“Why?”
Bei Qianxun asked in confusion. “Is Mr. Jin thinking one year is too short? Then how about two years?”
“It’s not because of that,”
Jin Feng shook his head and said, “I have extremely urgent matters. I need to hurry back to Jinchuan.”
“I know the surrounding terrain very well. With Mr. Jin’s men and skills, it won’t delay you too long. Three to five days at most!”
Bei Qianxun spoke in a low voice, her tone filled with a hint of pleading.
One must know that back in the prison, even when facing execution, Bei Qianxun had never bowed her head to Jin Feng.
This was the first time Jin Feng heard her speak softly.
It made Jin Feng quite curious about what exactly that group of bandits had done to her.
However, Jin Feng did not ask. Instead, he patiently explained, “Miss Qianxun, I’m not deliberately making things difficult for you, nor am I trying to raise the price on the spot.
Just because you once saved Xiaobei, under normal circumstances I would definitely help. But right now I truly have urgent business. I wish I could sprout wings and fly back to Jinchuan. I really dare not delay even a little.”
“Sister Qianxun, I didn’t have time to tell you earlier, but something happened in Jinchuan…”
Tang Xiaobei quickly gave her a rough summary of the events in Jinchuan and Western Sichuan.
Bei Qianxun listened silently and lowered her head.
Back then in Western Sichuan she had also purchased intelligence on Jin Feng and had some understanding of him.
Jinchuan was not only Jin Feng’s home, but also his base.
Given Jin Feng’s character, he indeed would not delay his return to Jinchuan for her sake.
Not even for a few days.
Bei Qianxun was also a proud person. Once she understood this, she reached out and took the hand of the little girl standing beside her. “It was presumptuous of me to delay Mr. Jin’s time. This time you saved my life again. After I wipe out this gang of bandits, I will go to Jinchuan to find you!”
With that, she pulled the girl and prepared to leave.
Given Bei Qianxun’s personality of chasing Xue Henglu for a thousand li, the chance that she would continue going after the bandits after leaving was over ninety percent.
She had already broken into the bandit lair once before. The bandits would surely be on guard now. In her current condition, the likelihood of her dying at their hands was very high.
Such a skilled expert with a relatively clean background was too rare. Letting her die at the hands of bandits felt too unjust and regrettable to Jin Feng.
So he spoke up. “A gentleman takes revenge after ten years if necessary. If Miss is willing, you can first come back to Jinchuan with us. After I settle things at home and in Western Sichuan, I will bring you back here to deal with those bandits. How about that?”
“Yes, Husband is right. Sister Qianxun, look at yourself. Where can you go in this state?”
Tang Xiaobei grabbed Bei Qianxun’s arm. “Come with us. Wait until your injury heals before coming back!”
“You really will come back here to help me deal with the bandits?” Bei Qianxun asked.
“A gentleman’s word is as good as nine tripods. Once said, it cannot be taken back!” Jin Feng replied.
“Sister Qianxun, rest assured. My husband’s word is worth nine cauldrons. Whatever he promises, he will definitely do.”
Seeing there was hope, Tang Xiaobei quickly helped persuade her.
“This…”
Bei Qianxun thought for a moment, then nodded. “I will go to Jinchuan with you.”
“I’ll send someone to prepare a carriage right away,” Tang Xiaobei said excitedly. “Husband, you and the others ride ahead on horseback. Sister Qianxun and I will follow in the carriage.”
She had always envied Qing Mulan for having Amei, and the Ninth Princess for having Qin’er and Zhu’er.
In Tang Xiaobei’s heart, Jin Feng was far more important than Qing Mulan or the Ninth Princess. So she had long hoped to find a skilled expert to serve as Jin Feng’s bodyguard.
But such experts were usually trained from childhood. Money alone could not buy them.
Now that such an opportunity had appeared, Tang Xiaobei was willing to give up travelling back with Jin Feng if it meant securing Bei Qianxun.
“No need. I can ride a horse!”
Before Jin Feng could speak, Bei Qianxun shook her head first.
“Sister Qianxun, in your condition, how can you ride a horse…”
Tang Xiaobei had not finished speaking when she saw Bei Qianxun suddenly kick out with one leg, striking Daniu squarely on the backside.
Daniu was caught completely off guard and flew through the air.
When he landed, he still looked dazed.
Why am I here? It seems I was kicked over! Why did she kick me?…
“See? I’m fine!”
Bei Qianxun patted her leg and said nonchalantly, “Earlier the arrowhead was stuck. I couldn’t pull it out myself. Otherwise those bandits would have been finished long ago!”
“You’re fine, so why kick me?!”
Daniu slapped the ground and roared.
He was wearing armour, and Bei Qianxun had used a clever technique. Although it did not hurt much, being kicked flying so far by a woman still made Daniu feel deeply humiliated.
“Enough, Daniu. What’s the big deal for a grown man to take a fall?” Tang Xiaobei curled her lip. “Let this be a lesson to you. If Sister Qianxun were an assassin, Husband would have been in danger just now!”
“If she were an assassin, I wouldn’t have let her get anywhere near Sir!”
Daniu said defiantly.
“So in the end it’s still your own lack of skill, and now you’re blaming someone else?”
Tang Xiaobei was now fully focused on winning Bei Qianxun over. She secretly gave Daniu a meaningful look.
When Daniu saw Tang Xiaobei openly taking sides so blatantly, he could only sigh and accept his misfortune.
“Sister Qianxun, oh dear, it’s seeping blood again. Let me take you back to re-bandage it!”
Tang Xiaobei supported Bei Qianxun and returned to the tent.
“Dazhuang, have everyone set up camp.”
Jin Feng looked up at the sky and said helplessly.
What was meant to be a brief rest had been delayed by Bei Qianxun until the sky was nearly dark. Travelling further would not get them far anyway. It was better to camp here and let the escorts rest properly for a day.
“Sir, I know the bandit lair Miss Qianxun mentioned. The mountain is so steep there isn’t even a small path. There’s only a one-zhang-wide gap for going up and down. If we set up a few heavy crossbows at the entrance, we can trap them completely!”
Monkey asked in a low voice, “How about I arrange for two squads of brothers to stay behind and take care of them?”
“No need. The situation in Jinchuan is unclear right now. There’s no point leaving brothers here.”
Jin Feng shook his head. “However, work an extra shift tonight. Send people to inquire why Bei Qianxun is here, what grudge she has with those bandits, and who that little girl with her is.”
In fact, Jin Feng had already thought of the method Monkey suggested.
By now the escorts were very experienced in suppressing bandits. Jin Feng did not need to handle it personally anymore.
But Jinchuan was currently short of manpower. Jin Feng did not want to leave anyone behind.
In his heart, Jinchuan remained the most important.
If Bei Qianxun was willing to follow him, that was best. If not, Jin Feng would not force her.
But whether she agreed or not, Jin Feng needed to know why she had appeared here.
This was not mere gossip. He had to rule out the possibility that Bei Qianxun had deliberately approached him.
Although that possibility was very small.
If Bei Qianxun had wanted to get close to him on purpose, she could have simply agreed to follow him back in the Western Sichuan prison. There was no need to go through so much trouble.
But after coming to Great Kang, Jin Feng had experienced too many things. His mindset had changed, and he had become much more cautious.
In his previous life, workplace struggles meant at worst being scolded by the boss and having some pay docked. But in Great Kang, lack of caution could cost you your life.
“Understood. I’ll go now.”
Monkey agreed and turned to leave.
