Chapter 71
Chapter 71
“A City God Temple?” Xie Qingling asked.
Was it the kind of City God Temple she was thinking of? Were those not transit stations for the Underworld in the mortal realm? How had that become worship of the River God?
“No. It was an Eight Zha Temple.” Ma Qiaoqiao’s father’s gaze grew unfocused, as though he had fallen into a memory and recalled distant events no one had mentioned in many years.
All this time, the village elders had never spoken of it, and he had not known whom he could tell. He had assumed that as he grew older and his mind dulled, the things meant to be forgotten had simply faded. Yet the moment he spoke of them, they came vividly alive again.
The sugar figurines he had eaten while visiting the temple fair with his mother, and the fragrance of incense offerings he had smelled while praying, remained fresh despite all the years. He could not forget them.
Ma Qiaoqiao’s father drew deeply on his cigarette and exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke before continuing. “We worshiped the Eight Zha Gods, eight gods in all. The City God was the seventh among them, a water deity also known as Shuiyong.”
“The Eight Zha Sacrifice was held every year in the twelfth lunar month and was also known as the Laba Sacrifice. That was the faith our ancestors passed down for more generations than anyone could count. Back then, there was no River God and no need for human sacrifice. The greatest worry at every ceremony was failing to place the first stick of incense.”
Nostalgia appeared on his face. A moment later, however, he seemed to remember something, and his dark features turned deathly pale.
He said, “But later… around thirty years ago, before Qiaoqiao was born, when I was still an inexperienced young man, the river that had always been calm suddenly flooded.”
“The flood was enormous. Terrifying. In the blink of an eye, it drowned vast stretches of crops and swept away houses. The dams and irrigation channels were useless. All of them were useless. No number of sandbags and no amount of manpower could hold the water back.”
“The village was filled with nothing but crying children and moaning old people. Just when it seemed we could no longer survive, the adults decided to beg the water deity to bless the poor villagers.”
“They begged and begged, prayed and prayed. Perhaps the water deity truly did bless us, because the flood receded and the river returned to normal. Everyone was beside themselves with joy and wanted to rebuild the village that had been washed away. But… but… the flood came again!”
“It was as though the entire river rushed straight at us, determined to swallow us all. Many people died that time. Their bodies floated on the water, swollen huge.”
“We abandoned our homes and the good farmland we had cultivated for years, moving deeper into the mountains. But those who had died could never come back.”
“Later, I don’t know who suggested striking down the gods to punish them for failing to do any good or fulfill their duties.”
“The people’s hatred finally found an outlet. They climbed the mountain to strike down the gods and smashed the Eight Zha Temple.”
“It was meant as a warning. The villagers wanted the gods to perform their duties more conscientiously. But no one imagined the attack would utterly enrage the Eight Zha Gods. The flood continued surging after us. No matter where we fled, the water seemed to follow.”
“Everyone ran back to beg the water deity again, but this time, Shuiyong would no longer answer us.”
“Later, Crazy Wang said we should worship the River God instead. If Shuiyong no longer answered, then we should put our faith in a god who did.”
“We followed Crazy Wang’s instructions, held a sacrifice for the River God, and found her a bride.”
“After we sacrificed to the River God, everything happened just as Crazy Wang had promised. The river changed course, the flood withdrew, and the waters stopped rising. The River God had answered our prayers. We reclaimed our homes and land, and everything began improving. Three peaceful years passed. I married Qiaoqiao’s mother, and we had Qiaoqiao.”
“But then… then, three years later, Crazy Wang said the River God wanted another bride.”
The expressions of all three women in the room turned grim.
Xie Qingling rested one hand on the table, one finger bent and tapping lightly as she considered something.
Ma Qiaoqiao’s father said in anguish, “That was when the sacrifices to the River God began. Every year – every single year – we had to choose a bride from the village!”
“Every one of them was someone’s daughter. How could we bear to do it? But… but… what choice did we have?”
Xie Qingling sneered. “How did you have no choice? If you truly couldn’t bear it, you could have stopped the sacrifices. Half the reason the River God dares act with such impunity is that all of you indulged her.”
“We did stop,” he said. “One year, we ignored Crazy Wang and did not find the River God a bride.”
“That year, every newborn child in the village died.”
The hand pinching Ma Qiaoqiao’s father’s cigarette began to tremble. “Crazy Wang said something even more terrible would happen if we defied the River God’s wishes. We had no choice. We could only… continue.”
What a goddamned evil deity.
Xie Qingling’s face darkened.
After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Who is Crazy Wang? Why do all of you obey him?”
Crazy Wang played a critical role in the sacrifices to the River God.
Even the village chief followed his every word.
And then there were the three little ghosts riding on his back.
Everything about him reeked of the unnatural.
Ma Qiaoqiao’s father said, “According to legend, every village has a Village Guardian.”
“Village Guardians seem mad yet sane, foolish yet wise, deranged yet lucid. Most have some kind of bodily defect that sets them apart from ordinary people.”
“They say Village Guardians shield their villages from disaster and calamity, and that’s why they become this way. Others say Village Guardians have opened their eyes and can see what ordinary people cannot. That’s why they must be consulted for every wedding and funeral in the village.”
“I don’t know the details either, but everyone is afraid of him and considers him taboo.”
“I don’t know anything more,” Ma Qiaoqiao’s father said. “I’ve told you everything I do know.”
Xie Qingling stared into his eyes and slowly said, “You haven’t finished. Where are the other three people? And what truly happened to the previous bride?”
The wrinkles in Ma Qiaoqiao’s father’s face deepened.
He said, “Five people did come to our village a month ago. Because of the River God’s curse, our village rarely has any dealings with outsiders.”
“We were afraid word about the River God would spread and bring disaster down upon us, so we let them stay for only one night, then made them leave.”
“You really let them leave?” Xie Qingling did not believe him. “Did you kill them? Tell me where you buried their remains. If you cooperate and help make amends, you might receive a lighter sentence.”
“No, no! I truly don’t know where they are! That bride volunteered. Crazy Wang said so. If you have questions, ask him.” Ma Qiaoqiao’s father grew agitated and shouted, “I didn’t kill anyone! I really didn’t kill anyone!”
If Luo Yuancheng’s corpse had not already been found, Xie Qingling might also have believed they had merely disappeared.
But after witnessing Luo Yuancheng’s reanimation and seeing Li Jiao’s bones beneath the river, she found it difficult to remain optimistic.
Xie Qingling said, “Fine. I’ll remember everything you said. Once I resolve the situation here, someone else will naturally take over. When that happens, no lie you tell and nothing you’ve done will fool the experts.”
“What… what lies? I haven’t lied.” Ma Qiaoqiao’s father denied it, only to freeze a moment later.
Wait.
She had said once she resolved the situation here?
Did she intend to deal with the River God?
She was not marrying the River God because she meant to die?
Realizing something, Ma Qiaoqiao’s father asked, “What are you planning?”
Xie Qingling said, “To slay a god. Haven’t you done it yourselves? What’s there to be so shocked about?”
Slay a god?
Kill the River God?
Ma Qiaoqiao’s father’s legs nearly gave out.
Their own attempt to strike down the gods had amounted to nothing more than smashing the temple and statues.
But the River God came and went without a trace. How could anyone strike her down?
Ma Qiaoqiao’s entire family began trembling with fear.
This woman truly was insane.
But…
If she really could slay the River God, would that mean they never had to sacrifice another bride?
Would the suffering that had continued for so many years finally come to an end?
Ma Qiaoqiao wiped away her tears and said, “I don’t know who you are, but if you truly can slay a god… tell me if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“There actually is something,” Xie Qingling said. “Prepare lunch for me. I’m hungry. Make it a feast, bring plenty of food, and include meat.”
No one spoke.
She truly did not look nervous in the slightest.
Ma Qiaoqiao’s family exchanged glances. In the end, they swallowed every question and said nothing.
“Go. Prepare something for her to eat.”
They cleared a room for Xie Qingling’s exclusive use.
About half an hour later, Ma Qiaoqiao brought steaming platters of plain-poached chicken and duck, along with rice, vegetables, and every other accompaniment.
“Is this enough?” Ma Qiaoqiao asked.
Because Xie Qingling had specifically requested large portions, she had brought a great deal.
“Not enough. Bring some more,” Xie Qingling said.
Ma Qiaoqiao fell silent. Could she really eat that much?
As expected of a woman who meant to slay a god. Even her appetite was much greater than everyone else’s.
Before long, Ma Qiaoqiao returned with several more meat dishes.
This time, Xie Qingling finally said nothing.
Meanwhile, the person sent by the village chief arrived as well.
The village chief had asked his wife to bring Xie Qingling a red wedding dress.
Once again, it was embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water and twin lotus blossoms on a single stalk.
Because the village frequently held sacrifices, these wedding dresses were kept in constant supply. The moment a bride was needed, one could be produced.
But after so many years of sacrifices to the River God, the villagers recoiled at the sight of red. No one used the color for real weddings anymore.
They feared it from the depths of their hearts.
Xie Qingling was not particular. She changed into the dress as soon as it arrived.
The brilliant red fabric bore auspicious designs, yet somehow looked inexplicably sinister.
Xie Qingling straightened the dress, then sat at the table and began eating.
She truly was hungry. She had also had her fill of compressed biscuits and cold, hard buns, so the meal tasted exceptionally delicious, and she ate a tremendous amount.
Halfway through, the partly closed window was pushed open from outside.
Shen Huaizhou and Dai Xingyu climbed through one after the other.
The rich aroma of meat left Dai Xingyu momentarily stunned.
When he saw the lavish spread of chicken, duck, fish, and meat before Xie Qingling, he immediately protested. “This is too much! We were locked in a woodshed to suffer while you feasted out here!”
“Just eat! Even food can’t shut you up!” Xie Qingling stuffed a chicken leg into his hand.
Only then did Dai Xingyu begin wolfing down the food.
Shen Huaizhou also sat at the table. As he ate, he said, “We knocked out the guards and tied them up. Most of the villagers are busy preparing your wedding banquet now.”
“Tell us. What exactly do you plan to do?”