There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 414 Bandits of Boyu Mountain

"Yuying, give me the left side... Oops, it tried to bite me!"

She struck a wild animal on the nose with her stick, and the animal shook its head in pain.

Liang Yuying's longsword moved like the wind, deflecting the real claw attacks, leaving her feeling both helpless and amused.

"Shu Chen, focus on your footing, don't rush in."

Li Shuchen dodged three steps for every blow he received, all the while muttering...

"This big guy has such thick fur, I can't even scratch it... Damn it, you dare bite me? Here comes the powder!"

She took out itching powder from her crossbody bag, and threw it at the wild beast when the opportunity arose.

Although not as effective as the extreme heat powder, it still made the beast restless and its attacks slowed down slightly.

Liang Yuying seized an opening and plunged her sword into his throat.

Ye Bingli, holding her zither, stood in the relatively safe center of the fire.

She watched the fierce fighting on the periphery, her face slightly pale, but her eyes resolute.

She sat on the ground, placed the zither on her lap, and brushed her fingertips across the strings.

It began with a few cold, monotone notes, like dripping mountain spring water, completely out of place with the fierce battle unfolding before them.

But soon, the music abruptly changed, becoming sharp, rapid, and high-pitched, like the clash of metal, or the startled cries of countless birds taking flight. The tone grew higher and higher, more and more piercing, drilling straight into the beast's brain.

The peculiar music did indeed have an effect.

Many wild animals visibly showed signs of anxiety, their attacks becoming hesitant and chaotic, as if their minds were being disturbed by this invisible web of sound.

This gave everyone a precious respite and a chance to retaliate.

Princess Changning and Ruan Jingshang are working together with increasing tacit understanding.

Ruan Jingshang was adept at using the terrain and whatever was at hand to create obstacles and attract hatred.

Princess Changning always managed to eliminate him with the most suitable hidden weapon after his seemingly dangerous maneuvers, whether it was shooting poison needles from a distance or seizing the opportunity to fight him in close combat with a sharp blade.

On one occasion, Ruan Jingshang was nearly pounced on by a wild beast while saving a merchant who had slipped and fallen.

Without a second thought, Princess Changning leaped forward, parrying the beast's claws with her dagger, and with her other hand, she used her bracelet to fire a poisoned needle at close range into the beast's belly.

The beast fell to the ground. She turned to look at the panting Ruan Jingshang and blurted out...

"Don't want to die?"

His tone carried an urgency he himself was unaware of.

Ruan Jingshang wiped the dust from his face, his eyes shining unusually bright in the firelight.

"But the princess is here."

His smile was a little silly, but it inexplicably relieved Princess Changning. She turned her head away, her ears burning slightly.

The battle lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

With everyone's combined efforts, especially Princess Changning's deadly hidden weapons, Xiao Xiuyuan's formidable martial prowess, and Li Shuchen's endless stream of clever maneuvers...

We'll use ropes to temporarily set up tripwires to trip the wild beasts.

I'll throw the super spicy powder packet into the beast's mouth in a bit.

One moment he was holding a torch and burning the wild animal's rear end, muttering something under his breath.

"My butt's on fire!"

With the aid of Ye Bingli's "mind-piercing demonic sound," the seven or eight ferocious beasts that attacked were either killed or wounded.

The rest, dragging their wounded companions, retreated into the dark forest with mournful whimpers.

The campsite was a mess, and the air was filled with the stench of blood and the pungent smell of chili powder.

Everyone was injured to varying degrees and exhausted, but thankfully no one died.

Liang Yuying immediately arranged for people to treat the wounded and to strengthen security.

"Everyone, hurry up and get some rest, the rest of the night..." Before Liang Yuying could finish speaking, another unexpected event occurred.

A series of increasingly rapid and light footsteps sounded from all directions, sounding like a large number of people, and... well-trained.

Before the crowd could pick up their weapons again, dozens of figures appeared, dressed in haphazard fur coats and with strange patterns painted on their faces.

Emerging like ghosts from behind rocks and bushes, they carried sharpened wooden spears, crude knives and axes, and... ropes and sacks?

"Don't move! Hand over your valuables and food!"

The leader, a short, stocky man wearing a tattered leather hat, roared. His voice was loud, but his eyes seemed...not so fierce? He even seemed a little unsure of himself.

"Bandits?"

Liang Yuying frowned, gripping her longsword tightly. Having just endured a fierce battle, everyone was exhausted.

"We only seek wealth, we won't take lives!"

Another tall, thin bandit added that he tried to force a "friendly" smile, but it looked worse than a grimace.

"Really, we in Boyu Kingdom... oh no, we have rules in this mountain area."

Li Shuchen hid behind Liang Yuying and whispered, "Boyu Kingdom? They let it slip themselves?"

The bandits outnumbered each other and were well-rested and ready to fight.

Liang Yuying weighed the pros and cons and said in a deep voice

"We can give you some money and food, but we need to reserve enough rations for the crossing of the mountains. We cannot give you weapons."

The bandit leader's eyes darted around, glancing at Liang Yuying and her group's weapons and armor, then at the carcasses of wild animals on the ground. He seemed to weigh the cost of forcibly taking them, and muttered...

"Alright...alright, keep more grain, and give me more silver..." Her tone even carried a hint of pleading and grievance.

Just as the two sides were seemingly negotiating "amicably," and some soldiers reluctantly began to sort out some money and a small amount of food, another unexpected event occurred.

Several soldiers who were cleaning up the carcasses of wild animals on the outskirts suddenly collapsed to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Ziying, Ye Bingli, and even Xiao Xiuyuan, who were closer to the upwind side, swayed and felt a strong wave of dizziness and weakness.

"The smoke... there's something wrong with the smoke," Ye Bingli instinctively held her breath, but she had already inhaled a small amount.

Suddenly, the bandits found themselves carrying bundles of grass emitting faint wisps of smoke, their aroma cleverly masked by the smells of blood and chili powder.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry"

The bandit leader apologized while efficiently directing his men.

"Quick! Tie them up while they're still weak, take all the grain, the silver, and that young lady's bracelet looks valuable... handle it carefully."

Li Shuchen also felt weak in her limbs, but because she was a little further away, she inhaled less.

Seeing that Princess Changning and Ruan Jingshang were also teetering on the brink of collapse, she had a sudden inspiration and used her last strength to shout...

"Itch powder, Changning, Bingli, use Li Shuchen brand itch powder!"

Upon hearing this, Princess Changning and Ye Bingli vaguely recalled the paper package Li Shuchen had given them earlier.

Princess Changning gritted her teeth and, with her last bit of strength, threw the paper package at the face of the bandit who was trying to reach for her hidden weapon bracelet. The package shattered, and powder flew everywhere.

Ye Bingli also reluctantly threw the paper package towards the approaching bandits.

"Achoo! Achoo! Ouch... What is this thing? Why is it so itchy?!"

The bandits, caught off guard, immediately abandoned their restraints and began scratching frantically, especially on their faces and necks, where large patches of red rashes instantly broke out, causing unbearable itching.

The scene was quite chaotic at one point.

The bandits were busy moving grain and valuables. Some of them were so itchy that they jumped and scratched themselves, leaping and bounding around like wild monkeys in the mountains.

Although the members of the delegation were exhausted, they still struggled to break free from being tightly bound.

Before Ruan Jing collapsed, he struggled to stuff a small bag of silver into his inner garment and secretly hid Princess Changning's red crystal camellia hairpin in a hidden pocket in his sleeve.