Chapter 48 For a man, even morality and shame were disregarded.
After saying that, Jiang Yunqian ignored Jiang Zhi's embarrassed and frowning expression, lifted her skirt and got into the carriage.
The carriage moved slowly along the mountain road. Since it wasn't a big day, there were few people on the road. All that could be heard were the chirping of birds and insects on both sides, along with a gentle mountain breeze, making it quite pleasant.
After Jiang Yunqian got into the carriage, she kept looking at Jiang Zhi.
She knew that Jiang Zhi was going up the mountain to pay respects today, so she dressed very simply, wore light makeup, and had little jewelry in her hair.
The cloak on the outside, though not particularly striking in color, was clearly expensive because of the exquisite embroidery. It was interspersed with dense gold threads, shimmering with light with every movement, something even she had never seen before.
Jiang Yunqian couldn't help but feel contempt in her heart.
Not only did she use the excuse of going up the mountain to pay respects to her deceased mother to secretly meet with another man, but she also dressed so flamboyantly. This older sister of hers really doesn't care about propriety or shame for the sake of a man.
"Qingxing, take off my cloak and put it away properly. I'm afraid it will get messy in the carriage and I won't be able to see anyone later." Jiang Zhi reached out to untie it.
Jiang Yunqian came with Jiang Zhi today to stop her from having a secret rendezvous with Prince Xie, so she reached out and snatched the cloak away.
"Oh, sister, this cape is so beautiful. Can I borrow it for a while?"
Ignoring Jiang Zhi and Qing Xing's refusals, she put the cloak on herself.
"No, this cloak absolutely cannot be messed up." Jiang Zhi's face showed an anxious expression.
However, the more she acted this way, the more smug Jiang Yunqian became.
"Why are you so stingy, sister? I'll only wear it for a little while. I'll return it to you as soon as I get off the bus." She snorted and happily touched the embroidery on the cloak.
If only she could wear this cloak when she met Prince Xie.
Jiang Zhi remained silent, watching coldly from the side.
This is what Jiang Yunqian wanted to wear, and whatever happens next is none of her business.
Just then, a very faint sound came from outside the carriage.
Jiang Zhi felt a chill run down her spine.
Just then, the sound of chaotic hoofbeats rang out outside, followed by a man's rough voice from afar, "Hehe, lucky us today, we've stumbled upon a fat sheep! Brothers, charge! Don't let the fat sheep escape!"
Looking back out the car window, they saw a dozen or so masked, burly men on horseback, grinning as they chased after their carriage.
Jiang Zhi gained a new understanding of Wang Yuru's ruthlessness.
Although she expected Wang Yuru to attack her on the way, she never expected that Wang Yuru would collude with bandits to harm her!
They're not going to leave her any chance of survival at all.
She just remembered that the bandits had been wiped out by the imperial army before the new year, and the remaining members were imprisoned and waiting to be executed in the autumn. How could they suddenly reappear?
Before Jiang Zhi could think any further, the bandits had already charged forward.
They were well-trained, and their grappling hooks flew through the air and clung to the roof of their carriage.
"Miss, they must be after you. Quickly change your clothes with me, and then you can say that you are my maid. They will definitely not make things difficult for you."
In her haste, Qingxing immediately began to unbutton her outer garment.
But Jiang Zhi stopped him, saying, "No need, protecting yourself is the most important thing."
Whether in her past life or now, Qingxing has always been loyal to her. This was the maid her mother left her; how could she bear to let her die in her place?
Besides, it's not certain whether they'll die.
She reassured Qingxing, "Those bandits came prepared and won't be easily fooled. Discovering them will only anger them. Let's remain calm and see what they're up to."
She knew that Xiao Xuanyou had secretly sent people to protect her.
Jiang Yunqian hadn't expected to encounter bandits while going up the mountain, and she had already cursed Jiang Zhi in her heart.
This jinx reincarnated broom spirit, nothing good ever happens when you're with her!
But then she remembered what the old woman had told her last night: to stay obediently in the courtyard and not to wander around.
Could it be that her mother knew Jiang Zhi would encounter bandits today?
What's more, could these bandits be the work of my mother?
Jiang Yunqian became excited immediately. When she heard that Qingxing was going to switch identities with Jiang Zhi, she didn't say anything, but she had already made up her mind.
How could she let Jiang Zhi get away so easily?
Suddenly, several screams came from afar. She peeked out and saw that two bandits who had been chasing them had been shot by something, rolled off their horses, and soon screamed as they fell off the cliff.
Jiang Zhi finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.
As expected, Xiao Xuanyou's men had been lurking in the shadows, and now that they saw she was in danger, they finally couldn't resist making their move.
However, there were only two female bodyguards, and the bandits opposite were clearly people who lived by the sword and were not to be trifled with.
After killing the two men, the location of the guards was also exposed, and soon four or five bandits surrounded them, cutting off the road between the guards and the carriage.
"Do you know whose carriage this is? How dare they act so recklessly right under the emperor's nose?!" The guards couldn't help but shout angrily.
The bandits were naturally not afraid. "Ha, we've come back from the brink of death. It's a win-win situation to pull off a big heist and take a few down with us. Even if he's an imperial carriage, we'll still rob him!"
The group quickly became entangled in a fight.
Meanwhile, two bandits with excellent agility had already leaped onto the roof of the carriage.
Before the coachman could even utter a sound, he was slit in the throat and kicked off the carriage, his fate unknown.
Jiang Yunqian saw the blood-soaked face on the carriage through the crack in the carriage door and screamed in fright, hiding behind Jiang Zhi.
Although Qingxing was trembling all over, she still shielded Jiang Zhi behind her, saying, "Don't worry, Miss, I will protect you even if it means my death."
One of the bandits outside stopped the carriage by controlling the horse. Before the other bandit could even lift the curtain, he grabbed Qingxing and dragged her out of the carriage.
Jiang Zhi swallowed her gasp, and before she could do anything, Qingxing was kicked back into the car.
"Tsk, what bad luck, she's just a maid." The man spat and reached out to grab her again.
Jiang Zhi watched helplessly as Qing Xing was kicked unconscious. Just as she was about to go forward to check on her injuries, the bandit grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the carriage involuntarily.
Jiang Zhi managed to grab the car frame with her other hand, and several of her usually glossy nails broke off, but she managed to stop her momentum.
"Hey, looks like we caught the right one this time," Jiang Zhi leaned half her body out of the carriage. The bandit's eyes lit up the moment he saw her. "Such a stunning beauty, we brothers are in luck today!"
He grinned maliciously as he looked Jiang Zhi up and down, displaying an air of confident composure in the face of her struggles.
"Let me go." Jiang Zhi's face turned pale, her mind racing.
She still had the ring Xie Qi had given her, which could indeed kill the bandit with a single shot.
But what about the remaining people?
Based on his understanding of Wang Yuru, he knew she wouldn't simply let the bandits kill him.
The most likely course of action would be for them to detain her first, then spread the news of her abduction by bandits throughout Kyoto, and only take her life once her reputation is ruined.
Therefore, she cannot act rashly; she must find a foolproof method.
Just as she was trying to figure out how to escape, a faint force suddenly came from her hand, which was gripping the wooden door frame.
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