration and despair seemed to be instantly erased by the man’s appearance. If she could control this man’s heart, she could rise above everyone else! Even if Zhuang Li and Zhuang Jiuge became high-ranking officials in the future, so what? She would still be a princess!
Thinking of this, Zhuang Tian’er felt a surge of excitement, completely unaware that two strangers were secretly watching her house from among the villagers.
After the villagers left, the two men also left Luoxia Village and returned to the mountains. They immediately reported to the head of the household that Zhuang Lao Er’s family had been taken to Xishan by Qi Wang, and that Zhuang Lao Da’s family might also be moving away soon.
This was a gang of ruthless bandits who had already robbed many wealthy households and committed numerous murders to cover their tracks. Now that they had their sights set on the Zhuang family, they would not let go easily.
After pondering for a while, the leader finally made a decision: “The Zhuang family is protected by Qi Wang, so we must not touch them, but we cannot let the Zhuang family leave, empty-handed. We will make our move tonight! Do not kill anyone, just steal the silver.”
The second-in-command said worriedly, “Qi Wang is in the Western Hills. Will we alert him?”
“Luoxia Village is in chaos right now. Everyone in the village wants to burn Zhuang Tian’er alive. Even if we stole her family’s silver, everyone in the village will be a suspect. This way, we can easily evade the investigation. Now is the best time to make our move,” the chief analyzed calmly.
“Yes, the more chaotic it is, the easier it is to make a move. Once Qi Wang realizes what’s happening and sends more men to patrol the mountain, we’ll really have no chance.” The third leader immediately agreed.
The group looked at each other, and in unspoken understanding, finished their bowls of strong liquor.
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