I have a martial arts panel.

For the next three days, Xu Ning accompanied Tao Yungang and others to complete the handover of the goods.

During this period, Tao Yungang also had to spend a lot of time stabilizing his network of contacts and connections.

Finally, three days later, on the morning of the fifth day after leaving home, everything was finished, and everyone began their return journey.

Once you leave Kangyun County, the further you go, the fewer people you see.

"If I ride in the donkey cart again this time, my uncle will switch to a horse-drawn carriage next time."

Guo Ye and Xu Ning were still sitting on the donkey cart behind the lead cart.

"Did Uncle Gang make a fortune this time?"

Xu Ning asked.

"Two thousand taels," Guo Ye said in a low voice. "That's the net profit after deducting costs."

"Two thousand taels?" Xu Ning was still shocked. "This kind of business, going every three months, Uncle Gang's annual income must be at least eight thousand taels, right?"

"It's not that exaggerated."

Guo Ye waved his hand: "It depends on the time... These past few months have been autumn, so there are more mature medicinal herbs to harvest. By the end of December, there are only a few kinds of herbs that can be harvested, which can be hauled up in one cart, so it won't be very profitable."

"Moreover, this is under the condition that the escort is safe and there are no robberies," Guo Ye added. "If we encounter a ruthless person and get robbed once, we might lose a year's work, or even our lives."

Xu Ning pondered Guo Ye's words for a moment: "That's true..."

Tao Yungang's trip may seem incredibly profitable, but it still required a lot of hard work and involved taking risks.

The donkey cart continued its journey, and two hours later, the group passed the mountain path with trees crisscrossing on both sides.

"To perk you up."

Tao Yungang roused himself and reminded everyone again.

Xu Ning also gripped his steel knife tightly, wary of any potential danger.

The sun was high in the sky, and it was very hot.

On the hillsides on both sides, the occasional roar of a beast or a few bird calls could be heard, which only made the desolation seem even more pronounced.

"We'll fill our stomachs after we get past this place."

Tao Yungang spoke to the people behind him.

Everyone nodded in understanding.

Law law law~

Suddenly, from the hillside, there was first the neighing of horses, followed by the sound of galloping hooves.

Everyone looked up.

On either side of the mountain, a group of horsemen galloped down the slope.

They were armed, their eyes fierce and greedy, exuding banditry, and they completely surrounded the four donkey carts.

At a glance, there must be more than a dozen people.

"Is this... a highway robbery?"

Upon seeing this scene, Xu Ning's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Seeing the menacing bandits, Xu Ning gripped the hilt of his knife, preparing to deal with the impending crisis.

In fact, Xu Ning was a little nervous. Although he had anticipated that this situation might occur, he still couldn't remain completely calm when faced with it.

He had faced ferocious beasts, but had never encountered a desperate warrior.

"We still got screwed..."

Tao Yungang frowned deeply, as if facing a formidable enemy.

However, this was clearly not the first time Tao Yungang had encountered this situation. He first gestured to everyone, indicating that they should not move.

"I wonder which hero has come to make friends?"

Tao Yungang didn't take any weapons; he jumped off the carriage with his bare hands and walked towards the bandit leader.

"You're Tao Yungang?"

The one speaking was the bandit leader.

The bandit leader was bald, muscular, and had a fierce look on his face.

He was the bald-headed bandit chief who had been eyeing Tao Yungang's convoy before it entered the city.

"Um?"

Tao Yun's heart skipped a beat when he heard the other person call his name.

Instinctively, he sensed something was wrong.

It seems like I've been targeted beforehand.

"I am Tao Yungang from Taojiazhuang."

He was wary inside, but on the surface, Tao Yungang remained calm and composed.

He clasped his hands together, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and looked quite magnanimous.

In his words just now, he deliberately mentioned the three words "Tao Family Village" as a reminder to the other party.

As one of the three major villages in Kangyun County, Taojiazhuang is also well-known outside the area.

"It's you, that's all that matters..."

The bald, burly man rubbed his head and said, "Tell your men to put down their weapons and get off at the station."

Upon hearing this, Tao Yungang frowned.

Judging from the bald, burly man's tone, he didn't seem to care about his identity; on the contrary, his attitude was dangerous.

"This hero looks unfamiliar; I don't even know his name."

Tao Yungang ignored what the bald man had just said and instead asked about the other party's identity.

The bald, burly man sneered, "My surname is Zhan, and my brothers call me Zhan the Three-Knife."

"Brother Zhan Sandao," Tao Yungang said calmly, "this is our first meeting, a stroke of fate, I'll give you five hundred taels of silver as a greeting gift, how about you make way for us?"

"Five hundred taels?"

Zhan Sandao chuckled upon hearing this, somewhat surprised.

Not only Zhan Sandao, but Guo Ye in the car also looked serious.

"Xu Ning, we're in big trouble."

Guo Ye pursed his lips and muttered to himself.

"What's wrong?"

Xu Ning countered with a question.

"In the past, when petty thieves robbed the road, my uncle would give them two hundred taels of silver to get rid of them. This time, he asked for five hundred taels, which means that the other party is difficult to deal with and two hundred taels is not enough to satisfy their appetite."

Guo Ye explained.

"so……"

Guo Ye's reminder heightened Xu Ning's vigilance even further.

He figured that if Tao Yungang couldn't reach an agreement later, they might have to resort to violence today.

"Five hundred taels is a bit too little."

Zhan Sandao smiled, but his tone was chilling: "Add a little more."

Tao Yungang narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this, but his smile remained unchanged: "Alright, I recognized you the moment I saw you, Brother Zhan. We must have a real connection. In that case, I'll increase the gift to one thousand taels."

"One thousand taels..."

Zhan Sandao feigned an exaggerated expression, taking a deep breath: "Refreshing, refreshing!"

"Since that's the case..."

Just as Tao Yungang saw that Zhan Sandao seemed to be relenting and was about to take out the money, he saw Zhan Sandao's expression change again.

He tapped his bald head, grinning, and said, "A thousand taels is tempting, but my brother won't agree!"

As they were talking, a man with a missing arm rode up to Zhan Sandao's side from behind.

His face was gloomy, his smile sinister, as he stared at Tao Yungang: "Tao Yungang, long time no see."

"you……"

Tao Yun's pupils contracted as soon as he saw the man.

"It's Guan Yinggou, that's you!"

Tao Yun recognized the man and the hawk-wielding man; it was the bandit who had robbed him before.

Three months ago, when I passed through this area, Guan Yinggou and his men robbed me, demanding a thousand taels of silver.

Tao Yungang refused to give in, and instead seized the opportunity to fight back, killing or seriously injuring his men, and even crippling Guan Yinggou's arm.

I thought that Guan Ying Gou had lost his crew and his arm was crippled, so he could no longer stand in this film. I never expected that he would turn to someone else and come back to rob me again.

"Last time I asked you for a thousand taels, and you refused. This time, I don't just want a thousand taels, I want your head!"

Guan Yinggou drew his sword with one hand, his killing intent palpable.

Now that things have come to this, Tao Yungang understands his current situation and no longer harbors any illusions.

The men who came this time were there to kill and rob.

"Grab your weapons!"

Tao Yungang instantly distanced himself from Guan Yinggou and Zhan Sandao.

He pulled a broad-backed machete from the donkey cart and held it in his hand.

Following Tao Yungang's orders, the others also picked up their weapons, showing no sign of backing down.

The effect of Tao Yungang's previous spending lavishly to win over people's hearts is now fully demonstrated.

At the same time, Zhan Sandao and his men, who had been blocking the road, began to surround Tao Yungang, Xu Ning, and the others.

"These people are not to be trifled with, everyone be prepared." The situation is urgent, but Tao Yungang did not panic. "If there are any casualties after the battle, I will definitely provide your families with enough money to live out their remaining years. Even if I were to lie here today, my wife would do the same, so please rest assured."

These words solidified the resolve in the eyes of everyone escorting the truck.

"Xu Ning."

Tao Yun suddenly turned his head and said, "You're a bit weaker here, so you don't need to risk your life. I'll clear the way first, and you take Guo Ye and run up the mountain. Don't look back."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ning nodded emphatically, knowing the urgency of the situation, and replied without hesitation, "I understand, Uncle Gang."

"Yunquan, you and I are the strongest here," Tao Yunmeng instructed. "After I clear the way for Xu Ning and Guo Ye, you go and deal with Guan Yinggou. I'll handle Zhan Sandao, the most troublesome one."

"Got it, Gang-ge."

Tao Yunquan, Tao Yungang's long-time partner, displayed the composure of a seasoned veteran, remaining completely calm and collected.

"The rest of you, escape if you get the chance later. Survival is the most important thing!"

Just before the enemy was about to launch their attack, Tao Yun gave everyone one last instruction.

"kill!"

At this moment, Zhan Sandao gave an order, and his bandits rode up and attacked.