She tried to explain, stammering: "I-I-I accidentally bumped into it. I-I was holding my pillow all along. When I sleep alone with one blanket, like that, I’m always hugging my pillow. Yesterday you slept over and misplaced it somewhere, I don’t know where."
She looked around, searching for the pillow as evidence she wasn’t lying.
Zhao Jun sneered, "No problem."
The two booked a night at Qingfeng Inn and after lunch, they had the shopkeeper help Zhao Jun onto the carriage.
The carriage sped swiftly towards Capital City.
The good times didn’t last long; shortly after leaving town, on the main road, they encountered Zhang Dash and Sun Lin, along with their six aides.
They came with menacing intent, clearly seeking revenge.
Zhang Dash’s arm and back were wrapped in thick white bandages.
Beside him was his brother, Sun Lin, with a long scar on his face, though it hadn’t injured his eyeball. In a few days’ time, the wound had scabbed over; a deep wound. His already sly, monkey-like appearance now looked fierce, akin to a bandit.
Enemies meet on a narrow path; foes face off, eyes glaring with hatred.
The few glared at each other, neither side yielding.
Zhang Dash, furious, flared his big nostrils and swore: "You damned girl, refusing a drink when offered, shouldering its punishment instead. We brothers were ready to take care of you, let you live well, yet you not only failed to appreciate it, but dared to stab us. Today, I’ll make you remember Zhang Dash forever."
"That’s right! You failed to appreciate kindness, leaving us no choice but cruelty. Brothers, listen up, once we’ve had our turn, this girl will be yours." Sun Lin said through gritted teeth, desperate to tear the woman before him limb from limb.
He, too, threatened fiercely on the spot.
As those words fell, cheers erupted from the six men behind him.
Lu He lifted the green cloth, turned back inside to search, while instructing: "Young master, those people have found us. You stay in the carriage, I’ll find a knife and fight them."
Returning from Yandang Mountain, she had thrown away the kitchen knife, which she regretted deeply...
She rummaged through the carriage, finding only a small knife used for peeling fruit. Well, at least it’s something sharp, better than nothing.
Grasping the harmless little knife, she was ready to rush out desperately, but was pulled back by the man.
He urged, "No, let me. You’re no match for them."
Facing many adversaries, sending a single weak woman to fight would be challenging fate, an exercise doomed to failure.
Yet.
Lu He scrutinized him, rolled her eyes, "But without my help, you can’t even get off the carriage. How will you...?"
The man was deeply discouraged, his face crestfallen.
Pushing away his hand that was holding her, Lu He lifted the cloth, leaped off the carriage holding the small knife. Though her stance was fierce, her face remained calm. If she must die, so be it—she wouldn’t go down cheaply for these scoundrels.
With people occasionally passing by on the main road, Sun Lin hurried to avoid disaster.
With a shout, he and his brothers charged, not underestimating her.
This girl was indeed fierce, using her knife to stab without hesitation; last time, the stab hurt him so much he couldn’t get out of bed, had to see a doctor, and recuperated one day before chasing them.
Lu He felt fear in her heart, but gritted her teeth, waving the small knife wildly, her moves a chaotic mess with no prior kung fu training.
"Ah..."
With a scream.
She was kicked down onto her knees, the kick from Zhang Dash. This time, there was no holding back, he used full force, kicking the woman’s legs in vengeance for the stab in his back.