The days when I farmed in Liaozhai

Chapter 14
Along the way, Aunt Huang and Xiao Lianniang talked and laughed, and when Xiao Lianniang talked about her daughter's marriage, she laughed with Aunt Huang again.

Fu Duoxi couldn't interrupt, and didn't want to interrupt, but was happy to enjoy the scenery along the way with both hands.

The sacrificial stage of the Shangsi Festival is at the foot of the Spring God Temple, and there is a wide river at the foot of the mountain—Yanghe River.

Many people have gathered by the Yang River.

Among a group of girls in red and green and their daughters-in-law, Rong Niang in a pale pink dress stood out.

Fu Duoxi chose a thick willow by the river, spread it on a cloth, took out food from the food basket, and placed them one by one on the cloth.

Xiaolian's parents couldn't wait to see their daughter, so they ran to the sacrificial stage to watch.

Fu Duoxi watched Aunt Huang walk over to talk to Rong Niang, Rong Niang glanced at her, then said something to Aunt Huang, and Aunt Huang came back alone.

"Rong Niang wants to have fun with the little sisters, let her go. It's not good for me to be with them either."

Aunt Huang clicked her lips, obviously her daughter-in-law abandoned her, which made her feel bad.

Fu Duoxi opened the dim sum wrapped in bamboo leaves and asked Aunt Huang to try everything.

It’s not yet time for the sacrifice, so everyone is scattered in groups, some are sitting on the grass and chatting, some are splashing water to play... Everyone brought snacks to share, and there is a faint sweet fragrance in the air .

The dim sum made by Fuduoxi are decorated with various flower petals and placed on the green bamboo leaves, which look like works of art.

Aunt Huang ate two yuan, and called out to her daughter-in-law to come and taste it. The daughter-in-laws around Rong Niang all looked at Aunt Huang, but Rong Niang didn't seem to hear, and walked further away with the food basket.

"What happened to Rong Niang today..."

Aunt Huang shook her head.

Fu Duoxi also felt that Rong Niang was weird, as if she was deliberately avoiding her.

The deepest part of the Yanghe River can reach the shoulders of a five-foot man.The adults stopped their children from going into the middle of the river.Adults and children break a branch of green willow on the bank of the river, take off their shoes and socks, and pat the willow branch on their feet and body, symbolizing the removal of bad luck and blessings for health.

Fu Duoxi stretched out the tips of her toes and probed. The river water was slightly cold, and girls still couldn't wash their feet in cold water. She also dipped a willow branch in the water to bathe her feet, imitating Aunt Huang, and chanted a few words to pray for health.

Aunt Huang took out a safety talisman from her pocket and said:
"I went to the Avalokitesvara Temple to fulfill my wish, and I specially asked for a peace talisman for you. I will bring it to you on the Shangji Festival."

Fu Duoxi took the amulet and put it on his neck, feeling warm in his heart.

The sacrificial activities have begun.The float team from the county government slowly drove over. People lined the road and waved to the people on the float. Several floats stopped at the sacrificial stage, and dozens of girls in costumes got out of the car.

The girls in colorful dresses all had the same hairstyle, and their height and face shape looked similar from a distance. They wore heavy makeup on their faces, and there was a grain of cinnabar between their eyebrows.

Fu Duoxi watched for a long time before he recognized Xiao Lian who was standing in the last row.

Xiaolian's parents also recognized their daughter and called her name loudly.

The sacrificial stage was immediately filled with people, three layers inside and three layers outside, airtight.

Fu Duoxi was pushed to the front, and the expressions of the girls on the stage could be clearly seen.

The movements of the girls were uniform, and their expressions seemed to be poured out of the same mold.

It's so strange, how come they feel like marionettes, soulless and lifeless.

The girls started to circle around, and Xiao Lian turned to Fu Duoxi.

"Xiao Lian, Xiao Lian..."

Fu Duoxi's shouts were not small, and given the friendship she and Xiao Lian grew up together, Xiao Lian should at least give her a smile in response.But no, Xiao Lian didn't respond at all.

The girls slowly lowered their backs, holding their ankles with both hands, their heads turned to the ground, their eyes were empty and lifeless...

"Good waist!"

Someone in the crowd applauded.

It drew applause and admiration.

When the girls slowly got up, Fu Duoxi saw a person opposite, a man in black.

The man in black held a palm-sized red cloth bag in his hand.

Fu Duoxi's nerves tensed immediately.She is too familiar with the shape of that red cloth bag...

A gust of wind blew away a corner of the red cloth bag, revealing a wooden statue.

The man in black hurriedly covered the red cloth bag and squeezed out of the crowd.

The wooden statue of Rong Niang has been burned in the Spring God Temple. Is there another wooden statue that is exactly the same?
Fu Duoxi squeezed out of the crowd and quickly caught the figure in black.

The man in black is going up the stone steps to the Spring God Temple.

The man in black walked quickly, and quickly climbed up the last stone step.Fu Duoxi quickened his pace.

The man in black walked straight into the Spring God Temple.

There is no one in the Chunshen Temple, only the incense burner in front of the Chunshen statue is full of sandalwood.

A large lock is hung on the small door leading to the Guanhou meditation room.

The man in black disappeared out of thin air...

Fu Duoxi found nothing in the Spring God Temple, so he had to go down the mountain and return to the sacrificial stage.

The sacrificial dance is over.Xiao Lian's mother was pulling Aunt Huang to talk, Xiao Lian couldn't go home today, and had to wait for the county government to arrange for someone to take them home.

"Let's take our daughter home by ourselves, and it's not enough to save the old man's traveling expenses..."

Xiao Lianniang muttered that she couldn't be with her daughter, and she wasn't in the mood to play anymore, so she gave Fu Duoxi all the meat buns she brought.

"Maybe the county government has other program arrangements. I think Xiao Lian dances pretty well, but that one's waist is... tsk tsk!"

Aunt Huang's eyes lit up when she saw her son.

At the end of the Shangsi Festival, Fu Duoxi and Aunt Huang returned to the village in an ox cart.Her legs were numb when she got out of the car, but luckily she didn't get motion sickness.

Aunt Huang squatted on the side of the road and vomited several mouthfuls of yellow water.

"No wonder Rong Niang doesn't want to ride a bullock cart..."

The ox cart was brought by Aunt Huang's son to honor his mother. Hearing that she was happy, Huang Lang was too precious. He was worried that Rong Niang's ride in the ox cart would be bumpy, so he ordered a small sedan chair to carry Rong Niang home.

Aunt Huang was waiting for Niang Rong's sedan chair at the entrance of the village.Fu Duoxi went home alone.

The little fox demon and the black cat demon are not in the house,

Fu Duoxi guessed that the two monsters slipped out to play.She heated up the meat buns in the food basket in a pot, and made another pot of egg drop soup.

It was already dark when the little fox came back, blinking its eyes, it took the initiative to admit its mistake to Fu Duoxi, took off the backpack, and poured out half a bag of green plums.

There are only green plums on Yashan Mountain. Obviously, the little fox demon has gone to find his elf friend again.

Who doesn't have a few friends!
Of course Fu Duoxi would not punish the little fox demon for this.

"Yeah, I know my sister is worried about me... I didn't expect to come back so late, next time, next time I won't. Uncle Yao is not here, I haven't seen him all day."

The little fox demon sniffed, seeing that Fu Duoxi didn't intend to blame it.

He happily grabbed the meat buns and took two bites, then picked up the egg drop soup and started drinking it.

"I saw that wooden statue again today...it is the one we burned in the Spring God Temple. A man in black took the wooden statue into the Spring God Temple, and then I followed, but found nothing..."

"Oh no!"

The little fox demon put down the soup bowl and stared wide-eyed.

"I can see clearly, it's the wooden statue."

"Then I'll go take a look."

The little fox demon grabbed a few meat buns, ran away and disappeared.

(End of this chapter)