It was a beautiful spring day, perfect for Fang Yuan to take his new horse out for a trial run outside the capital city gates.
He already finished his classes for the day and he rarely had free time to do something that he enjoyed without feeling guilty.
Fortunately, his father was out of town on business and his doting mother was easily persuaded to let him go out instead of reading classics until sundown.
"Young Master Fang! Please slow down!" cried out Du Ping, nearly falling off his own horse as he tried to catch up with his master. "You're going to hurt yourself!"
"Don't be a worrywart, Du Ping! How else can I test out this new horse from Brother Li unless I run as swift as the wind?!" Fang Yuan urged his horse, newly dubbed "Feng Shen" (Wind God) , to go even faster and left poor Du Ping far behind. "When would I ever get the chance to just run again?!"
Du Ping shook his head as he also knew that Young Master Fang will likely not get a chance again until Master Fang left the household for business.
Although he understood his Young Master, he also could not keep from crying out in panic at the speed he was going, does he want to give him a heart attack?!
Fang Yuan breathed in the spring air, feeling invigorated from this rare chance of freedom.
For once, he was not burdened with the responsibilities and duties of the eldest son of the Fang family, he was simply a young man enjoying his youth and vigor, free of worries and stress.
"Help! Somebody help!" a scream suddenly broke his run, causing Fang Yuan to slow down Feng Shen abruptly.
A scream full of terror was soon followed by a petite figure falling before his horse. "Help me...." she whispered, a pale thin hand outstretched to him beseechingly, before falling into a faint.
Loud yells and horse gallops echoed from the deep forest. It was clear that it was bandits, probably running after her for some dastardly "fun." After all, bandits were either after money/treasure or, in the unlucky chance it was a woman, r*pe.
Fang Yuan did not delay or have a second thought before he expertly swooped down and grabbed the woman onto his horse.
Taking a second to adjust her carefully, he whipped Feng Shen into a gallop once again.
He might not be a righteous martial artist wandering the world or a yamen (Justice Court) guard (similar to police) but he was a man with a clear sense of justice and duty, how could he possibly look away without helping?
Unfortunately, two of the frontrunners caught up to Fang Yuan before he could get onto the main road to the city.
After all, Feng Shen had to carry two instead of just him. The two bandits jeered at Fang Yuan's gentlemanly appearance, knowing that he wouldn't put up much of a fight.
"Hero saving the beauty? Hah, in your dreams!" laughed the man on the left, sporting an old sword scar from his left eye down to his right cheek, thereby dubbed Scarface.
"What a fool! Does he think he can get away from us?" chortled the man on the right, his eye brow wiggling up and down. That's right, one brow. His eye brows connected in one dark hairy line across his forehead, and will heretofore be known as Uni-brow.
"You better put the little lass down if you know what's good for you," said Scarface as he clutched his sword, pulling it partly out of its sheath in a menacing manner. "Unless you want to meet your maker!"
"What will it take for you to let us go?" asked Fang Yuan, his demeanor stern and lacking any fear.
"Fool! Do you know what situation you are in now?!" scowled Uni-brow. "How dare you try to negotiate with us?"
"I am Young Master Fang Yuan of the Fang silk family from the imperial city. If you let us go, I will give you money and treasures in return," replied Fang Yuan.
Scarface spit on the ground in contempt. "Bastard, do you take us for fools? Why should we believe you?!"
Fang Yuan unclasped his favorite jade amulet from his waist, having never left his side for a moment since his mother gave him the gift as his birthday present. "This will confirm my identity. Take this to the Fang family villa and someone will fulfill my promise."
He tossed the jade amulet into Scarface's arms and patiently waited for the two bandits to verify the authenticity of the item.
Although Scarface and Uni-brow were bandits, even they could tell this jade amulet was no common good. The dark emerald green and smoothness of the intricate carvings around the large letter "Fang" was obvious, even to their uncouth eyes, that it was worth a fortune.
"Hmph, this jade is enough to preserve your life...but that little lady belongs to my chief!" yelled Scarface, pointing at the unconscious female in Fang Yuan's arms.
Fang Yuan finally took a look at the woman in his arms and was immediately stunned.
In the beginning, everything had happened so quickly that he only noticed that it was a woman and nothing else.
However, when he finally took a closer look at her, he can only wonder how was it possible that a goddess came to the human realm?!
Dark ebony hair as fine as soft silk gently caressed a face with skin like white translucent jade, her lips full with a slight pout and as pink as spring cherry blossoms, her willow leaf brows framing her closed eyes, long lashes still trembling from her previous tears.
This was the type of woman that no man could ever resist, even when she was unconscious and just dead weight in his arms. Even though she was currently dressed in rough sackcloth and her hair was all askew, she was like Chang E descending down a ray of moonlight.
Fang Yuan looked back at the sneering bandits and his heart dropped all the way to the ground.
He could only imagine what kind of disgusting acts they will do to defile this goddess!
Although Fang Yuan was also moved by her beauty, he was not the type of man that will take advantage of her, especially if she did not give consent.
"Don't even think about it, you little brat! That woman is for my big brother! And if she satisfies him, maybe she can even become the chief's head lady! Hahaha, if not..." Uni-brow licked his lips lasciviously and rubbed his lower body in a disgusting manner. "Big Brother has always taken good care of his brothers. We fellows will treat her like the useless whore she is and she will beg for more after we're done with her!"
His raucous laughter only caused the burning rage in Fang Yuan's heart to explode!
"You dare?!"