Bandit encounter

Next evening,

At the North Mountain Temple,

The carriages were all ready to set off as both Princesses paid their farewell to the Empress Dowager.

Third Princess sat inside her carriage as it set off on the road down the mountain.

When First Princess boarded her carriage, she found a hooded person in black clothes inside. Before she could make a sound or step out, a dagger was placed at her neck.

She looked at him and sat down without saying anything. Ji Ran got inside the carriage and was shocked.

"Don't do anything stupid." he said in a hushed voice.

Ji Ran gulped and nodded sitting inside silently.

Princess Jingxi felt that the sound of his voice was somewhat similar.

"Who are you?" She asked trying to turn her head.

But the person brought the dagger closer to her.

"Your Highness." Ji Ran called out in a panic.

"Keep your voice down. I just need to reach the city fast. So keep your mouth closed if you don't want to get hurt." He threatened them.

As the carriages were moving down the mountain, an arrow was shot right in the front making them stop. The carriages halted and a bunch of black clothed people surrounded them.

"We are surrounded by bandits." Ji Ran said as she peeked out through curtain.

"I don't have my sword with me." Princess Jingxi said.

"They are here for me." The hooded man said lowering the dagger from her neck.

Princess Jingxi turned to take a look at him and saw that his arm was injured.

She immediately took out her hair pin and was about to approach him when he held her arm.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Let me see your wound." She said as she placed her silver pin against it.

The pin turned green as she took it away.

"You won't survive even if you reach the city in time. It's a strong poison." She said to him.

"Get out of the carriage." Came the voice from outside.

The hooded man was about to get out when Xia Jingxi stopped him and said, "I can save you, wait here."

"Why would I trust your words?" The man asked.

"You don't have any other choice. You are a dying man." Shw said to him.

Ji Ran stepped out of the carriage and Xia Jingxi was about to follow when the man handed her the dagger he was holding.

"I'm trusting you." he said.

...

Outside,

"Do you know who we are? How dare you try to stop us?" Third Princess said in her arrogant tone.

The few royal guards were standing in front of them with their swords. But the bandits were a bit more in numbers.

"The Princesses of the Xia empire. How much ransom do you think we will get if we abduct both of you here." The main in the front said.

"Do you think you will be living to enjoy that ransom?" Third Princess argued.

"You like to speak so much. Let me cut off your tongue." He said and walked towards her. The guards pointed their swords at him and he had to stop. Third Princess gave him an arrogant look.

He looked at them and blew a powder in their direction which caused the guards to fall down unconscious.

Third Princess got scared on seeing this and immediately ran behind Princess Jingxi.

"Where is your sharp tongue now?" He said turning to them.

With the royal guards down, the only people standing were First Princess and her maid Ji Ran and Third Princess and her servant who were hiding behind.

The bandits were covering the whole place.

"What do you want?" First Princess asked him.

"I'm looking for a man who is injured and wearing black clothes." The bandit said.

First Princess opened the carriage curtain revealing the man inside.

"First sister, why were you hiding him? Look at the situation we got stuck in because of this." Third Princess retorted from behind her.

"I didn't expect it to be so easy. You surprise me." The bandit said.

The hooded man stepped out the carriage when Princess Jingxi struck his leg hard making him kneel and she placed the dagger on his neck.

"What are you doing?" The bandit cried out in panic.

The hooded man was surprised and regretted trusting her.

"I want you to let us leave safely, if you want him." Princess Jingxi said to the bandit.

"Do you think you are in a place to negotiate? What makes you think I value his life?" The bandit said to her.

"He is injured with a deadly poison and will die within an hour but you still panicked when I put a dagger to his neck. Two reasons, either he has something you need or he knows something. Thing can still be found if he died so It must be the information he knows, as it will be impossible to know if he dies."

"You are a really smart one." The bandit said to her.

The guards who fell unconscious came back to senses and stood up immediately.

"You are outnumbered and won't be able to escape." The bandit reminded.

The hooded man coughed out a mouthful of blood.

"He doesn't have much time left, the poison is already acting." She said.

"What do you want?" The bandit asked.

"Ask your people to put their weapons down and step back." Princess Jingxi demanded.

The bandit laughed and said, "Ask my people to step away with all the royal guards around. I'm no fool."

"Do you know how to drive a carriage?" Princess Jingxi asked Ji Ran who nodded in response.

"Allow Third Princess to leave with the guards first and then ask your people to step back."

"Alright." The bandit agreed.

"You are smart First Sister. Thank you so much." said the Third Princess.