Early the next morning, Shi Yuanqing wanted to accompany the four people to Dengde County, but just as they were about to set off, the drum for appealing against injustice in front of the government office was struck.

Shi Yuanqing had no choice but to stay in the government office to handle matters, and the four of them set off on horseback together.

After arriving at the place, the four men dismounted and found that many people had gathered on the bank of the Baishui River.

"I have long said that there is a river god in this river, and you must offer sacrifices to him. Now the river god is angry, and you, alas..."

Hearing this, the three of them looked at Gu Lingze, only to see the corners of his lips curled up, "Let's go and take a look."

County Magistrate Wang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked at a man in Taoist robes with an embarrassed expression on his face.

"According to what you see, is there no other way?"

Gu Lingze and his three companions pushed through the crowd and walked to the front. Unexpectedly, the Taoist priest seemed to have sensed something and suddenly turned around to look at them.

Gu Lingze raised his chin, a smile flashing across his eyes.

The other three people did not expect that the man in Taoist robes in front of them was very young, with a sharp and handsome face.

"I have something to do today, I will come back another day." After saying this, without waiting for County Magistrate Wang to react, he pushed through the crowd and ran away in a short while.

"Master, Master, please stay!" County Magistrate Wang shouted loudly, but the man did not stop. He was left there sighing.

"If you ask me, we should just use that fool from Mayang Village as a sacrifice. Didn't the Taoist priest say the same thing last time?"

The people around started talking about it. County Magistrate Wang's face turned red with anger. "Everyone, shut up!"

The people were suddenly silent, but some of them still had resentment on their faces.

When County Magistrate Wang saw the expressions of the crowd, he flicked his sleeves vigorously and turned away with the yamen runners.

After the county magistrate left, the crowd gradually dispersed, but many people were still talking about the matter.

Gu Lingze walked to the bank of Baishui River and looked at the water carefully.

Just as Shi Yuanqing said, the river water is turbid and fast, rolling constantly, as if it will rush onto the shore at any time, making people afraid.

"Lingze, why did that Taoist priest run away when he saw us?"

Gu Lingze chuckled, "That's because he is smart."

Gu Feirui scratched his head, not understanding what he meant.

"Let's go to the county government office."

After arriving at the place, County Magistrate Wang obviously knew Cao Xianrui. After Cao Xianrui introduced the identities of Gu Feirui and Zhao Chengmo to him, County Magistrate Wang hurried to greet them.

"May I ask if the three gentlemen are here because of the Baishui River incident?"

Cao Xianrui nodded and said, "That's right."

County Magistrate Wang immediately sighed and looked worried.

Gu Lingze saw that there were three blisters on his lips, and he was obviously very anxious about this matter.

"The Baishui River has never been in such a state for so many years. I have sent people to inquire about it. It has not rained in the city upstream. I don't know why it has become so turbulent in Dengde County."

Gu Lingze thought for a moment and asked, "Who was that Taoist priest during the day?"

County Magistrate Wang replied, "I only know that the Taoist priest's surname is Wu. On the third day after the problem with Baishui River occurred, I was about to go see the prefect when a yamen runner came in and said that a Taoist priest wanted to see me..."

The Taoist priest surnamed Wu then told Magistrate Wang that something was wrong with the Baishui River because the villagers had angered the river god and that a ritual sacrifice should be performed.

County Magistrate Wang was somewhat skeptical, but the situation in Baishui River was indeed strange, so he decided to give it a try and, according to Taoist Wu's instructions, he purchased all the sacrificial items, including the altar and incense burner.

Unexpectedly, after Taoist Wu performed a ritual, the Baishui River actually calmed down, which surprised and delighted County Magistrate Wang.

As a result, the surprise did not last for a few days, and the Baishui River returned to its old ways, even worse than last time.

Taoist Priest Wu looked at it and shook his head, saying that the river god was not satisfied with the sacrifice and now wanted a living person to be sacrificed. The sacrifice had to be a girl or boy under the age of 20.

After hearing this, County Magistrate Wang was horrified and said it was impossible.

After hearing what he said, Taoist Priest Wu could only shake his head to indicate that he was powerless and asked him to seek help from someone else.

As a result, for some unknown reason, the rumor that the Baishui River God wanted to sacrifice a living person spread.

Several local gentry in the county town actually jointly contributed 500 taels of silver, and threatened that if anyone offered the sacrifice, the silver would be used as compensation.

Although five hundred taels of silver was a huge sum of money for ordinary people, how could someone be so cruel as to push their own child to death?

But there was a family in Mayang Village who was very willing to do so. Just two days after the matter of the five hundred taels of silver was made public, this family brought their young man to see County Magistrate Wang.

"That boy looks stupid and doesn't quite understand what's going on. But even if this family is willing, I cannot do such a cruel thing."

"You bastard!" Gu Feirui slammed the table, and the teacups on the table were shaken to the ground.

County Magistrate Wang was shocked, thinking that Gu Feirui was scolding him. He gritted his teeth and was about to kneel down to apologize, but was stopped by Zhao Chengmo.

The more Gu Feirui thought about it, the angrier he got. "Mayang Village, right? What's the surname and name of that family?"

County Magistrate Wang quickly told everything he knew, and Gu Feirui turned and left. Zhao Chengmo and the other three said goodbye to County Magistrate Wang and chased after him.

They rode non-stop all the way and when they arrived at the entrance of Mayang Village, Gu Feirui stopped a villager.

"My fellow villager, where is He Wang's home?"

The villager raised his hand and pointed in a direction, "Go to that locust tree, then walk west to the second house."

Gu Feirui handed over a piece of silver and said, "Thank you." Then he kicked the horse's belly and sped away.

Cao Xianrui is still confused until now. He was indeed very angry when he heard about this, but it shouldn't be to the extent that Gu Feirui would be so angry that he would come to his house immediately, right?

Gu Feirui arrived in front of the family and kicked the door down. "Who is He Wang? Get out here!"

He Wang and Liu Fenhua were discussing something in the room. They were both startled by the loud noise.

"Who are these bastards who dare to cause trouble here? Are you tired of living?" He Wang rushed out of the house while cursing.

But when he took a look, he was shocked to see four young men in luxurious clothes standing at the door, and he immediately became scared.

He Wang smiled apologetically, "I am He Wang, and the four gentlemen may..."

Before he could finish his words, Gu Feirui grabbed him by the collar and asked through gritted teeth, "Where is He Tianshui?"

At this time, He Wang's two children also came out, and He Wang hurriedly shouted: "Why don't you call your brother back!"

When He Tianshui was brought back, he was followed by a group of people including the village head.

"Gentlemen, what is the matter with coming to my Mayang Village?"

Gu Lingze looked at He Tianshui, who was wearing thin clothes and standing there timidly, and looked very pitiful.

He walked over and pushed up the man's sleeve, and saw that it was covered with scars.

Gu Feirui became even more angry when he saw this, and he shouted at the head of the village: "What do you do as a head of the village? You don't care about He Tianshui being abused like this?!"