Chapter 354: The Bandit Is Still Quite Just

Female bandit sneered, "No wonder they say you're full of tricks, can't stand seeing others do well! You specialize in sowing discord between couples, luring wives away to flee. I see you're just a con artist, a habitual criminal!"

Dou Rongshan was utterly confused, pointing at herself excitedly and said, "You, a bandit, call me a con artist? And a habitual criminal?"

"I don't even know you, and I can't understand what you're saying!"

"Do you know who my father is, General Dou? Be sensible and release me at once!"

Female bandit looked down on her with contempt, "Oh dear, your father is the Bean General? Well, I'm the Rice General!"

"Still pretending, huh?"

"You made the child's mother abandon her husband and child, leaving the baby just a few months old without milk, crying every day!"

"Now you even want to push your friend out to take the blame—people like you are utterly wicked!!"

Female bandit, due to her own experience, most despises those who abandon their children; by the end she was practically bursting with righteous indignation.

Gu Xixi secretly thought, "I didn't expect this bandit to be rather just?"

"Perhaps this can be used to our advantage."

"Huh?" Dou Rongshan, for the first time, doubted life like this.

She had no idea what had happened; she simply followed Gu Xixi behind her, tagging along, and woke up like this.

Dou Rongshan finally realized her situation was that of a fish on the chopping block, with others holding the knife.

She softened her attitude, gave an apologetic smile, and said, "Miss Heroine, I think we might have a misunderstanding."

"I really haven't done any of the things you said."

"And as for me and her," Dou Rongshan turned to Gu Xixi, "we're not friends at all."

Female bandit crossed her arms and sneered, "You think I'm stupid? If you're not friends, why are you together?"

"If you're not friends, how could she let you splash dirty water on her and willingly help you take the blame?"

Dou Rongshan couldn't defend herself no matter how many mouths she had, wanted to cry but had no tears, and could only bump into Gu Xixi with her body.

"Gu Xixi! Hurry up and explain clearly to her—are you trying to get me killed?"

Female bandit glanced at Gu Xixi, seeing her keep her head down the whole time, looking like an honest person resigning to fate.

Then she grew even angrier, "If I don't teach you a lesson, I see you're truly dishonest!"

Saying that, she raised her palm high.

Dou Rongshan shrank back in fright, closing her eyes to dodge.

Gu Xixi suddenly spoke, "Lady Heroine, wait!"

The female bandit actually stopped; although her face remained cold, her gaze was much calmer than when looking at Dou Rongshan.

"You don't need to be afraid."

"The person we're after isn't you originally."

"I already know you're implicated because of her; later I'll tell the boss and see if we can let you go first."

Dou Rongshan anxiously opened her eyes and said, "Are you looking for Gu Xixi?"

"She is Gu Xixi; if you're releasing someone, you should let me go first!"

When the female bandit looked at her, her expression instantly turned fierce, "Keep talking, and believe it or not I'll whip you?"

Dou Rongshan didn't want to get hit, so she could only shut her mouth resentfully.

She almost regretted it to death!

Coincidentally, today Dou Rongshan came out of the document bureau and saw Gu Xixi sitting in the carriage of the Xiao He Manor.

accompanying her were actually several Ministry of Revenue officials headed by He Jinghui.

Thus, Dou Rongshan, as if possessed, followed Gu Xixi all the way out of the city.

Rather than being unwilling because of her cousin, she was more curious.

As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be imperiled in a hundred battles.

Dou Rongshan really wanted to know, as a commoner girl, what extraordinary qualities Gu Xixi possessed.

Why not only does Mu Nan Zhao value her, but even the Minister of Revenue brings her along when handling affairs.

They arrived at Immortal Fruit Village.

Dou Rongshan secretly followed Gu Xixi, observing here and there.

She discovered Gu Xixi, together with those farmers, basking in the big field, bending over to pull weeds, grabbing handfuls of soil, and even holding up disgusting insects to examine them...

Apart from getting dirty, there seemed to be nothing particularly special.

In the afternoon, Dou Rongshan saw Gu Xixi heading toward the small grove.

Dou Rongshan merely thought Gu Xixi urgently needed to relieve herself, and at that moment she felt mischievous.

She left her maid waiting by the carriage and tiptoed into the grove herself.

Little did she know, Gu Xixi had already noticed her and had deliberately gone ahead to lure her out.

What's more, she hadn't expected that after just saying a sentence to Gu Xixi, she would lose consciousness.

Well now, the enemy situation still isn't clear, but instead she's implicated herself.

At this moment Dou Rongshan regretted and whined tearfully.

Gu Xixi lifted her head to look at the female bandit, eyes firm, "Thank you for your kindness, Lady Heroine."

"But I can't abandon her and leave alone; I promised to take good care of her."

After all, she's a relative of Mu Nan Zhao and has some standing.

Having followed her here, whatever good or bad happens, the aftermath will ultimately be a trouble.

Moreover, the behind-the-scenes mastermind is about to appear, and she still needs to stay here to wait for the rabbit.

Dou Rongshan looked at Gu Xixi in disbelief.

Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she herself couldn't tell whether she was moved or excited.

Female bandit also showed some movement, "You are indeed a generous person."

"Alright, if you're willing to accompany her, then do so."

"As long as we exchange money for person hand over hand, no one will care where you go."

The female kidnapper turned and walked away.

After a moment, Gu Xixi saw no one paying attention here, she whispered, "You'd better stay still, gather some strength."

"When we go down the mountain, if you can't walk, no one will carry you."

"Don't bother me!" Dou Rongshan instinctively retorted.

Soon she came to her senses, "Do you have a way to escape?"

Dou Rongshan was agitated, "You should have said earlier, did your maid go to seek help?"

"The people from the Ministry of Revenue will surely come to rescue us!"

Gu Xixi said lightly, "You'd better speak louder, lure these kidnappers over again."

"See? Besides that woman just now, there are four men."

"They don't look easy to talk to."

Seeing Dou Rongshan's face turn white from fright, Gu Xixi, not satisfied, gave her a cold smile.

"Kidnapping for money is okay to say, but if they suddenly intend, wanting to also commit rape..."

"A delicate little lady like you..."

Dou Rongshan trembled, not daring to look at Gu Xixi, "Listening to you, I obey you, isn't that enough?"

"I'll just rest properly, nurture my strength."

"Finally, it's quiet around my ears."

Gu Xixi pretended to close her eyes and rest, but actually the rope behind her had already loosened.

She glanced at the kidnapper by the fire.

Probably they thought two weak girls tied up couldn't make any waves.

These bandits ate meat and drank wine, basically no one looked this way.

Thus Gu Xixi slowly reached out, taking out the poison and ring hidden in her sleeve pocket.

The ring was specially made for her by Madame Meng earlier.

Not wearing it on hand, for fear someone might take it on the road.

The poison was the kind used against the Northern Liang soldiers; she casually made some in her leisure time in the capital, didn't expect the potency to greatly increase.

Gu Xixi put on the ring, grasped a bamboo tube in her palm, continued to keep her arms behind her, pretending still bound.

This process, not only did the distant bandits not notice, but even Dou Rongshan right beside her was unaware.

Gu Xixi closed her eyes to rest, until the moon was high in the sky, finally heard some movement.