What?

A robbery?

Jingrong was certain he hadn’t heard wrong!

It wasn’t even dark yet, and someone had already come to rob them? Could it be they hadn’t even bothered to find out who was in the carriages?

Jingrong was pressed underneath Muruo and Wei Yi, the thick smell of alcohol assaulting his nostrils. He furrowed his brow, his face turning green, then reached out and shoved the two drunkards aside in one motion.

And so—

Wei Yi and Muruo were both pushed to the side and crashed into each other again!

Forehead to forehead!

Excruciatingly painful!

Just as Jingrong was disgustedly straightening his clothes, a low voice came from outside: “Your Highness, it’s a gang of mountain bandits!”

No, a gang of audacious mountain bandits!

Jingrong was in no hurry to lift the curtain and look outside. He pricked up his ears and only heard Lang Bo leading a few guards forward, warning the bandits: “If you know what’s good for you, get out of the way quickly, lest you lose your heads.”

Upon hearing this, the bandits found it utterly ridiculous and burst into laughter. Waving their large sabers, they replied: “You’re the ones who should know what’s good for you! Quickly hand over all your valuables. Perhaps the masters here will spare your dog lives. If you’re not cooperative, the masters will slaughter you all and throw you into the mountains to feed the dogs.”

Speaking thus, they burst into another round of loud laughter.

Lang Bo, that rough fellow, wasn’t a patient person. Whatever could be solved with fists, he would absolutely not waste words on.

So without another word, he dismounted from his horse, long sword in hand. His brow reflected a trace of killing intent, and the seven or eight guards behind him also dismounted together.

The two groups of men stood on opposite sides, facing off!

The bandits numbered a full thirty to forty people!

A dozen or so stood on the official road, a dozen or so on the mountain, and a dozen or so in the forests on either side, essentially surrounding Jingrong’s entire party.

Yet Jingrong had only brought seven or eight guards with him.

In terms of forces, there was simply no comparison!

In the carriage behind!

After hearing the sounds, Ji Wanxin first leaned her body out. When she saw the scene ahead, she was absolutely terrified. She immediately shrank back, clinging tightly to Ji Yinshu’s embrace.

Her face full of worry: “Yinshu, we won’t be in trouble, will we?”

Ji Yinshu also glanced outside, then grasped Ji Wanxin’s hand, comforting her: “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

“But there are so many people outside, I’m worried…”

“The people His Highness brought with him are no pushovers. You and I should just sit properly in the carriage.”

Ji Wanxin said nothing!

Her worry was probably more for Jingrong.

Up ahead!

Jingrong had already straightened his clothes. Wei Yi and Muruo’s drunkenness had not lessened, and they were still arguing over their previous topic.

Outside!

Lang Bo swept his eyes over the bandits once, then said to the bandit leader: “Not far from here is Shanhuai County. You bandits really aren’t afraid of death!”

Hearing the three words “Shanhuai County,” the gang of bandits burst into loud laughter again.

They laughed contemptuously: “Shanhuai County? That county magistrate has to show our chief some respect, even crying and wailing to call our chief ‘Father.’ This territory—the county magistrate doesn’t dare interfere and can’t interfere.”

“Is there no law anymore?”

“Law? We of Gaoshan Stronghold are the law.” The leader’s expression was truly begging for a beating. Eyes slanted, nose and mouth turned up high, large saber gripped in hand, he pointed at Lang Bo, then at the several carriages, continuing: “Hurry up! Have the people in the carriages come out. Hand over all your valuables, and we’ll let you pass.”

Very much the attitude of “I planted this tree, I opened this road”!

Lang Bo paid no attention at all. He turned and walked to Jingrong’s carriage, lightly tapping the carriage window with his hand, turning his head aside and lowering his voice.

He asked: “Your Highness, how should this be handled?”

Jingrong spoke: “Capture them if you can, send them to Shanhuai County prison. Those who escape, let them go.”

“What about those who resist to the death?”

After a long while—

Jingrong lifted the carriage curtain and narrowed his eyes forward in a glance.

He said coldly: “Kill them!”

Lang Bo bowed his head: “As you command!”

Jingrong then let the curtain drop!

Very quickly.

The sound of clashing weapons came from outside.

Along with shouts of battle and cries of pain…

Inside the carriage, however, all was harmonious. Jingrong sat properly, while Muruo and Wei Yi sat on either side, still trading insults.

Intermittently!

Completely ignoring the fighting outside.

Wei Yi argued until his face was red. He leaned limply against the board behind him, waving his hand and saying with effort: “I’m not playing with you anymore. This is no fun at all.”

The corner of Muruo’s mouth curved up wickedly: “You can’t out-argue me.”

So devilishly charming!

Winning the verbal battle felt like conquering the whole world.

Then he covered both ears with his hands and began to sleep!

Wei Yi, meanwhile, was filled with a belly full of rage. Huffily, he pulled aside the curtain and dismounted from the carriage. His movements were too fast—Jingrong couldn’t grab him in time.

Just at the moment Wei Yi descended from the carriage, he was frightened by the scene before his eyes.

On the ground lay bodies soaked in blood, scattered everywhere!

The two groups of men were fighting fiercely, like a small battlefield.

Wei Yi’s legs went weak, his eyes froze, and before he could process what was happening, someone suddenly locked their arm around his neck, and a gleaming blade was immediately pressed against him.

“Stop!” the bandit shouted loudly.

Seeing this, Lang Bo immediately had his men lower their swords.

Wei Yi was held hostage as he was forced to step backward. The bandit’s eyes were bloodshot—of the thirty men he’d brought, fewer than ten remained!

Almost all had been slaughtered by Lang Bo’s men.

Naturally, he was unwilling to accept this!

Wei Yi’s neck was constricted, his eyes bulging wide. He didn’t dare breathe heavily, his lips trembling violently as he stuttered: “Brother, I was wrong. Don’t kill me. I know I was wrong, really. I’m not angry anymore. I’m not angry at Brother Jingrong and Brother Muruo anymore. Don’t kill me, I’m afraid of pain.”

“Shut up!” the bandit roared.

“Mother said knives can’t be placed on the neck—it will make heads roll. Once I saw someone who broke the law get killed in front of many people. They chopped off his head. Brother, don’t kill me. Father said only people who did wrong get their heads chopped off, but I didn’t do anything wrong. Why do you want to kill me?”

His voice carried a choking sob!

The bandit had lost his companions, and with Lang Bo and his men being so formidable, fear already gripped his heart. His hostage was also so incessantly talkative—his head instantly exploded with frustration, and his sense of fear grew stronger and stronger.

Lang Bo, afraid the man would harm Wei Yi, could only hold his position.

“Quickly release him, and I’ll let you go.”

The bandit: “My brothers were all killed by you, and you’d just let us go like that? Hand over your money, or else I’ll kill him.”

As he spoke excitedly, the bandit’s blade shifted slightly, slicing open a small cut on Wei Yi’s neck.

“Stop!”

Ji Yinshu’s voice!

She descended from the carriage, stepping over the corpses on the ground and running straight toward them.