The stepmother said to her two daughters, “The prince believes you two are his saviors. One of you is bound to become the princess, but we must get rid of Cinderella! If the prince discovers she is his true savior, we are doomed!”

The eldest daughter said, “I heard there are bandits in the western mountains. They are ruthless, demanding either money or life. There’s no other choice.”

The younger daughter added, “Sending Cinderella to the western mountains is perfect. She has no money, so she will lose her life…”

Thus, they sent Cinderella to the western mountains to pick mushrooms.

Cinderella had just reached halfway up the mountain when she heard someone shouting for help.

She ran towards the sound and saw a few bandits robbing an old lady of her purse. The old lady clung tightly to the purse.

One bandit raised his knife and said, “No one dares to resist us. Everyone knows we are ruthless. It’s either money or life. It looks like you don’t value your life!”

The bandit raised his knife to strike.

Cinderella, shouting “Stop!”, ran over and said to the old lady, “Money is just a worldly possession. Give it to them.”

The old lady, in tears, said, “This money is for my daughter’s treatment. Without it, how can she be cured?”

Cinderella quickly pleaded with the bandits, “Please, show some mercy and let her keep the money for her daughter’s treatment!”

The bandits laughed loudly, “Mercy from bandits? Stop dreaming! Tell her to let go, or we’ll kill you too!”

Cinderella finally persuaded the old lady to release the purse.

As the old lady watched the bandits leave with the purse, she cried, “What will happen to my daughter?”

Cinderella said, “Don’t cry, look, the money is still here.”

The old lady looked and indeed, the purse was in Cinderella’s hand.

It turned out Cinderella had used magic to switch the purses, filling the one taken by the bandits with stones.

Cinderella returned home safely, and her story spread throughout the town. Everyone praised her for saving the old lady and her daughter.

The stepmother, trembling with rage, exclaimed, “Not only did she survive, but she also became a hero!”