Xiao Nanhui blinked, letting the slightly wet dew drip down from his eyelashes.
On a summer night in the mountains, a gentle breeze still blew. The soft grass on the hilltop lay low, and as the wind blew past, the three creeping figures were faintly visible.
They had been lurking on this hilltop for half an hour. The view from here was vast, and they could see everything from the mudflats along the Hun River to the valley where the Shen family was entrenched.
However, when night fell on Blackwood County again, everything here seemed different.
The deer disappeared into the mudflats. Under the moonlight, not even a single water bird could be seen on the smooth black sand.
No one left the harbor tonight. The river was exceptionally quiet, not a single boat was in sight, and the boatmen were nowhere to be seen.
The flames burned quietly in the depths of the caves. From afar, the mountains seemed to have grown red eyes, like the legendary god named Jie Ma, looking down coldly at the creatures on earth in the darkness.
It was difficult to notice when you were in it before. The cave is actually located in a depression surrounded by a valley. It is actually a naturally formed sinkhole. The bottom of the sinkhole is accessible on all sides, and dense paths shuttle through the mountains. Even if you are at a high place, it is difficult to tell where each path leads.
In the center of this pit, there was a circular square paved with red gravel. It was pitch black, with no fire at all, and only the moonlight could provide a glimpse of the surroundings.
They had agreed that Shen would take some action in advance, but they didn't expect it to be such a big move.
Hundreds of young men and women knelt in the center of the square, chanting incomprehensible runes in a low voice. The oldest among them was only about seventeen or eighteen years old. All of them were shoulder to shoulder, forming a huge circle. The starting point of the circle was facing the first palace of the western constellation Zi, the Deer Head, where stood Chen Shi'an, dressed in plain linen clothes.
After an unknown amount of time, Shen Shian finally moved.
She started from the starting point of the circle and walked along the group of people sitting around. She walked very slowly, and when her eyes passed over those young faces, she had a kind smile on her face. The men and women who were baptized by her gaze all lowered their bodies and did not dare to look up at Chen Shi'an.
The expressions on everyone's faces were so docile and submissive. They were waiting for something devoutly, with the same expressions as those who went to the temple to pray for the protection of the gods.
Xiao Nanhui looked at it in amazement, nudged the man next to him with his elbow, and spoke in a low voice.
"When you were choosing your concubine, there wasn't such a scene, right?"
She asked this question without thinking, and when she finally realized something was wrong, the man had already taken over her conversation.
"Indeed, not at all." His voice was soft, with a barely perceptible smile. "There never was, and there never will be."
Xiao Nanhui stopped talking, and didn't dare to look back at the person lying beside her. She forced herself to focus on Chen Shian in the distance.
Finally, Chen Shi'an stopped walking, her eyes fell on the short and fat figure in the crowd who looked particularly round. She squinted her eyes to look closely at the round head, short and fat strong limbs, and the leftover apricot kernels on the ground.
Xiao Nanhui's heart skipped a beat.
It's that child.
"Look up."
Shen Shian's tone was very satisfied.
The girl seemed to be frightened. She didn't move for a long time, and her plump body was shaking like a sieve.
Chen Shi'an frowned, and the old woman who had been standing not far behind him came forward. She reached out her hand, touched the girl's forehead, the top of her head, and the back of her head, and nodded continuously.
"The sky is full and the mountain behind is flat. Congratulations to the master of the house for choosing the best product."
Shen Shian walked up and took the child's hand, with a childish innocence and sweetness on his face.
"Are you scared?"
The girl still didn't speak, just trembling.
Chen Shi'an extended a hand to the old woman, and the old woman took out a candy from the bamboo basket behind her and put it in Shen Shi'an's hand.
Chen Shian pinched the candy, moved close to the girl's lips, and spoke with a hint of temptation in his voice.
"Come, have some candy. You won't be afraid after you have some candy."
The girl opened her mouth hesitantly and the candy went into her mouth. The old woman then took her hand and took Chen Shi'an's hand, turned around and walked towards the cave with red light, and the boys and girls followed closely behind and went deep into the cave.
Xiao Nanhui stood up from her hiding place. The wind blew away some of the cold sweat on her neck. She thought for a moment and said to the person next to her.
"I'll go check it out. You stay here, and let Ding Weixiang accompany you." She felt her words weren't strong enough, so she added earnestly, "The Shen family is full of dangers. I went to see Shen Shi'an this morning, and she clearly has some intentions towards you. It's not impossible that she deliberately staged this to lure you in. The cave is a closed space, easy to enter but difficult to exit. If something unpredictable happens, I can still escape alone..."
She was still chattering on and on when the man stood up, glanced at the serious expression of the woman in front of him, and asked lightly.
"Do you know the way?"
Xiao Nanhui stopped talking halfway, and Ding Weixiang's laughter floated over. There was a bit of unfriendly sarcasm in the laughter, which was quite annoying.
Xiao Nanhui chased after him.
"why are you laughing?"
Ding Weixiang turned around, his stern face expression serious.
"Did I laugh? You must have heard it wrong."
She was about to ask more, but Su Wei followed. The path down the mountain was a bit steep, and the atmosphere gradually became silent.
After a moment, she finally couldn't help but ask.
"They...are not actually going to do anything to that kid?"
Su Wei's figure was swaying not far ahead.
"If I'm not mistaken, that girl is the next vessel chosen by Shen Shian."
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