Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Robbery Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Robbery Coachman Yu saw them supporting the village head and walking back from afar. He hurriedly jumped off the cart and went forward to help.
“Why has it taken you so long to come back? The sun has set; why is the village head still drunk?” Coachman Yu asked while holding the village head’s arm.
Xuexue explained the matter of the county magistrate inviting them for a meal and then said, “Uncle Village Chief was happy, so he drank a few more glasses, and now, he has ended up .”
Upon hearing this, Coachman Yu’s eyes lit up, and he said enviously, “Wow! The county magistrate invited you to dinner! You are really lucky to have dined with him.”
Xuexue expressed understanding towards Coachman Yu’s envy.
After all, they were just ordinary peasants, who had lived for generations in this remote and poor area, mainly focusing on farming. They hadn’t seen much of the world and usually bowed humbly even before families wealthier than them, let alone the county magistrate. In their hearts, the county magistrate was as unreachable as The Emperor. Now, to have dined with them, it was only natural to feel envious.
“Uncle Yu, have you eaten yet?” Xuexue asked casually.
Today, Coachman Yu had been at the gate of County Town, under the sun and heat, waiting for them all day long.
Coachman Yu: “I’ve eaten, I’ve eaten. I just bought some buns on the street to fill my stomach.”
Everyone clumsily managed to finally get the village head onto the ox cart.
The village head, half-drunk and half-sober, kept muttering, “I’m not drunk, not drunk. I still want to drink with the county magistrate. I am so happy today, fortunate enough to drink with the Great Master. It would be worth it even if I drank myself to death.”
Big Bull reached out and pushed him further inside so that he could sit down, lest he start a drunken frenzy later and fall to the ground. That would be troublesome since Xuexue and he would have to get him back up.
Once everyone was seated, the ox cart set off.
The roads were just rural paths, winding and uneven, which was manageable during the day as they could see clearly, but now, as darkness gradually fell, the journey became challenging.
The ride was bumpy and irregular, and just as they were about to pass through the small trees ahead and enter Jingshan Town,
suddenly, from the woods jumped several men in black, each wielding a sharp knife and their faces covered with black veils, revealing only their eyes.
A leader-like man in black stepped forward, stood in front of the ox cart, waving his glimmering sharp knife while his coarse voice harshly said, “This road is mine, this tree is mine, if you want to pass, leave the toll behind.”
Coachman Yu hurriedly stopped the ox cart, his entire body shivered, almost urinating from fear. He thought, “Oh my goodness! How unlucky they are, to have encountered the fabled bandits. It’s over, this really is the end.”
In the carriage, Xuexue was jolted by the sudden stop of the ox cart and threw herself into Big Bull’s arms.
“My lady, are you all right?” Big Bull asked, holding her.
“I’m fine.” Xuexue’s heartbeat quickened, and she quickly extricated herself from Big Bull’s arms, flushing red, and said, “Big Bull, it seems we have encountered bandits.”
“Yes! Indeed, there are quite a few people.” Big Bull nodded.
He had heard the commotion outside early on: “My lady, you stay here and watch the village head. I will handle this.”
“Then be careful, they are many.” Xuexue peeked out through the gap of the carriage and saw seven or eight strong men wielding sharp knives, so she warned Big Bull.
Big Bull responded and jumped down from the carriage, stepping forward.