There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 415 More Miserable Than Us

The bandits seemed to truly only care about money.

They moved quickly and efficiently, and except for a few who were itching and rolling around, they took away most of the grain and conspicuous valuables.

They even devoured the carcasses of those wild beasts, probably thinking they were also meat.

For those who had fallen to the ground, they simply tied their hands and feet loosely with thick rope; the itching powder made the rope even looser, without causing any further harm.

The leader, wearing a tattered leather hat, looked at the camp that had been "looted" and the crowd tied up on the ground, glaring angrily, and actually rubbed his hands together somewhat embarrassedly.

"Um... I'm really sorry, heroes and heroines, we had no choice. The higher-ups in Boyu Kingdom... sigh, we couldn't make ends meet, so we fled to these deep mountains and forests to become bandits. We won't hurt anyone, really! It's cold in the mountains at night, so we left you that fire. The rope isn't tight, you can untie it yourselves... Please don't chase us! You won't be able to catch us!"

After saying this, he quickly called to his men, who, carrying the looted supplies, disappeared into the dark forest in a flash, moving as swiftly as the wind.

The camp fell silent again, save for the crackling of the campfire and the bound, exhausted members of the delegation, looking at each other in bewilderment.

After a long pause, Li Shuchen's weak and incredulous voice rang out.

"We...we were robbed by a group of bandits who still had some conscience and were somewhat polite? Did they even say 'sorry'?"

The tenth prince, lying on the ground, glanced sideways at Li Shuchen.

"The hair ornament in your hair and the earrings on your earlobes are gone."

"What?! I just bought this gold jewelry not long ago, and I haven't even worn it enough yet..." Li Shuchen roared, heartbroken and full of pain.

The tenth prince smiled contentedly; his jade pendant hadn't been lost for nothing.

Liang Yuying tried to circulate her internal energy to dispel the effects of the sleeping gas, and whispered...

"The sleeping potion wasn't very strong; he should regain his strength in another half hour. They... definitely didn't kill him."

Princess Changning felt that the red crystal hairpin in her sleeve was still there (Ruan Jingshang had secretly put it back), and breathed a slight sigh of relief. She then began to worry about the stolen military rations.

Ruan Jingshang lay on his side on the ground, looking at Princess Changning, who was also bound and standing close to him, and said in a low voice, trying to find some bitterness in his silence.

"Princess, it seems that our first test at this 'heavenly threshold' is a ferocious beast, and the second... is a neighbor who's gone mad with poverty!"

Princess Changning glared at him, but the corner of her mouth twitched slightly involuntarily.

Gu Ziying struggled to sit up, looked at the mostly empty campsite, sighed, and then rallied her spirits.

"It's good that everyone is safe. As for food and supplies... we'll figure that out later. At least we know that besides wild animals, there are 'people' on this mountain."

Ye Bingli had already struggled to sit up and leaned against the rock next to her, rubbing her wrists.

As night deepened, a chill crept in.

As the group gradually regained their strength, they helped each other untie the ropes.

The campfire still burned, illuminating the group of travelers who had just survived a fierce battle and been robbed in a farcical manner. Though disheveled, the fire in their eyes had not been extinguished.

The morning light struggled to pierce the thick fog at the threshold of the sky, illuminating the disheveled campsite.

Everyone stood up and took stock of the losses.

Most of the grain was taken away, and much of the gold, silver, and valuables was also missing. Fortunately, weapons, documents, and essential medicines were not taken.

"try to find"

Liang Yuying spoke concisely, her face covered with a layer of frost.

It wasn't about the money; it was because these bandits were familiar with the terrain, and if their background wasn't clarified, the journey ahead could become even more unpredictable.

Moreover, reclaiming some of the food was essential for survival.

Ruan Jingshang volunteered

“I will lead the way. Although they moved quickly last night, carrying heavy objects on steep mountains must have left tracks. I noticed that the direction they went seemed to be a familiar animal trail.”

His keen eye for traces of nature caught the attention of Princess Changning.

The mission deployed its elite forces, tracing the trail along scattered grains of grain, blurred footprints, and hastily broken branches.

The mountain terrain became increasingly rugged and secluded. After rounding a massive wind-eroded rock pillar, a cave village hidden behind a huge crevice in the mountain came into view.

It was called a village, but it was nothing more than a few dozen simple shacks built against natural caves, using wooden poles and tattered leather to keep out the wind and cold.

Animal hides were drying in the open space, and some emaciated women and children were carefully processing the wild game they had stolen the day before. Their eyes showed little joy, only numb busyness.

Several children, dressed in ill-fitting, tattered fur coats, looked at the group of uninvited guests with a mixture of curiosity and timidity.

"Was what the chief stole last night theirs?" a child whispered to his friend.

"They must be. They're good-looking and well-dressed; they look rich," another child nodded in agreement.

Last night, the short, stocky leader wearing a tattered leather hat was frowning and looking worriedly at a small pile of stolen silver.

He looked up and saw Liang Yuying and the others, and jumped up in fright. His hand instinctively reached for the wooden spear beside him, but he hesitated and didn't pick it up.

"Heroes...women...how did you find your way here?"

His voice was weak.

"We've used some of the supplies...and the food has been distributed..."

Behind him, the bandits who had participated in the robbery the previous night gathered, holding crude weapons and looking tense, but not much fierce or violent; rather, they were filled with fear and vigilance.

Li Shuchen noticed with his sharp eyes that many of them had boots with their toes sticking out, and their fur coats were patched upon patched.

The tenth prince had intended to use his princely authority to reprimand him, but seeing this scene, he choked on his words and could only mutter something to Li Shuchen in a low voice.

"They... seem to be in a worse situation than us?"

Liang Yuying did not act immediately. Her gaze swept over the barren nest and the pale-faced women and children, and she said in a deep voice...

“We did not come here to exterminate them, but do you know what crime it is to plunder the delegation?”

The leader knelt down with a thud, not out of fear, but more like a desperate outpouring.

"My lord! General! We know we're in the wrong! But we have no choice!"

His rough hands patted the ground.

“We are all herders and farmers on the border of the Kingdom of Boyu. The king… the tribute he demands is too heavy. Sandstorms have been raging for years. The grasslands are gone, the fields yield no harvest, and we had no way to survive, so we fled into the mountains.”

"But what's in these mountains besides rocks and those few ferocious beasts? We'll freeze to death in winter and starve to death in summer. Robbing you... is our first 'business' of the year. We're counting on this little bit of food to get through the spring."

As he spoke, his eyes reddened.

The bandits behind them all lowered their heads, and one of the women began to sob softly.

Li Shuchen felt terrible and tugged at Liang Yuying's sleeve.

Princess Changning watched silently as a thin child clutched a hard, dry biscuit tightly—one of the military rations they had been robbed of.

Ruan Jingshang sighed, stepped forward, and spoke calmly.

"Leader, please rise. We have witnessed your suffering firsthand, but looting is not a long-term solution. This time it was us, but what if the government troops surround and suppress us next time?"

The leader shook his head blankly.

"I don't know... I'll just take it one day at a time."

Xiao Xiuyuan suddenly spoke up, "We are an envoy from the Purple Star Dynasty to the Boyu Kingdom. If we can meet with the King of Boyu, we may be able to explain the hardships on the border, discuss tax reductions, and open trade routes."