"Young lady, has sothing happened ahead?"
Before long, the leader, Third Sister Zhou, was the first to dismount from her horse. She stood respectfully before An Ning's carriage and inquired in a low voice.
As she moved, the longsword in her hand was already firmly gripped.
The group of attendants behind her similarly tightened their holds on their weapons.
Having traveled for so long, if earlier on, Third Sister Zhou had held so subconscious underestimation towards this seemingly delicate young lady before her, by now, she dared not disregard a single word the other spoke.
After all, throughout this journey, whether it was clear skies or rainy days, whenever sothing was amiss, the first to sense the abnormality was always this person before her. She was even more perceptive than him, soone who had practiced martial arts for years.
It was simply, miraculous!
Out of curiosity, he had even deliberately observed her before. Occasionally when she walked, he, a seasoned martial artist, couldn't hear a single sound from her steps.
Although astonished, he had to admit that with such a formidable person in the group during the perilous journey, it indeed made everyone feel much more at ease.
At this mont, his attitude was especially respectful.
Unfortunately, An Ning currently had no ti to explain.
Accompanied by a sudden, sharp whistling sound through the air, before Third Sister Zhou could even react, a fair, slender hand reached out from behind the carriage curtain and firmly caught the arrow speeding towards him.
Archers!
How could this be!
"Everyone, quickly, take cover behind the carriages!"
In that split second, there was no ti for further thought. Reacting swiftly, Third Sister Zhou dared not delay any longer and imdiately ordered his subordinates to use the carriages to tightly surround An Ning's carriage.
Madam had personally instructed earlier that while these dicinal herbs and grain were important, ensuring the safe delivery of this young lady herself to the family head was paramount.
Entrusted with this heavy responsibility, though Third Sister Zhou was not as skilled as An Ning, he was no pushover either. Combined with his tily reaction and the limited number of arrows the enemy possessed, after a volley of arrows, the convoy had indeed suffered minimal losses.
Even so, no one let their guard down completely.
Sure enough, not long after.
From the forest, quite a few people erged one after another, numbering nearly a hundred, all robust young n.
And each of them was ard, clearly not to be trifled with!
They were not at all like ordinary civilians struggling to survive who had turned to banditry. Recalling the earlier arrow volley, Third Sister Zhou couldn't help but take a deep, sharp breath. A mont later, he still mustered his courage and stepped forward to negotiate:
As he spoke, he had already prepared a heavy bundle in his hand.
"Esteed heroes, we are rely passing through and have no intention of causing trouble for you all!"
Seeing that those n remained unmoved, he suppressed his anger and saluted with clasped fists:
"Brothers, everything is negotiable!"
"We can leave the goods, but regarding the people, I am from the main branch of the Zhen Family of Wuji. I implore you, esteed heroes, to show so rcy."
Logically speaking, most highway robbers sought wealth and goods. Moreover, while their numbers were fewer than the enemy's, their strength was not insignificant. If a real fight broke out, the other side might not gain any advantage.
Now that Third Sister Zhou had revealed their background, and the Zhen Family was not an unknown entity, by all reasoning, having said this much, the bandits should let them go.
Unfortunately, the leader showed no sign of backing down. Instead, his gaze fixed directly on the carriage where An Ning was:
"Recently, the epidemic in Changshan Commandery has been terrifying. Most people are fleeing north these days, yet you lot are different, stubbornly sticking your necks out to squeeze into this deadly place!"
"And bringing all this grain and dicinal herbs!" The scar-faced leader narrowed his eyes slightly:
"What, could it be that sitting inside is so remarkable divine physician? Since they're so capable, why not co with us brothers for a visit first?"
As his words fell, the expressions of everyone present darkened.
Simultaneously, not far away:
Inside a carriage, a man in blue robes with refined, handso features also frowned slightly. The chess piece in his hand fell with a click:
"Fengxiao, it seems our journey this ti is indeed not very smooth!"
Although, judging by the current situation, this trouble might not necessarily be directed at them.
***
"Wenruo, are you planning to send people to assist?"
Across the chess table, the young man addressed as Fengxiao cast a deep glance towards the confrontation ahead and quickly lost his smile as well.
He spoke as if joking, yet his tone carried a touch of gravity.
"For now, let's wait. If those ahead are truly unable to hold out, then it won't be too late for us to offer assistance."
Despite saying this, the man called Wenruo before him had already ordered the attendant waiting outside to instruct their n to stand ready. Should the front line falter, their side could rush to support at any mont.
Seeing this, the purple-robed youth opposite did not object. He rely continued to lounge lazily against the couch as before, idly fiddling with a chess piece in his hand:
"Back when we were still in Ying Prefecture, I heard that bandits were rampant in Ji Prefecture. Clearly, this is not a problem of recent origin.
Logically speaking, whether rchant caravans or traveling pedestrians, the habit is to sacrifice wealth to preserve life. Yet this ti it has reached the point of drawing swords. This is clearly unusual."
"Or perhaps!" The younger man frowned: "The bandits before us are simply too insatiably greedy!"
Of course, the last possibility was not good news for them.
If that were truly the case, and sothing happened to the people ahead, it might not be long before those bandits turned their attention to their own group!
Xun Yu gave an almost imperceptible nod. Besides intervening on behalf of justice, this was also the reason he had currently decided to order his n to assist.
Clearly, at this point, the chess ga before them had completely lost its appeal.
With his interest thoroughly interrupted, Guo Fengxiao across from him didn't mind.
Unlike him, traveling alone and unencumbered for now, Brother Xun was on this journey with a group of clansn and family dependents.
Not the slightest negligence was permissible.
Ti passed, each second feeling excruciatingly long.
At this mont, within the narrow confines of the carriage, peering through the curtains, both n were waiting, waiting for the mont when the group opposite could no longer hold out.
However, the result was unexpected.
Seeing that negotiations had failed, after a tense standoff, it was An Ning who actively lifted the curtain and slowly stepped out of the carriage.
The opposing crowd instinctively turned to look.
Wait, a woman? And an exceptionally beautiful young lady of noble birth at that. The leading bandit couldn't help but be stunned for a mont.
With the curtain's obstruction removed, they saw the person before them dressed in a plain-colored, long robe with brocade trim, over which was a sky-blue gauze outer garnt. The attire was clean and neat, though it was n's clothing of the current fashion. Yet, from her hairstyle and makeup, it was clear she had not deliberately concealed her identity as a woman.
Facing a crowd of uninvited guests, her expression was composed and calm to a degree that seed almost inhuman.
The leader instinctively narrowed his eyes.
In fact, not only the bandits before her, but even Xun Yu and Guo Jia, who were secretly observing the situation from not far away, were montarily taken aback.
Just as the leading bandit was still hesitating, wondering if he should simply take her away—perhaps she really was a divine physician—he saw this seemingly "gentle and harmless" young lady of noble birth make her move.
"You all, step back now."
Accompanied by a clear, cold female voice, by the ti the opposing leader reacted, the cool blade of a longsword was already pressed firmly against his neck.
And around him, the large group of subordinates who had followed him earlier had already, at so unknown ti, fallen to the ground in great numbers. They were now clutching what looked like wounds, lying on the ground and wailing incessantly.
No one understood how wounds that didn't look particularly severe could cause such excruciating pain that made people convulse all over, utterly unable to move.
In short, all these actions, though seeming lengthy, actually took only a few breaths. They hadn't even seen clearly how she had drawn her sword.
This wasn't just a few people; it was several dozen n!
What in the world? Since when did such a figure appear in the martial world?
The belatedly realizing leader who had kicked an iron plate: "..."
Xun Yu and Guo Jia, who had been about to call for help: "!!!"
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