The next mountain road was very steep, which was even more bumpy than the carriage. I was prepared for it, but the man behind me kept holding me hard and using his own body to ease the impact of the bump. When the horse climbed the steep mountain road, he could always feel his thick chest pressing on me tightly. When the horse dived down, he could also feel his hands surrounding my waist, preventing me from falling.

I was not sad all the way.

But I know that he who protects me like this will definitely be more uncomfortable than anyone else who is riding horses around him.

The wind blew on the white veil around the hat, ironing my cheeks one after another, a little cold and a little ugly, but I was always silent.

When we got off the carriage, it was noon the next day. We got on the horse and galloped for another day. We only had a short rest for two or three hours. Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, we arrived at Jiujiangkou.

At this time, the sky was covered with dark clouds, as if it was about to crush the entire world. The wind was so cold that it rustled the dead grass all over the mountains and fields, and fell to the ground. Pei Yuanxiu took me carefully from the horse's back and left his arms. He immediately felt the chill that made me shudder, and only then did he really feel that this winter might not have been over yet.

And as soon as I looked up, I saw the dark valley in front of me.

The road here is even more dangerous, and the horse can no longer go up. You can even vaguely see arrows inserted in several places on the way up the mountain, flashing with cold light in the wind.

Before we dismounted, someone had already stationed here. When the marching troops first saw Pei Yuanxiu, they immediately walked over. Pei Yuanxiu held me with one hand and turned to them: "What's the situation?"

A man dressed as a deputy general replied: "Young master, they are still unwilling to let go."

As soon as I heard this, my heart sank.

Pei Yuanxiu held my hand tightly and said calmly: "Have you found out clearly? Who are those people?"

"I sent people to all the surrounding prefectures and counties to inquire. I heard that these people were originally bandits and were in chaos everywhere in Jiujiang area. However, because they were crowded and powerful, the terrain here was easy to defend but difficult to attack. The government sent people to encircle and suppress them several times, but there was no way to clear them. They could only make trouble and fight for a while. I heard that there was their old nest."

"What have you done besides this news?"

"ah?"

The man froze for a moment and couldn't answer. Pei Yuanxiu's face turned cold and said, "But a bandit can actually rob the escort of the lady. You have been here for a day and have made no achievements."

His voice was still calm and he did not have an angry tone, but when the people around him heard this, they all fell to the ground and hurriedly said, "Young Master!"

Seeing this scene, I could only gently pull his sleeve: "Young Master..."

His face was faint, but it gave people a sense of oppression without anger. When he turned to me, the corners of his eyes softened and he said softly: "What's wrong?" I saw those people kneeling all over the ground, and could only say for them: "There is a reason for the matter. Young Master, don't blame them. Find out what's going on first, and then talk about it."

Pei Yuanxiu then calmed down, nodded at me, and turned around and said, "Get up."

"Young Master Xie, Mrs. Xie Qingying."

Although I had pleaded for those people, I was not relieved. I was a little surprised by what he said just now.

I haven't seen Li'er these days, but I still talk to him often. When I heard him talk about Li'er's childhood, I could feel from his words that Pei Yuanxiu was very fond of Li'er. Every year, if he had time, he would personally send her to the temple to hold a vegetarian food. Even if he couldn't go, the people accompanying Li'er would carefully choose and be sure to protect her.

This time, these people were robbed by a group of bandits, which was already a big surprise. What was unexpected was that Pei Yuanxiu had sent people here, and it could be seen along the way that these people were scheming and strict, and were well-trained soldiers, but they could not deal with a group of bandits!

The situation seems to be more complicated than I thought.

I held the hat and walked slowly forward a few steps. Looking up along the mountain road, there was a steep mountain wall. The rocks falling from a high place blocked the surrounding roads, and only a narrow passage can pass through. The military sect said that it is easy to defend but difficult to attack. It is no wonder that they have made no achievements. If they want to ensure the safety of Li Er and the others, they will definitely not dare to attack. But they have to take it wisely. Such a road is really not our way of life.

The more anxious I felt, I turned around and walked back, and said, "Can I talk to them?"

I haven't forgotten that if Pei Yuanxiu had prepared the money before, it would be too easy if these bandits wanted money.

The deputy general said hurriedly: "We also tried to talk to those people, but the people inside refused to speak to us at all."

"oh?"

"The person we sent to talk to was shot and injured by them as soon as we arrived at the intersection."

Pei Yuanxiu frowned when he heard this.

I felt uneasy in my heart, too.

We all understand the actions of ordinary bandits, it is just one word - money!

If they knew Li'er's identity and knew that she could get a lot of money by hijacking her, then things would be easy to do, but now it seems that those people are not for money.

What exactly should a bandit who is not for money do?

I didn't expect that when I got here, I was in a deadlock.

The wind was very strong in the mountains, making me rush in the wind. I almost blew away several times. Pei Yuanxiu stood behind me and blocked the wind, and then said, "Have you sent someone to take a detour from the side to see what's going on inside?"

"By the young master, this mountain wall stretched too long, and our people couldn't get around it at all. Therefore, my subordinates planned to send someone else in."

"Who?"

"I heard that this group of bandits was divided into two teams, one team was in charge of mountain roads, the leader was called Shanhu; the other team was in charge of waterways, the leader was called Shuilong. The subordinate of the Water Dragon had sent people to catch them, and was on the way, preparing to let him go to open the road and take our people into the mountains."

"oh."

I heard that there was a way, so I was not so anxious, so I waited with Pei Yuanxiu. I just thought that after all, they were the leader of the water bandits here, which was not that easy. But after waiting for a while, I heard a loud noise coming from the mountain road behind. When I looked back, I saw a group of people walking towards this side. The two leading generals were escorting a thin man and soon walked to Pei Yuanxiu.

"Young Master, this is the leader of the water bandits, the water dragon!"

Pei Yuanxiu was standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the mountain road above, and when he heard this, he slowly turned around.

That is what I just mentioned, the leader of the bandits and the water dragon in the waterway.

This man is only in his thirties, thin and does not look like a water dragon, but like a loach in the water, with a mustache on the corner of his mouth and a round mouse eyes. He looks like a thief elf. He doesn't resist when he is caught, and his attitude is extremely submissive, especially when he is taken here, when he sees Pei Yuanxiu in front of the camp, he immediately begs for mercy, saying that he has no idea about Mount Tai and has bumped into the noble man.

It seems that he also knows that he has kicked the iron plate.

I watched from the side, although I felt relieved, I was a little shocked.

I don’t know how powerful this water dragon is, but as the deputy general just now, he is also the leader of a water bandit. He can deal with the people in the government for such a long time, and his strength cannot be underestimated. And Pei Yuanxiu’s men were able to take his nest within two days and capture everyone, which shows how strong his navy’s combat power is!

When I think back to the water army camps on the south bank of the Yangtze River, the more I feel the heavier I feel.

But at the moment, I couldn't think too much. Listening to the sound of water dragon begging for mercy, Pei Yuanxiu had no good expression to such a person, and just said coldly: "I'll ask you, this bandit in the mountain is called Shanhu, are you brothers?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Shuilong said hurriedly: "The little one knows him."

"How much do you know what he does?"

"Sir, the young man divides the dry roads and waterways with him. What he does, the young man really doesn't know."

"Then are you brothers?"

"Hehe, sir, the brother on the road, aren't you just saying it in one sentence?" Shuilong raised his head and smiled flatteringly: "The little one has had a little friendship with him, but in the past six months, we have done our own things, and he hasn't had much contact with the little one. Originally, our path was different, and it wouldn't be hindered by anyone. The little one really didn't know what he did this time!"

"oh?"

"Every small sentence is true, I dare not say a lie."

Pei Yuanxiu looked up and looked at me. I didn't say anything, but just bit my lower lip gently.

Although the water dragon is cunning, it can be seen that at least 80% of what he said just now was true. What the tiger did was really strange.

I thought about it and stepped forward and said, "If we want you to go in and talk to Shanhu, can you do it?"

"It can be, of course!" Shuilong nodded like pounding garlic and said hurriedly: "Madam, what do you want to say? Although the young man is not familiar with him, he can still say a few words."

Pei Yuanxiu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Go in and tell him that as long as he is willing to let the person who has been robbed, I will promise him no matter what conditions he wants. But if he hurts a little bit-" At this point, a little cold light appeared in his slightly narrowed eyes: "I will make him regret it!"

As soon as he said that even a person like Shuilong shuddered.

After a while, Shuilong stammered and said, "Little...small, little one knows."

As he said, he looked at my face and seemed to have figured out some tricks. He kept saying: "This tiger is really brave. Even the young master and his wife dare to move. When the young man enters, he must let him kneel out and kowtow to the young master and his wife, and let him-"

"Okay."

Pei Yuanxiu and I were too lazy to listen to him. The deputy general next to me interrupted him with a wave of his hand, lifted him up with his collar, and said, "We two brothers follow you in. If you dare to talk nonsense, be careful!"

"I dare not, I dare not!"

The water dragon shrank into a ball in the deputy general's hand, which was somewhat funny, but at this time, no one was in the mood to make fun of him.

I watched the other two soldiers pretend to follow him, and the three of them slowly walked up the mountain road. In fact, I also knew that it was unreliable to let the water dragon in and pass the message. Such people were just talking to people and talking to ghosts. If they really wanted to let him into the bandit nest, how could he help us do things? They just wanted to use him to open the way and let the people here come in. As long as they could talk to the people inside, they knew what they were going to do and see if Li'er and the others were in danger, they could think about what they should do next.

Because the deputy general told us before that they had been walking along the mountain road several times and wanted to find out the reality and reality, they were plotted against by cold arrows shot out from inside, either dead or injured. As soon as they saw the arrows beside the road, they knew the danger before. They just walked up not far and said loudly: "Brother Shanhu, it's me!"

...

"Brother Shanhu, it's me, I'm here to see you."

...

"Brother Shanhu, be careful!"

His voice echoed among the mountain walls. As he slowly approached the intersection in front, everyone's hearts were hanging, but until they reached the intersection, no cold arrows shot out.

My eyes were blinking inside, and I felt cold sweat on my back. Pei Yuanxiu looked around, his face was calm as before: "Don't worry."

I didn't say anything, just looked at him, and then nodded gently.

In a moment, Shuilong and the others had already reached the intersection. He looked in carefully. There was no cold arrow coming out. Then he felt relieved and shouted inside: "Brother Shanhu, I'm in."

As he said that, he walked in carefully with the two people behind him.

Their figures soon disappeared at the end of the mountain road.

Next, silence.

The wind was blowing down the mountain wall, making a whimpering sound. As the sky was getting dark, there was no news yet. The people around lit torches, wooden sticks and tart cloth wrapped in burning, making Bi Bo's sound, making the silent mountain road more silent.

I don’t know how long it took, but my heart gradually became anxious and subconsciously said, “Why haven’t you come out yet?”

“…”

"No, what happened, right?"

Pei Yuanxiu never changed his face, but when I was anxious, he gently grabbed my cold sweaty hand: "Don't be anxious."

I looked up at him, and under the erratic fire, his face was as calm as before.

At this moment, I suddenly heard people around me shouting: "Look, what is that?!"
Chapter completed!