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墨書 Inktalez
"Something terrible has happened! Xia Muxin has gone mad and captured the Serpent God! Everyone, hurry and take a look; this is going to bring divine retribution!"
At that moment, it was lunchtime, and the villagers had finished their work, heading home in small groups. You Shi glanced at several villagers approaching from a distance, chatting among themselves. Suddenly, she slapped her thigh and sat down on the ground, crying loudly while displaying her bloodied arm, as if afraid no one would notice her injury.
"Sister Zhou, what happened? You were just laughing and chatting with Gui Lian on your way back. Where's Gui Lian? Oh dear, how did you get hurt like this?"
The one asking was Tang Sanwan, the wife of Liu Mazi. Zhou Qinglian held the esteemed title of Young Mistress of the Wang family, and since Liu Mazi worked for the Wang family, Tang Sanwan naturally sought to curry favor with her. She often flattered You Shi, calling her sister-in-law.
Moreover, it was not uncommon for people of similar backgrounds to band together. Influenced by Liu Mazi, Tang Sanwan had developed a deep-seated prejudice against Xia Muxin's family and had often joined Zhou Guilian and her sisters in bullying the Xia family.
Most villagers were reluctant to approach You Shi. After knowing her character for decades in their small community, they were well aware of her nature. Yet her petty behavior intimidated them. Eventually, at the gesture of an elderly man, they slowly approached her and began to ask questions.
After a flurry of explanations from You Shi, she clapped her hands and exclaimed sharply, "You all say—shouldn't we burn her? This is an offense against the gods! If divine punishment comes down upon us, we're all doomed!"
"If that's truly the case, Sister Zhou is right," replied the elderly man thoughtfully as he stroked his sparse beard, reaching a firm conclusion.
This elder was Xu Lao Si, the former village chief and a respected figure in the community. Hearing his words made the villagers furrow their brows in silence while growing increasingly worried about Muxin.
This good child suddenly claimed to have contracted a disease and then caught the Serpent God! They had heard tales of the Serpent God; even several strong men lacked confidence in subduing it. How could she, a young girl who had yet to fully mature, possibly handle such a creature?
This matter is indeed strange.
It also aligns well with the concept of being possessed.
In the village, there are rules; anyone who is possessed must be taken to the ancestral hall for burning, or else it could bring disaster to the entire village.
"Uncle Xu, you are the most respected among us. The Summer Forest family is already pitiful, and besides, if there was no coercion involved, Muxin wouldn’t have accidentally become possessed. Shouldn’t we first invite a Taoist priest to exorcise her before making any decisions? After all, this is a living life."
Aunt Liu, nearly fifty years old, lived behind the Summer Forest family. She lost her husband early on and raised Big Niu and Er Niu all by herself. A few years ago, when the government called for soldiers, the two brothers took their newly harvested soybeans to Town to sell, but they never returned.
At that time, Big Niu had just been married for a month. Swallow, who came from another village, faced a lot of bullying from her mother-in-law. Fortunately, Swallow was pregnant when Big Niu left; nine months later, she gave birth to a chubby boy who is almost six years old now. Xia Muxin grew up under her watch.
The children were well-behaved and called her "grandma." She couldn’t bear to see Muxin taken away for burning and thus made the suggestion.
- End of Chapter -
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