Gou Buren

"You're asking for death!"

A fierce glint flashed in Song Ji's eyes.

Since Jiang Che wasn't taking the bait, there was no need to waste any more time. He immediately gave a command, and arrows whistled through the air, shooting towards the caravan.

At the same time, the dozens of riders surrounding the rear of the caravan were ready for battle. They would charge as soon as the arrows stopped.

This wasn't a robbery; it was an ambush!

"Everyone, take cover behind the caravan and defend! I will protect Madam Zhu with my life today," Jiang Che shouted, raising his saber to block an arrow.

The mountain bandits' arrows were soft and lacked force.

Now that his Savage Bull Strength had reached minor completion, he possessed hundreds of pounds of strength. As long as he was careful, they couldn't hit him. The real concern was their charge after the arrows stopped.

The Zhu family's guards were mostly farmers. They looked the part, but they were useless in a real fight. Unlike them, the well-trained regular soldiers nimbly dodged the arrows.

However, most of the guards couldn't react in time, and several were shot down in mere moments.

The only ones truly reliable were the twenty soldiers under his command.

Although these men were only auxiliary soldiers, they were usually well-trained, and many were even beginning to practice martial arts. They were still stronger than the disorganized mountain bandits opposite them.

With arrows raining down chaotically, a direct charge was impossible. Jiang Che dismounted and, with several soldiers, formed a circle. He used a wooden plank from a carriage as a shield. The previously arrogant Zhu Qingqing was now panicked, only daring to hide behind them with her head down.

"Madam, are you alright?"

While blocking and retreating, Jiang Che and his men gradually fell back towards the carriages. Jiang Che looked at Madam Zhu, who was cowering inside the carriage, afraid to look up, and quickly asked.

"Commander Jiang, if you can't handle this, please don't mind Qing'er's earlier rudeness. Take her with you, and don't worry about me," Madam Zhu looked up and pleaded.

"Don't worry, Madam."

Jiang Che nodded.

About thirty breaths later, the mountain bandits' arrow rain gradually stopped. Jiang Che's soldiers had also nearly run out of arrows. Their casualties weren't small, with several soldiers being wounded.

Half of the guards had fallen, and some had already thrown down their swords and were lying on the ground. Those still holding swords and willing to fight numbered fewer than five.

"Kill them! Leave no one alive!"

Song Ji roared, and the hundred-plus mountain bandits finally launched their full assault.

Jiang Che grabbed the reins, swung himself onto his horse, and pulled Zhu Qingqing up. He said in a deep voice, "Don't be scared. Hold on to me tightly."

"Thank you, thank you..."

Zhu Qingqing was filled with gratitude.

But she had no idea that Jiang Che was using her as a human shield. This way, if a turnaround occurred later, his fault wouldn't be too great, as he was, after all, trying to break through with the young lady.

"Kill!"

Jiang Che pointed with his saber, and over ten soldiers mounted their horses, preparing to charge.

Before this, when a mere auxiliary soldier like Jiang Che commanded them, most of them were unconvinced. But after his calm response just now, all the soldiers now saw him as their leader.

"I'll lead the way!"

Geng Dabiao, holding a large wooden plank three feet long, ferociously took the lead.

"You think you can break through? Dream on!"

Song Ji saw through Jiang Che's plan and sneered. If nearly a hundred elite mountain bandits couldn't prevent Jiang Che and his group, who were surrounded, from escaping, they would be underestimating him.

After giving the order to attack, the hundred-plus mountain bandits closed in, and the two sides began close-quarters combat.

Song Ji directly targeted Jiang Che and Zhu Qingqing behind him. He leaped over ten feet and, in an instant, was upon them. His palm turned green and smashed down like a mountain.

Clang!

Palm met saber, producing a metallic sound. The immense force sent his blood churning, and his horse beneath him staggered.

The opponent's strength far surpassed his own!

"Die!"

Song Ji leaped off, using the momentum to land on a tree trunk, and attacked again. Jiang Che's expression tensed. He was about to use Zhu Qingqing as a shield, but before he could act, he caught sight of rolling dust in the distance out of the corner of his eye.

A banner with the character 'Zhu' could also be faintly seen.

His thoughts raced. Jiang Che pressed Zhu Qingqing down with one hand and punched towards Song Ji.

Bang!

Fist met palm, resulting in a muffled grunt. Song Ji was repelled, and the horse beneath Jiang Che was forced to its knees. He himself rolled several times on the ground.

His arm ached; it had clearly been injured by the impact.

However, just as they were exchanging blows, the reinforcements from the distance had arrived. Arrows whizzed through the air, killing several mountain bandits on the spot.

Song Ji's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected such a turn of events. With an unwilling glance at Jiang Che, he decisively turned, snatched a horse, and fled quickly.

Of course, as he retreated, he also shouted:

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

Actually, Song Ji's order wasn't necessary. Upon seeing the large number of approaching soldiers, many sharp-eyed mountain bandits had already fled. One person ran, followed by a mass rout.

"Jiang Che, Jiang Che, are you alright?"

Zhu Qingqing had also fallen to the ground when her warhorse stumbled. Covered in dust, she saw Jiang Che holding his arm and rushed forward to ask with concern.

"I'm fine."

"Thank you so much just now."

Zhu Qingqing lowered her head and expressed her gratitude.

The gust of wind from Song Ji's punch had reached her cheek. She had been so terrified she lost her wits. If Jiang Che hadn't pulled her, she might have already been dead.

Her previous disdain had vanished without a trace. After experiencing the beating, all she felt now was gratitude.

Jiang Che glanced at the pursuing reinforcements, a gentle smile on his face:

"It's good that Miss Zhu is alright."

He secretly thought Zhu Qingqing was lucky. If he hadn't seen reinforcements arriving, he would have used her as a human shield. As long as she could block that attack, he would have had a high chance of escaping.

But who could have predicted how things would turn out?

The reinforcements continued to pursue the bandits, while Jiang Che immediately began to take stock of the casualties.

More than half of the twenty soldiers who accompanied him to provide escort had been killed or wounded. Only five of the Zhu family's guards were still alive; the rest had died on the spot. Madam Zhu, however, was also lucky.

Hiding in the carriage, she hadn't been noticed at all. Apart from being a little frightened, she was unharmed.

Geng Dabiao had sustained a minor arm injury and was currently having it bandaged.

Before long, the reinforcements returned, many of them carrying bloody bundles. It was clear what they were without needing to ask. To Jiang Che's surprise, the one leading the reinforcements this time was not Liu Zhi.

It was Gou Buren.

The man first paid his respects to Madam Zhu, then walked straight up to Jiang Che. His first words were:

"We meet again, Jiang Che, is that right?"

"Yes, Commander Gou."

Jiang Che looked up and smiled.

"You're quite sharp, sending for reinforcements in advance. I haven't stopped at all on the way. If I hadn't been intercepted, I might have been here sooner. Also, I saved your life this time. How do you plan to thank me?"