Chapter 2795: The Stand‑In Was Forcibly Taken by the Bandit

【Now transmitting plot……transmission successful!】

In this world, the villain Gu Fanghe is the chief of Black Mountain Stronghold.

Before becoming a bandit, Gu Fanghe was also a famed young general of the capital, bestowed the title General Fenghe.

It's a pity that General Fenghe, though a talented youth, died on the battlefield, and before his death he even defected, thereafter becoming a taboo in the capital and throughout the dynasty, no one daring to mention him again.

But the truth is, Gu Fanghe slew enemies on the battlefield, and the power of his Gu family army grew ever stronger; the emperor, wary of him, did not wish to see his prestige rise like a boat in rising water, and thus placed his younger brother under soft confinement.

Even the soft confinement was fine, but he was left there unattended, and the servant tasked with looking after the Gu family's younger brother died without anyone noticing.

Only when Gu Fanghe returned with the victory report did he learn that his younger brother had been dead for days, the corpse left in the room to rot, and still no one had collected the body.

Gu Fanghe and his father served the dynasty; his father and uncle both died for the country on the battlefield, yet his sole surviving son was treated like trash.

Gu Fanghe took his father's death‑waiver gold tablet, went to court to question the present emperor, but instead was demoted on the pretext of 'colluding with the enemy,' and could never again go to the battlefield.

From then on, Gu Fanghe completely broke with the imperial court, led his confidants to settle in the Black Mountain Stronghold of South Province, and established himself as a bandit.

And so the story begins here.

The protagonist's beloved is Ruan Shutong, the young son of South Province's wealthiest man, a cool and aloof heart‑throb; anyone who has ever come into contact with him—whether the Third Prince briefly staying in South Province, the Chu Yi and Chu Ming brothers of royal blood who willingly stay as his guards, or even a foreign crown prince—are the top lovers of this book's protagonist, all drawn to him and vying for his affection.

And in the story, Gu Fanghe is both the villain and a cannon‑fodder top lover.

Three years ago, Gu Fanghe hijacked a convoy of escorts transporting goods to the capital in the outskirts of South Province, and caught a fleeting glimpse of Ruan Shutong, who happened to be passing by.

Ruan Shutong didn't mind that they were bandits at all; on the contrary, he even saved the life of a child born in the Black Mountain Stronghold, so he stayed there for seven days before being taken to the capital by the Third Prince, thereby becoming the white moonlight in the hearts of Gu Fanghe and the stronghold's villagers.

Three years later, Ruan Shutong returned to South Province.

His two guards, fearing that Gu Fanghe's thieving heart was not dead, deliberately arranged for a young master of the Jin family who bore some resemblance to Ruan Shutong to travel by carriage, passing the mountain road at the foot of Black Mountain Stronghold.

Although the Jin family also had some standing in South Province, since they were not a clan rooted there, they naturally could not match the wealthiest man; the two guards acted decisively, the Jin family young master was seized by the bandits, kept by Gu Fanghe at his side, his nature restrained, and his attire and appearance had to resemble Ruan Shutong's.

It so happened that, just as the young master Jin, in his day‑and‑night companionship, was about to develop feelings for Gu Fanghe, the Ruan family fell into decline.

When the enemies came seeking him, Ruan Shutong had no choice but to go to the Black Mountain Stronghold to look for Gu Fanghe's aid, and Gu Fanghe naturally helped him.

But when Gu Fanghe slaughtered his way to the enemies' lair, he realized this was a plot by Ruan Shutong and the imperial court, and that Ruan Shutong had secretly become the Third Prince's consort long ago, knowing that everyone in the stronghold was off‑guard against him, thus devising this scheme to help the court exterminate the Black Mountain Stronghold bandits in one sweep,

At the critical moment, young master Jin took the fatal blow for Gu Fanghe, allowing Gu Fanghe to live; he then completely darkened his heart, wandered the martial world, and thereafter was locked in an endless struggle with the imperial court, heading toward destruction in the original timeline.

As for Ruan Shutong's ending, it is never spelled out in the story.

【Now transmitting original body's memories……transmission successful!】

Jin Chen awoke amidst a jolt, the carriage cabin swaying gently.

The cabin's furnishings remained elegant, a teapot and cups fixed on the small table, swaying slightly as the carriage moved.

Jin Chen raised his hand, his long fingers lifting a corner of the side carriage curtain.

The setting sun slanted west, dense trees lined both sides of the mountain road, and far off the mountain ranges undulated.

"Young Master, is anything the matter?"

The attendants' voices came from outside the carriage, their tone lacking much respect.

Jin Chen lowered the carriage curtain, his fingertips lingering on the fabric for a moment before he spoke softly, "Nothing."

The carriage curtain fell.

【The current plot line is that the two guards who are the top lovers of the protagonist are escorting him back from the capital to South Province.】

Ling Gun Gun flipped through the plot, 【They designed to lure you onto this road; the mountain bandits will soon come down to rob the road!】

Jin Chen said nothing, still thinking, he curled his finger and lightly tapped the small table twice.

【Why do I and Ruan Shutong look alike?】 Jin Chen asked.

【Well…】 Ling Gun Gun searched for a moment, then replied, 【The original plot gave no reason; perhaps it's just the Heavenly Dao setting up a path for the protagonist's lover, utterly illogical.】

Jin Chen heard this and the corners of his mouth curled.

Indeed.

Utterly illogical.

What's even stranger is that, in the original plot, after Ruan Shutong's scheme to exterminate the Black Mountain Stronghold and Gu Fanghe's dark fall into exile, his fate is never mentioned again.

Jin Chen's eyes dimmed slightly, his fingertips rubbing the hidden pattern on his waist jade tablet.

Suddenly, the carriage cabin jolted violently.

Jin Chen braced against the cabin wall to steady himself, and the sound of neighing horses came from outside.

"Protect the Young Master!"

Jin Chen raised his hand and lifted the carriage curtain again.

The setting sun had sunk halfway, and several black shadows sprang out from the dense forest on the mountainside, instantly forming a surround that trapped the carriage and its four attendants.

Over twenty people, each stalwart, their faces covered with cloths, only their eyes revealed, fierce and greedy.

Dusk settled, and in the distance came the hoarse cries of crows, fluttering past the treetops.

"Leave your money and spare your lives!"

The bandit leader, one‑eyed, wore a black eye patch over his right eye, and his broadsword looked especially terrifying in the dim light.

The four attendants drew their swords, but the numerical disparity was huge—twenty versus four—and the terrain gave them almost no chance to win.

Jin Chen watched silently from behind the carriage curtain.

After a few exchanges, he noticed something off: the four attendants were clearly skilled, yet they kept dodging, only barely blocking when vital points were attacked.

Soon after, one attendant groaned, a blade struck his shoulder, and blood soaked his clothes.

"Retreat!"

Someone let out a low shout, the four attendants feinted in unison, then turned and fled down the mountain.

They fled extremely fast, not even glancing back at the carriage, disappearing into the gathering dusk.

The bandits were stunned, then burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, what useless guards, they run faster than rabbits!"

Even the young master of a wealthy household, just thrown down like that.

That's good, saves us the effort.

Jin Chen lowered the sedan curtain.

Those four fled too fast, so fast it was as if they had timed it perfectly.

They were carefully chosen to escort the original self, their martial skills extraordinary; although the bandits were many and strong, if they truly fought, they might not be unable to kill them all.

But they almost had the intention to retreat from the start of the fight; seeing they were outmatched, they immediately abandoned the carriage and fled.

Jin Chen lowered his eyes, his fingertips lightly pinching inside his sleeve.

Abandoning the master and fleeing alone—if this were to get back there, what fate awaits them, they would surely know.

Unless……these four are confident that this matter will never be known to the Jin Family.

Young master! Young master!

The trembling voice of the scholar attendant Ayan came from outside the carriage.