Nothing happened overnight, and the next day Tao Wanniang and her party set off as usual. The current arrangement was that Ling Feng drove the carriage, with Chen Yan and An Feng on either side of the driver.
"Miss Yun, would you mind telling me how you met Hongzhu?" We didn't know each other well yesterday and didn't have time to chat, but the journey is long, and it would be a bit awkward if we didn't say something!
“Oh, so the King of Youzhou and my father were old acquaintances. They stopped briefly in Sifang City when they passed through. My sister Hongzhu and I were strolling around the city when we were harassed by some strangers, but my sister Hongzhu beat them up,” Yun Pingting said. “I always need others to protect me, but my sister Hongzhu can protect herself and others. I really admire her!”
“You are the city lord’s daughter, and you have people protecting you. You don’t need to do this yourself,” Tao Wanniang said calmly, which was typical of Hongzhu’s style.
“Sister Hongzhu is still the Crown Princess!” Yun Pingting said. “Identity is just an external thing. Actually, I’ve always felt that I’ve been protected too well. I can’t do anything without Sifang City.”
Tao Wan raised an eyebrow. "You have this knowledge?"
"Sister Tao, don't worry, I can still take care of myself," Yun Pingting said immediately, seemingly afraid that Tao Wanniang would find her distasteful.
“We all take care of ourselves, Master Shen, Xiao Qiao’er, and me. Nobody serves anyone else,” Tao Wanniang said, also reminding Yun Pingting.
Yun Pingting nodded, then became very curious. "Little Qiao'er is really hardworking. She even has her tutor accompany her when she goes out. Unlike me, when I was this young, I was already thinking about going out to play."
"My mother said that what I learn is for myself, so I want to become a better person," Xiao Qiao'er said earnestly, feeling a fondness for this beautiful older sister.
Shen Lian looked at the map and said with some worry, "The further north we go, the colder it gets, and there's another problem: it's said there are many bandits."
“An Feng is very powerful; he’s the number one expert in our Sifang City,” Yun Pingting immediately said.
What if there are too many people? Shen Lian worried in her heart, but she didn't say it out loud.
Tao Wanniang wasn't worried. She'd seen bandits before, and she'd even killed some!
After traveling for several days, the official road narrowed, and they entered a mountainous area, where everyone became more vigilant. Just as Shen Lian had feared, there were indeed many bandits in this area.
"Last night, the innkeeper said that bandits were roaming around here, and told us to wait for a caravan to pass by before we went together." Yun Pingting was also a little worried. Although she was confident in her guards, she couldn't resist the innkeeper's reminder, especially when the innkeeper said that someone as beautiful as her would be snatched by bandits as soon as they saw her.
“Perhaps the bandits are also waiting for the caravan to pass by,” Tao Wanniang said. “Caravans are big targets, and in the eyes of bandits, they are even more easy prey.”
“But caravans usually have guards protecting them, so they should be more confident in dealing with bandits!” Yun Pingting said worriedly.
Tao Wanniang noticed Yun Pingting's worry. With such beauty, if she fell into the hands of bandits, she would indeed be a hot commodity!
"The three of us guards are more than enough to protect the three of you," Tao Wanniang said calmly. "Don't worry too much. If they really come, there's no use in worrying."
"Ah, I wish I had Sister Hongzhu's kung fu," Yun Pingting sighed, but then looked at Tao Wanniang, "Sister Tao, why are you protecting the three of us? And what about you?"
"Me? At my age, do you think I could possibly catch the eye of a bandit?" Tao Wanniang joked to herself.
Yun Pingting immediately shook her head and said seriously, "Sister Tao, although you are not young, you are graceful and beautiful. I think... you are more dangerous than us."
Tao Wanniang chuckled, her laughter casual and nonchalant. This relaxed and carefree demeanor made Yun Pingting nod even more firmly. "Sister Tao, I will definitely make sure An Feng protects you well!"
"No need. None of the three of you can get hurt. As for me, I can protect myself!" Tao Wanniang said confidently. Knowing that this place was not safe last night, she had already loaded her gun and strapped her sleeve darts to her wrists. She didn't believe that any sword or blade could be faster than her.
"My mom is amazing," Xiao Qiao'er said proudly.
"Sister Tao, do you perhaps know kung fu too?" Yun Pingting immediately looked at Tao Wanniang expectantly.
Tao Wanniang shook her head and said self-deprecatingly, "I'm just a cook!"
"Even if my mother doesn't know kung fu, she's still very skilled!" Xiao Qiao'er said. "Anyway, I just believe in my mother!"
“I also believe in Sister Tao!” Chen Lian echoed. “Miss Yun, don’t worry, Sister Tao won’t let anything happen to us.”
Yun Pingting was a little puzzled; Tao Wanniang looked like a frail woman!
Just as we feared, some rocks slid down the mountain as we passed a landslide, and then, with shouts, a group of bandits ran down the hillside.
Ling Feng and his companions immediately became alert and did not make a move for the moment, waiting for the bandits' next move. No one knew if there was anyone else watching them in the dark.
"This road is mine. If you want to pass, leave your toll!" Several bandits blocked their way and shouted.
"How confident are you in breaking through?" Tao Wanniang asked from inside the carriage.
“If this is all the manpower we have, it’s nothing to worry about!” Ling Feng replied.
"Then let's fight our way out!" Tao Wanniang said. Did they really want to give these bandits money to embolden them?
"Chen Yan, make your move!" Seeing this, Ling Feng cracked his whip to urge the carriage forward, while Chen Yan took the lead, drawing her long sword and attacking the bandits blocking the road.
The bandits weren't intimidated at all. Seeing this, they shouted loudly and charged over in a group.
An Feng and Chen Yan made their move, and the bandits couldn't get close to the carriage at all. But suddenly, arrows shot out from the forest, heading straight for the horses.
Although Ling Feng managed to deflect some of the arrows, his horse was still pierced in the neck. The horse neighed and suddenly, its front hooves slammed down, and it knelt heavily on its knees. The arrowhead had been poisoned!
The carriage swayed, and then, as the horse knelt down, it almost tipped over, but fortunately Ling Feng caught it with force.
"Stop!" someone shouted from the hillside. "Well done, people in the carriage, get out!"
"You three be quiet, I'm going out!" Tao Wanniang said, then lifted the carriage curtain, jumped down, and looked around. It seemed they weren't allowed to leave any further!
"Woman, there's a woman!" If Chen Yan's sword made the bandits tremble, the appearance of Tao Wanniang made them want to do something again.
"They're a bit old; there should be younger people among them."
"Get out! People in the carriage, get out!"
Tao Wanniang listened to the bandits' nonsense and then looked up. The road ahead was blocked, and the people above were watching. They did have some brains.
"Everyone, let me give you a piece of advice: people have already died among you. If you don't want to die too, get out of the way," Tao Wanniang said with a stern face.
"What, another fierce woman?" A burly man with a full beard on the hillside immediately perked up upon hearing this. "Keep an eye on her, I'm going down to check it out!"
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