Chapter 1: The Decision of the Youth

He probably hasn't spoken for a long time; the sound that came from his throat was both harsh and hoarse, peculiar like the old copper mirror in his hand

These are two completely different groups of young people

Without the constraints of livestock, the two men and one group ran faster, their figures quickly disappearing. Five shepherds chased their livestock all the way to the edge of the town, turning back to gaze at the spot where the strange man had once stood. The man was gone, and no one knew how he had vanished or where he had gone.

"We will go home as usual later, and after dinner, we will meet on the bridge." A weight was lifted from Xiao Qiu's heart

A sound that the youths had never heard before rang in their ears, so sharp that it felt as if it would pierce their eardrums. Everyone turned their heads and saw, on the bank downstream a few steps away, an unfamiliar adult who had appeared there at some unknown time.

The children of Yelin Town have all seen the young master of the Shen family. They simultaneously raised their heads, recalling the scene of being chased by him. The thin shepherd boy added, "That big fool drools from morning till night. If Fangfang marries him, she will have to wipe his drool every day."

Mr. Qin seems to be a good person; he even gave me a name. Daliang furrowed his brow, trying hard to recall his formal name

Xiao Qiu forcefully swung the willow whip in her hand, deeply inhaling a warm scent of grass and wood, making the most important decision of her life

The companions of the two plugs were clamoring on the bridge, issuing threats, yet none dared to jump into the water to help

Er Shuan absolutely would not allow the meticulously planned decisive battle to end like this. With the last two horses yet to cross the bridge, he was no longer so afraid. He identified the gap and leaped towards Xiao Qiu.

Do you want to... take Fangfang away? Daliang is Xiaoqiu's best friend, with a kind round face, but at this moment, he did not show full support

Five shepherd boys are surrounded by herds of pigs, cattle, horses, and sheep in front and behind them under the bridge. They wear straw hats without brims, their patched sleeves and pant legs rolled up high, and their bare feet are caked with mud, their skin darkened by the sun and the elements. The six youths on the bridge, although dressed in coarse cloth garments, are clean and tidy. They have just spent a day of idleness and are eager to find some amusement before nightfall

Thinking of the plans for the evening, Xiao Qiu almost agreed to Da Liang's suggestion, but the bursts of laughter from the boys on the bridge made him change his mind

However, he was disappointed. When it came to the critical issue, all four shepherd boys retreated, and even Erliang, who had always spoken on his behalf, lowered his head, seemingly more interested in the ants on the grass blades

With a thud, two young boys simultaneously leaped over the bridge railing and fell into the river

Er Shuan sat on the bridge railing, spending the entire afternoon boasting and fooling around with his friends, waiting for the first battle in his life for power and status: today he would prove that he was the leader of the boys aged ten to fifteen in Wild Forest Town

"Little Qiu Ge." Da Liang felt a bit guilty; he had never refused any proposal from good friends before, but this time was different. "You still think Fang Fang is your wife, don't you?"

"Who are you? What are you doing in Yelin Town?" Ershuan asked tremulously while standing in the river. He had never been afraid of strangers, even adults, but for some reason, that ringing sound seemed to have hollowed out his heart.

Xiao Qiu, with a cold expression, inserted the willow branch into the soft grass, "What I said counts."

Xiao Qiu walked at the front, followed by a dozen horses. Da Liang and the others trailed behind at a moderate distance, still somewhat fearful of Er Shuan

Upon exiting the forest, on the small bridge to the east of Wildwood Town, their enthusiasm faced its first setback

For the narrow bridge and the youth of Wildwood Town, the chestnut horse was akin to a colossal creature, causing the blocking youths to panic and retreat, their neatly arranged ranks suddenly dispersing

The strange person shook a fist-sized brass bell, producing a shrill sound that was disproportionate to its size

Xiao Qiu had had enough. She gave the chestnut horse beside her a hard slap, startling the horse, which leaped forward a large step.

Ding ... ...

Xiao Qiu felt a bit anxious, so she simply squatted down on the grass, meeting the gaze of the four companions across from her, her eyes wide open without blinking. "We are not talking about Mr. Qin, but Fang Fang! She doesn't want to—who would want to marry a fool?"

The river is not deep, just reaching the waist, but Ershuan is the master of the bridge; as soon as he touches the water, he loses his confidence by three points. Xiao Qiu is as agile as a fish in the river, completely taking the initiative.

Xiao Qiu unexpectedly accepted the challenge, and Er Shuan was very pleased, standing in the middle of the bridge with his hands on his hips. Five companions lined up on either side of him, completely blocking the road

The strange person set down the bell, then took out a dull-colored copper mirror with his right hand. He slowly waved it in front of the group of boys, finally pointing it at two boys who were completely soaked. After a moment of pause, he asked: "Is it hot?"

I need your help," Xiao Qiu said eagerly, her pitch-black eyes filled with anticipation

Are you sure?" Daliang glanced at the three younger shepherd boys, feeling even less confident. "Did Fangfang tell you this herself?"

The chestnut horse did not know who the true master was, leaping out of the bridge in two or three strides, closely followed by the herd of horses. The young men could only anxiously press against the railing of the bridge, watching helplessly as they passed by

Erliang and others lowered their heads, suppressing their laughter, making a hissing sound through their noses

"Isn't that just playing around?" Daliang said softly, noticing that Xiaoqiu's gaze became increasingly stubborn and resolute. He softened his stance; although he was a year older, he always played the role of a follower in front of Xiaoqiu. "Alright, I will help."

The boys were terrified, and even Xiao Qiu felt flustered, scrambling to climb ashore with Er Shuan. Her heart raced, and the sunlight suddenly became scorching. The damp clothes clung uncomfortably to their bodies, but they paid no attention to any of this; they just wanted to get as far away as possible from the strange person, He Tushu.

His life has only spanned twelve years, making it impossible to grasp the full significance of this decision. However, the residents of Wild Forest Town who are familiar with him know that he is a stubborn young man, like a young wolf that has just learned to skillfully use its limbs and teeth. Even knowing that a cliff lies ahead, he still rushes to the edge to explore, and no one can pull him back

How is it? Do you need help? Xiao Qiu asked, feeling very hopeful

Er Shuan is the second young master of the Shen family, not at all foolish. He is tall and strong, and his pair of slender eyes always warns others with a sidelong glance: he is not to be trifled with

I will help as well" Erliang immediately expressed his stance

In front of him, four boys of similar age squatted on the grass, gazing blankly up at Xiao Qiu. Further away, several groups of livestock were lazily grazing. They were all shepherds, and among them, a dozen horses were under Xiao Qiu's care.

"No, you all know that Mr. Qin does not allow me to enter the classroom," Xiao Qiu would not lie in front of her friends. "But this is obvious; Fang Fang cannot..."

A thin, dark-skinned shepherd provided evidence for Daliang's perspective, stating, "I heard that Mr. Qin is particularly pleased to be related to the Shen family, and tomorrow's auspicious day is the one he has chosen."

The last shepherd spoke up, "Mr. Qin is not a greedy person; his family is an outsider hoping to establish themselves in Wildwood Town, so he is particularly eager to form a marriage alliance with the Shen family"

"Hmm. It is not about snatching, but about saving. Fangfang will willingly come with us," Xiao Qiu corrected in a firm tone.

See you in the evening. Xiao Qiu was the first to break free from the influence of the strange person, yet he still had to carry out the plan to save people that night

Ershuan is slightly taller than Xiao Qiu and appears more robust, yet he does not gain the upper hand in the fight. Even with his companions cheering loudly, he is still unable to immediately defeat his opponent

Xiao Qiu and Er Shuan involuntarily took a step back at the same time. They were not afraid of the strange person and his voice, but rather of that dull and unremarkable copper mirror with a *picture*, a small object about five or six inches in size, which seemed capable of obscuring the entire sky. The sunlight suddenly diminished significantly, and the two shook their heads in unison; they did not feel hot at all, and in fact, they felt a chill running through their bodies.

"You are blocking the way," Xiao Qiu said in a muffled voice. Behind him, the gentle herd of horses noticed that someone was obstructing the path and all came to a halt, patiently waiting for the issue to resolve itself

The strange man lowered his arms, and in the blink of an eye, both the bronze mirror and the bell had vanished. The expression on his face appeared somewhat relaxed, yet more fatigued. "Stay away from the demons," he said, his gaze shifting back and forth, as if listening intently, as though demons were hiding nearby. "Stay away from the demons," he repeated.

The strange figure was dressed in a blue front-opening robe, with hair styled into a tall bun, a long hairpin inserted horizontally, and a few strands of beard floating beneath his chin. He carried a long sword on his back, and even in the eyes of the most discerning observers, he could be considered to possess an ethereal and otherworldly demeanor. However, in the remote town of Wildwood, his attire merely appeared eccentric

From a distance, he saw a herd of cattle and horses coming out from the forest path. Ershuan jumped to the ground, gathered all his strength, and shouted loudly: "Hey, Xiaoqiu! Your wife is getting married to me tomorrow, are you coming to the wedding feast?" This sentence had been on Ershuan's mind all day, and when he finally shouted it out, he felt a great sense of relief in his heart

Xiao Qiu stood beside Er Shuan, silent. He regarded the ringing sound as an enemy, concentrating his efforts to confront it

The boys on the bridge laughed so hard that they could hardly stand up. The youngest, a bald boy, had just been granted permission to join the group. Eager to show off, he pointed at Xiao Qiu and said: "Your wife... your wife is going to call someone else husband, haha, Xiao Qiu..."

Two youths were grappling on the bridge, while a dozen horses turned around on the bank, gazing blankly at the scene. They quickly lost interest and lowered their heads to graze on the grass by the roadside

The herdsmen shook their heads in unison. Erliang was more inclined to help Xiaoqiu, and then said: "Shen's big fool is over twenty years old, and he can't even feed himself, let alone manage a library. When he gets angry, he even hits people"

"Xiao Qiu, this is my family's horse! How dare you..." Er Shuan was extremely angry

Er Shuan pretended to touch around on his body, and his companions burst into laughter. Leng Zi, who was half a head shorter but equally sturdy, chimed in: "Xiao Qiu might have received an invitation from Mr. Qin, after all, Fang Fang is his wife."

This is the reasoning. Xiao Qiu flicked the willow branch whip again and said, "We will act tonight. Two people will keep watch outside, while three will enter the school to find Fang Fang. It's that simple."

The other two shepherds also agreed

Daliang's younger brother, Erliang, continued, "Fangfang would never be willing to marry into the Shen family; she would rather have someone take her away."

Discussing the simple arrangements for Xiao Qiu, time flies quickly. In the evening, the five excited youths gathered their respective herds and headed back to Wildwood Town. No one proposed a more specific plan, just as Xiao Qiu said, "It's that simple"

"Do not pay attention to him." In response to Ershuan's provocation, Daliang did not wish to engage in a confrontation; he was now extremely hungry and only wanted to return home to fill his stomach. "Let us take a detour and cross the river."

The duel between the two groups of youths ended abruptly, and they hurriedly ran to the town to inform the adults that a madman had intruded into Wildwood Town

At this moment, Ershuan has been here for quite a while, smiling and saying: "I am here to deliver the invitation. Tomorrow, your wife will become my sister-in-law. You should come over and say a few auspicious words, and I will have my father reward you with a few coins. Oh dear, where is the invitation? It was just here."

Mr. Qin is a money-obsessed individual who sold Fangfang to the Shen family, receiving a considerable sum of silver in return. Erliang spoke with disdain, gesturing with both hands to illustrate a large pile of gold and silver treasures.

The four shepherds exchanged glances, and Daliang pushed up the straw hat on his head, saying uneasily: "The Shen family is the wealthiest landlord in town, and more than half of the cattle, horses, and sheep we are herding belong to them. I think... I think Fangfang might not be unwilling to marry into their family."