Chapter 70 Encounter with Bandits
When Yao Shisan drove the carriage to the side of the road for the seventh time, Shuang'er finally couldn't stand it anymore.
"Let me do it."
Fu'er covered her mouth and laughed, "Mother doesn't know how to drive."
After switching places with Shuang'er, she simply lifted the carriage curtain onto the roof.
This also made it easier for Shuang'er, who was driving with the two of them, to talk.
Shuang'er stopped the reins, cracked the whip, and made the horse pull the carriage out of the ditch.
Seeing how skilled Shuang'er was, she sighed, "How come this horse is so obedient in your hands?"
Shuang'er turned and glanced at her. "When I was a child, I grew up on the estate with my father. I drove a cart in the capital to deliver grain to the mansion."
She paused for a moment, then added, "But, can we leave without saying goodbye?"
Sister Wenxi is very good to her. I wonder if Sister Wenxi will be angry if she finds out that she left without even saying goodbye.
The journey is still short, and Yao Shisan was afraid she would turn back, so he comforted her.
"Don't worry, I just left a note. I didn't leave without saying goodbye."
Shuang'er felt relieved.
"This mountain is huge. We've been walking for almost an hour and we still haven't made it out."
Yao Shisan had read in the Records of Mountains and Rivers that "this place is Panyi Mountain, which is famous for a kind of short-legged horse that is best at crossing mountains and forests."
"I've heard there's another kind of red mushroom that's also incredibly delicious!"
Fu'er's eyes lit up, and she peeked out from the side, "Where?"
She grabbed her daughter by the back of her collar, "Be careful you don't fall!"
Shuang'er chuckled, "Little Fu'er could be tricked with just one bite, so we'd better keep a close eye on her!"
Panyi Mountain is very large, with Ningzhou and Hezhou each occupying half of it.
The bandits were entrenched in the mountains, and Ningzhou shirked responsibility, claiming it was Hezhou's fault; Hezhou, in turn, shirked responsibility, claiming it was Ningzhou's fault.
The officials on both sides are inactive, only concerned with making their own political achievements look good, while the people in the mountains suffer.
In recent years, apart from the people living deep in the mountains, almost everyone has moved away.
Shuang'er drove the car around a sharp bend, and suddenly a dozen men wielding knives appeared in front of her.
"Charge!"
Yao Shisan immediately sensed something was wrong and promptly gave the order.
Shuang'er raised her whip and lashed it hard across the horse's back.
Just as the horse's hooves were raised high, ready to pull the carriage away at full speed.
An arrow, seemingly out of nowhere, struck the horse squarely in the forehead!
The horse crashed to the ground, and the carriage overturned along with it.
The bandits swarmed forward.
"The third leader is actually two young women!"
Yao Shisan's disguise as a man was immediately recognized!
The tall, thin man known as the Third Boss pushed through the crowd and walked in.
"There are actually two good items!"
"This child can fetch a good price."
Yao Shisan held his daughter tightly, pleading, "You want money, I want my life! Just let us go, and I'll reward you handsomely!"
The third leader grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Five hundred for one person, one thousand five hundred for three people."
"Sure!" she readily agreed.
"But I can't give it to you here. I'll give it to you outside Ningzhou City."
Being captured by King Cheng is better than being captured by bandits.
The third leader glared at him, "You son of a bitch, are you kidding me! Ningzhou City, huh? Do you want me to send you home?"
The henchman next to him realized what was happening and said, "Third Master, this woman definitely brought money!"
Immediately, someone snatched the bundle from Shuang'er's arms.
After searching for a while, apart from three sets of clothes and some jewelry, there was no silver anywhere.
These are the clothes I changed out of after escaping from the mansion.
The underling clicked his tongue and said, "Third Master, look at this fabric. Only the empresses in the palace could wear it!"
"This is a fat sheep! 1,500 is too little! It should be at least 15,000!"
The younger brother's eyes lit up.
With money, he stopped being a bandit, went back to the village, bought some land, and got married.
The third leader licked his yellow teeth and said, "Tie him up and take him back first!"
"You dare!"
Yao Shisan shouted, "Do you know who I am?!"
Her palms were sweating, and she forced herself to look directly at the group of bandits in front of her.
"Hahaha, who are you?"
"Are you the Queen Mother of the West from heaven?!"
The bandits were probably used to people who pretended to be profound, and they weren't afraid at all that the kidnapped person might shout out some earth-shattering name.
She gritted her teeth and said, "I am King Cheng's concubine!"
"The carriage of King Cheng is still in the carriage storehouse. If you don't believe me, send someone into the city to take a look."
The third leader remained completely calm, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Take it back!"
Panyishan is actually not difficult to reach; if the local officials were in charge, it would have been taken over long ago.
Why bother letting bandits occupy the mountains and rule as kings?
It's said to be a knock-off.
It was actually a village from the past.
Everyone in the village had fled, and the dozen or so who hadn't escaped were forced by the bandits to do odd jobs and menial tasks here.
When the three were brought back bound, an old man at the village entrance showed pity in his eyes.
Several more unfortunate people.
The village is very large, and there are many people.
The head of the household now lives in the largest house in the village.
The three were thrown in like cargo.
"Where is the boss?"
The room was empty; there wasn't a soul in sight.
The third leader turned and walked out, shouting, "Watch out, no one is allowed to touch anything without my permission, or I'll chop them up with one knife!"
"yes!"
Even though his underlings were envious, they didn't dare to do anything reckless.
Yao Shisan then began to look around the room.
The house was very clean, and it was clear that someone cleaned it every day.
There was also a smooth, polished clay whistle placed in front of the window.
Shuang'er's voice trembled with tears, but she dared not cry out loud, "What should I do..."
Fu'er wasn't tied up; she clung tightly to her mother's side.
She's such a tiny little thing, but she's already been through so much with her mother. As long as her mother is there, she's not afraid.
Yao Shisan immediately spotted a dagger hanging next to the main seat!
"Fu'er, do you see the dagger hanging on that chair? Go get it for your mother."
Fu'er laboriously climbed onto the large chair with her short legs, and just as she took the dagger, the door opened.
When the third leader saw Fu'er climb onto the main seat, he yelled, "You little bastard, who told you to go up there!"
Fu'er trembled in fright, and the dagger in her arms fell to the ground with a thud.
"Why are you being so mean to a child?" The middle-aged man in the lead glanced at the third leader.
The third leader immediately nodded in agreement.
That's why he didn't tie the little thing up.
The head of the household was always exceptionally lenient with the children.
The leader stepped forward and lifted Fu'er up, saying, "You dare to sit in my seat, you've got some nerve."
Fu'er was frightened. She pouted, looking like she was about to cry.
Looking at the child, the leader was reminded of someone from the depths of his memory.
Feeling wronged and pitiful.
He would always fall for it; she would show a smug, fox-like expression after succeeding.
Yao Shisan watched as his daughter was being held in someone's hands, fearing that the bandits would become enraged and throw the child away.
He immediately cried out in a trembling voice, "Let go of my daughter! How much money do you want?!"
The leader turned around upon hearing the sound.
But he stood there stunned, as if struck by lightning.
The people deep in my memory and the people in front of me gradually overlap.
They all had teary eyes.
—She shook her head with tears streaming down her face, “Brother Zhengliang, I’m sorry, I just love him.”
Yao Zhengliang walked towards her step by step.
It was as if the little girl who had disappeared from his life years ago had reappeared before his eyes.
He murmured unconsciously, "Qinglian..."
Yao Shisan was taken aback at first, then shouted, "Watch out!"
Fu'er almost crashed into a pillar in his hands!
She glared at the person in front of her, "She's just a three-year-old child!"
Yao Zhengliang had already realized what was happening.
She resembled Meng Qinglian by about 60%, but only slightly; she lacked the innocent charm that Qinglian possessed.
He put Fu'er down.
"Untie them."
"The leader?" The third leader almost thought he had misheard.
Yao Zhengliang returned to his position, saying, "I will personally conduct the trial."
The third leader immediately understood.
Generally, those who are considered valuable are personally selected by the village chief, and they often bring a bountiful harvest to the village.
This is also the most important reason why everyone respects the leader.
"What is your name, and where are you from?"
Yao Shisan bought a fake household registration certificate that made him a native of Yuzhou. "My name is Yao Shisan, and I am from Yuzhou."
“She is my sister Yao Shuang’er, and this is my daughter.”
"The surname Yao, Yuzhou... it turns out they're from the same clan."
Yao Zhengliang pinched his fingers together lightly.
Yao Shisan never expected that the name he had chosen so casually would have the same surname as a bandit. "Brother, we are just passing through. We are willing to pay the toll. Please spare our lives, Brother Yao."
Yao Zhengliang wanted to know some other information.
"Do you know Meng Qinglian?"
His fingertips trembled involuntarily.
Meng Qinglian.
Yao Shisan felt the name sounded familiar, but he had no recollection of it at all.
I probably heard it somewhere by chance.
She saw the hint of expectation flash in his eyes and made a firm decision.
"I know him!"
Yao Zhengliang stood up abruptly.
Then, realizing he had overreacted, he sat down again.
Trying to remain calm, he continued, "How is she doing now?"
Yao Shisan did not know how old Meng Qinglian was.
He could only say, after careful consideration, "Not bad."
Yao Zhengliang nodded. "Have you ever heard her mention the name Yao Zhengliang?"
Yao Zhengliang...
Something suddenly flashed through Yao Shisan's mind.
But it happened so fast that she caught nothing.
That name sounds so familiar.
She was certain she had heard of it.
But I can't remember it.
She looked up at him, deciding to ignore everything for now and just acknowledge that he knew everything.
"I've heard of it."
Wen Zhengliang suddenly raised his eyebrows, "You're about the same age, you must be having a good time."
Yao Shisan nodded immediately, "Yes, yes, Sister Qinglian is two years older than me, we always have so much to talk about when we get together!"
"elder sister?"
Wen Zhengliang's face turned cold.
"Meng Qinglian is thirty-eight years old now! You call her 'sister'?!"
"At your age, you could call her 'Mom'!"
Yao Shisan's heart sank to the bottom!
"You tricked me..."
Wen Zhengliang had completely changed his demeanor when he first entered, now exuding the air of a bandit.
"You think you can play tricks on me now that you've come to my Pan Yishan territory?"
"Guards, bring me a knife!"
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