Jiang Bai's eyes held a hint of danger as she moved her face closer to him.
Her warm breath sprayed on his face, causing him to subconsciously turn his head away, unable to meet her gaze.
"Don't you know? It's okay. You just need to study hard and try to pass the provincial examination next autumn to become a Juren, qualify for the metropolitan examination, and get a travel permit to go to the capital."
"If there's nothing important to do on weekdays, it's best not to come back."
Jiang Bai's words were extremely cold; he released him and continued with his work.
Ji Yanwen stood there, the light in his eyes flickering.
Watching Jiang Bai squat down and begin digging a well, his expression was unusually cold, his eyes as dark as an abyss, staring at her back, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.
But soon, the strange look in his eyes disappeared.
He obediently started digging a well with Jiang Bai.
Drilling a well is a slow job, especially since Jiang Bai had to keep an eye on Ji Yanwen to prevent him from harming Jiang Lu and the others, so he kept him trapped in the well.
By nightfall, only half of the well-digging work had been completed.
They had already dug a zhang and a half deep, but there was no sign of water coming out of the well.
They made a fire in the mountains that night to make do.
The next morning, they continued their work.
Before going down the well, Ji Yanwen looked up at the clear blue sky and frowned slightly before following Jiang Bai down the well.
Today is the day that the Third Prince and others are preparing to pray for rain.
“Young master, thirty percent of the refugees have gathered in Luzhou and are now at the altar. If they fail to pray for rain today, the Third Prince will be devoured alive.”
A guard in black knelt on one knee and reported to a simply dressed young man.
After some time apart, Wang Shaoyang, who originally had fair and delicate skin, had become several shades darker after arriving in Luzhou. Apart from his noble demeanor, no one would mistake him for an ordinary peasant.
He was dressed in a dark gray linen robe, his bronze skin exuding a powerful beauty. He stood far away outside Luzhou City, listening to his subordinates' reports.
"Understood. Have the people I've arranged come into the city with me."
His expression showed a hint of impatience. In order not to be recognized by the Third Prince's people, he had spent several days transforming himself into this form.
He paid a price to get rid of him.
The guard didn't say anything more, he just raised his hand, and a group of refugees came out.
They were pale and thin, with red eyes, and walked unsteadily, looking as if they had no bones.
The group surrounded Wang Shaoyang and headed towards Luzhou City.
Today, Luzhou City is eerily quiet, with hot sandstorms swirling in the air.
Caishikou.
This place was originally used for executions, but today it has welcomed a distinguished person.
Three hundred pigs, cattle, and sheep were herded here, and with the help of the soldiers, they were bled one by one.
Seeing that herd of cattle being slaughtered like that, a pang of heartache flashed in the eyes of the people who had finally returned to Luzhou.
So many oxen, how much land could they plow? It's such a waste to just slaughter them like this.
The hope of survival spurred them to rush back from other states and counties, their eyes fixed intently on the altar erected on the high platform.
A young nobleman stood below the altar, watching his men slaughter the livestock.
"Your Highness, we only need twenty more animals to finish slaughtering the three sacrificial animals. The layman said that the formation can only be completed at night, and the official rain-praying ceremony can only be held at midnight."
"knew."
Ming Yu nodded lightly, glanced up at the altar above, and quickly looked away.
He curled his lips slightly, revealing a hint of mockery.
If this were the way to bring rain, how could Luzhou be plagued by drought?
Thinking of his father, his expression softened slightly, and his gaze fell on the slaughtered livestock.
"Very well, after this ceremony is over, we can distribute these livestock to the people."
His gaze swept over the gathered refugees, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.
Time passed second by second, and Jiang Bai and his team from Pingshan finally finished the remaining well-drilling work in the early hours of the morning.
Since Ji Yanwen had to return to the county town to study, only Jiang Bai and her two siblings, along with Jiang Anshan and his two sons, were on the mountain at that moment.
"Well water is already seeping out from the bottom of the well. Let's wait a while."
And so they waited until midnight.
Jiang Anshan and his two sons, along with Jiang Lu, were all asleep. Only Jiang Bai remained sitting in front of the fire, listening to the sounds coming from the bottom of the well.
At noon, the layman from the direction of Luzhou ascended the altar and began to pray for rain.
The refugees, filled with hope, lay down on the ground one by one, their eyes fixed on the altar.
As the layperson chanted the somber eulogy, it was thrown into the fire pit, and the blood of the animals drew a mysterious pattern on the altar.
A quarter of an hour had passed, and the pitch-black sky remained completely still. The bright moon hanging high in the sky seemed to be mocking the foolish humans underground.
Ming Yu straightened up slightly and gestured towards the shadows. The soldiers silently surrounded the refugees who had come to watch the ceremony.
Another quarter of an hour passed, and there was still no movement in the sky.
Some of the refugees below had already stood up, their faces showing a hint of madness.
The layperson sitting high on the altar remained calm and unhurried.
After all the sacrificial texts had been burned, he took out a dagger.
Ming Yu, who was originally preparing to have his soldiers take action to control the refugees and prevent a riot, subconsciously stopped after seeing his actions.
The altar was very high, and it was not possible to see the movements of the people on it clearly.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com