With their leader dead, the bandits were terrified and scattered in all directions.

When they sneaked back to the mountain stronghold under cover of darkness, they discovered that... the entire stronghold had been wiped out, and the leaders were the same pair of celestial beings they had ambushed and killed down the mountain.

"Please spare my life, my sir!"

"It was the boss's idea to ambush and kill you!"

The bandits knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

Jiang Jiaojiao sat on a couch covered with tiger skin, exuding the air of a mountain bandit queen. The Prince Chen sitting next to her... looked like a mountain bandit queen she had forcibly brought there, or rather, a delicate and handsome bandit prince.

"Pfft—"

Jiang Jiaojiao leaned against him, clutching the hem of his clothes and spinning around, thinking to herself, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The bandits trembled with fear. "We're doomed! They killed our leader and still dare to come up the mountain? They can laugh and joke in a bandit's den? We've met our match!" And then…

And the square-faced, burly man sitting beneath her, dressed in the clothes of a bodyguard, looked increasingly familiar.

Finally, one of the bandits remembered something.

His eyes widened, and he shouted, "It's you—Lu Da from the next mountain? Lu Da's boss!"

"My God! It really is him! I went with the boss to find him back then!"

"Didn't he lead the villagers to the capital to make a living, and they were all wiped out? How come he's still alive?"

"Not only is he alive, but... he's even become a bodyguard?"

The bandits were incredulous, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets. Weren't bandits just going into the city to get themselves killed?

Not only did he survive, but he also became a bodyguard?

I wouldn't even dare to dream of something like this!

Lu Da puffed out his chest, looking extremely proud, his gaze fixed undisguisedly on Jiang Jiaojiao, his eyes filled with deep gratitude.

If it weren't for Jiang Jiaojiao's generous donations, supporting him in leading his brothers to open a security escort agency and become bodyguards, their fates would likely be very different today.

Perhaps they would have been caught and imprisoned long ago.

Even if they were lucky enough to escape the capital and earn a few taels of silver, they would still be nothing more than a group of bandits who roamed around and were despised by everyone.

How can it compare to the uprightness and integrity that bodyguards possess today?

A bodyguard! That's been his childhood dream!

Ever since his mother heard that his dream had come true and he had become a bodyguard, she miraculously pulled through her failing health and is now searching the whole village for a marriage for him.

Today, Qianjin Escort Agency is growing stronger, and they escort one-third of the Jin family's goods.

Before long, it will definitely become the number one security escort agency in Kyoto.

Thinking about this...

Lu Da's eyes grew increasingly fanatical. Remembering the princess's instructions before they went up the mountain, he strode forward and said, "The princess is our great benefactor. If you attack the princess, you are our enemy!"

"but……"

Lu Da glanced at Jiang Jiaojiao secretly, "The princess is the most kind and generous. She knows that you were forced into becoming bandits by the hardships of life, so she is willing to give you a chance!"

"It's up to you to choose."

These words were spoken.

The bodyguards who were with him chuckled to themselves; their leader was learning pretty quickly.

Down the mountain, the princess gave the group of soldiers a choice, and as a result... without any surprise, they all chose to follow "General Fan" back to the West Mountain military camp.

After all, there was no other choice.

Oh no, there is a second option: to travel with the real General Fan.

No one was selected.

They were a little disappointed, thinking that soldiers were all tough guys, but they turned out to be nothing special. They wondered if the bandits in this village would be tough...

"We choose you! No! We choose the princess! We choose the princess!"

"We are willing to acknowledge the princess as our king, and from now on we will only obey the princess's orders!"

"From now on, we will all listen to the princess! If the princess tells me to go east, I will never go west; if she tells me to kill a chicken, I will never kill a sheep!"

Lu Da: "...some?"

All right!

He was even more spineless than he had imagined.

That's true. If there's any other way to survive, who would want to be a bandit?

They were lucky to meet the princess.

Jiang Jiaojiao burst out laughing again, especially when she saw Lu Da's regretful expression, her eyes crinkled and her smile was as beautiful as a flower.

His fate... also changed.

"Is Jiaojiao very happy?"

Prince Chen kept looking at her, seeing her genuine smile, like the most dazzling pearl, his gaze sweeping over the bandits.

The story then returns to Jiang Jiaojiao.

A smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. Yes, that's her.

Even if it were just changing the fate of a group of bandits, she would be genuinely happy; she did not disregard them because of their lowly status.

And there's also the Dream of the Red Chamber, Jin Youfang...

In his dream, which was Jiao Jiao's past life, none of those people had a good ending, but they all changed because they met her.

This is his darling!

At this moment, Jiang Jiaojiao seemed to be bathed in golden light in his eyes, warm and dazzling, dispelling all the gloom in his heart.

"Um!"

Jiang Jiaojiao nodded. In her previous life, this band of mountain bandits fell into the hands of the Second Prince. Half of them were killed in exchange for merit, while the other half were forced to become the Second Prince's private slaves. In the end, they fought against the Fifth Prince and were all wiped out.

These are all living, breathing lives.

Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. She had already avenged her past life's grudges. The bandit leader was beheaded, and those who had acted as his accomplices and committed heinous crimes were all killed without a trace.

"As long as Jiaojiao is happy."

Prince Chen looked tenderly at the woman before him, a slight smile playing on his lips, his expression full of doting affection.

However, beneath this seemingly peaceful surface, an endless killing intent lurked deep in his eyes.

The mere thought of Jiaojiao's tragic death at the hands of these bandits ignited a raging fire within Prince Chen, an uncontrollable fury.

I wish I could tear these people to pieces and grind their bones to ashes, leaving not a single one alive!

but……

Since Jiaojiao is happy and has chosen to spare their lives, fine, let's give these people a chance to prolong their lives for now.

The two rested peacefully in the mountain village for two days.

The group quietly left the mountain stronghold and headed towards Sichuan.

On the other side.

After several days of travel, Prince An and Jiang Chengtian finally arrived at the foot of the mountain stronghold. The Brahma King remained inside the carriage chanting scriptures and did not show himself.

"The mountain stronghold is just ahead! Stay alert! We must rescue Prince Chen and the Princess safely!"

"yes--"

The imperial guards responded in unison.

Prince An's face was gloomy, and his eyes were glaring fiercely at Jiang Jingtian, filled with undisguised hostility and anger.

He snorted coldly, his voice icy and piercing: "We've traveled all night, and everyone is already exhausted. Are you not even going to give us a short rest?"

He paused, then raised his voice and said loudly, "In my opinion, we should rest here immediately and discuss the next steps for rescuing people after everyone has recovered their strength!"