On the other side, in the ancestral hall of the Nanxiang ethnic group, Nan Wei was kneeling on the ground with her head down.
The footsteps grew clearer, and Nan Wei couldn't help but shudder.
The figure landed in front of him, and a cold voice came from above, "Why did you do this?"
"I didn't mean to hurt them, I just thought it was fun..."
For some reason, Nan Wei suddenly looked up and argued, "Besides, won't they be allowed to leave tomorrow...?"
Before she could finish speaking, Nan Wei met her mother's cold gaze and instantly lowered her head without any backbone.
"Let's put that aside for now. Where are the people you've hidden in the back mountains? And what are their intentions?"
Nan Wei suddenly raised her head, then said somewhat indifferently, "You already know."
"Why?"
"That man is handsome, I've taken a liking to him, and I'm planning to keep him as my lover!"
"How dare you!"
"How have I been disrespectful? Isn't this the kind of father you favored? Why is it different when it comes to me!"
Nan Wei's eyes were red. The saintess looked at her stubborn appearance and raised her hand, but in the end, she fell down helplessly.
In the empty ancestral hall, a cool breeze blew through, and Nan Wei remained kneeling.
"You even used a curse, you put a curse on an outsider."
"yes."
"Go untie him, then go to the Hall of Enforcement to receive twenty lashes."
After saying that, she turned and left, leaving Nanwei staring at her departing figure, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.
Upon seeing Nan Wei, Lu Jingze immediately shielded Wang Xiuxiu behind him.
Nan Wei pouted, "Don't be afraid. My mother has found out, and you no longer need to stay as my husband. I'm here to remove the curse from you."
Lu Jingze sat down with some skepticism, waiting for Nan Wei, who was also sitting at the table, to remove the Gu poison from his body.
She took out a knife, wiped it clean, and then slashed Lu Jingze's arm.
Wang Xiuxiu tried to step forward, but Lu Jingze turned her around with one hand.
Don't look.
"Coward!" Nan Wei made a face at Lu Jingze.
Before Lu Jingze could even put on a cold face, Nan Wei looked away and opened the box in her hand.
After a few wriggles inside the box, a Gu worm gradually crawled out from under Lu Jingze's skin toward the wound.
It had just popped its head out when Nanwei caught it and put it back in the box in an instant.
"Alright, you can turn around now."
"Although the Gu worm has been removed, he still needs to rest in bed for a day. I won't worry about the wound; I need to go get... I have other things to do, so you take care of him!"
After saying that, he shoved the wound-treating supplies into Wang Xiuxiu's hands and ran out.
Wang Xiuxiu watched her departing figure, then looked at Lu Jingze's still bleeding wound, and decisively chose to treat his injury first.
After treating the wound, Wang Xiuxiu stared at him, making Lu Jingze feel very uncomfortable.
"I knew you were hiding something from me! Turns out you almost got captured and made a bandit's wife!"
"It's all...it's all that witch's nonsense!"
"Alright, alright, I'm not that petty. It's just that she said you have to stay in bed for a day, so we won't be able to leave tomorrow."
"No need, I can..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wang Xiuxiu cut him off, "No need for anything! Health is a big deal. What if you don't rest well and end up with a chronic illness? Listen to me, let's rest for a day before we leave. Anyway, they owe us this, so one more day won't make a difference!"
Seeing Wang Xiuxiu's anger, Lu Jingze dared not say anything more and obediently nodded.
Since they wanted to stay an extra day, they had to seek the consent of the Holy Maiden of Nanxiang.
Therefore, Wang Xiuxiu went to the Holy Maiden's residence early the next morning.
"Since it was my daughter who made the mistake, it is only right that our clan should bear the responsibility. Please rest assured, sir, I will have the clan make the arrangements."
Wang Xiuxiu bowed to express her gratitude.
"Besides this matter, there is another matter I would like to discuss with the Holy Maiden."
"Please speak, sir."
"I only recently learned that Nanxiang Mountain has been ruled by the Nanxiang people for generations. To be honest, our reason for taking this route through Nanxiang is to open up a road to the south."
After saying this, Wang Xiuxiu clearly felt that the surrounding environment had become much colder.
"The Nanxiang people have not interacted with other ethnic groups for a long time, and no one has set foot on Nanxiang Mountain for a long time. If it weren't for my daughter's naughtiness, you would not have been able to get here."
Nan Xiangsheng's expression was indifferent, but when she looked at Wang Xiuxiu, her eyes were full of warning.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became tense.
After a long silence, Wang Xiuxiu said, "I understand what the Holy Maiden means, but I still hope that you can hear my conditions before you consider it."
"Please speak, sir."
"I had the privilege of witnessing the Nanxiang sacrificial ceremony last night, and it was truly awe-inspiring. But I wonder what the nobles are seeking in this ceremony?"
"What do you mean by this, sir?"
"Let's not beat around the bush. Many members of the Holy Maiden Clan have abnormally swollen necks. Have you considered seeking a solution?"
Seeing that the Holy Maiden did not speak, Wang Xiuxiu continued, "If this disease worsens, it will not only affect the appearance of the face, but also cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing. In addition, some people may also experience symptoms such as hoarseness, rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, hand tremors, and weight loss."
Looking at the saintess's face, Wang Xiuxiu knew that what she said was true.
"Does sir perhaps have a solution?"
"Yes, I have a way to solve this, but..."
"In exchange, I must agree to open Nanxiang Mountain to your passage."
"yes."
"Sir, didn't you ever consider that with you here, whether you agree or not is no longer up to you?"
“What the Holy Maiden says is true. However, this method of healing is not just a method, but an object, something that is rare in Nanxiang Mountain.”
This explanation has truly confused the Holy Maiden of Nanxiang.
Her face turned cold. "Sir, are you trying to trick me?"
Wang Xiuxiu quickly waved her hand, "No, no, no, I wouldn't dare to lie to you. To put it more clearly, the illness your people suffer from is caused by a long-term deficiency of a certain element. Once it is replenished, it will be cured without any further treatment."
"Elements? What are elements?"
"Just like the food and water we eat and drink every day, the things that replenish our bodies can be called elements, and the elements that each food can provide are very different."
"You mean my people haven't eaten something for a long time, which has caused their current illness?"
"That's right!"
"There is none in Xiangshan, southeast of this place?"
"It's not that there's none at all, just very little, and given your people's dietary habits, they can't get these elements very well."
Seeing the saintess's thoughtful expression, Wang Xiuxiu pressed on, "To be honest, my destination is precisely where I can obtain enough food rich in this element."
Now, the Holy Maiden of Nanxiang finally understood Wang Xiuxiu's intentions.
She both takes the path from herself and uses what she says to control herself, constantly opening doors of convenience for them. Although she is not old, her intelligence far surpasses that of ordinary people.
“I understand what the Holy Maiden is worried about, but the Holy Maiden should also be confident that with the snake and insect mechanisms and miasma unique to Nanxiang, it is enough to keep out those outsiders with ulterior motives. Just for the health of the people of the tribe, is it not worth taking these risks?”
"What you say, sir, I have to agree with."
Wang Xiuxiu bowed forward, her attitude extremely respectful, "I leave it to the Holy Maiden to decide!"
Having received permission from the Holy Maiden of Nanxiang, Wang Xiuxiu returned with a rather arrogant expression.
Lu Jingze knew immediately that she had succeeded.
"It's done?"
Wang Xiuxiu said smugly, "Of course!"
After she finished speaking, Wang Xiuxiu realized, "You know what I went to do?"
"Go and negotiate with the Holy Maiden of Nanxiang?"
Wang Xiuxiu nodded. "How did you know?"
"I guessed it because I saw you staring at the necks of those Nanxiang people."
Wang Xiuxiu looked at him and couldn't help but blink her starry eyes.
Lu Jingze couldn't hide his smile and patted her cute little head. "Why are you so surprised? I was just guessing, but it's not as insightful as you being so perceptive!"
"Hehehe! I'm very smart!"
After saying that, she didn't forget to praise him as well, saying, "You're not bad either. You guessed pretty accurately based on just this few clues. That's quite impressive!"
Lu Jingze never hesitated to praise Wang Xiuxiu, giving her ample emotional value, which is why Wang Xiuxiu especially enjoyed sharing her joy with him.
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