Chapter 15

During the war years, bandits ran rampant everywhere. In recent years, frequent bandit suppression campaigns had snuffed out much of their momentum, but some remnants survived.

The bandit leader of Mount Yan had kept a low profile, evading capture for many years. However, as their influence grew recently and the local authorities failed to wipe them out, they requested aid from the imperial court.

To understand the bandits’ internal situation, we set up a fake wedding procession. I was the bride in the sedan chair.

Because I was a woman, the bandits weren’t very wary of me. When they abducted me up the mountain, they only bound my hands.

I timidly let them lead me from behind, my gaze uncontrollably landing on the waist of the fierce bandit in front of me. A dagger was tucked there, looking extremely familiar.

Finding my pace too slow, the bandit suddenly yanked me forward. Stumbling, I crashed into him. The dagger was knocked to the ground, revealing its full shape. He picked it up and shoved me again. “Behave yourself.”

My heart gave a lurch. That dagger was exactly the same as the one I had given Liang Ji.

Someone joked, “Be gentle, you’ll scare the bride. Watch out, or the Boss will settle the score with you.”

To avoid ruining the plan, I suppressed the panic in my heart, lowered my eyes, acted submissive, and cowered as they locked me in a room. A huge tiger skin was draped over a wooden chair.

Then I heard someone outside say, “This bride has some nerve. Usually, the ones before were all crying and weeping. It was annoying to listen to.”

Understood. Time to start crying.

I cried louder and louder until the person outside got annoyed, slammed the door open, and pressed a dagger to my neck. “Cry again and I’ll chop you to pieces.”

I switched to soft sobbing. “Sir, this servant’s hands hurt.”

They were a bunch of hulking brutes, and they hadn’t held back when tying me. The ropes were practically cutting into my flesh.

“I’ll untie you when the Boss gets back.”

I looked up at him through my tears. “Rest assured, Sir, this servant won’t run. I was originally sold by my parents to be a concubine for an old rich man. To be able to serve a hero like the Boss, this servant is entirely willing.”

“Then what are you crying for?”

I started sobbing again. “Because this servant drank poison before getting married. I only have a few days left to live. Who would have thought I could now… What a pity it’s too late. I can’t survive.”

Covering my face, I wailed, “Wu wu wu…”

They looked at each other in dismay. After discussing it for a bit, someone said, “How about we get her checked?”

“Sure.”

They all left. A short while later, hurried footsteps sounded outside. I covered half my face and looked up, meeting a pair of autumn-water eyes.

I let out a sigh of relief. Liang Ji had already found an excuse to send those two men away.

He crouched down to untie me. I whispered, “Which command position have you mixed yourself into?”

The corners of his lips curved up into a smile, and he answered in an equally low voice, “I’m ashamed to say, I’m still just a kidnapped doctor.”

I told him my reason for being there. He had just nodded when the door was abruptly pushed open.

A burly, well-built man entered, casting a large shadow across the floor.

I was originally sitting on the floor, and Liang Ji was crouching in front of me. The sound of the door opening startled us both.

Reacting with extreme speed, he pressed down toward me. My upper body uncontrollably leaned backward.

Liang Ji wrapped an arm around my waist. Our faces were incredibly close. Looking up, I could gaze right into that pool of autumn water. He blinked.

My heart suddenly beat very fast.

“Brother Liang, you like this one?”

Liang Ji let go of me and stood in front of me. “I am ashamed to say, this younger brother has traveled to practice medicine for over a decade and has never fancied a woman. Today… I was presumptuous.”

The man burst into loud laughter. “Heroes love beauties, normal, very normal.”

Liang Ji bowed deeply to him. “These past days, the Boss has shown me great favor. However, today, this younger brother has a presumptuous request. I shamelessly ask the Boss to part with what you love.”

The Boss threw an arm over Liang Ji’s shoulder, making Liang Ji look almost petite in comparison. “We are brothers, why the polite words? It’s just a woman; how could she be more important than a brother?”

He turned around, pulled me up with one hand, and shoved me into Liang Ji’s arms. His massive, mountain-like palms slapped both our shoulders. “Tonight is yours. The wedding night.”

My whole body stiffened like a rock. I didn’t even know how to move. In those few short breaths, I felt more exhausted than holding a horse stance for two hours.

Liang Ji hesitated. “Isn’t this… a bit too fast?”

“Fast? Not fast at all!”

“Marriage should involve matchmakers, betrothal gifts, choosing an auspicious day, and an eight-bearer sedan chair to welcome her. I know that’s impossible to achieve now, but this younger brother still wants to do his best to give her a complete wedding banquet.”

He let go of me and bowed to the Boss once more. “I beg the Boss to grant this.”

Only then did the Boss seriously look me up and down. I kept my eyes lowered, letting him look.

“Do you really need to be this serious?”

Liang Ji feigned bashfulness. “Love at first sight; I can’t bear to treat her poorly.”

I stared at him blankly. He looked back at me, his eyes watery and his cheeks slightly flushed. He really looked exactly like an innocent youth falling in love for the first time.