Chapter 1

Great Zhou State, Tongzhou territory.

It was July, the scorching sun hung in the sky, and the intense sunlight cast mottled shadows on the ground through the dense foliage of the forest, while the chirping of cicadas rang out incessantly.

Five men dressed in tight-fitting outfits, with long sabers at their waists and riding tall horses, were escorting two luxurious carriages along a packed dirt road in the dense forest; the carriage wheels made crisp sounds as they rolled over dry branches and withered leaves.

Two maidservants followed on either side of the carriages, and inside the carriage sat a man and a woman. The man looked to be about twenty years old, with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, quite handsome. At this moment, he was fiddling with a waist token engraved with "Jing'an Guard Small Flag Pei Shaoqing," his brow filled with gloom.

"Husband, we have been away for many days now. Why are you still unable to let it go? Father sending you to Tongzhou was just a moment of anger. Once the old man's anger subsides, and the trouble you caused in the Capital has blown over, he will naturally let you return." The woman at his side looked at the man's appearance, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, and she bit her moist, tender red lips in resignation, patiently and softly persuading him.

She was about the same age as the young man, her skin as white as jade, her features small and exquisite, with a small mole on her chin. The dangling hairpin on her head jingled as the carriage occasionally swayed. A light purple dress wrapped around her curvaceous body, her heavy, full breasts trembling slightly due to the bumps. The weather was too hot, causing beads of fragrant sweat to seep from her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed.

Although she was not old, as a newlywed wife, she already possessed a touch of mature feminine charm, yet in every movement, every frown, and every smile, there remained a hint of a young girl's innocence; the combination of the two was even more alluring.

"Hmph!" Pei Shaoqing let out a cold snort, tossed the waist token aside, and said indignantly, "It was enough that I was exiled to Tongzhou shortly after my marriage, but to only be given a sesame-sized official position like a Small Flag of the Jing'an Guard? It really makes me wonder if I am even his biological son?"

Listening to her husband's complaints, Xie Qingwu felt both annoyed and helpless. Isn't this all because you caused a massive disaster in the Capital yourself? Otherwise, why would I, this young lady, be implicated and forced to leave my home and travel far away to Tongzhou with you?

Furthermore, although the position of a Jing'an Guard Small Flag is small, it is not something just anyone can hold. After all, this is the Emperor's personal army, holding high status and great power; even ordinary scouts are not to be trifled with, let alone a Small Flag of the seventh rank.

Her husband had not even entered the path of martial arts; if not for the family's connections, he wouldn't even be qualified to join the Jing'an Guard. And now he was still complaining. Sigh, who told her to marry him?

"I hope husband will be careful with his words," Xie Qingwu said, suppressing her impatience and reminding him as if coaxing a child.

"Enough, stop lecturing me." Pei Shaoqing was full of impatience. This woman was beautiful, but she wanted to control him everywhere, like marrying a mother. He put away the waist token, exhaled, and comforted himself: "A small official position is fine, as long as my father is a high-ranking official. With my status, who in Tongzhou would dare to suppress me? In the Capital, everything I did was restricted, and if I accidentally beat someone to death on the street, they would be imperial relatives, which forced me to go far away. Once in Tongzhou, the sky is high and the birds can fly as they please. I can kill whoever I want among those mud-legged peasants. I just hope the poor wretches in this godforsaken place haven't been squeezed dry yet, so I can scrape up some profit."

"Husband, you must not think like that..." Xie Qingwu had just wanted to persuade him to restrain himself when she heard a sharp whistle pierce the silence of the forest. Immediately, several arrows flew through the air; some nailed into the carriage, some shot directly into the interior, and one arrow even landed right between the couple. Both of them turned pale as they looked at the trembling arrow, momentarily speechless.

"Enemy attack! Protect the Young Master and the Madam!"

"What kind of thieves are you! Are you tired of living?"

Although caught off guard, the five guards reacted extremely quickly. Calm and composed, they protected the carriage with their bodies while drawing their weapons to deflect the arrows.

"Kill!"

The rain of arrows stopped. Accompanied by the sound of rapid hoofbeats and battle cries, more than twenty mountain bandits dressed in various outfits galloped out from the forest on both sides.

"Kill everyone!"

The masked bandit leader charging at the very front shouted.

"Presumptuous! We are the Wei..."

A guard had just wanted to announce their background, but the masked bandit leader turned a deaf ear. His horse did not stop, and he drew his bow and nocked an arrow while on horseback. *Shoo! * The arrow left the string, piercing the throat of the guard who was speaking. The guard's body was carried by the immense force and fell from his horse, dying on the spot.

"The Chief is a master archer!"

The mountain bandits cheered, and with even greater momentum, they scrambled to press the attack. The remaining four guards did not fear the battle and took the initiative to meet the enemy, but although their martial arts were excellent and far superior to the group of thieves, they could not overcome the sheer numbers. After killing a dozen bandits with all their might, they all perished.

The two maidservants had also long since died in the chaotic battle.

A group of mountain bandits rode their horses around the carriage, showing off, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust.

Inside the carriage, the couple listened to the chaotic cheering outside, and their hearts both sank.

Xie Qingwu's small face was deathly pale, and she subconsciously looked at her husband, seeking his support. "Hu... Husband..."

"You! You go out and take a look!" Pei Shaoqing interrupted her, trembling as he pushed her toward the outside.

Xie Qingwu was filled with disbelief. "Husband!"

"What are you babbling about! Hurry up!" Pei Shaoqing scolded sharply, even using his foot to shove her outward.

Before marrying into the Pei family, Xie Qingwu knew that her husband was neither scholarly nor martial, and only knew how to whore, drink, and gamble. But holding the belief that "if you marry a chicken, you follow the chicken, if you marry a dog, you follow the dog," and hoping that she could help this piece of trash get back on his feet, she had tried her best to be a virtuous wife after marrying him, gritting her teeth and enduring his various absurdities and uselessness.

But at this moment, her heart truly turned cold.

Tears shimmered in Xie Qingwu's eyes, and she bit her red lips tightly, staring fixedly at Pei Shaoqing. After a long while, seeing that he remained unmoved and continued to urge her, she gave up, smiled with sorrow, and with a resolute look, lifted the curtain and climbed out.

"Ah!"

As soon as she exited the carriage, before she could even stand steady, someone grabbed her and pulled her down, causing her to fall to the ground in a sorry state. She let out a cry of pain, her facial expression twisting because of it.

"Hiss~ What a beautiful little lady." The bandit who pulled her off the carriage gasped in surprise, turned his head, and looked at the bandit leader. "Chief, how should we handle her?"

Lying on the ground, her hair disheveled and her dress dirty, Xie Qingwu subconsciously looked up. In her line of sight, the bandit leader was riding a tall black horse, his figure more robust than her husband's. She couldn't see his face clearly, but his eyes were bright and piercing, and his brows looked somewhat familiar.

"We are only here for money. Kill her." Xu Yuanqing, on horseback, glanced at Xie Qingwu lazily.

This woman was indeed very beautiful, looking pitiful, plump, and succulent. He, Xu, was indeed lecherous, but he never talked about feelings during work hours; he couldn't let a woman ruin his business.

Xie Qingwu felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

She had originally been afraid that the bandits would want her for her beauty.

But if the bandits didn't want her for her beauty, that was even more terrifying.

"Chief, you... you look at him!" Just then, another stuttering voice rang out. A bandit had pulled the terrified Pei Shaoqing off the carriage and dragged him in front of Xu Yuanqing.

"This... how could this be!"

"He... and the Chief... how could they?"

The other mountain bandits were also shocked and widened their eyes upon seeing Pei Shaoqing, their gazes shifting back and forth between him and Xu Yuanqing, looking as if they had seen a ghost.

Not to mention them, Xu Yuanqing was also shocked, because the noble young master opposite him couldn't be said to look exactly like him, but at least they were ninety percent similar.

He raised his hand and slowly removed the black cloth covering his face.

Xie Qingwu's beautiful eyes widened instantly.

"You... you you..." Pei Shaoqing's jaw also dropped in shock; he even forgot his fear, his speech slurred.

"To think we could be so similar." Xu Yuanqing slowly touched his own face and muttered to himself. He frowned and asked Pei Shaoqing from his high position: "Did your parents ever tell you that you had a lost twin brother?"

He was originally a legitimate businessman involved in smuggling on Earth. Several months ago, he failed a black-market deal and transmigrated to this world, possessing this body. Although he inherited the original owner's career of robbing the rich to help the poor, he did not inherit his memories, so he really didn't know about the original owner's background.

Could he really be a rich second generation lost among the commoners?

"No! Absolutely not! I only have one older brother," Pei Shaoqing blurted out.

Seeing a chance to survive, Xie Qingwu quickly stood up and said, "This young master, let it be known that my husband is Pei Shaoqing, the youngest son of the Weiyuan Marquis, and is on his way to Tongzhou to serve as a Small Flag of the Jing'an Guard. He may not know everything about his elders' affairs. Besides, how could there be two people in the world who look so much alike? Why don't you come with us to see my father-in-law? The truth will naturally come to light. Once you acknowledge your ancestors and return to your clan, you will surely have a bright future. Wouldn't being an official or a general be better than being a bandit in the mountains, robbing houses and plundering?"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes!" Pei Shaoqing also reacted immediately, nodding repeatedly and speaking without thinking, "When my father was young and traveling the world, he owed many romantic debts. Maybe I really am your half-brother from the same father!"

"Chief..." Some bandits were tempted.

"Shut up." Xu Yuanqing scolded, pondering silently. He hadn't expected such a big fish to appear in this remote place—so big that if he dared to eat it, he would choke to death. And could this guy really be his own brother?

Seeing him remain silent for so long, Pei Shaoqing thought frantically, covered in cold sweat, about what other bargaining chips he had to trade for his life; his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of his graceful wife, his eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward to grab Xie Qingwu and pull her in front of him, looking at Xu Yuanqing with a fawning face as he said, "Chief! This is my wife, her beauty and figure are excellent, I offer her to you! As long as you can spare my life, all my money and beauties are yours!"

"Husband, you..." Xie Qingwu widened her eyes in disbelief, her body trembling with rage, tears streaming out uncontrollably, "How can you be so shameless?"

"Shut up! Once you married me, you became mine! I can do whatever I want!" Facing the mountain bandit, Pei Shaoqing was timid and submissive, but facing his wife, he struck with heavy blows; after a roar, he turned his head to look at Xu Yuanqing and put on a fawning smile again, "Chief, please accept this gift!"

He was not afraid of losing face, only of dying; as long as he could survive, he had a hundred ways to kill this petty thief after escaping, and after slaughtering everyone present, naturally no one would know of his humiliation today, so how could there be any talk of losing face?

Xu Yuanqing raised an eyebrow slightly, ignoring the coward who was strict with others but lenient with his own cuckolding, and instead looked at Xie Qingwu, who was crying like a rain-drenched pear blossom, a thought-provoking glint flickering in his eyes, "Little lady, you are right; for me to be the son of the Weiyuan Marquis is indeed better than being a mountain bandit."

Upon hearing this, Xie Qingwu felt no joy at surviving, but stood there blankly.

But Pei Shaoqing was ecstatic, feeling he had escaped a disaster, he nodded repeatedly, "That's right..."

The next second, a blade flashed, his voice came to an abrupt end, his head flew high into the air, warm, scarlet blood sprayed out and splashed onto Xie Qingwu's face, and the head fell at her feet, eyes wide open staring at her.

"Ah!" Caught off guard, Xie Qingwu screamed and took two steps back, and still shaken, she raised her head to look at the bandit leader with eyes full of fear and confusion.

Under her gaze, Xu Yuanqing slowly sheathed his long blade and said with a warm smile, "Such a wicked, cowardly, and incompetent man is not fit to live, let alone be the husband of such a stunning beauty as you? So from now on, I am Pei Shaoqing, the youngest son of the current Weiyuan Marquis, and you are my wife, how about that?"

As his voice fell, without waiting for her answer, he turned back and roared with laughter, "Brothers, we head to Tongzhou to take office!"

From now on, he is Pei Shaoqing!

"Congratulations, Chief!" "Following the Chief to Tongzhou to be an official and live the good life!" "Hahahaha!"

After a brief moment of astonishment, the group of mountain bandits all reacted one after another, each overjoyed, laughing loudly as they rode their horses in circles around him, while Xie Qingwu stood dazed on the spot, her face pale, her body swaying as if about to collapse.

(End of this chapter)