"You damned brat, you damned brat."
The bandit leader Luo Qiang's lips were chapped and peeling, his body extremely weak. Yet he kept cursing Xu Bao'er nonstop.
Along the way, Xu Bao'er rode her little donkey while holding the chain in her hand, leading him along as if he were a dog.
It was utterly humiliating for a bandit.
Luo Qiang had repeatedly tried to ambush Xu Bao'er, but she seemed to have eyes on the back of her head, evading him every single time.
"Still have energy to cause trouble, huh? Then don't blame me for being ruthless."
Xu Bao'er smiled wickedly as she sprinkled itch powder on Luo Qiang. That itch powder was her secret treasure, capable of making a person itch unbearably.
Unable to scratch himself, Luo Qiang was driven mad by the itching, rolling frantically on the ground.
After a few rounds of this, Luo Qiang became obedient, acting like a dog as Xu Bao'er led him along.
Xu Bao'er pulling Luo Qiang through the streets was quite the spectacle, attracting much attention because Luo Qiang's clothing bore the emblem of the Jiu Lan Mountain bandits.
Publicly humiliating a Jiu Lan Mountain bandit in broad daylight was practically asking for death.
The Jiu Lan Mountain bandits always operated in groups and were extremely vindictive—even innocent dogs on the street would suffer a slash.
Those who crossed them never escaped brutal retaliation.
Her audacity was staggering; passersby dared not even look at Xu Bao'er, fearing they might be implicated.
"Oh, you're quite the attention-grabber."
"I wonder if anyone will come to rescue you."
Xu Bao'er's tone was light and cheerful, completely disregarding the Jiu Lan Mountain bandits.
Luo Qiang seethed with anger—this Zhang San was as good as dead. Once their boss learned of his capture, he would come to the rescue soon enough.
When that time came, he would make sure Zhang San suffered unbearably, wishing for death but unable to find it, and endure the ultimate humiliation.
Reading Luo Qiang's thoughts, Xu Bao'er found the bandit utterly repulsive, his mind filled with nothing but depraved ideas.
Strong and capable, yet lazy and gluttonous, spending their days burning, killing, and pillaging—they deserved no mercy.
The rapid clatter of horse hooves approached from the distance, and the street's residents instantly hid. In no time, the street was empty except for Xu Bao'er and Luo Qiang.
"Hmph, scared now, aren't you?"
"Our Jiu Lan Mountain bandits are renowned far and wide. Who wouldn't fear us?"
Luo Qiang felt immensely proud inside but didn't dare speak up, since he was still held captive by Xu Bao'er.
Xu Bao'er jumped off the donkey and glanced around. The passersby had indeed fled swiftly, as if well-trained.
As the horse hooves drew nearer, she saw that the rider atop the crimson steed was Zhou Jin. His figure was tall and imposing, his dark eyes looking down upon Xu Bao'er and Luo Qiang with an intensely oppressive gaze.
With a slight tug of the reins by his slender fingers, the steed halted before Xu Bao'er.
She hadn't expected to meet him again so soon. Tilting her head up, Xu Bao'er met Zhou Jin's scrutiny directly. The wind lifted her dark green hair ribbon, tousling it gracefully.
The afternoon sun was somewhat blinding. Xu Bao'er looked up at Zhou Jin against the light. Bathed in sunlight, he seemed coated in a golden glow. Dressed in a purple robe with auspicious cloud patterns embroidered along the edges, it accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, exuding an overwhelming presence.
"Zhang San?"
Xu Bao'er was surprised that Zhou Jin actually remembered her name—a good sign indeed.
It seemed her face truly was unforgettable.
"Greetings, Young Master Zhou."
Seeing that Xu Bao'er was acquainted with their prince, the soldiers behind him sheathed their drawn blades.
Zhou Jin dismounted swiftly, his movements agile. He strode toward Xu Bao'er, the silver crane pattern on his robes swaying with each step.
"The person behind you, Young Master Zhang, is he a bandit from Jiu Lan Mountain?"
"Young Master Zhou has a keen eye. He is indeed." As Xu Bao'er spoke, she gave the chain a tug.
Zhou Jin glanced at Luo Qiang behind Xu Bao'er. The man was filthy and disheveled, covered in scrapes and bruises, his lips so dry they were peeling in layers.
It was clear he had suffered inhuman torment along the way.
"How did Young Master Zhang capture him?"
Zhou Jin was suspicious. Zhang San's frame was so frail—how could he have captured such a fierce bandit?
Moreover, bandits never traveled alone; they usually moved in groups. Not only had Zhang San captured this bandit, but he was also parading him through the streets like a dog on a leash. His courage was remarkable.
"Him? Someone else caught him and sold him to me."
Luo Qiang listened to Xu Bao'er's lies but dared not utter a word. This pretty-faced youth was vicious—he had forced all sorts of strange drugs down his throat along the journey, leaving him trapped between life and death.
If he dared speak out of turn, he would surely face more torment. Moreover, Luo Qiang had instantly guessed Zhou Jin's identity. With such imposing presence, he was clearly Duan Wang, sent by the imperial court.
Falling into Duan Wang's hands would be far worse than remaining with this pretty-faced youth.
He had heard along the way that Duan Wang had arrived in Baiqu County but had remained inactive. The bandits, who had initially dared not descend the mountain, grew anxious.
With the enemy staying put and them unable to venture down, their food supplies were running low.
So, a group of Jiu Lan Mountain bandits secretly descended—only to be captured by Duan Wang's men.
Stripped of their terrain advantage, the bandits were utterly outmatched by the soldiers under Duan Wang's command.
The Jiu Lan Mountain bandits surrendered immediately—a tactic they often employed. They would feign surrender and wait for reinforcements to rescue them.
But Duan Wang defied convention. He had them strung up on wooden stakes.
Under the scorching sun, he ordered his men to slice the bandits' flesh, piece by piece.
Duan Wang sent people to randomly question the bandits, some of whom already knew the answers. If a bandit told the truth, his flesh was spared.
If he lied or claimed ignorance, a slice of flesh was cut away.
The severed flesh was then fed to dogs, forcing the mutilated bandits to watch their own flesh being devoured. Such cruel methods earned him the nickname "Living King of Hell."
The moment Luo Qiang saw Zhou Jin, his legs began to tremble.
Zhou Jin noticed Luo Qiang's shaking legs and smirked contemptuously, guessing the man had heard the rumors about him.
"How much? I'll buy him."
Upon hearing Zhou Jin's offer to purchase him, Luo Qiang's eyes widened in shock. His mouth opened, but no words came out.
"Him? He's free."
"I only have one small request: I hope to serve under Duan Wang and participate in this bandit suppression campaign."
Xu Bao'er had no patience for Zhou Jin's cryptic games. She had come specifically for him. Keeping Luo Qiang alive was merely a means to gain entry.
She couldn't care less about the bandits' fate.
Zhou Jin swept a glance over Xu Bao'er, his sharp, hawk-like gaze making her feel as if she had been stripped bare.
"Agreed."
Luo Qiang held a significant position among the Jiu Lan Mountain bandits. Zhou Jin recognized him—Luo Qiang ranked twenty-third among the bandits and was known as the One-Eyed King.
Extracting information from him would be far more valuable than interrogating the minor bandits they had captured.
"No, please!"
Luo Qiang cried out hoarsely. He never imagined he would still end up in Duan Wang's hands.
That man's gaze—even he, a seasoned bandit of many years, dared not meet it directly.
Unfortunately, his opinion was useless.
Xu Bao'er handed Luo Qiang's chain to the soldier behind Zhou Jin, quickly mounted her little donkey, and caught up with Zhou Jin's troops.
Zhou Jin turned his head and looked at Xu Bao'er riding the donkey, his gaze filled with inquiry.
Judging by her luxurious attire, she should be a noble lady from a prominent family. But which family's young lady was she, to be so bold and completely unafraid of the bandits in Jiu Lan Mountain?
Disguising herself as a man—was it just to follow him in suppressing the bandits? What exactly was her purpose?
Xu Bao'er knew Zhou Jin was watching her and openly met his gaze.
Good. Curiosity is the beginning of fondness.
Zhou Jin averted his eyes. Why did he feel she had come specifically for him?