Chapter 251 The General
Since entering the southern border, Mu Xi has been suffering from PTSD from the repeated "wolf cries" every day. She shrank back into the carriage.
Outside the carriage, Liang Shuo and Peng Hai shouted simultaneously:
"Protect the young master..."
This time, to keep a low profile and disguise themselves as a merchant caravan, Mu Xi naturally had everyone change their way of addressing her beforehand.
"Turn around, turn around..."
Although it was said to turn around, Mu Xi felt the carriage shake violently and then rush forward.
Immediately following were cries of refugees and sounds of guards fighting with bandits.
Judging from the sounds, the number of bandits was large, numbering over a hundred.
However, the bandits and outlaws were no match for the regular cavalry and well-trained guards. The bandits were quickly dispersed, but Mu Xi's group was also driven down a steep slope.
As Mu Xi waited for the carriage to stop, she was about to get off and compose herself when she saw Tao'er, Zhe Lan, and Cao Pan'er coming up from behind.
Tao'er cried out, "Young master, our carriage has broken apart, and many people are injured."
"Come on up, we'll ride together." Without thinking, Mu Xi let Tao'er and the others get into the carriage first, while she got out to get some fresh air.
Just then, a whistle suddenly sounded from behind the steep slope.
Before they could react, a large, dark mass of figures emerged from behind the rocks and withered trees. There were probably at least a hundred of them, dressed in tattered clothes and disheveled, but each of them was armed with rusty knives and bamboo spears, and they pounced down.
"Still bandits...bandits...protect the young master..." Liang Shuo shouted hoarsely, drawing his sword to meet the attack.
The remaining East Sea cavalry instinctively retreated, attempting to form a defensive line.
Unfortunately, most of the people had already left, and now their morale was on the verge of collapse.
Since entering the southern border, the bandits have been harassing us two or three times a day, without any order or strategy. Relying solely on their desperate ferocity, they have long since worn down the morale of the people.
The sounds of metal clashing and screams erupted once again.
"Young master, get in the carriage. We'll break through." Liang Shuo immediately came forward to help Mu Xi get back into the carriage.
Mu Xi got back into the carriage and fled forward under the protection of more than a dozen guards.
They hadn't run far when the horse let out a neigh and suddenly stopped.
Cao Pan'er, who was sitting at the door of the carriage, had just lifted the curtain when she saw the driver jump out of the front of the carriage and run away.
These carriages were hired at a high price after entering the southern territory. It was thought that the drivers would be familiar with the terrain, but they unexpectedly deserted at the last minute.
Before Mu Xi and the others could react, a troop of horses came galloping towards them from a distance.
With mountain bandits in front and roving marauders behind, even the largest number of guards and cavalry could not keep up with the situation.
The leader shouted loudly, "Surround them! Surround them! Women stay, men are to be killed without mercy!"
This group of mountain bandits was clearly different from the bandits from before; they were all on horseback, carrying steel knives and wearing black masks.
As soon as they appeared, they shouted something like "Women stay, men be killed without mercy," no wonder the driver abandoned the cart and fled.
"Don't get out of the carriage, protect it... These are not ordinary bandits, they are 'Tangjiang'..." Liang Shuo roared hoarsely, his thin face tense with tension.
Peng Hai immediately led the remaining dozen or so guards to protect Mu Xi's carriage from the front and back.
"Tangjiang?" Mu Xi didn't understand what that meant.
Cao Pan'er had more experience in the martial arts world than the others: "Young master, 'Tangjiang' are also bandits, but these bandits are able to get government protection by paying 'protection fees' to the government."
How could there be such bandits in the Southern Territory? I never heard of them when I came to quell the rebellion in the Southern Territory before.
Sitting in the carriage, Mu Xi heard the fighting outside, with shouts of "Leave the women and valuables, kill all men, young and old!" still ringing out. She couldn't help but ask, "If they want to rob us, why do they have to kill the men?"
Cao Pan'er pursed her lips: "I heard before that they robbed valuables for pleasure and to 'pay tribute' to local officials, and they robbed women... either to keep them for their own enjoyment or to sell them. In either case, women usually go out with their husbands, so killing the men would eliminate any future troubles. These kinds of bandits are the most rampant and despicable."
"Ah..." As the carriage curtains flew up, outside, a bandit in a black mask swung his knife and slashed down a guard who had caught up with them.
Mu Xi's face paled. Given the current situation, if she couldn't defeat this group of bandits, she would surely die.
However, what you fear most is what happens; the black-masked bandits pounced on you like hungry wolves.
The swords clashed instantly, the sounds of metal striking metal, roars, and screams filling the air.
These "squad generals" were clearly well-trained and worked in perfect coordination, targeting the weak points in the guards' defenses with ruthless and deadly blows aimed straight for vital organs.
The remaining guards were already exhausted and demoralized, and under such a fierce attack, their defensive line crumbled in an instant. Men were constantly being stabbed and fell to the ground, their blood staining the yellow earth red.
The carriage was violently struck and shaken, like a small boat in a storm.
Liang Shuo was about to abandon his horse and get into Mu Xi's carriage to carve a bloody path, but as soon as he jumped off the horse, he was slashed horizontally, his arm was cut open with a deep gash that exposed the bone, and blood gushed out.
Peng Hai roared, his obese body bursting with astonishing power, and he successively chopped down two bandits who tried to approach the carriage. However, he himself was also kicked hard in the waist, and staggered back, spitting blood.
The "general" then discovered a cartload of "good stuff," and with a sinister grin, he shouted, "Brothers, there's 'good stuff' on this cart, we can't let them get away!"
Inside the carriage, Tao'er and Zhelan huddled together in fear.
Mu Xi's face turned pale, and she drew the short sword from her waist.
Cao Pan'er, however, had a sudden inspiration and rushed to Mu Xi's side: "Young master, it's no use, it's all in vain. Since they want to kill men without leaving any survivors, why not... exchange clothes with me? You are a woman after all... just in case, just in case... you might be able to save your life temporarily."
"Save your life?" Mu Xi was extremely panicked and her mind was a bit blank, but after hearing Cao Pan'er say this, she realized it was an idea.
But what if I change back into women's clothing?
If we were captured by these bandits, wouldn't that be...?
Before Mu Xi could think further, Cao Pan'er had already quickly taken off her outer robe and called to Tao'er and Zhe Lan beside her: "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and help the young master change his clothes. And remember, if anything happens next, you should change your form of address."
Ze Lan and Tao Er were trembling with fear, but they quickly realized what was happening and hurriedly came up to help Mu Xi change her clothes.
Outside the carriage, screams of agony could be heard.
Now that things had come to this, Mu Xi had no time to think. With the help of her three maids, she quickly changed Cao Pan'er's clothes, let her hair down, and styled it into the simplest "cloud-like bun" that maids use.
Having just finished all this, Cao Pan'er didn't stop. Instead, she reached under the carriage seat for a delicate little box.
Mu Xi became increasingly panicked: "What are you doing?"
Cao Pan'er opened the small box without stopping her hands: "Young Master, I'm afraid we can't keep the things inside. If the bandits see them, it will not only be more troublesome, but it may also endanger our lives."
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