Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 1113: Saved by a Young Lady

Ouyang Ming listened, then asked: "How many bandits are there? Who are the people being robbed? How many people are there, and do they have a Protector?"

Ouyang Ming had come all the way from the Capital, and encountered two roadside robberies along the way. She knew that the Great Chu was not peaceful at present. Therefore, she did not panic upon hearing the Shadow Guard’s words but instead asked important questions.

The Shadow Guard replied: "There are twenty-seven bandits, each one is a big and strong man, armed with Gou He Blades. They are obviously not ordinary bandits. They also mentioned that after robbing them, they intend to hide in Central State, so they should have come from there, believing that the people in the south are weak and easy to bully, make a profit and leave."

He continued: "Those being robbed are a group of exam candidates, all seemingly unable to bind a chicken. A mule cart overturned, five people were injured, and there is a man in his sixties who seems quite terrified."

Scholar Qu’s family brought three servants, sitting in one mule cart. Thus, after the cart overturned, all five people were injured.

"They are candidates for the exam; we cannot stand by and watch." Ouyang Ming is not a kind-hearted person, but her family, the Ouyang Family, holds an exceptional place in the hearts of scholars and students. As a young lady of the Ouyang Family, she cannot ignore exam candidates being robbed.

"Third Sister, you want to help them? But that group are bandits from Central State. We only have ten Shadow Guards. If you take the Shadow Guards to rescue people, what about me?" Ouyang Yu, only thirteen this year, was on her first trip away from home. Encountering robbers naturally made her afraid, and her temperament was quite delicate, so she said unhappily: "Third Sister, if you want to rescue people, go by yourself, but the Shadow Guards must stay to protect me. If one or two of those bandits escape and run into me, how will I marry in the future?"

The noble families highly value reputation. If she were hit by bandits, she could forget about marrying into a family of equal standing.

Ouyang Yu was terrified and started sobbing, thinking Third Sister was crazy. When encountering robbers, one should hide first, so why is Third Sister still joining in?

Nanny Li also said: "Third Miss, the old servant knows you want to rescue the students and uphold the Ouyang Family’s reputation in the scholarly circles, but you must consider Fifth Miss’s safety. Fifth Miss is not like you; she can’t ride a horse or shoot a bow."

Ouyang Ming heard this and frowned, her gaze cold, piercing towards Nanny Li: "Nanny Li, it seems you’ve forgotten the Ouyang Family’s rules."

Her voice was not loud, but it frightened Nanny Li badly. She quickly let go of Ouyang Yu and knelt down in the carriage compartment: "Third Miss, calm down, the old servant wouldn’t dare."

Ouyang Ming was too lazy to bother with her, and said to Ouyang Yu, "Don’t worry, as your cousin, I won’t put you in danger." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Then she looked towards the Shadow Guard Captain: "Take five Shadow Guards to escort Fifth Miss back to the manor thirty miles away and wait for us there. I’ll take the remaining Shadow Guards to rescue people."

"Third Miss, you mustn’t; it’s too dangerous." Nanny Han, Ouyang Ming’s nanny, became anxious hearing this. Ouyang Ming comforted her, smiling: "Nanny, don’t you have faith in me?"

Nanny Han paused, then nodded: "The old servant certainly trusts Third Miss."

Ouyang Ming smiled and continued to instruct the servants of her household: "Steward Han, take the Ouyang Family’s Jade Pendant and seal, ride to the nearest county to report to the government, then to the Prefecture garrison camp in Linhe Prefecture to report, so they can come to catch the bandits."

"Yes." Steward Han took the Jade Pendant and seal, immediately mounted his horse and rode back.

The Shadow Guard Captain divided the Shadow Guards into two groups. One group escorted Ouyang Yu and the others towards the Ouyang Family’s Manor thirty miles away, while the remaining five stayed with Ouyang Ming.

Nanny Han, as Ouyang Ming’s nanny, was willing to stay with her even to death, so she stayed, but she could not fight. Ouyang Ming told her to hide in the bushes beside the ditch and come out once things calmed down.

"Detach the horses from the carriage, everyone mount your horse, charge to scatter and injure the bandits first, then cut them down..." Ouyang Ming gathered all the Shadow Guards and quickly instructed.

...

"Scholar Qu, Brother Wenliang, are you alright?" Gu Jin’an and Scholar Shang ignored the bandit leader’s threats and rushed to check the injuries of Scholar Qu and his nephew.

"I’m fine, quickly check on Wenliang, is his hand injured?" Scholar Qu’s head had been hit and was bleeding profusely, obstructing his vision. He was worried that Qu Wenliang had injured his hand, making it impossible for him to take the exam, causing him great anxiety.

"Good Brother An has already gone to see him, Brother Qu, don’t worry." Scholar Shang used a handkerchief to press on Scholar Qu’s forehead wound, and took out a handkerchief from Scholar Qu to wipe the blood off his face.

"Brother Wenliang, how are you? Can your hand move?" Gu Jin’an saw blood dripping from Qu Wenliang’s right sleeve, feeling tense. If it truly injured his hand, writing during the exam could be problematic.

Qu Wenliang was in great pain but feared causing Scholar Qu concern and dared not cry out. He could only say, "I’m fine, the hand isn’t seriously injured. Uncle, don’t worry."

Scholar Qu’s face was now clean of blood, and seeing Qu Wenliang’s sleeve stained red, his mind went blank, nearly fainting: "Wenliang, your hand... Good Brother An, don’t you have medicine on your mule cart? Quickly bring it and treat Wenliang’s hand; it must not have any issues!"

His son was not very scholarly, thus all hopes were on Wenliang; the whole family hoped he would pass this time. If he failed because of an injured hand, not only would his elder brother cry to death, but Scholar Qu would also be too ashamed to meet his own father.

"Aye." Upon asking one of Scholar Qu’s servants to support Qu Wenliang, Gu Jin’an rushed to his mule cart, grabbed a medicine chest, and hurried back to treat Qu Wenliang’s wound.

The bandits watched stupefied as the bandit leader suddenly slammed a knife into the overturned mule cart of the Qu family, turning the knife and pointing it at Gu Jin’an: "Your damned pale face, treating us like we’re invisible? We’re robbing you, told you not to move, don’t move, yet you’re running around everywhere. Do you have a death wish?"

The bandit leader hadn’t expected those weak scholars to ignore them, and was thoroughly enraged, lifting his Gou He Blade high to swing at Gu Jin’an.

Zezi, Feng Lian, and Feng Jin were not far from Gu Jin’an, and witnessing this, they dashed towards him. Meanwhile, Gu Jin’an, seeing the incoming Gou He Blade, smirked coldly with a prepared poison bag in hand, ready to throw it, when a gusting sound suddenly came through.

Woosh!

A sharp arrow came from behind the bandit leader, directly piercing through his hand holding the blade.

"Ah!" The bandit leader screamed, lost his balance, and fell off his horse. His startled horse neighed and ran forward.

Ouyang Ming still held her bow and arrow stance, used her legs to squeeze the horse’s belly, controlled the horse, and instructed the Shadow Guards: "Charge, scatter the bandits in the center, then cut down the ones on both sides!"