Chapter 273
Please bear with me, I will try my best to make it up before the end of the month.Thanks.

He couldn't make up that smile, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't think of it.Instead, he unconsciously thought of the deserter who was beheaded by his father the day they found the direwolf. "You took your oath," Lord Eddard told the man, "you took your oath before your brethren, and before the gods old and new." Desmond and Fat Tom dragged the deserter to the stake.Bran's eyes were as wide as plates, and Jon made a point of telling him not to let the pony move.He remembered the look on his father's face when Theon Greyjoy handed him the ice, and then he remembered blood splattering on the snow, and Theon kicking the head to his feet with his legs.

What would he have done, he wondered, if the deserter had been Duke Eddard's own brother Bunyan instead of a ragged stranger?Will there be a difference between the two?Sure, sure, sure... Robb would welcome him, no doubt.How could he not welcome him?unless……

It's better not to think too much about it.He gripped the reins tightly, his fingers aching.Jon gripped his horse's belly again and galloped down the king's road, as if trying to drive away the doubts in his heart.Jon is not afraid of death, but he doesn't want to be tied up and beheaded for public display like an ordinary robber.If he must die, he is willing to die in a duel with the murderer of his father and enemy, sword in hand.He wasn't born a true Stark, never was...but he could die like a Stark.Let everyone know that Eddard Stark has not only three sons, but four.

Bai Ling followed his speed and ran for a mile, with his red tongue hanging out of his mouth.He urged the horse to speed up, and the people and horses lowered their heads and galloped.The direwolf slowed down and stopped, looking left and right, his eyes glowing red in the moonlight.Before long, he disappeared behind, and Jon knew he would follow at his own pace.

On both sides of the road ahead, flickering lights shone through the trees.This is Mole Village.He urged his horse to gallop past, and heard a dog barking and a donkey braying from the stable, other than that, the village was silent.A few hearths glimmered through shuttered windows, or leaked from between the planks of the house, but few.

In fact, the Mole Village is much larger than it seems at first glance, but three-quarters of it is located underground, consisting of deep and warm cellars, connected to each other through intricate tunnels.Even the brothels are underground. From the ground, they are just small wooden huts not much bigger than a toilet, with a red lantern hanging on the door.The defenders on the Great Wall called it "the treasure under the ground". He couldn't help but wonder how many brothers in black were digging treasures below tonight?This is of course a kind of broken oath, but no one cares.

It wasn't until the village was far behind that Jon slowed down again.By this time, both he and the mare were sweating profusely.So he jumped off the horse, only to feel trembling all over, and the burnt hand hurt even more.Under the bushes there was a large pile of melted snow, shining in the moonlight, and trickles trickled out of it, converging into shallow pools.Jon knelt down, put his hands together, and held the snow water.The melted snow was icy cold. He drank a few sips, then washed his face until his cheeks were numb.He felt dizzy, and his fingers hadn't hurt so much in days.I did the right thing, he told himself, but why am I so miserable?
The horse was still panting, so Jon led him a little way.The road was so narrow that two people could barely ride side by side, and the surface was cut by small ditches and covered with gravel.It was really stupid to run like that just now, he was clearly asking for trouble, and if he was not careful, he would break his neck.Jon couldn't help wondering, what on earth did he do?Are you in such a hurry to seek death?
He looked up at the sound of frightened animals screaming in the distant woods, and the mare grunted uncomfortably.Had his wolf found its prey?He put his hands around his mouth, "Ghost!" he called, "Ghost! Come to me!" But the only response was the flapping of some owl's wings behind him.

Jon frowned and continued on his way.He led the horse for half an hour until it was completely dry.But Bai Ling never showed up.Jon wanted to get on his horse and go, but he was worried about the missing wolf. "Ghost," he yelled again, "where are you? Come here! Ghost!" Nothing in these woods could threaten the direwolf—even if the direwolf wasn't fully developed, unless... no, Bai A spirit would never be foolish enough to attack a bear, and if there were wolves around here, Jon would surely hear them howling.

Finally he decided to eat something before talking.Food can soothe the spleen and stomach a little bit, and it can give Bai Ling more time to catch up.There was no danger yet, and Castle Black was still asleep.So he found a biscuit, a small piece of cheese, and a shriveled brown apple from his saddlebag.He also brought corned beef, and a slice of bacon stolen from the kitchen, but he wanted to save the meat for tomorrow.Because when the food ran out, he would have to hunt by himself, and that would definitely delay his journey.

Jon sat under a tree and ate biscuits and cheese while the mare grazed along the Kingsroad.He saves the apples for last, and while soft to the touch, the flesh is still sweet and juicy.He was nibbling at the core when he heard the sound: hoofbeats, from the north.Jon jumped to his feet and ran to the mare.Can you run away?No, the distance is too close, and the sound will definitely be exposed, and if they come from Castle Black...

So he led the mare off the road and walked behind a thick gray-blue sentinel tree. "Keep quiet," he whispered, crouching down and peering through the branches.If the gods bless, the other party will ride past inadvertently.Eighty percent of the farmers in Mole Village are returning to their fields, but why are they leaving in the middle of the night? ...

He listened quietly, and the sound of hooves came rapidly along the king's road, with firm steps and gradually increased.Judging by the voice, there were probably five or six people.The voice of the other party shuttled among the trees.

"...Are you sure he's going this way?"

"Of course not sure."

"Maybe he's headed east. Or off the road and through the woods. That's what I'd do."

"In this dark night? Don't be stupid. Even if you didn't fall off your horse, break your neck, and walk around without knowing the way, you will probably circle back to the Great Wall when the sun rises."

"I wouldn't," Grant sounded exasperated. "I will ride south, and I will know which way is south by looking at the stars."

"What if it's covered by clouds?" Pyp asked.

"Then I won't go."

Another voice cut in. "If it were me, you know what I would do? I would go straight to Mole Village to dig for treasure." Todd's sharp laughter echoed in the forest, and Jon's mare snorted.

"Shut up all of you," Holder said, "I think I heard something."

"Where? I didn't hear anything." The hooves stopped.

"You can't even hear yourself fart."

"I can hear you," Grant insisted.

"To shut up!"

(End of this chapter)

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