Annual Ceremony

Chapter 23 Xiaoman (I)

Just as Zhenyi was looking at the wide field, Juzi, who had been following slowly, suddenly ran into the field.

The wheat fields are very tall this season, and when Orange jumps in, he can't see his shadow, he can only see the wheat waves shaking.

Zhenyi shouted, and seeing that the wheat waves brought up by Juzi were still surging forward, Zhenyi, knowing that Juzi would not do this for no reason, did not hesitate and lifted her skirt to wade into the dense wheat ridges.

"Meow-!"

Zhenyi was about to reach the center of the wheat field when she suddenly heard Juzi let out a sharp cry.

Looking up, Orange seemed to have discovered something and pounced on it, but was thrown out and fell into the field.

The wheat field was turning, and Zhenyi soon saw a familiar figure half standing up. It was Ji Wu, who most often appeared in the fields.

However, the next moment, a hand suddenly stretched out in front of Ji Wu, struggling to emerge from the wheat field, accompanied by vague crying sounds.

Zhenyi was startled and shouted: "——Mother Zhuo?!"

At the same time, he quickened his pace and ran forward.

Juzi jumped up again and pounced on Ji Wu, instantly scratching several bloody marks on Ji Wu's neck and face. Ji Wu screamed, took two steps back, grabbed Juzi's head, and threw him out hard.

Mother Zhuo took the opportunity to climb up from the wheat field, but her hair was disheveled, blood was flowing from the corners of her mouth, and her clothes were torn and messy. She barely stood up and cried to Zhenyi who was walking towards her, "Miss! Quick! Go and call someone!"

Before Zhenyi could react to what was happening, she saw Ji Wu grabbing Zhuo Mama's hair, grabbing one of Zhuo Mama's arms with one hand, and dragging her away.

Mother Zhuo felt pain and fear, and her cries were miserably and desperately.

Ji Wu looks thin, but his hands are full of strength from years of hard work. He no longer takes good care of his fields as usual, and he drags Zhuo's mother hard, leaving an indentation in the wheat field.

As he stepped back, a pair of eyes glared at Zhenyi.

Zhenyi had never seen such a ferocious look in his eyes. He was completely different from the simple and honest Ji Wu of the past, as if he was possessed by an evil spirit.

Such a ferocious look was enough to scare away a child of eleven or twelve years old, and it was also enough to leave a long-lasting horrific memory in the child's mind.

Zhenyi subconsciously took one step back, two steps.

Zhuo's mother asked her to call for help...

Zhenyi turned back stiffly in extreme fear, only to find that she had reached the other end of the field and was far away from the village.

At noon, there was no other figure in the fields. The despairing silence made Zhenyi think of a nursery rhyme: At noon, ghosts show their heads.

This proverb tells people not to go near water or cliffs at noon, and not to go out alone, otherwise they will be entangled by evil spirits and take their lives.

Zhenyi had previously thought that this statement was contradictory. According to those who believed in ghosts and gods, wasn't noon the time when the Yang energy was at its strongest? Why did the evil ghosts dare to appear at this time? Ghost and god talk had always been so difficult to justify.

It was not until this time that Zhenyi understood where this six-word proverb came from.

If you encounter danger outside at this time and no one responds to your calls for help, the "ghosts" dare to show up and do evil.

Zhenyi never thought that Jiwu would be a "ghost".

When she first met Ji Wu, Zhenyi was horrified by his appearance and the long, terrifying scars on both sides of his mouth.

Afterwards, Wang Xichen asked his father about Ji Wu's experience. Zhenyi followed Zhuo's mother and heard it nearby.

Ji Wu injured several people, and it seemed that one person died, but everyone just felt that he was pitiful and miserable.

Ji Wu lost his parents when he was young, and he grew up in a remote and poor place. But one day, the county magistrate sent someone to say that he wanted to build a bridge in front of their village.

There had always been only one single-log bridge there, and the villagers were very happy. They heard that an official was going to pass through here for inspection or return home... In short, an important person wanted to pass through here. If he didn't go through this place, he would have to take a detour. How could they let the master take a detour? The county magistrate and the rich gentry decided to build a bridge.

Everyone was very happy. They felt that they had received help from a noble person and that they would have a bridge to use in the future.

It was the rainy season, the river was rushing, and the construction period was also very tight. Many villagers were dragged to do labor, but two people were washed away by the river. One was rescued, and the other drowned. Drowning was a small matter, and the family could be sent away with some funeral money. This was a bridge built for an important person, who would dare to stop it? The most important thing was that accidents happened before the bridge was built, which was very unlucky.

Two more big snakes were dug out that day, and the villagers became even more panicked.

We asked an expert to take a look, and he said that there were many drowned water ghosts here and they must be suppressed.

The offerings and incense were quickly prepared.

A deep pit was dug on the river bank, under the bridge foundation.

The sacrifice was tied up, like a straight bridge pillar, waiting to be driven into the pit.

The sacrifice struggled, but he could not speak. He could only beg with tearful eyes.

No one cared to pity him. Following the instructions of the expert, those people shoveled up mud and sand with shovels and poured them into his mouth, trying to turn him into a real bridge pillar and drive him into the pit.

Mud and sand filled his mouth, nose and throat. He struggled. Those people held him down. The corners of his mouth were torn open by the shovel. Blood was dripping, and the torn flesh was filled with mud and sand.

The victim stopped begging. The usually docile and cowardly man somehow broke free from the rope, snatched the shovel, fought back like crazy, and then ran away.

He was still caught and sentenced to exile and slavery by the government. No one cared why he hurt and killed people. On the day he was taken to exile, he saw from afar that the bridge was half built - who made a sacrifice for him? No one knows.

The wound at the corner of his mouth that was once bloody slowly healed, twisting and turning under the wind and sun like an earthworm in a wheat field.

All thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. Zhenyi turned around and ran away quickly, with the wheat waves rolling as she ran.

A long stick with a rag hanging on it was propped up in the wheat field and fluttering in the wind.

A pair of still tender hands grasped the long stick and pulled it out with all their strength.

Zhenyi turned around, raised her long stick, and ran quickly towards Zhuo's mother.

This place was almost the end of the field, and at the end of the field was a mountain. Her grandfather never allowed her to go into the mountain because no one would be able to find her if she went into the mountain!
It would take at least a quarter of an hour to go back to the village to call for help. Zhenyi was afraid that Mother Zhuo could not wait that long - if she were Mother Zhuo, she would be very scared to be dragged away like this without seeing anyone!

Mother Zhuo had already lost her strength. Seeing that Zhenyi had not left but was chasing after her, she cried out, "Miss, help me!" and then shouted, "Miss, leave quickly! He's crazy!"

Zhenyi was terribly scared.

Her hands holding the long stick were shaking, and as soon as the long stick got close to Ji Wu, Ji Wu grabbed it.

Zhenyi staggered forward and fell in the field, still holding the long stick tightly.

Orange pounced on Ji Wu's face with his fur standing on end. Ji Wu shook his hand off. Zhenyi took the opportunity to quickly get up and hit Ji Wu with a long stick, while shouting for help repeatedly in a trembling voice.

Mother Zhuo staggered and crawled towards Zhenyi crying, shouting: "...Help! Help! Someone is killing me!"

Ji Wu, who was scratched by the cat, saw that the situation was not good and seemed to hear some noise. He woke up as if from a dream and did not dare to continue to pester. He suddenly turned around and ran towards the mountains.

Mother Zhuo hugged Zhenyi and kept crying for help.

"...Mother Zhuo! He's gone!"

"Okay, it's good to go!" Mother Zhuo hugged Zhenyi tightly, pleading in a trembling voice, "Go quickly, let him go quickly! Don't come back again!"

"Who are you? Stop!" A young man's voice was faintly heard from the mountain road at the end of the field.

When Zhenyi saw a man and a horse, Ji Wu ran even faster. When he was about to step onto the narrow path in the mountains, the young man on the horse drew his bow and arrow.

Ji Wu fell to the ground after being shot in the leg.

Soon another four or five people appeared.

The leader was a woman in Mongolian riding clothes. She discovered Zhenyi and Zhuo's mother, dismounted and walked quickly to check.

Mother Zhuo's clothes and hair were disheveled as she cried and hugged Zhenyi. Zhenyi's face was pale, and she still held the long stick in her hand, looking forward defensively.

The tall woman reached out and grabbed the long stick. There was soothing in her deep brown eyes. Zhenyi's eyelashes trembled, tears fell, and she put down the long stick.

Mother Zhuo was limp all over and incontinent, unable to move. The woman took off her cloak and covered Mother Zhuo with it, then easily picked up Mother Zhuo.

Zhenyi raised her hand and pointed the way, then followed the woman.

The young man who shot the arrow had already ordered his servants to tie up Ji Wu. Ji Wu had a black face, so it was not difficult to identify his identity. Even if he was just treated as a fugitive, the arrow could still be shot.

The young man asked someone to keep an eye on Ji Wu and quickly followed.

The young man didn't say anything. He just looked at Zhenyi, whose face was covered in cold sweat, and then looked at Orange, whose body was covered in dirt and wheat green.

He recognized Zhenyi and also recognized the cat, even though it was not wearing a flowery jacket today.

After leaving the wheat field, Zhenyi saw a pair of cloth shoes placed at the edge of the field. They were made by Zhuo's mother for Ji Wu.

Ji Wu took good care of it and was reluctant to wear it outdoors.

Zhenyi returned home, the news spread, and soon someone invited Wang Zhefu back.

Not long after, Qisheng, who had gone out shopping with the villagers, came back.

When Old Lady Dong and Tao'er returned home, Zhenyi threw herself into her grandmother's arms.

Old Mrs. Dong touched her granddaughter's head and said, "Good, good...good child, don't be afraid."

Wang Zhefu followed the mother and son to deal with the follow-up matters. The crowd who were concerned, sighing and scolding gradually dispersed. As the sky gradually darkened, Qisheng closed the gate of the courtyard.

Tao'er lit a lamp and said with sobs that it was fortunate that Mother Zhuo did not suffer any serious bone injuries.

When there were no more outsiders around, Mother Zhuo finally burst into tears: "Old lady..."

Old Mrs. Dong sat beside the couch, comforting Mother Zhuo and listening to what Mother Zhuo had said.

It turned out that at noon today, Zhuo's mother had cooked lunch, but she didn't see Ji Wu coming back for lunch, so she went to the field to call for him, but perhaps because he was far away, Ji Wu didn't seem to hear him. After seeing each other day and night for more than a year, they knew each other well, so Zhuo's mother didn't think much about it and went to the field to call for him along the ridge.

Zhuo's mother came closer, Ji Wu raised his head and laughed.

Mother Zhuo stopped moving forward and waved at him, indicating that he should go back to eat.

Ji Wu held up a bunch of wild flowers that he had picked at some unknown time.

Mother Zhuo waved her hands and refused to take it. Ji Wu surrounded Mother Zhuo and forced the food into her hands, leaning against her. Mother Zhuo was unhappy and turned around to leave, but Ji Wu grabbed her arm.

This was an unprecedented action. Although Ji Wu could not speak, his past behavior was enough to show that he considered himself inferior to others and would never behave like this.

Mother Zhuo felt something was wrong and looked back, only to see Ji Wu looking up at her and smiling. His smile revealed a different kind of excitement from the past, and his eyes were wandering over her.

Mother Zhuo felt a chill on her back and her face immediately turned stern. She cursed, pushed Ji Wu away and was about to leave.

Ji Wu became lustful but refused to let her go.

At first it was just a tangle, but when Zhuo's mother lost all sense of dignity and started calling for help, he suddenly slapped her.

Violence, like evil thoughts, can be learned without any instruction.

Mother Zhuo was pinned down in the wheat field. She struggled mightily and refused to give in until Zhenyi and Juzi arrived.

Many things happen in just a thought. Ji Wu did evil because of a thought, and Zhenyi went to the back of the house to look for someone because of a thought.

Mrs. Dong looked at the sewing basket beside her and whispered, "These shoes shouldn't be made."

At night, the old lady held her granddaughter in her arms and slept, gently stroking Zhenyi's back over and over again.

"Mother...is his pity fake?" Zhenyi asked in a low voice.

"It's true." Mrs. Dong told her granddaughter, "But pity and kindness are two different things."

Zhenyi: "But he was very good before..."

"That's because of fear." Mrs. Dong: "Some people are uncivilized. Only fear can restrain the evil in their hearts. It doesn't make sense to reason with them."

"But this kind of evil is often the most clumsy." Mrs. Dong talked to her granddaughter for the first time about the principle of evil: "There is another kind of evil that can hide under the bright skin of saints and sages, so that you can't easily see that he is doing evil..."

Zhenyi was frightened when she heard this. She grabbed her mother's clothes and looked up to ask, "Mother, how can we see through it and avoid it?"

Zhenyi did not hear the answer from her mother, who seemed to just sigh.

Zhenyi's eyes moved to the window, and she saw Juzi's plump and furry figure squatting on the windowsill, and then she felt relieved and talked about Juzi's contribution: "Grandmother, today is all thanks to Juzi..."

As the night deepened, the cat stayed by the window, keeping the nightmare away.

Zhenyi was frightened and stayed at home for a few days. She returned to the private school after seeing that Zhuo's mother was better. In addition to Tao'er, Qisheng also sent Zhenyi to class.

On this day, Zhenyi was returning home from school. When she passed by a field, she saw green ears of wheat in the field.

At this time, the wheat ears are still very light, the wheat seeds have just begun to fill with grain, and the wheat ears are not yet full, so this solar term is named "Xiaoman".

Zhenyi arrived at the entrance of the village and saw some villagers sharpening their sickles. That is - the wheat pulp is not yet full, but the farmers are already sharpening their sickles.

The women who were sharpening their sickles told Zhenyi that a distinguished guest had come to her home.

Zhenyi was curious, so she walked quickly to the door of her house and saw several tall horses tied in front of the door. A villager was bending over to pick up horse manure.

Juzi followed Zhenyi into the house and saw that the people coming into the hall were the mother and son who had sent Zhuo's mother back that day and took Ji Wu away.

The mother and son did not appear nearby by chance that day. They came to see Wang Zhefu that day, but the situation was chaotic that day, so they did not discuss their purpose in detail. They waited until Ji Wu's matter was dealt with before they officially came today.

Mother Zhuo, with bruises still on her face, bowed to the woman and thanked her.

The young woman looked at Zhenyi who had returned and said, "My son and I were just passing by. The one who saved us that day was this precious pearl in the prince's house."

　(Good morning, today is Mid-Autumn Festival, I wish you all a happy and fulfilling Mid-Autumn Festival.)
　　Thank you all for your monthly tickets, rewards, and messages. Now we begin the eighth solar term of this book.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)