"Let go of me, let go of me, why are you grabbing me?"

Xiaoxiao was truly speechless. Why were these people capturing her? What was there to capture about a woman like her? A carriage would be more practical, at least that could be exchanged for some silver.

She was being carried, her hands continuously pounding on the bandit’s back.

Her legs were persistently kicking, hoping to break free.

Her mouth kept shouting, "Let go of me, quickly let go of me."

But it was of no use, only resulting in the bandit’s angry roar, "Behave yourself, or I’ll tie you up."

Then the bandit adjusted Xiaoxiao on his shoulder and strode toward the mountain.

Upon hearing that she might be tied up, Xiaoxiao immediately ceased her actions, no longer pounding or kicking, obediently letting herself be carried.

She couldn’t let herself be tied up; if she was tied, how could she escape? She had to act according to the situation.

Being carried, Xiaoxiao’s bright eyes spun around, wondering what was happening at the foot of the mountain. Would Yang Ming and the others be captured up the mountain too?

Since it seemed she couldn’t be released, she might as well try to be friendly.

So she asked, "Brother, I heard you guys just came to this mountain, this place is so poor, people are poorer than their faces are clean. Why did you choose to do this robbery business up here? Isn’t it a loss-making venture?"

The bandits were extremely surprised at Xiaoxiao’s words.

Generally, wouldn’t a woman who gets caught be crying and afraid?

How come this one wasn’t following the usual script?

Just a moment ago she was hitting, kicking, and yelling. Now she was chatting with them, and the content of the chat was something they’d never heard before: banditry as a business.

"Brother, how many times a month can you do business on this mountain? Can it really not go into the red?"

"..."

"How many people do you have on this mountain? The monthly expenses must be quite a bit, right?"

The bandits were inwardly grumbling, what’s she up to? She’s really nosy.

"Brother, your business here isn’t doing well, it’s like you don’t know how to do business. Leaving the valuable carriage and catching me instead, I’m not worth anything as a married woman who’s had a child. You’ve made a losing deal here."

"..." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Brother, do you not have anyone to devise plans for you? How about me, I guarantee if you use me, your business will thrive and won’t go into the red."

Xiaoxiao’s flurry of words left the bandits speechless, how could someone be so babbling, "Shut up, we don’t lack silver."

"Oh come on, don’t be so stubborn. If you didn’t lack silver, would you be ambushing that road? You attacked because you saw my family’s carriage, didn’t you? Am I right?"

"..."

"Why not this, I’ll come up with plans for you to earn silver, and you let me go, how about it?"

The bandits were once again speechless; it was the first time they’d encountered someone who could still negotiate while being captured.

Seeing the bandits’ silence, Xiaoxiao addressed them again, "Think it through, earning silver is so important, there’s nothing one can’t lack, but you can’t lack silver. As they say, without silver one can’t move at all!"

The bandits didn’t respond at all, and Xiaoxiao thought to herself, let’s leave it for now, see where they’re taking me, then act accordingly.

And so Xiaoxiao continued to be carried. This bandit was really strong; he’d carried her quite a distance without even catching his breath, steadily ascending the mountain.

After walking for a while, they finally arrived at the bandit’s lair.