Chapter 111: Captured by Bandits
Under the night sky.
Five or six bandits sat around a bonfire, drinking and eating meat, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Suddenly, they sensed something amiss.
"Why is it so quiet?"
"Did Old Eighth go too far and kill the Young Son of Prince Pingxi?"
"If the Young Son dies, we'll all be buried with him!"
The Third Leader spat a thick glob of phlegm, stood up, and headed toward the small wooden hut where they were being held captive. Four or five others immediately followed.
Yun Chu was just about to sneak out of the small wooden hut when she saw five or six men approaching head-on. The only place she could hide was behind the door.
No sooner had she positioned herself behind the door than it was kicked open with a loud bang.
"Old Eighth and Fatty are dead!" a bandit exclaimed in shock. "That woman and the Young Son are gone! They can't have gone far—hurry, after them!"
The bandits turned and rushed out.
The Third Leader was also about to go search when he suddenly paused, narrowed his eyes, and looked up at the small window above, then glanced at the tattered basket that had rolled into the corner.
That window was big enough for a child to slip through, but there was no way a grown woman could fit!
Thinking this, the Third Leader picked up a knife from the ground and stabbed it straight through the wooden door.
Hiding behind the door, Yun Chu watched as the blade pierced through, stopping less than an inch from her face.
Immediately after, her hair was grabbed, and the Third Leader dragged her out, throwing her down by the bonfire.
The other bandits who had gone searching soon returned.
"Third Leader, we couldn't find the Young Son!"
"I searched the entire back house—no sign of him!"
"He couldn't have run into the mountains, could he? With wolves roaming at night, if he gets eaten, it's not on us, right?"
Yun Chu breathed an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
The Third Leader fixed a dark, menacing glare on her. "It's this bitch who ruined our plans!"
If only they hadn't locked this wretch up with the Young Son.
But regrets were useless now.
"Speak up, all of you—how should we kill her?"
The Third Leader looked at Yun Chu as if she were already dead.
The other bandits couldn't take their eyes off the woman, especially one so strikingly beautiful, and their thoughts were written all over their faces.
Just then, one bandit suddenly spoke up. "I think I've seen this woman before."
The Third Leader sneered. "You've seen Prince Pingxi's woman? More like in your dreams."
"No, no!" The bandit thought hard for a moment, then widened his eyes. "Yes, I remember now! Five or six years ago, someone was selling portraits of the Capital's Number One Beauty at a high price. We'd just pulled off a big heist then, and I had money to spare, so I bought one. The person in that portrait was this woman! Back then, the Capital's Number One Beauty was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Yun family... Third Leader, she's the daughter of the first-rank Pillar of the Nation Great General!"
The Third Leader bent down, gripping Yun Chu's chin. "No wonder she's called the Capital's Number One Beauty. Though we lost the Young Son, we now have the legitimate eldest daughter of the General's Manor in our hands. Demanding thirty thousand taels of silver for one of her fingers isn't too much to ask, is it?"
The bandits, seeing a glimmer of hope in their desperate situation, grew excited. "Third Leader, before we chop off her fingers, how about letting us have some fun with her? That's not too much to ask, is it?""Do you know how Old Eight and Fatty died? They died from lust!" Seeing the disappointment on his men's faces, the Third Leader changed his tone. "The Pillar of the Nation Great General holds military power even more formidable than Prince Pingxi's. If we damage the General's daughter, we'll all face dire consequences! Everyone, be gentle!"
"Third Leader, rest assured, we'll treat the lady with utmost care!"
"Miss Yun, don't be afraid. As long as you cooperate, we definitely won't harm you!"
"Who goes first?"
The bandits began discussing among themselves.
Yun Chu lowered her eyes. Since falling into the bandits' den, she hadn't expected to leave unscathed.
As for her chastity?
She had lost that long ago - what was there to care about?
"Rip!"
Her clothes were torn open by the Third Leader, exposing her shoulder.
Just then, flames suddenly lit up under the night sky. The bandits turned to look.
"The grain storage hut is on fire!"
"Damn it! I just extinguished the lamp before coming out! How could it catch fire?!"
"Enough talk! You two stay here guarding the Yun family's young mistress. The rest of you, hurry and put out the fire!"
Yun Chu abruptly looked up.
That small wooden hut was where she had told Yu Ge'er to hide. That child, seeing her being humiliated, had recklessly started a fire.
If the bandits searched there, Yu Ge'er's whereabouts would be exposed!
Yun Chu could no longer hesitate. Taking advantage of the two bandits guarding her being distracted by the flames, she snatched a burning log from the fire and charged at the bandits.
"You wretched woman, seeking death!"
The Third Leader flew into a rage, raised his long blade, and swung it toward Yun Chu's right arm.
He'd chop off this restless arm and send it to the General's residence!
The wooden log in Yun Chu's hands was severed. She could only watch helplessly as the long blade descended toward her right arm.
Despair filled her heart.
Just then.
An arrow pierced through the air.
Before the long blade could reach her arm, the arrow penetrated the Third Leader's throat.
The Third Leader didn't even have time to scream. His pupils dilated, body stiffened, blood sprayed out, and then he collapsed to the ground.
After he fell, Yun Chu saw Chu Yi's face.
The man sat tall on his horse, holding a curved bow, his expression sharp and severe.
After the Third Leader fell, he didn't stop. He drew three arrows from his quiver, firing them simultaneously into the hearts of three bandits ahead.
He rode his blood-sweating steed toward Yun Chu. Before she could clearly see his movements, the man's black cloak had already fallen upon her shoulders, covering her disheveled state.
"There were six bandits total - two are still missing!" Yun Chu shouted loudly, afraid Chu Yi might not hear clearly. "The Young Son is over there too!"
Chu Yi nodded and rode toward the wooden hut she indicated.
The fire raged fiercely, flames surrounding the wooden hut. Yun Chu's heart leaped into her throat.
Wrapping the cloak tightly around herself, she quickly hurried in that direction.
As she approached, she saw two bandits holding Chu Hongyu near the burning hut. One held a knife while the other drew a bow, confronting Chu Yi.
The collar was choking Chu Hongyu's neck. The child's face was pale, clearly struggling to breathe.
"Prince Pingxi, your son is in our hands!" The bandit's face was full of fear, backing away as he spoke. "If... if you want to save your son, bring thirty thousand taels of silver to exchange!"Chu Yi narrowed his eyes. "Thirty thousand taels of silver can save countless common people. Do you think I would use it to save one child?"
The two bandits didn't believe him at all. "Since Prince Pingxi refuses to cooperate, don't blame us for being ruthless!"
One bandit grabbed Chu Hongyu's hand while the other raised his sword, ready to strike.
Whoosh!
An arrow flew through the air.
Thud!
It struck one bandit directly in the eye.
Immediately after, another arrow shot through, accurately piercing through the other bandit's heart.
Chu Hongyu fell from mid-air onto the ground.
Yun Chu rushed over quickly, scooping the fallen child into her arms. "Yu Ge'er, wake up, Yu Ge'er..."
The child slowly opened his eyes, a smile appearing on his face. "M-mother, I'm so glad you're safe..."
Before he could finish speaking, his pupils suddenly dilated. He tried to shout for his mother to run, but his throat seemed blocked by something, unable to utter a single word.
Yun Chu saw a shadow gradually enlarging in Chu Hongyu's black pupils.
She turned around while holding the child.
A sharp pain shot through her waist.
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