69 The Knight-Errant
A low growl came from outside the carriage, followed by chaotic footsteps and shouts.
"Miss!" The little girl had just settled down when she heard this, and she rushed over to protect her. "Be careful!"
This young girl was Ji Tiantian, a signed artist of Taoyao. She was a long-time fan of Taoyao and felt a little sad when she realized that President Ye did not recognize her.
There were quite a few artists recruited by Taoyao along with her. They only met President Ye once when they first joined the company, and then they were busy with classes and appearances all day long. No wonder Zhenzhen didn't recognize her.
However, she had worked hard to get this opportunity to record a show with Tao Tao, so she had to perform well and not let Tao Tao's fans down!
"Call me Young Master! Don't worry, please sit down." Ye Zhenzhen rubbed her head and touched the headband tied between her eyebrows, above which was a small crown to hold her hair up.
She couldn't help but feel fortunate that she was dressed in men's clothing, without heavy hair buns and jewelry on her head; otherwise, she would have been a disheveled mess by now.
After calming the little girl down, she excitedly lifted the carriage curtain, exclaiming, "I want to see what kind of bandits they are!"
The scene outside instantly came into view.
On the road ahead, a dozen or so bandits, armed with knives and their faces covered, stood in the middle, surrounding the man leading a donkey.
It looks like they're robbing someone on the street.
The man was dressed in simple clothes, yet his sharp aura was undeniable. Facing the bandits, he showed no fear. He grabbed the wrist of the nearest bandit, twisted it forcefully, and snatched the weapon from his hand. After kicking the bandit away, he held a knife in one hand and stood protectively in front of the child riding on the donkey, preventing the bandits from getting close.
It was Gu Tingshen and Gu Sinan!
Ye Zhenzhen glanced over and was initially amazed by the man's decisive and efficient movements.
Then she laughed; this was asking her to be a hero and save the damsel in distress!
We need to hurry, or there won't be many thieves left.
The bandits also spotted the group, and one of them turned to them and shouted, "The Black Wind Stronghold's actions have nothing to do with you! Retreat at once, and we'll spare your lives!"
"What Black Wind Stronghold and Yellow Wind Stronghold! Mere bandits, yet they have such big mouths!" Ye Zhenzhen glanced at her many servants, beckoned to the knight closest to her, pointed ahead and said, "Defeat them, and I will reward you handsomely!"
"Woof!" Black Panther, standing by the car, also tried to rush down, but Ye Zhenzhen quickly stopped him.
"Don't worry, it's not that serious. Just let them go."
"Yes, sir! Men, follow me!" The knight saluted on his horse, then gave a whistle and led his men forward.
Their group was large and powerful, and the bandits, who were already hesitant, scattered like birds and beasts when they saw that the bandits sent cavalry over without saying a word.
But two legs can't outrun four legs, and he was quickly caught up by the riders. He collapsed to the ground, begging for mercy, and was tied up by the riders and shoved to squat to the side.
Ye Zhenzhen nimbly jumped off the carriage and walked towards the father and son.
The young girl followed closely behind, cautiously advising, "Young master, why don't we go back to the carriage? What if there are more bandits..."
"It's alright, they're just a bunch of cowards, they wouldn't dare to mess with us!" Ye Zhenzhen said nonchalantly, only wanting to quickly rejoin her teammates and hear what was going on on their end.
"My name is Gu Tingshen. Thank you for saving me, young master!" Gu Tingshen carried Gu Sinan down from his horse, strode up to the man, and bowed.
Ye Zhenzhen smiled and accepted the bow gracefully. "Young Master Gu, you flatter me. I was merely helping someone in need! May I ask where you are headed?"
The original owner had acted in several period dramas, and she had watched quite a few herself, so her every move wasn't too out of place.
Gu Tingshen met her cunning eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "I was originally a scholar from Yan, traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations. Unfortunately, I was attacked by bandits on the way. My books and luggage were looted, and my son and I were nearly kidnapped as well. Fortunately, you rescued us, but alas, I am now penniless and have no way to repay your life-saving grace..."
"The only way is to repay him with my body?" Ye Zhenzhen blurted out in a moment of madness.
"Young Master!" Ji Tiantian anxiously reminded her from behind, "It's getting late, shouldn't we set off soon?"
My dear lady, watch out for OOC (out-of-character) content!
Ye Zhenzhen cleared her throat and abruptly changed the subject, "It's getting late. It's too dangerous for Young Master Gu to travel alone with his child. Why don't you come with us so we can look after each other?"
Gu Tingshen had no reason not to respond.
Thus, the three of them finally reunited.
However, just as the group was about to set off, a bound rebel suddenly broke free from his guards and cried out to the two men, "Young master! Help me, young master!"
Ye Zhenzhen paused as she boarded the vehicle, looking in the direction of a somewhat familiar voice. She saw a disheveled mountain bandit being escorted by a mounted guard. His hair was so messy and long that his facial features were obscured.
“Bring him over here to talk.”
As the person approached, Ye Zhenzhen's lips twitched.
Isn't that Liu Wei?!
Wow, the costumes and props are so professional!
If he hadn't made a sound, I wouldn't have recognized him at all!
"Why are you, a bandit, yelling for help at us?" Ye Zhenzhen asked, arms crossed.
“Reporting to Young Master,” Liu Wei forced a fawning smile onto his dark face, “Young Master, please understand, I was originally a law-abiding citizen of Liu Village. It was those ruthless bastards from Black Wind Stronghold who kidnapped my entire family and dragged us up the mountain. My wife and children are in their hands, and I had no choice but to follow them down the mountain to plunder! Who would have thought that I would encounter you, Young Master, on my very first visit! I have never seen anyone so wise, mighty, and awe-inspiring…”
"Alright, stop flattering me!" Ye Zhenzhen interrupted him speechlessly. This guy had quite the acting addiction, adding his own drama to the story.
“Words are meaningless. How do I know you’re not lying to me, trying to use this opportunity to escape?” Ye Zhenzhen asked calmly.
“I will not escape! My wife and children are still in Black Wind Stronghold. I am willing to lead my heroes to raze Black Wind Stronghold to the ground! Young master, you are kind-hearted and would not bear to see bandits harm the villagers. You have many heroes under your command. Black Wind Stronghold was wiped out by the government the other day and is in a weak state. I am willing to lead the way!”
---
Meanwhile, in Black Wind Stronghold.
In a drafty woodshed, many women and children were huddled together, all of whom had been abducted to this place by Black Wind Village.
Zhang Siqing, with her two children in her arms, huddled in a corner, her eyes peering through a crack in the door at the guards outside, waiting for an opportunity.
As time went by, perhaps convinced that the elderly, weak, women and children would not dare to make any moves, the guards gradually relaxed, squatting by the door basking in the sun, taking out a gourd from their bosom, tilting their heads back to gulp down a mouthful of wine, and squinting their eyes in enjoyment.
"Lele, no matter what noise you hear later, you and Kang Kang, take these children and squat here until Mommy comes back," Zhang Siqing whispered to the twins as she watched the guard fall asleep.
She winked at several young women in the crowd, and they moved nimbly toward the door.
Holding a sharpened bamboo chopstick in her hand, she slowly approached the door, where she was separated from the drunken guard by only a wall.
---
Ye Zhenzhen insisted on going up the mountain, and the guards could not dissuade her, so they had no choice but to follow her.
For safety, Ye Zhenzhen left Ji Tiantian and Gu Sinan behind, with a few guards protecting them. The rest of the group changed into bandit clothes and, after disguising themselves, headed towards Black Wind Stronghold.
However, Gu and Ye, one tall and heroic, the other petite and beautiful, did not look like bandits in their tattered clothes, but rather like princes in distress.
She could only let her hair down to cover her face and smear some dirt on her exposed skin.
Ji Tiantian felt sorry for Liu Wei and glared at him several times, hating that this villain had caused her young lady to suffer.
The group reached the mountainside and bumped into a man and a woman.
Both men were dressed in close-fitting clothes and held swords in their hands. They were both taken aback when they saw the group of people.
The guards immediately raised their swords and shielded their young mistress.
Li Da, who was in the lead, stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting. "This place is at the foot of my Black Wind Stronghold. May I ask what brings you two heroes here?"
Wang Liqing and Yan Feng exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh, "We've been looking for you!"
The two worked in perfect harmony and attacked in an instant. Li Dalang and his men hurriedly responded, and the scene immediately descended into chaos.
Wang Liqing, with her background in opera, moved with agility and grace, like a butterfly flitting among flowers; Yan Feng, on the other hand, possessed a powerful and swift fist technique, quickly disarming several guards.
"What excellent swordsmanship, heroine!" Ye Zhenzhen exclaimed, clapping her hands in admiration as she watched Wang Liqing wield her sword with such skill. She then asked Gu Tingshen beside her, "I wonder if Young Master Gu knows any martial arts?"
Gu Tingshen, who had been standing beside her with his arms crossed, met her bright eyes, smiled, and answered frankly, "I am just a scholar and have no knowledge of martial arts."
Ye Zhenzhen pouted. She had seen Gu Tingshen practice his boxing before, and he held his own against the bodyguards. It was a pity he hadn't drawn the Heroic Swordsman skill, so she could only stand here and watch.
"Young master, how can you still be chatting here! These two are highly skilled in martial arts. If we lose, how will we go up the mountain to rescue the people?" Liu Wei had already quietly retreated when the fight started. Seeing Ye Zhenzhen's calm demeanor, he couldn't help but complain.
"We're not real bandits, what are we afraid of?!" Ye Zhenzhen brushed aside her messy hair, revealing her true face, and shouted, "Heroine, stop! We're disguised as bandits to rescue people on the mountain!"
Wang Liqing dodged the attack and retreated quickly. When she saw Ye Zhenzhen's fair face, she immediately beamed with joy.
After walking for ages, we finally met some kind of people!
In the control room, Jiang Wei's face was practically splitting with a smile. For this immersive live-action shoot, their cameras were all carefully positioned. Not only were the cameramen disguised and crouching in the woods and bushes to try to stay hidden, but they even used drones for aerial photography.
The results were truly amazing!
He's fully prepared for this season's final battle; he's determined to show those imitators what true professionalism looks like!
The two sides laid down their weapons, and after confirming each other's identities, they finally decided to go up the mountain together.
"It's true what they say, 'No fight, no friendship.' Do you two heroes have some grudge against Black Wind Stronghold?" Ye Zhenzhen asked curiously.
"The leader of Black Wind Stronghold has committed numerous atrocities, frequently robbing passing merchants and wreaking havoc on the local area, causing immense suffering to the surrounding people. The other day, they robbed the Zhou family's caravan. I am on good terms with Madam Zhou, and at her request, I came to rescue them..."
Several familiar time travelers reconnected in front of the NPCs, exchanging information along the way, before stopping to talk as they approached the mountain gate.
"Please wait here, everyone. My senior brother and I will go ahead and scout out the situation."
No one objected, since these two were the most skilled in martial arts, and it was only by ascertaining the enemy's situation that they could make the next move.
But less than fifteen minutes later, the two returned with strange expressions.
"What? Are there too many bandits?" Liu Wei asked anxiously, still somewhat eager to try. He hadn't had enough of the chaotic fight earlier. He also wanted to experience being a chivalrous hero!
“Your wife and her men have tied up all the bandits, and they’re being interrogated right now,” Wang Liqing smiled at him. “Zhang Niangzi was just asking about you.”
Wow!
My wife's become a mountain queen! Does that mean I can become the second-in-command too?!
The imagined fierce battle was over, and the group entered the inner courtyard without any hindrance. Sure enough, there was no one guarding the entire stronghold, except for the noisy main hall.
"Bring up the bandit leader Zhang Fang!" Zhang Siqing, dressed in coarse linen clothes, sat imposingly in the main seat, the tiger-skin blanket beneath her giving her quite a commanding presence.
Upon hearing this, two robust women went outside and soon returned with a short, stocky man with a full beard.
"Please have a seat, gentlemen. I will interrogate the thief first, and then I will speak with you all."
"Let's discuss this further!" She bowed to the people entering and then called to Liu Wei, "Aren't you going to come and help?"
Liu Wei ran over obsequiously and was immediately handed a calligraphy brush and a stack of Xuan paper.
"Wife, what are you doing?" Liu Wei was dumbfounded. "I... I don't know how to use a calligraphy brush!"
His handwriting is so bad it's embarrassing to even show it on screen with a hard pen, let alone with this soft pen!
"Tsk, you can't even read, what use are you?!" Zhang Siqing rolled her eyes at him and asked the people around her, "Can any of you write?"
The women who followed her all shook their heads. They were all rural farmers who had been abducted to the mountains, so how could they know anything about literature?
Meanwhile, Ye Zhenzhen pointed at Gu Tingshen and said with a smile, "This young master Gu is a candidate for the imperial examination who is going to the capital. Why doesn't Madam Zhang let him take notes?"
"Alright, thank you for your trouble, Young Master Gu!" Zhang Siqing directed her subordinates to bring over a table, then had someone remove the cloth from the square mouth before beginning her questioning.
Zhang Fang initially tried to resist asking questions such as how many bandits were on the mountain, where the kidnapped people were being held, and where the looted treasures were being stored. However, seeing the leader woman's murderous demeanor, he had no choice but to confess the truth.
During this time, the young man, still harboring wicked intentions, used many provocative and enticing words to express his willingness to acknowledge Zhang Siqing as his boss and continue to lord it over the mountain stronghold.
Gu Tingshen picked up the bamboo pen with his well-defined knuckles, looked at the person beside him who was full of interest, and said with a smile, "I'll trouble you, my brother, to grind the ink for me."
Ye Zhenzhen was enjoying the spectacle, feeling that all the NPCs in the room were incredibly talented actors, making it feel like she was watching an immersive period drama. All she was missing was a handful of melon seeds.
Hearing that deep voice and meeting the man's smiling eyes, Ye Zhenzhen suddenly felt a little shy for some reason.
"No problem, no problem." She cleared her throat, stepped forward, picked up the grinding stone, and began grinding ink on the inkstone while watching Gu Tingshen write.
In her previous life, after falling seriously ill and being unable to leave her home, she was confined to her sickbed. Unable to vent her grief and anger, she picked up the calligraphy she had practiced since childhood. Just like the original owner of this body, she practiced running script the most, with graceful and flowing strokes. However, compared to Gu Tingshen's Liu style, which he had practiced since childhood, hers lacked a certain strength.
On the slightly yellowed Xuan paper, ink characters were laid out, their strokes vigorous and powerful, exuding a fierce and ruthless aura.
"Young Master Gu, what a spirit! Your calligraphy is bold and vigorous, more like that of a military general than a scholar." Ye Zhenzhen took the completed page of paper, looked at it admiringly, and carefully placed it aside.
Gu Tingshen paused in his writing, then smiled casually, “Young master is too kind. It is said that one’s handwriting reflects one’s character. I imagine Young Master Ye’s handwriting must be lively, unrestrained, and exceptionally beautiful.”
Ye Zhenzhen's face flushed slightly. She glared at him and then lowered her head to grind the ink.
Standing next to them, Liu Wei listened to them praising each other's writing and pursed his lips. Was this a compliment to the words or to the person?
Wow, cultured people are just different.
Even a simple comment is like flirting!
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